(Thanks to book friend l599xl for another 200 coins reward~)

After Shilang left the store, Ning Xiu was not idle and immediately went to Huidefang to investigate.

Whitze Place is the largest artisan area in the city, with blacksmiths and carpenters, masons and framers.

Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang set a craftsman status for their ancestors, and they must engage in a craftsman profession for their children and grandchildren, and they must not leave the nationality for life.

Emperor Zhu thought that in this way, his subjects would be able to live and work in peace and contentment, but he did not expect that it would be difficult for artisan households to survive under the exploitation and oppression of officials at all levels, so how could they live and work in peace and contentment.

As a last resort, in addition to doing work for the government, the artisan also took over the work privately.

The government also turned a blind eye to this, and the craftsman family had a hard time begging for a living.

In the Wanli period, the source of income of artisan households was basically private work.

Some porcelain bakers and framers can even make a small fortune with their exquisite craftsmanship.

Of course, Ning Xiu didn't come to Huidefang to decorate the new house, he went straight to a carpenter's workshop and said to the old carpenter who was working: "Master, do you have ready-made oak wood here?" ”

Ageing and fermentation are indispensable for making pure wines, and only wines that have been aged in oak barrels are the purest wines.

Könin knew that oak was extremely strict in terms of the environment in which it was grown, and that oak grown in a Mediterranean climate was generally considered the most suitable for oak barrels.

Some parts of the Americas are also suitable for oak growth.

But Daming has no oak.

Although there is no oak in the Ming Dynasty, there is oak wood in the same family as oak. The material of oak is very similar to the white oak used to make wine barrels, and it is completely replaceable.

The largest production area of oak wood is Liaodong, followed by Huguang.

Liaodong doesn't have to think about it, the distance is too far, and the transportation cost is not something that Ning Xiu can afford.

Although the output of oak wood in Huguang cannot be compared with that of Liaodong, it is enough.

However, Ning Xiu had never seen furniture made of oak wood on the market, so he would go directly to the carpenter's workshop to find out.

Generally, this kind of carpenter's workshop is a model of front shop and back factory, and behind the store is a large warehouse for piling up all kinds of wood.

Generally speaking, the most popular woods in the Ming Dynasty were huanghuali, beech, and fir. I've never heard of oak furniture.

Ning Xiu also came to see it with an attitude of luck.

If you have oak, it is best to use substitute products, but the wine will not taste as good as that made from oak barrels.

The old carpenter was stunned for a moment, and shook his head again and again: "Does the son want to make a set of tables, chairs, and cabinets?" The old man has never heard of oak wood, but the small shop has good beech and fir wood, so you might as well try it. ”

Ning Xiu shook his head, beech and fir wood were definitely not suitable for making barrel wine.

Just when Ning Xiu was a little excited, he caught a glimpse of a board sticking out of a pile of wood.

Ning Xiu's eyes lit up, and he walked closer and squatted down and pulled out the board.

"This is oak!"

Ning Xiu had a complete set of oak wood furniture in his previous life, and he still had a certain degree of recognition for oak wood.

The grain of oak wood is very tight and clearly visible, and the wood is very hard when dried.

Ning Xiu was sure that what was in front of him must be oak wood.

"Master, this is the oak wood I need! By the way, what is the name of the master. ”

The master carpenter was very surprised and said, "Eh, the old man's surname is Zhao, and the single word is a chun." Childe, this kind of wood is a cheap commodity that no one wants to use, and I don't even have a name, so I just use it to burn firewood. ”

Ning Xiu: "......"

He was really speechless, such a useful wood was born deep in the mountains and no one knew about it. That's not all, it was even used by the carpenter to burn firewood.

"Master Zhao, how many of these oaks do you have?"

Carpenter Zhao said without hesitation: "There are still a lot of this kind of wood in the old backyard. ”

Ning Xiu was overjoyed.

In this way, he only needs to buy ready-made oak wood from Carpenter Zhao.

The oak wood stored here by Carpenter Zhao is air-dried, and can be directly used to make oak barrels.

"Master Zhao, I bought all the oak wood you have here."

Zhao Chun frowned at this time.

This little boy didn't make fun of him. This kind of wood is half a yard piled up, and what does he have to buy it for?

Zhao Chun was skeptical, and Ning Xiu felt the need to prove his sincerity.

He took out a piece of broken silver from his bosom and placed it in Carpenter Zhao's hand.

"It's a deposit. When I ask someone to move all the oak wood to the house, I will settle the balance for you. ”

Zhao Chun's eyes lit up when he saw Yinzi.

Obediently, this is real silver?

Zhao Chun put the silver in his mouth and bit it, confirming that it was the silver that had been exchanged as a fake, and couldn't help but smile.

In the late Ming Dynasty, with the influx of silver, silver gradually replaced copper coins as the most popular currency among the people.

The common people even preferred to settle in silver, although most of the settlement of small commodities was still made in copper coins.

As for the treasure banknotes, they have been completely reduced to waste paper, and no one is willing to accept them at all.

Ning Xiu took out a piece of broken silver to prove that he really wanted to do business with the old carpenter, and he was not fooling people.

"Well, it's useless to put this wood with me, at most it's for firewood. If the son wants to be old, he will send it to the child. ”

Ning Xiu nodded, and said in a harmonious voice: "That's it, I'll ask someone to pull this batch of oak back and give Master Zhao thirty taels of silver, what does Master Zhao think?" ”

"Thirty taels?"

Carpenter Zhao was dumbfounded.

"If it's not enough, you can add more."

"No, no, no, thirty taels is enough. You may not be able to earn thirty taels a year of work. ”

Carpenter Zhao is a sincere person, rubbing his palms repeatedly, as if to confirm that he is not dreaming: "Childe is really a good person." ”

Ning Xiu smiled but did not speak.

With this batch of oak wood, he was able to make the first batch of oak barrels. As for the initial production of wine, it is even more difficult for him to be a doctor of chemical engineering from a professional background.

With wine, his restaurant is more competitive. Wine itself can also be marketed separately as a high-end product to break into the elite of the official hierarchy.

"Childe, the old man knows where these woods come from, and if you want it, the old man will ask someone to cut it down."

Carpenter Zhao seemed to realize the huge business opportunity and excitedly proposed.

Ning Xiu shook his head: "For the time being, I don't need so many oak trees. However, I will let you know as soon as I have the need. You must not mention to outsiders that I came to you to buy oak wood. ”

Carpenter Zhao nodded again and again: "Old man knows." The old decay must be tight-lipped. ”

Ning Xiu was very satisfied: "I will call someone to move the oak wood in a while, you prepare it first." In the future, you may also be asked to help cut and make wood, and this salary will be settled separately, and you will never lose money. ”

Carpenter Zhao was so happy that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

He thought that this was just a one-shot deal, but he never thought that this little boy would let him do follow-up work, it was simply the God of Wealth.

......

......