Compared with Qu Shichen, Zuo Mengeng's method of winning over Zhang Jimeng was much simpler.
He directly took half of his own shares and sent it over, and Zhang Jimeng accepted it with peace of mind.
This income alone allows Zhang Jimeng not to worry about life and can also subsidize his family.
As for others, careful preparation is required.
Just as the Spring Festival is approaching, the reason is ready.
Zuofu was busy, with sets of glass products being put into different boxes and then distributed to different servants.
"These two sets of things must be handed over to my father in person. I told him not to be stingy with my boss during the holidays."
Zuo Liangyu is in Baoding, making a dusi. If he can't come back during the New Year, the government will definitely prepare new year's goods to send there.
Zuo Mengeng prepared two sets of glass products for him to give as gifts.
This kind of gift is much more elegant than gold and silver, and it is very helpful for Zuo Liangyu to make good friends with his boss.
Several other gifts were sent to the capital, respectively to Hou Xun, Liu Zongzhou, Xu Guangqi and Gong Duan.
"If Mr. Gu and Mr. Nian Tai don't need to say anything, you can send the things to them and they will understand naturally. On the other side of the Office Cheng, he said that he was very grateful for his reminder and that his help will be indispensable in the future. On the side of the Xu Mansion, gifts are required. Be very careful. Especially if it is for Miss Xu, it can only be handed over to her to open."
The servants took the order and set off quickly. If I go quickly, I'll be back just in time for the New Year.
There is currently only one furnace, which produces a limited number of glass products.
However, under the heavy reward, the craftsmen were very motivated. Not only did he master the method of blowing glass, but he was also able to add various patterns to the glass.
Zuo Mengeng will not be stingy with money and position rewards for any craftsman who has improved his skills.
Craftsmen are oppressed and enslaved by the superiors like cattle and horses. When did they receive such attention?
Those who really regard themselves as confidants will die!
Everyone was immersed in the dream of getting rich. No one knew that Zuo Mengeng had quietly separated some of the craftsmen.
What these glass craftsmen want to do is strictly confidential and only the senior management of the back camp knows about it.
In a remote open space between the military camp and the iron smelting plant, another department has been established.
The same glass is produced here, but the products can never be seen outside.
One is a telescope, a military weapon.
However, the grinding of lenses is a test of the skills of the craftsmen.
After more than ten consecutive failures, the craftsmen have finally figured out a little bit, but it will probably take some time before they can make a telescope.
But the creation of another glass product went smoothly.
That is the experimental vessel.
To get the required gunpowder for the musket, Zuo Mengeng had to prepare it himself. Without these instruments, it would be completely impossible.
What Zuo Mengeng wants to do is mercury fulminate. Then use mercury fulminate as the triggering agent to get a flash cap.
Although mercury fulminate has various shortcomings as a gunpowder, it is the best choice under current conditions.
Although the production difficulty of collodion is similar to that of mercury fulminate, their positioning is completely different.
Mercury fulminate can be used as a triggering agent, and the amount used for making flash caps is not large. When large-scale industrial production is not possible, the most primitive method can still be used.
But collodion is used as propellant.
Not to mention whether metal cartridge cases can be made, the amount of propellant in bullets and shells alone is an astronomical figure.
Don’t even think about industrial production, even the supply of cotton cannot satisfy it.
To make mercury fulminate, you need to make nitric acid first.
Making nitric acid also requires concentrated sulfuric acid and sodium nitrate.
In this era, none of these things are readily available. Zuo Mengeng must be prepared step by step from the very initial stage.
Doing this with zero foundation, the tedious steps can really drive people crazy.
If he hadn't inherited the memory of a top all-rounder in the military field, Zuo Mengeng felt that with his own ability, he might not be able to produce mercury fulminate even if he was given another thousand years.
In addition, there are still many matters at the military camp that need to be handled by him, which allocates his time even more.
It wasn't until the New Year's Day that he used laboratory methods to produce qualified nitric acid.
But at this point, the production of mercury fulminate is not far away.
No one was seen on the New Year's Day, which made Huang very dissatisfied and asked Zuo Yan to come in person to urge him. Zuo Mengeng had to say goodbye to the laboratory reluctantly.
"This place is sealed and strictly guarded. No one is allowed to approach, and the things inside are not allowed to be touched."
Zuo Mengeng left Zuo Rong behind and took care of the laboratory himself.
It’s not that I’m afraid that the secret of mercury fulminate will be stolen.
In this era, he did not teach others the step-by-step method of preparing mercury fulminate, and even those European scientists were confused when they came.
What he was afraid of was causing an accident.
The sensitivity of mercury fulminate is very terrifying, and it may explode if the collision force is greater.
For this reason, he deliberately placed the laboratory far away from everywhere, and no entry was allowed within a hundred meters of the surrounding area.
If mercury fulminate is produced in the future, it will be necessary to create an uninhabited land of about one kilometer.
But he didn't dare to be like the ignorant Ming Dynasty who put a gunpowder workshop in the capital city.
Good guy, half of the capital was destroyed in one explosion.
Zuo Mengeng didn't want his army to be destroyed by such an accident before it was even formed.
