Since the pre-Qin period, the Chinese have mastered the technique of burning bricks, and the difficulty is not great. Moreover, the enthusiasm of Leah and Weima is very high, and the farmers also have enough time and energy after completing the autumn harvest, and more than 500 people go all out, and it is only a matter of time before the mass production of red bricks is produced.

Now the only problem is to match the cement used in red bricks - Qin Song only knows that it is a slurry mixed with lime and clay in a certain ratio, which is calcined by dry or wet method, and then added to adjust the setting and hardening speed with gypsum.

However, firing slurry and firing red bricks are completely different, and it is impossible to use such a simple furnace. Qin Song remembers that when he was a child, the cement factories he passed by when he went to school used straight and tall vertical cement kilns, and the temperature was said to reach about 1,500 degrees, but with the current technology, it was impossible to achieve it without refractory materials.

The coal in the furnace was as hot as lava, reflecting on the faces of the people. Leah never imagined that they had lived in the Black Rock Collar for generations, but they never realized that this stone could burn like wood, and be more durable and stable.

Is this the charm of nature and knowledge?

Lia swears that this method, which is similar to firing pottery, has nothing to do with any evil ritual.

"Leah. Unconsciously, Alice gently snuggled up to her side, held her palm, and said softly: "Black Stone Collar will definitely usher in a new era." ”

Alice's involvement in the construction of the steam engine made her feel that this kind of machine, which could replace human and animal power with only fuel and water, was of epoch-making significance.

And the bricks in the hearth now will definitely be cheap and durable, as Qin said, and can bring a better life to the farmers of the Black Stone Collar.

Liya tightened Alice's hand, her eyes fell on Qin Song's angular face, his expression was light and calm, and he had an indescribable temperament - full of wisdom and confidence.

......

"Veronica, Veronica?" In the simple and damp room of the castle, the girl named Veronica sat motionless in her chair with her emaciated face, full of sluggishness, and a smirk on her lips.

Her father, Robles, with a torn slice of bread in his hand, was trying to stuff it into her mouth.

But Veronica gritted her teeth, and after a long time of effort, she couldn't put it in. Robles had a pained expression on his face, and his emotions were a little broken: "Bastard, damn it! Veronica, are you going to torture your father like this all the time?"

Veronica still just giggled and didn't speak.

"Oh my God!" Robles clutched his head in agony, and rubbed her cheeks like crazy, and cried as he shoved it into his mouth, "Eat! Eat! Eat, bastard, you give me food...... Woowoo woo ......"

Seeing that his daughter's cheeks were pinched and congested, Robles cried bitterly and held his daughter's cheeks with both hands: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Daddy begs you." If you continue like this, you'll die, my beloved Veronica. ”

Veronica was still just giggling.

Robles, who was crying bitterly, collapsed helplessly on the ground, looking at his daughter with tears in his eyes. It's been nine days since he came to Blackstone Fort, and he hasn't been assigned any tasks except for Karrick, the housekeeper of Blackstone Fort, who has met him on the day he receives him, so that he can stay with his daughter every day.

And Veronica has been in a daze more and more times since she left Waterdeep, often motionless for hours. This does not bode well, Veronica in a daze has difficulty even chewing and swallowing.

Only when she goes crazy will she bite blindly and be able to barely eat.

But Veronica, who goes crazy, will not only hurt others, but also herself.

This puts Robles in a great conflict, he wants his daughter to go crazy and eat some food, but he is afraid of what harm she will cause when she goes crazy.

"Knock knock. ”

There was a soft knock on the door, and the voice of the blacksmith Marbury was heard: "Hey, Mr. Robles, what's going on?"

Living next door to Robles is the Marbury family of six, since they came to bring Blackstone Fort, they don't have to do anything, they are provided with two meals a day, so that the family tormented by conservative poverty can enjoy a rare relaxing time.

