Chapter 12  : I Don’t Want to Win!

Shen Lang looked at Tian Thirteen since he represented the will of Tian Heng.

Earlier on, when Shen Lang was making the dye, Lin Mo had betrayed him and informed the Xu family. Tian Thirteen must have seen it, but he did not stop them or remind Shen Lang.

Therefore, Shen Lang was facing three huge figures-the Xu family, the Lin family, and Tian Heng from the Black Clothes Gang.

Therefore, the smartest move would be to admit that he had stolen the formula and immediately try to make a comeback so that he could take revenge.

That was because Xu Qianqian had made a promise in front of the officials of Xuanwu City that if Shen Lang admitted his mistake, they would not pursue the matter.

She was a person who valued her own reputation. If Shen Lang admitted it, she would definitely not create trouble today. Instead, she was the kind of person who would spend money to ask Tian Heng to kill him secretly instead. In that case, Shen Lang would be saved today if he admitted to these accusations.

However…

… Asking Shen Lang to take the blame?!

Shen Lang couldn’t do it. He was definitely not a wimp like that. 1

Shen Lang asked as he looked at Xu Qianqian, “You said that I stole this gold dye, do you have any evidence?”

Master Xu sneered, “You’re just a useless and uneducated brat. Meanwhile, the Xu family had done decades of business in the silk sector and is very good with dyes. This golden dye is invented painstakingly by Qianqian and me. I wonder how much resources and manpower we need. It was worth a few years of hard work. We hid this secret initially since we wanted to give the fabric factor of the monarch a surprise. However, we did not expect you, this betrayer, to steal our money, flirt with the servants, and steal the formula.” Then, Master Xu said coldly, “Qianqian, how important is this new formula? Why did you put it in the drawer?”

Xu Qianqian said, “Sorry, father, I trusted Shen Lang completely once. I didn’t expect him to do this.” Then, she turned to Shen Lang and said, “When you were bullied by servants in the Xu family, I whipped them and made an order to chase them out if they said anything bad about you behind your back. Nobody cared about you in the Xu family. I did not despise you because of your low IQ and talked to you every day. I was so nice to you, so why did you do this? Even if it is to take revenge on me for leaving you, you can just come at me, why the entire family? Moreover, if you have not committed such atrocious crimes, why would the Xu family chase you out?” 1

When she said that, the expressions of the officials nearby turned strange.

However, they believed some of what master Xu and Xu Qianqian said.

The Xu family was, indeed, good at making silk and dye, or else, they would not be the supplier for the monarch. Moreover, they have heard about Shen Lang’s low IQ, and therefore, they concluded that Shen Lang had stolen the new formula that the Xu family invented.

Shen Lang said slowly, “Both parties don’t have evidence, but everyone would believe that this formula is made by the Xu family. I cannot defend myself even if I want to.”

Master Xu sneered secretly, “I’m glad you know.”

This was an excellent thing. Not only did these families obtain a free formula for gold dye, but they had also sent Shen Lang into jail for a legitimate reason.

Instantly, Master Xu said coldly, “The truth is out. Catch him! I am sure he will admit everything if we use force.”

“Why are you so impatient, Master Xu?” Shen Lang smiled. “Although I cannot defend myself, it is effortless to prove everything! How coincidental that I had foreseen this incident and purposely made some reservations in this formula. In fact, I have a better formula here with me.” Shen Lang continued, “Master Xu, it is effortless to prove that I did not steal this formula from the Xu family. If I can make a gold dye better than the ones before, then that means I have proven myself, right?”

Xu Qianqian smiled. “Although you have stolen the formula from my house, you are too unprofessional. Therefore, if you were a little more serious, you would definitely be able to make a better dye.”

Shen Lang said, “I am unprofessional, but your family must be professional. The so-called formula was stolen from your house. You can mobilize your entire family to make the gold dye and compare it with the gold dye I make. We can compare to see which gold is better and of a higher class.”

Shen Lang had indeed made some reservations. The formula he had handed over initially was from the 17th century. 1

However, in his head, he had a revised formula of the 21st century. Even though the primary materials were identical, the ratio of fire was slightly different. Moreover, some additives were annexed.

