Let's start with soap. The saponification reaction requires caustic soda and grease. Caustic soda aside, I don't know if there is soda powder, at least quicklime is very common. But when it comes to animal fats, in this era of scarcity, it is quite difficult to find. The most common animal fat is lard, the problem is that Xie Zuo has been over for so long, not to mention lard, he has never seen a single pig, otherwise it would not make him so resentful of returning to the pot meat! I don't know if it's because people are not good at raising pigs or other reasons, and the daily meat consumption is mostly mutton, chicken, goose, and fish. As for the cows...... Why is it that even ploughing cattle is not popular at this time, you tell me butter?

Let's talk about distilled spirits. The same is the problem of raw materials, these days, the grain is generally only enough to fill the stomach, and there is very little used to make wine. Perhaps in the rich family, there is surplus grain available to make wine, but this is not in the Song and Ming dynasties when commerce was developed, and most of the folk liquor was brewed for personal use, and very few were taken out for sale, even if there was money, it might not be able to buy it if you wanted to. Against this backdrop, distilled spirits? Just where to collect so many low-alcohol wines is a big problem!

Alcohol can't be refined, and glycerin as a catalyst can't be thought about, and perfume and the like can't be talked about.

Xie Zuo sighed and drew three question marks on the wooden stump. It's not that my brother doesn't work hard, it's really - what if the time is not good?

After sitting for a while, Xie Zuo wrote down several things such as "blast furnace steelmaking", "soil cement", and "water wheel".

Steelmaking is not difficult, but it is also limited by the material. In the huge Xie Mansion, there are very few metal utensils, even the pots are bronze, and the iron products of the whole mansion together may not even be able to make an all-steel shield. Haven't you heard that private iron castings are prohibited by the people? As a result, it is impossible to buy iron ore in large quantities.

In the same way, soil cement needs slag for steelmaking, so there is no need to worry about it.

Only the waterwheel doesn't have to worry about the raw materials, it's just wood, where is it? As for the structure...... I have never eaten pork and have always seen pigs run, as long as he understands the principle of the waterwheel, Xie Zuo thought that if he was given enough time, he should be able to figure it out. But......

The function of the waterwheel is nothing more than two, one is irrigation, and the other is to drive the mill or something with the help of the waterwheel. However, there is only one stream in the entire Johor Bahru village that will not reach the knee, and the farmland is directly on the side of the stream, and the farthest distance from the stream is only Lixu Road, which is very convenient for irrigation or anything. As for the mill - it seems that Xie Zuo has never seen wheat here, can't he grind the millet to make rice flour?

Xie Zuo helplessly looked at the messy wooden stump, speechless. Look at other traversers, what they want to build, stretch out their hands, and slip until they fly. But when you come here, why is it not good?

There are a lot of lists, but there is no one that can be achieved at the moment! Don't bring it with you! Xie Zuoyi threw away the brush, hugged his head and groaned. This god is just doing it against himself, and he will never run away!

"Young master, it's time to eat!"

A shout came from outside the door, interrupting Xie Zuo's self-pity. Thinking of having to endure the difficult sauce bibimbap again, Xie Zuo felt that his life was full of dim colors!

dragged his heavy legs to the dining room, only to find that not only Zhan Yu was already waiting here, but even the old housekeeper and Chen You, who had gone out early in the morning, had already returned.

At Xie Zuo's insistent request, Zhan Yu and the old housekeeper dined at the same table with them. During the meal, everyone consciously followed the rule of "eating without words", so it didn't take long to end the meal.

Zhan Yu put down the dishes and chopsticks, turned around and went to supervise his "buddy" meal and prepare the post-dinner training, while Xie Zuo put down the chopsticks and looked at Chen Yu with a blank look. The two brothers went out in the morning, so there should be some news, right?

When the servant finished cleaning up the dishes, chopsticks and plates, Chen You rinsed his mouth with tea, and then said slowly:

"Today, the old man and Brother Qin went to the Yu family to investigate, and the Yu family was already anxious to go to the Xie Mansion. According to the old man, as long as he gives them a quasi-letter, he will inevitably come to the door with great fanfare, and Xiao Zuo does not need to worry too much. ”

Xie Zuo was overjoyed when he heard this: "Where did the quasi-letter come from?" ”

Chen You put down the teacup and muttered: "It's not good, this matter still needs the old man to go to the county seat in person." ”

The old housekeeper frowned: "The county seat is half a day's journey here, and I am afraid that I will not be able to catch up with the time!" ”

Chen Youshu chuckled: "That's true." Therefore, if you lean less, you have to leave. Brother Qin, I'm sorry for you to accompany the old man on a journey! ”

The old butler arched his hand: "Dare not obey your fate!" ”

After speaking, the two looked at each other and laughed.

Xie Zuo didn't know why they were smiling so happily, but seeing that things were moving on the right track, he couldn't help but be happy in his heart, and bowed deeply to Chen You: "Everything, it's all up to Mr., Zuo is here to thank you!" ”

This thank you is sincere and heartfelt. Isn't it, among the several people who are running around for the crisis of the Xie Mansion, it is needless to say that the old housekeeper has been in charge of the Xie family for most of his life, and the Xie family is equivalent to his own family, so it is normal to have no regrets for this; The exhibition of poultry is because the Xie family has a great favor to him, in this era of generally paying attention to the grace of dripping water and reciprocating with springs, it is also incumbent on the Xie family to go to the soup and fire.

Only Chen You, it is said that this big/troublesome has nothing to do with him at all, he can hang up without caring about himself, or slap his ass and leave, and no one can say anything about it. After all, all people have self-interest, and it is not surprising that it is natural to seek good fortune and avoid harm. But not only did he take the initiative to make suggestions for this, but even went to the front line shirtless, and he was worthy of Xie Zuo's sincere thanks.

Chen You smiled, calmly accepted Xie Zuo's salute, and looked at Xie Zuo's eyes, full of kindness and doting.

"Xiao Zuo and relieved, at the latest tomorrow afternoon, there will be news back. Without further ado, Brother Qin, let's pack our bags, and let's go immediately! ”

Until the two of them were sent out of the gate of Xie Mansion, Xie Zuo still felt a little emotional. In the era when feudal etiquette and religion were popular, although there were many inconveniences, people's general discipline was still worthy of praise. This is not like the later generations, where morality collapsed and universal values basically shifted towards money-only theory. If this matter is left in the future generations, Xie Zuo is very suspicious, the people around him did not tie himself up and send him to the door, it is already a full performance of discipline!

Seeing the two figures disappear at the end of the road, Xie Zuo found himself once again in a dilemma where he had nothing to do. After thinking about it, he simply turned around the star map space first, saying that the few extra exchange items since he had the letter seal had always tickled his heart, as if he was carrying a heavy treasure and walking in brocade clothes at night, there was always an indescribable itching feeling. Thinking so, he turned around and walked back to the bedroom. However, as soon as he reached the atrium, there was a sudden noise from outside.

Xie Zuo stopped, frowned and looked in the direction where the noise came, and soon a person dressed as a family member rushed to Xie Zuo out of breath, breathless:

"Young, young master, it's not good to be big, big things!"

Xie Zuo frowned: "What's the situation?" Speak slowly! ”

The family beefed like a bellows for a while, took a breath of relief, and looked at Xie Zuo with a look of anxiety on his face:

"Young master, I was ordered by Chief Steward Xie to monitor the movement of Panshan Village, and I saw that the village was packing up the armor and igniting things, and it looked like, as if I was going to do it tonight!"