Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 53 - 51 Making Colored Glaze

Chapter 53: Chapter 51: Making Colored Glaze

Chapter 53 -51: Making Colored Glaze

The carriage traveled for four hours before it finally came to a stop.

Xiao Fuzi hopped off the carriage, knocked on the door.

After the door opened, he climbed back onto the carriage and it continued for a while before finally coming to a stop again.

At that point, Xiao Fuzi’s voice came in: “Master, we’ve arrived”.

Shangguan Xuanyi was the first to exit the carriage, closely followed by Di Shaowei who said, “Miss, let me assist you”.

Shangguan Xuanyi cast a glance at his hand, which he quickly pulled back. freeweɓnøvel.com

Xiao’er lifted the carriage curtain, Shangguan Xuanyi extended his hand.

Xiao’er delicately placed her hand on his before nimbly hopping down, then took her hand back and stood upright.

Officials can start fires, but ordinary people can’t even light up their homes.

Di Shaowei was furious but did not dare to speak out.

Shangguan Xuanyi felt her hand brush against his and then quickly retreat.

At this moment, a middle-aged man came forward and greeted, “Master, Young Master Di, Miss”.

“Lead the way!” Shangguan Xuanyi spoke indifferently.

“Yes,” he bowed and gestured before leading the group forward.

As they entered the workshop, a wave of heat hit them.

The furnace blazed, smoke filled the air and the workers’ clothes were soaked with sweat.

Xiao’er, however, didn’t even furrow her brows as she continued walking, carefully observing the environment and the workers’ actions.

The kiln used for making colored glaze was well-equipped but lacked moulds, “I would like to see the raw materials”.

Raw materials for glass include quartz sand, limestone, feldspar, and soda ash, “The raw materials are fine, and the tools are relatively complete.”

Upon hearing this, Di Zhaowei’s heart felt somewhat balanced, “I spent 10,000 taels to buy these things from foreign people.”

After hearing this, Xiao’er looked at him with intentional disdain: “You’ve been ripped off!

Later, I will draw some tools and moulds.

You should get someone to make them.”

Di Zhaowei felt a pang of hurt in his heart and slumped in a corner.

“I’ll test it first, to see if I can make it.” Xiao’er looked up at the much taller Shangguan Xuanyi, “Can I choose someone to help me?”

Shangguan Xuanyi nodded.

Di Zhaowei said to the middle-aged man: “Manager Tong, gather the workers, let Miss Xiao’er pick someone.”

“No need, that person over there will do.” Xiao’er pointed to a man in the corner, who was working attentively.

After making a round, she found him to be the most focused and efficient.

Manager Tong quickly called out: “Lin Sheng, come over here.

Everyone else should come and watch.”

Lin Sheng wiped the sweat off his face and body with a towel wrapped around his neck, “What can I do for you, Manager Tong?”

“Miss Xiao’er has a task for you.” Manager Tong was shocked that his master had invited such a young girl to make colored glaze.

However, he had noticed that she was composed and meticulous.

Seeing the workshop for the first time, she showed no surprise but observed everything around her attentively.

Despite the high temperature, she remained composed, as if unaffected by the external conditions, as if she were standing in a warm spring garden.

Xiao’er said to him: “Uncle Lin, please cooperate with me later.

At the same time, remember what I say and do.

Can you do that?”

Lin Sheng was a man of few words, only focused on hard work.

But he was pragmatic, and didn’t make empty promises to curry favor with his master, “I’ll do my best.”

Xiao’er nodded before putting on prepared mask and gloves.

She began to measure out the ingredients according to the formula she recalled, “These raw materials must be mixed in a certain ratio to make the glass more transparent and perfect.

After the ingredients are mixed, they need to be ground into fine powder, mixed together, and stirred in the same direction.”

Manager Tong quickly ordered the measured raw materials to be ground.

After they were ground, Lin Sheng said, “Miss, let me do it.” His strong stature allowed for quick stirring.

Xiao’er quietly nodded in approval.

He was mindful.

