The Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 79: Yanshan Yumai

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"Wan'er, sit down and eat too!" Seeing Wan'er standing by the side, Zhu Youzhen quickly asked Wan'er to sit down too. Although Wan'er is a handmaid, she will be given a status sooner or later. Besides, Zhu Youjian is also used to Wan'er's service.

"His Royal Highness and the princess eat first, Wan'er is not hungry yet." Wan'er glanced at Zhu Youjian, then lowered her head again. She blushed and glanced at Zhou Yufeng secretly.

"Wan'er, sit down. This is our common home." Zhu Youjian knew that he could not be a comfortable and comfortable prince, and he must bear the responsibility of history. But he doesn't want the phenomenon of women competing in his home improvement. He likes Zhou Yufeng, not only because of Zhou Yufeng's beautiful face, but also because of her demure personality, who can understand the general situation, take care of the overall situation, and be inconsistent with the world. Only when the Houyuan is stabilized can one fight for the change of history.

Zhou Yufeng got up and forced Wan'er to press on the chair beside her: "Sister Wan'er, just sit down!" Her voice was light and watery, like a spring breeze.

She had known the relationship between Wan'er and Zhu Youjian for a long time. Her personnel was taught by the Queen Empress herself. Zhu Youjian's personnel were probably trained on Wan'er, right? Zhu Youjian is a prince, and it is normal to have three wives and four concubines. Even the emperor can't control it. In the future, the family will continue to add people!

She is already the princess, the highest status among all wives and concubines. If the queen chooses Wan'er as the princess, would she have the power to oppose it? Zhou Yufeng was born in Xiaojiabiyu, and his status in Kunning Palace is not high. He is very satisfied with the title of Princess Xin.

"Then Wan'er thanked Your Highness and the Princess." Wan'er blushed, and only half of her buttocks fell on the chair.

"Sister Wan'er, don't always belong to the princess and the princess. They are all our own sisters. From now on, let's be sisters!" Zhou Yufeng didn't know where he was courageous, and even regarded herself as the mistress of the Royal Palace of Letters. Qi Wan'er, I don't know whom to deal with.

"Look, Wan'er, how nice your sister Feng'er is! From now on, whether I am at home or not, you will all get along. What can't you say about your own sisters?" Zhu Youzhen also followed Zhou Yufeng's words, feeling happy.

"His Royal Highness." Wan'er heard Zhu Youjian's meaning, and her voice suddenly rose by an octave. Zhou Yufeng also found that her words were ill-conceived, and Zhu Youjian gave Zhu Youjian a glance.

Sure enough, they are my own sisters. This is only the first meal, and they have moved forward and retreated together. Fortunately, the common goal is the king, which is not a big deal. Zhu Youzhen slandered in his heart. "I mean, we have to work together externally. Don't fight at home. If you have energy, let's earn other people's money and live our own lives."

"His Royal Highness is saying that we can also make money?" For Zhu Youjian's cunning, Wan'er is the best at forgetting. When it comes to making money, the little miser's eyes light up.

"Of course, don't you want to make money?" Zhu Youjian dismissed the sister alliance and turned their attention to making money.

"Of course we want to." Wan'er directly called for Zhou Yufeng. After thinking about it, she felt wrong, so she turned her face away, "Sister Feng'er, isn't it?"

Zhou Yufeng is familiar with reading the scriptures, and he is inevitable that he has a little resistance to doing business, but who will refuse the white money? "His Royal Highness, but we live in the palace, how can we make money?"

"This is not possible for the time being. However, you have to be prepared, don't wait for the opportunity to come, but you let it slip away." Zhu Youjian continued to fool around, and he didn't think about how to make the two sisters earn money. Zhou Yufeng is right. They live in the Xuanqin Palace and cannot show their faces. How can they earn other people's money? Unless it is to earn your own money.

"His Royal Highness, what are we going to prepare?" Wan'er is particularly concerned about money matters, as if she didn't bother her in Xingqin Palace.

"It's nothing. As long as you are mentally prepared, don't wipe your face at that time." If they continue to ask, Zhu Youzhen won't know how to answer.

Fortunately, they did not continue to ask this question. "His Royal Highness, what exactly is the glass just mentioned?" Zhou Yufeng's interest in making money is far less than Wan'er. Knowing Zhu Youjian is what she is interested in.

"Feng'er, Wan'er, have you seen crystals? If you use crystals instead of white paper and white cloth and press them on the windows, what do you think?" They have never seen glass. Zhu Youjian made an effort to explain, so he had to find a similar Yes, it's easy to compare.

"Crystal? How many crystals do you need?" Wan'er whispered, and she was amazed at how much it would cost.

"Perhaps glass and crystal are very similar?" Zhou Yufeng was much smarter, her big eyes flickered, her fair face was slightly pink, and her brows smiled slightly. The beautiful lady had to add a talented girl.

"Feng'er is really right. Glass is more transparent than crystal. If you install it on a window, you can see the swaying treetops outside the window and the light birds from inside. It will not affect the bright sunshine to warm your smiling faces, but it can Stop the cold wind of February from blowing your brows." Zhu Youjian smiled lightly, his eyes swept across the second woman's face.

The second daughter was full of joy and directly ignored Zhu Youjian's frivolity. "His Royal Highness, does this glass really have such benefits?" Zhou Yufeng wrote to the palace, appearing to be more reserved. Her knowledge of Zhu Youjian is mainly Zhang Yan's infusion, and she has not seen Zhu Youjian's skills in person. Wan'er was convinced of Zhu Youjian, “Kan Ming'er installs such glass on the windows of the palace, and there is no need to light candles at home during the day, so how much money can be saved in a year.”

Yes, I can keep the house. But do you know how much this glass is worth? Zhu Youzhen couldn't laugh or cry: "You said, should I go to the glass factory?"

