To The Land of Nevernight

Lingzishi, also known as dolomite, is a common ore mainly composed of calcium magnesium carbonate.

In Tang Shen's memory, dolomite was abundant in later generations, and it was not uncommon.But in this era, dolomite is not so common.The first is because no one needs to use this ore.In this era, in addition to smelting iron to make porcelain, ores were mainly used as pigments.Dolomite cannot be used for smelting iron, nor can it be used for ceramics, and it is even more unrealistic to make pigments.

Without a market, there is no demand.

Second, there is no dolomite vein with relatively high purity.

With the production technology of this era, if you want to use dolomite to produce glass, the demand for the purity of the raw material is extremely high.Even if the purity is reached, it is difficult to produce completely transparent glass.

Yes, Tang Shen intends to make glass.

Glass, to be precise, is not a modern product.As early as 3000 BC, the Egyptians had glass vessels.In the fifth century BC, the Romans even invented the glass blowing method, using clay pipes to blow out glassware.This method has been used for thousands of years, and even in later generations, craftsmen will still use this method to make glass crafts.

However, no matter it is China in history or the Song Dynasty where Tang Shen is now, glass making skills are far inferior to those in the West.

There was glass in the Song Dynasty, and glass was called Liuli.It is made of extremely expensive glazed stone, which is exquisite and eye-catching. Each glass cup is priceless and is only used by the royal family.Most of the glazed stones are colored, so the glazed utensils in the palace are mainly colored, and there are few colorless glass.

It is not difficult to make glass.

Tang Shen thought for a while and said, "What about feldspar and sandstone?"

Shopkeeper Lu said: "It's easy to find, there are suitable mines in Beizhili."

Tang Shen said: "Okay, then wait for two days, shopkeeper Lu, you can bring back a truckload of high-purity dolomite from the northeast."

"it is good!"

Shopkeeper Lu couldn't understand what Tang Shen was going to do, so he simply didn't understand it. After all, the little boss wouldn't do bad things, he just wanted a few carts of stones.Others like to play with jade, Tang Shen likes to play with stones, what a good hobby!These broken stones can't let them break the bank.

Not long after, shopkeeper Lu transported several carts of dolomite, feldspar and sandstone to Shengjing.He sent the stuff directly to Down's Soap Factory outside the city.After leaving the yamen, Tang Shen went into the workshop and plunged in to study the method of making glass.

It is not difficult to make glass. The main materials are dolomite, feldspar, sandstone, and sodium hydroxide.

When Tang Shen was making soap, he made sodium perhydroxide.Now he is proficient at driving a car, quickly made a jar of sodium hydroxide, and carefully put the things in clay pots.Both feldspar and sandstone are rich in silicon. Dolomite is oxidized with sodium hydroxide, and then silicate is produced through chemical reaction, which can be made into rough glass.

However, it is easier said than done!

Tang Shen studied materials in his previous life, but when making things in the laboratory, he would never lack raw materials, let alone use such rough ore to make glass.

Tang Shen recruited a few craftsmen to grind these stones into ink, and it took half a day.Because the raw materials were not pure enough, he had to do experiments while looking for a suitable ratio based on the purity of the materials.

The twelfth lunar month is about to usher in the new year.

Shengjing ushered in the first winter snow of this year, covered with snow and covered with snow.Thick snow accumulated on the streets, and people and cars walked by, leaving footprints and ruts, and trampling the snow.It's New Year's Eve, and every household is decorated with lanterns and festoons. On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, the yamen will take a vacation until after the Lantern Festival.

When Tang Shen came back from the Yamen, he patted the snowflake on his shoulder.Aunt Yao brought a bowl of hot chicken soup, Tang Shen immediately warmed up after drinking it.He looked around and asked, "Where's Don Juan?"

Aunt Yao laughed and said, "Ah Huang and San'er are going shopping for new year's goods."

Tang Shen nodded.

In the evening, Tang Juan and Yao San came back from outside.

Tanhua Mansion is a big house with three entrances, and there is a courtyard with two entrances on the left and right sides.For such a big house, Tang Shen originally wanted to buy some servants and maids to clean it, but Aunt Yao insisted on stopping it.

"It's enough for me alone. It's okay for me to be idle at home every day, just clean and clean."

