First father pen are ready

Mission accomplished, Xiangbei hummed a rustic song cheerfully all the way back to the manor, turning into the third courtyard. Construction here was underway for larger brick-and-wood structures than the previous two sections. Carpenters were measuring, cutting, and joining; painters were adorning the wooden beams with depictions of swallows, flowers, and birds. A spirited elderly man stood in the courtyard, holding blueprints and overseeing the workers' tasks. Observing the pile of bricks, sand, and short boards in the corner, Xiangbei seemed contemplative, turned back to the room, and wrote a list. Finding Sister-in-law Tian, she said, "Sister-in-law, I'd like to get some items from the third courtyard. Could you please help me with this list?"

"No need to worry, miss. I'll take care of it right away."

Soon, Sister-in-law Tian arrived with the elderly man and an apprentice, carrying all the listed items. "Miss Tong's things are ready. Master Liu said if there's anything that needs doing, they can handle it. Just let them know," she reported.

"Excellent! Please ask the apprentice to make two wooden boards for me, and then paint them. Also, Sister-in-law Tian, may I inquire if there are any geese in the kitchen? I would like the longest feathers from the left wing and a small iron pot."

"Master and Young Master returned today, and we just happened to slaughter a few geese. I'll get them for you."

Xiangbei squatted on the ground, outlined a rectangular border on a wooden board, and drew a 5-centimeter high, slightly larger than A4 size, flat-bottomed wooden frame. After explaining the dimensions to the apprentice, she mixed blue, green, and ink-colored paint to create an inky green. In no time, the duo had prepared two wooden frames and cut two thin boards measuring two feet on each side. They were currently hammering the copper edges needed for the corners. Taking the thin boards, Xiangbei carefully brushed three coats of paint and set them aside to dry. Seeing Sister-in-law Tian with goose feathers and a small iron pot, she quickly greeted the two craftsmen and carried the wooden frames, paint, and sandbags back to her room.

These were the left-wing feathers of the large white goose. Xiangbei melted a small piece of caustic soda in hot water, soaked the feathers in it for five minutes to remove the grease, and dissolved red, blue, and yellow pigments in warm water using several teacups. Placing the goose feathers in different colored solutions, she dyed them from the tip to one-third of the feather. The charcoal stove was filled with a full load of new charcoal, and sand was placed in the iron pot on top. As the temperature gradually increased, Xiangbei removed the feathers, wiped off excess moisture with a cloth, and dried them slowly on the sand. Taking a few feathers, she slowly peeled off some fluff near the hard quill, leaving a 6-centimeter-long quill, which she inserted into the sand to harden. When the sand in the pot was extremely hot, and the transparent base turned milky white, she pulled them out.

The prototype of a goose feather pen was ready! Xiangbei used scissors to cut off a small section at the base, carefully hollowed out the fluffy material inside with a small bamboo stick to ensure it didn't affect ink storage and water absorption. She diagonally cut the base at a 30-40 degree angle, adjusted the pen tip, and then split the middle about five millimeters, extending forward by one centimeter. She delicately carved a straight groove, stopping to carefully drill a small hole with the tip of the knife. Taking several goose feather pens with different tail feather colors to the desk, she soaked them in ink, wrote while adjusting the width by side-shaving the pen tip to achieve the desired texture and thickness.

During this process, Sister-in-law Tian stood by, unable to help. She initially thought it was some trinket that young girls liked, but when she saw the smooth patterns and writing on the paper, she widened her eyes in astonishment. It seemed she understood why Master Zhong valued this young girl who had not yet fully opened. Such ingenuity, being able to write such beautiful characters and create writing tools that she had never heard of, must mean she was not an ordinary person, right? Seeing Xiangbei tidying up, she cleaned her hands and spoke, "Miss, are you done? It's time for dinner. Shall I take you to the side hall now?"

"Um, I'm ready. Let's go." Xiangbei replied hurriedly, feeling a bit awkward. She had been so focused that she completely forgot someone was standing next to her.