Hey, Qingniu Valley welcomed a batch of "pilgrims" seeking scriptures today! The owners of medicine shops from neighboring counties carried empty ledgers on their backs and stared at the drying kilns, swallowing hard. "How is this kiln even cleaner than our cookstoves?"
With a rattle, the Abacus Code jumped into the shape of a tour guide flag and projected an image above the kiln: "Clean? The beads use it as a mirror every single day! Look at this hot-air circulation bellows—it's even fancier than the vents in the Chang'an teahouses!"
Old Qian curled his lip nearby. "Oh, give it a rest! You were using the kiln to roast sweet potatoes just yesterday!"
"Xiaoxiu! Bring out our Bead-Chain Rap Ledger!" At a shout from Xiao Moli, Old Zhou wheeled out a ledger that hopped as it moved. Every time a page turned, it sounded like clappers clicking:
*"Picking flowers, watch the sun up high,*
*Keep the flame just right when they dry,*
*Storage pest control is a clever knack,*
*Check the wooden tablet, and nothing's slack!"*
The visiting bosses clapped along to the rhythm, and the Abacus Code seized the opportunity to project a microphone animation: "Want to learn? The beads have opened a Bead-Chain Standard Classroom! Guaranteed to teach you, and full refunds if you don't catch on!"
In the middle of the chatter, one boss pointed at the cold-storage cellar and muttered doubtfully, "Making ice with saltpeter? How much is that going to cost?"
The Abacus Code swooped *swish* onto an ice …
Chapter 313