Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

"Congratulations, Your Highness."

Shen Zhui quickly congratulated Lu Chen.

"This mirror will surely fetch more money than crystal and glassware."

That's right, this mirror was a sample that Lu Chen secretly made in Chengtian Prefecture after he received the sample that Shen Zhui and the others brought from Linqing.

Tin amalgam technology is really very simple; it's just a matter of breaking through a thin layer of paper.

Tin foil and mercury were readily available in the Ming Dynasty, and with the availability of flat glass, everything fell into place naturally.

Of course, mercury vapor is poisonous, but that's no problem for time travelers.

The prototype of this mirror was made in a closed container with a volume of more than one cubic meter.

This container was designed by Lu Chen himself.

Liquid mercury is pre-stored in an inverted glass bottle above the container. When in use, a flat glass plate covered with tin foil is placed horizontally at the bottom of the container.

After sealing the container, turn on the lever to open the seal of the glass bottle, and the mercury will flow evenly onto the tin foil along the preset trajectory.

Lu Chen could observe the inside of the container through the transparent glass on one side.

This container is not truly sealed; at each end, there is a ventilation duct leading to the outside.

One end connects to a bellows outdoors, continuously blowing air into it, while the other end leads directly to the bottom of a large pool.

Toxic mercury vapor is continuously sent to the bottom of the water. Mercury vapor is easily soluble in water, and as long as there is enough water, the amount that can escape into the air is negligible.

There was almost no mercury vapor in the room where the operator was located.

"Shen Zhui, keep this safe."

Lu Chen handed Shen Zhui a hand-drawn blueprint.

"The box in this design is too small; it can only make one glass mirror at a time. Plus, it takes about half a month to dry completely, so the efficiency is too low."

After you return to Chengtian Prefecture, have the craftsmen improve upon these blueprints to create a box that can hold even more glass mirrors.

Most importantly, it is essential to ensure proper sealing. The process of making glass mirrors generates toxic fumes that can poison craftsmen if inhaled.

During the production process, it is essential to blow air from one end of the box to dissipate the toxic fumes into the water.

The pool needs to be large and deep enough, and the air outlet should be at least ten feet underwater. Once the smoke and dust have passed through the water, they will be much less toxic.

The formula for glass mirrors is actually very simple: first, cover a flat glass plate with a layer of tin foil, then evenly pour mercury over it, and let it air dry naturally.

This thin layer is very fragile; after it dries completely, another layer of paint must be applied for protection.

This recipe is only for you; it must never be revealed to anyone else.

The secret of the glass mirror is too simple; the level of secrecy must be kept at the highest level.

Choose a large ravine, build many houses, and let all the craftsmen live and eat inside, only going in and not out.

The workshop for firing flat glass should be located in a separate valley, not built together with other workshops.

"Your Highness, I am willing to stake my life on this."

Shen Zhui quickly expressed his opinion.

"We will never allow any craftsman who knows the secret of the glass mirror to leave."

"Once the porcelain artisans recruited from Jingdezhen arrive, the porcelain workshop of the Prince's Imperial Workshop can also be built."

Lu Chen nodded.

Are you wondering why we need to build our own workshop to fire porcelain when we can buy it directly from Jingdezhen?

Because I have another secret recipe for you!

Using this method, porcelain that is as thin as paper and allows a finger to pass through it, with a texture like jade, can be fired!

The secret recipe is actually quite simple: when making the porcelain body, add cow bone powder to the original base.

However, I don't know the full recipe. I only know that bone powder accounts for nearly half of the ingredients, and the firing process should also be different from that of Jingdezhen porcelain.

The porcelain artisans also need to experiment with the raw material ratios and firing techniques themselves.

"Please rest assured, Your Highness."

Shen Zhui clasped his hands and bowed to Lu Chen.

"I will certainly urge the craftsmen to fire the finished product as soon as possible."