Love Lock

Chapter 285 Can you manage without studying?
The three turned their heads and saw a sweltering heatwave not far away, where a dozen shirtless workers were busy at work.

The central furnace was glowing red-hot, and the quartz sand, soda ash, and limestone inside had melted into a viscous liquid glass under the high temperature, gleaming with an orange-red light.

Two young workers are stirring the molten glass with long iron rods to make its composition uniform.

A faint "click" sound came from the bottom of the crucible.

"Oh no!" Old Zhang's face changed drastically. "The crucible is going to crack!"

Before he finished speaking, a crack had already spread across the ceramic crucible like lightning.

Molten glass seeped from the crack, dripping onto the bricks below with a hissing sound and emitting pungent white smoke.

"Get out of the way!" Old Zhang shouted, and the workers scattered and fled.

"What... what should we do?" Hua Tianyou stood there, his face ashen.

He waved his fan helplessly, only blowing the smoke further towards the workers. "Quick! Get some water!"

"No water!" At that moment, a clear female voice came from the workshop entrance.

Everyone turned around and saw King Zhao Zun of Cangzhou walking towards them with his wife Han Lei.

Zhao Zun, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, exuded an air of authority between his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Han Lei, on the other hand, wore simple fleece-lined sportswear and appeared calm and composed.

Han Lei rushed over in three quick steps and immediately assessed the situation.

"The molten glass is too hot; it will explode if it comes into contact with water!" She quickly looked around. "Everyone, get back at least three meters away! Old Zhang, does the workshop have any dry sand?"

Old Zhang was taken aback for a moment: "Yes, yes! There's a pile of raw materials in the backyard!"

"Get some right away! Also, find some thick planks and iron hooks!" Han Lei spoke quickly, while taking out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, wetting it, and handing it to Zhao Zun. "Cover your mouth and nose, this smoke is poisonous."

Zhao Zun took the silk scarf, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, before turning to the dumbfounded Hua Tianyou.

"Tianyou, what are you standing there for? Quickly do as the girl says!"

Hua Tianyou then seemed to wake up from a dream and stumbled over to help.

Han Lei directed the workers to cover the leaking molten glass with dry sand, and had someone use an iron hook to stabilize the teetering crucible.

"Slowly tilt it and pour the remaining molten glass into the spare mold. Be steady!" She personally demonstrated, showing no fear of the sweltering heat.

Zhao Zun stood beside her, ready to pull her away from the danger zone at any moment, his eyes filled with worry and pride.

Fifteen minutes later, the crisis was finally over. The workers collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

Hua Tianyou, his brocade robe covered in dust, bowed to Zhao Zun in a disheveled state.

"Oh dear! Thank goodness you arrived in time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable..."

Han Lei wiped the sweat from her forehead, her expression serious: "Tianyou, glassmaking is no child's play. Instead of focusing on leading your troops, what are you doing here?"

“Uh, I…” Hua Tianyou choked, “I was just bored, so I came over to help them out and learn a bit.”

Han Lei rolled her eyes at him, feeling that he was just making things worse.

"Everyone, remember..." Han Lei looked around at everyone, "I have repeatedly emphasized that there are strict standards for temperature, ingredient ratios, and crucible capacity. Do not change them arbitrarily. Be careful not to cause a disaster."

"Sister-in-law is right..." Hua Tianyou didn't dare to retort, instead lowering his head, his face flushed.

Han Lei turned to all the workers: "Gentlemen, safety is of paramount importance. From today onwards, the workshop must establish detailed operating procedures. First, dry sand and fire blankets must always be kept near the furnace. Second, each crucible must not be used more than twenty times, and the date of use must be clearly marked. Third, at least two people must work together when operating at high temperatures, and they must look after and supervise each other..."

She listed more than a dozen safety regulations in a clear and organized manner, and the workers listened and nodded repeatedly.

Old Zhang exclaimed excitedly, "Your Highness knows so much! These methods sound so reliable!"

Zhao Zun smiled slightly and put his arm around Han Lei's shoulder: "Alright, alright. Luckily, nothing serious happened today. From now on, all workshops in Cangzhou will follow this standard, and violators will be severely punished. Stop crowding around here and get back to work."

The glass factory workers then dispersed in twos and threes, returning to their respective posts.

The flames in the furnace still burned fiercely, reflecting on the sweat-drenched faces of the workers.

Big Head wiped the dust off his hands and strode over, his face beaming with smiles: "Zhao Zun, sister-in-law. What brings you to Fufeng County?"

Zhao Ling'er skipped forward like a happy little deer, the silver bells in her hair jingling with her movements.

