CHAPTER 121: CHAPTER 104: THEATER

"Raw materials: Beef and Mutton Oil, Pork Fat, tar, rosin..."

"Spices: vanilla oil, Rosin oil, Cowslip Oil, osmanthus oil, cinnamon oil..."

"Oil processing: pressing, filtering, boiling, saponification..."

Li Ang used more than a dozen sheets of paper, writing down the most detailed possible manufacturing process for soap. This covered everything from the selection of materials to the production tools needed, the protective equipment for the workers, and even the treatment of waste materials, waste slag, and wastewater.

Yu Country’s handicraft industry was relatively developed. In Chang’an, Luoyang, and Su Hang, workshop owners were already purchasing land, setting up looms, and hiring workers to produce cloth in bulk.

The number of workers ranged from dozens to hundreds, or even thousands.

Each year, this brought a substantial amount of tax revenue to Yu Country. With detailed industrial blueprints, transitioning to producing soap was not particularly difficult.

"This is the advantage of being an Academic Palace Disciple.

No need to personally deal with the heads of large merchants, no worries about one’s money being embezzled, just sitting and waiting for the money to come in."

Li Ang said, "Moreover, the Academic Palace holds both brute force and absolute authority. No matter how strong the workshop owners’ desire for profit, they must restrain themselves when facing the Academic Palace. Otherwise, their patent will be revoked, and their past earnings recouped.

To a certain extent, it can protect the workers’ rights..."

Li Ang reviewed the blueprints several times. After checking for omissions and adding more descriptions of how workers could protect themselves during production, he put down his pen. He waited for the ink on the paper to dry, then placed the sheets back into the drawer, preparing to submit them to the Patent Office when he returned to the Academic Palace the day after tomorrow.

This time, he was preparing to register patents not only for soap but also for degreasing cotton. Degreasing cotton was sanitary and clean. Soaked in pure wine, it could be used as antiseptic cotton balls. It could also be used to stop bleeding and had undoubtedly good market potential as a menstrual product.

Moreover, degreasing cotton was also one of the raw materials for nitrocellulose...

"Soap and degreasing cotton are all consumer goods, consumed much faster than forceps used in delivery. The profits they bring are also much higher than those from the charitable delivery forceps."

Li Ang looked up at the curious Chai Cuiqiao and smiled, "We’ll be very rich soon."

"Ah, really?"

Chai Cuiqiao first expressed surprise, then said hesitantly, "But won’t selling cloth made from degreasing cotton..."

"Times are different now."

Li Ang shook his head helplessly. "The Emperor and Empress already plan to promote the delivery forceps, and the title ’Gynecology Saint’ is unavoidable.

We might as well sell the production process for degreasing cotton too. It would benefit the country and its people, and improve their lives.

As for the impact... at worst, we can ask the Doctors at the Patent Office to help hide my real name."

Money isn’t everything, but being without money is absolutely unacceptable.

Li Ang needed a lot of money to buy special materials, conduct experiments, or feed the Mo Si.

The only problem is how to legitimately purchase a large amount of gold and silver. In big cities like Chang’an and Luoyang, using banknotes for large transactions has become quite common, and gold and silver are being used less and less as currency. A large purchase in a short period would definitely arouse suspicions.

Li Ang silently thought: The previous reason I used was making surgical tools—that still makes sense, given that the medical field in Yu Country uses Golden Needles and silver needles. For larger sums, surgical tools won’t be enough. Maybe buy gold and silver in batches? Hide my identity and make multiple small purchases, or create a persona for myself as someone who loves collecting Gold and Silver Ingots?

Considering the needs of Mo Si, even an income of hundreds or thousands of strings of coins daily could be consumed.

Never mind, I’ll wait until I get the first sum of money. Li Ang shook his head.

There were various ways to earn patent revenue. It could be sold outright to a large merchant for tens or hundreds of thousands of strings of coins.

Alternatively, a license could be granted to designated merchants for ten or twenty years, during which no further patent fees would be collected from that merchant.

It was also possible to license it at a low price to any merchant who wanted to produce the goods, accumulating revenue from many small transactions.

