allonlinenovel Chapter 334 Fierce Competition
Chapter 334 Fierce Competition
In the fierce competition of Qing State's craft industry, Chen Jia and Chen Jue made a great name for themselves with their glazed woodcarving furniture. However, the market is ever-changing, and competitors are springing up like mushrooms after a rain. In order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the workshop, the two know that they must continue to innovate.
One afternoon, the sun lazily sprinkled on the workshop courtyard. Chen Jia sat on a stone bench, holding a strange book from the Western Regions. The book described the wonderful buildings in foreign countries. The structural designs that could be flexibly disassembled and spliced together were like a flash of inspiration that instantly lit up her mind. She jumped up excitedly and ran straight to the workshop to find Chen Jue.
"Husband, come and see!" Chen Jia eagerly pulled Chen Jue, pointing to the illustrations in the book and saying, "I looked at the splicing method of this exotic architecture, and thought it would be great if our woodcarving and glass furniture could be like this! Nowadays, customers have different preferences and living spaces of different sizes. If we can make spliced furniture, it can not only meet the personalized needs of different people, but also be convenient for transportation and storage. Wouldn't our competitiveness be improved immediately!"
Chen Jue took the book, his eyes flashing with thought. After carefully studying it for a moment, he nodded frequently: "My lady, your idea is novel and bold, but it is a good idea. However, it is not easy to implement. First of all, the joints must be cleverly designed to ensure a stable connection without destroying the overall beauty. Secondly, the wood carvings and colored glaze have different material properties during the splicing process. How to prevent wear and cracking is also a thorny problem. Furthermore, the convenience of splicing must be considered. We can't let customers spend a lot of effort and still not be able to assemble it properly."
Chen Jia frowned slightly, thought for a moment and then replied, "My husband is right. In my opinion, we can learn from the mortise and tenon technology at the joints, design exquisite concave and convex slots, and use special wood to make the slot parts to enhance toughness and friction to ensure stability. For material running-in, apply a layer of our newly developed protective glue on the joint surface, which can both cushion and prevent wear. As for convenience, we will draw detailed and easy-to-understand assembly drawings and make a few demonstration videos to make it easy for customers to get started."
After hearing this, Chen Jue raised his lips and showed an appreciative smile: "My lady, you are very thoughtful. This arrangement will be very promising. Without further ado, let's gather the craftsmen to discuss it."
After a while, the craftsmen gathered together. Chen Jia stood in front of everyone, holding the blueprint in his hand, and explained the design concept in detail: "Masters, what we are going to make this time is unprecedented wood-carved glass furniture that can be spliced. This screen is designed to be modular, and each piece is carved with independent patterns of flowers, birds, fish and insects. Through slot splicing, it can be combined into screens of various shapes and sizes to meet the layout of different halls; the legs, seats and backrests of tables and chairs are separated, so customers can match the style according to their preferences, and it is also convenient to store them in the corner; the same is true for cabinets, the cabinet doors, cabinet bodies and drawers can be disassembled and spliced, so you don’t have to worry about moving large items when moving."
An experienced craftsman scratched his head and said with difficulty: "Madam, this work is very delicate. It is hard enough to ensure that the mortise and tenon joints fit perfectly, and we also have to consider the glazed inlays. If we are not careful, the whole furniture will fall apart."
Chen Jia smiled and encouraged everyone: "Uncle Zhang, you have superb craftsmanship and are the backbone of our workshop. Although there are many difficulties, we will definitely be able to overcome them if we work together, conduct more experiments and make more adjustments. Just think about it, when the finished products are made, customers will praise them highly, and our workshop will become even more famous!"
Inspired by Chen Jia's enthusiasm, everyone was eager to get started with the production.
The woodcarving masters carefully selected the wood and carved each part according to the size. Chen Jia gave instructions from time to time, adjusted the details, and strived for perfection. "Master Zhang, please polish the edge of the card slot to make it smoother, so as not to scratch the customer's hand; Master Li, the texture of this wood carving can be more natural and smooth..."
The colored glaze craftsmen were also busy, firing colored glaze parts according to the design, with bright and elegant colors. Chen Jue personally supervised the inlay process of colored glaze. He carefully picked up a piece of colored glaze, inserted it into the slot of the wood carving, and then carefully applied special adhesive to fix it. He stared at it without blinking, for fear of any mistakes.
"Slow down, be gentle, and be sure not to damage the texture of the wood carving..." Chen Jue whispered to the craftsmen.
After weeks of hard work, the first piece of woodcarving glass screen that can be spliced was finally completed. When it was displayed in the center of the workshop, everyone was shocked by the scene before their eyes. The sun shines through the window onto the screen, and the spliced flowers and birds seem to have life. The part filled with glass reflects colorful light, and the light and shadow interweave like a dream. Moreover, with a slight push, the screen can flexibly change its shape to adapt to different space needs.
"It's done! We succeeded!" Chen Jia's eyes were red with excitement, and she hugged Chen Jue tightly. The craftsmen also cheered and congratulated each other on this hard-earned achievement.
In order to quickly open up the market for the new product, Chen Jia and Chen Jue decided to hold a grand new product launch conference. They invited dignitaries, scholars, wealthy businessmen and shop owners in the capital, and also invited several well-known musicians to perform on the spot to create an elegant atmosphere.
On the day of the press conference, the workshop was decorated with lights and new furniture was neatly arranged. Guests arrived one after another and were amazed at the novel and unique furniture.
A noble lady in gorgeous clothes came forward and curiously fiddled with a set of tables and chairs. After a while, she assembled a unique set according to her own preferences. She was ecstatic: "This table and chairs are amazing! When I entertain guests at home, I can change the style at will to give everyone a sense of freshness. It is also easy to store and does not take up space. Madam Chen, Duke Chen, your craftsmanship is amazing. I will definitely buy a few more sets to give to others."
A scholar was attracted by the screen. He tried to change the shape of the screen and watched the changes in light and shadow. He exclaimed: "Wonderful! This screen is not only a work of art, but also a magician of space. Different splicing combinations can create different artistic conceptions and add inspiration to poetry and painting. My study at home is missing such a treasure."
With the guests' praises, the news of the new product spread quickly throughout the capital, and orders came to the workshop like snowflakes.
However, the smoke of market competition has not dissipated. Seeing this, some competitors also tried to follow suit, but they lacked the exquisite skills and innovative background accumulated by Chen Jia and Chen Jue over the years, and the imitations they made were either not firmly spliced or ugly in shape and had no aesthetic appeal.
At one of the largest furniture exhibitions in Beijing, Chen Jia and Chen Jue's booths were located next to the rival's booth, creating a striking contrast. The rival's booth was sparsely populated, with only a few customers coming up to ask questions, fiddling with the imitations for a few seconds and then shaking their heads and leaving; Chen Jia's booth was crowded with customers vying to place orders, and even many foreign merchants came to discuss cooperation matters.
A merchant from another place held Chen Jue's hand tightly and said excitedly: "Mr. Chen, your spliced wood-carved and colored glaze furniture will definitely be very popular here! The craftsmanship is exquisite and the design is advanced. I want to order a large number of them and bring this unique furniture to all parts of the country."