Hua Qingxue held the glass in her hand and rubbed it carefully.
This glass is spherical, with a round belly, and a small opening on one side that is only slightly larger than a copper coin. The walls of the glass are even and highly transparent. You can see many bubbles in the inner layer, although they are not comparable to modern glass. Comparable, but much brighter than the two pieces of glass brought by Master Song.
"How did you make it?" Hua Qingxue asked.
Su Shaowen was a little nervous and replied: "I...I added river sand in it..."
It turned out to be river sand.
Hua Qingxue immediately understood that the main component of river sand is quartz, and quartz is one of the main raw materials for making glass.
The reason why Cai Qingxue said it was a misunderstanding just now was because she misremembered the composition of the glass.
Although there was glass in ancient times, only some opaque lead-barium glazes could be made. Lead-barium glass is bright and colorful, and it is very popular whether it is used for ornaments or jewelry. This kind of glass is fragile and cannot withstand heat or sudden cooling. Sudden heat can only be used to make decorations and jewelry, not containers.
That's why Hua Qingxue kept telling Master Song that he couldn't do it.
It's not about technique, it's about the raw materials.
Hua Qingxue was originally disappointed, but she didn't expect that Master Song's young apprentice would actually think about making such a spherical glass with such a small opening.
The glass bottle made by Master Song has a small mouth, but if you look closely, you will find that the bottle neck and the bottle body are two parts, which are glued together after they are made, while the ball bottle made by Su Shaowen is a whole. Very valuable.
Hua Qingxue asked him again: "How did you make the opening so small?"
In ancient times, the melting and casting method was used to make glass, and it was impossible to make such a small opening.
The melting and casting method is to grind various raw materials for making glass into powder, put it into an earth mold, and calcine it at high temperature to melt and shape the glass. After cooling, the mold is removed, and then the whole body is polished.
This method is actually a method of processing bronzes. The cost is very high. The exquisiteness of the shape depends entirely on the exquisiteness of the mold. Sometimes a glass handicraft needs to be carved into dozens of different molds, which are then demoulded and then glued one by one, so it is basically It is impossible to create this kind of hollow-core effect.
Su Shaowen didn't dare to hide it and answered carefully: "I first made a glass ball, put it in when the glass liquid cooled down, hung it with a metal wire, waited for the glass liquid to completely solidify, and then moved the inner glass ball along the metal wire little by little. Crush.”
Hua Qingxue opened her eyes wide in surprise. She didn't expect Su Shaowen to use such a tricky method!
He put the glass ball into the glass liquid and squeezed it into the shape of the glass. But when the glass cooled and solidified, the glass ball inside could not be taken out! So he smashed the inner glass ball, and then removed the broken glass shards bit by bit!
This is a test of strength, angle, and technique! Because if you are not careful, you will break the outer glass!
Hua Qingxue held the glass and fell into deep thought.
It is obviously impossible to directly ask the glass craftsman to make the test tubes, beakers, and distillation flasks you want.
Because what she needs is soda-lime glass that can withstand high temperatures, not colorful lead-barium glass.
Therefore, the first thing she had to solve was the problem of raw materials.
Secondly, there is the production process.
The casting method is obviously not advisable. The best way to make containers is the blowing method. This method does not require carving models, has low cost and high output. It is a method commonly used by Western glass craftsmen.
Hua Qingxue was lost in thought, and Su Shaowen stood aside, feeling uneasy but not daring to disturb her.
Liang Wensheng walked in, and Hua Qingxue came back to her senses.
"Master, we have been sent away." Liang Wensheng glanced at Su Shaowen with a smile and asked, "How are these little brothers arranged?"
Su Shaowen's face turned red when his name was called, as if he was embarrassed.
Hua Qingxue thought for a while, looked at Su Shaowen, and said with a smile: "Let's live here first, and then we can start work after the crucible kiln is ready."
Su Shaowen asked a little cautiously: "...What do you need me to do?"
"Making glass." Hua Qingxue smiled, "But it will be a little different from your previous method. I have a new method here, but you need to figure it out and learn it yourself."
Liang Wensheng was stunned for a moment, "Master, aren't you going to teach him?"
"I can't teach you." Hua Qingxue sighed helplessly, "I only know the method, but I don't know how."
It's like knowing how to ride a bicycle, but if you actually ride a bicycle, you won't be able to learn it without falling a few times.
The same goes for glass blowing. Hua Qingxue knows the method and the principles, but if she were to blow it, she might not be able to compete with Su Shaowen.
"I, I am willing to learn!" Su Shaowen said with a blushing face.
"I'll learn too!" Liang Wensheng quickly interrupted.
Hua Qingxue laughed, "You need to keep an eye on the Firearms Camp. It's best to finish it before autumn. When it's finished, we have to refine the raw materials, perfect the Sky Thunder, and make rockets, artillery, and muskets... It will be very busy then. of."
Liang Wensheng grinned after hearing this, his eyes full of yearning.
Hua Qingxue handed Su Shaowen to Liang Wensheng, and then went to check on the recent progress of the firearms camp. Looking at the completed buildings, she felt both hopeful and a little disappointed.
All attempts will be a process from countless failures to success.
Even though I have made countless mental preparations, I still worry about failure...
She didn't see the glass she wanted today, and she felt a little disappointed.
Because of her mistake, she forgot the difference between the two types of glass, and without much thought asked Fu Tingye to help her inquire and hire people. In the end, her work was in vain.
well…
Hua Qingxue can only place her hope on that young apprentice now. Since he has strong research ability, she hopes to master the glass blowing method as soon as possible...
