Chapter 357 Seeking Purchases from Abroad
As those shrewd people predicted, the emperor was indeed very interested in Xie Wanniang's plan and teaching materials.
As for their accusations against Jiang Yuan for abusing his power for personal gain, the emperor said they were right and promptly reprimanded and fined Jiang Yuan according to regulations.
But just like last time when Jiang Yuan overstepped his bounds and arrested the prefect of Ningbo, the emperor punished Jiang Yuan according to the rules, but then found another reason to openly and legitimately reward the couple.
In other words, the emperor followed the rules, but he also made his attitude very clear.
He doesn't care at all about others knowing, or rather, he's happy to let others know. If his ministers are doing the right thing, he doesn't mind their occasional lapses in decorum. Conversely, if his ministers are doing something corrupt or illegal, he will only find their behavior ironic if they try to reason with him about the rules.
With the emperor's unequivocal support for the couple, even if others disliked them, they could only continue to greet them with smiles for the time being.
Xie Wanniang was unaware of the reactions of the officials in the capital, and she didn't care about their opinions or thoughts.
After receiving the emperor's reward and spending a harmonious New Year with her family, Xie Wanniang finally began to set up her glass workshop.
She had already selected the manager and workers in advance, and she had also pre-ordered all the materials and labor needed to build the workshop. Now she was just waiting for the permafrost to thaw so that the manager and workers she had chosen could watch the craftsmen and laborers build the workshop.
After handing over a series of trivial tasks to the three managers of the workshop, Xie Wanniang began racking her brains to recall how cement was made.
She wrote and revised a lot, and after finishing, she asked someone to find a suitable venue and raw materials for her.
As for other things, she had springs made before, and they are still used in her carriages. She can't make large steam engines, but the simplest small model of "water boiling and the kettle lid being pushed open" is readily available everywhere.
Her idea for utilizing water and wind power, though called an idea, was actually a copy of previous experiences, although there was nothing that stumped her.
The only thing that gave her a headache was rubber; she could only rely on those foreigners for that stuff.
Unlike glass and cement, where the core raw materials for glass are quartz sand, alkali, and limestone, and the core raw material for cement is also limestone, all three of these materials can be obtained locally.
Rubber, or more precisely, natural rubber, is made primarily from the sap of the natural rubber tree, which is harvested from the tree, and rubber trees are only found in tropical regions.
In order to obtain this item, Xie Wanniang had people spread the word that she was spending a lot of money to acquire something from a foreign land that had the functions of cushioning, shock absorption, and waterproofing.
Because the prices she offered were indeed quite high, many foreigners and local merchants who went out to sea to do business took the initiative to come to her and promote their goods.
Xie Wanniang arranged for someone to receive them, but unfortunately, these people did not have what she wanted.
A large portion of them were simply using this as an excuse to show up. Once they met the manager in charge of receiving them, they would try to get on his good side and then immediately start selling the goods they had brought, without mentioning what Xie Wan Niang really wanted at all.
Only a small number of people did bring back items from foreign lands that had cushioning, shock absorption, and waterproofing properties, but those items were not what Xie Wanniang wanted. Their cushioning, shock absorption, and waterproofing effects were not as good as those produced in the Great Wei, so Xie Wanniang naturally had no need to buy them.
The manager, following Xie Wanniang's instructions, explained in detail to the merchant who came to the door what Xie Wanniang wanted.
In addition to rubber, Xie Wanniang also included grains, vegetables, spices, gems, and minerals on the list.
Following Xie Wanniang's instructions, the manager patiently repeated to the visitors, "Regardless of whether the things are unique to the area or not, even if they are rice or wheat seeds that our Great Wei is not lacking, you can bring some back. There is one condition: you must find out in advance how to cultivate the things you bring back."
To show her sincerity, Xie Wanniang also had the manager give each merchant who came to her door a generous return gift, slightly more valuable than the gift they brought.
For the few who sent gifts that were excessively generous, Xie Wanniang simply returned everything they brought, untouched.
As for the goods they brought, Xie Wanniang didn't have time to examine them closely, nor did she want to spend money on them, so she let them take them all back as they were.
The merchants failed to sell their wares, and even those who hoped to curry favor with Xie Wanniang and her husband were unable to establish a connection. They had come all this way, and they could say they left empty-handed, but they were not discouraged.
Although Xie Wanniang did not buy anything they brought, nor did she accept the generous gifts they gave her, her steward gave them a list, presenting them with an opportunity to make a fortune.
If their fleet can bring back what Xie Wanniang wants on their next voyage, they can make a fortune from her.
The merchants were very satisfied with the outcome of the conversation, as was Xie Wanniang. Only the manager, who kept receiving visitors and talking until his throat was dry, was extremely frustrated because his throat was hoarse.
Fortunately, the reward money given by Xie Wanniang had a more powerful healing ability than medicine.
The steward who received the reward money went from frowning to beaming with joy in the next second.
Over the next year, Xie Wanniang's workshop began producing glass products.
Instead of rushing to sell them to the public, she first sent a batch to the palace and the Marquis of Dingbei's residence.
The second batch was transported to the southeast coast by her caravan. She kept half of this batch as gifts, and sold the other half to a local ceramics shop at a price that was relatively low compared to imported goods.
That ceramics shop belonged to the local prominent Zheng family; more precisely, it belonged to the head wife of the second branch of the Zheng family.
That lady also came from a prominent family. As a noblewoman who had been carefully nurtured by her family since childhood, she was not only skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also adept at managing household finances.
She wasn't entirely without political or military influence.
In Xie Wanniang's memory, this woman was not only intelligent but also very perceptive. She could quickly learn about any developments in the court and the local area and make wise decisions that were most beneficial to herself and her family.
Xie Wanniang admired this kind of person and wanted to emulate his cleverness, so when he took the initiative to show goodwill, she went along with him.
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