Chapter 81: White Paper—Why Not Call It Lord Chu's Paper?

Then, Chu Feng pondered further.

First, he needed someone to oversee matters—someone who could also serve as his informant. Moreover, this person had to be absolutely loyal, and all correspondence had to be encrypted.

Finding the right people wouldn’t be difficult; ensuring their loyalty, however, was paramount. As for encrypting the letters, Chu Feng mused for a moment—he could simply use pinyin. In this era, no one would be able to decipher it. Contacting the local gentry was also not a challenge; after all, powerful clans were a constant, while dynasties came and went like flowing water.

So long as the rewards were right, these families cared little whether the ruler was Yuan Shao or Cao Cao. Of course, Chu Feng himself could not appear directly—this matter required someone of status to handle it.

At that moment, a voice came from outside.

“Young master, there’s word from the artisans’ camp: what you had them make is ready. They ask you to come see it!” Li Bo announced respectfully.

“So soon? They’ve already made paper?”

Chu Feng was surprised, but on second thought, it made sense. Papermaking already existed; his contribution was simply the improved version from his system, mainly including extra steps like bleaching and adjusting the pulp.

The process of adjusting involved adding substances such as gelatin to control the paper’s strength and quality—for softer and tougher paper, you simply added certain ingredients.

“Come, let’s go take a look!” he said, throwing on his robe and heading out.

No sooner had he left the estate than he saw Lu Su and Liu Ye hurrying toward him. “My lord, we were just looking for you. General Zhao launched a surprise attack on the fortress under cover of night, and now General Ji has led his troops across the river to garrison it.”

“Excellent! Truly a double blessing!” Chu Feng laughed heartily. Special operations like these certainly played to their strengths.

“A double blessing? My lord, what other good news is there?” Lu Su and Liu Ye exchanged puzzled glances, curiosity written on their faces.

“Come, let me show you something.” Chu Feng smiled mysteriously and strode ahead.

—

Not long after, they arrived at the artisans’ camp outside the city.

The camp had grown to an impressive size, covering acres of land and resembling a fortified manor. The fortress served two purposes: to prevent leaks from the artisan workshops within, and to act as a stronghold that could support Shouchun in times of siege. Should an enemy attack, they could hold out here with ease.

Inside, the camp was divided into various sections: the smithy, the carpenters’ yard, the women’s weaving division, and now a newly established paper workshop.

Each core technology was strictly guarded. Those in the know enjoyed the highest privileges, but their families’ lives were also closely watched. Moreover, the critical processes were divided among different people, ensuring there could be no leaks in the short term.

Seeing the bustle within the fortress, Liu Ye and Lu Su could not help but sigh. This place was under Chu Feng’s direct command—even they had no access to its deepest secrets.

Their being brought here today clearly meant a new technological breakthrough. The two exchanged a glance, anticipation lighting their faces.

Soon, they stood before a newly established section of the camp.

Looking up at the sign, both men raised their brows in surprise. “Paper workshop? But papermaking has existed for years—what is the purpose of this place?”

At the entrance, the manager—a middle-aged man—was already waiting respectfully with his staff. He bowed. “My lord!”

“Is it done?” Chu Feng asked.

“As you commanded, we have produced various kinds of paper. Please review them, my lord!” the man replied with conviction.

“Well done. You shall all be rewarded!”

“We dare not claim any merit. The ideas were yours, my lord—we merely followed your instructions!” the man said hastily, bowing his head.

Chu Feng entered, the manager leading the way. Liu Ye and Lu Su exchanged puzzled looks—was this really their lord’s idea? Papermaking had been around for a century—did he not know this? Or could it be...?

Soon, they entered a warehouse.

As the doors opened, Liu Ye and Lu Su’s eyes widened and their brows furrowed in shock.

White paper?

How could such pure white paper exist in this world? Both men considered themselves learned and well-traveled, yet they had never seen or heard of such snowy white paper—all they’d encountered was yellowish, rough sheets.

“My lord, this is...?”

“Oh, nothing so remarkable,” Chu Feng replied nonchalantly. “The other day, I was bored and noticed all the paper we used was dull and coarse, lacking in strength and unsuitable for storage. So I made a few improvements.”

Lu Su: “???”

Liu Ye: “???”

My lord, could you at least pretend to be human?

You’ve barely had a few free days away from government affairs, and in your spare time you just happen to invent this? Never mind the color—the paper was so smooth, it was almost like fine silk!

They felt a pang of shame. How could they ever claim to be resourceful before Chu Feng? In their eyes, his wisdom was an unfathomable abyss.

Chu Feng picked up a sheet, smiling with satisfaction. “Excellent quality—smooth surface, strong and flexible. Perfect for writing and printing!”

Indeed, products of the system were truly exceptional.

“My lord, why is this paper so soft and coarse? It’s impossible to write on!” Liu Ye asked, picking up another type of paper.

“Ah, that one isn't for writing,” Chu Feng replied, suppressing a smile.

“Then what is it for?” Liu Ye pressed.

“Ahem, well... it’s toilet paper. To replace bamboo sticks and other things, for the benefit of the people.” Chu Feng cleared his throat; it was an awkward topic, but he’d had this made specifically to help the common folk.

He knew well that, at this time, the more particular wiped themselves with bamboo slats, while the common people made do with tiles, lumps of earth, or any dry grass and leaves they could find.

The discomfort—ugh!

As for the nobility, they used cloth or silk.

Chu Feng recalled wandering as a child—when nature called, he’d grab whatever leaves were at hand, only to find they tore at the slightest pressure...

“Toilet paper?” Liu Ye was dumbfounded.

“My lord, paper costs dozens of times more than grain. Not even the local gentry would use it for such a purpose, let alone the common folk,” he protested, shaking his head.

Clearly, their lord was too inexperienced in worldly matters; this was something they would have to correct. Paper was expensive, especially such fine, white sheets.

“It’s not expensive if you just factor in labor,” Chu Feng explained. “I plan to set up production near rivers and use water-powered mills to reduce labor costs.”

The main ingredients were grass, trees, bamboo—ignoring transport and storage, production costs were nearly negligible.

“Uh...” Liu Ye was at a loss for words.

“Toilet paper is meant for the people—it must be affordable. As for this white paper, it’s for the aristocracy and prominent families; it can be priced accordingly,” Chu Feng added. Besides, he had no intention of getting rich off this—the commoners wouldn’t use much, and the gentry, no matter how extravagant, couldn’t use that much either.

“My lord’s insight leaves us in awe,” Lu Su sighed, taking up brush and ink and writing a few lines on the white paper. The ink did not bleed through—a sign of true quality.

“My lord, this paper surpasses bamboo slips many times over. It will be prized by the great families. In the past, Cai Lun improved papermaking and was honored as Lord Cai, with the paper even named after him. Now, you have brought about a revolution in papermaking—why not name this Chu Marquis Paper?” Lu Su suggested, raising his brow.

PS: A bit late!