"Brother! Sister-in-law!" She affectionately took Han Lei's arm, her eyes sparkling.

Zhao Zun reached out and gently patted his sister's head, saying in a warm voice, "With the end of the year approaching, your sister-in-law and I plan to visit various counties and discuss next year's plans with the project managers."

His gaze swept across the bustling workshop, lingering for a moment on the steaming molten glass.

"How is Mother's health?" Zhao Ling'er asked, looking up at her with the innocence of a young girl still on her face.

A smile flashed in Zhao Zun's eyes: "Mother is doing very well, she just keeps talking about wanting to hold her grandson."

Upon hearing this, Han Lei, who was standing beside him, blushed and secretly pinched Zhao Zun's arm with her slender fingers.

Zhao Zun accepted it without changing his expression.

He turned to Hua Tianyou, who was standing to the side: "Tianyou, how's the marriage proposal going? If it's really difficult, then don't delay Ling'er. My mother is pressuring us!"

Although Zhao Zun's tone was calm, it carried a hint of displeasure. He couldn't let his sister continue to drift along with Hua Tianyou like this; a woman's age waits for no one.

Upon hearing this, Hua Tianyou jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Who said I'm no good? I sent an urgent letter home a few days ago, urging them to send someone to propose marriage as soon as possible. If they still haven't sent anyone by the New Year, I'll hire a matchmaker myself to propose. But..."

As he spoke, he stole a glance at Zhao Ling'er, who was standing next to Han Lei. "I'm afraid this will make Ling'er feel wronged."

Big Fatty cheered from the sidelines, his rough laughter echoing through the workshop: "Tianyou, you'd better hurry up! I'm still waiting to drink your wedding wine!"

Several passing workers, hearing the fat man's joke, joined in with good-natured laughter.

Zhao Ling'er buried her face in Han Lei's shoulder, only her bright red ear tips showing. Han Lei gently patted her sister-in-law's hand, her eyes full of mischievous smiles.

Since Hua Tianyou had already expressed his opinion, Zhao Zun didn't bring it up again.

His gaze fell on Hua Tianyou's robes, which were covered in glass dust: "Speaking of which, you are of noble status, so why did you come to the glass factory to learn a trade?" Hua Tianyou scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed: "I just think that blowing glass is quite interesting."

He pointed to a glass vase that was taking shape not far away, "You see, it is clearly a mass of liquid, but in the blink of an eye it can be transformed into all sorts of exquisite objects."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up. "Besides, Song Yuanqing has been quite well-behaved lately. I'm so bored every day, except for training those five hundred soldiers, that I come here to help out."

Inside the workshop, molten orange glass flowed through the hands of the artisans, casting dappled light and shadow on their faces.

The whooshing of the bellows, the clanging of the pliers, and the laughter of the workers mingled together, adding much warmth to this winter day.

Big Fat Head chimed in, "There's too much dust here. You should go back to the Zhao family's house first. I'll hurry up and connect the water pipes so the glass factory can have water tomorrow."

Zhao Zun instructed Hua Tianyou to notify some important officials in Fufeng County, asking them to attend a meeting at the Zhao family's residence.

Hua Tianyou had a walkie-talkie but didn't use it; instead, he dragged Zhao Ling'er along to notify everyone one by one. Zhao Zun and Han Lei went to the cement factory for a while and then returned to the Zhao family residence.

As the sun sets and dusk deepens, the twilight deepens.

Lanterns lit up one after another inside the Zhao family mansion, illuminating the main hall.

The project leaders from various projects in Fufeng County arrived one after another, their boots making a dull thud on the bluestone slabs.

The servants at the Zhao family mansion bustled about, and steaming hot food was already laid out on the octagonal table in the main hall.

Zhao Zun had changed into an indigo-blue casual outfit, his hair still damp from his shower. Han Lei, with her hair simply styled in a bun, was personally serving food to everyone.

"Please try this braised Yellow River carp with vinegar." Han Lei placed some tender fish belly meat into Yang Dazhu's bowl. "I heard the construction team just finished repairing the western suburban irrigation canal yesterday?"

Yang Dazhu hurriedly got up, wiping his rough fingers on his clothes: "Thanks to the Prince and Princess, we arrived three days earlier than originally planned."

A ruddy glow rose on his dark face. "It's just that the craftsmen always complain that they can't read all the words on the blueprints..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun put down his bamboo chopsticks, and the porcelain spoon clinked against the rim of the bowl: "This is precisely the matter that I want to discuss with everyone today."

His gaze swept across the room, appearing particularly profound under the solar-powered lights.

