Chapter 46 Wu Lijun: Brother An Has Lofty Ideals

Wu Lijun attached great importance to the new type of spinning machine entrusted by An Xin. Upon hearing the news, Wu Damao did not ask for the reasons and immediately dispatched three carpenters from the Wu family's weaving workshop to Wu Lijun. Even the farm located in Luojiaao was directly transferred to her name, considered as a dowry given to Wu Lijun in advance.

Having experienced the incident involving Ma Wenbin, Wu Damao increasingly sensed the paramount importance of power. Ma Wenbin had cozied up to the eunuchs of the Weaving Bureau, purchased the status of a imperial student, and stepped one foot into the circle of gentry. Yet, he was still dealt with severely by the county magistrate. No matter how much Ma Wenbin begged his elders and deities, pleading everywhere, it was completely useless! Had the magistrate not cut him some slack in the end, he probably would have been driven to death by his creditors. In Wu Damao's eyes, even if his daughter could become a concubine to the county magistrate, it would already be a very, very good outcome.

Several days passed. After fermenting, the matter concerning the Ma family spread through various strata of society within the county. An additional ten thousand taels of silver flowed into An Xin's ledger. Among them, over eight thousand taels were donated by various large and small weaving workshops. One thousand taels were sent by the River Guild. The remaining nearly one thousand taels were the result of several merchants experiencing an awakening in civic-mindedness, feeling that their support for the cause of bandit suppression was insufficient, and thus making secondary donations.

Consequently, the silver in An Xin's possession once again approached the mark of forty thousand taels.

The sky was clear and the air was fresh, with a gentle breeze blowing. By the banks of the Luo River lay the Wu family's farm. Eight hundred mu of premium paddy fields, over a dozen tenant households belonging to the Wu family, and a scatter of a dozen adobe houses formed the scene where barefoot children ran about the fields, turning into little mud monkeys. Not far away, near the river embankment, a spacious courtyard with grey tiles and dark green bricks served as the Wu family's residence on the farm.

Dressed in a cyan long gown and gently waving a folding fan, An Xin watched the carpenters taking measurements and sawing wood in the courtyard. Sawdust covered the ground in a thick layer. Amidst the rhythmic buzzing sounds, wood shavings curled and fell to the ground in loops. Pieces of wood—long or short, thick or thin, square or round—were piled up in a corner. Several carpenters carefully cross-referenced the blueprints while discussing how to assemble the parts.

"Brother, these men have dealt with looms all their lives. They should be able to forge the first new spinning machine very soon," Wu Lijun said, walking over with a tangerine. She peeled it, carefully removed the white fibrous threads, and handed it to An Xin.

"This is really sweet." An Xin broke off half of it and handed it back to Wu Lijun, making her immensely happy.

"By the way, Brother, what is the name of this new machine?" Wu Lijun asked.

"Let's call it the Clear Sky Spinning Machine," An Xin replied.

"Clear Sky?" Wu Lijun wondered about the underlying meaning.

"In the future, the coarse cloth produced by the Clear Sky Spinning Machine will be called Clear Sky Cloth," An Xin continued.

Building the textile machine was not merely for the sake of making money. His original intention, upon coming to this world, was seeing countless commoners who could not afford clothing, and witnessing those chilling numbers recorded under the words "frozen to death" in the county chronicles. Producing cloth that ordinary people could afford would save countless lives during the harsh winter.

Moreover, linking the name Clear Sky with himself would greatly spread his reputation, and the common people would naturally increase their recognition of him. This would allow him to receive the nourishment of dragon qi, aiding his cultivation. It was a complete victory!

Looking at Wu Lijun, An Xin said, "I want to weave a kind of cloth that ordinary people can afford to buy in winter. Since Clear Sky Cloth bears the name 'Clear Sky', it must not be sold too expensively. If it's too expensive, it will provoke public outrage, and I will be displeased."

