I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 60 Shearing

Luc got up early in the morning and washed his face in a wooden basin. The cool stream water took away his sleepiness.

Take a piece of cooked meat from the second floor, cut it into a piece with a knife, and place it on a thin stone slab to heat it repeatedly.

Ryan discovered this thin stone slab by chance. It is square, thin and flat, and is simply a natural frying pan.

The black bread was toasted early in the morning, and the meat slices were sandwiched between two layers of bread slices, and a layer of vegetable leaves was stuffed in, and cheese was evenly spread on it. A simple sandwich was born.

While eating homemade breakfast, Luke pushed open the wooden door and felt a refreshing mountain breeze blowing in his face, bringing with it the unique fragrance of soil in the early morning, which made him feel relaxed and happy. Luke couldn't help but stretch.

"Good day, sir!"

Luc was standing on the wooden steps looking into the distance, and Robert's little daughter Julie happened to pass by on the grass next to him.

Julie was wearing tattered clothes, with the linen just covering her body. Although she was only five years old, she had already learned the basic etiquette taught by her parents. She held the egg in her two hands, bent her knees slightly, and greeted Luc nervously.

Luc looked at the egg in the girl's hand and smiled kindly:

"Good day, Julie. You're out collecting eggs so early. Where are your parents?"

"My father and Mr. Lane have gone to the fields, my mother is in the house, and my brother has gone to the river to fetch water."

The girl had good expression skills. Although her tone was timid, her words were very clear.

Luc nodded. It was a rare day for him to sleep in. With the arrival of Robert's family, judging from the current size of the forest, he could become a full-time worker.

One acre of land is more than enough for two people to grow crops, although some more land needs to be cleared recently.

Mary can be left to feed the chickens and sheep.

The rest of the miscellaneous work can be shared among several people.

But Luc didn't plan to sit idle. He had the basic needs for survival, but he was still a long way from living a more comfortable life.

He told Julie to go home, then went back to the house, climbed up the wooden ladder and took out a pair of scissors from the second floor.

Today, I want to shear the sheep myself.

Spring is the best time to shear sheep. The wool not only helps the goats stay comfortable in the coming hot weather, but also keeps lice away. For Luc, the wool can be used to make clothes, as he currently only has linen clothes.

……

As soon as Julie entered the old house, Luc rushed to the yard.

The yard fence has been integrated, not only accommodating the new house, but also opening a small door in the middle to save unnecessary walking.

Luc had just opened the small door and walked to the sheep pen with the smell of urine when Mary came out. Seeing Luc, she hurried over and saluted politely.
"master"

"Okay, no need to salute. You've come just in time. I'm planning to shear the goats. Please help me keep them on track."

After all, goats are not domesticated since childhood, so they are inevitably a bit wild. They have never been sheared, so they might rebel in a moment.

Mary was strong and sturdy, and although she was a little thin due to fleeing famine, she was confident that she could hold down the goat.

Seeing that Mary was fine, Luc asked Julie to go away and opened the sheep pen. The lamb had grown a lot. When the four goats saw Luc coming in, they continued to lie down and eat grass. They no longer ran around when they saw people and looked lazy.

It was not until Luc stretched out his hand and grabbed a ewe's horns, then used his arms to pull it out by its front hooves, that the flock suddenly became restless. The goat that was being dragged struggled violently, kicking its hind hooves on the ground and bleating non-stop.

"Damn, it stinks!" The foul smell from the goat kept attacking Luc's nostrils. After finally dragging the goat out of the sheep pen, he gave Mary a look. This typical peasant woman immediately pounced forward and pressed down on the goat, holding down the goat's limbs with her calloused hands.

Julie on the side also trotted over and reached out to help her mother, but was frightened by the goat's wailing and stopped.

Luc couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene. Goats are indeed ugly, so it's no wonder that Julie is scared.

"Press it!"

Luc took out a pair of scissors and, amid the goat's heart-wrenching howls, cut off all the hair on its head with a few clicks.

Then the scissors moved down, from the neck to the torso, and then to the limbs and buttocks. Clumps of tangled wool kept falling off. After a while, a hairless goat appeared in front of the eyes. The funny bald appearance made Julie beside him laugh out loud.

After gathering the wool and driving it into the sheep pen, the other goat was pulled out. Realizing that there was no danger, the goats put up less resistance and returned to their bad mood.

By the time all the goats had been sheared, the wool had piled up as high as Julie.

"It looks good, but a little dirty."

Looking at the wool, Luc nodded with satisfaction. Then he remembered something and turned to ask Mary, "By the way, you can knit sweaters, right?"

"Yes, sir, but I lack the right tools. I mean, the tools to turn wool into thread."

"I'll figure out a way to do that. Your task now is to pick out the dirt from the wool. Remember to pick it out thoroughly. I don't want to wear clothes that smell of sheep dung in the future."

There are too many impurities in freshly cut wool, such as sheep dung, dirt, grass roots, etc., which must be carefully picked out.

This was a delicate job, so Luc gave it to Marie.

Of course, there are still many steps to take to turn wool into wool yarn.

For example, when the wool is almost picked, it is necessary to degrease it.

Wool is very greasy. Luc didn't have soap or a better way to degrease it, so he could only use the ancient method of soaking the wool in water or urine for several days or even weeks to slowly break down the mutton fat.

When he walked out of the fenced yard, he happened to see Miller coming back with a bucket of water. Without saying a word, Luke instructed Miller to call Ryan back.

After all, he now has four slaves plus a master who looks like a slave but is actually his deputy. There is no need for him to do everything by himself.

What I need now is to grasp the general direction. I will only participate in some work that requires multiple people to complete. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time to support them.

Well, it seems that I am also developing in the direction of the lord I once hated, but it doesn’t matter, he will be more merciful than those lords.

Of course, kindness is not enough to make a lord. The most reasonable and effective method is to use a combination of sticks and sweet treats.

Perhaps I can formulate a set of laws unique to the mountains and forests.
In this era, apart from the common crimes such as murder, robbery and theft, the rest of the laws in different territories can be said to be ever-changing. A lord, in addition to having the right to collect taxes in his own territory, also serves as the promulgator of laws, acts as a judge, and so on.

It can be said that he truly has the power to cover the sky with one hand.

Soon after, Ryan returned from the fields, and Miller naturally took his place there to continue working.

"Master, are you looking for me?"

"Well, I'll give you a task. Make this thing."

Luc drew a spinning wheel with charcoal.

(End of this chapter)