"Fufeng County was the first to develop in the entire Cangzhou, and it is now the most developed. People's livelihood and industry are developing in tandem. I plan to build schools in all counties of Cangzhou next year. Yang Dazhu, you should find a way to train more craftsmen who can read blueprints and expand our ranks."

As Zhao Zun was speaking, he suddenly heard a "thump".

Big Fat Man slammed his wine glass down on the table, his dark face turning even redder.

I already disliked reading, so I was the first to voice my objections.

"Now that Cangzhou's industry is developing well, we should focus on developing industry and commerce. Making money quickly is the priority. Why build schools? It's a waste of energy and money."

"You're saying building schools is a waste of energy and money?" Zhao Zun asked in astonishment.

The fat man argued vehemently: "Of course! What's the use of those poems and songs? They can't be eaten. If you ask me, scholars are utterly useless."

"Yes! That's right!" Hua Tianyou nodded in agreement. To be honest, as a well-known playboy in the capital, his biggest characteristic was his dislike of reading and studying.

Seeing that Hua Tianyou agreed with his opinion, the fat man puffed out his chest smugly: "At the cement factory, the orders from Jingzhou can't keep up with demand, and money is flowing in every day. As for the glass factory..."

"Do you think I don't know? Making money and developing the country is important now. But what do you know?" Zhao Zun glared at him, his knuckles tapping crisply on the sandalwood table. "Studying makes people reasonable. So many children in Cangzhou play and help out in the fields. What can they do if they grow up illiterate?"

Big Fat Head was unhappy.

"I knew you looked down on me, just like my grandfather. What's so good about studying? If a foreign enemy invades, and we drag those pedantic students to the battlefield, do you think they'll back down just by cursing the enemy or exchanging a few poems with them?"

Hua Tianyou nodded in deep agreement, wholeheartedly supporting the idea. "That's right! On the battlefield, it all comes down to strength. Can someone who's all books and no fighting ability kill the enemy?"

Zhao Zun's face darkened, and he was about to reply when Han Lei patted his leg, just as they were about to start arguing.

"Fatty." Han Lei's soft voice rang in everyone's ears. "Scholars who only know poetry and songs are indeed useless. In times of peace and prosperity, poetry and songs can serve as some entertainment, but Zhao Zun's point is that we need well-rounded students."

"What is a well-rounded student?" The chubby guy suddenly became interested and looked at Han Lei with bright eyes.

Han Lei continued, "Fatty, you can do these strange and skillful things because of your talent, but what will happen when you get old? Who will take over your job?"

Big Fat Head shook his head, completely bewildered.

Han Lei patiently explained, "The technologies used in Cangzhou's future development will become increasingly advanced and complex, and they cannot be operated without knowledge. This includes cement plants and glass factories. If schools are not set up to teach the relevant knowledge, who will take over their jobs? How can Cangzhou reach a higher level?"

Han Lei's explanation was clear and easy to understand, and everyone present seemed to understand and fell into deep thought.

Yes! Professor Han Lei's methods for firing cement and glass were completely new to them.

It was precisely because Han Lei provided this knowledge that Cangzhou, which was once poor and remote, was able to adapt to local conditions and develop rapidly.

Zhao Zun placed his large hand over Han Lei's hand and said patiently, "As you can see, Yang Dazhu's team is falling behind. Many of his craftsmen can't even understand the blueprints. How can they possibly carry out construction smoothly?"

Everyone nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing that they had all gained some insights, Han Lei smiled with satisfaction and looked at Hua Tianyou: "Tianyou, didn't you say you were free? You'll have something to do tomorrow. You've learned how to use pistols, M16s, and even sniper rifles. There are even more advanced and powerful weapons waiting for you later."

"Really?"

Hua Tianyou's eyes lit up. He had thought that pistols and M16 assault rifles were the pinnacle, and that he was already the overlord of this continent.

Unexpectedly, there's something even more impressive.

This completely overturned the understanding of everyone present, including Zhao Zun.

Han Lei then looked at the fat man, "And you, fat man, you've been tinkering with a honeycomb briquette stove and water pipes for months. We might be involved in hydroelectric power, gunpowder, and so on in the future, what are you going to do then?"

Upon hearing this, the fat man blushed with shame.

He thought he was already an expert in dabbling in unusual skills and crafts. He believed his arrival was contributing to the development of Cangzhou.

Unexpectedly, he was still far inferior to Han Lei.

"So..." Han Lei, seeing the opportunity, quickly followed up, "Do you think it's okay not to study?"

Please send hearts, comments, and votes—all in one go!