When Du Rusong returned home, he ordered the old housekeeper to send the good leather and one hundred taels of silver from the warehouse to the Lin Mansion.
The old housekeeper was a loyal servant left by Mother Du to a pair of children. He took care of the two brothers and sisters since childhood, and he planned for them wholeheartedly. He couldn't help but discouraged: "Master, making leather armor requires not only superb skills, but also strength. A is so thick, cutting and sewing them together is a tough job. How old is the little girl from the Lin family? Does she have the skills and strength? If not, the old servant will go outside and find another craftsman You do it, these skins are all good skins, don't let the little girl of the Lin family waste them."
Du Rusong remembered Lin Dan's ruthlessness in chopping firewood, and couldn't help chuckling: "Uncle Sun, you are too worried, the little girl is very strong, she can definitely cut and sew leather armor. Besides, where can you find a craftsman for me? Yes. The craftsmen who make leather armor are all in the army and are strictly controlled. The craftsmen outside dare not touch these things. They are found to be jailed. But the Lin family is different. Leather armor, weapons, and even armor can be equipped. I thought and thought, I am afraid that only Miss Lin can handle this job."
Uncle Sun thought the same, then nodded and said, "Young master thoughtful, I didn't expect to move to this dilapidated small house, there are some benefits."
Du Rusong didn't know what to think, the corners of his mouth curved involuntarily. What he didn't tell Uncle Sun was that even if the leather armor was made, he would not wear it during normal training. Since the boss deliberately made things difficult for him, he would definitely wait to grab his pigtails. Seeing that he had found a set of leather armor from nowhere, and he didn't blame him on the face, he would definitely send someone to investigate it secretly. If he followed the clues to the Lin family and implicated the little girl, it would be his fault.
Therefore, after the leather armor is finished, he will place it in the barracks, and will not wear it to kill the enemy until the Japanese pirates attack and the war breaks out. On the battlefield, no one will care whether you wear leather armor or not, let alone where your leather armor comes from. After the war, many soldiers would strip off the equipment on the remains of the Japanese pirates and use them for their own use.
Thinking of this, Du Rusong's heart was full of mixed flavors, bitter and astringent. Back then, when he was freshly dressed and angry, he had never thought that he and his sister would be in such a state that they would not only be homeless and have no relatives to invest in, but even the clothes on their body had to be bought hard.
But he will not always struggle at the bottom of the valley. Sooner or later, he will regain everything he has lost, and make those who trample on them pay a thousand times the price. After thinking about it, he closed his eyes and showed a ruthless smile.
…
After Lin Dan got the cowhide sent by Sun Bo, he went to Zhang Hui to ask for tools. Making leather armor is different from cutting fabrics. Needles and threads are specially made, and pliers, hammers, etc. are also needed. When Lin Dafu was a horse thief, all the leather armor he wore was made by Zhang Hui, and she naturally kept these tools.
"What did you say, you actually promised to help Du Rusong make leather armor! Do you know that leather armor can only be made by craftsmen in the military camp, and no one outside can touch it..." Zhang Hui was waiting to scold, Lin Dan said slowly: " He gave one hundred taels of silver."
Zhang Hui's angry expression immediately changed to gentleness and kindness, and he whispered softly, "Wait, I'll get it for you."
"By the way, help me make 15 pounds of iron pieces. Each piece of iron is two inches square. I want to wrap it in leather. The defense is still too weak for cowhide alone. Since he can't wear armor, I will disguise the armor. Leather armor, is this the assembly?" Lin Dan said again.
Zhang Hui turned back suddenly, with a grim expression: "Did you know that iron tools are also controlled by the government, and you have to report every hit with an iron hammer, let alone 15 pounds of iron pieces? You want my mother's life!"
Lin Dan's tone was calm: "Mother, one hundred taels of silver."
Zhang Hui raised her hand, slowly smoothed out her hideous expression, and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll find someone to do it." Back then, she was the second-in-command of a horse thief. She found someone to do it, and naturally there is a way to do this.
She just stepped over the threshold, but stopped again, frowned and said, "Oh, no, when will you be able to make leather armor?"
"I saw you do it when I was a child. At that time, my father often went out of town to buy goods, so you told him to wear leather armor all the time. You also know that I can learn everything just by looking at it." Lin Dan explained briefly. .
No doubt, Zhang Hui went out. When she walked to the door, she couldn't help but turn around and looked at her daughter sitting under the porch, with a smile in her eyes. The daughter is extremely smart, and she knows everything when she sees it. San Yiniang and Si Yiniang have already told her this, but what makes her proud is her daughter's perseverance. She is very decisive and more action-oriented. Knowing that she can't sit still and has an impetuous temper, she uses chopping wood to kill this impetuousness. The firewood at home was being consumed so fast, how could Zhang Hui not find out? She just didn't want to expose it.
The daughter does not need to be urged by others, and she can find a way to smooth her temperament. This ruthlessness is very similar to her father. If she keeps going like this, why is the Lin family unhappy
After thinking about it, Zhang Hui glanced at her daughter again, and then went out happily.
