Chapter 271 Unexpected Fortune

In the Great Chu Dynasty, there was no modern industrial system. Xia Daohua could not produce the modern graded cement.

However, the cement in the “Earth-made Everything” series does not require so much support from modern industrial infrastructure.

Of course, the product's performance was not as good as later cement.

However, compared with the glutinous rice paste walls here and now, it is a quick and cost-saving technological advancement that cannot be ignored.

It is actually not difficult to make cement by traditional methods. You only need to grind the limestone into powder, then add powdered clay in a certain proportion, put them together and calcine them into clinker, then add the remaining slag after iron smelting and continue grinding. Stir evenly, and the finished product is the traditional cement.

This kind of thing actually doesn't have much technical content, but it has two disadvantages:

First, the quality is difficult to control.

The finished product may be a very uniform cement, or it may have abnormal expansion due to the composition of the slag.

The original reinforcement function will not be achieved, but will instead undermine the stability of the building.

Second, processes such as grinding and calcining require a lot of strength.

Mechanized production has advantages. If we rely solely on manpower, let alone whether the grinding quality can meet the standards, just looking at the input-output ratio, I am afraid the data will be quite touching.

Therefore, Xia Daohua specially chose a plot of land next to a big river.

Although there is a risk of the workshop being flooded during the rainy season, since it is next to the river, I can design a waterwheel and use water to grind and improve production efficiency.

Unfortunately, slag is not easy to find. I am afraid I will have to pay some money to buy it in the early stage. After the cement is sold, I can be self-sufficient.

If that doesn't work, you can just use coal slag. Kilns need fuel anyway, so using coal to burn the kiln and using coal slag as auxiliary material is perfect!

Brick kilns are much simpler than cement kilns. As for the damage to the environment... I can't care less.

In this era, there are still many uncultivated natural environments, and the population is much lower than in later generations. As long as there is no severe pollution, there is no need to worry too much for the time being.

Xia Daohua thought about all aspects of the situation and boldly started the project of building brick kilns and cement kilns.

With the help of Wei Jizu and Wang, the work of building brick kilns and cement kilns became much simpler.

The steward sent by Wang was a new member of the Wang family, to support their own girl.

In particular, the two managers brought by Wei Jizu were said to be Eunuch Wei’s godsons.

One is called Wei Qillang and the other is called Wei Shiqi. There is a full twelve years difference between them, but their names are actually calculated according to their ranking.

It seems that Eunuch Wei likes to have godsons very much!

One of these two men was steady and practical, the other was shrewd and resourceful. They worked well together and obeyed Xia Daohua's orders. There was almost no need for any adjustments in working with them, which made Xia Daohua feel very comfortable using them.

In just two months, one red brick kiln after another sprang up, and water wheels and cement kilns were also ready. Everything was ready, except for manpower and sales.

Xia Daohua couldn't help but want to sigh.

Look at what Eunuch Wei is capable of!

Why don’t I have such useful talents in my hands?

The manpower problem was simple. We just posted a recruitment notice and sent a few people to the downtown area, vegetable markets, teahouses, restaurants, clothing shops and the like to promote the job. This attracted a lot of people who were willing to work.

Among them were local people from Jixiang County, refugees from other places, and even some strong women.

Xia Daohua screened the applicants, first testing their physical fitness and endurance, and then asked a doctor to give them a basic physical examination.

Then all those who passed the physical examination were hired.

The probation period is three days. If you work well during these three days, you will stay and become a regular employee.

If the work is not done well, you will be fired at any time within three days, and the wages for the work you have already done will be calculated on a daily basis, with half the wages.

The daily wage during the probation period is ten cents, and after becoming a regular employee, the wage will increase to fifteen cents a day.

Hearing about such a good thing, those who had not passed the physical examination surrounded Xia Daohua and the others and did not let them leave. Some even knelt down and begged.

Xia Daohua couldn't bear to watch, but someone with poor health couldn't bear to watch such tiring work. She didn't want to see someone suddenly die on her own property...

Steward Wang and Wei Shiqi, who were sent by the Wang family, reacted quickly and mobilized the guards to disperse the surrounding crowd.

He also personally protected Xia Daohua and helped her retreat to a safe place.

Xia Daohua was shocked by the scene. While she was thankful that the two managers had reacted quickly, she secretly decided in her heart that it was time for her to train some reliable people.

Fifth uncle Xia Youliang was interested in the work in the brick kiln, but fifth aunt Cheng thought it was too hard and was not very willing to do it.

Xia Daohua didn't want to force it.

It's just that I can't help feeling a little regretful. I feel that it's a bit inconvenient not having my own people in this industry.

Fortunately, after a few days, Aunt Wu figured it out.

He also came to see Xia Daohua in person to thank her for thinking of his fifth uncle first when something good happened.

Because of this matter, Sun started to act sarcastic again.

She felt that Xia Yougui should be given priority for such a good thing. If Xia Yougui didn't like to work, there was Erlang! If Erlang was too busy, there were Sanlang and Silang!

Xia Daohua was unmoved. At most, Sun could complain a few words in the slum. If she found the fourth house, she could only come to Jiang, which had little impact on Xia Daohua.

Wang has solved most of the sales problem.

Cement is not only used in the county government's road construction project. After understanding the properties of cement, County Magistrate Yang thought that it could also be used to reinforce city walls and dams.

The first customer for the red bricks was Xia Daohua herself.

She wanted to build infrastructure on her small farm - a new sewer system.

Unfortunately, she couldn't buy a suitable water pipe for the time being, and it was difficult to find a ceramic craftsman to make it. She was thinking about how to open up the bamboo joints so that she could use the thick and long bamboo to make bamboo pipes.

In fact, it is not impossible for her to use the materials for her own use directly from the supermarket, namely, plastic tubes or rubber tubes.

As long as you tell someone when you ask them to install it that it is made of expensive materials that were specially customized and involves their secret recipe, people won't be tactful and ask more questions.

But she has been trying her best to find local alternatives that can be made with existing technology and materials in the time and space of the Great Chu Dynasty.

Although her dependence on the supermarket seems to be getting stronger and stronger, Xia Daohua has been trying to reduce this dependence.

After eating Eunuch Wei's Lantian Jade Bonsai, the supermarket quietly upgraded again.

The upgraded supermarket has added many new products and counters.

In the "unopenable attic" that suddenly appeared after the last upgrade, those mysterious rooms can almost be opened.

Moreover, a large sum of money suddenly appeared in Xia Daohua's supermarket coin account.

Xia Daohua seldom checks her supermarket coin account, but this time, on a whim, she suddenly wanted to take a look. As a result, she found a problem.

According to the shipment volume during this period, even if the sale of rice is included, I haven’t made that much money!

I didn't sleep well last night, and I feel very sleepy all day, but I can't fall asleep when I lie down... I feel like I'm sleepwalking. My eyes are dull, and I walk unsteadily... I love you, (づ￣ 3￣)づ. Good night and sweet dreams, see you tomorrow. ^_^

(End of this chapter)