The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

It was a coincidence that a craftsman accidentally poured the molten glass onto a flat stone slab while blowing it. Because it was too hot at the time, they did not touch it. When it cooled down, they picked up the molten glass and found that it was unexpectedly flat. It was just that the stone slab was stained with sand and gravel, and had more impurities.

So they tried to make glass using polished stone slabs, but they still only got single-sided smooth glass slabs. Because the temperature of the melt was high, the surface of the stone slab would still break, and the debris would stick to the glass and be difficult to remove.

The craftsmen tried several times and polished the stone flat, but the effect was still not as good as the accident. So the craftsmen decided to try using an iron plate, and found that the effect was much better than the stone plate. The only problem was that the iron plate and the glass plate were not easy to separate, and the glass was fragile, so the glass plate could not be made too large, otherwise it would be difficult to remove from the iron plate.

But all in all, the glazed plate that Min Xi needed was made, but the problem of fragility still needed to be solved.

Min Xi got some inspiration from using iron plates as carriers for colored glaze plates, and said to the craftsmen: "You can try using other plates as carriers for colored glaze plates, such as copper plates or silver plates."

Dan Yangzi rejected it immediately: "Silver plate is not suitable. It is too expensive and not suitable for use as a container. Try something else, such as aluminum plate or tin plate."

"Then don't use the silver plate, try a few other ones." Min Xi ordered.

The craftsmen went back and tried again.

After a few days, the craftsmen happily brought the glass plates to Min Xi to show him. Min Xi was almost stunned when he looked at the new samples. Some of them could be called glass, and the color was close to transparent.

Min Xi asked happily: "How was this made?"

The craftsman said excitedly, "These pieces of colored glaze are made of tin plates. It's not entirely correct to say that they are tin plates. At the beginning, we followed your advice and found copper plates, aluminum plates, and tin plates. As a result, they all melted when the colored glaze liquid was poured on them. However, tin melted the fastest, so we thought we had failed. But after it cooled down, we found that although it melted the fastest, the colored glaze on it was the smoothest and the color was the purest. So we tried to put the tin plate into a stone trough. When the colored glaze melted the tin plate and cooled and solidified, we had a flat and transparent colored glaze plate. It was also stronger than other colored glaze plates and not so fragile."

Min Xi was overjoyed: "Great, then I'll use tin to make glazed panels in the future! Can we make them bigger?"

"It should be possible, just make the stone trough bigger." said the craftsman.

"I'll give you some dimensions later, and you can make more glazed panels according to my dimensions. I have uses for them." Now that he had the glass, Min Xi naturally wanted to replace all the windows in his home with glass, and he could also put a few tiles on the roof to facilitate light entering the room.

Compared with decorative glassware, glass is obviously more practical. By that time, all the wealthy families in the capital and even the whole country will probably think about replacing their homes with glass windows and tiles.

Min Xi has already started thinking about opening a glass factory in the south.

By the way, with glass, we can make mirrors, which are much clearer than bronze mirrors. We can make mirrors of different sizes, and the cost is lower.

Min Xi thought that this could be done in cooperation with the emperor. After all, a large amount of silica sand and quartz stone was needed to open a factory, which required panning or mining. If they did it themselves, it would be fine if they did it in small quantities, but if they did it in large quantities, it would inevitably attract attention from many parties, and since it was a monopoly industry, it would inevitably attract the covetousness of local forces. However, if they did it in the name of the court, local tyrants would not dare to act rashly.

Min Xi kept the glass sent by the craftsman, took the silver, heated it in the kiln to melt it, and then evenly spread the molten silver on one side of the transparent glass.

Dan Yangzi was very curious about his actions: "What are you doing, sir?"

Min Xi said without even looking up: "I think it is very flat and can reflect the portrait. I will see if I can make the portrait appear clearer."

He tried a few and finally got the effect he wanted.

Dan Yangzi looked at himself in the mirror, his mouth opened so wide that an egg could fit in it: "Is this me?"

"Yes, this is you, Taoist priest. Is it clear?" Min Xi said with a smile.

"It's so clear! How did you think of it?" Dan Yangzi felt that Min Xi was so surprising to him and always did things that were beyond his expectations.

"I just like to think about it." Min Xi said with a smile, "I failed on these few sides, but I can still take a picture of a person, but the effect is not very good. Please give it to the Taoist priest."

Dan Yangzi happily took it and said, "Thank you! This is so valuable!"

Min Xi said, "I'm just trying it out. I'll make something better and send some to Your Majesty."

When Yun Ji came back, Min Xi said to him mysteriously: "Seventh Brother, I have a gift for you."

Yun Ji was also surprised: "What do you want to give me?"

Min Xi pulled him to their bedroom, pointed at the mirror leaning against the table and said, "Look."

Yun Ji looked in the mirror and saw himself and Min Xi. He turned his head to look at Min Xi in disbelief, then looked in the mirror again: "Is this a mirror?! How can a mirror be so clear!"

Min Xi chuckled, "Right, this is the mirror I made. Today, the glass craftsmen from Zhuangzi came, and the glass plates they sent this time were very smooth, almost exactly the same as the glass of my time. I used them to make a few mirrors, and this one is the best. Brother Qi, we have discovered a huge business opportunity!"

Yun Ji came closer and looked at the mirror carefully: "This mirror shows every detail, it is indeed much more useful than a bronze mirror. Do you want to make mirrors to sell?"

Min Xi said, "No, no, not only mirrors, I also want to make glass. In the future, all the windows in our house will be inlaid with glass. In this way, we don't need to stick window paper in winter. It is both warm and transparent. I also want to expand this business to all parts of the country, even to the world. Europeans don't know how to make large pieces of transparent glass now."

Yun Ji stood up straight and stretched out his hands to pinch his ears: "My ninth brother is always so smart! And he has a business mind. I support you to do it."

"But I was thinking, since we want to do it on a large scale, I think we can get His Majesty to invest and open glass factories all over the country. We will provide the people and technology, and His Majesty will provide the money, land and silica sand, and we will split the profits with the court." Min Xi said.

Yun Ji asked: "Why do you do this?"

Min Xi explained to him: "Think about it, we are both officials appointed by the court, but we are still doing business. According to the law, it is actually illegal. But Yunxianghao is your family's ancestral business, which existed before you passed the imperial examination. So even though it is illegal, the Inspectorate can't find any faults. But if you open a glass factory now, it will give people a handle. You have been promoted three levels in a row, and many people are watching you. The censors are worried that they can't find any faults in you."

Yun Ji nodded: "Indeed. So you want to drag His Majesty to do it together?"

"Yes, if it is the court's property, and I fill the treasury for Your Majesty, no one will dare to say anything. It can also be regarded as my contribution to the court." Min Xi said.

"Okay, I support you! But you must keep an eye on this technology and never leak it out." Yun Ji reminded.

"Don't worry, it will never be leaked. In two days, I will go to the farm to get a batch of glass and make some mirrors to send to Your Majesty. I will deliver it personally and talk to Your Majesty about this matter. I'm sure he will be interested." Min Xi rubbed his hands, ready to do a big job.