Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 1714, Kerosene

The capital is just as prosperous and noisy as before. This city with an increasingly large population is like a monster, devouring huge supplies and also producing huge commodities.

Oil Street, Xincheng, South District, Oil Street, as the name suggests, all the shops here are all kinds of oil shops.

Here you can buy a variety of oils. Tea oil and rapeseed oil from the south are people’s favorites. Although tea oil has a bit of a bitter taste, it is excellent for the body. Although rapeseed oil Big, but an all-time Jiangnan favorite.

Olive oil from Europe is also gradually accepted by everyone, and it is the best for cold dressing; of course, if you have no money and your family income is tight, you can buy lard and sheep oil from the Western Regions and the river. Oil and butter, which were unavailable to everyone before, have become extremely cheap now.

Of course, besides these edible oils, the most sold ones here in Oil Street are naturally lighting oils.

Candle oil shops can be seen everywhere, but candles are generally used by households without money. For people in the capital, everyone's favorite now is naturally whale oil.

Whale oil is resistant to burning and has no smell. The most important thing is that it has no smoke. It is an ideal oil for lighting. At night, every household in this family must light whale oil lamps.

At night, whale oil lamps illuminate thousands of households, illuminating the night in the capital, and the night market is even more brightly illuminated.

Shopkeeper Peng came to Oil Street as usual to buy a batch of whale oil lamps to go back. As the owner of a night market store, his store business is often concentrated at night.

During the day, everyone was working, and it was only at night that they were free to go shopping. Therefore, the night market on the New City side of the South District was very lively at night.

Naturally, the daily consumption of whale oil is also very large. For the sake of business, these bosses try their best to illuminate their stores as brightly as possible, so that it is convenient for customers to come and consume.

"Shopkeeper Miao, as usual, bring me a bucket of whale oil and send it to my store."

Or go to the familiar oil store, without talking nonsense, just speak directly.

"Shopkeeper Peng, Treasurer Peng~"

"Sit down first, sit down."

Seeing that it was an acquaintance shopkeeper Peng coming over, shopkeeper Miao also quickly said with a smile: "This whale oil is in short supply now, and the price has also increased a lot. I have to tell you about this."

"The price has increased again?"

When shopkeeper Peng heard this, he immediately shouted that this whale oil is getting more expensive every day.

"Yeah, there's no way around that. We've already paid 2 taels of silver for a bucket. You're my regular customer. I'll only earn you five hundred coins. What do you think?"

Shopkeeper Miao also quickly explained: "There are fewer and fewer whales now, and there are fewer and fewer whales. The whale oil that comes over now is all from Shandong and Nanzhili, and Tianjin. There is very little whale oil now, and the whalers are all heading south."

"There are no more whales?"

Shopkeeper Peng was also dumbfounded, thought for a while and said: A few years ago, the business of those whaling ships was very good. It is said that whales can be seen everywhere in Bohai Bay. "

"That was a few years ago. Now whaling is so intense that there are not only few whales in the Bohai Bay, but even fish are hard to catch."

"Many of the fish that come here now come from Zhejiang. The sea area of ​​Zhejiang is full of fish. Now many fishing companies and the like have moved to Songhu."

"Also, many people are now going to Japan to fish and whale. In the future, there will be less whale oil and the price will be higher."

"The imperial court seems to have intentionally banned whaling in the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, saying that it cannot be exhausted, and that some seeds should be left for future generations."

Shopkeeper Miao explained with a smile.

"Then what can we do?"

"If there is no whale oil here, how will it be illuminated at night?"

"You can't light candles, it's a bit of a downgrade."

Shopkeeper Peng also nodded slightly after hearing this. He also read about this matter from the newspaper. There are fewer and fewer whaling ships and fishing boats in Tianjin, and they are all heading towards the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea.

"Isn't it~"

"We can't let everyone be the same as before. Let's work at sunrise and rest every day. There is no problem in the countryside, but here we are in the city. Many factories even have to work overtime at night when they are rushing to catch up with the lights. .”

