Daming: My boss Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 171 I also want to learn idioms
Don't rush this matter, you have to take your time. These shopkeepers' stores can't suddenly purchase large quantities of goods as soon as they come up. Otherwise, as long as Shen Bin is not stupid, he will definitely notice that something is wrong. Even if he doesn't understand why, he will take precautions. .

After sending away these shopkeepers, Li Wei left the Chamber of Commerce and went to the Arms Bureau.

There was no need to rush the Minghuang Chamber of Commerce, but the cannon casting had to be speeded up. He took it upon himself to replace everyone below him. If he didn't come up with something quickly, he was afraid that Zhu Yuanzhang, his father-in-law, would find trouble again. .

The Ordnance Bureau already had a cannon foundry, but it was small in scale. Li Wei transferred hundreds of new craftsmen to it and expanded it more than ten times.

The most troublesome thing about making bubbles with clay molds is making the molds. The clay molds take a long time to dry.

"Master Li!"

When the craftsmen who were busy saw Li Wei walking in, they all stopped what they were doing and bowed in greeting.

Li Wei nodded slightly and said, "No need to be polite, just do your own thing."

"Yes!"

After everyone heard what he said, they continued to do their own business.

Li Wei took a casual look and saw that these craftsmen were making clay molds. This craft was not simple and had a high failure rate.

After the clay mold is ready to dry, they will bury the clay mold vertically in the ground next to the converter of the steel-making furnace, then pour the molten steel directly into it, and then take it out from the ground after it cools and takes shape. , smash the clay mold, and finally polish the gun body.

There were some previously cast artillery pieces nearby. Li Wei went over to take a look, touched the inner wall of the barrel with his hand, and then frowned.

The inner wall of this cast gun barrel was very rough and had no smooth, mirror-like feeling at all, which made him very dissatisfied.

"Forget it, let's make a batch and give it a task first."

Li Wei sighed and muttered to himself.

After going around in a circle, Li Wei told the craftsmen to make it strictly according to the dimensions on the drawing he gave, and then left the cannon foundry and went to the pottery kiln factory.

In order to make a telescope, he asked the craftsmen to make an emergency furnace at the pottery kiln. Now he is just expanding production. There is no big problem. After a quick look, the glass refining is going smoothly. Li Wei drew casually based on the glassware he used in later generations. I took some and let the craftsmen shape it.

Looking at the gradually formed glassware, Li Wei suddenly felt something in his heart. He remembered where he had seen a high-end ceramic made by adding animal bones to the porcelain. He thought about it and taught them this method. Let them try to burn it.

There are some imperial porcelains in the Prince Consort's Mansion, which were fired in the imperial kiln specially set up by the Ministry of Industry. However, the workmanship can only be said to be unsatisfactory, and it is completely incomparable with the exquisite antiques seen on TV. At the beginning of this day, It is determined that many industries are in the recovery stage. There is nothing we can do but take it slowly.

But if the bone china he mentioned can be fired, it will definitely be the most exquisite porcelain today. When it is sold together with glassware, it will definitely make a lot of money!

After a busy day, Li Wei came home very late. Now the house is different from the past. With these female officials, there are many rules. They even have to eat separately. Only An Qing eats at the same table with him.

Back in the house, An Qing pouted and asked as usual: "Sow or not?"

Li Wei sternly refused: "I won't plant it!"

Then the bedtime story started again.

Recently, he gave many stories to Xiaoqing. In fact, Anqing had already heard many of them. Now listening to Li Wei's story again, he couldn't help but feel a little bored and fell asleep after a while.

When Li Wei saw him sleeping, he slowly got up and went out to find Xiao Qing. He had been busy recently and had almost forgotten some idioms and needed to review them with Xiao Qing.

However, as soon as he stood up, An Qing's little hand grabbed him, opened his big eyes and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Uh..." Li Wei paused guiltily, and then said vaguely: "I suddenly remembered a few idioms that I didn't quite understand. I'll go find someone else to learn them."

"What idiom?" An Qing's little face was full of doubts.

"You don't understand even after I tell you. Go to bed quickly. The story is over. Be good!"

Of course, Li Wei would not tell her those idioms inappropriate for children. Regardless of her pout, he covered her with a quilt and got up and went out.

"Huh, it's dangerous!"

Li Wei closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. For some reason, he suddenly felt like he was almost caught having an affair.

Well, illusions are all illusions!
Li Wei left here and turned around and walked towards the yard where Xiaoqing was as if nothing had happened.

Not long after he left, An Qing opened the door secretly and followed him out.

After following Li Wei and turning two corners, she saw this man suddenly standing in front of Xiaoqing's door and knocking lightly.

After a while, Xiaoqing opened the door and was slightly surprised to see him: "Master?"

Li Wei didn't say a word and squeezed in.

As soon as the door was closed, Xiaoqing and I discussed the profound idiom culture.

An Qing watched Li Wei turn into Xiaoqing's room from a distance, and immediately stamped his feet angrily.

"I also want to learn idioms!"

