Time has entered summer unconsciously.
The summer of the eleventh year of Jian'an was not good news for Zhang Xi.
It's a bit hot today, especially for Zhang Xi.
Really, Zhang Xi really can't understand why the ancients had to dress neatly in the summer... Isn't it good to just enjoy the coolness in the yard of your own house in a singlet and underpants? !
But Xiao Qibao opposed this matter desperately, saying that it was a breach of etiquette and a sign of lack of cultivation.
Zhang Xi has always been unable to do anything with Xiao Qibao, and now there are two more girls, Xiaoqi and Xiaoba, in this courtyard... Zhang Xi can only put away the vest and underpants that he secretly cut, and according to Xiao Qibao According to the requirements, wear a slightly cooler silk lining, and then put a linen jacket on the outside.
Of course, aristocratic families can wear all-silk clothes, but... In these days, the output of silk is not too high, and there are not many people who can afford to wear silk. Most of them are like Zhang Xi. There is one The silk lining is already amazing.
For example, Guan Ping.
The eldest son of the dignified Shouting Hou family of the Han Dynasty wore a silk lining like Zhang Xi, and his coat was still linen... According to Guan Ping's gossip, Guan Yu didn't even wear a silk lining, so he saved it. All the silk was left for Mrs. Guan and the eldest daughter of the Guan family to make clothes.
I have to say... Guan Yu's figure, about 1.9 meters tall, and his silk lining are really quite expensive.
Okay, that's bullshit.
Guan Ping really didn't come here to chat with Zhang Xi.
Half a year ago, Zhang Xi went to Guan Mansion to inquire about Guan Yu's oil extraction. Guan Ping came to reply to Zhang Xi today.
This matter...well, if Guan Ping hadn't mentioned it, Zhang Xi would have almost forgotten about it.
At the beginning, Guan Yu promised to tell Guan Ping the oil extraction method he knew and let Guan Ping convey it... But according to Guan Ping, Guan Yu felt that it was inappropriate to do so. After all, oil extraction was a matter of great importance. It would be nice to get a more detailed method.
So Guan Yu wrote a letter and asked someone to take it back to his hometown in Hedong. He asked his friends to help him find someone who knew how to extract oil for Zhang Xi.
It took half a year to come and go.
That is to say, now Guan Yu is a Marquis, or the kind of Marquis certified by the imperial court. Otherwise, Guan Yu would not have the face to ask a wealthy family that controls oil extraction technology to send him a technical talent.
Guan Ping came to visit today, just to ask Zhang Xi if he could prepare for the oil extraction of bean sprouts.
What can Zhang Xi say? You have found the specific technical workers, so let’s get started.
First you have to get the tools out.
This is not difficult. With the help of experienced oil presses, tools and other tools can be produced quickly.
Then let the old oil press try to squeeze the soybeans in the same way as flax seeds.
The basic method of pressing sesame oil is to fry it first, then dry it, grind it on a stone mill, steam it and wrap it into cakes. Then, these cakes are neatly stacked piece by piece in the main oil trench, and pressed with a wooden The wedge is squeezed tightly, and after installation, the oil is squeezed out, and the squeezed oil will flow along the slot into the oil drum on the side.
It turns out to be very simple, just rely on squeezing and impacting to squeeze out the oil from flax seeds... It's probably about the same as switching to bean curd.
Then I gave it a try.
Well, the result was very successful, and the oil was squeezed out.
However, compared with the oil yield of flax seeds, the oil yield of bean sprouts is only about one-fifth of that of flax seeds.
The oil presser was almost exhausted. He could usually produce a barrel of oil, but this time he only produced one-fifth of a barrel... The oil presser was so embarrassed that his face turned red.
"I think the old man is not very skilled and couldn't squeeze out much oil..." the oil press said with a blushing face.
This is an honest man... although there is indeed something wrong with the oil production rate.
Guan Ping also looked at Zhang Xi in confusion, trying to get an explanation from him.
Zhang Xi said... I don't know, I don't know how to squeeze oil.
"Although this bean sprout can also produce oil, if that's all..." Guan Ping thought for a long time and didn't know what to say. He could only sigh and said, "If so, it's better than nothing! "
Guan Ping was somewhat disappointed.
When they first heard that bean sprouts could squeeze out oil, he and Guan Yu both thought it could squeeze out a lot of oil, so they paid special attention to it.
But now it seems... If this is the only oil yield rate, it would be better to add more flax seeds in the future.
But Zhang Xi didn't like hearing this.
Anything is better than nothing.
Did you know that soybean oil is much more widely used than sesame oil in later generations, and the planting range of soybeans is also much wider than sesame oil, okay!
Soybean oil in later generations was basically used for cooking, while sesame oil was only used for seasoning...Which one is more important, do you know? !
But because of this, Zhang Xi always felt that this was wrong, and there must be something wrong.
