Following Jiang Nan's instructions, Zhang Ximeng became more and more proficient, and he was already familiar with it without even a cup of tea.
Next, Zhang Xianggong realized the stress relief of this activity. As long as you keep repeating mechanical movements with your hands, your brain can be completely empty and free from the interference of messy affairs.
And when you put down the knitting needle, you can quickly enter the state.
In other words, this magical activity allows the brain and hands to be completely separated and rest separately. You must know that people like Zhang Ximeng have a lot of government affairs to do every day, and their heads are spinning almost all the time.
It is very easy to get tired, have confused thinking, lack concentration, and have low efficiency.
But if you intersperse it and knit a sweater, you can greatly relieve yourself and quickly recover...it's really a relief.
He simply knitted a sweater and asked Jiang Nan about the development of wool spinning to see how far it had reached... Jiang Nan told Zhang Ximeng as much as he could about the situation he knew.
In fact, the beginning of this thing is thanks to Zhang Ximeng. The Han people reeled and weaved silk, and were more accustomed to using silk, cotton and linen, and they were completely blank when it came to woolen weaving.
It was Zhang Ximeng who suggested the transformation of the Mongolian prisoners.
The Mongolians who successfully graduated integrated into the Ming Dynasty. Some were veterinarians like Timur, and naturally some became butchers, porters, and farmers.
All in all, they are present in the Five Elements, Eight Works, Three Religions and Nine Streams.
Some of the Mongolians made felts, which were used as mats or felt hats. Later, some people also washed the collected wool, cow hair, and horse hair, made them into wool, and then woven them into felt curtains.
Hang it on the door to keep out the wind and cold.
At first, things like wool could be obtained at slaughterhouses for little money.
The raw cowhide used in the military workshop will also be scraped off the hair... Anyway, the raw materials cost almost nothing, and the felts and felt curtains are very cheap. At this time, materials are extremely scarce, and people who are not so wealthy still like it.
of.
But that's all. Rough and low-quality wool fabrics are simply unacceptable and cannot be put on the table.
You see, there are silk and satin shops and cotton shops on the street. Even the housewives knit the gebu, and some people collect it. However, these woolen fabrics can only be put on street stalls and hawked, which is not as good as those selling cloth.
Therefore, it is simply impossible to produce woolen fabrics all at once, win the favor of the people at once, sell well quickly and become rich. People's consumption concepts are extremely difficult to change, especially in ancient times. It took decades to
For hundreds of years, it has been done subtly and moisturizes things silently.
However, wool spinning has many disadvantages, but it has one advantage, that is, it is cheap!
At least in the current Ming Dynasty's view, it is still very cheap.
Cotton has to be grown in the fields, and the same goes for mulberry trees. Only wool is spun, and the raw material is animal fur. After the fields are divided, every household has some things like chaff.
You can raise some chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, dogs, and sheep to a greater or lesser extent... Apart from killing them for meat, these animals don't have much other uses.
Among them, cowhide and horns are very expensive and are needed in the military. The remaining sheepskin and wool are worthless. Donkey skin can also be used to make donkey hide gelatin, and pig skin can only be used to make skin jelly.
So for just a little money, you can buy a lot of wool mixed with bristles.
This will be the same in later generations. If you go to a rural market and meet a beef seller, a complete cowhide only costs one hundred yuan... Of course, this kind of cowhide is the same as those who specialize in making leather clothes, bags, and leather goods.
Cowhide is not the same thing at all.
Anyway, in line with the principle of making the best use of things and making the most of sheep's wool, the current development of wool spinning is indeed clean, hygienic, high-quality and low-priced.
Zhang Ximeng and Jiang Nan chatted a lot, and the sweater in his hand gradually took shape, and half of the sleeves were almost done. Zhang Xianggong was overjoyed, he rolled up his sleeves and put the sweater on his arm, and then Zhang Ximeng's face
It changed.
Thousands of bugs were lying on the arm at the same time, swarming around the body, trying to burrow into the flesh... It was so itchy!
Zhang Ximeng quickly pulled it off. Fortunately, it was just a sleeve. If this was made into underwear, it would probably be able to fly up in place!
Seeing his disgusted look, Jiang Nan also laughed and said, "It's mixed with pig hair, horse hair, camel hair... it's really painful when it stings!"
Zhang Ximeng frowned and said helplessly: "This is too bad, who can want it?"
"So we have to send it to Goryeo and give it to the soldiers of the Northern Expedition! Otherwise we won't be able to produce so much cotton!"
Zhang Ximeng pondered again, the hardships of the expedition are indeed not enough to describe to outsiders! He took these sweaters, which Zhang Ximeng was afraid of avoiding and even despised by ordinary people, and sent them to Korea. Guan Duo and his gang guaranteed to treat them as treasures.
In Goryeo, the winters are bitterly cold, it snows heavily, the land is barren, the output is very limited, and it is difficult to survive. It is no wonder that the Central Plains Dynasty does not like it very much.
"During the war, everything was good, including sweaters and felts, as much as you wanted. But it was not so easy to really develop the woolen textile industry."
