Is this cheat code from Bika? Just do it!

The research department is under the same level of martial law as the city lord's mansion. The guards inside are elites selected from hundreds of soldiers in the army, and the defense work is personally overseen by the dark elf queen Orika. It is considered one of Link's secret forces that cannot be used.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter..." The carriage stopped ten meters away from the wall.

Inside the carriage, Link looked out the window at the wall. The patrolling soldiers were watching the carriage warily, not letting their guard down just because it bore his insignia.

"Very good!" Link was very satisfied; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

One must see him or Hannah in person, or carry a warrant personally signed and stamped by him, before entering the research department.

After the inspection, Link went inside first, followed only by Akiyama Rinko, Dilwa, and Ashagi. The guard squad was not allowed to enter.

The research institute is neither large nor small; it can easily accommodate several hundred people.

The old wooden houses were demolished and replaced with cement bungalows.

The research department is divided into many areas, such as a courtyard for researching paper and a courtyard for researching military industry.

Link also knew about the courtyard where he studied spinning and weaving machines, since he designed it himself.

Upon entering the courtyard, the first thing Link saw was the otherworldly spinning machine. Although it was very rough and ugly, it satisfied him. For a group of inexperienced carpenters to work according to his blueprints, it was already quite good.

"Greetings, Lord Link!" Several carpenters knelt on the ground and kowtowed. It was the city lord who had given them such a good life.

Link waved for the group to stand up, then stared at them and asked, "So? Can you spin hemp thread?"

"Okay!" The carpenters immediately started working frantically, then brought over several pieces of hemp thread as thick as headphone cords.

Link silently took the hemp thread and examined it. The toughness was okay, but it was too thick, and the cloth woven from it would be too thick.

"Is any linen coming out?" Link scanned another direction but didn't see any looms.

"Lord City Lord, he's inside!" The carpenters rushed into the house and quickly brought out a loom with some half-finished linen on it.

Link stood before the loom, touched the thick linen, and thought that it was more like a sack than a garment.

"What do you all think?" Link asked, turning to the people present.

"Great, this is absolutely fantastic!"

"Yes, such thick linen must be very durable to make clothes that can be worn for many years."

Several carpenters shouted excitedly, which made Link realize that such thick linen was already a luxury that ordinary people could only dream of.

“Lord Link, it would be even better if it were a little more refined,” Asagi said softly.

“Indeed, wearing such thick linen clothes will chafe your skin,” Rinko Akiyama nodded in agreement.

“This kind of linen can be produced, but we also need finer quality. After all, the biggest buyers are the nobles and merchants who love luxury,” Link said thoughtfully.

154. Demand

In the spacious and slightly noisy workshop of Winterfell, a crowd gathered together, the atmosphere lively and full of anticipation.

Everyone chimed in, raising the question that Link was concerned about—why was the quality of the linen produced by the spinning and weaving machines so poor?

Some people frowned, wondering if it was a problem with the raw materials; others stroked their chins, carefully considering possible mistakes during the operation.

After a heated discussion, everyone reached a consensus and decided to go to the spinning machine together to find the root of the problem.

They slowly approached the spinning machine, and upon closer inspection, the scene before them made them instantly realize the truth.

Inside the spinning machine, the parts were of varying sizes, some large and clumsy, standing out from the smaller parts; their surfaces were rough and covered with deep scratches and uneven textures.

Looking at the terrible spinning machine, everyone instantly understood why the hemp thread it produced was so coarse. The thread was uneven in thickness and often tangled together, like a tangled mess of hemp.

"Come over here, all of you." Link stood beside the spinning machine and gestured to the carpenters. His voice was steady and powerful, standing out clearly in the noisy workshop.

Several carpenters, their faces cautious, carefully approached Link. Their steps were light and slow, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Everyone wore a tense and uneasy expression, their eyes fixed on Link, awaiting his instructions.

Link pointed to several key parts of the spinning machine, his expression focused, and said, “Look, this part is too thick and doesn’t match the surrounding structure, so it will definitely not run smoothly. And this part also needs adjustment; uneven speed won’t do, as it will affect the smoothness of the entire spinning process and the quality of the yarn. It’s like a person walking; if one leg is longer than the other, they definitely won’t be able to walk steadily.” As he spoke, Link gestured with his hands, trying to make the carpenters understand the problem more clearly.

The carpenters nodded slightly, their eyes following Link's fingers intently as they listened carefully.

Their eyes revealed focus and contemplation, as if they were trying to memorize every word Link said.

After they nodded to indicate that they understood, Link's expression turned serious, and he pointed out the key issue: "You guys were too hasty in your operations. Spinning yarn is a delicate task that cannot tolerate the slightest carelessness."

Each step requires careful attention, just like sculpting a work of art.

"In my opinion, we should find a few women to try. They're more meticulous and might be better suited for this job. Also, the same goes for that loom; let a woman operate it." Link finished speaking, his gaze sweeping over the carpenters, observing their reactions.

