Fortune Across the World

Chapter 20: Inspecting Yunluo Workshop for Textile Production

Ding Qiyu was thrilled to learn that the fabric shop included a small "production chain," allowing her to observe the entire process of weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and garment making all in one place. Excited but maintaining a composed demeanor, she said to the shopkeeper, "Please, lead me to the back courtyard."

"Certainly, please follow me, Your Excellency," the shopkeeper replied, guiding Ding Qiyu to the "production base" behind the shop, which was divided into three separate courtyards. As soon as they reached the back, Ding Qiyu could hear the rhythmic "clack, clack" of the looms, heightening her anticipation. Entering the first courtyard, she saw a bustling scene with female weavers at work. When they noticed the shopkeeper and Ding Qiyu, they began to pause their work to greet them, but Ding Qiyu quickly gestured for them to continue, though she couldn't prevent some curious glances from the younger girls.

Unfamiliar with the weaving process, Ding Qiyu asked the shopkeeper to bring over a lead weaver to explain the weaving steps in detail. Weaving involved dozens of intricate procedures, so Ding Qiyu pulled out her prepared bamboo pen and notebook. Surveying the courtyard, she noted two different types of wooden mechanisms, indicating that two steps in the process employed mechanical aids. She patiently followed the weaver through each step, her mind racing with thoughts on whether specialized wooden mechanisms could be used to enhance each phase.

They reached the first mechanized step, "spinning," where the tool used was a wheel-like wooden device called a "spinning wheel." Ding Qiyu observed closely as the worker took a finger-thick cylinder of cotton from the previous step, twisted it counter-clockwise to form a head, and wound it around a sharp metal spindle on the spinning wheel. With one hand, the worker rhythmically turned the wheel's crank, while the other hand pulled the cotton into yarn, which was then manually wound into a skein, completing the spinning process.

The process was straightforward but required skill; incorrect timing between turning the crank and pulling the yarn could cause breaks or unevenness, and the final manual winding was inefficient—two areas where Ding Qiyu saw potential for improvement. She carefully noted these observations and moved on to the next step.

The second mechanized step was "weaving," the source of the loom's clacking sounds. Having only seen weaving looms in movies, Ding Qiyu's memory of them was hazy, so she wasn't sure how these looms compared to those from her previous world. The weaver explained that here, the loom was simply called a "weaving machine," not by any traditional name like "loom." The weaving machine was far more complex than the spinning wheel, and its operation was intricate, which is why older women worked this step. Watching the shuttle fly back and forth on the loom, Ding Qiyu asked the weaver for a detailed explanation of the loom's operation, her mind quickly grasping its principles while her hands recorded notes continuously.

After fully understanding the loom's structure and operation, she briefly considered improvements but moved on with the weaver to the next step, planning to digest and develop her ideas later.

Pointing to the weaving machines and spinning wheels, Ding Qiyu asked the shopkeeper and weaver, "How does our craftsmanship compare across Qianguo? Do all fabric shops use these looms and spinning wheels, or are there other tools and methods?"

The weaver, enthusiastic about the inspector's genuine interest in textile processes, answered in detail, "Our craftsmanship is the best in northern Qianguo! I've seen fabrics from other places—they use different weaving techniques but all use looms and spinning wheels, or it's entirely manual. I've never heard of any other machines. Small workshops can't afford looms and spinning wheels; only large workshops like Yunluo can."

Meanwhile, the shopkeeper internally lamented the inspector's thoroughness. With such meticulous inspection, no shop would dare cut corners or break rules. Fortunately, Yunluo Workshop had always adhered strictly to regulations.