Ten yuan, this is not low, steamed cakes are only two yuan, rice is about seven yuan, just this one fire sickle costs ten yuan, no wonder no one uses it in Baitu Village.

The only price of the fire sickle is the steel sheet, but at this time the use of iron has been quite common, the use of white iron plows, the strength and toughness of the ductile cast iron has the advantage of hoes, these are pig iron, can barely be used to make fire sickle steel sheets.

If you are more particular, it is also possible to beat a piece of iron to form a high-carbon steel and then use it as a fire sickle steel sheet.

In the final analysis, it is just some scraps of iron that fall from the production of farm tools, a matter of one or two pennies, and it is only three or four pennies if the labor cost is included.

In this day and age, labor is worthless.

As for mugwort and flint, wormwood is found in the ground, and it is kneaded and dried. There are many flints on the river beaches, and Chen Ping will go to pick up some flints every morning for a run, and there are a lot of them piled up at home by now.

Chen Yuanliang saw Chen Ping muttering here, thinking of the scene when Chen Ping was looking around at the store when he was in the county and city before, and immediately understood Chen Ping's thoughts: "Do you want to sell this?" ”

"That's right, this thing seems simple, but everyone needs it at home, and mastering the skill is more time-saving and trouble-free than drilling wood to make fire." According to the records of the geography of the Sui book, Jiangdu County, that is, Yangzhou three years before the Great Cause, governed 16 counties, with a total of more than 115,000 households, and an average of more than 7,000 households in a county.

Eating big households, this is Chen Ping's fundamental direction and purpose.

"But this fire sickle is not a rare thing in the county, and there are hundreds of shops in the county, and there is no shortage of this fire sickle." Chen Yuanliang said, "Just like my family, I sell less than five handfuls in a month, how can I make money?" ”

On the fifth day of January, after removing the cost, there was also an income of thirty or forty yuan, which is also a lot of money for Chen Ping now.

"Brother Yuanliang, have you heard of Wang Kai and Shi Chong?" Chen Ping asked.

Wang Kai and Shi Chongnai are from the Western Jin Dynasty, under the wealthy family of the gate valve, the family is wealthy, and luxury is the trend, the two compare with each other, Shi Chong is the toilet with powder, Wang Kai is to take caramel and dry rice to wash the pot, Shi Chong uses candles as firewood, and Shi Chong uses spices and peppercorns to make mud.

Chen Yuanliang shook his head, he hadn't heard of it. It's no wonder that this is a matter in the Book of Jin, and the compilation of the Book of Jin was obtained in the Tang Dynasty, and Chen Yuanliang did not know about this allusion.

Chen Yuanliang also read classics such as poetry books, and did not deal with history.

Chen Ping briefly told Chen Yuanliang the story of the two, and then ignored Chen Yuanliang's look of how do you know, and said, "My fire sickle is exactly what I want to sell to such a person." ”

"The national style is thrifty, and no one will do this." Chen Yuanliang said.

"That's not necessarily, besides, this fire sickle can't be compared with the candle spice after all, or a few pennies." Chen Ping said with a smile.

"What are you going to sell for?"

"Not much, just a hundred things." Chen Ping said indifferently.

"That's not much, you're ten times the price." Chen Yuanliang felt that this cousin was still a little blind, and took out half a two-year-old silver, "If the family is really short of money, I still have some, just take it for you to spend." ”

This is the first time Chen Ping has seen silver, half a tael seems to be less, if converted into five baht, it will be five or six hundred yuan.

This cousin is really generous, not only generous, but also the kind of rich lord.

"It's better to teach people to fish than to teach people to fish, you might as well keep this Brother Qian Yuanliang for yourself." Chen Ping shook his head and didn't accept it, "Do you have a pen and paper?" ”

"Yes, no matter how I say that I am also a reader, how can I not have pen and paper." Chen Yuanliang took back the silver, and the giving of this half tael of silver was also a little painful for him, "Follow me." ”

The study is in the west room, compared with the west room of the Chen Ping brothers, Chen Yuanliang's room is more spacious and bright, and the beam above his head is also made of elm, which is solid wood, and can ask for a good omen of "surplus grain".

