Before he finished speaking, the old woman he was talking about had already packed up and walked out, giving the old man a cold look. Seeing that there were people in the blacksmith shop, she didn't say anything back, but called her daughter-in-law and walked out.

Zhou Laosi curled his lips. He knew that Old Hu was afraid of the old woman. Seeing that the iron material was already red hot, he took it out and placed it on the anvil, then raised the hammer and smashed it down.

Receiving materials for processing is a new regulation introduced by the Ordnance Bureau. Basically all blacksmith shops of all sizes near the capital have taken on this job.

The price is fair, there's no delay, and you don't have to pay anything. Just work hard, and one person can earn more than one tael of silver in ten days or half a month!

There are many people like Zhou Laosi in the Ordnance Bureau who use their spare time to do odd jobs or part-time jobs.

For this slightly rough iron mask, Zhou Laosi's craftsmanship was naturally no problem. After a few rounds of hammering, the iron material had already taken shape as a mask.

"Drink some water and take a break." Old Hu came in, took a look, and said, "With your cooking skills and speed, it's enough to buy a chicken for your wife in one day."

Zhou Laosi was really thinking this, he smiled and walked out.

"That's a good job." Old Hu poured a bowl of water for Zhou Laosi and said, "I wonder if there will be more of this kind in the future?"

Zhou Laosi drank two sips, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "It shouldn't be a small amount. I heard that they also need to make iron wire--"

He stretched out his little finger to measure it, and Zhou Laosi said, "It's even thinner than this, almost as thick as noodles."

Old Hu frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Pulling wire is too laborious, and horses are too expensive. Perhaps a winch would work."

Metal wire drawing technology originated in the West, and they had tools such as wire drawing boards very early on.

The earliest record of iron mold wire drawing technology in China is "Tiangong Kaiwu", which records the process of wire drawing and needle making.

In the Ming Dynasty, the technology of four-hole wire drawing machines should have been mastered very early, and under the influence of the Yuan Dynasty, chain mail was mass-produced and equipped.

For low carbon iron materials, wire drawing can be done by human or horse pulling. Alternatively, gravity can be used, using equipment such as winches, swings, and ratchets.

Before the invention of the steam engine, water power was the best power to replace human and animal power, but this was impossible for small workshops.

As experienced craftsmen, Old Hu and Zhou Laosi were both proficient in wire drawing techniques. They could even use the crude method of shearing iron plates and then forging them. However, they couldn't achieve high efficiency.

"As long as there's work!" Zhou Laosi was very optimistic about this and said, "Whether it's using people, horses, or making winches, even if the work is slow, it's still making money, right?"

Old Hu nodded and said with a smile: "Come back to work for me when the time comes. You can find two more people."

After a pause, Old Hu added, "Even if there's no government work, there's still plenty of odd jobs for iron stoves and chimneys."

Zhou Laosi hesitated for a moment, calculating the day his wife would give birth, and finally nodded in agreement.

………………

Capital city.

A sweet smell permeated the air, and people walking down the street couldn't help but sniff and turn their heads, searching for the source.

"Roasted sweet potatoes are here. Fragrant, sweet and sticky roasted sweet potatoes are here!" Erya saw someone paying attention and shouted even louder.

The weather's getting colder, and thirsty water isn't selling well, but the Sun family has found a new way to make a living. It's said the stove and iron bucket came from the palace, and the sweet potatoes are a fresh crop from this year.

It was first launched in several royal stores in the city, the style drawings were made public, and a copy was sent to many small workshops.

In addition, there is honeycomb coal. I heard that a smart person in Xishan has already recruited people to open a factory, and he is preparing to transport it to Beijing in winter to make a fortune.

It tastes so good! Erya couldn't help swallowing as she watched her father take out another piece of browned sweet potato from the bucket.

Sun Daman smiled, handed a piece to his daughter, and said, "Come on. We walked so fast this morning, you must be hungry, right?"

Erya grinned, put the piece back, picked up a small piece, put it in her hand to warm it, and slowly opened it and started to eat.

"We just planted the sweet potatoes this year, so I don't think we'll get much." Sun Daming glanced at the fire and said thoughtfully, "After a while, I'll get some barbecue equipment."

Erya seemed to smell the aroma of barbecue skewers again, and nodded and smiled, "Barbecue skewers are delicious too. Yeah, and candied haws too."

Before Sun Daming could speak, a customer came over to ask about buying something, and the father and daughter hurried to greet him.

………………