future library.

Chapter 116
Among the group of astrologists, Cao Feng Er is also one of the best. Those astrowarlocks who can have a laboratory in the astronomy tower are like experts and professors who can own a world-class laboratory. Doubt.

But in terms of personal income, he is far from enough.

In fact, there are two types of wealthy Star Warlocks, one is like Star Warlock Liu Kuangxing, who can have enough food and clothing without having to do anything, and the other is Star Warlocks who have nothing to do but have enough food and clothing - most of the Star Warlocks have lost the possibility of advancement. , will turn to politics or business in order to obtain psychological satisfaction.

Although the laboratory of Warlock Cao Fengxing is not very valued, but he is determined to use 12 taels of silver, and Warlock Liu Kuangxing still wants to give it to him. As he said, within the scope of the entire Great Xia Dynasty, Cao Feng and Warlock Jin Xixing are still the same. An authoritative figure on food and other biological aspects.Although the content of this aspect has not been taken seriously for the time being.

The so-called glass workshop was still busy being relocated. Ma Ling was ordered to supervise the work nearby. When Cheng Jinzhou arrived at the Star Warlock Tower, he lingered and refused to leave.From the beginning to the end, he didn't get a book for making glass. Now that he sees other people building glass workshops, it goes without saying that he feels envious in his heart.

He almost drooled and asked, "Can you make glass mirrors?"

"Of course, you are interested? The price is more expensive." The answer was naturally Ma Ling. Although the workshop owner who was waiting by the side was a professional, he was not high enough to speak directly with the Star Warlock.In the outer peninsula, the hierarchy is far more strict than in other areas.

Cheng Jinzhou was immediately disappointed. The cost of glass mirrors lies in the secrecy. Back then, Venice concentrated all the glass workshops on Murano Island, and then put the treasures in their underwear. Let alone other countries, it is even an Italian city-state on a bed. Don't even want to see it.It was like this for 200 years before they were able to figure out millions of gold francs.Once Europe learned the trick, whatever the cost of glass mirrors, they were of very little value.

It is impossible for Cheng Jinzhou to understand glass blowing and other technical tasks. Seeing that the only thing he knows about chemistry has been fooled by an unknown star warlock, he said with great loss of interest: "Where is Cao Feng star warlock?"

"Let's be in the laboratory." Ma Ling finished with a smile, and regardless of the many affairs behind him, he first led Cheng Jinzhou graciously—even though the astrologer's big cataract was a shadow.

Directly south of the second floor, as soon as you walk in, you can see the glass made of wooden clips, which cost at least 40 to [-] yuan.The toughness of glass in this era is even worse, and it is more troublesome to transport.

Cheng Jinzhou found Cao Feng's hunched back, walked over carefully, and said loudly, "Cao Feng Star Warlock."

"Oh, Mr. Cheng, you are finally here. I heard that you have been in the dock area for the past few days?"

"Do a little experiment."

"Teleportation Star Array?" Cao Feng asked quickly.

Cheng Jinzhou laughed awkwardly and said, "It's not that profound."

In any case, it is very difficult to conceal the entry and exit of bulk materials, and Cheng Jinzhou does not want to let himself fall into the vicious circle of explaining the teleportation star array, so he simply plays mysticism.

The research of many star warlocks is private—for this era, the powerful star array is as amazing as a high-tech weapon, and its huge power will naturally bring similar worries to high-tech weapons, so I don’t want to go into details Explanations and disclosures, and even astrological magicians who cherished themselves until their death and refused to publish their research abound. Cheng Jinzhou's statement is not surprising.

Of course, Warlock Cao Fengxing didn't want to pursue it. He laughed a few times and stood up from his chair, saying, "We've been polishing our lenses recently, and the effect is remarkable..."

"You bought all these transparent glasses?"

"Of course, we need a lot of raw materials."

"But the glass factory is about to be built."

Cao Feng said dissatisfied: "I heard that it will take another month. I can't wait that long. We can make a microscope with a magnification of 50 immediately."

From 10 to 50 is of course a significant improvement, but Cheng Jinzhou remembers very clearly that Leeuwenhoek’s microscope at the time had a magnification of at least 200 times, and it was very difficult for him to improve his level with Jinxi’s method of processing lenses. ——In Cheng Jinzhou's view, the research of Cao Feng and others is of value only after entering the era of microorganisms.