An Qing muttered to himself angrily, and decided to ask Xiao Qing what idioms he taught tomorrow!
……

Time flew by, and Li Wei's various arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner. More than a month later, the first batch of artillery was finally cast!

Li Wei came to the Ordnance Bureau and directed the craftsmen to install it on the gun mount.

The gun mount he made is made of steel as the main material, and some wood is also used in some parts, but the main load-bearing thing is the steel structure. Not only does it have bearings to reduce the frictional resistance of the wheel shaft, but it also has thick cast bolts and gears that can go up and down. Adjust the angle of the barrel for aiming.

The structure of the bolt is very simple, especially the larger ones, which can be cast directly. Although the accuracy is relatively poor, it is enough.

After some charging tests, the qualified ones were kept and the unqualified ones were discarded and returned to the furnace.When everything was ready, Li Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief and could now hand over the task to Zhu Yuanzhang.

After Li Wei left the Ordnance Bureau, he was about to go to the palace to find Zhu Yuanzhang. After thinking about it, he went to the pottery kiln again. The bone china and glass should have been made, so why not bring them to him to have a look at them? The sale still needs his approval.

I turned a corner and went to the pottery kiln to pick up two sets of tea sets, one set of bone china and one set of glass, and took them with me to the palace.

In the Wuying Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang was working and drinking his Kuding tea, and the young eunuch brought Li Wei in.

"See Your Majesty!"

Li Wei put down the two sets of wooden tea sets in his hands and saluted Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked up at him and asked softly: "Excuse me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Wei stopped and stood up, and continued: "Your Majesty, several new artillery pieces cast by the Ordnance Bureau have been completed. The first is the divine machine cannon, which has a short range but a fast rate of fire. The second is the divine cannon, which has a long range and high power. , and the third is a small mortar, which uses projectiles to attack the enemy..."

Li Wei briefly talked about these types of artillery.

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he suddenly became interested and showed surprise.

After waiting for more than a month, this guy finally came up with something. It was worth all the effort.

After listening to Li Wei's introduction, Zhu Yuanzhang said with a happy face: "Well, not bad, let's take a look when we have time."

"Ok."

Li Wei agreed softly.

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang also noticed the two boxes he was carrying, and asked, "What is in your box?"

"Oh, Your Majesty, the Ordnance Bureau has spent a lot of money. I have made some small things and want to sell them to others. I would like your Majesty's permission."

The Ordnance Bureau has done so many things recently, and Li Wei has given them bonuses, and they will also develop various things in the future. The expenses are too high, and they can't just rely on the money and food given by the court. It must be open source.

"Well, bring it over and show it to us."

Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly.

Hearing this, Li Wei picked up the box and came forward, opened it and showed it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

He first opened the box containing bone china and placed it in front of Zhu Yuanzhang. The exquisite appearance that he had never seen before immediately attracted his attention!
The bone china is natural milky white in color, delicate and transparent in appearance, gorgeous and exquisite. It is infinitely better than the porcelain exclusively supplied by the royal kiln that he uses in the palace now.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at these gorgeous porcelains, stood up slowly in surprise, reached out and took out a small teacup, held it in his hand and inspected it carefully.

Not only does this small cup look good, it is also much more comfortable to hold in your hand than his rough tea bowl.

"Your Majesty, this is called bone china. It is made by adding animal bone powder to clay."

Li Wei introduced softly.

"Okay, good stuff!"

Zhu Yuanzhang kept his eyes on the small cup in his hand and praised it.

Li Wei saw him looking like he had never seen the world, and he secretly despised him for a moment, and then continued: "I want to take these bone china to the Minghuang Chamber of Commerce for sale, and I would like your Majesty's permission."

When Zhu Yuanzhang, who was observing the treasure, heard this, he suddenly glared: "Why sell it? This will be imperial porcelain from now on, and it is not allowed to be sold!"

Li Wei's face suddenly solidified: "Wha, what?"

"Don't sell it, and your pottery kiln will be the royal kiln from now on. This kind of bone china will be exclusively used by the royal family from now on."

Zhu Yuanzhang emphasized again and again.

Li Wei asked doubtfully: "Why?"

"Of course this kind of good thing must be used by the royal family. What's wrong?" Zhu Yuanzhang said matter-of-factly.

Li Wei looked at him like this and felt speechless.

Do you have to keep all the good stuff you co-authored?
In fact, what Zhu Yuanzhang did was not completely selfish and wanted to be exclusive. In this feudal society, class differences are reflected in all aspects, and porcelain is one of them. Just like clothes, you can't wear whatever you want if you have money. The exquisite porcelain presented by Li Wei is a good thing that can reflect the royal supremacy.

Zhu Yuanzhang put down the small tea cup with a smile on his face, poured his own Kuding tea into it, picked it up and tasted it.

"Tsk, tsk, not bad, not bad, it feels great!"

Li Wei: "..."

It's all the same Kuding tea, so would it be better to change the cup?
"You don't have to be so embarrassed, let me be a favor and allow you to use it yourself!"

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his cup and said generously.

"...Thank you, Your Majesty."

The corners of Li Wei's mouth twitched slightly, and he was silent for a moment before speaking.

(End of this chapter)