The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

"That's right. It can be used in the army. I came here this time to discuss something with Your Majesty." Min Xi said.

"What's the matter?"

Min Xi said: "I have mastered the technology of making colored glass, which is almost transparent. It has a wide range of uses. It can be used not only as mirrors and telescopes, but also as window partitions. I want to mass-produce colored glass, set up colored glass factories in suitable places across the country, send skilled craftsmen to burn colored glass, make mirrors and window partitions, and then sell them to the rich, or even to foreigners. I want your Majesty to be the owner of these colored glass factories. We will provide the technology and craftsmen, your Majesty will take the lion's share, and I will just take a small share of the profits."

Wanli looked at Min Xi in disbelief: "You want to do business with me?" How could he think of that!

Min Xi chuckled, "I wonder if Your Majesty agrees? The back of this mirror is coated with silver, which is very expensive and can be sold at a high price. This window partition is both light-transmitting and windproof, which is better than window paper. Rich people must want to change to this, and they don't have to change new window paper every year. I estimate that selling colored glaze can make a lot of money and increase income for the national treasury. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

When Wanli heard that he could make money, his eyes lit up: "Are you serious?"

"Your Majesty, why don't you give it a try? Let's open a Liulichang in the capital first and test the effect in the capital. If the effect is good, we will open the Liulichang in the south. Jiangnan is rich, and I believe we can take a lot of money out of the pockets of those landlords and wealthy merchants."

Wanli was very moved: "What you said makes sense, let's give it a try. I'll leave it to you."

Min Xi said, "Your Majesty, we must first sort out some necessary things. Your Majesty and I will cooperate in setting up a factory, and the profit sharing must be agreed upon in advance, how much each of us will take. I have the technology, but setting up a factory also requires some costs, such as building a house, building a kiln, and raw materials. Who should pay for this cost?"

Wanli asked Min Xi: "Do you mean that I should pay this money?"

"Before the colored glass is made, there will be no income, and we need money to set up the factory first. So Your Majesty, you have to show some appreciation, otherwise it wouldn't be called a business partnership, right?" Min Xi said with a smile.

Wanli smiled and shook his head: "That's true. You tell me how much money you want me to pay."

Min Xi said, "I don't think it will cost too much. One thousand taels of silver will be enough. After the colored glaze is made and sold, the money will be collected. If you want to open a factory somewhere else in the future, Your Majesty won't have to pay any more."

Wanli was also very shrewd: "You said you want to form a partnership with me, how do we divide the profits?"

Min Xi said, "Your Majesty pays, so you should take the lion's share. How much does Your Majesty want?"

Wanli looked at Min Xi, and after a while, he couldn't help laughing: "How did you come up with the idea of ​​partnering with me?"

Min Xi also smiled: "I am now a court official and cannot engage in business, but I have this technology, and it would be a waste if I don't make good use of it. It just so happens that the court needs money, and if it wants to build glass factories all over the country, I can't do it alone, so I want to ask Your Majesty for help. As long as it is a court factory, those corrupt officials in the local area will not dare to covet it."

Wanli nodded: "What you said makes sense. Then I ask you, how much profit do you want?"

Min Xi said: "One is enough."

Wanli raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Only 10%?"

"I can't spend much money myself. I want this 10% profit so that it will be convenient for me to study other things in the future." Min Xi really has no shortage of money. He has no descendants. Yun Ji gives him a lot, and there is also the money earned from selling bicycles. He simply cannot spend it all. However, his various research also requires costs, so he asked for a 10% profit. In the future, if he wants to do something, he doesn't have to ask Yun Ji for money all the time.

Wanli said, "If that's the case, then I agree. Go build Liulichang and tell me if you need anything. I'll have someone send 1,000 taels of silver to your house later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your permission!" Min Xi saluted respectfully. He was already excited and ready to do a good job.

Needless to say, the mirror sent by Min Xi made the Queen Mother and the Emperor's concubines extremely happy. The Queen Mother even called the Emperor over to ask, "What is the origin of this mirror?"

Wanli said that it was done by Min Xi. Empress Dowager Li heard it and said: "Is it Min Xi who was not doing his job in the Honglu Temple?"

Wanli smiled bitterly and said, "Mother, please don't say that. Min Qing is a talented person. He is doing a good job in the Honglu Temple and it has not affected his work. He is just using his free time to develop other interests and hobbies."

Queen Mother Li glanced at her son and said, "I didn't say anything about him. I was just stating the facts. Min Xi is indeed a bit talented. Your bicycle was made by him, right? It hasn't been long since he made such a novel mirror. Ask him to send a few more mirrors to the palace. Your brother came over just now and took a fancy to my mirrors. He took the biggest one and said he wanted a few smaller ones."

Wanli had no choice but to agree: "Your son has made note of this. Mother, Min Xi also wants me to partner with him to open Liulichang..."

Wanli still told Min Xi that he wanted to form a partnership with him, and showed the telescope to Empress Dowager Li.

Empress Dowager Li heard this and said: "Nonsense! How can you, an emperor, go into business?"

Wanli was not frightened by the Queen Mother's attitude. He argued: "I am not going to do business myself, but I think this is a good opportunity. Only Min Xi has this technology, and he is an official appointed by the court and cannot do business. I want to help him. I think it would be a waste if it is not used. I think this mirror is very good, and this telescope is also needed by the army. The national treasury is empty, and the establishment of Liulichang can also take some money from those local gentry and wealthy businessmen to fill the national treasury, which is not a bad thing."

When Empress Dowager Li heard that she could fleece the wealthy, she was moved. She knew how difficult it was to fleece these wealthy people, so she nodded and said, "You don't have to show up in this matter. You can just set up a factory in the name of the court. Let Min Xi take care of it."

"Your son obeys your order!" Wanli agreed happily.

After coming out of the Cining Palace, Wanli sent someone to give silver to Min Xi and asked for another batch of mirrors.

After Min Xi came back, he discussed with Danyangzi whether other metals could be used instead of silver to reduce the cost of the mirror.

The coating for making the mirror needs to be silver. In addition to silver, aluminum is also this color. They wondered whether they could mix aluminum and silver together to make a coating.