The oil yield of soybeans is not as good as that of sesame seeds. Zhang Xi still knows this... but if it is only one-fifth, this seems to be too low.
"I think there is a problem in some link... It shouldn't be like this!" Zhang Xi thought for a moment, turned to the oil press and said, "Old man, please give me some advice... This flax seed produces oil. , but what’s the point?!”
The old man first raised his head and glanced at Guan Ping, and when he saw Guan Ping nodded, he said to Zhang Xi without daring, "What about these flax seeds? Grind them, steam them to a certain degree, press them appropriately..." All of them will affect the oil production, but the old man doesn’t know if this is also the case with bean sprouts.”
Well...I don't understand what you're saying anyway.
"In that case, please be more careful and give me a few more tries." Zhang Xi saluted the oil press, which made the old oil press kneel down on the spot.
Officials these days don't like to salute the common people. Guan Ping found this strange.
What can Zhang Xi do? He really doesn't know how to squeeze oil. Although this old man only squeezed out a little bit of oil, he knows how to do it.
We cannot neglect technical experts.
After that, all Zhang Xi can do is to provide sufficient support for his father-in-law, whether it is "research and development expenses" or "raw materials".
Don't underestimate the working people of this era. Many great inventions and creations come from them, not the so-called Confucian scholars who are well-read in poetry and books.
The money has to be invested, and people have to boldly try the technology... If the technology can be improved to the point where the oil produced is one-third that of sesame oil, then the investment will be considered successful.
After all, the cultivation range and output of bean sprouts are there. As long as the oil yield rate of bean sprouts is one-third that of sesame seeds, the oil extraction of bean sprouts will not be a loss.
If that's not possible...it's also a supplementary source of oil.
In this day and age, is there anyone who still dislikes too much oil? !
Then if you have the ability, stop eating meat and live a vegetarian life.
Let's put this matter aside for the time being. Anyway, this oil refining workshop is also under the control of the Guan government, so there is no need to worry about leaks or anything like that.
Later, it was a rare meeting with Guan Ping, and it happened to be the time to go off duty. Zhang Xi and Guan Ping called Kou Feng together, and the three of them went to the only wine shop in Xinye County to have dinner together.
In these days, wine shops were still not allowed to sell wine because Liu Shijun refused, but they still had food to eat.
"It's getting hotter and hotter today. Drinking is not allowed in the army, not even in restaurants, but people are dying of thirst!"
Before he had even taken a few bites, Kou Feng started complaining.
Just listen to these words.
Anyway, Zhang Xi couldn't understand why drinking alcohol could quench thirst, but drinking water couldn't.
Theoretically speaking, wouldn’t drinking alcohol make you thirstier the more you drink? !
Even if the alcohol content of wine in these days is low, it is still wine, so how can it quench your thirst.
Essentially, Zhang Xi thought that Kou Feng was just greedy and wanted to drink.
Guan Ping also smiled but said nothing.
Drinking is considered a common hobby among people of this era who are somewhat qualified, and Guan Ping also likes to drink.
But it’s not easy to talk about it in public. After all, it was his uncle who issued the ban on alcohol. It’s okay for Kou Feng to complain a few words. If he, a nephew, complained too... If Guan Yu knew about it, he would probably Expert approach.
Kou Feng was dissatisfied when he saw that neither of them paid any attention to him.
Especially Zhang Xi, he is the elder brother after all... If my younger brother wants to drink, can't you think of a way? !
"Brother, why are you silent?!" Kou Feng turned his head and said to Zhang Xi, "Brother is now in a high and powerful position, so he must have fine wine at home... Why not invite brother to drink together?! "
"What the hell!" Zhang Xi shook his head speechlessly and said, "You're not drunk yet?! You don't know that I'm never good at drinking, so when will I be able to hide good wine?!"
"Hey, brother, what you said is untrue!" Kou Feng was also reluctant and said, "Although brother is not good at drinking, I know that now brother is trusted by the three generals, and he has not shared any of the fine wine in the three generals' tents. Is it because of my brother?!"
"Huh?!" Zhang Xi narrowed his eyes slightly.
With this black guy, he secretly hid the wine and drank it? !
Thinking of this, Zhang Xi asked calmly, "Although the third general also said this, he also said that he would let me take it for myself... But I was so proud that I didn't know that the third general put the wine away." Where is it, so I have never gone to get it!"
"Hey, brother, why do you need to be so proud!" Upon hearing this, Kou Feng became anxious, while Guan Ping started to cover his face.
"I know where the three generals hide their wine. Quick, quick. I will take my brother to get it quickly. We will get drunk tonight!"
"So...that's good!"
After saying that, Zhang Xi set off with Kou Feng to Zhang Fei's military camp.
As for Guan Ping... hurry up and follow him. If he is discovered later, he can stop him.
Not to stop Zhang Xi, but to stop his third uncle.
If the third uncle knew that it was Kou Feng who exposed his little secret, would he still be able to whip him hard? !
