After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 183 Perfectly Undamaged

When the messenger from the mansion arrived with a message, Gu Lin was at the White Porcelain Factory in the suburbs.

A few days ago, after he reminded Ning Fangshi, Ning Fangshi was greatly inspired and worked through the night with other craftsmen to study how to make the white porcelain even whiter and more flawless.

Knowing that the graying or yellowing of white porcelain was most likely due to the impurity of the Guanyin clay, Ning Fangshi instructed the craftsmen to mix water into the Guanyin clay to form a slurry. This slurry was then fed into a sedimentation tank through a ditch. After the slurry had been left to stand for a day and a night, many fine particles appeared in the upper suspension. The craftsmen then removed the slurry and fired it to make white porcelain.

After a series of operations, when the white porcelain fired using the water-based clay and sand method came out of the kiln again, all the craftsmen were shocked. They were amazed by the delicate and warm porcelain in front of them, which was as white as snow. After seeing the warm white porcelain in front of them, they would feel that other porcelains were extremely dull.

This was already the finest of the finest, and Yu Ercheng couldn't wait to invite his boss to come and see it, but Ning Fangshi stopped him: "Don't call Boss Gu over yet, these white porcelains aren't good enough."

Yu Ercheng, who was about to turn away, turned back to face Ning Fangshi, pointed to the lustrous and translucent white porcelain beside him, and asked again, "You say these porcelains are not good enough?"

Ning Fangshi nodded. This time, he wasn't being modest; he genuinely felt that the porcelain in front of him was not good.

After the young man reminded him, he was skeptical but tried to figure it out. After consulting many ancient books, he discovered the water-based clay sand method, which greatly improved the cleanliness of white porcelain. However, he still remembered the effects of porcelain stone mentioned by Gu Lin and wanted to try it out.

Thinking this, Ning Fangshi spoke it aloud.

While the white porcelain before him was already considered the finest of the best by Er Cheng, it might not be so for the wealthy and powerful. If they could produce even better porcelain, far surpassing that of other white porcelain kilns in Da Qian, one can imagine...

Yu Ercheng said to Ning Fangshi in a serious tone, "You can rest assured to fire the white porcelain. You don't need to worry about anything else."

After a day and a night of experimentation, Ning Fangshi and the craftsmen added different amounts of porcelain stone to the Guanyin clay. They stood guard in front of the kiln, waiting quietly, because if this worked, it would be the key to their superiority over other kilns.

As the orange-red and white porcelain came out of the kiln and gradually cooled down, Yu Ercheng was speechless when he saw the dozen or so pieces of white porcelain in front of him that were without any cracks and resembled silver and snow.

At the white porcelain factory, he was in charge of personnel and miscellaneous affairs, while Ning Fangshi led the craftsmen to study how to fire white porcelain. Although he did not understand these technical aspects, he had spent several days at the white porcelain factory and was very clear about how low the possibility of white porcelain coming out of the kiln intact was.

Under normal circumstances, it would be an incredible surprise to find one complete piece out of ten porcelain pieces without any cracks.

Seeing the flawless white porcelain pieces before him, Yu Ercheng gradually felt more confident. However, he did not immediately send someone to inform the young master. Instead, he turned to Ning Fangshi and discussed, "Let's fire a few more batches of porcelain and see."

Understanding the other party's meaning, Ning Fangshi immediately led his men to refire the porcelain. Only when the subsequent batches of white porcelain were all perfect and undamaged did Yu Ercheng feel relieved and send someone to inform Gu Lin.

Upon arriving at the porcelain factory, Gu Lin looked at the rows of neatly arranged, flawless porcelain pieces. He listened to Ning Fangshi explaining the porcelain firing process and Yu Ercheng's occasional additions. He turned around and smiled, saying, "These are the porcelain pieces I wanted. You've all worked hard these past few days. What do you want?"

As the boss, Gu Lin always reminded himself that he couldn't be stingy with his subordinates. If he wanted them to make money for him, he had to treat them well and make them understand that following him would bring them good fortune. Only then would they be willing to continue working for him.

Yu Ercheng said, "I am already more than satisfied that you have handed over the White Porcelain Factory to me."

Yu Ercheng wasn't expressing loyalty; he was simply telling the truth.

Although the White Porcelain Factory is still small in scale and not as large as Zhenyulou, the two cannot be compared. In particular, the white porcelain has already been fired, and Yu Ercheng can already imagine how glorious the White Porcelain Factory will be in the future.

Without an immediate response, Gu Lin turned to Ning Fangshi and asked, "What do you desire?"

Ning Fangshi remained silent, pondering for a moment.

After a moment, he looked up at Gu Lin and said, "If possible, let's build a few kilns in the white porcelain factory."

