The next day, Xu Liang took Wang Qinian, two iron heads, plus eight guards, all changed into ordinary clothes, and met Cai Yuanwai at the gate of Hanzhong City, and a group of several people walked towards Dingjun Mountain.

Cai Mao said that his family's coal mine was the largest on Dingjun Mountain, and he did not boast about it. When Xu Liang and the others stood in the Caijia Coal Mine, they saw several coal piles piled up like hills, as well as three black mine caves not far apart, Xu Liang sighed that if the market was good, Cai Maoguang would be able to earn a lot of money by relying on this coal mine.

It's just that Cai Mao is really unlucky.

Due to the shutdown of the coal mine, there was no one else in the entire mine except for the three miners who stayed behind.

Accompanied by Cai Mao, Xu Liang visited three mines, and when he came out again, Xu Liang had a hint of joy on his face. Judging from the visit to the cave, the source of Caijia's coal mine should be abundant, the extension of the three mined caves is not deep, and the coal quality of the mine is very good, and there are almost no visible gravel impurities.

Out of the mine, a group of several people came to the square where the coal was stacked, and Cai Yuanwai kept telling Xu Liang how good his family's coal was, how pity it was to change hands, and so on. Xu Liang knew that this was Cai Mao adding bargaining chips for his coal mine, and he didn't break it, and listened noncommittally.

After visiting the coal mine, Xu Liang proposed to visit Cai Mao's other two foreign industries, the pottery factory and the brick and tile factory. Cai Mao was stunned for a while, and then nodded in agreement.

Just before leaving, Xu Liang proposed to bring a few bags of coal back to the city, and Cai Mao listened. It's strange, but it's not stopped.

Compared with the flute of Caijia Coal Mine, Caijia's pottery factory and Kwawa factory are still somewhat popular. Xu Liang watched carefully from the two factories. From time to time, he stopped to chat with the pottery workers, and he seemed very interested.

It took a whole day for Xu Liang to visit the Cai family's three properties, but he never mentioned what he took over along the way.

This made Cai Mao's heart beat a drum. Cai Mao could see that Xu Liang was relatively satisfied with his coal mine. It's just that Xu Liang didn't mention the matter of changing hands, and Cai Mao's heart was not settled.

The group entered Hanzhong City in the evening and parted at a fork in the road. Cai Mao finally couldn't help it, stopped in front of Xu Liang's carriage, and said with a smile: "Lord Xu." You have seen all the coal mines, pottery factories, and brick factories of Cai's family, so what do you think about changing hands? ”

Xu Liang poked his head out of the carriage. Chao Cai smiled kindly. Said: "Cai Yuanwai, if you want the official to take over your coal mine, there is naturally no problem." However, the officer's succession plan decided to change the change. ”

"Uh, how do you change that?" Although Xu Liang smiled very kindly, Cai Mao always had a feeling of cold on his back.

Xu Liang stretched out three fingers and said solemnly: "This official has decided, coal mine." Even the pottery factory and brick factory that I have seen today. Including the tools, the house, the workers, the inventory, all took over. ”

"What?" Cai Mao took a step back, his face was a little ugly, and said, "My lord, I just want to transfer the coal mine, but the pottery factory and the brick and tile factory didn't say that they want to transfer." "Compared with the large stalls and consumption of coal mines, the pottery factory and the brick and tile factory have not yet reached the point of exhaustion, and Cai Mao still wants to keep it.

Xu Liang said undoubtedly: "Except for Cai Yuan, this official will either take over all these three industries, or he will not take over any of them." And the price given by the official will definitely not let you suffer. The three properties were valued at a total of 12,000 taels of silver. How to decide, Cai Yuanwai, you think about it. ”

Cai Mao was dumbfounded, his lips moved, and he said in embarrassment: "My lord, if I transfer all the properties under my name, then what will my family live on in the future?" ”

Xu Liang said with a smile: "Cai Yuanwai, I think you are also a talent, you can rest assured, although your industry was taken over by me, but it is just a change of boss, if Cai Yuanwai has no business to do, he can go to the official's coal mine to help take care of the three industries, and the treatment given by the official is very generous." ”

"This ......" Cai Mao listened, his heart was moved for a while, and he was entangled and hesitated for a while.

Xu Liang put down the curtain and said quietly: "Cai Yuanwai can think about such a big matter, and there is no need to rush to agree to this official." This official passed through Cai Yuanwai for three days, and if Cai Yuanwai figured it out, he came to the Hanzhong Dao Yamen to find me. ”

After that, Xu Liang ordered the carriage to start, leaving Cai Mao standing alone.