When the stirring was almost done, Xiao’er took a small scoop and looked at the mixture, “This is about right.” Having said that, she glanced at Lin Sheng.

He nodded to indicate understanding.

Xiao’er ordered to increase the flames in the kiln.

When the fire in the kiln was blazing brightly, so bright that it made one’s skin feel, she nodded and looked at Lin Sheng, “You must remember this feeling.

When the fire is this intense and you feel this hot, the temperature inside the kiln is enough.

The raw materials can be put in.

Meanwhile, the intensity of the flame needs to be maintained.

It can be slightly higher, but it absolutely can’t be weaker.”

Lin Sheng nodded and started to heat the raw materials in the kiln, with the open flames heating the liquid glass from above.

“As the raw materials are heated at high temperatures, they form uniform glass liquid without any bubbles, which is the completion of the second step.

The glass liquid must be uniformly heated without any bubbles.”

After a while, Xiao’er noticed that the glass liquid inside the kiln had become uniform with no bubbles, and she called a halt.

Then she glanced at Lin Sheng, “Do you remember this?

It should look like this.”

Lin Sheng, focused, looked at the glass liquid inside and nodded.

“Once the glass liquid is ready, it is liquid and can be shaped at will.

But shaping also needs to be done at a certain temperature, or it won’t be possible once it cools down.” Xiao’er took a blowpipe and asked Lin Sheng to help take out a lump of glass liquid with fireball from the kiln, quickly blew it a few times and put it back into the kiln to heat up.

This repeated several times, with the flame glass ball constantly expanding.

The people around stared with unblinking eyes as Xiao’er worked swiftly, using pliers to pinch here and there, cutting with scissors.

She spun the blowpipe several times, and the red glass ball formed a unique item resembling a cup – beautifully curved, with a distinct and exquisite shape.

“The last step is annealing.

This step is crucial, because if it cools down completely all at once, the glass product would easily crack.

So after it’s made, the temperature must be kept constant first, then allowed to gradually cool down to prevent it from cracking.”

Next, Xiao’er and Lin Sheng collaborated to create a little glass tile.

Everyone was stunned by Xiao’er’s extraordinary skills.

A figure so diminutive, a girl so young, made a thing that a dozen of them had been researching for two months seem like child’s play.

The shock was too great.

After leaving the sweltering workshop, they ate and went to the accounting room.

Shangguan Xuanyi was admiring a transparent glass cup in his hand.

He found it hard to believe that this was a cup made by someone by listening to another person’s description.

Recalling Xiao’er’s uninterrupted actions, fluid and swift, it seemed as though she had practiced it countless times.

He glanced at the young girl drinking tea, her face flushing due to the prolonged exposure to high temperatures, seeming frail.

It was baffling how that small head could accommodate so much novel knowledge.

“Little girl, you’re extraordinary!” In his life, Di Shaowei had admired only one person – Shangguan Xuanyi, but now there was another one, and she was even more extraordinary!

If Xiao’er knew what Shaowei was thinking, she would definitely say, your life has only just begun!

“You’ve all seen it, it’s quite simple actually.

I, naturally, have exceptional perception!” Xiao’er consciously showed a proud expression which a child would usually make after receiving praise.

The two of them couldn’t help but laugh and cry at Xiao’er’s pompous expression.

“Now that the glass is made, here is the detailed method and precautions of making the glass.” Xiao’er took out the data she had prepared last night, and Xiao Fuzi came forward to take it and hand it to Shangguan Xuanyi.

“I will now sketch some tools and molds.

In the future, there will be a wider variety of glass products.”

Xiao’er took out a charcoal pen that she had prepared earlier, and Xiao Fuzi spread the paper on the table.

After a moment of thought, she lowered her head and began to draw quickly and earnestly.

After she finished the drawings, they departed.

When the carriage arrived at the village entrance, Shangguan Xuanyi handed Xiao’er a delicate wooden box.

Xiao’er didn’t take it, however, instead she looked at him questioning.

“These are just a few primers and character posters for Jingrui and Jinghao.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao’er accepted the box, thanked him, and then headed home.