.xo Spring has arrived in Marin Creek. [No pop-up novel website] All the whimsical ideas he had when building houses in the past, and the "nonsense" that were dismissed as "deviant" by his master and colleagues, were all accepted by Chang here. Especially after he read several books on modern woodworking techniques specially lent to him by Shi Dafu, it was like a door to a new world was opened for him. Ma Linxi felt pained that he endured hardships when learning from his master, and what he learned compared with what he taught him was like the difference between a mustard seed and a radish. As I shed tears of gratitude, I became more diligent in learning. Technology advanced by leaps and bounds, and he soon became a famous naturalized carpenter in Kaohsiung.
This time when the bell was being built at the customs, Zhong Lishi specially asked him to lead the construction team.
Zhong Lishi explained the structure of the big clock to Vestri on the drawing: "This is the power of the big clock, which is obtained by the lifted weight. It must be lifted once a day... This is the heart of the big clock, and the pendulum is The power keeps swinging to make the big clock keep accurate time...the adjustment of these gears finally drives the hands to indicate the time...here is the hammer mechanism, which is used to set the time..."
Westley looked at the drawings and sighed with envy: "It's so great... Where are we going now?"
"The gear is being installed, accuracy is required..."
"I know metalworking and carpentry, so I should be able to do it."
"You can rely on his craftsmanship," Crédia said with a smile.
After receiving permission, Westley hurried back to his room to find his luggage. It turned out that it was full of various tools he had prepared. I started working immediately according to the drawings.
Ma Linxi and other craftsmen looked surprised: Not to mention a ghost guy, he can actually do carpentry work! Ma Linxi is a person who loves learning and immediately came over to see the other person's tools and craftsmanship. Although the two people did not understand the language, the craftsman used his own skills to communicate. After a while, he began to slowly communicate with gestures.
Looking at Vestri working with the craftsmen, Zhong Lishi said to Credia: "This young man is very smart and very capable..."
"He is a clever boy." Credia said proudly. "He loves science and especially likes all kinds of novel instruments. He wants to be like Leonardo da Vinci." She said a little embarrassed. "You probably don't know Leonardo da Vinci..."
"Of course I know him." Dr. Zhong said with a smile, "but few people in Europe know him anymore."
"Yes." Cretia was a little surprised. Although Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed a high reputation when he was alive, he soon became lonely after his death and was not rediscovered until modern times. Few people in the 17th century remembered him.
In this way, Westri and Cretia helped work on the clock tower. When they were free, Zhong Xiaoying taught them to speak Mandarin and sometimes went out together - the friendship between the three teenagers grew day by day.
This went on for about ten days. That night, Credia used a quill pen to write down what she saw that day in her diary as usual. I don’t want to write half of it. The ink I brought with me has run out. Westley had been at work all day and was fast asleep. Credia didn't want to disturb him, so she went to Zhong Xiaoying who lived on the same floor and asked for some ink - there was light coming from the crack of her door.
Zhong Xiaoying is lying on the bed writing the math homework that Zhong Lishi left for her - the homework is very difficult for her, she is stuck and can't think of anything, and she is bored. She couldn't help but be overjoyed to see Credia come to her.
The two made gestures and chatted for a while - Zhong Xiaoying tried to get Credia to help her think about math problems. But Cretia didn’t know a word of Chinese. He knows nothing about modern mathematical symbols.
But Credia found that the pen she wrote with was very special. The pen has a metal nib, and I haven't seen Zhong Xiaoying dip it in ink for a long time.
Cretia asked curiously: "Your pen is so strange. Isn't it full of ink?"
"That's not the case..." Zhong Xiaoying opened the pen cartridge and revealed the ink reservoir inside, "This is called a 'fountain pen'. There is an ink reservoir made of a glass tube. Inside the glass tube are capillaries made of paint chips. There are many The gaps can store ink. My father's pen has a soft bladder made of rubber, which is better to use, but unfortunately the rubber is too expensive. Mine is cheaper."
Zhong Xiaoying talked for a long time before Credia understood what "rubber" was. She immediately thought about it: "I know. Last year your people sent people to Batavia to help the company plant this kind of rubber tree."
"Yes, this tree grows well in the tropics."
"This is really good. Do you have any for sale here?"
"It's a pity that it has just been developed and has not been put into production yet. But my father said that he would set up a pen factory soon."
Seeing that Cretia liked it, Zhong Xiaoying took out a new pen from the Ministry of Science and Technology factory and gave it to Cretia from the drawer: "This is for you. I have repaired the nib of the pen. It is easier to use. But it can only be used with Pro. High-yield ink, otherwise it will clog. I will give you a large bottle of ink."
"Thank you so much." Credia was overjoyed with this gift. She held it in front of her chest and looked at it for a while, "Can I give it to Vestri?"
"Of course." Zhong Xiaoying couldn't help but sigh when she saw her affection for her brother.