There were some scrolls on the shelves, Chen Ping swept his eyes, most of them were poems, rites, filial piety and the like, not many, less than ten volumes, with a shallow layer of gray.

There is a pen holder and an inkstone on the table.

"Ahem, this person is usually too busy with official business and has no time to read." Chen Yuanliang took a piece of jute paper, added some water to the inkstone, and was about to grind the ink, but was stopped by Chen Ping.

Chen Yuanliang paused, and suddenly said: "That's right, you haven't gone to the countryside yet, how can you write." Hey...... So what's the use of asking me to prepare pen and ink? ”

Ordinary jute paper, but even if it is such jute paper, Chen Ping can't afford to use it at home, if it is used to make toilet paper, it should be stronger than the wooden chip.

Turning back from his deep groan, Chen Ping kneaded the jute paper, which was densely folded, and then rolled it up into a paper stick about a foot long and the thickness of a finger.

"Please also ask Brother Yuanliang to start the fire."

The fire sickle was in his hand, and Chen Yuanliang wiped it a few times to ignite the moxa wool to see what Chen Ping was going to do.

Chen Ping directly led the curly jute paper, and immediately blew it out after it caught fire, leaving a dark red yin fire, and after staying for a while, he saw that the yin fire was not burning quickly, and nodded with satisfaction.

Then, Chen Ping blew on the Mars on the jute paper, and counted several times in a row, but fortunately, Chen Ping's morning run these days was not in vain, and his lung capacity was larger, and the Mars finally burst into flames.

"It's kind of interesting." Chen Yuanliang said, "But what's the use of you doing this?" ”

"Ignition."

"It's too extravagant." Chen Yuanliang's study is just a decoration, and friends in the county occasionally come to the house, and they can also follow the vassal elegance, but this decoration also costs more than ten taels of silver.

Using paper as a fire-starting appliance is really unheard of.

"That's why the price is Baiwen." Chen Ping said, "Don't you think it's more convenient to start a fire like this?" ”

Chen Ping's words are indeed true, Chen Yuanliang saw the demonstration just now, and he also understood Chen Ping's intentions to some extent. Especially for those who are away from home, there is an extra piece of jute paper curled ignition material in their hands, which only needs to be blown lightly when lighting a fire, which is simple.

"Well, how are you going to sell it?" Chen Yuanliang asked, "Also, is there any explanation for this object?" ”

"I call it a fire break." Chen Ping's expression did not change, "Brother Yuanliang, I still need your help." ”

Chen Ping's original idea was to put the fire sickle in the grocery store of the uncle's house to sell it, but now he knows that his cousin works in the county office, although he is only a temporary worker with no actual establishment, but his grandfather is also Cao Caozuo, a household in the county government, and the temporary workers at this time are close to the small people, and the power is also not small.

It would be a waste not to use such a good resource, so Chen Ping temporarily made the prototype of the fire sickle, and the price was increased to Baiwen.

Only in this way will it not feel vulgar when it is taken to the county office. Of course, we have to process and package a little on the current basis. What is sold is novelty, and what is sold is packaging.

"What are you...... Okay, I'll do you a favor. But if you can't sell it, don't blame me. Listening to Chen Ping's words, Chen Yuanliang still didn't have much hope, but he couldn't bear to lose his cousin's enthusiasm.

"If you can't sell it, I will never trouble Brother Yuanliang next time." Chen Ping assured, and after a while, he said with a little embarrassment, "Can you trouble Brother Yuanliang again?" ”

"Is it the money for decoration processing? It's a small thing, or not much, I'll do it for you. Chen Yuanliang immediately guessed.

"Well, the proceeds from the sale, after deducting the cost of processing and decoration, five or five points." Chen Ping now has only ten cents in his hand, which is still given by the uncle, and it is definitely not enough to process decoration.

The ownership of five of the ten cents is still in Chen Anna, but this point was directly ignored by Chen Ping.

"No, a little money." Chen Yuanliang waved his hand.

Chen Ping refused, and insisted on saying: "Six-four open, I'll be six-you-four." Cousin, if you postpone it any longer, I'll go find someone else. ”

"Okay, it's up to you." Chen Yuanliang was helpless, anyway, he was just playing, everything was according to this cousin's, and there was no dispute.