Ning Fangshi explained his thoughts: "Although the water-based clay-sand method can purify Guanyin clay, using a kiln to calcine it at high temperatures will yield an even purer Guanyin clay, however..."

Seeing Ning Fangshi pause, Gu Lin said, "You don't need to hold back, just speak your mind."

Ning Fangshi: "The high-temperature calcination method is more expensive than the water-washing method, but the white porcelain produced is more delicate and beautiful."

This is why he hesitated. Many merchants want to cut costs as much as possible to make more money, so why would they needlessly increase costs? In addition, the white porcelain produced now is unique in the market, and since he has no proof, many people will not bother to do it.

The young man said, "So that's what it is. I'll have Ercheng find someone to build a kiln right away."

Ning Fangshi couldn't help but look over, attracted by the other party's decisiveness.

Gu Lin said with some helplessness, "Could it be that I am an extremely stingy person in Master Ning's eyes?"

"Although I don't know anything about firing white porcelain, the saying goes that true gold is not afraid of being burned, and the same principle applies to white porcelain. White porcelain made by fire must have something that surpasses ordinary white porcelain."

"Since I've entrusted the White Porcelain Factory to you and Yu Ercheng, I truly trust you. I promised to reward you, so how could I let you get nothing in return?"

"How about this."

After pondering for a moment, Gu Lin said to Ning Fangshi and Yu Ercheng, "From now on, one-tenth of the profits from the white porcelain factory will go to you, and the other half to Ercheng."

this······

Ning Fangshi was somewhat taken aback, having never encountered an employer who would voluntarily share profits with his subordinates. Moreover, he received a high monthly salary and bonuses while working under Gu Lin, and he felt unworthy of such a share and would not accept it.

Yu Ercheng's lips moved slightly.

Gu Lin raised his hand to stop the two from refusing: "I have always treated everyone working under me the same way. It's not just you, I treat Xiao Yao and Xiao Cui the same way."

“Helping me do things is different from helping yourself. It’s just a share of the profits, which I’m open-minded about. Why are you embarrassed to accept it?”

Gu Lin smiled helplessly.

Upon hearing this, Yu Ercheng first expressed his gratitude, and then promised, "Boss, I will definitely manage the white porcelain factory well and make it a fortune every day."

Ning Fangshi was more reserved than Ercheng, only offering his thanks. However, compared to his previous polite and distant manner, his expression softened, showing more intimacy.

Just as they were talking, a voice suddenly broke in: "Husband, husband, the master has returned home!"

Gu Lin turned his head and looked over. Yu Ercheng saw this and said, "If the boss has something to do, he should go back first. Ning Fangshi and I will be watching over the White Porcelain Factory."

Without mincing words with them, Gu Lin was indeed anxious to go back and find out some things.

He said to the two of them, "If you encounter any problems you can't solve, come to me."

After saying that, Gu Lin turned and left the white porcelain factory, stepping onto the carriage outside.

After bathing and washing up, the young man's expression softened slightly, and the weariness between his brows disappeared considerably. He stepped out from behind the screen, looked at the food prepared on the table, and asked the large swallow beside the table, "When will my husband return?"

Upon hearing this, Da Yan felt helpless. "You've only been gone for a few days. Don't you know when your husband usually comes back?"

Thinking this way, Da Yan said with a serious expression, "My husband usually returns at sunset. When you returned to the manor just now, I sent someone to deliver a message to him."

After saying that, Zheng Hao turned his eyes, dark and cold, and said indifferently, "You acted on your own initiative."

Normally, Zheng Hao didn't stay in the mansion much and didn't have much contact with Da Yan and others. Da Yan only felt that Lord Zheng was aloof and of noble character. When the other party's attitude suddenly changed from sunny to gloomy, Da Yan didn't react in time.

Upon meeting Lord Zheng's dark eyes, which were as cold as the night, Da Yan's body tensed up, and all the lightness in her heart vanished.

However, the young man who held the power of life and death over him said: "When I'm not by my husband's side, you all disobey my orders and act on your own?"

When Zheng Hao said this, his tone was normal, so calm that no one could tell what he meant. But the meaning he conveyed made Da Yan kneel down immediately with a "thud".

Raising its head, Da Yan wanted to beg for mercy, but when it met the young man's eyes, which had shed their disguise and were like those of a ferocious beast, it dared not utter a noisy plea for mercy.

Da Yan pressed his forehead to the ground. At this moment, he recalled that night at the inn, the way Lord Zheng interrogated the prisoners in the woodshed, and Steward Da Zhuo's reminder that it was better to offend Lord Zheng than to offend his husband.

