After the major factories were relocated, Zuozhuang became much quieter.
However, there is no industry here. Some workshops that do not require large-scale production and do not consume much resources are still located in Zuozhuang.
For example, the piano workshop is one of them.
"Although the piano is large, all the parts are very delicate and the process is complicated. We can only make it by hand, so the output is very limited."
The person in charge of the piano workshop is Liu Chunyu, who was originally Yang Gui's apprentice.
However, unlike Yang Guichun who relies on strength to make a living, Liu Chunyu's craftsmanship is very delicate.
He could make needles with the naked eye and became a legend among craftsmen.
In view of his dexterity, Deng Yuhan asked him to come and serve as the person in charge of the piano workshop.
The piano workshop is not just about making pianos, it is more like a parts processing center. All the precision and dexterous parts needed by other workshops are made here.
There is no way around it. In this era, delicate components can only be made by hand. Craftsmen with less than a certain level of skill can't even get through the door of the workshop.
Speaking of the production of pianos, Liu Chunyu said that she worked hard.
Zuo Mengeng saw the finished piano in the workshop, which was very beautiful.
The outer shell is made of spruce, and the finest baking paint is used. No matter it is viewed from any angle, the piano body exudes a breathtaking charm.
The white keys made of ivory and the black keys made of ebony are in sharp contrast, full of mysterious atmosphere, and the cost of each key is astonishing.
For absolute pitch and sound effects, every component must be absolutely precise.
Just one soundboard takes three craftsmen fifteen days to make.
What kind of musical instrument is this?
This is clearly the most beautiful work of art in the world.
Deng Yuhan also said: "Such a beautiful thing, even if it is not used to play, is placed in a corner of the temple, it will add brilliance to the most beautiful and magnificent church."
These words were very much in line with Zuo Mengeng's thoughts. He asked with a smile: "Then what kind of intuitive value do you think such a superb work of art needs?"
"this……"
Deng Yuhan was a little embarrassed.
Everyone knows that pianos are worth a lot of money, but it is really difficult to estimate the price.
But Zuo Mengeng made up his mind.
"Is Governor Luo Langya a rich man?"
Deng Yuhan said honestly: "Anyone who can be sent by the royal family to serve as governor must have paid a high price."
The subtext of this statement is that since Luo Lang was able to spend huge sums of money in bribes in Europe to buy the position of Governor Hao Jing, he was naturally a rich man.
Yes, the appointments of many overseas officials in Europe in this era were purchased with money.
Although Europeans are keen to explore overseas, the mortality rate of traveling in this era is too high. Only those who dare to take risks will choose to go overseas to gain wealth and glory.
Since he is a rich man, Zuo Mengeng has become more clear about his thoughts.
"A person with huge wealth, a nobleman, naturally needs a top-notch musical instrument in the world to show his extraordinaryness. Mr. Deng, what do you think of our piano being priced at 500 taels of silver?"
"hiss……"
Everyone in the workshop had red eyes.
No one thought that Zuo Mengeng would dare to speak like a lion.
Is anyone really willing to spend five hundred taels of silver to buy such a thing?
In fact, only Zuo Mengeng knew that the Spaniards and Portuguese, who were the beginning of the great voyage, were not lenient in luxury and waste because it was too easy to obtain wealth.
And the wealth they squandered was used to support the rise of France, Italy, Germany and other European countries.
The Portuguese are spendthrift people. If something of five hundred taels of silver touches their heart, they will definitely be willing to open their wallets.
"Aren't your days and nights of hard work valuable? Aren't your efforts valuable in order to make every component perfect? Don't you have a big contribution in allowing such a wonderful sound to come to the world? It's you who make the most beautiful sound in the world.
The birth of a perfect musical instrument is because you have created an artifact that can communicate with God. Owning this piano is equivalent to having a channel to communicate with the gods. Do you think that such a piano is not worth even a mere five hundred taels of silver?
"
Everyone was dumbfounded. Looking at the piano they had made, they discovered for the first time how there was a sense of nobility that was very strange and indestructible.
