"We heard that you specifically told the craftsmen of the Iron Smelting Institute to forge a square iron furnace, and also asked the craftsmen to develop new glass?"
Zhu Di asked again, "Are you planning to imitate jade?"
"Your Highness has misunderstood. Only humble ministers will not do such immoral things!" Guo An said quickly.
As early as the Song Dynasty, there were already craftsmen who could make glass.
However, the transparency of glass is not high at this time, and it is often used by people to imitate some fake jade. Glass is also called medicinal jade and fake jade!
In addition, people also know that those glasses are actually made of sand. Without the mystery, the price has plummeted.
As a result, wealthy people have begun to disdain the use of glass that has dropped in price. Ordinary people cannot afford it, so no one is willing to develop glass technology.
Of course, there are also very good-looking colored glassware, but this is completely different from glass. At least the colored glassware that Zhu Di brought back to Guo An's hometown are extremely beautiful and exquisite.
Therefore, Guo An also knew why Zhu Di asked this.
"Your Highness, if the glass that Wei Chen wants can be developed, those wealthy people will definitely rush to buy it."
"oh?"
Zhu Di looked unbelieving.
"Your Highness, a new object will have different uses in everyone's hands. You will know when Weichen develops it!"
Guo An did not continue to explain.
"What's the use of that iron stove?" Zhu Di asked again.
Guo An said, "Your Highness, the iron stove is used to keep out the cold in winter."
"To keep out the cold?"
Zhu Di was a little confused.
Guo Andao said, "Burn coal in the iron furnace to keep the house warm."
Hearing this, Zhu Di's expression suddenly changed, "Don't you know, Guo Qing, that poisonous smoke is released when coal burns?"
"Your Highness, don't worry. We know that coal can release smoke poison, but we only need to discharge the smoke poison outside through the chimney!"
Guo An explained slowly.
"How to release it outside?" Zhu Di asked curiously.
“Make a hole in the wall, lead a chimney from the iron furnace, and plug it out through the hole in the wall, or make a house built with cement.
For example, when the cement house being built on the farm is being built, a flue can be left in the wall of the house.
After the iron furnace is built, the smoke hole on the iron furnace is directly inserted into the chimney opening, so that the poisonous smoke produced by burning coal will circulate around the flue between the walls and then be discharged outdoors. "
Guo An continued.
"So feasible?"
Zhu Di looked happy. He probably understood what Guo An meant, but he didn't fully understand it.
However, as long as there is a glimmer of feasibility, Zhu Di will support it.
There is no one in Peiping, or the entire Great North, who is not afraid of the cold in winter.
Every year, when it snows more than a foot thick, people often freeze to death.
And there is only so much firewood every year. After all the wealthy families in the city buy it, the people in the countryside will not have enough firewood at home.
"Your Highness, it should be possible."
Guo An was also a little unsure.
"Let's go to the farm with us!"
Zhu Di stood up directly and walked out.
"this will?"
Behind him, Guo An was stunned.
"How can such a big thing be delayed?" Zhu Di said.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Guo An had no choice but to follow.
After leaving the palace gate, Guo An thought of something again and hurriedly reminded: "Your Highness, there is no iron stove in the farm!"
"Zhu Liang, please quickly take the people to the Iron Smelting Works and bring the newly forged iron furnace to the farm for us."
"Hey, this... Your Highness, wait a minute..." Guo An was stunned for a moment.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Zhu Liang, who was on the side, had already responded, jumped on the horse and rushed out with two soldiers.
"What do you want to say?"
Zhu Di asked.
"Your Highness, I just want to say that it is okay to have the Iron Smelting Institute forge two more iron chimneys!" Guo An said slowly.
"Fuck him..."
Zhu Di's face darkened, he glared at Guo An and cursed, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Guo An has long been used to Zhu Di's moody temperament and his tendency to curse people when he opens his mouth... he must have worn it out.
"Your Highness, the minister didn't call Zhu Baihu to stop!"
"Then I'll go to the iron smelting factory later?"
"Your Highness, let's go to the farm. Weichen has been worried about the construction of houses on the farm these days."
"Fuck you, my mother-in-law has been talking for a long time..."
…
"I have met His Highness King Yan and Guo Changshi!"
"I have met His Highness King Yan and Guo Changshi..."
At the farm, Ding Shang and several stewards hurriedly came forward to meet Zhu Di.
Afterwards, a group of people walked in.
The farm and Guo An had undergone earth-shaking changes when they last came here.
The most obvious thing is that there are rows of two-story concrete houses in the middle of the farm.
And around the farm, there was also a lot of traffic.
Groups of laborers pulled carts of cement, sand and gravel in and out of the farm.
"So many people were recruited?"
Seeing such a scene, a trace of self-blame flashed across Guo An's face, "It's such a sin to delay so many people's livelihoods!"
Zhu Di glanced at Guo An with a look of disgust on his face, "You can rest assured, we will pay wages for all the conscripted labor."
"Are you actually paying laborers?"
Hearing this, Guo An's expression changed again, and his face was full of surprise.