Closing his eyes, Da Yan felt a pang of regret. He had been too arrogant. Seeing that his husband was easy to talk to, he gradually began to think of himself as someone important. Without Lord Zheng's permission, he dared to take it upon himself to urge his husband to return home.

However, it was too late to realize this.

If he had offended Lord Zheng himself, he would still have a way out, as the other party would let him off the hook out of consideration for his husband. But he had offended his husband, whom Lord Zheng cherished and would not allow anyone to offend.

Da Yan hung his head, cold sweat dripping from his forehead and hitting the ground. His mind kept replaying the images of the bandits being interrogated beyond recognition in the woodshed of the inn.

Will he end up like that?

A cool breeze blew into the room, and Da Yan shivered from the cold, his mind clearing.

He won't end up like a bandit, but he shouldn't expect to continue working for his husband either. He'll likely be crippled or kicked out, which would be the best outcome.

The room, which should have been well-ventilated and cool, was now extremely stuffy. One person sat upright while the other knelt, one tall and one short. The silent and oppressive atmosphere made Da Yan feel like she couldn't breathe.

A glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes, as if he were expecting something, but that hope quickly vanished, for he knew that Lord Zheng was not a soft-hearted or easily persuaded man; once the other had decided to deal with him, he would not change his mind, unless…

Suddenly, a light footstep came from outside the door. Da Yan was so focused on how Lord Zheng would deal with him that he didn't notice it.

At that moment, a voice came from above his head, which terrified him, yet also gave him hope.

"If this situation occurs again in the future, there is no need for you to stay by your husband's side."

Having narrowly escaped death, Da Yan still couldn't believe that Lord Zheng had let him go. He cautiously raised his head.

Hearing the young man's footsteps getting closer, Zheng Hao said, "Get up."

"Yes."

Fearing to anger the other party, Da Yan moved cautiously, but still couldn't understand why Lord Zheng would let him go.

The next moment he understood. The door was pushed open, and a careless footstep entered. After the lesson he had just learned, Da Yan lowered his head slightly and looked at the ground, not daring to look around.

After walking around the screen, Gu Lin's gaze first fell on the figure standing in front of Zheng Hao. He initially thought it was Da Zhuo, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was Da Yan. He slowed his pace, a look of surprise and confusion crossing his face: "Da Yan, what are you doing here?"

Knowing Zheng Hao's personality, the other party always only cared about the affairs of the front yard and never interfered in the affairs of the back yard. This was the case from the capital to Jibei Prefecture, at least on the surface. Gu Lin had never discovered this, so he took it as true.

Upon seeing her husband enter the house, and call out to him before even addressing Lord Zheng, Da Yan felt restless, as if bitten by ants. Thinking of how much Lord Zheng valued her husband, how he didn't bathe or eat upon returning home but instead asked where her husband was, and how he punished her husband for acting on his own initiative despite his own exhaustion, Da Yan became even more tense.

The next moment, Lord Zheng, who was not far ahead, spoke up: "You go out first."

There were only two people inside. Lord Zheng wouldn't let his husband leave, so it's obvious who that person was.

Da Yan bowed to the two men as if she had escaped a great danger, and then immediately left the house.

Seeing the other person leave in a hurry, Gu Lin was puzzled, but his attention was quickly diverted.

The young man raised his arm and waved to him: "Uncle Gu, come here, dinner is ready."

Withdrawing his gaze from Da Yan's retreating figure, Gu Lin shifted his attention to Zheng Hao, walked closer to him, looked at the simple food on the table, and said, "You eat first, I have something to ask you later."

Having not eaten properly for three days, Zheng Hao was still able to suppress his physiological instincts and slowly raised his hand to scoop a bowl of clear soup for the young man.

Seeing this, Gu Lin frowned: "Why are you drinking this stuff too?"

Before the soup even got close, Gu Lin could smell the strong aroma of medicinal herbs. Zheng Hao remained unfazed: "I've caught a chill recently, and the army doctor told me to drink more medicinal soup to nourish myself. Perfect timing, I can have some medicinal soup with Uncle Gu."

Upon hearing this, Gu Lin's face showed a hint of unease. Meeting the young man's dark and deep eyes, he subconsciously raised his hand to take the medicine.

Looking down at the goji berries, angelica, and other medicinal herbs floating on the surface of the soup, Gu Lin felt a pang of regret. His brows furrowed deeper as he wanted to return this hot potato to his hands.

At this moment, the young man beside him said, "Uncle Gu, do you want to ask about the Red-Clad Army's invasion of Jibei Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Lin's mind drifted away from the medicinal soup, and his eyes turned to Zheng Hao.

He asked the young man, "What exactly is going on? There are rumors outside that the Red-Clad Army is about to attack, and the government office has also posted notices."