The Good Grandson of the Red Chamber

Chapter 54: Merit, Awarded the Ferghana Horse

Even the third-class maids in the Rongguo Mansion receive a monthly allowance of five hundred cash, which is more than one and a half times their wages.

Moreover, it's uncertain whether this job will last, and the pay is already very low.

But for the disaster victims, this was already the best job they could get.

Therefore, after Xia Chengzong finished speaking, the disaster victims rushed to sign up.

Following the principle of selecting no more than one person from each household, Xia Chengzong chose fifty people.

Only after he promised to continue recruiting did the others reluctantly disperse.

Next, Xia Chengzong taught them how much loess to mix into the charcoal powder.

After adding water and mixing well, you can use a mold to make honeycomb briquettes.

This job is purely physical labor, not very difficult.

They quickly mastered the technique of making honeycomb briquettes.

Xia Chengzong then taught them how to dry the leaves and how to store them after they were dried.

He then left a few eunuchs to keep watch while he returned to the palace.

Those in positions of authority do not need to do everything personally, but they must arrange things properly and delegate them to reliable people.

On the third day, Xia Chengzong went to the blacksmith shop again and asked them to make two furnaces. Then he took ten honeycomb briquettes and returned to the palace.

After dinner, Xia Chengzong said with a smile, "Grandpa, let me show you something. What I was making is finished!"

Emperor Yonglong laughed and said, "Good! Your imperial grandfather also wants to see what wonderful things you've come up with this time!"

Xia Chengzong went out and instructed Xia Bei to bring in the stove and honeycomb briquettes.

He pointed to the honeycomb briquettes and said to Emperor Yonglong, "Grandfather, look, these are the honeycomb briquettes that I had the disaster victims make these past two days."

"It is made by mixing charcoal powder with yellow clay and water. It has many hollow pores, which makes it heat up more evenly and thus easier to burn."

"Xia Bei, go to the kitchen, light a honeycomb briquette, and bring it back."

"Yes, Third Master."

Xia Bei obeyed the order and soon returned with the ignited honeycomb briquettes.

Xia Chengzong instructed Xia Bei to use iron tongs to hold the honeycomb briquettes and put them into the stove, then placed two more honeycomb briquettes on top.

Xia Chengzong explained, "Grandpa, look, as long as we lift the bottom furnace door, more air can enter."

"These honeycomb briquettes can be lit very quickly and can be used to boil water and cook rice. When not in use, you can simply close the stove door, and the honeycomb briquettes will burn very slowly."

"At most, five honeycomb briquettes are enough for a day, and the cost of honeycomb briquettes can be controlled at around one and a half cents."

"In other words, if people burned honeycomb briquettes in winter, it would only cost one coin a day."

"This purchase is much cheaper than buying firewood, so it's sure to sell very well once it's widely adopted."

"There are more than 20,000 disaster victims outside the capital. Hiring them would only require paying them extremely low wages."

"It only costs three meals a day and five coins a day. As long as honeycomb briquettes sell well, many merchants will flock to it to manufacture and sell them."

"In this way, the imperial court will no longer need to provide disaster relief, and the disaster victims will have a place to be resettled."

"The people get cheaper honeycomb briquettes to burn, which also saves them money, so it's a win-win-win situation."

In his previous life, Xia Chengzong's family used to burn honeycomb briquettes when he was a child. When they first became popular, a honeycomb briquette only cost a few cents, and later the price gradually rose to more than one or two mao.

In Daqian, labor costs are even lower, and the price of charcoal is extremely low, which can drive the price of anthracite even lower.

Wood is something that every household uses every day.

There are seven necessities to start a day: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. Firewood is listed first.

Therefore, if honeycomb briquettes are indeed as good as Xia Chengzong said, it would truly be a great thing for the people.

Emperor Yonglong's expression turned serious, and he inquired about many details from Xia Chengzong.

Then he instructed Dai Quan to send someone to watch the furnace to see if it worked as well as Xia Chengzong had said.

He was also instructed to send someone to investigate the cost of honeycomb briquettes the next day to see if it was really that cheap.

Dai Quan readily agreed and then called over his two godson sons, instructing them to take turns tending the stove.

The next morning, Emperor Yonglong came to inquire in person.

I learned that after replacing the honeycomb briquettes, as long as the vents are closed, the fire will not go out overnight, and the room will remain very warm.

It really works just as well as Brother Zong said!

Emperor Yonglong also got excited, and he ordered the eunuch to replace the honeycomb briquette with a new one to cook porridge and rice on the stove.

It cooks a bit slowly, but it's perfectly usable!

It's not smoking much and doesn't smell very strong.

And, just as Zong Ge'er said, at most five honeycomb briquettes are used in a day.

If you're frugal, even three or four dollars might be enough.

Meanwhile, Dai Quan sent people out early in the morning to investigate the costs.

He quickly returned and reported to Emperor Yonglong.

Even including expenses such as molds, labor costs, and sales, the cost of these honeycomb briquettes is only about one or ten yuan.

If you sell it to outsiders for one or five coins, you'll make double the profit!

Upon hearing this news, Emperor Yonglong became extremely excited!

This honeycomb briquette is truly a treasure!

This perfectly solved the disaster relief problem, saving the imperial court a large sum of money.

Furthermore, it can save the people of the capital a sum of money on firewood, which is a win-win situation!

Next, Emperor Yonglong summoned several Grand Secretaries, Ministers of Revenue, Minister of War, Minister of Rites, Vice Ministers, and the Prefect of the Capital for a court discussion.

After witnessing firsthand the benefits of honeycomb briquettes, these high-ranking officials were pleasantly surprised.

They quickly devised a strategy and coordinated efforts among various departments to advance the matter.

What happened next had nothing to do with Xia Chengzong and his friends.

Their test has come to an end.

After dinner that evening, Emperor Yonglong asked, "Zong'er, you've done your grandfather a great favor this time. What reward would you like?"

Xia Chengzong smiled and said, "Being able to help my grandfather is already the greatest reward for me!"

"Therefore, I don't want anything, I just hope that my grandfather won't be so tired."

Hearing Xia Chengzong say this, Emperor Yonglong became even more satisfied.

"You are still too young to be granted an official position, but you have made such a great contribution that you should be rewarded."

"Last year, the Kingdom of Dayuan presented several Akhal-Teke horses as tribute, and this year two foals were born."

"Your royal grandfather is bestowing one of these two foals upon you. You can choose whichever you prefer. Do you like it?"

A foal of the Akhal-Teke horse?

Although it is not the first generation of Akhal-Teke horses, it is still a priceless treasure!

In later generations, it would be no less valuable than a BMW!

Xia Chengzong hurriedly said, "Grandson is very pleased, thank you very much for the gift, Your Majesty!"

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