The first meeting between Zhou Zhong and Tayama Naoyoshi and others was actually very pleasant. This was mainly because the other party wanted to get closer to Zhou Zhong, so he deliberately wanted to get closer to the two parties. Zhou Zhong also wanted to use each other to communicate with Ashikaga Yoshisai and Tayama.

Naoshun made good friends so that he could better influence the political situation of Japan in the future, so he also had a pleasant conversation with Tayama Naoyoshi and Ashikaga Ikki.

However, for the other deputy envoy Hatano Hidego, Zhou Zhong could not overcome his psychological barrier no matter what because of his surname. Fortunately, Hatano Hidego was also a very taciturn person. As long as others did not ask, he would never

He took the initiative to speak, which made Zhou Zhong feel much more relaxed.

After the banquet, Ashikaga Ikki and the others finally asked when Shuzhong planned to go to the capital. After all, it was already mid-August. Although Shuzhong was almost ready, the corn and sweet potatoes had not been harvested from the fields yet.

Therefore, after thinking about it for a while, he told the other party that the departure day would be the first day of the next month, and they could take a rest and make preparations during this half month.

After seeing off Ashikaga Ikki and others, Zhou Chong, who had a night's rest, went to Nanyang Town. Now Nanyang Town is not only a residential area where Beigang people gather, but most of the workshops of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce are also there, but some

Is the workshop too disturbing or inappropriate?

It is very safe, and there are also reasons for confidentiality, such as artillery workshops and gunpowder workshops, so these workshops were moved to a valley south of Nanyang Town by Zhou Chong and were closely guarded, and this valley got its name.

Workshop Valley".

Zhou Zhong went to the Workshop Valley this time. This valley is actually next to the valley where Priest Nader tested the cannon before. However, this valley is very large and the terrain is relatively high. Even during heavy rains in summer.

There is no need to worry about being flooded in the valley. Now the entire valley has been carefully planned into an industrial area. Not only artillery and gunpowder workshops are here, but also iron-making, weapons, glass and other workshops are here.

After arriving at Workshop Valley, Zhou Zhong first went to the artillery workshop to check the casting progress of the artillery. With the help of several artillery craftsmen brought by Father John, not only were various problems with the original artillery solved, but the casting speed was also accelerated.

Many newly launched Dafu ships have been equipped with two artillery pieces for testing, and most of the remaining gun positions are still empty. There is nothing we can do about it. After all, the artillery castings are

It's not something that can be completed in a day or two.

After coming out of the artillery workshop, Zhou Chong went to the gunpowder workshop located in the innermost part of the valley. Because the gunpowder workshop was extremely dangerous, it was far away from other workshops, and the wages of the craftsmen in the workshop were relatively high. Speaking of the gunpowder preparation in the Ming Dynasty,

Better than already and black powder

The ratio is almost the same. Zhou Zhong has no good way to improve it. He can only make the gunpowder into granular gunpowder. In this way, there is no need to worry about leaving the gunpowder for too long, which will cause the gunpowder to stratify. In addition, the granular gunpowder will burn more fully.

Powdered gunpowder is more powerful.

However, Zhou Zhong did not dare to stay too long in the gunpowder workshop. After all, watching the craftsmen knead the gunpowder like dough was indeed a test of one's courage. Zhou Zhong felt that he was still a person who cherished his life.

It's really not advisable to stay in such a dangerous environment for too long, but after he leaves

, immediately asked people to increase the wages of the craftsmen in the gunpowder workshop again, and promised that if the craftsmen had an accident, the Chamber of Commerce would always take care of their families. After all, these craftsmen are taking great risks when working here.

If there was an accident, they probably wouldn't even be able to save a whole body.

After leaving the gunpowder workshop, Zhou Chong went to the glass workshop. Now the glass products produced in the glass workshop have begun to be sold to the outside world. However, glass is not a rare item in the Ming Dynasty. Merchants have long transported it to the Ming Dynasty from overseas to sell it, so

The price is not very high, but considering the low price of glass

Cost, so the profits of glass products are still very generous, and whether they are sold domestically or in Japan, Korea and other places, glass products are in short supply, so Zhou Zhong is already considering expanding the glass workshop. Finally, before leaving

At that time, Zhou Zhong also brought several precious gifts to Jinxuan and the others.

It was already afternoon, and in the living room of Zhou Zhong's residence, Silla was handing the handwriting she had written to Jinxuan and the three of them for inspection. After this period of study, Silla seemed to have mastered the trick of learning Chinese characters.

, now I know a lot of common words, but I still have problems with writing, and I often make some typos.

When Zhou Zhong entered the living room, Jinxuan and the others had just finished checking what Silla had written. It was already getting late, and Silla had to rush home before dawn, so when she saw Zhou Zhong come in, she stood up and prepared.

Farewell.

But at this time, Zhou Zhong stopped Silla with a smile and said: "Silla, don't leave in a hurry. Today I went to the glass workshop, and something happened to be made there, so I took it with me.

