Li Ruizhang's appreciation for this girl grew even stronger.
When Zhang Qingshu heard that Li Ruizhang was going to guard the kiln for a day and a night, he liked Li Ruizhang even more.
This shows that this person is responsible and a doer, not just a talker.
The fire in the first kiln of bricks had gone out after a day and night of firing.
Li Ruizhang stayed at the brick kiln day and night.
Zhang Qingshu also came when the kiln was opened.
The people of the Ministry of Works were eagerly anticipating the first batch of bricks they would fire themselves.
The crowd opened the brick kiln door in an orderly manner.
When they saw the neatly stacked bricks turn blue, everyone cheered!
Three thousand catties of blue bricks, each brick blank weighs six catties, and five hundred bricks are made.
Excluding the breakage rate, 496 bricks were produced this time.
The success rate is near perfect.
Subsequently, some craftsmen from the Ministry of Works tested how long a wall could be built with more than four hundred bricks.
Zhang Qingshu also recorded these data in detail in one of his notebooks.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Works gathered to discuss the feasibility of establishing brick kilns in the Southern Chen Kingdom.
Zhang Qingshu listened from the sidelines.
Li Ruizhang glanced at Zhang Qingshu from time to time and saw that the pretty girl was listening very attentively, so she must have her own insights.
Like one's own sister, women are not necessarily inferior to men.
After the discussion, the Ministry of Works unanimously agreed that it was feasible, but the imperial court would need to allocate funds to build the initial brick kilns.
Merchants from various prefectures and counties can then contract out the work, but the price must be carefully controlled.
It must be affordable for ordinary people.
The workers from the Ministry of Works dispersed and returned to their respective posts.
Li Ruizhang called out to Zhang Qingshu.
Zhang Qingshu thought to himself, "I've finally seen her."
After talking for a while, Li Ruizhang felt that this girl could definitely become friends with his sister.
Zhang Qingshu suppressed his excitement and behaved with composure and restraint.
After their conversation, they parted ways. Li Ruizhang thought of the girl many times that night, and mentioned her repeatedly during conversations at home.
Xu Ningyou knew that her eldest son had finally blossomed.
Zhang Changgong then submitted a memorial to the emperor, proposing this matter.
Because of the frequent rainy days in Nanchen Kingdom, wooden houses are prone to dampness and corrosion, and some protective measures are not in place, so termites can eat them.
If all the people's houses could be replaced with blue bricks, the houses could be used for a very long time, which would fundamentally reduce the people's living burden.
Upon seeing the memorial, Xiao Sheng immediately approved it, ordering the Ministry of Works to vigorously promote brick kilns.
Zhang Changgong then instructed the Ministry of Works to intensify their training, and after mastering the brick-making techniques, they were assigned to various prefectures and counties.
Xiao Sheng also allocated silver, which was earmarked for this purpose and supervised by officials from the Ministry of Revenue.
After the brick kiln was built, the people from the Ministry of Works led the yamen runners from the prefectural and county governments to take the lead in firing bricks.
After the bricks are made, a house is first built in each prefecture and county so that the people can appreciate the sturdiness, fire resistance, and insect-proofing advantages of brick and tile houses.
In this way, the houses of the people of Nanchen Kingdom were gradually replaced.
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