Immediately, he was full of praise again, "Your Highness really loves the people like a son. In these two months, the people will be able to earn a few more dollars, which is enough for their winter expenses!"
Zhu Di's heart moved slightly. He was still distressed about paying these laborers.
Now, after Guo An said this, he realized that winter would begin in a few months.
When winter comes, these common people can only stay at home and cannot do any work. Naturally, they cannot make money or support their families.
The most they could do was brave the cold wind and go into the mountains to pick up a few bundles of firewood to buy into the city, but that little firewood wasn't worth much.
"How can a few dollars be enough? I want to give these servants money to process!"
"Your Highness, no!" Guo An quickly dissuaded him.
"Why?" Zhu Di stared at Guo An.
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, how could these laborers be paid before? Now that Your Highness is paying them wages, I am afraid that I have been scolded many times by other officials in my heart.
Now, if His Highness processes money again, he will probably be hated even more.
Moreover, if these laborers are recruited again in the future, and the court cannot pay enough wages, wouldn't it mean that there will be a fuss, and even if there is no fuss, they will be passive and sabotage. "
Zhu Di's expression condensed, he thought for a long time, and nodded slightly.
"It seems that's really the case!"
Guo An added: "Your Highness can reward these craftsmen."
"Reward?" Zhu Di thought of something and his face darkened.
Guo An continued to think about himself and said: "Your Highness can wait until the farm is completed and reward each laborer or craftsman with one or two coins.
In this way, after hearing this, these laborers and craftsmen will definitely be much more active in their work.
After they get the reward, they will not only be grateful to His Highness, but even when the next time His Highness recruits laborers to work, these common people will rush to come. "
Zhu Di's face lit up, "This method is wonderful!"
As he said that, he couldn't help but glare at Guo An, "You are much more cunning than those civil servants!"
Guo An looked helpless, "Your Highness, Wei Chen is a civil servant. However, Wei Chen is much kinder than those civil servants."
Zhu Di ignored Guo An and said to Xu Yun on the side: "Send the order. When the farm houses are completed, I will reward all the laborers and craftsmen with two coins each!"
"Your Highness, be merciful!"
Xu Yun responded quickly and walked quickly.
In less than a moment, Zhu Di, Guo An and others could see that all the laborers and craftsmen who knew the news were moving much faster.
"Your Highness!"
At this time, Zhu Liang also came over with a carriage.
"Has the iron furnace been brought?"
"Your Highness, an iron furnace and a bucket of coal have been brought over." Zhu Liang quickly replied.
Zhu Di nodded slightly, then looked at Guo An, "Where to test?"
"Your Highness, just find a house at random!" Guo And said.
Zhu Di said: "In this case, put the iron stove into the cement house on the east side."
"Follow the order!"
Zhu Liang responded and walked quickly.
Zhu Di walked straight towards the cement house.
As early as when Xu Yun led a group of craftsmen to build cement houses on the farm, Zhu Di came over to take a look out of curiosity.
However, in his opinion, these cement houses were dark and ugly. Apart from being strong, they were far less beautiful than his palace, so he didn't pay much attention to them.
Indeed, in this era when there is no putty, tiles, or wallpaper, newly built cement houses are indeed a bit ugly.
However, for the veterans stationed on the farm, these concrete houses are considered to be the best houses in the world. They are very strong and there is no need to worry about heavy rain or snowstorms, and the roofs will collapse in the middle of the night.
"Your Highness, the iron furnace is here!"
After checking for a while, Zhu Liang came in with two soldiers carrying the iron stove.
"here!"
Guo An pointed directly at a hole in the wall next to the door he just entered.
"Carry it over!" Zhu Di said.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Zhu Liang quickly directed two soldiers to carry the iron furnace over.
Then, insert a small square chimney at the back of the iron stove into the hole.
"We still need to have another bricklayer seal the hole tightly with cement!" Guo An said again.
"There's no need to look for a bricklayer. Just go out and get some cement to plug it in!"
On the side, Ding Shang, who had been waiting for a long time and could no longer bear it, stood up and walked out.
When I came in, I already had a small basin of cement in my hand.
In just a few clicks, the gap between the chimney mouth of the iron stove and the wall was plugged and smoothed.
"What should we do now?" Zhu Di asked again.
"Your Highness, put in some dry firewood and light it, then put in the charcoal and it will burn for warmth!"
Guo An said.
"Your Highness, wait a moment, I will go get firewood now!"
Ding Shang said quickly and ran out again.
Zhu Liang and several guards also walked out quickly and brought in the bucket of coal.
Within a moment, Ding Shang also walked in with a pile of dry firewood.
As the dry firewood ignited, Ding Shang put the charcoal in again.
"Cover the iron stove." Guo An immediately ordered.
Ding Shang quickly picked up the iron piece on the iron stove and covered it.
In less than a moment, the entire iron furnace burst into flames.
"There's really no poisonous smoke coming out!"
Zhu Di said with great joy.
On the side, Ding Shang, Zhu Liang and others also had excited faces.
"Your Highness, poisonous smoke really appeared!"
"So, if I wait until winter comes, can't I use charcoal to keep warm?"
…
(End of chapter)
