"Dangdang, dang!"

A rickshaw truck carrying honeycomb coal slowly drove in from the city gate, and there were men banging gongs along the street to make publicity.

"Honeycomb coal, honeycomb coal, the price is cheaper than Dachai, and it is used in the palace!"

"Honeycomb Coal ......"

As Nanjing's population continues to grow, firewood becomes more expensive, and trees are being cut down less and less. Although Nanjing is mountainous and tree-like, it is not a way to do it in the long run.

Historically, by the middle of the Qing Dynasty, firewood could not keep up with the needs of urban development. The government didn't bother to take care of this, and the people had to figure out their own way, so the first domestic coal store appeared, and Nanjing entered the era of mixed use of firewood and coal.

Now Zhao Han has to take care of it, counting the foreign household registration, the population inside and outside Nanjing has 1.2 million. This was caused by his establishment of the capital in Nanjing, and he had to think of ways to solve the problems of people's livelihood.

So people developed honeycomb coal, and built coal stoves that used honeycomb coal.

The source of coal is not worried, Anhui at the end of the Ming Dynasty has been full of coal mines, which can be transported to Nanjing by water.

The Ming Dynasty even had coking coal and natural gas smelted, and Fang Yizhi's "Physics Tips" described the refining process of coking coal and pointed out that coking coal could be used to smelt ore.

Natural gas is used to boil salt in Sichuan, called "Jinghuo".

As early as the Song Dynasty, salt mines in Sichuan began to use natural gas. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, many mines ran out of natural gas and forest resources were seriously damaged, so coal became the main fuel for salt production.

If you think about it, you will know that it is only a matter of time before coal replaces firewood in areas where firewood is used on a large scale.

Bianliang, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, was already "millions of families, all of them rely on coal, and there is no one who burns wages". It's all coal, and none of them burn wood!

The Bodhisattva statue of Zhu Yujiao has been painted, and she sent it to her employer to settle the pen fee. When she came back, she happened to meet the propaganda of honeycomb coal, where a lot of people had gathered, and Zhu Yujiao walked over curiously to watch.

"What kind of honeycomb coal are you, how much is a pound?" Some people asked curiously.

The guy replied with a smile: "No matter what you sell, count the number." Five for a penny! ”

Five honeycombs for a penny are actually not cheap, and the price of rice in Nanjing this year is only 4 wen a catty.

But compared to Chai He, it's not expensive.

More than 10 years ago, the price of firewood in Nanjing was 1 tael of silver and 30 quintals of firewood, and at this time it has risen to 1 tael of silver and 25 quintals of firewood. According to the adjustment of the silver and copper price comparison, the Datong court finally fixed 1 tael of silver at 800 yuan. In other words, a load of firewood costs 32 yuan, and you can buy 8 catties of rice. (Large firewood is wood blocks, branches, etc., and small firewood is rice stalks, corn stalks, etc.) ）

"How expensive is this, can it be cheaper?"

"It's not expensive, it's not expensive, I'll burn it for the big guy."

The man removed the coal stove from the cart, first lit the fire with firewood and grass, and then put the honeycomb coal in.

While lighting the fire, the guy introduced: "You can't be in a hurry to burn this honeycomb coal, you have to wait slowly, so that the fire can burn more and more." It is the most cost-effective to boil water, soup, and porridge, and when the fire is hot, it can also be used to stir-fry vegetables. In the past, when the charcoal was burned, half of the rice was cooked, and all the charcoal that was not burned was wasted. With this kind of coal stove, you can cover the air cover, and only the yin fire is left in the furnace. This yin fire burns for a long time, and the honeycomb coal in the first night can burn until the next day......"

Some people couldn't wait, watched and left.

Zhu Yujiao thought the stove was quite interesting, and stood there waiting for the charcoal fire to flourish.

The guy continued to introduce: "This charcoal is charcoal poison, and it needs to be ventilated." Some of the Beijingers in the previous dynasty forgot to open the windows, and there were not a few who were poisoned by charcoal poison. The gang has to remember clearly, whether it is burning honeycomb coal or burning other charcoal, we must open the windows for ventilation, we don't care if we poison people. ”

Some people came, some people left, and there were always thirty or forty people gathered there.

When the honeycomb coal was burning, someone finally wanted to buy it, and the man said, "Our coal store is outside the city, and the coal stove also sells ......"

The buyer inquired about the address, and went outside the city to buy stoves and honeycomb coal.

As the price of firewood gets higher and higher, honeycomb coal is sure to spread quickly. In the future, Nanjing people boil water for cooking, it is estimated that it is a mixture of firewood and coal, and when they are not in a hurry, they will burn honeycomb coal, and when they are in a hurry, they will still use firewood.

As for the coal stove, some people buy it now, and most of them will copy it themselves in the future.

With the more people who use honeycomb coal in the future, the market sales have risen, and the price will definitely be reduced again, and it is more reasonable to pay 6 to 10 honeycomb coals a penny. This thing also has clay added to it, which can be made from coal powder, which is a leftover material from coal mines and factories.

Zhu Yujiao came to the coal shop outside the city, bought a coal stove for 12 yuan, and asked for 50 honeycomb coals.

The guy asked, "Will the customer move back on their own, or will we send someone to deliver it to the door?" ”

"How much does it cost to run errands to your door?" Zhu Yujiao asked.