Marbury's wife, a hard-working woman with thick hands and feet, even hinted to Marbury many times that there could be two more people in the family and more food.

Well, Marbury wanted to say yes, but his kidneys and waist refused.

Robles hurriedly wiped away the tears on his face, didn't even intend to open the door, and said in a low voice: "It's nothing, thank you for your concern." ”

"Hey, man. Marbury was a simple man: "We will be neighbors in the future, if you have any difficulties, you can tell me, maybe I can help." ”

"You can't help. Robles somewhat rudely rejected his kindness.

"Don't say that, man. Marbury relented: "I talked to Mr. Dalin, a carpenter here, and found that Blackstone Fort is not what we imagined. ”

Robles stood up irritably and opened the door with a gloomy face: "What the hell do you want to say?"

Marbury smiled honestly and simply, and took out a bag of bacon from his arms: "What Mr. Dalin gave me, why don't you share it together and have a good chat?"

Reaching out and not hitting the smiley man, Robles didn't have another seizure and let Marbury in. Marbury glanced at Veronica, who was sitting on the bed with a smirk on her face, and smashed, "Won't Veronica eat?"

Robles' uncontrollable roar just now, he could hear it clearly next door. Although Marbury's family has a large population, his personality is very generous, warm-hearted, and very generous, otherwise he would have eaten this bag of bacon to himself.

"Yes. Robles nodded blankly.

"It's not going to go on like this. Marbury put down the bacon and shook his head at Veronica, "I've seen people who have gone mad, oh, sorry, man. I speak a bit straight, and a patient like this has to find a way to feed her, or she'll starve to death. ”

Robles, who was in a depressed mood, gave him a blank look, and said secretly in his heart: Do you still need to say this?

Marbury had seen Veronica go crazy once in the carriage, but it was he who managed to control it with his help. Robles, on the other hand, fed her something to eat.

"It's not going to work, we have to figure out a way, man. Marbury, the upright rough man, said to himself: "You have to find a way to make her crazy, don't worry, I will help you hold her down." ”

Robles glanced at Marbury, who was short, stocky, and round-waisted, and nearly broke his daughter's arm the last time he helped: "No, she ate something during the day." ”

"Oh. Marbury smiled innocently, "Forget it, where did we just go?" by the way, Mr. Dylin told me some interesting facts about this place. ”

"What's the funny thing?" to be honest, Robles had no affection for this Blackstone Castle at all, the rough and humble castle, the damp and dim rooms, and the smell was bad everywhere.

"It's not as poor as we thought, and I've heard that there are some big projects going on recently. Having mobilized all the people of the territory, I think we'll have work to do soon. ”

As Elena's father, the status of the carpenter Dalin in the Blackstone Fort has also risen, and in order to appease these newcomers, Carrick personally instructed him to publicize the wealth of the Blackstone Fort and its future development, so that the craftsmen can settle down and stay here.

"Big project?" said Robles, what big project could a small lord in the middle of nowhere do? Build a few pigsties, build a small church that doesn't flow into the stream, and rudimentary walls made of stone?

"I thought it was incredible, too. Marbury opened the bag, tore off a strip of salted meat, put it in his mouth and chewed: "Here's the funny thing, I saw a kind of scythe here—it was incredible." Even our craftsmen in Waterdeep City don't have such whimsical ideas. It seems that the work of building that kind of scythe will definitely fall on my head in the future. ”

"Some? It tastes good. ”

"No ...... required"

After enjoying a strip of salted meat, Marbury subconsciously wanted to tear a little more, and as soon as his hand reached the general, he suddenly froze in mid-air, and his pupils instantly dilated, as if he had seen a ghost.

Next to the piece of bacon he brought, there was another piece of identical bacon, exactly the same color, size, and shape, and even the position where it was torn off was exactly the same.

Robles' heart sank, this was the deepest secret hidden in his heart, and it was also the evidence that Veronica was considered possessed by the devil.