After saying that, Link turned to the loom and pointed to several parts again, saying, "The thickness of these parts needs to be changed. The wooden strips are too thin and can't withstand the pressure; they're easy to break. Imagine if a wooden strip suddenly breaks during the weaving process; it would not only affect the weaving progress but could also damage other parts. Replace them with iron strips; that's much more durable." As Link spoke, he gently tapped the wooden strips of the loom, making a "thump-thump" sound.

"Yes! Understood!" the carpenters replied in unison, quickly memorizing Link's instructions.

Their voices were loud and firm, as if assuring Link that they would complete the mission.

Link glanced at the carpenters and emphasized in a serious tone, "These two machines must be continuously improved. Later, we will add waterwheels to save manpower and increase efficiency. The power of water is limitless. Using waterwheels to drive the machines will make production easier and more efficient."

"Lord City Lord, what is a waterwheel?" Several carpenters looked blank, scratching their heads, clearly having no idea what a waterwheel was.

Their eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity, like a group of ignorant children.

Looking at the bewildered carpenters, Link suddenly realized what was going on.

With their limited knowledge, mostly woodworking skills taught by Hannah, how could they possibly understand the principles of water power and waterwheels?

On this land, people have always relied on traditional methods of labor and know very little about new technologies and ideas.

Link sighed slightly and waved his hand with a hint of helplessness, saying, "Once you've improved the spinning and weaving machines again, and refined the hemp thread to a degree more than ten times finer, then you can accept new knowledge. Learning is a gradual process; you can't rush it. Just like building a house, you can only build a sturdy skyscraper if you lay a solid foundation first."

The carpenters were clearly having some "indigestion" from being taught so much at once.

Link thought to himself that they should wait until they fully absorbed the knowledge of spinning machines and looms before incorporating water power into these machines.

After all, everyone's capacity to learn is limited. Only by guiding them step by step can they truly master this knowledge and skills.

"Yes!" The carpenters, though still somewhat bewildered, responded in unison.

Their voices carried a hint of uncertainty, but were also full of determination and courage.

"For the first time, it's not bad to have done this well."

Link nodded slightly in approval. His eyes revealed encouragement and expectations for the carpenters, hoping they would continue to work hard and achieve even better results.

Then, Link gently tugged at the hemp thread in his hand, thinking to himself: If several such hemp threads were twisted together, they should be able to make a very strong hemp rope.

This type of hemp rope can be used to bind goods, build houses, etc., and has high practical value.

However, this type of hemp fiber cannot be soaked in water for extended periods; it seems we'll need to find hemp fibers that are resistant to wind and sun. In Winterfell's environment, windy and rainy weather is frequent, and if the hemp fibers are not durable, it will easily affect the product's quality and lifespan.

Thinking of this, Link looked up at the carpenters and asked, "How long will it take you to make the changes I just mentioned?"

“It will be fixed soon,” a carpenter replied confidently.

His face beamed with a confident smile, as if he were brimming with confidence in his skills.

"Alright, get to work quickly, and show it to me when you're done," Link ordered decisively. His tone exuded an unquestionable authority, leaving the carpenters no room for error.

"Yes!" the carpenters answered in unison and immediately got to work.

They immediately took out their tools and began to divide the work. Some ran to get iron bars, hurrying along as if afraid of wasting time; others prepared other necessary materials, carefully selecting them to ensure their quality met the requirements. The entire workshop was a scene of bustling activity, with everyone fully immersed in their work.

“Dilwa, make a note of this.” Link said calmly, watching the busy carpenters. “Tell Lushe that from now on, the cloth in the North will be divided into six grades: Superior, Upper Superior, Superior, Medium, Lower, and Lower-Lower.” As he spoke, Link was mentally outlining the specific standards for classifying the cloth grades.

Dilva hurriedly took out a thick notebook from his backpack, then shoved it onto Akiyama Rinko's shapely buttocks and pulled out a pen to start taking notes.

Her actions were somewhat comical, causing those around her to chuckle involuntarily.

"Hmm?" Akiyama Rinko blushed instantly, feeling an urge to spank Dilva's butt.

Her cheeks were as red as ripe apples, and her eyes were filled with anger and shyness.

However, seeing Link's serious and focused expression, she suppressed her anger and thought: If it weren't for the city lord's sake, Dilva would definitely get a good spanking this time.

“Take the linen cloth we just saw as an example. It is the lowest grade of linen cloth, and the price is very low. It can be bought for just a few copper coins.”

Link's lips twitched slightly. He turned his head away, pretending not to see the somewhat awkward yet alluring scene, and continued, "When the hemp thread is finer than a hair, the resulting hemp cloth is of inferior quality; if the hemp thread is as fine as a hair, the resulting hemp cloth can be semi-transparent, which is medium quality hemp cloth, priced starting at silver coins." As Link spoke, he gestured with his hands to demonstrate the thickness of the hemp thread, making it easier for everyone to understand.

Those present were stunned upon hearing this, and secretly wondered: if such thin, translucent linen is only of medium quality, then what quality must the superior and the best quality be?

Their eyes were filled with surprise and curiosity, as if they were imagining what those high-quality fabrics looked like.

