Chapter 88

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Liang Xiao's heart stirred, but he did not ask further. Although they were not in Chang'an City, they were still on a busy street with many passersby and prying eyes. It was better to ask about anything privately later.

Liang Xiao sent Tu Niu'er to the Prince of Huainan's residence to find Deng Guobin, while he and Dongfang Shuo returned home together. As they walked, they chatted about trivial matters, avoiding the main issues as if they had a tacit understanding. By the time they swayed their way home, part of the goods had already been delivered. His mother and concubine were arguing with the delivery people, their expressions clearly showing they could hardly believe that all these things were bought by Liang Xiao.

It had to be said that Liang Xiao was indeed a bit stingy in the past. There was no other way; his mother was the only one earning money. If he wasn't so frugal, they would have starved to death long ago.

Liang Xiao stepped forward, accepted the goods one by one, paid the bill, and gave some extra money for the delivery. Although the delivery people had to argue a bit, they eventually received a substantial tip and left happily.

Seeing the house full of things, not only did Li Rongqing feel at a loss, but even the usually decisive Liang Miao felt uncertain. She pulled Liang Xiao aside and whispered, "Xiao'er, why did you suddenly buy so many things?"

Liang Xiao was not very sure himself, but in front of his mother, he put on a confident face.

"Mother, you have suffered for half your life. Now it's time for you to enjoy some happiness. Don't worry about money; I have my plans. From now on, just prepare to be a lady who is served food and dressed by others."

Liang Miao became even more anxious. "What, are you going to buy servants?"

Liang Xiao thought about it. Yes, they were short of a few servants. How could one be a lady without anyone to serve them? How could Dongfang Shuo have forgotten this after all his hard work? He comforted his mother and then went out to find Dongfang Shuo. After hearing Liang Xiao's question, Dongfang Shuo chuckled, his eyes full of disdain.

"Servants, though lowly, cannot be used casually. Do you think you can just buy anyone? Who knows what kind of background they have, or if they understand the rules? If they hear something and go around spreading it, what will you do?"

Liang Xiao thought it made a lot of sense. He was different from ordinary people. If the news that the emperor was impersonating the Marquis of Pingyang got out, it would not be good for his future. It had to be said that although Dongfang Shuo seemed unreliable, he was very thorough in his thinking.

"What should we do then?"

"I'll take care of it. You don't need to worry." Dongfang Shuo patted his belly and sighed, "Do you really think I'm just here for the food? I'm lowering my status to be your household manager. Unfortunately, I don't even get paid, and I'm still misunderstood."

Liang Xiao laughed and reached out to pat Dongfang Shuo's shoulder to comfort him. But seeing that Dongfang Shuo's shoulder was higher than his head, he decided against it.

At noon, Deng Guobin followed Tu Niu'er, wearing short clothes with ink stains on the cuffs, looking as if he had been dragged away from a carpenter's bench, only missing a plumb line. His face was not in the best condition, and he was panting from running.

"Liang Jun, what urgent matter do you have for me?"

Before Liang Xiao could speak, Dongfang Shuo spoke up, "We want to give a great fortune to the Prince of Huainan's residence and a great merit to you, Deng Jun."

Deng Guobin looked at Dongfang Shuo and Liang Xiao with surprise, sensing something was off. Liang Xiao had just moved in yesterday, so how did he get so familiar with Dongfang Shuo? From the way Dongfang Shuo acted, he seemed to be Liang Xiao's confidant.

"What kind of fortune?" Deng Guobin asked, his eyes fixed on Liang Xiao, clearly not trusting Dongfang Shuo.

"It's like this," Liang Xiao took over. Deng Guobin was a tech enthusiast and not very good at social niceties. It was better not to let Dongfang Shuo confuse him. "My mother is skilled in weaving brocade, but she is getting older and her eyesight is failing, so she can no longer weave. It would be a pity for this skill to go to waste, so I want to transfer it to Lady Liu. This way, the skill will be passed on, and it will also be a way to repay Lady Liu's kindness."

"Oh, I see." Deng Guobin sighed with relief. "This matter is up to Lady Liu, but I can convey it to her."

"Besides, there is another matter that only you, Deng Jun, can handle." Liang Xiao smiled. "Deng Jun, as a descendant of the Mohist school, you are proficient in mechanical engineering. Have you studied looms?"

"Looms?" Deng Guobin frowned, showing a hint of disdain. "I focus on offensive and defensive weapons, and I don't have much knowledge of looms."

"Today, the world is at peace. What use is there in studying offensive and defensive weapons?" Dongfang Shuo said sternly. "People cannot go a day without clothes. Looms are crucial for the livelihood of the people and benefit the whole world. You should study something important instead of useless killing machines. That is truly foolish."

Deng Guobin raised an eyebrow, about to retort. Liang Xiao waved his hand, signaling him to calm down. This tech enthusiast didn't understand Dongfang Shuo's implications, so it was better for Liang Xiao to explain to Liu Ling. "Deng Jun, whether it's looms or offensive and defensive weapons, the principles are the same. However, in terms of application, looms have a wider range of uses. Even a small improvement can have immediate benefits and be very helpful for your research."

Deng Guobin's frown slowly relaxed, and he clapped his hands in delight. "That's true. I have designed many mechanisms, but I have few opportunities to test them. If it's a loom, every household can use it, and the advantages and disadvantages are clear. It's much better than my idle imagination. If there is a profit to be made, it will also avoid people accusing me of wasting money."

Dongfang Shuo snorted, "At least you're not completely stupid."

Deng Guobin ignored him and asked Liang Xiao with a smile, "What price do you have in mind?"

"I will discuss the price with Lady Liu to avoid scaring you," Liang Xiao said mysteriously. "Your task is to improve the existing loom to make it more suitable for the special techniques of double-sided brocade. The specific technical issues will be explained by my mother. She has used it for decades and knows its strengths and weaknesses very well."

Deng Guobin nodded repeatedly. Liang Xiao called his mother, who explained the techniques of double-sided brocade to Deng Guobin in detail. She had always used a regular loom and had never thought about designing a specialized machine. At first, she was a bit unsure, but after Liang Xiao's explanation, she opened up and began to share the problems she encountered while weaving.

Although Deng Guobin had not studied looms, he had a wealth of experience in mechanics. He quickly had ideas about the issues Liang Miao raised. After discussing with Liang Xiao and his mother, he was immediately excited and eager to return to his workshop to start experimenting.

Deng Guobin returned to the Prince of Huainan's residence, gave a brief report to Liu Ling, and then dove into his workshop. As Liang Xiao had guessed, Liu Ling's focus was not on the loom. She pondered for a while, called Lei Bei, and set out with a dozen attendants, parading through the city to Liang Xiao's house.

Liang Xiao was well-prepared, welcomed Liu Ling into the house, and they sat down in the hall.

Liu Ling wasted no time on pleasantries and asked directly, "Are you advising me to abandon military preparations and focus on agriculture and sericulture in Huainan?"

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