As soon as Yang Xianrong and Sima Ying walked into the first courtyard, they saw Xiao Ruobai and Liu Yao standing in front of a large basket of silkworm cocoons and saying something. The two of them looked at each other, both with questions in their eyes.

Liu Yao had been talking to Liu Sheng and Liu Gu yesterday, and it seemed that there was something. Because Yang Xianrong was very tired, he didn't ask him too much. After that, he also made a plan with Sima Ying to go out secretly, and did not inform Liu Yao.

At this time, when he met here, Yang Xianrong didn't come up with any reason for a while.

"The queen mother, the prince." Xiao Ruobai had already seen them, and when he saw that they were dressed in civilian clothes, he lowered his voice very low, which could be regarded as a gift to the two.

"Hmm." Sima Ying obviously didn't know what to say, but she answered first and looked at Liu Yao. Liu Yao looked calm, and said with a smile: "I originally wanted to call you, but I feel that I have been tired of driving and riding for several days, so I should rest more." So, I went to the front hall and asked Xiao County to come to the Huansha Institute to have a look, and I saw it. ”

"Yes, the silk fabrics of Qingyang County are very famous, from the most primitive silkworm cocoons to Shu embroidery, everything is available. The queen can also go to the backyard to have a look. ”

"Hmm." Yang Xianrong couldn't help but laugh quietly when he saw Sima Ying quietly wrapping the remaining bun in mulberry leaves and putting it into his wide sleeves.

"What are the third sisters laughing at?" Liu Yao's eyes were sharp.

"Oh, it's nothing, it's just that these cocoons are all white and chubby, and it's very cute." Yang Xianrong can't tell the story that they are secretly eating buns outside.

"Cute is cute, but it can't be transported long distances, and you still have to reel and rinse the silk here before you can make the silk thread and get lucky."

"That being said, it's best to make silk here and transport it away. Something like silk thread is still fragile and fragile. Xiao Ruobai explained.

"Brother Liu wants to buy it?" Sima Ying asked.

"Just wanted to buy some and take them home." Liu Yao nodded, "It's really good-looking, give it to those people in my family as a gift for the New Year." ”

"Is Brother Liu leaving?" Yang Xianrong suddenly became a little unhappy, "This has just arrived, why do you have to stay a few more days?" ”

"Well, in a few days. Just take a look. Liu Yao replied with a smile, but his eyes didn't look at her.

"There's a lot of people here, let's go to the backyard and have a look." There were a lot of people who sent silkworm cocoons at the door, and Xiao Ruobai said to them, "The backyard is very beautiful to dye and dry." If you don't dislike it, you can also take a look at the Shu embroidery made by my mother. ”

"Okay." Yang Xianrong turned around and entered the courtyard behind.

Xiao Ruobai led them into a separate courtyard, which was also the place where the royal tribute fabrics were made. After all, it is a royal specialty, and it is also necessary to have strict production processes and material selection standards. He really knows this very well and talks endlessly.

The weavers here are almost all women, and they are very careful and meticulous, and they keep the working environment clean and tidy at all times.

There were two older grandmothers who were in charge of cleaning at all times, and as soon as they entered the door, they saw that these two were busy and never stopped.

Dyeing silk is also an extremely complex project. The method used here is dip dyeing, that is, the silk weaving is immersed in the dye vat, dyed for all, and then, according to the different colors, it is divided into one dyeing and several dyeing. Each time the fabric is impregnated, it gets a different hue.

Of course, the role of dyes is also required in this.

The silk fabrics where Qingyang County Huansha is located are large and colorful, so in the silk dyeing place in the backyard, there is a room dedicated to storing dyes. Bottles and cans filled the room, and they were amazed to see it.

"Are all so many dyes?" Liu Yao asked.

"No, no, no." Xiao Ruobai began to explain again, "There are dyes, for example, this jar is madder, and this jar is a coloring agent, a sericin removal material, and there are spices here, adding them to the silk, they will continue to emit a faint fragrance for several years, and there is no need for incense." ”

"Is there a scent of osmanthus flowers?" Yang Xianrong likes this taste very much.

"Absolutely." Xiao Ruobai pointed to the rows of clay pots on the window shelf, "The smell here is different, you can smell it." ”

Before Yang Xianrong stretched out his hand, he asked again: "Can you take it down and smell it?" ”

"Yes, you can." Xiao Ruobai stretched out his hand, "Which smell do you want to smell?" I'll take it for you. ”

"Oh, it's all right." Seeing so many jars for a while, Yang Xianrong didn't know which one to smell first.

"Then take any of them." Xiao Ruobai reached out and took one from the shelf and handed it to Yang Xianrong. It's a white powder, and there's nothing special about it. There is a faint fragrance of lotus flowers, but you can't get close to smell it.

Yang Xianrong handed it to Sima Ying, who didn't smell it, just glanced at it and handed it to Liu Yao. Liu Yao even signaled if he could touch it? Xiao Ruobai also agreed.

That's it, one takes, one smells, one passes, and one touches. The four of them are really an assembly line, and they smelled most of the shelves in an instant.

"Okay, I can't smell it anymore, I can't even tell the smell anymore." Yang Xianrong rubbed his nose, "It's all quite fragrant." ”

"Yes, it is the most mellow aroma that can leave a deep taste in the silk fabric." As he spoke, Xiao Ruobai suddenly kicked a clay pot under his feet. The quality of the jar was not very good, and it was cracked with just one kick.

There was nothing in the jar, only some yellow-brown remnants of powder stuck to the pottery shards, which were not the same as the incense powder just now.

The two grandmothers who were cleaning just now heard the sound, and hurriedly walked over with a broom, and said repeatedly: "Oh, but be careful, you will break your foot." Jin Niang just pierced her foot last month, and it's not good yet. ”

"No, how do I remember that she had been pulling for several days and had lost a lot of weight."

Sima Ying tugged at the sleeve of Yang Xianrong's coat and motioned for her to stand behind. Liu Yao leaned down and wanted to help the grandmothers clean up.

However, he glanced down, and suddenly reached out to touch the powder stained inside the broken pottery shard, and then put it in his mouth and tasted it, and suddenly looked at Xiao Ruobai: "Xiao County Order, what is this?" ”

"What?" Xiao Ruobai didn't understand what he meant for a while.

"This tastes a little bitter, is it also a dye? But there's no aroma, huh? Liu Yao was quite serious, "Do these spices sell?" I can buy some. ”

"Brother Liu, how much do you want to buy?" Xiao Ruobai laughed.

"I have a lot of family, so it's always right to buy more." Liu Yao also laughed, "It's okay, I have two brothers to follow, just go back and let them go back directly." ”

"Okay, then I'll let the steward of the Huansha Institute calculate with you." Xiao Ruobai was very happy, this was a big deal.

It's just that Yang Xianrong looked at Liu Yao and the powder he spit out after tasting it, and his heart moved.