Reborn Tang Emperor Li Chengqian

Chapter 56

"Wang Quan! The widow asked you to prepare the silk stack, but are you ready?" Li Chengqian asked after the two agricultural officials left.

Bodie, also known as Baidiezi, Baidie, etc., is an annual herbaceous African cotton, which is the cotton that everyone is familiar with.

The matter of hybrid rice cannot be rushed, but cotton cannot be delayed. This is a major event in the manufacture of cotton clothes and trousers.

There are no cotton-padded clothes and trousers in the Tang Dynasty now. What the common people wear to keep out the cold in winter is cotton-padded clothes filled with silk.

Although that thing can also play a role in keeping out the cold, the main reason is that it is not very warm, and it is not as warm as cotton-filled cotton padded clothes.

Before cotton was introduced to China, China could only provide kapok for filling pillows.

Kapok is produced from the kapok tree. Although kapok can also be used to make cotton clothes, the production cost of kapok is high and the output is low. Most people cannot afford it. Kapok trees are mostly used as ornamental plants and can also be used as medicine.

Compared with kapok, annual cotton with large output and low cost is more affordable and can be popularized throughout the country.

"Lang Jun ordered, how dare slaves neglect! It's already ready!" Wang Quan laughed.

"Oh! Where is it? Show me!" Li Chengqian was overjoyed!

"Young maidservant, go get it now!" Wang Quan said, turning around and running outside.

A moment later, Wang Quan came back with something in his arms. Li Chengqian saw that his head was full of black lines, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

Isn't the potted plant in Wang Quan's arms the cotton that Li Chengqian wants, what is it!
"Lang Jun! This servant brought you the silk stack! This thing looks good, but it's far worse than Hanmei Aoxue." Wang Quan put the potted plant in his hand on the ground, wiped the scarf on his forehead Sweat, but he was exhausted.

Fortunately, the prince's order has been fulfilled!If you are tired, you will be tired, this is nothing!
Li Chengqian sighed and didn't blame Wang Quan, after all, he didn't tell him about the cotton thing carefully!

Wang Quan thought that Li Chengqian wanted the cotton for viewing.

Cotton was introduced from India and Arabia during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, but was regarded as an ornamental flower by people in the Central Plains.

At the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, it was introduced into the inland in large quantities, and people began to realize the role of cotton. However, it was forced to be popularized and applied nationwide in the early Ming Dynasty, under Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Wang Quan, I don't want this silk stack for viewing, but to use the white flowers on it. Go and pick off the white flowers on it for me. The more the better!" Li Chengqian said.

Wang Quan was taken aback!
It is a good ornamental thing, what do you do by picking its flowers?This flower can't be eaten.

I thought so, but he had to do what the crown prince ordered.

"No!" Wang Quan replied, picked up the potted plant, turned around and walked out of the hall again.

After half a day, Wang Quan finally picked off the cotton used and sent it to Li Chengqian.

"That's all?" Li Chengqian asked looking at the pile of cotton in front of him.

"Yes, these are the slaves who managed to get them. In Chang'an City and its vicinity, except for the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles, no one will grow these ornamental flowers." Wang Quan said.

"Why don't other people grow cotton? Is it not easy to grow it!" Li Chengqian was puzzled.

"Your Majesty doesn't know! This silk stack is something to appreciate. Ordinary people are busy with their lives all day long, so how can they have the leisure to watch this thing?"

"Besides, not everyone among the dignitaries likes such things. It is not as beautiful as plum blossoms. It is a species passed from the Western Regions, and it is not a valuable item." Wang Quan said.

Li Chengqian was very helpless. The Tang Dynasty had not discovered the specific function of cotton, and did not know that its greater function was to keep warm and keep out the cold.

Now that he was reborn in Datang, how could he let such an important material as cotton go to waste, he should make good use of it.

If the seed cotton that has just been picked in front of us is processed into cotton skins, it can be used to make a quilt and two or three sets of cotton clothes.

However, the cotton skin still needs to be processed through the step of plucking the cotton, so that the plucked cotton can be used to make quilts, cotton clothes, etc.

"Wang Quan, you ask people to stack these silk fabrics, remove the seeds inside, and leave the outer layer of cotton skin."

"In addition, find another craftsman with the best craftsmanship. I have something to tell them to do." Li Chengqian said.

"Promise!" Wang Quan took the order, beckoning the servants to take down the cotton in a hurry, do as Li Chengqian ordered, and send someone to invite the craftsmen back.

To pluck cotton, tools in this area are naturally indispensable. The slingshot, large wooden hammer, shovel head, grinding disc, etc. used to pluck cotton are all indispensable tools for plucking cotton.

Although Li Chengqian had never played cotton, he had watched a documentary about playing cotton before crossing.

He has never eaten pork, nor seen pigs running, but Li Chengqian has always remembered the process of picking cotton.

When the craftsmen come, let them build these tools according to their own instructions. After the tools are finished, select some ingenious and weaving palace people from the palace to learn how to play cotton with him.

"Lang Jun! The craftsman you want is here!" A servant led a craftsman in his 30s into the room, and the servant saluted.

"See Your Highness the Prince!" The craftsman hurriedly saluted.

"I came to you to make some tools! Are you the best craftsman?" Li Chengqian said.

"Back to Your Royal Highness! I dare not say the best craftsmanship, but it is at the top! Speaking of arrogance, there are not many people who can be better than me." When the craftsman talked about his craftsmanship, a proud expression appeared on his face .

"Okay!" Li Chengqian didn't care whether the craftsman was arrogant, he only cared about whether he could make what he wanted.

"Let me tell you about the tools to be built, and you should take note of them," Li Chengqian said.

The craftsman hurriedly took out the pen and paper that he carried with him, and wanted to record what Li Chengqian wanted, draw it into a sketch and go back to make the real thing.

"Please speak, Your Highness!" The craftsman was ready and motioned for the crown prince to start.

"The first one is a big wooden bow, about four feet long, with beef tendon as the string..." Li Chengqian was afraid that the craftsman would not know what kind of bow he wanted, so he said and gestured.

"...The last thing is this wooden disc, which is smaller than ordinary grinding discs. It can be as big as this. Do you understand all of this?" Li Chengqian finished explaining and making gestures.

"I memorized them all and drew them into sketches, Your Highness! Take a look at these sketches, is there anything that needs to be revised?" the craftsman said, and then showed the finished sketches to Li Chengqian for review.

Li Chengqian took the sketches and carefully examined them one by one. They were basically the same as what he described, without any flaws.

"Just follow these sketches. I am in a hurry. You can build these for me as soon as possible. How long will it take you to build them?" Li Chengqian said.

"Other things are easy to talk about, but this bow still needs some time." The craftsman said.

"Okay! Go back and build it as soon as possible!" Li Chengqian said.

"The villain leaves!" The craftsman picked up the sketch, said goodbye and left.

(End of this chapter)