The stage is wide and large, and there is not much difference from later generations. In the background is the beautiful scenery of the West Lake, with green lotus leaves, lotus flowers, and a small bridge, on which are several figures.

Hey, Xincheng seemed to have discovered some secret, and pointed to the floor and exclaimed, "There's a little eye on it." As she spoke, she crouched down and looked in.

Xiao Zhao introduced with a smile: "Inside is a loudspeaker, and the sound on the stage can be amplified when it is passed down." ”

"Really?" Xincheng rolled his eyes wide, opened his mouth and screamed twice.

The voice of the little girl echoed in the empty theater, and the effect of the echo bar, coupled with the amplification of the loudspeaker, the effect was really obvious.

Hahahaha, the son let out a crisp laugh, which was also amplified and spread to all directions.

Li Lizhen was quite surprised, looking around at the structure of the theater, wondering how the sound became louder and echoed.

In the era when there were no loudspeakers, it was okay to perform indoors, close to each other and shielded. But if it is outside, there is a big stage, and the singing and playing on it are estimated that only the people in the first few rows can hear clearly, and the back can only be heard intermittently.

So, in ancient times, if you wanted to be a singer or something, you had to have a very high voice. In the historical records, there are few such singers, and during the boom period of vocal art in the Tang Dynasty, it seems that only Yongxin and Niannu were famous for their pitch.

According to legend, Xu Yongxin was a famous singer in the Kaiyuan period, born in the Lejia family, and was elected to the palace at the end of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, and was born in Yichun Courtyard. She is beautiful and intelligent, especially good at singing, and can change her voice.

Han E and Li Yannian have been dead for more than a thousand years, and no one has succeeded them, and only Yongxin can be compared with them. "In the high autumn and bright moon, the Taidian is empty", and Yongxin "has a throat chirp, and the sound is transmitted to Jiumo".

She sings in a wide range, even beyond the height of the instrument. Legend has it that Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty once asked the court musician Li Mo to play the flute to accompany Yongxin, and the flute exploded at the end of the song.

Once, Tang Xuanzong feasted guests in the Qinzheng Building, thousands of spectators, many people talked and talked, gathered in a noisy manner, drowned out the sound of singing and dancing. Xuanzong was furious and wanted to return to the palace after the banquet. The eunuch Gao Lishi immediately suggested to Xuanzong: Only when Yongxin appears to sing can he suppress the noisy voices.

After Xuanzong agreed, Yongxin slowly ascended the stairs, "flirting sideburns and raising his coat, playing the man's voice directly", "those who are happy are brave when they hear it, and those who are worried are absolutely stunned", and tens of millions of spectators were suddenly silent, immersed in this beautiful singing, "until the square is lonely as if there is no one".

Niannu is also a famous singer in the Tianbao period, and the history records that she is "colorful, good at singing, and the first in the palace". One day, a banquet was held in the palace to entertain guests, but it was also noisy and uncontrollable, and the music was stopped.

Tang Xuanzong ordered Nian Nu to appear and sing, and 25 people played the pipes to accompany him. The singing and flute chase each other, and it is wonderful and abnormal.

It is difficult to suppress the pitch of the audience with the singing voice of one person, but after all, it is only a few people.

And Xu Qilin listened to the play and watched the performance, and felt its shortcomings, so he pondered using local methods to solve this problem. Of course, in an open area outside, the effect of this is diminished.

In addition to the amplification facilities in the theater, there are lights, more than a dozen copper mirrors on both sides of the stage, reflecting the lights, although it is very simple, but it also makes up for the defects of slightly worse lighting in the room.

The son and Xincheng jumped and screamed on the stage, but fortunately it was still early for the audience to enter, and no one saw the frolicking of the two princesses.

"Let's go, let's go, it's almost time, let's all go to the box!" Princess Changle couldn't stand it anymore, for fear that there would be too many people and it would be bad to spread it, so she took the two little sisters and beckoned Xiao Zhao off the stage.

The theater is divided into two floors, and there are a total of seven boxes on the second floor, and the one in the middle is left by Xiao Zhao, unless she doesn't come, this box is her exclusive one.

In front of the first floor are five rows of ordinary seats, and in front of the seats is a row of long tables where you can place to eat and drink; Behind the ordinary seats, a foot higher, there are seven more boxes, all covered by curtains.

It can be said that the theater can accommodate not many people, and it will not exceed three hundred people when it is full. Such an arrangement also shows that it is not something that the general public can often come in for entertainment.

It's not often that you can come in, but it's not impossible to save some money and watch two shows a year.

In fact, even if they have money, ordinary people don't have so much time to watch dramas and listen to songs, they are all busy with life, and there is no stable and idle citizen class at all.

