Rise of Rurik

After all, by doping silica with alkali metals, glass with different specifications and properties can be obtained. By adding special compounds, the glass will take on more complex and magnificent colors.

Rurik wanted to continue to do the act of precipitating crystals from plant ash. He knew that the crystals he got at a time had a large proportion of nitrate.

It was so difficult to get a small packet of the extract, and for the time being, Rurik didn't want to start doing something more exciting.

The blacksmithing work continues.

As the fiery embers that buried the twenty thick-bottomed and thick-walled glasses finally died down and cooled, the annealing treatment for the cups was over. As for the processing effect, Rurik believed that it should be good. It will never burst with a cup of hot water.

After wiping off the toner on the glass, and then polishing it hard with fine sheepskin, the glass really achieved what Rurik wanted.

In fact, Rurik didn't want to make a glass bottle like a Coke bottle, which could hold a variety of drinks with a cork.

Naihe glass blowing is a craft, and without the guidance of a master, the attempts of ordinary people may not only fail, but also burn their mouths.

The crystallization of plant ash is still too precious. Since in theory, as long as lime and lead are added, the glass can still be formed, and Kravason began to try it overnight.

The next day, Rurik arrived in high spirits, and received the news that Kravassen had made ten cups.

The newly made cups are placed on wooden platforms, and they are different from yesterday's only in terms of appearance.

"This is your new cup? You actually made them a mouth that can pour water?!" Rurik impatiently played with one, feeling its heavyness and scrutinizing its shape.

Clavasson said with great interest: "After you left, I did some experiments with the machine. I took the embryo out of the bronze mortar and continued to bake it on the fire. I successfully polished the mouth of the cup. The reason, I clipped a gap in it. What a wonderful coincidence, I found that I could process it further."

Rurik put down the glass gently, a new idea in his tiny head.

"Klavathon, you should know Taun's ears."

"Oh? Haha, kid, I've got it! There's no problem with making cup ears." Klavathon instantly understood Rurik's thoughts. Yes, it is to install a handle on the cup.

For a senior craftsman, they always have a strong inference when it comes to making instruments.

With regard to glassware, Kravasson had figured out that more glassware could be pressed by casting new molds.

Clavason, who is already making it himself, clearly realizes that glass is really a good thing with strange properties, and its infinite plasticity will inevitably bring great prospects.

Making containers such as cups and kettles is just a small application.

When he accidentally smashed a glass yesterday, the sharp blade on the ground immediately reminded him of the possibility of weaponization!

Using it to make arrows, at least there is no problem in hunting rabbits and turtledoves. Compared with other materials, it is really cheap and easy to get!

This afternoon, Rurik was still taking his two servants with him. Their stomachs were full of meat, and they were full of strength after a full meal.

Clavasson understood Rurik's attitude, so he said: "I will stop ironing in the afternoon, I will continue to make glass for you, and this time I will put ears on the cup."

"Okay. Let's start, I want to see your skills." Rurik shook his neck and ordered: "Kanuf, Fisk, you two are still operating the airbag blower."

The switch was like yesterday's operation, except this time, Kravason took out some other tools.

How can Klavasen have professional glassware processing tools? He plans to use the iron tools to reshape the formed glassware.

Is this reliable? Rurik thought it was possible. Eastern chefs can use a kitchen knife to process all kinds of ingredients. It's all craftsmanship, and Rurik will have to see what Clavason does today.

The raw materials were poured into bronze mortars, and the flames quickly covered all the raw materials.

As the two kids scramble to show they're trustworthy warriors, their airbag blowers push the charcoal to its peak calorific value.

The raw material in the crucible has become a hot paste again. After a deliberately long baking, the sand full of impurities has basically been refined to the point where only silicon dioxide and alkali metals that are self-contained or deliberately added are left.

Overall, this process takes even less time and requires less effort than making sponge iron.

The suppression of the shape is even simpler in Kravason's view. He pulls the lever, and more than half of the most critical shape is completed.

Because of the heating effect of molten glass on the bronze mortar, in order to make the production more efficient, Kravassen directly cooled the bronze mortar with water.

So, five more fiery glasses were made, and this was just the beginning of another great endeavor.

Cravatson used tongs to hold the bottom of the cup on the stove and roast it, so-called fire-polish the mouth of the bottle.

It also became very soft throughout the body. At this time, Cravason deliberately poured it on the iron plate, clipped a long glass rod full of dents, baked it softly on the flame, and then made a curved shape. Stick directly to the wall of the glass.

Cravason understands the technique of thermal welding. This trick is usually used on bronze ware. I never thought how simple this high-end operation is on glassware.

After the flame is roasted, the cup ears have been completely integrated with the cup.

Rurik looked at Kravason's operation with satisfaction, "Are you planning to make a small pot that can pour water?"

"Haha, you can see it. I want to imitate Tao Weng as much as possible and make a transparent urn."

After all, Rurik saw with surprise that Clavasson had turned the cup with the ears upside down.

Under the action of gravity, the wall of the cup, which is very thick, is elongated.

