Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Soon, Ji Yan’an and the others came out as well.

Only, the dust around them still hadn’t settled, so every last one of them emerged covered in ash and grime.

Ji Yan’an coughed several times, his expression dark.

“Cough, cough… What happened?”

Was the bandits’ stronghold some kind of shoddy tofu-dreg construction? It collapsed just like that?

“Hnk, hnk, hnk…”

The pig that had rammed into the wall was dizzy and seeing stars. Yet with remarkable stubbornness, it staggered forward and used its head to shove aside the pillar in front of it, then stumbled out like it had downed several jars of wine.

For a moment, everyone’s eyes landed on the pig.

Nanshu looked dazed. “Where did this pig come from?”

Jiang Yunsui hurriedly shifted the blame. Pointing at the pig, she shouted, “It was it! It was it! It was definitely it! It knocked the wall down! It had nothing to do with me!”

That explanation, which only made her look more guilty, successfully drew Ji Yan’an’s gaze straight to her.

“Jiang Yunsui. You again!”

He ground out every word through clenched teeth.

Song Jin crossed his arms. “Impressive. How did you get a pig in here to ram the wall?”

Jiang Yunsui was dumbfounded. No, wait-how had this all gotten pinned on her?

“No, no, no, it really wasn’t me.”

“You two. Explain.”

Ji Yan’an looked at Ji Si and Ji Lu.

Ji Si: A man of few words. Did not want to speak.

In the end, it was Ji Lu who stepped forward. Rubbing his nose, he recounted everything that had happened.

“Hahahaha…”

That unrestrained laughter undoubtedly came from Song Jin and Nanshu.

And as they laughed, the dust on their bodies fell off in little showers.

“What a pity. I didn’t get to witness your heroic feat of riding a pig with my own eyes.”

Jiang Yunsui’s little face crumpled with grievance. Did she do that because she wanted to?!

Ji Yan’an pointed at a wall not far away. “Go stand over there. When we get back, copy the Thousand Character Classic once.”

Jiang Yunsui: The sky had fallen!

What kind of demonic boss was this?!

Jiang Yunsui dawdled and refused to go over.

Ji Yan’an gave Ji Si a look, and Ji Si simply picked her up and carried her over, setting her down facing the wall. He even adjusted her crooked little head for her.

Jiang Yunsui: (ಥ﹏ಥ)

The pitiful little dirty mushroom was ultimately made to stand facing the wall and reflect on her mistakes.

In truth, Ji Yan’an wanted to punish her by making her hold a horse stance even more, but then he remembered the little thing’s legs had only recently recovered. She really had suffered one disaster after another, so standing facing the wall would have to do.

“Clean this place up.”

Ji Yan’an had never been in such a sorry state before!

He needed to go bathe at once.

The other little white people were thinking the same thing.

The moment they looked at each other, they almost wanted to laugh. But… a pot calling the kettle black was pointless. Better not laugh. They were all the same, all the same.

Ji Yan’an stared at the pig still wandering around chaotically.

“Kill it. Everyone gets extra food today.”

Since it had delivered itself to his doorstep, it couldn’t blame him.

“Yes!”

The voices of the Yaoguang Guard even carried a hint of cheer. After all, who didn’t like extra food? Especially when it was such a big, fat pig.

Jiang Yunsui faced the wall, her eyes wide open.

But she was bored. The more she stared, the more she wanted to sleep.

She sneaked a glance over. Ji Yan’an had left, so it should be fine if she slacked off a little, right?

So she picked up a twig and began scribbling all over the wall.

Mm. First, she drew a little person.

A round head, with arms and legs like four matchsticks.

All that was missing was a tuft of hair on top.

Through Jiang Yunsui’s hard work, her “masterpiece” of a Little Mushroom holding a stick and chasing after a stick figure to poke him was finally complete.

Gahaha… her Little Mushroom had finally gotten revenge!

Though the cowardly Little Mushroom only dared to take revenge in such a silly way.