Seeing Zuo Mengeng leaving Zuo Rong behind, Zuo Yan couldn't bear it.
"Master, it's Chinese New Year, why don't you let the children rest and have some fun?"
Zuo Mengeng shook his head and rejected.
"Since you become a soldier, you have the heaviest responsibility."
Zuo Yanxin said that when I was in the Liaodong Army, the generals were not so unkind.
Seeing that he wanted to persuade him, Zuo Rong quickly said: "Dad, you don't have to worry about me. There are still so many soldiers. The young master has gone home. If I go back, no one will care about those soldiers."
What else could Zuo Yan do, he could only sigh, full of regret.
"Then remember to eat well and don't freeze. You will get off work tomorrow and go back early."
Zuo Rong agreed, watched Zuo Mengeng and Zuo Yan leave, and began to arrange the New Year celebrations in the military camp.
The preparations for the New Year here are very good. Zuo Mengeng asked Lao Qintou and Zhang Yan to buy a few big fat pigs early to ensure that everyone can have a hearty dumpling meal today.
Except for soldiers who must be on duty, the rest are also allowed to go home and reunite with their relatives.
Anyway, the relatives of the soldiers are in Zuozhuang nearby, very close to each other, so it is not difficult to manage them.
When we arrived at the edge of the city, the New Year atmosphere was very strong.
For those refugees who had no food or clothing, the local government sent people to send some food so that they could have a full New Year.
As for the city, there are lanterns and colorful lights everywhere, and they are full of joy.
The continuous sound of firecrackers filled the air with the smell of gunpowder smoke, and groups of children shuttled through the streets and alleys. When you meet people you don’t know, you all wish them a happy New Year.
When I get candies and snacks from adults, I happily share them with my friends, and then run away again.
On this day, the eldest girl and the youngest daughter-in-law also rarely walked out of the house. Groups of small and large people wandered from shop to shop, buying whatever they wanted and talking for a long time.
Many shops have plates at the door with prepared food inside. Regardless of whether you are entering the store to buy something or passing by, you can grab and eat at will.
The shopkeeper stood at the door, greeting everyone who passed by. If someone comes into the store, there will be an endless stream of auspicious words.
During the holidays elsewhere, the shops are closed early and go home to enjoy.
Only here in Linqing, there is a strong commercial atmosphere. Even if it is New Year's Eve, everyone will not go back to their homes until nightfall.
There were too many people on the street, and Zuo Mengeng and others couldn't ride their horses. It took a lot of time to walk home all the way.
When they arrived at the mansion, they saw Mrs. Huang directing her servants to be busy inside and outside.
Prepare wine, prepare food, prepare flying posters, post couplets, worship ancestors, and also prepare money outside the house.
The money was placed outside the door, and no one dared to touch it.
Because this coin is a Linqing New Year custom, on the day of the Spring Festival, the bosses of the 360 businesses in the city and the wealthy families in the city pooled their money and put on a big show at Chaoguan Wharf for the people of the city to see.
Bosses from various industries will even come out in person to dress up as characters in the play. Whichever boss pays more, the role he plays will be more important.
Of course, the rich and powerful will not end up donating money to settle the matter.
The money was placed at the door, and Li Zhenghui collected it and gave it to the organizer of the performance.
Anyone who dares to touch this money will become the public enemy of the whole city.
Seeing Zuo Mengeng come back, Huang rarely lost his temper.
"Look at you two, the older one is out there and can't come home, and the younger one can't stay home during the New Year. How does it make sense for such a big family to be supported by a woman like me?"
Zuo Mengeng quickly apologized and smiled.
"The mother works hard, but the children really can't get away from it."
Zuo Yan also wanted to speak for Zuo Mengeng at this time.
"Madam, you don't know. The young master is in charge of tens of thousands of people, and he really can't escape."
Huang only knew that Zuo Menggeng was the Qian General Manager, and logically speaking, he should have only Qianlai talents under his command. I couldn't help but be surprised when I heard that tens of thousands of people had to be managed.
"Why so many people?"
Zuo Mengeng didn't want Huang to know about this, so he quickly interrupted.
"Where's my little sister?"
Speaking of her well-behaved daughter, Mr. Huang was very satisfied.
"If you don't come back, this girl is afraid that I will be tired, so she will help me with all kinds of things. I guess she will lead someone to post couplets, and she will have to watch over the kitchen."
Zuo Mengeng smiled.
"That's good, I'll be able to eat when I get back now, so I won't delay going out."
Huang's face looked ugly.
"It's Chinese New Year, why are you still going out?"
Zuo Mengeng followed her inside and said patiently: "Today is the Chinese New Year. How about so many soldiers and family members? The children are worried. The more it is at this time, the more careful they must be. This way, they will be loyal when they go to the battlefield in the future. Use things."
The affairs of a general's family cannot avoid such topics.
Huang couldn't help but look complicated as he listened.
"Your father has been fighting for so many years, but he doesn't think as much as you do."
There was something she didn't say.
It is obvious that his son's attitude towards his soldiers is much better than that of Zuo Liangyu.
Although Huang Shi couldn't read, he didn't know how to fight.
But it was also clear that Zuo Mengeng seemed to be more capable than Zuo Liangyu in running the army.