Seeing the second woman nodded, Zhu Youzhen stripped the last rice grain in the bowl, wiped his face, and took Wang Mujiu straight to the glass factory.

The glass factory is located in a small depression in the Yumai of Yanshan Mountain. Two hills, one south and one north, completely separate the glass factory from the surrounding mountains; on the east is another highland, blocking all exits; only on the west is there A narrow exit can only accommodate two people passing side by side, and there are two turns when leading to the outside. If you are not looking for it deliberately, even if you are a nearby villager, you will not find the entrance to the glass factory.

A rush of horse hooves broke the tranquility of the glass factory. Zhu Youjian, Wang Mujiu, and several soldiers, led by the guide, slowly entered the curve.

Li Shen already knew that Zhu Youjian had arrived. Before he could change his clothes, he wore a dark blue and gray cloth coat and greeted him at the gate of the factory: "I have seen your Highness."

"Li Shen, you are welcome. Has the glass burned out?" Zhu Youzhen came to the glass, and didn't care much about Li Shen's salute.

"His Royal Highness, the glass has been burned out. There are too many defective products." Li Shen was both excited and frustrated. In order to make the glass, he ate and lived with the craftsmen, and even Zhu Youzhen couldn't go back to drink it on his happy days. A cup of wedding wine, the Singapore dollar was also spent in this remote mountain col. However, there were too many defective glass products, which made him a little disappointed, and he did not know where the error occurred.

"Take me to see." Zhu Youjian only knows the principle of glass production, he doesn't know the specific production details and operating points, so he can only rely on the craftsmen to find out.

"Yes, Your Highness." Li Shen led the way, and Zhu Youjian and Wang Mujiu followed behind. The guarding soldiers did not enter the factory, but they guarded outside the factory's gate.

Because of the need for secrecy, the glass factory's exit twists and turns, but the inside is quite wide. They traveled east for a long time before they stopped at the production unit. A large number of craftsmen are busy, and there is no response when they see people coming, as if they haven't seen them, they don't know Zhu Youzhen at all. Li Shen was going to ask these craftsmen to come to see him. Zhu Youjian waved his hand to stop him, so he shouldn't disturb their normal work.

"His Royal Highness, this is the finished product." Li Shen pointed to the pile of glass piled up in his left hand. He was a little depressed because of the large amount of substandard glass.

There are indeed a lot of glass piled up here. Zhu Youjian squatted down and observed carefully, and found that there are a lot of glass, but the finish is not enough, most of the glass has bubbles in it, and the rejection rate is extremely high, but the finished products that can be used are not. many.

The finish can be polished, but the bubbles not only seriously affect the quality of the glass, but also affect the beauty of the glass. At the same time, it changes the angle of light refraction. This kind of glass must not be put on the market. However, Zhu Youjian is not in a hurry. Since there are qualified glass in the product, it means that there is no problem with the production process. As for a large number of unqualified glass, it must be that certain conditions are not up to standard.

Later Zhu Youjian never studied the production process of glass, the most primitive product. He just vaguely remembered that if the calcination temperature is not enough or the pressure during forging is not enough, bubbles will be generated in the glass. A dead horse is a living horse doctor, try it first!

"Li Shen, how many craftsmen are there?" Zhu Youzhen was calm on the surface, but he was quite excited inside. Glass is basically a new thing in Ming Dynasty. Only a small amount of foreign products are imported from the West, and the price is very high. It is often expensive but not marketable, and the rich cannot buy it with silver. Daming is not short of wealthy businessmen who spend a lot of money, what he lacks is production capacity.

"His Royal Highness, there are a total of 14 craftsmen." Li Shen was anxious, not knowing whether Zhu Youjian felt that there were too many craftsmen or fewer.

"Give them ten taels of silver each as a reward for glass production."

"His Royal Highness, this..." Li Shen was quite surprised. Twelve taels of silver would not be enough for a merchant celebrity to buy a hairpin for a woman, but for a poor craftsman, it was an astronomical figure. According to Ming's price, one tael of silver can buy two shi of rice. Twelve ounces of silver is 20 shi, which is more than two thousand catties, enough for four people to eat for a year. If you save a little, it will be enough for five people to eat for a year.

"Don't worry, send it. As long as the craftsmen who follow me work hard, I will let them live a better life." Zhu Youjian ignored Li Shen's surprise. The value created in industry cannot be used in agriculture. The income is compared. "Li Shen, you didn't even drink my wedding wine, did you?"

"His Royal Highness, did the minion know that he was wrong?" Li Shen shuddered with fright, his legs softened suddenly, and he knelt in front of Zhu Youjian and trembles spontaneously.

"Knowing what's wrong? What's wrong with you? Li Shen, get up first." Zhu Youzhen stretched out his hand and pulled it hard before Li Shen stood up. "If you have time, who is not willing to drink my free wedding wine? In order to burn the glass as soon as possible, you will not have time to return to the house after the Singapore dollar. Those who have contributed to the glass firing, how can I treat you badly? A hundred taels of silver are awarded."

"His Royal Highness..." Li Shen knelt down again, but he was afraid, not thankful. In all, this is the third time Li Shen kneeled to Zhu Youjian today.

"Get up, Li Shen." Zhu Youjian helped him again, and Li Shencai got up with Zhu Youjian's strength. But he was already in tears, speechless.

"All the money will be paid on the account." Zhu Youzhen didn't bring the handkerchief, otherwise Li Shen didn't know how moved he was when he passed the handkerchief quickly. "If you can't distribute the rewards, including your own, in full, it's your fault."

Before leaving, Zhu Youjian cut out two small pieces of finished glass, wrapped them up and took them home, so that the two ladies would have a look first, lest they think they were fooling them.