Tang Shen couldn't hold back her, so he didn't buy a servant.The housework in Tanhua's mansion is contracted by Aunt Yao and Shutong Fengbi.

Seeing Tang Juan came back, Tang Shen put on a straight face on purpose: "Didn't you say, wait for me at home today, and go to Xixia Building for dinner tonight?"

Don Juan: "You said it's night, my good brother, it's not night yet!"

Tang Shen shook his head helplessly: "Go and change your clothes." After a while, he stopped Tang Juan again: "Put on that fox-fur jacket you brought from Gusu."

Don Juan was taken aback, nodded, and went to change clothes obediently.

It gets dark very quickly in winter, and just after Shen Shi, the sun sets and the night falls.The two brothers and sisters of the Tang family came to Xixia Building dressed in stars all over the sky.Seeing that it was Xiaodong's who came, shopkeeper Lu immediately led the two of them in, to a private room on the second floor not facing the street.As soon as he entered the room, Tang Shen felt a burst of warmth.

In the center of the simple and clean house, there is a burning charcoal stove.

The best smokeless silver silk charcoal is used, and sandalwood is lit next to it.White smoke curls up, refreshing.

The room was very hot, so Tang Shen and Don Juan took off their cloaks and hung them aside.Tang Shen pushed open the window, the snow-white moonlight shone into the room, and reflected the white snow all over the ground in Shengjing City, the snow and the moonlight complemented each other into splendor.

Don Juan asked nervously: "Brother, it's so grand, who are you going to have dinner with tonight?"

Tang Shen glanced at her: "Guess who it is."

Don Juan thought for a while: "...Could it be your husband?"

"And my brother."

Half an hour later, Fu Wei and Wang Qin came to Xixia Tower one after another.

Fu Wei came first. When he entered the room, the first thing he noticed was a picture hanging on the wall.Fu Xiru's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward.After examining it carefully, he looked at Tang Shen: "Wu Daozi's painting?"

Tang Shen smiled and said, "Don't dare to hide it from sir, yes, it's the painting of a master painter."

"This is a good thing. Although it is not the paintings handed down by Wu Daozi, it will cost a lot of money." Fu Wei looked at it and said with emotion: "The paintings are really good, and they are indeed better than the old man."

When Wang Qin entered the room, he also saw the paintings on the wall.He glanced meaningfully, then turned to look at the nervous little girl standing beside Tang Shen.

In all fairness, Tang Shen and Tang Juan don't look alike.

Tang Shen is tall, handsome and elegant.He has a pair of bright and clear eyes, which are naturally smiling eyes. When he smiles, his eyes are like stars and crescent moons.When he is not smiling, he looks handsome and youthful. At first glance, he looks like a young man like a spring of bamboo and stone, but in fact he is only 17 years old this year, and he is a handsome young man.

Compared with Tang Shen, Tang Juan looks more heroic.It's not that she looks masculine as a little girl, but compared to her brother's handsomeness, her facial features are profound and her eyes are piercing.When she looked at Wang Qin, although she was a little scared, there was an unshakable determination deep in her eyes.

She is a stubborn little girl.

When Wang Qin came to this conclusion, he asked Tang Shen softly, "Your sister?"

Tang Shen introduced: "Yes, this is my younger sister, and her name is Huang."

After getting acquainted with each other, the four of them sat around the table and began to eat the Boxia offering.

Unknowingly, snowflakes floated outside the window again.The combination of the vast snow and the steaming hot pot is simply refreshing.

After the meal, Tang Shen gave Shopkeeper Lu a wink.Shopkeeper Lu understood, took down Wu Daozi's painting on the wall, and wrapped it carefully with silk cloth.Tang Shen gave this painting to Fu Wei.Because this is Wu Daozi's painting, even Fu Wei was very surprised: "Jing Ze, are you giving this painting as a teacher?"

Tang Shen: "I was looking for this painting for my husband. I know that my heart is devoted to painting, and I happened to hear that someone in Gusu Mansion was selling this painting, so I bought it for my husband. Please keep it, sir. I have been here since the year before last. Jing, counting now, it has been three years. In this unfamiliar place, if there is no teacher who teaches me, I will be at a loss and achieve nothing. Thank you sir for teaching me, I will remember it in my heart and dare not forget it!"