“Young Master.”

When she heard someone call out for the Young Master, Jiang Yunsui hurriedly tossed away the twig in her hand and stood obediently at attention.
After washing up, Ji Yan’an returned and first glanced at a certain Little Mushroom standing with her face to the wall.

That little head of hers was sneaking glances all over the place, and the instant her eyes met his, she guiltily whipped them away.

No matter how he looked at it, she seemed like she had “up to no good” written all over her.

Ji Yan’an pinched the bridge of his nose. Where on earth had this little girl learned that?

It was only because she was adorable and delicate-looking, and still a child, that the gesture carried a bit of silly charm, like a sneaky little cat.

If it were anyone else, they would be asking for a beating.

“Young Master, there’s something wrong with the bricks used to build the wall.”

Ji Yan’an gave him a puzzled look. Was something hidden inside the wall?

One of the Yaoguang Guard came over holding a pale brick.

“Young Master, look. This brick is a different color.”

Song Jin took the brick and examined it. “This is… White Cloud Clay.”

White Cloud Clay was a special kind of clay that could be used to fire porcelain.

Ordinary clay could only be used to make pottery, but this fine, white clay was specifically used to fire white porcelain.

Before firing white porcelain, different materials could be used as glaze to give the porcelain different colors.

And porcelain like that was one of the most prized luxury goods among the nomadic tribes of the north, as well as in the more distant Western Regions.

Because they still did not know how to fire porcelain. They could only make pottery.

No one could resist the beauty of porcelain from the Central Plains. Anyone with a bit of money liked to trade for some porcelain from there.

Shen Qingzhu also examined it. “It really is.”

Ji Yan’an asked, “Are the other walls the same?”

“Some are a little whiter, while some are more yellowish.”

Fan He said excitedly, “Could there be a White Cloud Clay mine nearby?”

“Th-this… If we can fire porcelain ourselves, we can trade it to the People of the Western Regions and the grassland tribes. That would be incredibly profitable, and the cost would be lower than transporting it all the way from the Central Plains.”

The Central Plains were far too distant from Mobei, and the road was fraught with danger. Very few merchant caravans dared come this way.

Porcelain was also difficult to transport. It was fragile, and with horse carriages jolting and bumping along, one careless knock could break it. Compared with porcelain, merchants preferred transporting silk, tea, and other goods.

That was why porcelain that could arrive in Mobei completely intact was usually extremely expensive. There was also very little of it, and demand had always exceeded supply.

If they could produce porcelain here themselves, then they could control the porcelain market in this region.

If Fan He could think of this, how could the other clever people present not think of it too?

For a moment, everyone’s hearts began to burn with excitement.

Song Jin stroked his chin, his gaze falling on a certain child who was supposed to be reflecting on her mistakes with her face to the wall. Instead, she was fidgeting all over, scratching here, picking there, her little feet not idle either as she kicked this spot and nudged that one.

“Is this child unlucky or lucky, exactly?”

Ji Yan’an’s expression also turned rather indescribable.

If you called her unlucky, every time something happened, she somehow stumbled into something that turned out to be good for them.

If you called her lucky, every time she ended up a mess and got a little hurt.

Suddenly feeling a scorching sensation on her back, Jiang Yunsui carefully turned her head to look.

Several pairs of eyes were staring at her, scaring her so badly her skin tightened.

Had they discovered that she had secretly drawn herself beating up her boss?

She hurriedly turned back and began frantically rubbing at the wall.

Ji Yan’an narrowed his eyes and walked over. His instincts told him that little thing was up to something bad.

Then he saw the little child’s “masterpiece.”

As the little one anxiously rubbed at it, she muttered, “It won’t come off. Why won’t it come off?”

“If Ji Yan’an sees it, I’m doomed.”

Ji Yan’an: …Very good. Now he knew who that hideously ugly thing with a head, arms, and legs was supposed to be.

“Jiang. Yun. Sui!”