"I also brought some for Fourth Maternal Uncle and my eldest cousin. Take a look and see if they're any good. If they are, I'll have someone bring you more regularly from now on."
As she spoke, she pulled a stack of white Xuan Paper from her crossbody satchel. There seemed to be at least thirty sheets.
She had made it while teaching her second uncle to make paper these past few days, using the tree bark left over from last time.
Her eldest cousin took it and examined it carefully with Fourth Uncle. He looked up excitedly. "It's the same. It's exactly like the paper sold in that bookstore."
"Why do I feel like it's even better? It seems a little whiter and sturdier." Fourth Uncle touched the thickness of the paper, finding it unbelievable.
"Now that you mention it, I think it is a little thicker too."
Su Qiao raised the corners of her lips.
Of course it was thicker.
She had still been inexperienced the first time she made it. The second time, she had modeled it after the Xuan Paper sold in town and even added calcined lime to bleach it.
The paper made this way was not only thicker and whiter; ink was also less likely to bleed when writing or painting on it.
"Qiao'er, you... you've truly given your Maternal Grandfather quite a shock!" Even Old Master Zhou couldn't help exclaiming in amazement.
Just three or four months ago, she had still been a dark, lazy, gluttonous little girl who hated cleaning up after herself. Yet only a few months later, she had changed so tremendously.
The old madam was so delighted that she could barely close her mouth. "Qiao'er, this is what they call... what was it? 'Ming something'?"
Her fourth son helplessly