The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

After Min Xi received the money and imperial edict from Wanli, he started making mirrors for him while preparing to build Liulichang.

To build a factory, it is definitely not enough to have only a few craftsmen now, and more craftsmen need to be trained. However, firing glass is not a high-level technology, and the tricks can be easily learned, so it is very important to select reliable craftsmen.

Min Xi had suffered losses before, so this time he planned to sign a contract with every person he recruited, requiring them not to leak secrets and not to quit within the time limit stipulated in the contract. Once secrets were leaked, they would have to pay huge compensation.

This time, Min Xi was not too worried about someone leaking the secret. After all, his current identity was different from when he was in Europe. What's more, this glass kiln was an imperial kiln. The people would not fight against the officials, let alone the emperor.

While Min Xi was preparing to build the factory, Dan Yangzi was trying to solve the coating problem. He found that mercury was very effective in coating, even comparable to silver, and at a low cost, so he reported it to Min Xi with great interest.

Min Xi rejected this idea on the spot: "Mercury is poisonous and harmful to our health. Our mirrors are not cheap, and we cannot save money at the expense of others. What about aluminum?"

Dan Yangzi shook his head: "Aluminum is actually similar to silver. It is not easy to apply it evenly, which affects the quality of the mirror."

"Is there a way to spray it on instead of applying it? This way it will be easier to apply evenly." Min Xi provided Dan Yangzi with ideas.

"Then I'll have to think about it." Dan Yangzi said.

"Take it easy."

When Yun Ji learned that Min Xi was going to run Liulichang in partnership with the emperor, he arranged several managers for him from Yunxianghao and asked them to assist Min Xi in running the factory, including building kilns, setting up factory buildings and other processes. There would be people to help with all of these, and Min Xi only needed to supervise.

The craftsmen were also found by brokers, who specifically looked for landless farmers, because these people had lost their reliance on the land. As long as they were paid enough and their lives were guaranteed, they would focus wholeheartedly on Liulichang and would be more loyal.

Although there are class differences between farmers and workers, workers are more easily accepted by farmers than merchants. Therefore, these landless farmers are still very happy to work in Liulichang.

They were busy until midsummer, and the preparations for the Liulichang were finally completed. It was located in the farm of the Yun family on the outskirts of the city, and the land was provided by Yun Ji for free. The sloping land was originally barren and not suitable for planting, but it was perfect for the Liulichang now, and it was also Yun Ji's support for Min Xi.

During this period, Danyangzi has solved the problem of mirror coating. He finally chose to use aluminum for coating. He did not use the traditional coating method, but evaporated aluminum onto the glass at high temperature. The mirror coating produced in this way is extremely uniform and of excellent quality.

Min Xi felt that it was wise to ask Dan Yangzi for help. Otherwise, if it had been someone else, who knows how many detours he would have to take.

By the time the Liulichang opened, the craftsmen who had been found in advance had already been trained in the old kiln and could be directly transferred to the Liulichang to start production.

Wanli had always been concerned about the progress of the Liuli Factory, and would send people to inquire about Min Xi every once in a while. Knowing that the factory was about to open, he also found an opportunity to leave the palace and go to the Liuli Factory with Min Xi and Yun Ji to visit.

Although this was not Yun Ji's first visit to Liulichang, it was his first visit since it was built. The tax reform had been promoted nationwide last month. Before that, he had been busy day and night, and only recently did he feel a little more relaxed.

Min Xi acted as their tour guide, introducing the details of Liulichang. Wanli was very interested and even went to see in person how the smooth colored glaze was made.

When he watched the boiling molten silica sand being taken out of the kiln and poured into a pool covered with tin blocks, and saw the colored glass being taken out of the pool after cooling into blocks, the tin blocks at the bottom were still liquid, while the cooled colored glass was as smooth as a mirror, he marveled at the magic.

Min Xi was so used to seeing how glass was made that he was no longer surprised. His biggest worry now was that he had no diamonds to cut the glass. The whole piece of glass could only be split with a knife, which easily resulted in defective products.

He was thinking about waiting for Captain Reiss to come back and asking him to go to the Cape of Good Hope again to get some diamonds. If nothing else, these were really needed for scratching glass.

Wanli looked at the manufacturing process and went to the warehouse. He looked at the piles of glass and colored glaze and asked, "Did you make all of these?"

"Yes. These are the finished products made after Liulichang opened, and all of them are here. Our shop has not opened yet and is being renovated." Min Xi said.

Wanli curiously reached out to take the glass, but Min Xi quickly stopped him: "Don't be impatient, sir. You can't touch the glass with your bare hands. Their edges are very sharp and will cut your hands. Just touch the surface, don't pick it up."

Wanli was a little disappointed, but he still reached out and touched the smooth glass: "How are you going to sell it?"

Min Xi replied, "Glass plates are sold by the piece, not to mention mirrors. My dear, please come to our house later. We have already replaced all the windows with glass. Can you see if the palace needs to be replaced with glass later?"

"You're quite quick. You've already replaced the colored glaze in your home!" Wanli couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

"We mainly want to try out how to install it, as well as the effect of installing the colored glaze, so that it will be easier to sell it to customers." Yun Ji explained on behalf of Min Xi.

"Then I have to go to your house to see how you do it." Wanli was naturally interested. At his age, he was interested in all new things.