"You actually want to make a small jug?" Rurik asked curiously.

"You guessed it right, now watch my performance."

Maybe in a man's life, there is always a naughty child in his heart.

Rurik felt that Kravassen was playing with a hot, transparent "plasticine."

Cravason continued to lengthen the cup and restrained the top of the bottle with tongs. He rotated the tongs, stunned to restrain a narrow and hollow neck.

And above the neck is a wide mouth, where the tongs also clip out the real sink.

In terms of shape alone, Rurik felt that it was already a bit of a handicraft, even if its shape was still relatively rough.

Clavasson set the finished cup aside with satisfaction. But after being highly shaped, it is no longer an ordinary cup, but a "pot-bellied narrow-neck glass jug with a cup ear!".

After all, this era is not the pursuit of simple style, and people generally desire that the utensils they can master become more gorgeous.

Undoubtedly, this transparent jug that can hold slurries such as wine, and it is not a good price to sell it, it is really a blessing that it looks crystal clear.

Clavason showed off his results with satisfaction: "What do you think? At least I think it's beautiful."

Rurik asked in surprise: "You... have you done many experiments? Your methods seem to be experienced."

"Hey! Boy, what are you thinking? Did you forget that I am a gem craftsman, and I can make bronze wares."

"Ah!" Rurik patted his head violently.

It is true that craftsmen of this era often do various jobs, but of course these jobs are generally not refined enough from the perspective of later generations. That's okay, because under the constraints of the times, the demand for technology in production and life is not particularly urgent.

In fact, the completion of this "crafts", Kravason himself is also very satisfied.

He carefully placed it on a stable wooden platform, ready to start the next piece of glassware.

Suddenly, he asked Rurik: "Just ten silver coins? Is that appropriate? Although I didn't use a lot of energy and time to make it."

Rurik didn't think much of it, and said, "Probably appropriate."

"Suitable?" Clavason asked suspiciously. "Tell me, what is the big merchant's glass bottle? And what shape does that bottle look like."

"I remember it was about twenty silver coins, like... it seems like this."

"This price? It's really expensive." Clavason sighed slightly.

Suddenly, he saw the child in front of him suddenly chop off his feet!

"No! It's not twenty silver coins, it's gold coins." Rurik suddenly thought of the details of the banquet, "I can confirm that each of Gould's cups is twenty gold coins. After conversion, it is two hundred coins. silver."

"What? This is true?" Cravason was shocked first, then slowly calmed down, with a wry smile in disbelief at the corner of his mouth: "How can I believe this is true?! Two hundred silver?!"

"It's absolutely true." Rurik also began to tremble, not because he was cold, but after he wanted to understand the exact price, he couldn't help but be shocked by the terrifying profit.

Clavasson also asked tremblingly, "Then why are you insisting on ten silver coins? We'll sell it for two hundred silver coins. There's nothing wrong with us trying to make as much money as we can."

"Maybe you're right."

Rurik gently covered his little heart, and after he calmed down completely, he seriously thought about the possibility of "two hundred silver coins".

Is it possible? There should be.

In order to quickly sell the goods and realize it, I can only give a factory price.

There must be professionals to distribute these items, and they are by no means ordinary items, they are real luxury goods! Even if its shape Rurik does not think graceful.

Rurik gestured for the shape of the glass bottle.

"That's it?" Clavasson's eyes revealed contempt. "For a stick-shaped bottle, the old guy as fat as a seal actually spent twenty gold coins? Why don't you buy mine."

In this way, Rurik did not feel that Gould was at a loss.

As a luxury, it must be pure rarity, and secondly, he must have connotative taste.

"If it's really twenty gold coins, I think it's fine. Who's going to buy it if it's too expensive? I don't expect Gould to buy everything you do at a very high price."

Now that the topic was on this level, Rurik thought of many things.

Since ancient times, there has been a so-called "invisible hand" in the commercial society to regulate the relationship between commodity prices and currency.

Excessively marked prices limit its buyers, so the supply of commodities will reach a tacit understanding with the common people. Although suppliers and producers earn less than buying and selling alone, they can't keep up with a large amount. After all, businessmen can still make a lot of money.

As for luxury goods, such a routine cannot go away.

Rurik estimated that those who could buy glassware must be wealthy, and the wealthy must be rare.

The warriors of the tribe are willing to spend their life savings, even by means of credit, in the hope of getting a fine steel sword from the blacksmith. After all, a warrior must have a good sword of his own, and now, the opportunity to obtain a sword that cuts iron like mud is just around the corner.

Glassware is different. If you just drink water, you can use clay and wooden bowls. Only people with a lot of wealth will think of getting a glass cup or a horn cup inlaid with gold. Using them as a container to drink water, even if it is the most ordinary water, is extraordinary. What they drink is actually an extravagant taste of life.

However, the price of two hundred silver coins is still too crazy.

Rurik basically understood, and he said slowly: "We need to negotiate and set a suitable price. In this way, merchants like Gould will buy wildly. In addition to satisfying their own use, they will also sell. Make a fortune."

