nycdaug Chapter 157 The Reform of Printing and Dyeing Encounters Difficulties
Chapter 157 The Reform of Printing and Dyeing Encounters Difficulties
Printing and dyeing innovation faces difficulties
Su Yunlan arrived at the dyeing workshop the next day.
As the morning sun streamed through the workshop windows, it illuminated the bolts of fabric hanging from the rafters, creating a vibrant, colorful display, like a frozen rainbow.
The air was filled with a faint, fresh scent of plant dyes, mixed with a subtle, almost imperceptible dampness.
She imagined that soon, even more dazzling colors would emerge here, her heart overflowing with anticipation and excitement.
However, the atmosphere in the workshop was completely different from what she had imagined.
It was dull and oppressive; the air seemed to have frozen.
The dyeing workers gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing at Su Yunlan. Most of them wore coarse cloth clothes, their hands stained with various colors of dye, making them look somewhat rough, but also exuding a sense of groundedness from years of hard work.
Su Yunlan smiled and tried to break the heavy atmosphere with a relaxed tone: "Masters, I've invited you all here today to discuss ways to improve our dyeing and printing techniques."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burly old man with gray hair stepped out from the crowd.
He is Master Zhou, the most senior dyeing master in this workshop.
He walked up to Su Yunlan, his wrinkled face filled with seriousness. He crossed his arms and stared at her with a determined look, like a lion ready to pounce.
“Madam Su,” Master Zhou’s voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable air of authority, “our ancestors have used these old methods to dye cloth for generations, and we have never made a mistake in decades. The dyeing technique, like the dye itself, requires slow boiling and soaking to produce a good color. We don’t understand those new methods you mentioned, and we dare not try them lightly.”
His words resonated powerfully, echoing throughout the workshop, and like a pebble creating ripples on a calm surface of water.
The surrounding dyeing workers nodded in agreement, their gazes toward Su Yunlan now filled with more resistance.
Looking at Master Zhou, Su Yunlan sensed the determination and resistance in his words and understood that this path of dyeing and printing innovation was destined to be anything but smooth.
She took a deep breath, about to speak, when she heard a timid voice coming from behind the crowd...
“Madam Su, Master Zhou’s words are certainly reasonable, but this old method is not without its flaws.” A clear voice broke the deadlock.
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a slender young woman walking out from behind the crowd.
She wore her hair in a simple bun and her clothes were made of coarse cloth stained with various colors, making her look plain and clean.
She was Sun, the youngest dyeing worker in the workshop.
Miss Sun's fingers gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her eyes showing a hint of nervousness, yet also an undeniable determination.
“I… I’ve been learning from Master Zhou for several years now. This old method is indeed reliable, but it takes too long and the dye utilization rate is not high. Moreover,” she paused, her voice trembling slightly, yet becoming even more determined, “there are some colors that we simply can’t get right, and we can only sigh in despair.”
Her voice was soft, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet workshop.
Each word was like a small pebble, striking Master Zhou's heart.
The old man's expression changed, and his originally serious expression turned into one of anger.
He pursed his lips, frowned, and stared sharply at Miss Sun, as if trying to see right through her.
Just then, a warm, large hand gently grasped Su Yunlan's hand.
She turned her head and met Xiao Yuhan's deep gaze.
His gaze was firm yet gentle, as if silently telling her: Don't be afraid, I'm here.
A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and Su Yunlan grasped his hand in return, her heart filled with strength.
She turned to look at Miss Sun.
This subtle interaction did not escape Master Zhou's eyes.
He snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Little Sun, you're still inexperienced; there are some things you don't understand..."
“You are still inexperienced, and there are some things you don’t understand yet…” Master Zhou’s words carried an undeniable authority, like a boulder pressing on Miss Sun’s heart, making the already heavy atmosphere even more oppressive.
He surveyed his surroundings, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over each dyeing worker. "The craftsmanship passed down from our ancestors has been honed through countless trials! How can it be changed so easily? If any of you try to follow Madam Su's lead and break the rules, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Master Zhou's words were resounding and echoed in the workshop, like a cold wind that extinguished the tiny flame of hope that had just been ignited.
Those dyeing workers who were initially tempted by Su Yunlan's suggestion all lowered their heads, not daring to look at Su Yunlan again, for fear of being affected by Master Zhou's anger.
They had spent years immersed in the world of dyes, their hands rough and their fingernails stained with indelible color. But now, these weathered hands were clenched tightly together, revealing their inner unease and wavering.
Su Yunlan felt as if the air around her had solidified, making it hard for her to breathe.
She understood that Master Zhou held extremely high prestige among the dyeing workers, and his opposition was practically tantamount to sentencing this reform to death.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner anxiety, and took out a stack of carefully drawn pattern samples from her bag.
"Masters, I know you all have concerns and worry that changes will bring risks." Su Yunlan's voice was clear and firm, like a ray of sunshine piercing through the gloom in the workshop. "But please take a look at these first."
She unfolded the pattern samples in her hands one by one and laid them flat on the long table in the center of the workshop.
In an instant, the previously dimly lit workshop seemed to be illuminated.
The patterns were vibrant in color and innovative in composition, quite unlike the traditional patterns they usually saw.
There are lifelike flowers, birds, fish and insects, geometric patterns full of exotic flair, and some abstract designs, all exuding a modern feel.
The dyeing workers were deeply attracted by these exquisite patterns. They gathered around, their eyes wide, and examined them carefully.
They gently stroked the smooth lines with their rough fingers, feeling the visual impact of the vibrant colors.
The air was filled with the faint scent of paper and ink, which mingled with the smell of dye, creating a wonderful atmosphere.
"How...how was this dyed? I've never seen this color before!"
"This pattern is so beautiful! If it could be dyed onto fabric, it would definitely fetch a good price!"
"Yes, this is much more fashionable than the old-fashioned dyeing patterns we usually use!"
The dyeing workers whispered among themselves, their eyes gleaming with excitement, as if they had discovered a new world.
Even Master Zhou couldn't help but move closer to examine the patterns carefully.
His brows were furrowed.
Su Yunlan keenly noticed the change in Master Zhou's eyes. She had to completely convince Master Zhou in order to truly push forward this reform.
However, Master Zhou is, after all, an older generation of craftsmen, and his deeply ingrained ideas are not so easy to change.
Su Yunlan looked at Master Zhou, quickly calculating in her mind how to break this final stalemate...
Just as she was about to speak, her gaze was drawn to a pattern on the table—a pattern of several twin lotus flowers.
Su Yunlan picked up the pattern and said to Master Zhou, "Master Zhou, look at this twin lotus..."