After asking the first few questions, Lu Yan motioned for everyone to come in and talk again.
The prison gate seems to separate two worlds. Outside the gate is a world of ice and snow, and the sky is freezing; but inside the gate is a lively and bustling scene.
Everyone's enthusiasm was not affected at all by the weather, because the supervisor conveyed the news.
The construction of the stove went smoothly, so Lu Yan continued to ask: "Where are the cotton-padded clothes and quilts?"
Geng Liang looked ashamed and cupped his hands and said: "Back to Lu Huqi, we here still have little idea of the process before making cotton clothes and quilts..."
"Are you talking about playing cotton?" Lu Yan immediately guessed their difficulty.
"yes!"
Lu Lingqi was very curious. Cotton has always been used for ornamental purposes, but she never expected that it could also be used to make clothes and quilts.
But what is cotton playing?
So, Lu Lingqi asked Lu Yan: "Sir, what is cotton playing?"
Lu Lingqi asked Geng Liang and Ma Jun about their doubts. Although they knew they had to do this, Lu Yan had never told them why he did it before.
Lu Yan saw that they were all very curious, so he explained: "Cotton is scattered when it is first picked. It needs to be played through a process to make the cotton fuse together to form cotton batting that we can use to fill clothes and quilts.
In fact, it can be used without elasticity, but the elasticized cotton is softer and has better thermal insulation effect."
"That's it..." Lu Lingqi and others suddenly said.
But playing cotton is hard work and also a technical job.
Not only is the work tiring, but the dust is also heavy. In future generations, only those who live in poverty will go out to work as cotton farmers.
There is no such technology for playing cotton yet, so Lu Yan can only give a general idea, and then wait for the apprentices to explore and figure it out on their own. If they master this skill, a brand new profession will be derived in the future.
"Everyone, please work hard and understand this process as soon as possible. This winter may be very cold. If the cotton-padded clothes and quilts come out one day earlier, the people will be less cold for one day." Lu Yan said to Geng Liang and Ma Jun.
"Lu Qiaoqi cares about the people, and we will do our best to overcome the difficulties!" Geng Liang and Ma Jun suddenly stopped, and then solemnly saluted Lu Yan, looking like they were about to issue a military order.
Lu Yan smiled and waved his hands, and said with relief: "It's not necessary to work too hard, just arrange your working hours reasonably."
By the time they finished talking, they had already arrived inside the prison.
Along the way, Lu Yan saw several teams of people pushing carts and transporting coal passing by, so he asked: "By the way, how is the progress of coal mining? Can it guarantee the daily consumption of the people under our rule?"
"Back to Lu Xiuqi, our wages are high and the people are willing to participate.
And according to your instructions, we have laid railroad tracks in the mining area and activated mine cars, which has greatly improved the transportation capacity of coal. With the current production, it should be enough for all the people under Cao Gong's rule."
Lu Yan took the trouble to remind: "While ensuring the mining efficiency, the mine cannot be dug too deep, and people's safety must be ensured."
"Here!"
"I also thought of a new thing called briquettes. You will call two old craftsmen over later, and I will explain to them the specific style and manufacturing process of this thing."
"Ha! Lu Qiaoqi has a new idea again, great!"
...
It was already noon when I left the prison.
Lu Yan wiped the snowflakes off Lu Lingqi's head and sighed: "I hope the people under our rule can spend this winter safely."
"In the past and present, how many people have been able to rule the people without freezing to death?" Lu Lingqi's smile looked so warm in the ice and snow, "I'm afraid only Mr. can accomplish such an unprecedented feat!"
"Haha... I'd like to lend you some good words..." Lu Yan replied, then fell into deep thought.
Lu Yan vaguely remembered an article that said that China has experienced four warm periods and four cold periods in the past five thousand years.
Especially during the cold period, their appearance is longer and more intense each time, and the temperature is also lower than the last time.
The Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty was exactly in the second cold period. It can even be said that from the early AD to 600 AD, that is, the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms to the Six Dynasties era, it was always in the second cold period.
Falling temperatures mean less food production and slower population growth.
It was even more difficult for the ethnic minorities in the northern grasslands to survive, so they intensified their attacks on the Han people. Although it was all for survival, Lu Yan could not sympathize with them unless they were willing to fully integrate and become a member of the Chinese nation...
In the past, the Southern Xiongnu plundered the Sanfu Land, and recently the Wuhuan people suddenly went south to plunder Youzhou. There were climate reasons.
But the climate was only the trigger. The most important factor was the decline of the Han Dynasty. Foreign tribes saw an opportunity and went south to plunder from time to time.
.....
Although this winter is very cold, the people in Yanzhou, Xuzhou and Yuzhou are no longer afraid of the cold. Even the poorest families are full of confidence in getting through this cold winter.
In previous years, when winter came, only petty bourgeoisie families could afford to burn charcoal. Ordinary people could only stuff straw and hemp stalks into their quilts to keep out the cold. Whether they could survive the cold winter could only depend on luck.
But this year was good. Chen Liu Yingchuan and the Xuzhou Chamber of Commerce jointly sold cheap pebbles to all the counties under Cao Cao's rule. One hundred kilograms of pebbles cost less than ten cents, which was really very cheap.
Nowadays, most people will participate in the work provided by the government during their leisure time, such as building canals, building roads, and even expanding towns... After a day's work, the wages are at least twenty or thirty cents. In addition, there is a lot of surplus grain.
Winter is even easier than before.
If you have some money, you can buy two more new items to enhance the experience for yourself and your family.
In the shop of the Chamber of Commerce, a strange-looking iron stove is now being sold. Combined with the newly emerged briquettes, it can not only keep warm, but also make fire for cooking. It can serve multiple purposes.
A stove costs one hundred cents, and one hundred briquettes only cost five cents. It is really useful and cost-effective.
In Taipei University, every dormitory is equipped with such a stove, which not only ensures that everyone's room has sufficient temperature, but also allows them to boil some hot water for daily use in the dormitory.
Fazheng had been staying in the dormitory during this period. It was really cold outside and he couldn't bear the cold as soon as he went out.
Although the winter in Fufeng City used to be very cold, after enjoying such a warm and comfortable heating method, a fool would want to live the same life again.
"It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it's hard to go from luxury to frugality. Lu Qiqi sincerely doesn't deceive me!" Feeling the heat emanating from the stove, Fazheng sighed while drinking steaming tea.
It's snowing heavily outside, but inside the small dormitory it's as warm as spring.
At this moment, the dormitory door was suddenly pushed open, and a cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in, making the warm dormitory immediately become a bit colder.
Seeing Cheng Wu and Meng Da walking in, Fazheng quickly shouted: "Close the door, close the door quickly! It's so cold!"
"Click!" The door closed, the cold wind was blocked, and the dormitory finally became warm again.
"Phew! It's so cold!" Meng, Da, Cheng and Wu rubbed their hands and came to the iron stove, letting the temperature of the iron stove dissipate the chill on their bodies.
Yang Xiu very elegantly lifted the boiling kettle from the stove and poured a glass of water for each of them. "Here, drink some hot water and warm yourself up. Isn't it strange that you are asked to go out to inquire about information in such a cold day?" Sorry."
Cheng Wu took the tea cup and said: "Dezu, Xiaozhi, we have found out clearly. After this year, students with outstanding performance can apply to become officials!"
Fazheng and Yang Xiu suddenly stood up and shouted happily at the same time: "Is this true?!"