As cheeky as Fu Wei blushed, he thought: Have I taught you?

He laughed: "Then I will accept it as a teacher."

After drinking and eating, Tang Juan followed shopkeeper Lu to check the business flow of Xixia Building today.Fu Wei got a painting and was so happy that he took the painting back home on the spot, saying that he wanted to appreciate it.In the private room, only Tang Shen and Wang Qin were left.

Wang Qin flicked a layer of tea foam on the tea soup, and took a sip of Biluochun lightly.

The windows were open, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood in the room.Wang Zifeng bathed in the moonlight, dressed in white, quietly sipping tea and looking at the moon.It's hard to say whether the moonlight is brighter or brighter, or the people in the moonlight are more temperamental.

Tang Shen couldn't help staring blankly for a while, and when he came back to his senses, he immediately took out a small brocade box from his sleeve and handed it to Wang Qin.

Wang Qin took the brocade box and asked with a smile, "Is this a bribe?"

Tang Shen was stunned.

Wang Qin's words were not aimless.

Fu Wei is ordered by the Imperial Academy, he can't control Tang Shen, so it is understandable for Tang Shen to give him gifts.But Wang Qin is the Minister of the Household Department, if he really wants to control it, it can be completely controlled by Tang Shen, a member of Zhongshushe.What's more, they are still working together in the Hall of Qinzheng.

Tang Shen said helplessly: "Brother teased me again. Whether it is true or not, don't you know?"

Wang Qin: "Junior brother has become bolder recently."

"How dare I be?"

Wang Qin imitated Tang Shen's tone and said, "Don't you know how bold you are?"

The two brothers looked at each other and smiled.

The moment Wang Qin opened the box and saw clearly what was inside, even though he had already prepared for it, he was still startled and lost his mind for a while.

I saw a palm-sized glazed bottle in the small and exquisite brocade box.

This is a strange colored glass bottle, transparent in body, square in shape and very angular.At the mouth of the bottle, it is plated with a thin gold wire.On the body of the bottle, there is another plum blossom embedded.It is no exaggeration to say that it is exquisite and dazzling.At least in the past 26 years, Wang Qin has never seen a colorless glass bottle, even in the imperial treasury, there is no such thing.

But to say that it is exquisite, its gold thread tracing technique is a little bit worse.It's just that because the bottle contains a light yellow liquid, people can ignore the golden lines drawn on it.

Wang Qin leaned closer and smelled it: "Is this golden strand?"

"Yes."

Wang Qin looked at it for a while: "Where did you get this glass bottle?"

Glass products are mostly used by the royal family.There are not many glazed utensils that can be found outside the palace, let alone such exquisite ones, which are almost comparable to tributes.

Tang Shen: "I made it myself for senior brother."

Hearing this, Wang Qin suddenly raised his head and looked at Tang Shen fixedly.

Tang Shen smiled and said, "I've known my brother for three years, and I've learned a lot. This is my New Year's gift for this year."

Wang Qin looked at Tang Shen for a long time, then he said in a long tone: "Young brother prepared a gift for me, but I didn't prepare it. It seems that I have to return it."

Wang Qin wanted to give him a gift, of course Tang Shen would not refuse, and would agree with both hands and feet.

It is a fool not to take advantage of the advantages!

However, after waiting for two days, Tang Shen didn't get Wang Zifeng's gift.

"Unexpectedly, even Wang Zifeng can deceive people. You really can't believe a man's mouth."

After Tang Shen sighed, he packed his bags and went back to his hometown with Tang Juan to celebrate the new year.

Yes, this year Tang Shen decided to go back to Gusu Mansion to visit relatives.

Yao San still had things to do, so he stayed in Shengjing.Tang Shen took his younger sister and the book boy to Fengbi, boarded the boat, and went all the way south along the Grand Canal.Ten days later, return to Gusu Mansion.

As soon as the three of them got off the boat, they heard gongs and drums shaking the sky, and colorful cannons were fired.

Tang Shen was taken aback, seeing Tang Juren and Tang Clan Head walking quickly, saying, "Jing Ze, you are back. We have been waiting for you for a year!"