The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Qin Yi, Ying Bu, and Ying Zhao sped along until they finally arrived at a bustling town. The place was bustling with people, the market was bustling with traffic, and the air was thick with the atmosphere of everyday life.

After asking the locals, they learned that this place was called Chujia Town. The reason why it was so prosperous was that it was located at the border between the ancient Chu State and the Qi State, so merchants came and went frequently and it was very bustling.

Near the market, a shop called "Fan's Trading Company" caught Qin Yi's attention. He immediately led the two of them inside. The shop was quite large, divided into two floors, with a spacious hall in the middle and shelves surrounding it. In the backyard, many horses could be vaguely seen. The shelves were filled with a variety of daily necessities from both the south and the north.

Qin Yi picked up some bamboo slips and cloth for writing and examined them carefully. An idea came to his mind. He turned to the clerk and asked, "Is your boss here? I have a business deal I need to discuss with him."

After a while, the shopkeeper came in from the backyard and led Qin Yi and the other two to a guest room on the second floor. After pouring tea, he said, "Please be seated, my three guests. My name is Fan Li. I wonder what business you would like to discuss? I hope you will be able to enlighten me." Qin Yi took a sip from his teacup and said, "My name is Qin Yi. I would like to ask the shopkeeper how well you understand the current handwritten materials."

The shopkeeper smiled and replied, "The main materials used for handwriting at present include bamboo slips, cloth, and silk. That's it. What do you think of this, my dear?"

Qin Yi said slowly, "I have a plan. Boss, please listen. Let's see if it works. First, take tree bark, hemp ends, or old cloth and steam them in an alkali solution to degummed them. Then, beat them: cut and pound them to sever the fibers and make them into pulp. Next, papermaking: soak the pulp in water to make a slurry. Then, use a bamboo mat to scoop the slurry, interweaving it into thin sheets of wet paper. Finally, dry the wet paper: sun-dry it or air-dry it, and peel it off to make paper. This kind of paper is easy to write on and carry."

Fan Li was listening and thinking at the same time, his eyes flashing with excitement, thinking to himself: "This Mr. Qin sounds like an expert! But I have to let him do it himself." Thinking of this, he couldn't help but show joy on his face.

Qin Yi looked at Fan Li's expression and understood what he was thinking. He smiled slightly and thought, "Fan Li is a cautious person. It wouldn't hurt to let him try." So, he readily agreed to Fan Li's request.

Fan Li was overjoyed when he heard Qin Yi's answer. He smiled and said, "Mr. Qin, we have a few vacant rooms. If you don't mind, you can stay here for a few days. I can arrange the best room for you and ensure you're comfortable." He thought to himself, "That way, if I have any questions about the production process, I can directly consult Mr. Qin."

Qin Yi thought for a moment and felt that Fan Li's suggestion was a good one. He thought to himself, "It wouldn't be a problem to stay here for a few days." So, he nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble Shopkeeper Fan."

Seeing Qin Yi agreed, Fan Li was even more delighted. He quickly said, "It's no trouble, no trouble. It's my honor to serve Mr. Qin." As he spoke, he secretly felt lucky to have such an opportunity.

After listening to the conversation, Ying Bu's eyes suddenly lit up. He instantly understood what the so-called paper was. He couldn't help but feel delighted. "I didn't expect this Brother Qin to be so amazing. Not only is he an exceptional martial artist, but he also possesses this amazing skill. Following him might be a good choice."

Ying Zhao, standing nearby, appeared relatively calm, seemingly unmoved by the situation. However, upon hearing that they no longer had to sleep outdoors, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. After all, having a stable and comfortable place to live is something anyone should be happy about.

Fan Li enthusiastically led Qin Yi and the others to the reserved room. "Mr. Qin, I'm sorry to bother you with staying here for the next few days. If you need anything, just let me know."

Qin Yi smiled and thanked him, "Manager Fan, you are too polite."

In the next few days, Fan Li devoted himself to the papermaking experiment. He followed Qin Yi's method and after many attempts, he finally succeeded in making the first piece of paper.