The next day, Lin Dan was preparing to make leather armor, but Du Ruyan walked in with a beautiful girl with a calm temperament, saying that she wanted to introduce her to a business.
Knowing that the girl is the sixth young lady of the Admiral's House, Lin Dan did not show a sincere expression on his face, but said neither humble nor arrogant: "Miss Xu, what kind of pattern do you like, can you draw it for me to see. I will try my best to follow it. Do it the way you like."
When dealing with unfamiliar customers, Lin Dan naturally asked a few more questions to avoid trouble in the future.
"I like wisteria flowers, can Miss Lin help me make a dress embroidered with wisteria flowers?" Xu Qian was silent at home without fighting or robbing, but she was actually a talented woman. After a little thought, she came up with a draft, and then picked up the pen to outline it carefully.
Lin Dan stared at the painting for a while, then nodded and said, "Okay, just embroider the wisteria flowers. I wonder when the young lady needs new clothes?"
"It's better to be in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival." Xu Qian put down her brush.
At this time, there were still sixteen days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it should be in time for the construction period, so Lin Dan agreed. Xu Qian immediately paid five taels of silver as a deposit, then said goodbye and left. From beginning to end, she was very gentle and kind, not like the high-ranking daughter of the Admiral's mansion.
Lin Dan's impression of Xu Qian was very good. After sending the person away, he said to Du Ruyan, "You can introduce me to a few more customers like this in the future. Well, this is your commission."
Du Ruyan stared at the one or two pieces of silver in the palm of his hand with a confused expression on his face.
"Why, it's too little? Then I'll give you half a tael of silver. One or two and a half, no more, I won't make any more money. I'll give you one or two half of each customer you bring in from now on. Take it." Lin Dan picked up the scissors, cut a small piece of silver in half, and stuffed it into Du Ruyan's hands.
Du Ruyan was stunned for a while before slowly closing her palms, clenching the broken silver in her fists, and said in a trance, "Can I make money?" The two halves, pitifully small, feel better than ever!
She will never understand the joy of being self-sufficient without hitting rock bottom.
"Brother, brother, I made money! Lin Dan gave me a half or two as a cut! Brother, did you hear me?" She ran into the yard and shouted through a wall, her face full of joy look.
Lin Dan looked at her in astonishment, not knowing why she was so happy.
Du Rusong quickly jumped up the wall and listened to his sister's story of making money with a smile, with an inescapable love and tenderness in his eyes. Seeing that his sister was crushed by life and became no longer flamboyant and wanton, no longer bright and sunny, his heart ached like a knife.
However, after moving to this house, hearing about Lin Dan's experience, and seeing with his own eyes how the other party was working hard for tomorrow, the younger sister slowly found a better version of herself. She hid her pride in her bones, learned to compromise, learned to be patient, and learned to be strong. Now she is actually happier than when she was in the Marquis of Anding Mansion.
Seeing Lin Dan approaching unhurriedly, Du Rusong raised a gentle smile and said silently, "Thank you."
…
When Xu Qian returned to the Admiral's mansion, her mother Kou had been waiting for her for a long time, and she kept complaining: "Where did you go, child, and I couldn't find anyone. You know, in order to welcome Dear guest, Madam is going to make a new set of clothes for each of the ladies in the house. She also invited Meng Si and asked her to measure the size of everyone. All the ladies are gone, but you are not there, all the beautiful fabrics are covered People picked them up, and only these outdated fabrics were left. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, what are you wearing? I'm so worried about you, what tea are you drinking? Come with me to Meng's Embroidery Village to find Meng Si. , let her fill in your size."
The tea cup was snatched away, and the tea was spilled on her body and wet her clothes, but Xu Qian was not annoyed at all, and said slowly: "Auntie, don't be busy. You thought that Madam invited Meng Si to measure the size, and she really let me She personally cut some clothes for our sisters? Meng Si can embroider an embroidered screen and sell it for a thousand taels. Is Madam willing to spend money on us prostitutes? Come on, when Meng Si gets the measurements back, only Seventh Sister's clothes must be embroidered by her own hands, and the sisters next to her are only fit to wear clothes made by ordinary embroiderers."
"That's better than wearing old clothes to the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner, right? You know, I have already found out that the distinguished guest on the Mid-Autumn Festival is not someone else, but the first prince who was ordered to inspect Haiphong. If you can get him at the banquet Favor, maybe you will be able to marry into the royal family and rise to prosperity. You must not hide like you used to. I heard that Madam intends to betroth you to the commander-in-chief Master Li as a continuation string. If you miss this opportunity, you can Suffering!"
Kou spun around in a hurry, but Xu Qian didn't panic at all, so she comforted: "Auntie, don't worry, I'm already looking for someone to do the clothes. This time, I will definitely seize the opportunity." The chief soldier The adult has a very tyrannical temperament, and his ex-wife was beaten to death by him. The wife and father knew this, but in order to win over the military forces, they pushed her out as a victim. She has been so self-disciplined, and they won't let her live well, so she can only fight for herself once.