Since the brick kiln of the thirteenth room was changed to a cement kiln, the cement workshop was completed, and Lao Jiatou settled in this workshop as a representative of the Xie family's three rooms. He brought a son, Jia Er, and his nephew Jia Fuchang, who was originally working in the workshop, and soon got started working in the workshop.

Because Wen and Xie Mulin had a word first, Lao Jia Tou did not become the director of the workshop, but cooperated with Xie Jinhua, the steward of the thirteenth room, to assist the other party in daily operations. For more than a month, the two of them have worked together quite happily, and there are occasional disputes, which have been quickly resolved, and everything seems to be going well.

According to the accounts reported by Lao Jiatou, although the monthly profit of the Xie family's three rooms is less than fifty taels of silver, it is already slowly improving. In Huyin County, there are more and more people who know cement and accept this building material, and the craftsmen who cooperate with the workshop are almost all busy, and the business is coming one after another, which shows that the prospects of this industry are still very promising.

Whether it is Lao Jiatou or the steward of the thirteenth room, they have regretted more than once that this business cannot be carried forward and can only be confined to the county.

In addition to the profit prospects, there are many improvements and "innovations" in the use of cement, and in addition to the most traditional paving and brick walls, craftsmen have also come up with several new uses, such as building dikes, ditches, and walls without bricks...... Some people even thought that it would be easier to pour cement into hollow bricks in advance and transport them to the construction site to assemble them, which would be more convenient for building second floors, attics, and so on.

Lao Jia Tou also mentioned that there was an old craftsman who was able to make a pavilion roof out of cement and make it look like a thatched roof, and he didn't know how to come up with it. It's just that the old craftsman refused to reveal the trick, probably intending to pass it on to future generations as a unique secret recipe.

For this reason, Lao Jia Tou was quite angry: "The so-called drinking water does not forget the well digger, this old guy has received the grace of our Xie family, and has obtained such a good thing as cement from our Xie family, and has a new livelihood, he should know that gratitude is, not to mention that he also signed a contract with the workshop, so he is considered a person in the workshop." Any new use of cement he comes up with should be told to the people in the workshop. Who knew that he actually hid it from us in turn, not only did he take the work from outside in private, but even the clansmen of the Xie family wanted him to build a pavilion, and he also wanted to earn our Xie family's silver, just like the same price as other people's families, it was really unreasonable! If you spare him easily, and the others see it and follow suit, then what?! Second girl, don't worry, I will definitely let this old thing know what the rules are, and see if he dares to be so ungrateful in the future! ”

Xie Mulin was quite interested when he heard this, and used cement to make the roof of the pavilion...... With the existing process conditions, how did the old craftsman solve the technical problem? Couldn't it be that you used a wooden board to shape it and then remove it?

However, she was not too angry with the old craftsman's self-cherishing practice, and said to the old Jiatou: "Don't go too far, the old man is conservative, and he feels that he is a treasure when he has a unique skill, and he is unwilling to let outsiders know, which is normal in this era." You discuss with the steward of the workshop, talk to the old craftsman, and see if you can negotiate a better price for our Xie family. In addition, tell him that since he signed a contract with the workshop, the method he came up with should give priority to our Xie family. It doesn't hurt that he doesn't want to reveal the secrets, but when the workshop needs him to use this technique to help customers build pavilions, he has to do it, and he can't leave the work of the workshop and just do private business. In addition to this, it was better for him to make sure that the craft was passed down and not taken to the coffin. If someone else thinks of something similar on their own, he can't suppress them. ”

Lao Jia Tou was a little incredulous: "What does the second girl mean...... Not only can he keep the secret recipe, he doesn't have to tell the workshop and other craftsmen, but he can also take over the business outside, as long as he doesn't delay the work of the workshop?! ”

Xie Mulin nodded: "Other craftsmen also do the same. I just hope that everyone can actively improve the process and come up with their own secret method, and it doesn't hurt to give them more benefits for this. As long as they come up with something that can benefit the workshop, what does it matter if they make a little profit? The cement process has improved, and we can make more money. ”

Lao Jia swallowed his saliva and hesitated: "Is this really appropriate?" Second girl, cement is our family's secret recipe......"

Xie Mulin shook his head: "Cement is not our family's secret ingredient, not to mention the Internal Affairs Mansion in Beijing and the Yanwang Mansion in the north, even in the border area, there are many craftsmen in the army who know how to make this thing." We just happened to know the formula of several soil cements, and made it convenient for the relatives and friends of the clansmen and the villagers. This thing has to be spread on a large scale in order to exert real benefits, and it makes no sense for us to cherish ourselves. ”

Lao Jia Tou understood and smiled bitterly: "The second girl is right, then I will discuss with the steward when I go back." ”

Seeing that he was still a little reluctant, Xie Mulin smiled and said, "Don't take this matter too seriously. I didn't expect the cement workshop to make a lot of money. This thing was originally used to help the thirteen rooms temporarily tide over the difficulties. Now this business can only be done around the county, and it is also convenient for Brother Jin Hua to take care of his family. When Aunt Thirteen's illness is cured, Brother Jin Hua is more free to move, and when he can go to other places, how much business can he not do? What's more, how much cement can be burned in those two or three kilns? The county seat alone may not be able to supply it, so what do you want to do so much? But if the craftsmen can discover more uses of cement and make it more useful, sooner or later there will be far-sighted high-ranking officials and nobles who will write to the imperial court and promote cement on a large scale again. That's when you can do what you can do. ”

Lao Jia Tou listened to it with great yearning and said with a smile: "It would be great if it could really be as the second girl said." Lao Jia Tou only hopes that that day will come as soon as possible. ”

Xie Mulin nodded, and said, "If there really is that day, we will not be able to do much business with our small cement workshop in Xie Jiajiao alone." Another day, you have to discuss with the manager of the workshop, and let him remind Brother Jinhua that it is best to find another place to expand the cement kiln, if there are coal mines or clay or clay and clay in the local area, it will be better, and it will save us from having to transport raw materials from other places, which is time-consuming, laborious and costly. It's better to be in a remote place, with a waterway to transport goods, and not too close to the town. ”

The pollution problem of cement workshops is still quite serious.

Lao Jia Tou hurriedly smiled and said: "The second girl is right, this is the most important plan!" As for the foolish old craftsman, he should be cheapened. Isn't there a word, what's it called...... Do you buy bones? Take him as an example, so that all craftsmen know how benevolent and righteous our Xie family is, and only by joining our Xie family's workshop to do things can they really live a good life! Anyway, the old man only knows this kind of secret skill, and he doesn't necessarily make much more money. If he really made a fortune, he might not be able to keep this secret recipe. Our lord is a high-ranking official of Sanpin, and his family participates in a cement workshop to earn a little money, and everyone is angry and wants to steal the formula, not to mention an old craftsman? ”

Xie Mulin raised his eyebrows: "Who will steal the cement formula?" ”