Seeing their appearance, Zuo Mengeng snickered inwardly.
The simple people of this era have not yet learned how to sell products.
Anyway, he had made up his mind, and the price of the piano was five hundred taels of silver. After all, this kind of instrument was not within the reach of ordinary people, and selling it cheap would be a disservice to himself.
And those who can afford it, how can they care whether it is three hundred taels or five hundred taels?
"Mr. Deng, please reply to Governor Hao Jing. Tell him the price of the piano. If he is still willing, we will bear the freight and after-sales service."
If Governor Hao Jing was really willing to spend five hundred taels of silver to buy a piano, Zuo Mengeng wouldn't mind letting him enjoy the treatment of God.
Deng Yuhan did not question it, but wrote it down.
The happiest people are none other than Liu Chunyu and others.
If the piano can really be sold for five hundred taels of silver, their workshop will not only have income, but also a huge profit.
In the future, not only will there be no need for funding from the Administrative Committee, but we may also be able to make money.
Zuo Mengeng did not tell them that the piano is of course a very profitable thing.
The handmade pianos of this era were basically only opened once a year, and once they were opened, they were used for a whole year.
But in a commodity society, this kind of luxury product is indispensable.
Because the net profit is so amazing, selling 10,000 pairs of socks is not worth as much as a piano.
Zuo Mengeng came to the piano workshop and caused quite a stir. Just when he was about to leave, a little girl ran out from the workshop next door.
"Come on, I have something good to show you."
Zuo Mengeng stopped and asked with a smile: "You don't want to give me a clock, do you?"
Just one sentence made the little girl keep stamping her feet.
"It's... oh, no... it's... um..."
Everyone laughed, they were all so cute by her.
Next door to the piano workshop is the watch workshop.
Compared with piano workshops that operate behind closed doors, watch workshops have already realized their own profits and losses.
After all, pianos are only liked by people who understand music, but the price is too expensive, so the audience is too narrow.
Although desk clocks are not cheap, everyone needs to know the time. Therefore, families who can afford it will choose to buy one.
By selling clocks, the clock workshop can earn thousands of taels of silver a year.
There are currently fifteen craftsmen in the clock workshop. After excluding costs and profits turned over to the administrative committee, the most ordinary craftsman can receive a salary and share of eighty taels of silver every year.
This income, even within the entire camp, is frighteningly high.
Therefore, many craftsmen dream of entering a watch workshop.
However, the craftsmanship requirements of watches are even higher than those of pianos. There is no hope for those without skills and talent.
Over the past year, the watch workshop has been selective and has only added fifty craftsmen.
And the person in charge of this workshop that everyone admires is the shy little girl Liu Xinyue.
She is Liu Ji's sister and Liu Yiyuan's aunt, but she is not as quiet as a lady. With Zuo Menggeng's advocacy, the atmosphere in Linqing is becoming more and more open. Liu Xinyue is like a bird out of its cage, seeing too many new things.
things.
No one thought that this frail little girl would have an amazing talent in polishing metal parts.
She was able to make a clockwork the size of a fingernail using only simple tools, which impressed all her peers.
Today, Liu Xinyue is not only the person in charge of the watch workshop, but also a first-class craftsman, only one step away from being a master craftsman.
The good things she showed Zuo Menggeng were really good things.
It was placed squarely in the palm of Zuo Mengeng's hand, and the size was about the same as the palm of his hand. It was covered with a curved glass cover, but the dial below was clearly visible.
While the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand are running, there is almost no movement.
This is a pocket watch.
When the table clock was manufactured, Zuo Menggeng mentioned the problem of miniaturization of the clock.
He gave the specific concepts of pocket watches and watches.
Unexpectedly, after more than a year of research, Liu Xinyue and others finally came up with the finished product.
"This watch can run for two days if it is fully wound once. To re-wind it, you only need to turn this small bolt."
Zuo Mengeng observed carefully, and even opened the back cover with Liu Xinyue's help to clearly see the structure inside.