I’ve brought a few back to make gifts for you.”

Zhou Zhong said, putting a box in his hand on the table, and then looked at Jinxuan and the others with a mysterious look. Jinxuan and the others were also very surprised by Zhou Zhong's proud expression. After the glass was made,

, they received many gifts of glass products, and even Duoer and Qingqing regarded telescopes as toys, so glass was not unusual to them. However, seeing the expression on Zhou Zhong's face, it seemed that today's gift was unusual.

"Hehe, seeing Mr. Zhou's appearance now, I'm very curious about what gift it is?" After hearing Zhou Zhong's words, Silla gave up the idea of ​​leaving. She smiled and asked Zhou Zhong, Jinxuan and Zhuo'er,

Bai Mengwan and the other three also looked curiously at Zhou Zhong.

Speaking of which, although Zhou Zhong had already agreed to take Bai Mengwan as his concubine, and Wang Jinxuan also found an opportunity to tell Bai Mengwan afterwards, the girl was so happy that she couldn't sleep for several days. She was usually too embarrassed to see Zhou Zhong again, so she kept hiding.

He has been there for several days, no

In the end, she couldn't stand Zhuo'er's persuasion, and she also wanted to see Zhou Zhong often, so she ended up coming to Jinxuan as usual. However, every time she saw Zhou Zhong, she would lower her head shyly.

He didn't even dare to meet Zhou Zhong's eyes.

Zhou Zhong glanced at Jinxuan and the others proudly, especially when he saw Bai Mengwan, he deliberately paused for a moment. As a result, Bai Mengwan lowered her head shyly again.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, Zhou Zhong opened the box on the table with a smile, then took out a shiny silver glass product and said proudly: "Silla, you should know

This thing!"

"Oh! Almighty Lord! Mirror! It's actually a mirror!" Sure enough, when Silla saw what Zhou Zhong was holding, she immediately jumped up from the chair in shock, shouting incoherently, and rushed to Zhou Zhong's side.

In front of him, it looked like he reached out to touch her, but he was worried about damaging the mirror, so he stood there hesitantly with a very funny expression.

"Hahaha~, feel free to touch it if you want. I'm not as stingy as the Venetians. This mirror is given to you. In addition, Jinxuan, Bracelet, Mengwan and you all also have a share. If you break it in the future,

Just ask me for another one!" Zhou Zhong looked at Silla's careful look and immediately put the mirror into her hand and said, at the same time he reached out and took out several other mirrors from the box and gave them to Jinxuan respectively.

they.

Seeing Zhou Zhong put such a valuable mirror into his hand without any care, and also said that he would give it to herself, this made Silla extremely excited for a moment. She knew the value of glass mirrors in Europe, don't look at her

The mirror in her hand is only the size of a book, but it is impossible for an ordinary woman like her to own it in her lifetime.

Compared with Silla's excitement, Jinxuan and the other three girls were full of doubts at first. When Zhou Zhong handed the mirror to their hands, they immediately saw their own clear image in the mirror, which was sharper than the usual bronze mirror.

It was several times clearer and more real, which made the three of them look at themselves in the mirror in surprise. It was the first time that they could see their own faces so clearly at such an age.

However, although Jinxuan and the others were surprised, they were not as excited as Silla. Firstly, the education they had received since childhood told them to maintain their posture at all times. Secondly, they did not know that the glass mirror in their hands had an amazing role in Europe.

Therefore, although Jinxuan and the others felt that the glass mirror in their hands was very wonderful, they only felt that it was just a novel object made by European craftsmen by Zhou Zhong, and it was not much different from the previous glass products.

After a while, Silla finally woke up from the shock, but she still asked in disbelief: "This... is this really for me?"

"Of course, I know that mirrors are very valuable in Europe, but that's mainly because the production methods are monopolized by the Venetians, so they raise the price of mirrors to sky-high prices. But in fact, I can tell you frankly that the cost of making glass mirrors is not

Gao, these are only the first batch of ones manufactured, and the mirror area is not large. When the technology matures in the future, I will give each of you a larger dressing mirror!" Zhou Zhong said with great enthusiasm.

After he explained the principle of making mirrors to the two glass craftsmen from Europe, they have been working hard to conduct experiments. As a result, they finally produced the first batch of products today. Moreover, Zhou Zhong was worried that the mercury behind the mirror was poisonous.

A thick layer of paint was painted on the back of the mirror, and the mirror was mounted on a precious sandalwood board to make the mirror safe and strong.

Hearing that Zhou Zhongri could make a bigger mirror in the future, Silla was stunned again. She didn't expect that the mirror manufacturing technology that had been kept secret by the Venetians in Europe for hundreds of years would be so casually used.

Zhou Zhong cracked it. You must know that glass was not produced here at all in the Ming Dynasty.

Glass, but it has only been a few months now. Not only has glass become available, but mirrors have also become larger and more beautiful than those in Europe. It seems that the description in Marco Polo's book is correct. The Central Plains is indeed the center of world civilization. (Unfinished)
Chapter completed!