"What, you don't have a brother?"
"There was. They and my parents are dead."
"Dead? Isn't Dr. Zhong your father?"
"No, he is my adoptive father." Zhong Xiaoying didn't want to mention the sad things in the past, so she turned around and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "The Senate saved me from a hell that was worse than death, and is also my great benefactor."
"So that's it. No wonder you two look nothing alike."
Zhong Xiaoying burst out laughing: "Of course we don't look alike - I used to work as a maid for Dr. Zhong, and then he adopted me as his adopted daughter."
Credia was surprised. This seemed unbelievable to Europeans at the time - even in the Seven Provinces Republic, which was known as the most "egalitarian" and "enlightened" country.
Zhong Xiaoying didn't want to talk about the past. She looked at Credia: "You are wearing too many clothes - don't you feel hot?"
Cretia was wearing a linen petticoat and a tight bra, which looked awkward and hot to Zhong Xiaoying, who only wore a nightgown made of high-thread count linen from Lingao Textiles. Besides, there were beads of sweat on her forehead.
"I also feel a little hot, especially under the bra. It often makes me feel breathless - probably because the weather is too hot."
"I think you should change some clothes. Especially your tights - Father said it affects your health." Zhong Xiaoying climbed down from the bed and opened her suitcase.
Among the naturalized class, the "elders' maids" are the class with the most spending power - although the general office does not pay them a salary, a considerable part of the elders' monthly income is spent on them. It can be said that the maids promoted the consumption of the Senate.
Zhong Xiaoying is an adopted daughter, so she goes one step further in terms of consumption. Zhong Lishi is very willing to spend money on her, so her wardrobe is quite large.
Zhong Xiaoying took out a loose nightgown and a cotton bra.
"They are all new, I haven't worn them before." Zhong Xiaoying said, "I think your figure is about the same as mine, so they should fit."
Credia looked at the bra curiously - she had never seen this kind of underwear. She couldn't help but be eager to give it a try, and immediately began to untie the knots of the corset, and Zhong Xiaoying also came to help.
As soon as the tight gauze was untied and her neck was exposed, Zhong Xiaoying couldn't help but be shocked: the neck under Credia's pink and white face was actually dark! With this level of filth, it had been at least several months since I had taken a shower.
Credia noticed her surprise: "What's wrong with you?"
"Credia, you haven't taken a shower for a long time, haven't you?" Zhong Xiaoying said in surprise.
"Not since before I left Batavia. What's wrong?" Credia disagreed. "I wash my face, hands and feet every day, and they are very clean. And I change clothes every day."
"But you don't take a shower - how can you just change clothes?" Zhong Xiaoying was very surprised by her theory. When Zhong Xiaoying was at home, although her family was in decline, she did not have the hygiene habits of the elders - bathing and changing clothes every day, but she needed water every day. She had to take a shower every three or four days in the summer, less often in the winter, and had to take a shower once a month. . I haven't heard of anyone being able to go several months without taking a shower or just changing clothes.
Zhong Xiaoying was very puzzled: "Isn't there a very good bathroom in the shopping mall? Hot and cold water is so convenient."
"My clothes are neat, and my face, hands and feet are very clean. Isn't that enough?" said Cretia. "Besides, priests and doctors say that frequent bathing will lead to various diseases."
Zhong Xiaoying became anxious upon hearing this, and immediately began to teach her about "hygiene" and talked about "the significance of keeping clean to women's physical health." Although Credia didn't understand most of it, she still understood the general meaning. It was understanding: her new friend wanted her to take a shower.
"But I can't take a shower these days." Credia said hesitantly.
"Why?"
"Because..." Credia's face turned red, and she was too shy to continue talking. Zhong Xiaoying suddenly understood, no wonder Credia's behavior was particularly "elegant" these days.
"So that's it." She blushed a little, "You can take a shower." As she said that, she got off the bed again and took out a cardboard box from the box.
The paper box is sealed, with a line of words printed on it: "Women's Health Care Set A", and below it is a line of small words: "Ministry of Health Medical and Health Materials General Factory". Next is the year, month and day in Arabic numerals.
The box contains the women's hygiene products that the Ministry of Health has recently started mass-producing: sterile toilet paper and cotton sanitary napkins. The box also comes with a piece of sterilizing soap.
"This is another gift I gave you." Zhong Xiaoying said a little embarrassed.
ps: Regarding the hygiene habits of the Dutch, the British said: Their bodies are dirtier than their houses and streets. Many visitors in the 17th century noticed a characteristic: the Dutch cities and homes were very clean. But their personal hygiene is very poor.
The Dutch in the 17th century did not have the habit of bathing. The middle and upper classes washed their hands, feet and face every day, and that was about it. In the early 17th century, there was only one public bathhouse in the entire Netherlands.
Considering that the Dutch are actually Germans, and the Germans' lack of hygiene has been famous in Europe since the Middle Ages.
xs.o
