Ma Cheng thought hard but didn't expect anything to meet his goals. Could it be that he could only sell tea? In fact, Ma Cheng didn't know that tea was also a major item in ancient times, and the speed of making money was no longer much slower than selling private salt. It was just that Ma Cheng didn't know.

When Ma Cheng thought of tea, he couldn't help but think of ice black tea in later generations. He didn't know if there was ice black tea in this era, and he might be able to invent it when he had time.

When I thought of ice black tea, Ma Cheng suddenly thought of white sugar. Why did he forget this thing? The form of white sugar is similar to that of Hailuoin, with high added value and easy to produce. The most important thing is that this thing is legal and can be opened in broad daylight in various big cities and sold directly.

Ma Cheng visited the sugar factory when he was traveling to Hainan in his later generations. He remembered the processing and purification steps of white sugar very well. In fact, it was not difficult, but it was a bit difficult to react with carbon dioxide in the later stage.

It is easy to get carbon dioxide, just find a carbon stove. The key is how to introduce carbon dioxide into sugar water compounds to neutralize lime water and react.

Ma Cheng is a good student in chemistry in high school. Although he has forgotten about it for the past few years of work, he can still remember the basic reduction reaction.

He thought about it and did it immediately. Ma Cheng returned to his study and started drawing tools. In order to introduce carbon dioxide into the water, there must be pipes. There are no glass test tubes in this era, so there is no way to use iron to replace it.

Ma Cheng spent several iron pipes of different shapes on the paper, and then said to Gu Changwei: "You will go to the city blacksmith in a while and make a few pipes according to this figure. The thickness of the pipe doesn't matter, and it's mainly not breathable and leaking. Do you know?"

Gu Changwei didn't know why the second master was trying to do this. Does it have anything to do with selling private salt? But the master did not dare to refuse to agree to the order, so he had to nod to show his understanding.

Ma Cheng thought for a while and continued, "There are also a few large tanks, which are the ones that hold water, and then buy a carbon stove! By the way, you have to buy some iron pots, lime, etc."

The tools should be almost done, the next step is raw sugar!

"Gu San, do you know that there are people selling candy in the city?"

Gu Changwei didn't care about these things at home, and he really didn't know about it. Gu Changwei thought about it and said hesitantly: "It should be. A few days ago, I saw Gu Yong eat yellow sugar again, so he should have bought it from the city!"

Just have it, Ma Cheng nodded with satisfaction: "Tomorrow you buy these things before buying candy, such as brown sugar, white sugar, and the brown sugar you mentioned, you will buy some of them back."

When Gu Changwei heard that Ma Cheng wanted to buy sugar, he quickly said, "Second Master, the price of other sugars is not known, but this sugar is very expensive. It costs about seven or eight cents of silver to make a good Western sugar!"

You should know that in the late Ming Dynasty, taking the local prices in Suzhou as an example, each pound of salt was only about three cents of silver, and brown rice was only one tael of silver per stone. Silver in the Ming Dynasty was very valuable, and Gu Changwei's family of seven or eight spent only fifty taels per year, about three or four taels per month. This pound of sugar was nearly one tael of silver, which ordinary people really couldn't afford. (The prices at the end of the Ming Dynasty were not fabricated out of thin air, but were based on the reference of China Social Sciences Press in 2010, Song Lizhong: "Elegance and Glory: Daily Life and Consumption Culture in Jiangnan in Ming and Qing Dynasties"!)

Ma Cheng was overjoyed when he heard that white sugar was so valuable, so that his sugar-making plan would be successful. After Gu Changwei finished speaking, he looked at Ma Cheng, and then asked Ai Ai: "Second Master, these things are not cheap, this money..."

Ma Cheng originally had less than ten taels of silver to save, but he gave it to Gu Changwei, but now he doesn't have a penny in his hand. Ma Cheng frowned when he heard Gu Changwei say this and said, "My mother promised to give my sister one hundred taels of silver. If you get the money, use this money to pay for it first!"

Gu Changwei was so unwilling to hear Ma Cheng say this. Gu Xiaomei’s money is a betrothal gift, which is Gu Changwei’s money. Now, Ma Cheng, you want to develop your career but Gu Changwei has to pay for it. Naturally, he is not very happy.

Seeing Gu Changwei's expression, Ma Cheng knew what he was thinking. Ma Cheng cursed: "Depending on your virtue, you only have more money. This hundred taels of silver will be regarded as your shareholding. You can share half of the dividends that you promised to sell in the future. You are satisfied now!"

Gu Changwei was not very moved when he heard Ma Cheng say this. He didn't know whether he could make money. However, the 100 taels of silver he got was really gone. But Ma Cheng was the master, and Gu Changwei didn't dare to have any objections, so he had no choice but to agree timidly.

What Gu Changwei didn't know was that the half-percent bonus that Ma Cheng promised him today would make him a wealthy businessman with all his best in the world in the future. Of course, it was not a good thing to have too much money. Gu Changwei's wealth in the future was as good as the country, and it laid the groundwork for his unlucky fortune.

Ma Cheng and Gu Changwei were discussing the details. The door of the courtyard sounded and a group of people came in from outside. The leader was an old man in his fifties.

Gu Changwei recognized this person and hurried forward and saluted: "The old butler is here!"

When Ma Cheng heard Gu Changwei say this, he knew that the old guy in front of him was Ma Gui, the housekeeper of his family. Ma Gui was Ma Shiying's childhood book boy. He has been following Ma Shiying for the rest of his life and is considered a veteran of the Ma Mansion.