Shopkeeper Miao also nodded and said.

"Clang~clang~"

At this moment, there was a sound of beating gongs and drums outside.

"The kerosene store is open, the kerosene store is open~"

"Big opening bonus, big opening bonus."

"Buy two barrels and get one free. One barrel only costs 200 renminbi. It's no worse than whale oil for lighting. Hurry up and buy it. Don't miss it when you pass by. Cheap and easy-to-use kerosene is here!"

Hearing the sound, Shopkeeper Peng and Shopkeeper Miao also hurried out to take a look. It was a newly opened oil shop that was advertising and selling with great fanfare.

"kerosene?"

"What kind of oil is kerosene?"

The two looked at each other, and quickly looked over curiously.

Here at the kerosene store, there are clusters of oil lamps hanging at the door. These oil lamps are filled with glass bottles, and you can see the transparent and yellowish oil inside.

Looking at the burning of these lamps, they are all very stable, and there is not much smoke, only a little faint smell.

"Boss, what kind of oil is this kerosene?"

Shopkeeper Peng came over, looked carefully, and asked curiously.

"This kerosene is refined from petroleum. You can take a look. This kerosene is a little different from the whale oil we usually burn, but the effect is similar. The combustion is very stable without any smoke or odor. The key is to add It is also very convenient to get up, just open the opening and pour the oil in.”

"Of course, the most important thing is that this kerosene is very cheap. It only costs 200 cash for a full barrel like this. Now if you buy two barrels at once, you can get one free."

"The price can be said to be very cheap, and it is also very burn-resistant. It is definitely the best choice for everyone's lighting."

When the waiter in the shop heard this, he hurriedly started to sell it.

"A large bucket full of 200 Wen is indeed not expensive~"

"Looking at the burning appearance, it is indeed okay."

"Give me a bucket and try it first."

Someone on the spot heard it and paid for it.

It is really too cheap, 200 Wen a barrel, the oil barrel of the same size, whale oil costs at least 2 taels of silver, this one only costs 200 Wen, the price difference is more than ten times.

"What kind of oil is this oil?"

Shopkeeper Peng asked curiously.

"Petroleum is fire oil. It's the kind of dark oil that burns at a little."

"Now the professors and students of Daming Institute of Technology have developed a technology that can extract various high-quality oils from petroleum. This kerosene is one of them, and it is the best for lighting."

"It's very cheap, and it's also very stable. With kerosene and our special kerosene lamp, it can be hung on a carriage or a bicycle in the future, and it can provide good lighting even at night."

While explaining, the waiter also took out a special kerosene lamp.

"kerosene lamp~"

Shopkeeper Peng listened and looked carefully again.

The waiter in the shop also lit the kerosene lamp, and then kept shaking it in his hand, but no matter how shaken, the kerosene lamp still burns very stably, and the light is also abundant. The lampshade on the top of the kerosene lamp can emit light and concentrate the light below. .

"This thing is very good!"

Shopkeeper Peng couldn't help admiring when he saw it.

"If you think it's good, buy a few barrels of kerosene and go home?"

"It just happened to open today, and there are also discounts."

When the waiter heard this, he also quickly said with a smile.

"Okay, give me two barrels to see if this kerosene works."

Shopkeeper Peng thought about it and nodded.

This kerosene is so cheap, no matter what, it is also very cost-effective. My store uses a lot of oil, and this whale oil is getting more and more expensive, and the key is that it may become less and less in the future.

Now with kerosene, if it's what they say, it will be fine to use kerosene in the future.

"Give me two buckets, give me two buckets."

The other spectators next to me also spoke one after another. This kerosene looks really good, cheap, bright when lit, and resistant to burning. It doesn't have too much smell or smoke. This is enough. Yes, ordinary people can't afford to burn whale oil.

(End of this chapter)