In a metropolis like Chang'an, the situation is even better, there are more powerful bureaucrats and rich people, and the entertainment industry is more developed, so there is no worry that no one will come to see it.

Princess Changle took the three little girls to the second floor, entered the box, sat around the table, ate melons and fruit snacks, and laughed and chatted casually.

As time passed, the audience gradually entered and the noise gradually became louder. A few waiters who looked like little two were shuttling around the theater, bringing small snacks and drinks to the audience.

There are also people in the box next to it, although the ticket is not expensive or cheap, but the ticket price of the box is indeed very high, the second floor is more evil than the first floor, and the one who can afford it is either rich or expensive.

The three little girls were eating, drinking, and laughing, while Li Lizhen picked up the drama and slowly flipped through it.

This kind of drama excerpt is also Xu Qilin's creativity, a bit like the program list of later generations. In addition to the main play "Meeting", there are also singing and dancing and 100 operas in front, which can be regarded as a hot scene.

"Laughter in the Sea", sung by Ake. Princess Changle nodded lightly, she hadn't seen it, but she had heard Jinyang and Xincheng say it, more than once. It's a pity that a blind girl sings very well.

"Two Springs Reflecting the Moon", performed by Zheng Tuantuan. I have also heard of this name, it is Xiao Zhao's piano teacher, and Ah Ke was also taught by her.

After watching only these two, the following hundred plays, Princess Changle was not interested, and directly turned to the main play "Meeting".

Although it was serialized in the "Minsheng Daily", the excerpt still introduced the antecedents of the story, a white snake cultivated into an immortal, and in order to repay the kindness of a thousand years ago, he took his maid Xiaoqing out of the mountain to find a benefactor.

"The beautiful scenery of the West Lake is in March, and the spring rain is like wine and willows; There is a fate to meet thousands of miles away, but it is difficult to hold hands on the other side; Ten years of repairing can cross the same boat, and a hundred years of repairing can sleep together; If there is a thousand years of creation, the white head is in front of you......"

Princess Changle smiled faintly, although this word is popular, it can be read catchy, but I don't know what it looks like to sing.

Somewhat curious, Princess Changle raised her head and asked, "Xiao Zhao, have you seen the rehearsal of this play, are the songs in it good?" ”

"That's good!" Xiao Zhao nodded, put down the drink in his hand, and said, "Ah Ke sings the best, but unfortunately she can't see with her eyes and can't act, so she has to let others sing." ”

Princess Changle pursed the corners of her mouth and said, "When will it be convenient to invite Ah Ke to my mansion?" ”

Xiao Zhao blinked his eyes and said, "Her Royal Highness the princess invites you, there must be no problem." Wait for me to talk to Ah Ke first, so that she doesn't know about it, and then politely refuse. ”

Princess Changle was a little puzzled, what was her identity, and saying a word of invitation was already lifting. But after thinking about it, Ah Ke is a blind girl, and she may have a strange temperament, maybe she just doesn't want to enter a wealthy family!

At this time, the voices outside were louder, and more people came. But it didn't take long for the show time to arrive, and the seats were filled with the audience.

First of all, there was the publicity of "People's Voice", and then there was the ordinary song and dance performance in the theater a few days ago, and people are still looking forward to this premiere of the new play.

Of course, there are many idlers in Chang'an City, and the atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty is also open, women are not like the later dynasties, the door is not out, the second door is not stepping, the princes and nobles, rich businessmen and some female dependents are really a lot.

With a ding-dong piano sound, the performance officially began. The bands on both sides of the stage played an ancient music, which was a sign of the opening and gradually stopped the noise.

As soon as the song was played, Ah Ke was dressed in a pale green dress and slowly walked onto the stage from the side. I was already familiar with walking, and I didn't need to be helped when I got on the stage, but I probably counted the steps to the center, turned around and bowed to the audience.

After a few moments, the melodious music sounded, first the guqin played the sound of waves and waves, and then the flute and the three strings, and the steady drum beat also sounded, striking an unhurried rhythm.

"The sea is smiling, the tide on both sides of the strait is ......" Ah Ke opened his voice, and Qingyue's voice echoed in the air.

Some people hear the desolation, some people hear the pride, some people hear the joy and happiness, the mood is different, the life is different, and the feelings and comprehension of the song are also very different.

Princess Changle looked through the curtain cage and looked at Ah Ke under the focus of the lights on the stage, smiling and chin heads. This voice, this singing, is indeed refreshing.

Xiao Zhao, Jinyang, and Xincheng also listened quietly, they were their acquaintances and friends, they liked Ake, and they liked her singing.

As soon as the singing stopped, the music at the end was still lingering, and Ah Ke bowed to salute, and the audience realized that the singing was over.