Shrugging, Cheng Jinzhou asked casually, "How much are those glasses?"

"Each block is 120 taels of silver."

Cheng Jinzhou didn't think so, 120 taels of silver can buy 2 little girls and raise them for another 10 years by the way.

"Those are transparent glass, not colored glass, and they are the best transparent glass." Cao Feng snorted twice and said, "It is more expensive than crystal, but according to what you said, we have to experiment to see if we can make Increase the magnification a little bit."

Cheng Jinzhou patted his forehead and said nothing. Researchers are often very paranoid when facing their own projects.Perhaps it is because the research process is too boring, so that they will consciously and unconsciously magnify their value—just like everyone does—many advances that are inconspicuous to ordinary people or science itself, They are often cherished by them, it is cruel to say it, but personal value is often limited...

The improvement of the magnifying glass from 50 times to 60 times is worthless, let alone the progress maintained by materials. No matter what Cao Feng has expected about this, it will not help.From Cheng Jinzhou's point of view, this is like the storage capacity of DVD discs has increased by 10%. What's the use?

Regarding this, Cheng Jinzhou didn't even want to cooperate with him to laugh twice, shook his head and said: "You should control your own research funding expenditure."

Cao Feng said indifferently: "It's enough."

Astromancers have never had strict financial management measures to ensure the sustainability of their research funding—perhaps because astromancers are so easy to make money, they are like squirrels that can pick fruit all year round. When storing grain, they spend and waste desperately, and when the granary is empty, they go hunting wild food.Cao Feng is a first-level star warlock and a second-star warlock. If he spends money until he goes bankrupt, he must have his own way of making money.

More than 30 pieces of glass are worth 4000 taels of silver, which is hundreds of times what the Cheng family gave to Cheng Jinzhou every month. Xiao Cheng pouted and changed the subject without a trace: "Warlock Cao Fengxing, how are you going to cultivate the land next year?"

"The land near the capital?"

"That's right. Any plans? You're so busy right now..."

Cao Feng continued to fiddle with his microscope, and said indifferently: "I am going to return it to Warlock Liu Kuangxing. Of course, the experimental field must be kept, and the rest can be cultivated by the tenants."

In fact, the land itself is managed by someone, and Cao Feng's job is to decide what to plant.Because of this, the tenancy and tenancy system for Astromancers is slightly different.

Compared with Liu Kuang's shrewdness, Cheng Jinzhou of course prefers to deal with Cao Feng, and quickly stopped him: "If you are not going to use these lands, I want to give it a try."

"Planting?"

"Yes, uh... I want to try growing your new crop. I call it real rice." Cheng Jinzhou still said it. What is grown on the land cannot be concealed.

"Large-scale planting?" Cao Feng pondered and said, "This may not be a good choice. You know, our research suggests that this food crop has some characteristics, but the yield is significantly lower than other crops. And there are no clear side effects, and you should understand that our research is based on very small research..."

His last sentence was vague, but Cheng Jinzhou could hear it clearly.Based on the current research conditions and research foundation of the current astrologists, the reports they draw are not much better than the unintentional master's thesis. The so-called research results can be said to have no results at all.

Of course, these cannot be said publicly, but it also proves that Cao Feng is not optimistic about Zhenmi.

Cheng Jinzhou has already obtained all the planting materials. Although many of the conditions cannot be met, or he is difficult to understand, even with the current minimum production, his profit is quite considerable, not to mention that it will help him to go further in the future development of.

Grain is the Star Alliance's favorite purchase, and Cheng Jinzhou has long been determined to follow the route of the grain king, and now he simply said: "If I want to rent and plant the remaining land, what do I need?"

"Does your star array need food? This kind of real rice?" Cao Feng star warlock said smartly.In his opinion, star warlocks will only produce something when there is a demand for the star array, and other production is worthless.

Cheng Jinzhou shrugged his shoulders and said, "How is it?"