However, the reformulated gold dye formula could only be better by ten to twenty percent.

The Xu family had already obtained his formula. Although Shen Lang could win, he could never defeat them. 1

Therefore, he wanted to compete using another method.

Therefore, Shen Lang said, “Of course, if I can only beat you based on the gold dye, then I would never be able to prove my talent. Your family specializes in dyes, so let me ask you this, what color is the hardest to make?”

Xu Qianqian said, “The hardest is definitely purple. That is the peak of the art of dye.”

Indeed, in ancient times, the hardest color to make was purple, not gold.

Of course, they could make a purple dye. In ancient China, they used gromwell roots to make the purple dye, but the color was inferior. Then, the purple conch was used to make the purple dye to improve its complexion.

Duke Huan of Qi liked to wear purple clothes. In that era, one set of purple cloth was the same price as five sets of white fabrics. That showed how precious purple cloth was.

In western countries, escallops were used to make purple dye. The queen of the Ptolemaic Dynasty also loved the purple. She even painted her ships purple.

However, be it using the conch or the escallop to obtain purple dye, the cost price was extremely terrifying. One gram of dye required over 300 escallops.

At this moment, the Dayan Dynasty had yet to find escallops or conches to obtain the purple color. Therefore, how did they get purple dye? They mixed blue and red coloring to achieve a purple hue.

However, the effect was terrible. Firstly, the color was uneven and dull. Most importantly, the color rapidity of the two dyes differed, so purple silk faded in color very quickly.

Shen Lang asked, “Purple dye is harder than gold dye, right?”

Xu Qianqian said, “Of course!”

Purple dye was the hardest problem in this world’s cloth and silk industry.

“To prove my talent in dyeing silk, we should not only compete in terms of the gold dye but also the purple dye,” said Shen Lang, “you can mobilize the entire Xu family to produce these two colors. I am alone and moneyless. I will use the easiest and cheapest way to make the dye, and in front of the officials, let’s see whose dye is the best.” He then faced everyone around him. “I will prove to everyone that I, Shen Lang, can completely defeat the entire Xu family alone. I will make sure the accusation of theft becomes a joke.”

“Shen Lang, you’re really childish,” sneered Master Xu, “why should we compete? It’s a waste of time. Catch him immediately! I am sure you will admit to your crimes in jail if we punish you.”

Shen Lang said as he looked at the few officials, “Sirs, what do you think of my suggestion?”

The few officials had been bribed by the Xu family and the City Lord.

Therefore, when they heard Shen Lang’s question, they pretended to have not heard him.

Shen Lang looked at the youngest official.

The youngest official looked after the jail in Xuanwu City. He had the most significant say in whether or not they would arrest Shen Lang.

Meanwhile, the past events with the youngest official came flooding back in his mind, especially what he had said.

If his memory was accurate, the officials would be against the Xu family.

As he saw Shen Lang’s gaze, the youngest official hesitated for a long while.

Then, he stood out immediately and said, “Master Xu, just let him try. If he can’t win against the Xu family, then it means that he had stolen your formula, and we will arrest him immediately.”

When the youngest official said that, Master Xu’s gaze changed.

The officials were bribed and hence turned a blind eye to whatever happened to the Xu family. The official who was in charge of the jail had assumed his role recently. Although the Xu family hadn’t bribed him yet, the City Lord had already told him what to do.

Why did he go against the Xu family? Did he not know that the Xu family would become in-laws with the City Lord?

Master Xu said coldly, “Sir Wang, are you sure?”

The youngest official said, “Yes!”

The youngest official was in charge of the jail, so he had the final say as to whether Shen Lang should be arrested.

Master Xu frowned and was about to use the City Lord’s name to stop the youngest official. However, Xu Qianqian tugged his sleeves.

Nobody understood Shen Lang better than Xu Qianqian. How could Shen Lang know how to dye?

The formula for his gold dye came from nowhere, but the Xu family had already tried Shen Lang’s method. They were more professional than Shen Lang and made a better gold dye than Shen Lang.

