Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 503 - 502: Suppressing Bandits, Making Clothes, and Acquiring a Painting

Chapter 503: Chapter 502: Suppressing Bandits, Making Clothes, and Acquiring a Painting

Lin Wanwan was convinced that Xiao Chong’s primary ideal was definitely to gallop across the battlefield as a commanding general, rather than leading the common folks step-by-step to overcome poverty and achieve prosperity within the county.

Look at how excited he got with bandit suppression, he hasn’t even come to mooch a meal for a month now, spending his time catching bandits while facing the elements!

Lin Wanwan usually found Xiao Chong quite cunning, but after hearing all sorts of gossip about his bandit suppression in Xiaoxi Town, she was even more convinced that this guy was even craftier than a shrewd businessman and more devious than Cao Cao!

Every rumor circulating in the market underwent several reversals, reversals upon reversals.

You couldn’t trust a single word coming out of Xiao Chong’s mouth, it was all schemes, intrigue within intrigue! It’s not just mountain bandits; even the idle crowd was left thoroughly confused by Xiao Chong.

The mountain bandits in Mao County were pretty much done for once they fell into his hands; there’s not much left to say. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

This wave of bandit suppression, which lasted a month, might not be noteworthy in the history of bandit suppression of the entire Great Tang, but it’s a significant addition to Xiao Chong’s resume.

With connections in the court, it’s much easier to rise in officialdom. Although Xiao Chong’s grandfather, Xiao Yu, was dismissed as prime minister for the third time in July this year, the Xiao Family remained deeply entrenched in the Great Tang Dynasty, holding its place in the realm.

The direct lineage of the Xiao Family achieved accomplishments, of course, they could easily reach the ears of the emperor.

But for Xiao Chong, these accolades didn’t give him as much satisfaction as converting the mountain bandits into laborers for the engineering projects of Ta Mountain Dam and Sun Lake.

Two major hydraulic projects that were always short of manpower instantly became fully staffed with the influx of mountain bandits turning over a new leaf.

It’s not just the project site managers celebrating, but all the diligent citizens of Mao County who had labor tasks were rejoicing too.

This meant they wouldn’t have to work in such grueling places for labor this year! Merely repairing roads, sea dikes, and river embankments would make the jobs much lighter!

The work being lighter meant less dry food consumption, with everyone eating a little less, their family of parents, wives, and children could enjoy a little more, Mao County was all smiles for a while.

From mid-November to the end of December, it seemed like a flash, time passed swiftly, without pausing.

The remaining cotton supply in the cotton workshop was only enough to keep the ladies busy for half a month more, perfect timing for Lin Family’s ladies to finish up before the New Year, bringing cheer all round!

No family in the clan used cotton quilts this year, after all, a cotton quilt weighing six pounds cost one coin; who could bear to use it for themselves? Having a cotton padded blanket wasn’t too bad!

Cotton quilts weren’t in demand at Lin Family Manor, but quite a few households made cotton clothes, Lin Wanwan’s being the first.

Stuffing cotton inside beautiful silk clothing makes it soft and warm, a perfect tool for winter!

Little Qingyu, who blends in seamlessly with the clan’s children, quickly spread the news among the kids.

The children didn’t envy for long, as the new year’s winter school uniforms began to be distributed.

This time, Lin Wanwan didn’t use ready-made clothes but rather took cotton cloth from her family’s warehouse and bought cotton from the workshop, calculated the measurements, and taught the weavers attached to her ready-made clothing workshop to make standardized Han-style narrow-sleeved padded cotton clothes as winter school uniforms.

Once the first batch of padded cotton robes reached the children’s hands, not only the children were happy, but the parents were even happier, as this winter, the kids’ new clothes could be saved.

Wan Niang truly spared no expense for the children in the school.

After touching the children’s cotton robes, a few families got tempted.

Cotton cloth was unaffordable, but it could be replaced with jute and hemp cloth, and cotton bought from the local workshop only required the original bulk purchase cost.

The first to be tempted and take action was Lin Mengli’s family.

Lin Mengli and his wife didn’t care much for themselves, and the kids had school uniforms to wear; it was just his elderly mother who had a hard time getting through the winter, desperately needing a padded cotton robe.

Winter clothing was simply hard and not warm, not too good.

Lin Mengli, who had been looking after the scene and monitoring accounts at Red Face Smile in Xiaoxi Town for Lin Wanwan, dealt with noble ladies daily, greatly broadening his horizon, and had always been the least afraid to spend money in the clan.

So, he was the first to try it out; when his family’s old mother’s cotton robe was finished, the old lady showed it off everywhere, scolding Lin Mengli for spending recklessly while grinning widely.

Others: "Have you had dinner yet?"

Lin Mengli’s mother, Mrs. Shen: "Ah, how did you know my Mengli wastes money extravagantly, making me a padded cotton jacket from jute fabric?"

Thanks to Mrs. Shen’s advertisement, soon, several families with elderly members in the clan started making them too; there’s a sense of competitiveness in showing respect to the elderly.

This year Lin Family Manor’s lives were much better compared to before, not to mention fans, sweet potatoes, or winter melon; just the money distributed from the cotton workshop allowed them to comfortably get through winter.

The profits from three months in the cotton workshop this year equaled the whole year’s income from previous years.

Moreover, there were two waves of people encountering relocation in the clan this year, compensated with green brick houses, their lives improving.

Some families with fewer members, having struck lucky with winter melon gains, could even see pure white rice on their dinner tables.

People outside were saying that Lin Family Manor, backed by the Village Lady of Le’an, would inevitably get wealthier.

Regarding the changes in the clan, Lin Wanwan was deeply gratified, as this was the Peach Blossom Spring scheme she envisioned.

The spring tide on January 1st, Lin Wanwan didn’t go to catch the sea; she received a letter from Yu family stating they got Yu Shinan’s calligraphy!

She couldn’t wait to rush to Xiaoxi Town to secure it!

Upon receiving the Yu’s letter, Lin Wanwan immediately sent a reply, stating she would visit today.

To express her gratitude, Lin Wanwan specially brought a pound of cherries for the Yu family.

Cherries in winter in the Great Tang were rare items, and due to sea merchants near Mao County, there were a few on the market, though expensive and scarce.

What Lin Wanwan brought was American cherries, commonly known as cherries, sweet and big, making a perfect gift!

The Yu family showed a peculiar expression upon receiving the cherries from Lin Wanwan and swiftly took out the calligraphy booklet they had received, handing it to Lin Wanwan.

This calligraphy collection had already been mounted, containing a poem by Yu Shinan handed down through the ages, "Travels of the Youth and Friends."

Han and Wei era had many extraordinary characters, those striking achievements abandoned fame and wealth. ... Sacrificing life for a friend, not scheming for oneself.

The poem was good, the writing even better!

Lin Wanwan’s eyes gleamed with delight, utterly ecstatic.

More importantly, Yu Shinan had personally signed the collection! This was certification!

Lin Wanwan carefully put away the artwork and expressed her gratitude to the Yu family profusely.

A national treasure, a national treasure, within over a month, the Yu family managed to get her Yu Shinan’s calligraphy booklet, making her truly thrilled.

This friendship was worth maintaining, they handled matters genuinely, without pretending!

What they said was all superficial, but Lin Wanwan’s gratitude was real, directly taking the Yu family to relish a set of full beauty and bathing services at Red Face Smile.

She even paid out of her own pocket to give the Yu family a premium membership card at Red Face Smile, prompting the Yu family to utter embarrassed denials, yet unable to refuse.