"We are planning to leave 1 hectares of land, so there are 14 hectares left. I must tell Warlock Liu Kuangxing about the amount of land. If you plant all...real rice, then the food supply in the outer peninsula will definitely not be enough. We need to import from other places, although it is a small matter, it is better to explain it, and I think Warlock Liu Kuangxing will definitely agree." Warlock Cao Fengxing said according to his own ideas, without considering the issue of price at all.

Cheng Jinzhou had to ask: "Then how much land tax should I pay to the outer peninsula?"

Warlock Cao Fengxing pondered for a moment and recalled: "Tenants will ask for 4% of the land's output. If what you grow is not food, you will have to pay for the food. Each acre of land is about 6 shi. The land rent is 7% of the real estate, and the same , if you don’t grow food, you have to spend [-] or [-] stones per mu of land..."

Growing real rice means paying 8% of the land’s output.The second landlord is also not easy to do.

According to Cheng Jinzhou's random calculation, 14 hectares of land is 210 million mu.All of them are fertile fields. By the end of the year, 2100 million shi of grain will be provided, which is equivalent to 105 million tons.It is equivalent to the grain output of an ordinary county in the later generations. If things go smoothly, it will naturally be obtained through trading, but if you think about it with your ass, you know that so much grain always needs to be mortgaged.

Warlock Liu Kuangxing has never been as kind as his face, and his intelligence level is not as low as it seems.

Coupled with the cost of purchasing seeds and planting, Cheng Jinzhou did not want to lose himself to Warlock Liu Kuangxing.

Therefore, although 210 million acres of land was extremely attractive, Cheng Jinzhou still refused: "Warlock Cao Fengxing, what is the maximum area you can decide?"

"I'm not going to keep the land in my hands." Cao Feng said in amazement: "Our progress is very fast, and our research will be cross-generational."

Having said this, Cao Feng's voice has become high.

At this time, Cheng Jinzhou had already figured it out, even if he had doubled the funds in his hands, he would not be able to support many tenants.He couldn't even afford enough farm implements and livestock.In any period, big landlords are not so easy to do.

At the same time, he can't give real rice worth 16 times the price of ordinary grain to the tenants, or pay Warlock Liu Kuangxing. Thinking of this, Cheng Jinzhou whispered: "Warlock Cao Fengxing, I can help you, but I also want you to help me."

"Help me with what?"

"Help you increase the magnification of the microscope, and you will let me plant 1 hectares of land for free."

Cao Feng said doubtfully, "You have a solution?"

"I am proficient in mathematics." Cheng Jinzhou boasted: "Not only the problem of determining the focus, I have a lot of ideas about the lens, such as the calculation of radians, and polarized light. Have you considered the requirements of the light itself? I can join you experiment. What is your goal?"

"In three years, I plan to make a 100-fold microscope." It is very conservative to double all the research results and design for three years.

Cheng Jinzhou nodded solemnly and said: "I guarantee on my own reputation that I can help you complete this work within one year, but I need to concentrate on it. If possible, I hope to be able to plant 1 hectares of land for free. I don't want to use Liu Kuangxing Warlock , you know, he doesn't care about the research content of other astromancers, he only cares about the results."

The controller of any research project, like a producer, will impose various financial restrictions.And the feelings of researchers towards project controllers are often like directors towards producers, always ups and downs.

Cheng Jinzhou said something that could bring the relationship closer, which made Warlock Cao Fengxing keep nodding his head empathetically, but he was still clear-headed, and after thinking for a long time, he said, "Since you have already said that, then I will leave you another 1 hectares of land, but if you want Manage it yourself, and in addition, you have to leave enough food for the tenants and the outer peninsula. Completely free is not acceptable.”

8% of the rent is still not less. 15 mu requires 7.5 tons of grain, worth 30 taels of silver.

Thinking from a bright direction, it may cost 15 million taels of silver to buy 600 mu of land.Regardless of whether it is millions of taels or tens of thousands of taels of silver, it is impossible for Cheng Jinzhou to let Warlock Cao Fengxing come out when he has nothing. This is basically a situation that both parties can be satisfied with.

Cheng Jinzhou gritted his teeth and said, "Regardless of whether the harvest is good or not, I will bring out the grain."

"That would be the best." Cao Feng said, his face glowed ruddy again: "What do you think about the improvement of the microscope?"

……

Beyond the word count: Strolling is over...

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(End of this chapter)