… As for the purple dye…

Shen Lang did not know that the Xu family had just found out a new formula for the purple dye. They used a new set of materials and were revolutionary enough to beat all the existing purple silk in the market.

Shen Lang would definitely lose, and it would only be a matter of time before he died. It was not wise to go against the youngest official because of this.

Having received his daughter’s signal, Master Xu frowned and said, “Then we shall follow Sir Wang’s instructions, let’s see how long this useless brat can last.”

Shen Lang said, “What would happen then if I beat you in both the gold and purple dye?”

Xu Qianqian said unhappily, “That means that you didn’t steal the formula for the gold dye, and we wronged you.”

Shen Lang said, “Then you guys should admit it and apologize to me.” 1

Master Xu said coldly, “We will talk about that when you win.”

Shen Lang said, “Great, then we shall set the time limit as six hours! After six hours, we shall compare our results to determine the winner!”

“Alright!” One of the officials said.

Master Xu said, “Immediately go home and get the best dye-makers. Qianqian, look after them personally and make sure they produce the best purple dye.”

“Yes, father!” said Xu Qianqian.

This time, the Xu family was going to mobilize the entire family.

However, Shen Lang was alone. He said to Lin Mo, “Boss Lin, I have to borrow the kitchen in your backyard again.”

“Sure,” said Lin Mo.

…

When Shen Lang entered the kitchen, he used sophora and potassium alum to make the yellow dye as usual.

However, this time, he used the 21st century improved formula. He added other supplementary materials and changed both the ratio and strength of heating.

Although the main ingredients stayed the same, with the improvement due to modern technology, the gold dye had a better effect and looked more like gold.

Of course, he only managed to improve the formula and was unable to rout the original method.

Therefore, the purple dye played an extremely critical role.

With the fastest speed possible, he made the improved gold dye and allowed it to boil.

Then, Shen Lang placed emphasis on the purple dye.

He used his secret weapon.

The best source for purple dye, litmus1.

This was a type of moss present everywhere and was not valuable at all. However, the purple that was made from it was the most vibrant and beautiful. 1

In 18th century England, Cuthbert unintentionally found out that a type of moss could make purple dye. Its effect was excellent too.

Ever since then, the purple dye made from litmus was used throughout the century until the chemical industry made a breakthrough, and the man-made purple color, which had a lower cost price, was invented.

However, why did Shen Lang prepare the litmus beforehand?

That was because he wanted to be prepared if the formula for the gold dye was not enough. Then, he would make use of the purple color too.

Shen Lang ground the dried litmus and brewed it with coal ash and urine. 1

Very quickly, pure shade of purple was obtained.

Then, he used potassium alum to brighten the color.

Soon, an economical but pretty and vibrant purple dye was made.

As compared to the purple dye in this world, it was much better.

Then, Shen Lang took a piece of colorless silk and dyed it in the purple dye. When it was thoroughly dyed, he placed it under the sun.

Soon, the purple silk was made.

What a beautiful purple. It was bright and vibrant.

It defeated all the other purples in this world.

Moreover, Shen Lang wanted more than just purple.

He could have won the Xu family with the purple dye, but the win would not be as impressive.

He made use of the time and Lin Mo’s equipment to make seven different colors of dye. He planned to make the most beautiful, mysterious, and special rainbow silk!

It was equivalent to adding all the seven colors onto one cloth. Shen Lang made use of the division of parts of the silk to dye these different colors. If he was fast and precise enough, the rainbow silk produced would be gorgeous.

Although he was not a professional, he was a fan of dyes. However, when he was in the museum of silk, he stayed for more than 2 weeks and became completely immersed in the works of art.

Yet in the past, when Shen Lang entered the Xu family, he saw the workers dyeing the cloth every day and was left with the memory.

The most important thing was that Shen Lang had the information about every step and ingredient in his computer.

Therefore, although he was unable to do it the best way, it was still good enough.

After six hours, Shen Lang completed making all three dyes and dyed the cloths with the respective colors.

The purple silk was sufficient for him to win against Xu Qianqian.

Moreover, the rainbow silk was his trump card.

It had an unprecedented and astonishing effect that could crush the silk made by the Xu family into fragments!