After Fan Li successfully invented paper, he was overwhelmed with joy and pride. He eagerly sought out Qin Yi and shared the good news. When Fan Li mentioned his descent from the Wu native Fan Li, Qin Yi didn't seem particularly surprised. In fact, he'd already suspected this, as Fan Li's talent and wisdom in papermaking reminded him of the legendary Fan Li. Gazing at the thin, cicada-wing-like sheet before him, Fan Li was overcome with excitement, exclaiming, "Mr. Qin, this paper is as strong as silk and as soft as satin—truly a marvel! If mass-produced, it could replace traditional writing materials!"

Fan Li bowed and said, "I am willing to cooperate with Mr. Qin and split the profits 30% to 70%." However, Qin Yi refused.

Fan Li thought Qin Yi thought it was too little, so he immediately said, "Mr. Qin, a 20/80 split is fine."

Qin Yi helped Fan Li up and thought to himself: "Manager Fan may have misunderstood what I meant. I still have to develop in the north, and my future business will need his manpower and material support. How can he take the lion's share? It's better to split it 50-50, which is fair to both parties. Let him keep my share first and take it when needed." He shook his head and said sincerely.

After hearing Qin Yi's words, Fan Li was instantly moved. He thought to himself, "Mr. Qin is truly generous and respectful. He doesn't seek immediate gain. Our future cooperation will surely be smooth." He immediately said with genuine conviction. "Don't worry, Mr. Qin," he said, "I, Fan Li, swear in the name of my ancestors that I will be honest and sincere in my cooperation with Mr. Qin and will never betray or regret anything."

Qin was also very satisfied with the result. "Manager Fan, you don't have to call me Mr. Qin. Since we are cooperating with each other, we should trust each other. I also dare to call you Brother Fan. This cooperation will definitely be mutually beneficial."

Seeing Qin Yi's generosity, Fan Li immediately said, "Okay. I'll be so bold as to call you Brother Qin. Don't worry, the business of Fan's Company is very important. Trust is the most important thing. I'll keep your share and you can come and get it anytime."

Qin Yi smiled and nodded, acknowledging Fan Li's status. He listened quietly as Fan Li recounted his family's story, a surge of admiration welling up in his heart. Fan Li, a renowned ancient politician and military strategist, was renowned for his wisdom and business acumen. Qin Yi was delighted to see Fan Li inherit his ancestor's wisdom and talent.

He knew Fan Li's potential and ability and believed that their cooperation would create greater achievements. The two began to discuss the specific details of the cooperation...

Then he summoned Ying Bu and Fan Li and asked, "The journey north is long and arduous. Brother Ying Bu, would you two like to stay here?" Ying Bu had also heard about Qin Yi's collaboration with Fan Li and sighed inwardly, "Brother Qin is so honest even to outsiders and isn't driven by profit. Following him, no matter how difficult the journey ahead, is truly free and easy." So he said, "Brother Qin, don't worry, go north. I will definitely follow in your footsteps."

Qin Yi glanced at Ying Zhao and said, "Ying Zhao, you're not good at fighting. Your brother and I have a difficult journey ahead. You should stay here with Shopkeeper Fan. I'll have him arrange for someone to teach you martial arts and calligraphy. You must take it seriously." Ying Bu knew that his younger brother had been wandering around since childhood and was a bit weak. Staying here was a good choice. He felt even more grateful to Qin Yi.

The next morning, Qin Yi and Ying Bu rode away, their simple bag on their backs. Fan Li and Ying Zhao saw them off. Holding the brocade bag, Fan Li recalled Qin Yi's last words: "Brother Fan, the white paper craft isn't difficult. You must keep the process confidential. That's the first thing. The white paper business will be saturated in two years at most, and you'll need to find another way out. Open this brocade bag only when you feel the white paper business is facing difficulties." He couldn't help but sigh, "Brother Qin is truly a man of foresight. It's a good thing to work with him. I hope he finds success and realizes his ambitions."