There was applause, first a few people, then a majority. Even if you don't know that Ake is blind and don't admire her self-improvement, you will be moved by this beautiful singing voice and applaud it.

"Ake, Ake, Ake—" Xiao Zhao called rhythmically.

The son laughed twice and shouted to the rhythm, two small fists rising and falling rhythmically in front of his chest.

"Ake, Ake, Ake—" Xincheng jumped into his chair, his calves flexed and stretched, working harder.

Although the voices of the three little girls were almost muffled by the cheers and applause outside, the true feelings they revealed were unsurpassed.

Rare indulgence, Princess Changle smiled and applauded, and did not stop the cheers of the three little girls.

Ah Ke bowed down again for curtain call, turned around and walked to the edge of the stage, where a maid had already stepped forward to greet her and helped her down the steps.

"I heard that she is a blind girl, but she is beautiful, and she has a rare good singing voice!" In a private room, the lady drank the eight-treasure tea she brought home, and said with some anticipation: "It would be great if it could be included in our house." ”

Hehe, the middle-aged man next to him laughed twice, shook his head and said: "The lady doesn't know, many people have the same idea as the lady, but she is not a musician, but a lover, how can she be a kabuki?" ”

"That's it!" The lady drank tea and stared thoughtfully at the back of Ake who walked off the stage.

"This woman also went to Jiucheng Palace to perform for His Majesty and all the nobles, and was also called a righteous sister by Xu Chongrong." The middle-aged man said: "I heard that she also refused the invitation to join the workshop. The royal family cannot be recruited, let alone the princes and ministers. ”

The noble lady nodded and said, "The concubine is just talking casually, but I didn't expect her to have such a story." Well, it's a show again, it's her master Zheng! ”

Zheng Tuantuan came to the stage with the pipa in his arms, bowed down and saluted, sat down in the chair put down by Yahuan, calmed down, and plucked the strings.

Like a sigh full of bitterness, the pipa music takes people into a sad and profound music, and the audience is silent, only the music is flying.......

……………

The warm atmosphere in the Chang'an Theater was not felt by Xu Qilin, who was far away in Xin'an. He is busy making refractory bricks, preparing for the blast furnace, and leading a new era of smelting in Datang!

No way, no one knows the role of bauxite, no one knows the manufacture of refractory bricks, and no one knows the importance of building blast furnaces, blowing hot air, and coke for melting molten iron.

Since the invention of artificial iron smelting technology around the world, until the 70s of the 20th century, mankind has been in the Iron Age in a broad sense, including the traditional Iron Age before the Industrial Revolution, and the post-Iron Age or Iron Age after it.

Due to the relationship between technology and materials, the early artificial iron-smelting technology mainly included two important links: iron-making and steel-making.

The ironmaking process is roughly as follows: iron ore mainly iron oxide or iron sulfide is heated with fuels such as firewood, coal or charcoal, and when the temperature is high enough, the carbon in the fuel is combined with the oxygen or sulfur in the iron ore to form a gas and escape, reducing the iron in the iron ore.

Because the reduced iron still has sulfur, phosphorus, silicon, etc., as well as excess carbon and other impurities in the iron ore. The product obtained from ironmaking is called pig iron, which is brittle and hard in nature and is generally not suitable for direct use.

Therefore, after the ironmaking is completed, there is also a steelmaking process, that is, to remove impurities and oxides in the pig iron to obtain clean and excellent performance steel products.

From the analysis of this process, it can be seen that in ancient times, liquid pig iron may have been obtained due to the overheating of the furnace or the excessive fuel ratio, but it must not be produced on a large scale as in later generations, or even directly from iron to steel.

Quite simply, the furnace temperature is not enough, and the melting point of iron is about 1,500 degrees, which is very difficult to achieve before the furnace, wind power, fuel, etc. are upgraded.

In the 10th century, China began to use coal for iron smelting; Coke began to be used in the sixteenth century; In the seventeenth century, the piston bellows blast technique appeared.

In the Ming Dynasty, in the "Heavenly Works", there was a description of the most important processes in the principle of modern steel production, that is, direct casting with molten pig iron, and throwing slag making agents.

Xu Qilin doesn't need to be too advanced, and he has improved the smelting technology for nearly a thousand years, which is already an earth-shattering change, which is enough to shine in the annals of history.

While making various preparations for the smelting of iron and steel, while waiting for the imperial court's reply to his report, Xu Qilin also asked the explorers to look for quartz stones.

Making glass, that's the biggest source of money. The Phoenicians made a fortune by mixing quartz sand with natural soda and melting it in a special furnace to make glass balls.

In later generations, glass was a cheap and ordinary thing. Historically, however, glass was one of the most expensive materials, a luxury item comparable to gold and precious stones, and was only available to a few high-class dignitaries.