Xu Liang and his entourage returned to the Hanzhong Road Yamen, jumped off the carriage, and shouted to the Tsing Yiwei on the back carriage: "You guys, transport this cart of coal to the open space in the backyard, and spread it out to dry." ”

Several Tsing Yi guards agreed, and then drove the carriage into the backyard of the Yamen of Hanzhong Road. Wang Qinian and Tietou looked at Xu Liang curiously and asked, "My lord, what are you going to do when you bring this cart of coal back?" ”

"Burn." Xu Liang said.

"Burn?" Wang Qinian and Tietou looked at each other. Tietou rubbed the top of his head and asked curiously: "Young master, we have enough firewood and charcoal, how do you plan to burn this cart of black guys from the mountain?" ”

Xu Liang smiled mysteriously and said, "You'll know in a few days." With that, he left the two of them and went into the study by himself.

Wang Qinian and Tietou followed closely and wanted to go in to see what was going on, but they didn't want to slam it, Xu Liang actually closed the door casually.

Wang Qinian and Tietou had a closed door, and the two turned into the backyard in a daze, surrounded the cart of coal that had been spread out and dried on the ground, squatted down and studied carefully for a long time, still confused.

Lou Xian'er came out of the room with two maids, and saw a bunch of people on the ground in the courtyard, so she also crowded over to see the excitement.

"Hey, Ah Tie, what are you doing with this coal here? It's dirty. Lou Xian'er exclaimed in surprise.

"Heh, Third Madam, this is none of my business, it was ordered by the young master to do this." The iron head hurriedly cleared up his relationship.

"Ordered by the Prime Minister?" Lou Xian'er blinked her eyes and looked at it suspiciously for a long time, and finally reluctantly gave up this meaningless speculation.

After dark, Xu Liang came out of the study and saw Lou Xian'er, Wang Qinian. The three of them gathered around the house like curious babies, looking at Xu Liang with wide eyes.

Xu Liang was stunned, and stuffed the two drawn drawings in his hand to Wang Qinian. He commanded: "Qi Nian, you go to the blacksmith now and make what I painted on it." ”

Wang Qinian carefully took the drawing handed over by Xu Liang, and saw that it was a fork-like thing, but it didn't look like it, because there was an iron ring under the fork. On the other piece of paper, there is a bucket-like drawing. Wang Qinian didn't ask much. Hurried away.

Xu Liang commanded at Tietou: "Ah Tie, you take someone to find a few bags of clean loess and ask for dry loess." Don't bring stones. ”

"Ah," the Iron Head took the order.

The rest of the downstairs Xian'er looked at Xu Liang with blinking, and saw that Wang Qinian and Tietou had received the task and left, so she asked, "Xianggong." So what do I do? ”

Xu Liang looked at it and rubbed his hands. Lou Xian'er, who was eager to try, nodded, and said in a matter-of-fact manner: "Well, Xian'er, your matter is the most important, I will leave it to you to handle, you must handle it carefully, don't live up to the trust that Xianggong has in you." ”

Lou Xian'er was deeply encouraged and held her head high. said loudly: "Xianggong, what do you want Xian'er to do?!" ”

Xu Liang pulled Lou Xian'er over. laughed and said, "Xian'er, your task is to accompany my husband to dinner." After a day of walking today, I'm tired. ”

"Huh?" Lou Xian'er exclaimed, and said unwillingly: "That's it, that's it......"

explained the matter of Wang Qinian and Tietou, and both of them did it very quickly. After Xu Liang got up the next day, he walked to the backyard and saw what he wanted.

Wang Qinian, Tietou, Lou Xian'er and a few Qingyi guards who watched the excitement gathered around the spread out coal, looking at Xu Liang.

Xu Liang first checked the two things that Wang Qinian asked the blacksmith to make overnight, maybe others didn't know, but Xu Liang knew these two things, one was a simple mold for making honeycomb coal, and the other was an iron stove for burning honeycomb coal.

Yes, Xu Liang decided to take over Cai Mao's coal mine, and his idea was to make honeycomb coal, expand the use of coal, and expand the sales of coal.

Xu Liang looked at the tools, then checked the pile of loess that Tietou had transported into the city from Xiaowai overnight, nodded with satisfaction, and shouted to a few Tsing Yi guards who were watching the excitement: "You guys, who will mix the soil?" ”

Several Tsing Yi guards were stunned, and they all stepped forward and arched their hands: "My lord, we will all do." ”

Xu Liang waved his hand and said, "There is no need for so many people," stretched out his hand and pointed among the Qingyi guards, and ordered the two of them to come out. He also ordered someone to bring a bucket of water, found a pickaxe and shovel and other tools, and said to the two selected Tsing Yi guards: "Shovel out a portion of loess, put four parts of coal, pour some water, and mix it well for me!" ”

"Yes, sir." When the two Tsing Yi guards heard this, they did it carefully according to Xu Liang's request.