Zhang Ximeng took the wool in his hand and squeezed it. It was thick, hard and uncomfortable.
"Your family has a business, how can you make this thing soft and warm without hurting people?"
Jiang Nan frowned, "I think it requires a lot of effort... First of all, the raw materials must be strictly controlled. No wool can be mixed in. The wool must be long enough and soft enough. Secondly, clean the wool.
Weaving into thread requires finding a way."
Zhang Ximeng asked curiously: "Look, are there any craftsmen here who can do it?"
Jiang Nan thought for a while and said: "It shouldn't be difficult. Just take the bamboo needle in my hand. It was invented by a few showgirls from the quilt factory. Mongolians knit it by hand. After they saw it, they thought of it.
I took the needle used for weaving linen sheets and improved it, turning it into this knitting needle. I thought that if I wanted to spin yarn and weave cloth, I would have to start on a loom and spin out thin and flexible wool first.
Only then can we make good woolen fabrics.”
Zhang Ximeng thought for a moment and nodded vigorously in agreement.
Technology is naturally accumulated bit by bit, and it is difficult to achieve it in one step.
So if I want to make a difference in the field of wool textiles... the first step is to find suitable fine-wool sheep, and then breed them on a large scale to obtain enough wool raw materials.
Research new looms, constantly improve the process, and finally come up with popular products.
It seems that preparations can begin for this matter. After all, the Northern Expedition has begun, and it will be needed after regaining the capital.
Moreover, there are many unowned lands in the Central Plains. It is not impossible to temporarily develop pastures. At worst, when the population becomes denser, these pastures will be moved north.
Anyway, there are many ways.
Thinking of this, Zhang Ximeng was in a good mood and couldn't help but pick up the bamboo needle again.
"I gave you this set of bamboo needles and wool. I'll treat you to milk tea later!"
"Okay! But let's make it clear that we need ten cups!" Jiang Nan said proudly.
Zhang Ximeng nodded without hesitation, "No problem, they are all Gongfu tea cups."
Jiang Nan's face fell instantly. This person was too stingy.
"Xiang Zhang, haven't you already settled the accounts? You're not a poor man, so why can't you be more generous?"
"Generous? I want to be generous too! But I'm still alone now, so I need to save some money for my wife's marriage!"
"My wife?" Jiang Nan couldn't help but laugh, "Xiang Zhang, if you get married, everyone from His Majesty and Queen to the traffickers and lackeys will be happy. There is no need for you to worry about it!"
"Really?" Zhang Ximeng was also stunned, "How could it be so easy?"
Jiang Nan rolled her eyes at him and said, "Mr. Zhang, if you can trust me, whose daughter you want to marry, I'll be your matchmaker and find out what's going on. Do you think it's okay?"
Zhang Ximeng blinked, looked at Jiang Nan, and suddenly smiled and said: "That's the best, just based on your appearance, you are also the first-class beautiful matchmaker! But I still haven't thought about it, wait, wait for the response."
!”
Jiang Nan smiled and agreed, "Any time is fine, but I want to be the matchmaker, so I can't fool around with milk tea, I have to eat a big meal!"
Zhang Ximeng rolled his eyelids and could only agree with a smile.
He and Jiang Nan just said this and didn't take it seriously. After all, he was too busy. The Northern Expedition had just begun and he needed to plan the overall situation.
Tang He had just begun to take action after the Southwest was reorganized. No one knew how many things would happen next.
And there are things like the development of wool spinning. The horoscope has not yet been written. It is just an idea, and there is no sure way to implement it... Even if you really want to find a wife, it is probably just like Li Shanchang and his wife, who only gives birth to her husband.
Raise children and take care of the home.
It is probably impossible to say that we can have a common language, talk about things, and exchange opinions together. After all, there are still too few strange women who have read enough, are knowledgeable, and capable.
Zhang Ximeng just thought about it and gave up.
However, in the past few days, his sweater knitting level has greatly improved, and he even learned various stitches. On the occasion of returning to Beijing, he knitted not only two sweaters, but also a pair of knee pads... and then these
The fabric, like tens of thousands of other sweaters, was put on a ship, sailed across the ocean, and was sent to Korea...
Zhang Xiang knitted sweaters for the Northern Expeditionary Army with his own hands. I don’t know who spread the news, and it quickly became a hot headline in Yingtian.
This is the third time in this period that it has aroused people's discussion... The first is the graduation examination of all generals in Yueyang Tower. In the past, Yueyang Tower was famous all over the world because of a story about Yueyang Tower. However, in the future, Yueyang Tower will be because of the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains.
Restore China and make it known to the whole world!
It is a pity that there are no poems and articles that can be passed down, which is really regrettable.
But soon the conversation between Zhang Ximeng and Tang He was sorted out and published in the newspaper.
The shortcomings were immediately made up for. It was so majestic and lofty that no one but Zhang Xiang could do it!
Later, another fire was lit due to the sweater knitting incident... Such a perfect Mr. Zhang was still alone. Father Yingtian couldn't bear it anymore. We must find a suitable person to help Mr. Zhang solve his life-long problems.