"It depends on the distance and the number of people who buy briquettes nearby," said the shopkeeper, "and if you send them to the Gulou area, you will have to charge two cents for the cost of running away from the briquettes and the stove." If there are a lot of guests over there, it will be enough to load it with a cart and charge you half a penny. ”

Zhu Yujiao said: "I live on the side of Fucheng Bridge. ”

The shopkeeper pondered: "Fucheng Bridge is farther than the Drum Tower, so let's take two documents from you and send one more honeycomb coal." In the past two days, the new opening has been opened, and the owner said that he has to lose money and make money in order to attract more customers. ”

Immediately, the laborer was called, put the honeycomb coal and coal stove in a basket, and carried the burden home with Zhu Yujiao.

In the future, when there are more customers who use coal, there will be no such trouble, and a large cart will be pulled directly into the city, and then delivered from door to door. If the business competition is fierce, the store may waive the delivery fee in order to grab customers.

Located on the west side of the Forbidden City, the Fucheng Bridge crosses a street and crosses an alley to reach Xihuamen.

Many officials live here, and it is convenient to go to court and sit on duty.

"Nine girls are back?" A middle-aged woman greeted her in the alley.

Zhu Yujiao glanced at the little girl behind the other party, nodded and smiled: "What about the Song family's aunt shopping?" ”

The middle-aged woman said, "There are some things in the house that are not enough, and my wife asked me to buy some and come back." What did the Nine Girls buy? It's dark and there's holes. ”

Zhu Yujiao said: "Honeycomb coal, also called briquettes, looks very convenient to use, so I bought it at home and tried it." ”

"This is good, this is good." The middle-aged woman said again and again.

Zhu Yujiao said: "The hairpin of the Song family's aunt is beautiful, golden, and inlaid with precious jade. ”

The middle-aged woman suddenly became happy, tilted her head to show her hairpin, and said with a smile: "My youngest son bought it, but he graduated from elementary school a few years ago and went to work as a leather apprentice. This little rabbit cub is not useful for reading, but he is very quick in his work, and the master praises him for his cleverness. After only three years, the apprentice is a teacher. For the first month's salary, he bought me a hairpin, and I didn't know how to save it to beg for a wife. Copper, medicinal jade, worthless! ”

"That's not cheap, my son is filial." Zhu Yujiao said.

The middle-aged woman smiled even more happily: "My youngest son is very stupid, and he is only filial." I'll work in this house for a few more years, save more money, ask him for a daughter-in-law, and renovate the old house. If you can live to sixty, then you will stop doing it and go back to hug your grandson and enjoy the blessings. ”

"My aunt is physically strong, and it is enough to live to be a hundred years old." Zhu Yujiao said.

The middle-aged woman smiled from ear to ear: "It's still the ninth girl who can speak, not to mention living to be a hundred years old, but to be able to live to be seventy years old, that is, she will wake up laughing when she falls asleep." ”

"Dangdang!"

"Sharpen scissors, sharpen kitchen knives......"

A middle-aged man walked along the alley shouting with a bamboo basket on his back.

Zhu Yujiao said goodbye to the woman and beckoned: "Sharpen the knife and scissors, come here!" ”

Pushing open the courtyard door, the maid in charge of sprinkling and sweeping greeted her: "Didn't the ninth girl send paintings?" How do you buy so many black balls to go home? ”

"It's used to burn," Zhu Yujiao said, "Granny Qiu complained that the kitchen knife was dull and difficult to cut, this sharpening knife cut is here, you take out all the knives and scissors at home." ”

"Okay." The maid jumped up and ran to get something.

Zhu Cizhi's wife also heard the sound, and called the cook-in-law to study how to use honeycomb coal to boil water.

After being busy, Zhu Yujiao sat on the swing, which was made by Zhu Cihong.

The weather is a little hot, but there is wind in the yard, Zhu Yujiao swings leisurely, and this early summer time has become pleasant.

"Miss, I'll push you." The maid didn't know when she came.

Zhu Yujiao smiled: "Don't push, I'll sit casually by myself, you will definitely sweat when you push." ”

The maid's name is Zheng Shuhui, and Zhu Yujiao calls her Hui'er. She was born in a small family in the city, dropped out of school before finishing elementary school, and helped with housework at home for a few years, so she was hired here as a maid.

"Miss, my wedding date is set, the second day of September." Hui'er said as she shook the swing lightly.

Zhu Yujiao said: "Then congratulations, I will give you a gift when the time comes." ”

Hui'er said: "My mother-in-law's family said that after getting married, I will still work here, but I can't live here at night." Every day I came early and went back to my husband's house when it was dark. ”

"It's out of the way," Zhu Yujiao joked, "I can still save some money for food." By the way, your fiancé is the one you said last year? ”

Hui'er nodded: "Well, work in the glasses shop." He may be patient, can write and calculate, and has a primary school diploma. There was a gentleman in Qintianyuan who wrote a book "The History of Mirrors" to teach how to make glasses. I learned from the book myself, and the glasses were made quickly and well, which could save the owner a lot of money. The proprietor and the shopkeeper praised him and made him a master. The sixteen-year-old master is very rare in this Nanjing City. ”

"You haven't married yet, it's your mouth?" Zhu Yujiao teased.

Hui'er blushed and said, "Anyway, we will get married in two or three months." ”

"Knock knock!"

Hui'er let go of the swing and said as she ran, "I'll open the door." ”

The courtyard door opened, and there were men and women.

A female official, with a few guards, and an official of the Ministry of Rites, even followed by a matchmaker.

Zhu Yujiao looked at the two geese as gifts, was slightly stunned, and quickly reacted, this is the royal family who came to propose.

There is an unmarried girl in the family......

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