The people next to him looked curiously.

Lou Xian'er asked, "Xianggong, what are you going to do here?" ”

Xu Liang looked at everyone, and saw that everyone was looking at him with inquiring eyes, so he laughed smugly, and said: "You all know that this coal is dried and thrown into the stove to be used as firewood, but this kind of loose coal has to be shoveled into the stove one by one, which is easy to raise ash and too troublesome." Now I use these loesses, as well as these few things, to try to shape the coal, like firewood, and I can put it directly into it and burn it in whole pieces, which is simple and convenient. ”

Xu Liang saw that the crowd was fascinated, so he continued: "Later, you will understand when you look at it." ”

Xu Liang paid attention to the progress of the two Tsing Yi guards mixing well, and when he saw that it was almost over, he stopped the two, squatted down, grabbed a handful of mixed coal and loess mixture, pinched it tightly and then loosened it, and saw that the mixture was lumpy and a little loose, so he said: "Add some more water." ”

The two Tsing Yi guards acted as ordered, and after mixing well for a while, Xu Liang stopped the test again. Finally nodded with satisfaction, and asked the two Tsing Yi guards to shovel the mixed mixture into a wooden box and step on it hard.

Xu Liang lifted the fork on the side, gestured twice, aimed at the solid coal-soil mixture, and pressed it hard, and saw that all the rings on the fork were submerged, Xu Liang turned twice, and lifted the fork together with the ring, and the ring was filled with coal. Xu Liang mentioned a flat floor tile, rotated the fork a few times, stepped on both sides of the ring with one foot, and actually lifted the fork out of it.

Xu Liang nodded with satisfaction, took out the ring again, and beckoned everyone to come and watch.

I saw a cylindrical coal brick on the floor tiles, with only a few round holes symmetrically distributed.

Lou Xian'er said: "Xianggong, what should this be called?" Mixed with loess, can it still be burned? ”

Xu Liang laughed and said: "Coal of this shape has an image name, it is called honeycomb coal, as for the effect of combustion, you will know in a while." ”

Then, Xu Liang took the iron stove, put the honeycomb coal that had just been made into it, and lit it with a candle, and after a while, the bottom of the honeycomb coal in the iron furnace became red, and the temperature of the wall of the iron furnace rose rapidly and became hot.

Although it was the first time that Xu Liang made honeycomb coal by himself based on the experience he had seen on the Internet before, Xu Liang was still very happy that this piece of honeycomb coal could be burned smoothly.

Subsequently, Lou Xian'er, Wang Qinian, Tietou and others also made some honeycomb coal one after another, and several Tsing Yi guards were also eager to try.

In the following two days, Xu Liang personally tested several times, changed some ratios, and finally made a more satisfactory honeycomb coal.

The three-day period agreed with Cai Mao has arrived. Cai Mao also came as promised, and in the living room of the inner courtyard of the Yamen of Hanzhong Road, Cai Yuan bowed to Xu Liang and Wang Qinian in a respectful manner, and said in a rather helpless tone: "Lord Xu, you said that you would take over my coal mine, pottery factory and brick factory, I thought about it carefully, and I decided to promise you." ”

Xu Liang said with a smile: "Cai Yuanwai made such a wise decision so quickly, and this official is very happy. ”

"However, there is one more condition for the grass people." Cai Yuanwai said solemnly.

"Cai Yuanwai, please speak."

"Just like Cai's concerns about the adults that day," Cai said: "Coal mines, pottery factories, and brick factories are the industries that Cai relies on to survive, and now they have been transferred to adults, so there will be no more industries under Cai's name." Sitting and eating empty mountains is not Cai's temperament. Therefore, Cai wanted the adult to agree and allow Cai to do things in the name of the adult. ”

Cai Mao also thought shrewdly, although the transfer of the property under his name is a helpless thing, but in this way, it is also beneficial and harmless for Cai Mao to have a relationship with the dignified people who participate in politics from the three products.

Xu Liang didn't think about it, and immediately said: "How can this official not agree to such a trivial matter." Then it's settled! However, Cai Yuanwai has to wait a few days, and the official has notified his hometown to bring the silver taels, and once the silver taels are in place, the two of us can sign a contract to go through the transfer procedures. ”

Seeing that the big thing had been decided, Cai Mao was relaxed, and arched his hand: "Then Cai will go home and wait for the adult's notice." ”

"Cai Yuan, please take care of yourself." Xu Liang waved his hand with a smile, and didn't treat Cai Mao as an outsider at all. (To be continued......)