The two set the intention of "cooperation", and then processed and decorated according to Chen Ping's requirements, and the materials can be found in the grocery store, but there is really none, Chen Yuanliang instructed the old servants at home to buy outside, but they can also find all of them.

By the time of dinner, three sets had been made.

Flint and moxa velvet are packed in small silk sacs, the steel pieces are perforated at angles and tied with a hemp rope that can be hung on a belt. There are six fire folds, placed in a small wooden box, three on the top and three on the bottom, and a silk cloth underneath.

"This set will trouble Brother Yuanliang, you will send it to the county lieutenant in charge of arrest in the county office." The candidate for the county lieutenant was also considered, and when he was out of the house, the fire fold was just used, Chen Ping said, "The remaining two sets are placed in the uncle's grocery store." ”

Chen Yuanliang nodded and agreed, this is not a troublesome matter, just take it with you when you drink with the county lieutenant next time.

The statistics of these three sets of fire sickles cost less than 100 yuan, and if you really can't sell them, you can use them yourself. It's really different, after such a decorative processing, the ordinary fire sickle looks so elegant.

"It's so much more pleasing to the eye." Chen Yuanliang said silently.

The fire sickle was fully prepared, and Chen Ping handed the toothbrush in his hand to Chen Yuanliang.

Chen Yuanliang rubbed for a long time, the object was a foot long, and one head was covered with long hair, Chen Yuanliang had never seen such an object, he really didn't know what this thing was for, he looked up at Chen Ping, waiting for an explanation.

"This is a toothbrush." The toothbrush had not yet appeared at this time, which Chen Ping knew, "It is much more convenient to use this to clean your teeth than to use a finger silk cloth." This should also be dragged to Brother Yuanliang to take care of one or two, and it will be sold in this grocery store. ”

As he spoke, Chen Ping took a toothbrush and demonstrated it in front of Chen Yuanliang.

"This toothbrush is not available in the county, and it is really convenient and refreshing to have this toothbrush." Chen Yuanliang said.

"Eighty-two points." Chen Pingdao, the toothbrush is ready-made, and there is no need to make too many changes, "I am eight and you are two." ”

The toothbrush doesn't need to be changed much, Chen Yuanliang is also doing a similar distribution job, and taking the second layer is already quite high.

Chen Yuanliang nodded, now even if the fire sickle can't be sold, this toothbrush can make some money.

This cousin is really a good craftsman, but there doesn't seem to be a craftsman in his own ancestors, where did he learn this craft?

It's a mystery that's hard to guess.

Chen Xiaoyi and Uncle Chen Ping came back in the evening, looking at their expressions, the two of them were quite happy at Dr. Hu's. Chen Ping's father and son rested at the uncle's house for one night, got up the next day, ate the breakfast made by Chen's mother, picked up the things to bring to the family, and left the county seat and set foot on the road back to Baitu Village.

The hustle and bustle is left behind, and the wealth and fame are remembered in my heart.

"Have you eaten?" It seems that he knew that Chen's father and a few people would come back to do it at this time, and as soon as they arrived at the entrance of the hospital, Liu hugged Chen Zhen and greeted him.

"I ate it, the steamed cakes I ate, and the pastries at my uncle's house, are delicious." Chen An said excitedly, "Bring some back and give it to the little lady to eat." ”

When the family entered the door, Chen's father put down the bamboo basket and untied a package, which contained not only pastries from the uncle, but also a few old clothes.

"It's yours, look, can you wear it? If it doesn't work, change it. Father Chen pulled out a Luo skirt and handed it to Liu, "There is also a silk shirt here, you changed it to make a jacket for the little lady." ”

Although these are old clothes, the material is good, and there is no damage, and it is much more comfortable to wear than linen. If you spend money to buy it, you have to pay seven or eight hundred yuan, which is really an expense.

"Yes." Liu took the clothes, thinking that the child's winter clothes were finally settled, and he was very happy.

"Mother, I'll take two crisp cakes and send them to Erniu." Chen Ping carefully took two pieces of crisp cake and went out.

First went to Chen Erniu's house, gave him a piece of crisp cake, and asked him to prepare more broken iron, and then Chen Ping walked along Tushui West to the old willow tree.