Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 17 Can you make paper?

Changsun Wuji refused to believe it.

"Are you trying to fool me?"

Wen He chuckled, shook her head, and pointed to herself, saying, "I'm an orphan. In your time, you might not even have enough to eat, but in our time, I wouldn't say all of us did, but at least many of us relied on subsidies to complete our studies."

Many people in later generations have criticized basic education.

But as a beneficiary, Wen He knew very well that his fate had been changed.

Changsun Wuji couldn't believe it; it wasn't his fault, but rather a limitation imposed by the times.

In the Tang Dynasty, ordinary people had little access to even the most valuable books, let alone writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

From the end of the Jin Dynasty, every family kept their books privately, and they did not lend them out except to their own children and those who served them.

Even borrowing some very basic classics required a high price, so how could ordinary people afford to read books?

When the Sui Dynasty held the imperial examinations, it wanted to lend out the palace's collection of books, but the high cost of copying them deterred even Emperor Yang Guang.

In this era, paper and ink were as valuable as silk and gold.

"If what you say is true, wouldn't paper and ink be very cheap in later generations?" Changsun Wuji's eyes seemed to be shining as he hurriedly sought confirmation from Wen He.

Wen He nodded, and after a moment's thought, he said, "In our time, we used paper to go to the toilet."

After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, what he found most unbearable was going to the toilet.

He originally wanted to produce cheap paper, but he didn't have the capital.

He wanted to make some money selling soap, but his entire operation was wiped out by Li Yuanji's steward.

Changsun Wuji immediately took a deep breath.

"Using paper to relieve oneself, isn't that too extravagant!" Li Chengqian, who had been listening quietly to the side, couldn't help but exclaim.

"Why not use silk? Paper isn't good." The chubby boy scoffed dismissively and continued, "I only use silk."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Changsun Wuji glared at him.

Li Tai was so frightened that he quickly shrank his neck.

It is no secret that the powerful and wealthy use silk, but if this gets out, it will certainly become a tool for those with ulterior motives to attack the King of Qin.

The chubby boy pouted and quickly hid behind his older brother, timidly lowering his head.

"You can make paper?"

"You can try it."

Wen He didn't speak so definitively.

He would be in a difficult position to explain if he failed.

I had only seen videos online before; it would take a lot of effort to actually do it manually.

"I will report this matter immediately upon Your Highness's return."

Changsun Wuji immediately beamed with joy.

He knew all too well how much benefit this matter could bring to the King of Qin.

If cheap paper were available, scholars throughout the land would unconditionally support Your Highness.

What fratricide? It's like Yang Guang killing his father...

Uh, no, no, how could the King of Qin do something so treasonous?

"What's this thing called? It's so exquisitely made. You must have made it. You're such a skillful little girl." Wen He's ability to make paper made him so happy that even Wenrou became gentle and kind.

Wenrou nestled timidly in Wenhe's arms, blinked, nodded, looked up at her elder brother, pointed at him and said, "It was elder brother who taught Xiaorou to do this."

"I see. Hehe, there must be a reason why Young Master Wen did this. Judging from the appearance of the three young princes, this game must be for physical fitness, right?"

He'd said both good and bad things, so what could Wen He say?

"Then your uncle won't blame us?" Li Chengqian asked cautiously.

"Of course." Changsun Wuji patted his head in a condescending manner.

This is not good.

The future crown prince appeared rather weak in front of the ministers entrusted with his care.

Even though they are uncle and nephew, they are still ruler and subject.

No wonder Changsun Wuji dared to take control of the government after Li Zhi ascended the throne; it turns out that from their childhood, the latter had never taken these nephews seriously.

Didn't they see that Li Tai was keeping his head down and dared not speak?

Li Ke continued gazing at the sky outside the wall, appearing completely indifferent.

When Li Shimin returned from the palace, it was almost dusk.

At this time, Wen He was in a side courtyard accompanying the future crown prince, the Prince of Wei, and the Prince of Wu as they studied.

After playing with Li Lizhi, Xiao Rou got sleepy, and the two little girls fell asleep leaning on his thighs on either side.

He knew that Li Shimin had returned, but someone from the front courtyard came to inform him.

Upon learning that he was leaving, the three little ones almost cried with gratitude.

The teacher was too harsh; if you couldn't recite it, you'd get a lash, and your palm would turn red.

When Wen He left, the three brothers cheered in unison for the first time.

Li Tai had never liked Li Ke, but now he was embracing him.

"Stop arguing, you're all so noisy, I want to sleep!"

But their joy was short-lived, interrupted by a soft, gentle shout.

Wenrou rubbed her eyes, pouting and glaring at them.

The three children immediately fell silent.

They hadn't forgotten how brave this little village girl was when they played beanbag toss earlier.

Li Tai deliberately teased her, which angered her. She then tackled him, straddled him, and started beating him.

Li Tai's bruised eye was caused by her beating him.

"Hmph, I won't argue with a country bumpkin!" Li Tai snorted indignantly, but he only thought it to himself and didn't dare to say it out loud.

Li Chengqian and Li Ke had already obediently sat back down and were quietly reading.

Otherwise, when Mr. Wen comes back in a while, if they still can't recite it, they'll get their hands slapped again.

Wen He hadn't expected that corporal punishment would be so effective.

In less than a day, he had tamed the three little ones.

Even though they were just three little kids, he couldn't help but feel smug, and his feet seemed to float on air as he walked.

The ancients weren't anything special.

They were eventually subdued by me, their descendant.

"Fuck!"

As he was walking, a "mountain" came towards him head-on, and he immediately felt dizzy and saw stars.

"Who is it? They're not long-walking..."

He drew out the word "long" for a long time, and in front of him stood a burly man with a leopard-like head and bulging eyes, glaring at him fiercely.

He suddenly felt his body stiffen and involuntarily swallowed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you."

Is this still a human being?
It looks like a bear.

"When did the servants of the Prince of Qin's residence become so reckless? I must complain to the Princess Consort later!"

"Jingde, don't cause trouble. We just looked around and didn't see anyone." Another tall, burly man walked over from the other side.

This man looked heroic, unlike that fierce black bear.

"Hey, why are you getting entangled with a servant? You're always looking for trouble. If you're so capable, go find the Crown Prince. What are you venting your anger on here?"

Another person walked over from the right, speaking in a flippant tone, his words revealing disdain for the "bear-like" man.

Wait, Jingde?
"Are you Yuchi Jingde?" Looking at the dark-faced giant in front of her, Wen He suddenly pictured a fierce general in her mind, which gradually overlapped with the image of the man in front of her.

He was Li Shimin's number one fierce general.

It's a pity we didn't have a camera, otherwise we would definitely have taken a group photo.

"Who are you?" Yuchi Jingde looked at Wen He with suspicion.

He had never seen this person before in the front courtyard of the Prince of Qin's mansion.

Although the Prince's mansion had many servants, very few people had come into contact with this place, and he did not remember this boy.

Could they be spies?

He suddenly opened his eyes wide, like a ferocious beast about to devour someone.

(End of this chapter)