After resting at the villa for two days, Zheng Dacheng and Zhou Shuo couldn't sit still any longer and took the initiative to ask Xie Yushu to arrange work for them.
When Xie Yushu told them that she wanted to make glass, the two of them were completely dumbfounded.
"Master, what is glass? We don't know how to make it!"
"Yes, I've never even heard of it!"
Xie Yushu then gave them a brief explanation.
"Glass is a transparent material, similar to crystal. Its main material is quartz, which is found in large quantities in the sand and other common quartz stones."
Zheng Dacheng asked, puzzled.
"Made of sand and stone? How could that be? How can sand and stone be compared to glass? One is shiny and bright, the other is dull and gray!"
Zhou Shuo also looked incredulous.
Xie Yushu had no choice but to continue explaining
Sand and quartz are mainly composed of a substance called silicon dioxide, which is made up of silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. When heated to high temperatures, these two types of atoms can arrange themselves neatly under certain conditions to form regular crystals, which is what I call glass.
However, to turn quartz into glass, you need to add lime and alkali. The alkali can help the quartz melt, and the lime can absorb the moisture inside. Stir these ingredients evenly and heat them at a high temperature, which should reach 1600℃. When heated to a certain degree, you will first get glass water. Then, put the glass water into a mold or blow it into the desired shape, and let it cool.
That's basically the theory and steps. You guys go and experiment first, and try to make it as soon as possible. Once you succeed, Master Zheng will be in charge of making glass plates of different sizes, and Zhou Shuo will be in charge of turning the glass water into teaware, including teapots, teacups, lampshades, wine bottles, and some other things you can make with porcelain.
Of course, I'll focus on making the tea set first, and try to make it as high-end and classy as possible. I want to use it to open up business opportunities for our Yuquan Mountain Villa!
As for your monthly income, it will be ten taels a month, with a year-end bonus depending on the year's performance. Your family members, if they wish, can work at the villa's factory next year.
The two used to run their own small shops. When business was good, they could earn six or seven taels of silver a month. When business was bad, three or four taels was common. They also had to pay various taxes and levies, and occasionally there were local thugs who would demand protection money. They barely managed to make ends meet all year round.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving here, the host family gave us ten taels of silver a month, which was pure savings, along with food and lodging. Each family was even given a small courtyard, making life much more comfortable than in the capital!
The two immediately thanked Xie Yushu. Although they didn't quite understand why a sheep and a tortoise could be made into glass, the host's words sounded so true that they were sure they could make it if they followed her advice.
So he patted his chest and promised that he would definitely finish making the glass before the new year!
What a joke! The employer has prepared all the steps and raw materials. If they still can't make it, wouldn't they be too incompetent? How could they have the face to accept such a high monthly salary then!
After four or five days of hard work, burning through three furnaces of waste, the two finally produced glass cleaner. They poured the cleaner onto a smooth iron plate and used rollers to press it into different thicknesses. The first batch of glass was thus made!
Looking at the smooth, transparent glass, their mouths were agape, wide enough to swallow an egg.
"My goodness! This unremarkable broken stone can actually be made into such an exquisite and beautiful thing!"
Even their helpers were amazed.
"My goodness! This stuff is even clearer than glass!"
After admiring it for a while, the group excitedly ran to find Xie Yushu and asked her to come and see if the thing was finished!
As luck would have it, Han Zhongyu was on leave that day and had nothing to do, so he rode over with Han Zhong and Han Yi to see if Xie Yushu had made any progress on the glassmaking. Just as they arrived at Xie Yushu, someone ran up to report that the glass was finished.
The two went directly to the temporary factory to inspect the results.
When the two arrived, Zheng Dacheng and Zhou Shuo were carefully placing the glass on the table in the outer room. Upon seeing Xie Yushu and Han Zhongyu, they hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.
"Master, sir, look, isn't this the glass you were talking about!"
This thing is so beautiful!
Xie Yushu glanced at it and nodded.
"That's it! This can replace oiled paper for windows, so sunlight can shine directly into the room, making it bright and convenient whether you're working, writing, reading, or doing needlework!"
Han Zhongyu was also amazed.
"This shiny thing really was made from burnt stone and sand! It's amazing!"
Zheng Dacheng listened and said
"My lord, it's true!"
That day, the owner told me something, and I didn't believe it at first, but it sounded so real. We thought that if it was true, we could definitely make it if we did what the owner said. And sure enough, we did!
The owner of the manor is truly amazing!
With our pig-brains, we'd never have imagined in our entire lives that such a wonderful thing could be made from stone!
Han Zhongyu was deeply shocked and exclaimed in amazement.
"Don't even mention you, I never expected this either!"
There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Since I met your manor lord, I've certainly broadened my horizons quite a bit!
Although it was an exclamation, there was an unconscious hint of pride in his voice!
Xie Yushu looked at the two pieces that had been made, and pointed to the thinner one.
"I plan to take the affordable route for this, making it into small square pieces, about one foot in size, and selling it to ordinary people, with small profits but quick turnover!"
This size should be the largest that ordinary people can use! Anything larger would be oversized!
"Yes, indeed. The windows of commoners cannot exceed one foot, those of officials cannot exceed three feet, those of kings and generals cannot exceed six feet, and the windows of the emperor's bedroom and study are nine feet."
Then make another thicker one, cut a five-foot one to sell to merchants, cut some six-foot ones to sell to officials, and cut some nine-foot ones. Make a batch before the end of the year, and then you can send them to the palace to exchange for some silver for me to use for building my manor next year!
"Alright, this glass will probably be all the rage in the Great Qi as soon as it's made, and His Majesty will definitely praise it highly!"
There are only thirteen days left until Chinese New Year, is there still enough time?
"About right, it should take about four days to make. It will take you four or five days to transport it to the capital, and it should be delivered to the palace around the 28th or 29th of the lunar month. If the people in the palace are quick, His Majesty will be able to watch the fireworks in the glass room on New Year's Eve!"
"Then it's settled. I'll go back and write a formal letter of greeting, and also ask for a reward for you!"
Once the two had finalized their plan, they instructed Zheng Dacheng and the others to work quickly, putting the rest aside for now, and to finish the 200 coins to be sent to the palace and the 80 coins to be given to Han Zhongyu.
He also instructed Zhou Shuo to try to make a few sets of tea sets and lampshades. If he could, he should make them; if not, he should put them aside for now and study them later.
As for herself, she had someone order ten sets of nanmu wood frames from the city, intending to make several mirrors and send them over to show these old fogies what a real mirror is!
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