In fact, in Hua Qingxue's memory, a skilled glass blowing master could not be trained within two or three years.
Hua Qingxue became even more depressed when she thought of this.
Because she can't wait that long...
…
The carriage gurgled forward, and the sun outside was still burning brightly.
Hua Qingxue went out and felt that her whole body was sweaty, sticky, and very uncomfortable.
I feel increasingly depressed.
Now she just wants to go home as soon as possible, take off this layer of sweaty clothes, and then soak in the cold water!
The leading guard outside the carriage, named Wu Zhuo, suddenly asked her: "Miss Hua, there is a fork in the road ahead. Do you want to go to the camp?"
Hua Qingxue was slightly startled.
The guard obviously wanted her to see the general.
In the past, Fu Tingye would go back to the city to see Hua Qingxue every two or three days. In recent days, maybe because of busy military affairs, Hua Qingxue has not seen Fu Tingye.
Hua Qingxue held her chin and thought for a while. It was rare to come out, so let's go and have a look...
- When you are in love, you should have comings and goings. It is not good for him to come and see her all the time. She should also go and see him occasionally.
The corners of Hua Qingxue's mouth couldn't help but curl up, wondering if she would give him a surprise if she suddenly went to see him
When the carriage arrived at Qingzhou Camp, Hua Qingxue went directly to Fu Tingye's tent, but found no one there.
"Miss Hua, the general has gone to the school grounds." The soldiers outside the camp told her.
Go to the school grounds? Isn't he afraid of getting prickly heat when he goes to school on a hot day
Hua Qingxue went to the school grounds again.
The military camp was very large, and Hua Qingxue broke out in sweat as she walked all the way there.
On the way, they passed a tent with many soldiers wearing different costumes guarding the outside. They did not look like Daqi soldiers.
Hua Qingxue felt strange and couldn't help but take another look.
"Who are those people?" she asked Wu Zhuo, the guard beside her.
"They are soldiers from Nanzhao."
Even though she knew the answer, her doubts did not diminish at all, because she had no idea where Nanzhao was...
As we approached the school grounds, we found that there were more soldiers from Nanzhao, guarding the grounds together with soldiers from Daqi. Under the scorching sun, these soldiers were like trees, motionless.
There are wooden shelves at the east and west ends of the school ground, with various weapons displayed on them. In the center of the school ground, a man and a woman are competing.
The man is tall and tall, obviously Fu Tingye.
The woman was tall and exquisite, wearing an alien costume, with bright yellow gold pieces on her cuffs and waist, which reflected dazzling light as her movements changed, making her very eye-catching.
From a distance, Hua Qingxue couldn't see clearly the woman's appearance. Just by her hot figure, she felt that she was a gorgeous girl.
Hua Qingxue stood aside and watched silently for a while.
Fu Tingye's weapon was a long knife, and the woman's weapon was two moon scimitars. The two were practicing on the school field, and from time to time they made the metallic sound of weapons colliding.
Fu Tingye slashed horizontally with his long sword, and the woman's waist was as agile as a snake, and she dodged it instantly! At the same time, he threw out his scimitar!
Fu Tingye dodged sideways, and the next moment the handle of the knife hit the woman's wrist, and the scimitar in her right hand immediately came out—
Sometimes the soldiers nearby cheered.
Hua Qingxue frowned.
She couldn't understand the moves the two were competing against. She could only roughly tell that Fu Tingye had a slight advantage, but the woman was extremely resilient. The attack became faster and faster. Even if a knife was knocked down, she had no intention of giving in.
Until the woman was left with a scimitar, which was directly chopped off by Fu Tingye!
Her body fell weightlessly and landed heavily on the school field, splashing gray-white dust.
Fu Tingye reached out to help her up, but she seemed to be injured, staggered, and fell into Fu Tingye's arms—
Fu Tingye held her waist firmly, and two soldiers ran over from outside the school grounds, one on the left and one on the right, and took the woman from Fu Tingye's arms.
"It's the princess of Nanzhao Kingdom, her name is Wu Xinyao. She seems to be here to ask for help from Da Qi." Wu Zhuo, who was beside him, said to Hua Qingxue.
Hua Qingxue looked away from the big hand on Wu Xinyao's waist and nodded slowly, "Oh."
She turned and left.
Wu Zhuo followed her and asked, "Miss Hua, aren't you going to see the general?"
"Huh?" Hua Qingxue said hesitantly, "Didn't you say that the princess of Nanzhao came to ask for help? Since the general is busy with something... Well, I'll come back next time. If I go now, it will only cause trouble for him."
Wu Zhuo was sent by Fu Tingye to protect Hua Qingxue's safety. He thought about it for a while. After thinking about it carefully, he felt that Hua Qingxue was now the secret weapon of the general. It was really not suitable to be exposed to outsiders casually, so he immediately no comment.
Wu Zhuo and other guards sent Hua Qingxue back into the carriage and returned to Panshui.
Hua Qingxue sat alone in the carriage, holding a handkerchief in her hand and wiping the sweat from her face.
She felt stuffy and hot, and her mood was inexplicably irritable. From time to time, Princess Nanzhao's exposed soft waist and slender arms wearing jeweled armbands appeared in her mind. The gold pieces shone dazzlingly, and Fu Tingye's palms brushed against the honey-colored skin...
She pursed her lips, feeling even more uncomfortable...