Wu Lijun understood. This was expressing one's aspirations through actions—it was her brother's lofty ideal of "establishing a destiny for the people"! She understood, and her maid Huan'er behind her also half-understood, looking at An Xin with eyes full of adoration. Zhang Qian and Zhang Liang, the brothers following by An Xin's side, also gazed at their master with deep reverence, feeling that this was an idol truly worthy of worship, possessing a great personality.

"Therefore, the Clear Sky Spinning Machines must be produced quickly, and weavers must be trained as soon as possible. We must strive to start production promptly and manufacture a batch of Clear Sky Cloth before the severe winter sets in," An Xin instructed.

"Brother, I will stay here and keep an eye on things. In a couple of days, once the prototype is produced, I'll ask my father to send weavers over to learn. Machine production and weaver training will proceed simultaneously!" Having spent the past few days by An Xin's side, Wu Lijun had learned many new terms. Although unfamiliar, when they rolled off her tongue and applied to specific matters and objects, they seemed remarkably apt.

"What a pity that the hydraulic spinning machine in the computer couldn't be drawn out. Otherwise, utilizing the water power of the Luo River for twenty-four-hour spinning, its efficiency would be two to three times higher than this spinning jenny! I wonder if there will ever be a chance to turn on the computer again," An Xin sighed inwardly.

Before transmigrating, whether for work purposes or his habit of writing a thing or two, over nearly a decade, he had searched for and accumulated a vast amount of various materials. Stored inside his laptop and external hard drives were hundreds of terabytes of various electronic books, films, and historical, cultural, and technological data. If he could turn the computer on again, it would undoubtedly provide immense convenience for his endeavors.

Leaving the farm, An Xin leaped onto his horse. As for horseback riding, he was a beginner still learning the ropes, but the horses were very docile, and he picked up the skill quickly. With a nudge of his heels, watched by Wu Lijun, the three riders galloped away along the country road. Wild chrysanthemums swayed in the wind by the roadside; in the distance lay rolling mountains, under a blue sky shifting with white clouds.

His mood was wonderful. Going out for a stroll, catching the breeze under the azure sea and sky. Hummed a tune softly in his heart, feeling relaxed and experiencing a touch of rustic pastoral charm.

When he returned to the south of the city, An Xin suddenly heard the sound of military chants.

"My Lord, those are the men from the archer battalion." Zhang Qian leaped up, standing on his horse's back to gaze into the distance. After following his uncle, he had practiced martial arts with him. Although it was not profound martial skill, he was agile, and his physical strength exceeded that of ordinary people.

An Xin naturally spotted those camp soldiers as well. The two young officers leading the vanguard were about eighteen or nineteen years old, not much older than Zhang Qian. One was named Zhao Zheng, and the other was called Qin Ming; both had been sent by Qin Shiyue to help him train the troops.

"They look much sturdier than half a month ago when they first enlisted!" An Xin said happily.

"Much stronger than those military households in the Inspection Bureau," Zhang Liang exclaimed excitedly.

"Those old, weak, sick, and disabled in the Inspection Bureau can't possibly compare to us!" Zhang Qian shook his head, saying, "In my opinion, our archer battalion is no weaker than the Yu Family Army of Dongyang."

Just looking at the spirited demeanor of these archers, they were definitely not bad! Simply following the chants, their steps were uniform, and their battle cries were neat and aligned. This appearance of strict obedience to orders looked truly formidable!

All of this was bought with money and good provisions. They were originally obedient commoners, coupled with plenty of oil and fat in every meal, alongside scientific and rigorous training—it was only natural for them to look like this after half a month. Before transmigrating, university military training lasted only a week, and college students could present a similar effect.

Yet, while they looked formidable, their actual combat effectiveness was still far from sufficient. Calling them a mere superficial show was also incorrect. Training like this—fostering unity, strict obedience to commands, fulfilling one's duty at a single word of command, stepping forward with spears when ordered, raising shields when told, and firing when commanded—ensured that even if enemy arrows rained into the phalanx causing casualties, and even if the enemy charged right before their eyes without falling into chaos, true elite troops would be forged.

These current trainings were the prerequisites for forging elite troops. Once they fought and won a few victorious battles, this camp of soldiers would become An Xin's steadfast reliance.