"Lord Link, isn't there a problem with this ranking system?"

Dilva hesitated for a moment, then quietly offered her opinion. Her brow furrowed slightly, and her eyes revealed a hint of doubt and worry.

"No problem, we'll do it this way."

Link chuckled and explained, "There are other materials for making clothes besides hemp thread."

Link's eyes revealed a kind of wisdom and foresight, as if he had already seen the broad prospects of the future fabric market.

Those present were slightly taken aback upon hearing this, pondering to themselves: apart from hemp thread, it seemed that only animal hair remained.

But clothes made from animal hair smelled terrible, and no one with even a little money would wear them. They all frowned, their faces showing disgust.

Link noticed the confusion in everyone's eyes and continued, "The reason why clothes made from animal hair smell bad is because the animal hair hasn't been degreased. You know, animal hides also have fat, and it's difficult to wash away the fat from the animal hair without using alkaline cleaning agents. Especially in summer, those animal hair garments will emit a putrid smell. It's like a pile of rotten food, emitting a nauseating odor." As Link spoke, he covered his nose with his hand, making a disgusted expression.

"Proceed according to this requirement, but do not spread it out for now. Once the other fabrics have been developed, then distribute this grade standard."

Link solemnly instructed. His eyes revealed a sense of caution and confidentiality, as he did not want the news to leak out prematurely.

"Yes!" Dilva was very curious about what those fabrics were, but considering the inappropriate occasion, he could only suppress his curiosity and not ask.

Link couldn't help but think of the ancient people on Earth, and his heart was filled with admiration.

Especially Tang Dynasty silk, which was a precious commodity equivalent to gold, was the epitome of the finest fabric in his mind.

Silk is soft and smooth, with bright and vibrant colors. Wearing it gives you a sense of nobility and elegance.

During the Tang Dynasty, silk was not only an exclusive item for the royal family and nobility, but also an important commodity in foreign trade, and was loved by people from all over the world.

Cotton, being a natural fiber, requires almost no processing. Link plans to have Farahia's caravan search for cotton seeds, and if they find any, bring them back to plant.

Cotton has advantages such as warmth and comfort. Cotton fabric is soft and breathable, making it very suitable for people to wear. As a result, cotton fabric can be considered a medium- to high-grade fabric.

Not to mention wool, which can be used to make fabrics of various grades.

Once the problem of degreasing wool is solved, it can be spun into clothing. The outer coarse wool can be made into items such as mats and blankets, while the cashmere obtained after combing is an excellent raw material for making medium and high-quality clothing. Sweaters spun from this cashmere are very warm.

In the cold winter, a warm cashmere sweater can bring endless warmth and comfort.

Finally, there is silk. As the raw material for silk, it is the best material for making truly high-quality, top-quality, and even super-quality clothing.

Silk is delicate, smooth, and has a soft luster, possessing a unique charm. Silk garments made from silk are not only beautiful and elegant but also comfortable to wear, making them a coveted high-end garment.

Link pondered that if he could develop all these things, he was confident he could sell silk, cashmere clothing, and other items at a high price of gold coins.

Half an hour later, the carpenters excitedly shouted, "Lord City Lord, the spinning machine has been modified!" Their faces were filled with joy and pride, as if they had accomplished a great mission.

Link hurried forward and was somewhat satisfied with the hemp thread spun by the modified spinning machine.

Linen made with this type of hemp thread is superior to that on the market, with uniform stripe size and significantly higher quality.

Link gently touched the linen, feeling its texture and grain, and felt a sense of accomplishment.

“Very good!” Link looked at the hemp thread in his hand with satisfaction, then looked up and asked, “How many spinning and weaving machines like this can be manufactured in a day?”

"Lord City Lord, we can currently build a total of four units."

The carpenters answered respectfully. Their voices carried a hint of pride, but also a touch of helplessness.

Such a quantity was something they never dared to imagine before.

However, Winterfell now possesses steam engines and simple machine tools, which gives them such confidence.

The invention and use of the steam engine brought about tremendous changes to industrial production in Winterfell, greatly improving production efficiency and product quality.

“Four units are too few.” Link frowned slightly and decisively ordered, “Call the other carpenters to help. I want to produce at least ten units a day.” Link’s eyes revealed a firmness and determination. He hoped to increase production to meet market demand and improve the competitiveness of Winter City’s cloth.

After speaking, Link turned to the men beside him and instructed, "Give them extra food to ensure they have enough energy for work. At the same time, arrange for people to start mass production of linen." Link knew that only by keeping the workers in good physical condition could he improve work efficiency and quality.

"Yes!" the crowd answered in unison. Their voices were loud and clear, as if assuring Link that they would complete the mission.

"By the way, do you have a lot of paper in stock?" Link suddenly remembered something and asked.

“There are many papers of the lowest grade.”

Dilva responded quickly. The worst grade of paper she was referring to was a waxy yellow color, similar to parchment, and not very durable; it would easily break when folded.

Even so, it is still several times more useful than parchment scrolls.

Here, people often use parchment scrolls to record text, but parchment scrolls are expensive to produce and inconvenient to write on.