Such a respected old housekeeper, even Ma Cheng, should be respectful. Ma Cheng quickly got up and smiled and said, "Uncle Gui is here, is there anything wrong?"

Ma Gui is an old man who is a slaughter, and he has no two taels of meat all over. When he saw Ma Cheng coming out in person, he bowed and said, "Second Young Master, the old lady has ordered him to prepare for the second Young Master to take a concubine tonight!"

After Ma Gui said that, he waved to his back, and a servant came over with a tray. Ma Gui said to Gu Changwei: "Third Master, this is the betrothal gift from the old lady to your family. Fifty taels are given to your family, and fifty taels are given to Aunt Gu!"

The old lady gave her one hundred taels of silver, which was 10 kilograms of silver. In the Ming Dynasty, one kilogram was heavier than one kilogram in later generations, so this ten kilograms of silver were about 12 kilograms of silver, and it was also very heavy.

Gu Changwei knew that the money was no longer his own, but he was still very excited to see so much silver, so he quickly got the money and reached out to catch it.

Ma Cheng looked at Gu Changwei who was excited and blushed and said, "Gu San, you go out first, remember what the second master assigned you! I will send it here quickly after purchasing tomorrow or the next day!"

Gu San returned home with a pile of silver, and Ma Cheng started preparing for the evening wedding. In fact, there was nothing to prepare. He just changed the bed in Ma Cheng's house to a red bedding, and then changed the curtains to red, and lit two dragon and phoenix candles.

This busy work was dusk and it was also auspicious time to welcome the newlyweds. The Ming Dynasty married in the evening at dusk, and the tradition of getting married in the south and other places in later generations was still retained. After the sun set, a sedan chair was carried out from Gu Xiying's house, and took a few trips to Fuqian Street in front of the Governor's yamen, and then carried it into the corner gate behind the Governor's yamen, and carried it into Ma Cheng's small yard.

The Ma family is a concubine, and it is logical that Ma Cheng's good friends should be supported by him, but Ma Cheng has no friends at all, so Ma Cheng's small yard is deserted.

Ma Cheng is deserted, but Gu Changwei's family is full of guests. Gu Changwei is Ma Shiying's slave. Now the Gu family's daughter has become half the owner of the Ma Mansion. Naturally, some of Gu Changwei's colleagues and friends come to celebrate, and even Zhang Guozhu, the central officer of the Governor's Office, came to congratulate him in person.

Gu Changwei saw Zhang Guozhu, who had always been above the top, come forward to greet him in person, and was happy at the same time. Zhang Guozhu is the deputy general of Thousand Houses, and his position is far above Gu Changwei. He didn't pay much attention to Gu Changwei before. Today he was able to come in person for the sake of his sister Gu Xiying.

Gu Changwei ordered more than a dozen banquets in the restaurant in the city. At this time, he had already delivered it and lined up in the Gu family's yard. Everyone started to eat and drink.

In contrast to the Gu family, Ma Cheng is here. After Gu Xiying's sedan was carried into the yard, other idle people had already left. Ma Cheng had no friends, and his only elder brother Ma Luan accompanied his father Ma Shiying to Pukou. There was also a younger brother Ma Xi who has never been friendly to Ma Cheng, so now there is no one in the yard except for a maid.

Ma Cheng looked at the maid, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with an ordinary appearance. Ma Cheng asked, "What's your name?"

The maid lowered her head and said, "The maid is called Chunlian. The old lady asked the maid to serve the daily life of the second master and Aunt Gu from today!"

Ma Cheng nodded and said, "Okay, please welcome Aunt Gu out of the sedan chair!"

Chunlian agreed, lifted the curtain and helped Gu Xiying out of the room, and then helped the newcomer into the bridal chamber.

Ma Cheng walked into the bridal chamber and looked at Gu Xiying sitting on the bed, then stepped forward and lifted the veil, revealing Gu Xiying's pretty face.

People feel refreshed when they are happy, and Gu Xiying is not ugly at first. In addition, today is her happy day, and her red cheeks are reflected by red candles, which is really beautiful.

The maid Chunlian helped Gu Xiying into the bridal chamber and went out. Now there are only Ma Cheng and Gu Xiying in the room. Ma Cheng looked at Gu Xiying and smiled and said, "Beauty, are you happy today?"

Gu Xiying nodded with a red face, then stood up and bowed and said, "Master, I will wait for the master to go to bed!" Although the two of them had a skin-loving relationship in the morning, the words to bed in person still made Gu Xiying blush.

Ma Cheng was moved when he saw Gu Xiying's blushing face. Ma Cheng smiled and said, "Little sister, you and I will have a fun action tonight!"

Gu Xiying was even more ashamed to hear Ma Cheng say this and asked in a low voice: "Master, but do you still want your little sister to work for you?"

Ma Cheng laughed when he heard Gu Xiying say this: "No need tonight. Master, I will teach you a new position. The tigress is sticking his butt!"

Gu Xiying hadn't heard this term before, Ma Cheng lay down in Gu Xiying's ear and explained repeatedly. Gu Xiying spat in a low voice, then took off her pants and lay on the table.

Seeing Gu Xiying's posture, Ma Cheng was really excited. He stepped forward to measure his height was not enough, so he had no choice but to take a stool from outside, which would make it tall enough.
Chapter completed!