Bai Yuegang of Prince Ning's Mansion

Chapter 228 Technology
Rui Xue stepped forward and asked softly, "Uncle Qian, why didn't you play cards with them? Is there something short of money again?"

Lao Qian was skinny and looked a little stooped, but his eyes were very energetic.

Some disdainful glances at Li Yu and the others.

"I don't do business all day, I have money to play cards, but I don't have money to buy some good things with me."

After murmuring a few words in a low voice, she turned her head to look at Ruixue very kindly, and lowered her posture.

As soon as Rui Xue saw his appearance, she knew that Laoqian was going to ask her to borrow money to buy those expensive and scary materials again.

It's not that Ruixue doesn't support Lao Qian's inventions and creations that others can't understand.

It's really too expensive, if it's normal, Ruixue is willing to encourage this kind of behavior.

But now that a money can't be spent in half, Zhuangzi really can't afford it.

Besides, the gadgets that Laoqian wants to study are not only expensive, but many of them are hard to find in the market.

Ruixue squeezed her purse in a bit of embarrassment, but there wasn't much left in it.

Just as he was about to take it out and gag the old man, he saw the old man approaching with a few shiny iron rods in his hands.

Ruixue picked up one to watch, it still held some weight in her hand.

Look, the material is neither ordinary iron nails nor silver.

Rather, it looked like some kind of alloy that Ruixue had seen in another time and space.

But the smelting technology that can forge this alloy cannot appear here.

Technology and manufacturing techniques are simply not up to the level that can make this kind of metal.

Ruixue was slightly shocked.

"Uncle Qian, did you make this thing yourself, or did you find it elsewhere?"

Seeing that Ruixue was interested, Laoqian got excited and dragged Ruixue and Xiaotao into the house to talk.

"Miss also thinks this thing is not bad, let's go to a warmer place, and I will tell you slowly."

Xiaotao tugged Ruixue's sleeve lightly, winking at her.

That meant to say, Miss, don't let him cheat you out of money again.

Ruixue pointed to her purse, there wasn't much left, even if she was cheated, there was nothing she could do.

She was more interested in the few metal rivets in the old man's hand.

The three of them entered the house, Laoqian looked outside vigilantly, and then closed the door.

It really felt like the three of them discovered some terrible secret.

The noisy Ruixue couldn't help lowering her voice.

"Uncle Qian, what's going on?"

Laoqian put all the small metal sticks in his hand on the table.

He said to Ruixue proudly: "Miss, look, what's different about these little gadgets."

Ruixue was confused, picked it up and studied it with Xiaotao for a long time, but couldn't see any difference.

Xiaotao is impatient, and when she couldn't see it, she became a little impatient.

"Uncle Qian, don't be a fool, let's be honest, how much money do you want Miss to pay this time?"

The little old man chuckled, scratched his untidy hair with his hands, and pointed two fingers at Ruixue.

Ruixue squeezed the purse at her waist, it seemed like a few taels of silver at most, before she opened her mouth.

Xiaotao cried out: "Uncle Qian, you really dare to ask for it. Last time Miss Keng asked for 20 taels, she said it was used to change firearms, but in the end it didn't work as well as before."

After talking, he pulled the metal stick on the table and made a rattling sound.

"We don't even know what it's used for, but you can't help it anymore."

Xiaotao didn't know, but Ruixue saw something.

It's probably because the little old man has researched some secret recipe for smelting ferroalloy, and he made some by himself, and compared it with the things from Bishui.

There are too few things, and there is no reference value. This is to expand the scale and study it carefully.

But if this thing is not done well, it will violate the law. Dalan has strict control over ironware.

It's not something anyone can study if they want to. Even blacksmith shops and blacksmiths who make farm tools and kitchen utensils must be registered and controlled according to Dalan's law.

On the one hand, it is the issue of taxation, on the other hand, it is afraid that someone will build weapons privately, rebel and make trouble.

Even if Zhao Fengnian wanted to develop the mineral deposits in the northern border and improve the technology of iron smelting, he had to find a way to secretly cooperate with Bishui.

But this matter is indeed an opportunity for Ruixue.

Didn't Zhao Fengnian not get the secret method of smelting iron from Li Jiuchen?

If the old man is successful, this iron tool is not only used for making weapons.

Civilian use is the bigger market and prospect, rivets for making cars, iron pots for cooking, don't these all use iron.

Ruixue could not refuse this proposal.

Laoqian pouted at Xiaotao: "What do you know, girl, you don't know anything."

Then he smiled and said to Ruixue: "Miss, lend me 200 taels. I am sure that I will be able to solve the secret method of smelting iron in clear water."

After the words fell, he took out a few metal sticks from the leather pouch at his waist.

These are obviously different from the ones on the table.

"This was brought to me by the people from the northern border a few days ago. The level is just like this. If we still follow the current method of smelting, it will be difficult to improve."

"Although I can refine metals that are at the same level as Bishui, it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and I can't mass-produce them, let alone put them into use."

Ruixue probably knows what cheating means.

"Uncle Qian, do you want to go to the north?"

Laoqian smiled with some relief: "I knew Miss would understand what I meant."

"The last time I delivered food, I came back from the northern border, and I had this idea. The northern border has a peculiar landform and rich mineral deposits. It would be a pity if it is not developed and utilized. Then I will have nothing in my hand, so I don't want to speak up to the young lady. thing."

"Now that I am sure, I hope Miss will give me this chance."

Ruixue was a little hesitant. The Northern Territory did have the conditions to let Laoqian develop his whimsical ideas.

You won't be so tied up like in Kyoto, which saves you a lot of trouble.

But it was true that the conditions were difficult. Thinking of the last time Laoqian came back from the northern border and almost lost half his life, Ruixue felt sorry for this elder.

"Uncle Qian, don't you want to go back to Bishui?"

The old man smiled freely, his thin body seemed to stretch out.

"For me, Bishui is a place where I lived, and Dalan is the same. My home is where my heart is at ease. I have reached this age, and doing things that make me feel at ease is the same wherever I am."

Rui Xue had tears in her eyes, met Lao Qian's calm and firm gaze, and nodded slightly.

"Okay, let's go to the north."

The atmosphere was just right, and just about to be sensational, I remembered something.

"By the way, before Uncle Qian leaves, help me unlock the cryptex left by Auntie. No one can unlock it except you."

Laoqian coughed a little arrogantly: "That's right, bring it."

(End of this chapter)