Iron Dynasty

Your Highness, what is this briquettes? Wang Shijie was puzzled.

Xiao Ming showed a mysterious smile and gestured to Chen Wenlong with his eyes.

Chen Wenlong understood and sent a craftsman outside to bring the briquettes made.

This briquettes is also called briquettes. It is 10 cm in cylindrical shape and is full of round holes. In the world where Xiao Ming lived, this kind of briquettes was very popular before the 1970s and 1980s, and almost every family had it.

Boiling water, cooking, heating, it's versatile, very practical, and fairly simple to make.

Facing this kind of thing that never appeared, Wang Shijie and the four were confused at the same time, just waiting for Xiao Ming's next explanation.

Everyone, look closely, this is a coal ball furnace, which is actually a cylinder, divided into two parts by an iron pestle. The upper part is the furnace, and the lower part is the air inlet. There is a damper outside. There is less gas entering and less fire. This briquettes are ground and recast from briquettes, and the combination of the two will have a magical effect.”

After Xiao Ming finished speaking, he did it himself, took charcoal and wheat straw to start the fire, then placed a briquettes at the bottom, and held a long clay plastic bobbin as a chimney to stand on top.

The four Wang Shijie stood together and whispered, watching Xiao Ming's movements with all their attention.

After a while, the fire started and the briquettes were ignited. Then Xiao Ming stuffed the second briquettes into the stove and took down the small chimney at the same time.

At this time, the blue flame in the furnace was burning vigorously.

His Royal Highness, this is not much different from a charcoal basin. Sun Dong, who has always been outspoken among the four, said first.

Qin Mu rolled his eyes, tapped his fan in the palm of his hand, and said with dissatisfaction with Sun Dong: Brother Sun's words are not good. Since it can make His Highness so concerned, it must be something extraordinary.

Brother Qin's kung fu is really getting better and better. It's amazing. I think Brother Sun's words have some truth. Wei Qing said sternly.

If Sun Dong is outspoken, then Wei Qing has a bit of a head. As far as Xiao Ming knows, his father bought a lot of money for Wei Qing to pass the township test.

As for him, he likes sticks more than poetry.

Wang Shijie pondered for a while, then showed a look of contempt to the three of them, If you talk about this coal pellet stove, the three of you can't understand it as well as I do. What Your Highness said about this coal pellet stove is really very practical, it is more practical than a charcoal pot. Much more convenient.

Brother Wang still has an opinion. As expected, he is in the coal and iron business. Xiao Ming praised.

Wang Shijie has always been a person who lays eggs for a broken basket. He is triumphant, like a rooster that has won a fight, Your Highness, this thing is really good, I wonder where your Highness learned this thing?

Xiao Ming said indifferently: Speaking of this, it's too long. The housekeeper of the palace bought a book from an overseas businessman a few days ago. I saw a lot of novelties in it, so I carefully studied it.

At this time, Xiao Ming's identity is the advantage of the prince. He only needs to make up an excuse to get rid of the equipment to be developed in the future.

If it were ordinary people, these wealthy and powerful families would have to figure out how to kill people and kill their mouths.

Wang Shijie was dubious, but Xiao Ming said so, and he didn't dare to ask in detail. After all, it was one thing for them to get along well with Xiao Ming, and it was another matter for them to get along well.

His Royal Highness is really a noble person who has God's help. This coal ball stove is really good. Can your Highness ask the equipment department to build one for me?

Wang Shijie, Qin Mu and the others exchanged glances. This coal pellet stove is quite novel, and they really want to buy it and try it out.

Xiao Ming is waiting for the fish to take the bait. It is impossible for this coal pellet stove to be popularized in the homes of the common people, because ordinary people cannot burn coal and can only burn some wood and the like.

But the big family is different. The psychology of any wealthy family is the same, that is, they like to hunt for oddities.

It's not impossible, it's just that this coal ball furnace consumes iron and coal. My Prince Qi's mansion has always been very poor...

Wang Shijie, a person who is like a fine man, immediately understood, Your Highness, it's easy to say, you say how much silver taels this coal ball furnace is, we will do it.

Qin Mu and the three nodded in succession. They did not dare to take advantage of Xiao Ming's hands. After all, Xiao Ming was also a vassal king.

That's it, fifty taels of silver for a briquettes stove. Xiao Ming lion opened his mouth.

Wang Shijie was shocked, this King Qi really dared to ask for it.

In his opinion, although this coal ball stove is much more convenient than the charcoal basin, it is not irreplaceable.

He said: His Royal Highness, fifty taels is really too much, think about it, who doesn't keep a servant in a big family, it's a little troublesome to boil water, cook and warm wine, but after all, you don't need to do it yourself, buy this for fifty taels and go back. , why don't you buy a maid, don't make things difficult for me.

The three of Qin Mu nodded at the same time, and Sun Dong said, But Brother Wang reminded me that this coal pellet stove is a business, and it can be sold to some wealthy households who have some money in their hands but can't afford to support maids.

Xiao Ming glanced at the four of them, thinking that the ancients were not stupid, and they were meticulous in their calculations. They couldn't make a lot of money by just making something out of it.

The first round of flickering failed, Xiao Ming called Chen Wenlong to ask about the cost of the briquettes.

Wang Shijie's estimate is very accurate, and the cost is basically around two or two grains of silver. After all, coal and iron are still very expensive.

I can't find the big one, but Sun Dong's proposal is feasible. He made this coal pellet stove to make money.

Otherwise, where did he get the money to build up the industrial base, and he couldn't loot all the wealthy households in Qingzhou?

Brother Sun is still brilliant. Xiao Ming praised.

At this time, Qin Mu had a clever move and said, Your Highness, my family is in the water transportation business. I go to all places in the Great Yu Kingdom. Why don't I give this coal pellet stove business to my family and let my family sell it?

This matter is indeed the most suitable for Brother Qin. Wei Qing said.

Brother Qin's words are exactly what I want, and you all understand that the taxation in Qingzhou is not as good as a year. If it goes on like this, Qi Wangfu will soon be drinking the wind and dew. Although you often help the Wangfu, but after all, it is not Long-term plan. Xiao Ming said with a long sigh.

At this time, the four of them all showed embarrassed expressions. Naturally, they knew exactly where the crux of the tax issue was.

It's just that none of the wealthy and powerful families in the Great Yu Kingdom are holding the money in their own hands.

Now that King Qi wants to do business by himself to subsidize the palace, this is understandable. I wonder which of the princes does not have a group of merchants under his command.

These merchants offer silver taels every year in exchange for business convenience, and some profitable businesses are even run directly by the prince's cronies.

Similarly, they also offered some silver taels to King Qi every year, but King Qi was really incompetent, and these silver taels were only used for enjoyment.

Even the mines that the other princes held tightly in their hands were ignored by Caoyun.