"The scale of operations and production of large merchants far exceeds that of small and medium-sized ones. The logic of the Academic Palace Patent Office is that the more goods produced, the higher the patent fees. With a simple calculation, large merchants would agree to a ten or twenty-year patent licensing scheme."

Li Ang said, "This should also be the fastest way to make the most money—besides writing talismans."

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

A knocking sound came from outside the courtyard, and Yang Yu’s voice followed, "Risheng, the Moon Viewing Group is about to start! Get ready to head out."

"So soon? Wasn’t it supposed to be in the evening?"

Li Ang walked to the courtyard in mild surprise, opened the courtyard door, and found Yang Yu’s and Yong Hongzhong’s family’s carriage parked outside.

"The carriage is already prepared."

Yang Yu pointed to the empty carriage behind him, rubbing his palms together excitedly. "So many people are going today; we should head over early to avoid the crowd. Did you bring the tickets?"

"I did."

Li Ang asked Chai Cuiqiao to bring two tickets from the study. After closing the courtyard door, they boarded the carriage and headed for the West Market.

Along the way, they saw numerous carriages also heading towards the West Market. The procession passed through Liquan Square street, entered through the West Market archway, wove through a cluster of buildings, and arrived in front of a theater.

The grand cities of Yu Chu once had temporary thatched-roofed shelters where actors performed operas and plays.

Over time, these evolved into proper theaters with ever-expanding premises and increasingly lavish decorations, both inside and out, including private boxes reserved for distinguished guests.

"We’re here."

The carriage stopped in front of the largest building, named "Luoyang Building." Yang Yu excitedly jumped down, ushering Li Ang and the others to follow.

There was a long line outside the theater. Yang Yu had apparently arranged for servants to wait for them, so it wasn’t long before they reached the theater entrance. They handed their four tickets to a doorman dressed in a half-arm garment and a round hat unique to the Zhou Kingdom.

"Young Master Yang of the Academic Palace, please come in."

The stocky doorman was respectful in demeanor and fluent in the Chang’an official dialect, with barely any Zhou Kingdom accent. Li Ang and Chai Cuiqiao followed behind Yang Yu, looking around curiously at the decor inside and outside the theater.

At the main entrance of the theater, a wooden plaque, called a ’sign’, was posted, listing the day’s plays and prominent actors—namely, the Jianyue Theater Troupe.

Additionally, the walls were adorned with colorful banners listing famous theater troupes that had performed there historically, a form of historical honor.

"Just like those top-grade restaurants, they’ve also attached Cooling Wind Charms to balance the temperature. The ceiling of the seating area even has... Light Sound Talismans?

I guess they’re used to reduce noise from the audience and maintain the stage atmosphere. Quite professional."

Li Ang and Chai Cuiqiao were discussing quietly when suddenly shouting erupted ahead.

"Can’t you watch where you’re going?! You’ve covered me in dust! Do you know how much this silk damask cost?!"

A portly middle-aged man was craning his neck, angrily dusting off his embellished clothes while scolding a young servant dressed in Jianyue Theater Troupe attire.

The young servant continuously nodded and apologized with a smile. Behind him stood an old woman holding a broom and dustpan, looking slightly dazed.

The play was not due to start for some time. The staff of the Jianyue Theater Troupe and Luoyang Building managed to calm the silk-dressed man by offering him tickets and apologizing, thus resolving the situation.

By then, Yang Yu had found their seats and was waving from his spot, "Risheng, Cuiqiao, over here."

"Oh."

Li Ang and Chai Cuiqiao turned around and walked toward Yang Yu, taking their seats.

As the once-crowded aisle began to clear, the young servant of the Jianyue Theater Troupe sighed in relief, turned to the old woman with the broom, and said softly, "Grandma, you can go back now. It’s all settled."

"..."

The old woman in gray opened her mouth slightly, still appearing somewhat confused, and silently walked towards the theater backstage, accompanied by the young servant.

The citizens of Yu Country, seeing this, thought nothing of it, as many large theater troupes financially supported their former elderly members.

As the old woman in gray headed toward the theater backstage, the skin on her thickly calloused fingertip quietly split open, and a drop of fresh blood emerged.

DRIP.

The bead of blood fell onto the thick red carpet of the aisle, quickly disappearing without a trace.