Amber and Crystal Mines

Princess Liuli's storeroom was enormous; upon entering, one was dazzled by the sheer number of treasures.

The warehouse was piled high with top-quality jade, fine jadeite, gemstones of all colors, and various pearls and agates, almost filling the entire warehouse.

Each piece you pick out is a rare treasure that most people would never see in their entire lives; it's dazzling and incredibly luxurious.

Zhou Wanwan then opened the adjacent warehouse, which was filled with piles and piles of gold and silver.

The third warehouse was filled with priceless medicinal herbs.

Zhou Wanwan also found many medicinal herbs she had never seen before. She smiled and said, "This trip was truly worthwhile. Let's see what else he has in his yard."

Zhou Wanwan wandered around for a while, then overheard a peony tree say, "What are these things? The most valuable things Princess Liuli owns are probably those mines."

Zhou Wanwan moved closer to the peony and asked, "What kind of mineral vein? Could you tell me more about it?"

The peony was terrified, her face turning pale. "You... you can actually understand what I'm saying?"

The peony bush next to them chimed in, "Wow! Is she even human? She can actually understand what we're saying! Isn't that amazing?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled and chatted with them, "I'll not only talk to you, I'll also give you water. Try my water and see if it feels comfortable."

Peony and peony drank Zhou Wanwan's water and nodded repeatedly. "Delicious, little sister, your water is so delicious!"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"Are we good friends now?"

I can take you home and raise you, but could you tell me where this princess's mine is?

Peony nodded quickly and said, "I know, her mines are all hidden in this drawer. Just open it and you'll find a sheepskin map on it."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the drawer with a headache, because the lock on the drawer was specially made and ordinary people couldn't open it at all.

The roots of the Old Scholar Tree stretched in, startling Peony and Peony, who cried out, "A monster! What is that?"

"I'm so scared, boohoo..."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "This is Uncle Scholar Tree, don't be afraid."

The Old Scholar Tree stuck its roots into the drawer, and after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, there was a "click" sound, and the drawer opened.

Zhou Wanwan opened the map and, sure enough, saw three locations marked on it.

Zhou Wanwan looked at the Old Scholar Tree and said, "Uncle Scholar Tree, can you send those big trees to check if there are any mineral veins here? Let's move the rest of the things back first!"

The Old Scholar Tree led Zhou Wanwan away directly. The next morning, when Zhou Wanwan woke up, she found that they had arrived at a mine.

The Old Scholar Tree looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Wanwan, you're awake? This is a beeswax mine."

Tumbleweeds and saxaul trees gradually pushed the underground beeswax ore to the surface.

She bent down and picked up a piece, feeling its smooth, warm texture. "I never imagined this was a beeswax mine."

After weighing it in her hand for a moment, she said again, "This amber looks really good; it's quite thick."

Zhou Wanwan tested the energy of the amber ore and found that its energy was actually stronger than that of cinnabar ore.

Zhou Wanwan replenished the energy of the saxaul tree and tumbleweed, making them even faster.

It took more than an hour to extract the amber from the mine.

The trees not far away tossed the amber ore into the bamboo basket they carried.

The Old Scholar Tree then led Zhou Wanwan to the second piece of ore, which was actually entirely made of crystal.

The Old Scholar Tree, along with a group of other trees, carried all the crystals back home.

Next, they ran to the third pile of ore.

This pile of ore is not a regular vein, but rather an agate beach unique to the Gobi Desert.

Over the years, wind and sand have eroded the land, covering the surface with agate stones of all sizes, in shades of wine red, pale yellow, milky white, and light gray, with patterns of silk and cloud. These stones are embedded in the sand, forming a stone beach.

Zhou Wanwan squatted down, picked up a piece at random, and smiled, "I didn't expect this to be an agate mine, and this is even Gobi agate. The quality is quite rare."

However, while the agate was beautiful, she discovered that it wasn't very useful at all when she channeled energy into it.

Therefore, we should discard this Gobi agate.

The ores were transported with the help of Old Scholar Tree's men, and Zhou Wanwan went straight back to Heavenly Demon City.

She went to the teahouses in Heavenly Demon City. These teahouses, theaters, brothels, and gambling dens were the most famous things about Heavenly Demon City...

Zhou Wanwan was sitting in the teahouse when she heard a storyteller recounting Journey to the Journey to the West. Zhou Wanwan smiled; she was the author of one of the Four Great Classical Novels.

She has an exceptional memory; she remembers many books from her past life.

Then she opened two bookstores and also frequently published some of her own books.

Her family owned a printing factory. At present, the printing technology in the Great Xia Kingdom is not mature, and printing is generally done by copying.

Where can I reliably earn money by copying books?

It would be better to do what Zhou Wanwan did and use movable type printing directly.

Zhou Wanwan simply set up a book printing training class, not only teaching people to read, but also teaching them how to recognize movable type, typesetting, inking, printing, and binding.

Those trees learn very quickly; some can graduate after just a few days of training.

Moreover, those trees really enjoy doing these handicrafts and do them very diligently every day.

Zhou Wanwan's bookstore business is also booming, and the teahouse is always packed.

Zhou Wanwan said with a smile, "Oh my! This Heavenly Demon City seems more interesting to me than the Jianghu Alliance!"

The Jianghu Alliance is too rigid, unlike the lively atmosphere of Heavenly Demon City.

Zhou Wanwan thought for a moment and said:

"I think ordinary restaurants are too boring, so why don't I open a fried chicken shop!"

Add some milk tea inside, wow... I'm such a genius!

The Water Ghost stared blankly at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Fried chicken? Milk tea? I've never heard of these things before?"

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said:

"You don't need to hear about it, I also want to open a bar!"

The wine is produced in our area, all kinds of wine.

I previously taught Zhao Qingxi and Zhao Qinghe, a brother and sister, how to brew a new type of wine. I wonder if they succeeded?

Zheng Xing'an said softly, "I heard that it has already been brewed, and the taste is very good, especially the kind of beer you mentioned, which is very popular."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said:

"If a bar were to open here, it would definitely be very popular."

"I'll open another clothing store; the clothes here are all quite beautiful."

The women of Heavenly Demon City dress more boldly and openly than women outside.

Zhou Wanwan looked down at the clothes worn by the women downstairs and clicked her tongue in amazement.

The Heavenly Demon City is adjacent to the Western Regions, and the clothes worn by the women in the city mostly reflect the style of the Western Regions —open, generous, neat, and beautiful, yet not frivolous.

Some wore short tops with narrow sleeves, made of light and thin material, and brightly colored, such as red, green, and blue, which made walking and doing things easier.

They mostly wear long skirts with side slits or trousers, which are convenient for horseback riding, traveling, and shopping without being cumbersome.

Many people also wore riding attire, which was tight and neat, with a belt around their waist, making them look tall and straight, and both cool and energetic.

Others wear a thin outer vest or a half-draped gauze dress, which flutters lightly in the wind, looking both beautiful and cool.

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "I'll bring a few more pieces back with me as gifts."