"Oh? Is it? That's one hundred silver coins." Cravason couldn't help but glanced at his masterpiece, and said eloquently: "Look at it, I don't want to iron! Compared with my current job, I still make glassware. Most profitable."

"That won't work." Rurik shook his head, "I still need a steel sword! Besides, I'm going to have a new batch of servants. I've already made up my mind about one thing. I'm going to send my servants to your smithy to help you. Work."

"What? Help me work?"

"Exactly." Rurik replied, "They are free labor. I don't need you to provide any remuneration to these servants, and I will provide them with food and accommodation."

Clavasson listened in disbelief: "Are you sure you've gone over your head? And such good things?"

"Of course! I've been thinking about this for a long time. You're going to teach them blacksmithing, and glass making. I hope you'll teach them a lot."

"Okay. The idlers in my working tribe don't want to do it, so we blacksmiths have never been able to help."

At this moment, Kravason never thought about the matter of the disciple starving the master to death. The fact is, because the so-called apprentice in the past is his own son, the attitude of Kravason in this regard is very simple and straightforward.

"You do agree with me?" Rurik demanded.

"yes."

"Well, I think we should sign a new agreement right away."

"It's still engraved on the board," Clavason asked.

"Of course." Rurik said: "This is an agreement between you and me. You can't share it with the other five blacksmiths when you go. Regarding the previous things, I don't want it to happen again."

By the way, Rurik took the opportunity to make his stand. He didn't actually hate the formation of guilds by blacksmiths, it was just that they didn't notify Rurik immediately about the establishment of a guild.

Similar to the previous agreement form, there are three core clauses here.

The first: the glass problem, Kravasen was in charge of making it, and Rurik was in charge of selling it. The final gross profit is split equally between the two.

Second: This agreement is only for both Klavassen and Rurik.

Third: Both parties must guarantee the secret of glassware making. Once one party teaches the skills privately, it is a breach of contract. The defaulting party needs to pay one thousand gold coins to the other party.

The written agreement was quickly finalized, and it seemed very rigorous.

The truth is, of course, that he still has many imperfections.

Kravatsen used a carving knife to engrave the terms written in Rune on the wooden board as soon as possible, and Rurik also used the carving knife to scratch his name.

This is a document that can be satisfied by both anti-reverse and anti-reverse. Clavassen believes in Rurik very much, not only because this child is the next leader without any accident, but also thinks that his family has passed the so-called Rurik’s so-called cooperation in the past. "The knowledge taught by Odin" has become particularly rich!

For forging a steel sword, Kravasen could earn more than fifty silver coins. Now the money box at home has more than a thousand silver coins piled in it.

"You and I have marked our names, and we will not break our promises." Clavason said with relief.

"Of course, we are very good friends. As friends, we will not break our promises." Rurik deliberately spoke louder, so that his two subordinates who were stunned by the glassware could hear it.

Rurik continued: "I have knowledge, and I will not ask other craftsmen to do these things for me. However, my servants have learned skills from you. I will order my servants to do it, but at that time, The goods produced by the servants are sold, but it has nothing to do with you. But don't worry, as long as you make them, I will help you sell them.

That's when we need to get together again and have a good negotiation when we sell products, especially in terms of price, you and I have to agree. "

"Oh! You are really a wise child. You are the future leader, but you rarely value our craftsmen. I am very grateful to you."

Rurik knew what the old guy was saying from the bottom of his heart, "You can thank me. It's a good thing that we all benefit when it comes to making money."

Clavason nodded. "I just hope that when I die of old age, you still value my son Kawhi. You know, I only have this one son."

"Of course!" Rurik didn't even hesitate: "I still need Kawei to continue training the artisan team for me! Ah, maybe I am not a natural warrior, but a craftsman. At least, I can understand you.

I don't like to loot. It's too complicated to rob someone with a sword and become rich. You see, we can make a lot of money peacefully by making beautiful things, so why risk our lives to rob them? ! "

In fact, when he said this, Rurik had no idea that a mighty fleet would soon return. His cousin Arik made great achievements in the battle of revenge, and also took his clan to loot huge wealth! There are more than 100,000 silver coins alone!

Yes, this is a huge fortune.

Rurik's idea of ​​doing business and making a lot of money would not be shaken if he knew that many of his people had become rich. Wouldn't it be beautiful to earn their money into their own hands through reasonable means?

Clavasson didn't think about Rurik's deep plans. He stroked his beard: "You're a smart kid, but naive. Listen, you've made a lot of money, and in order to keep it, you need to Protected by a strong guard."

"Yeah, I'll have another Guard soon. I've asked Gould to recruit me a mercenary."

Clavathon had heard of these things, and Rurik had the idea of ​​establishing a mercenary guard. It seemed that the rumors were true.

But with regard to the mercenary guards, it is difficult for Kravason to have much affection for these people who may exist. Specifically, Clavason simply does not believe in the loyalty of these people.

Clavason suggested; "Son, those mercenaries are naturally unreliable. They are working for you for money. If that's the case, if they steal your money, why should they work for you to make money?"

Rurik was startled, because he really hadn't thought about it that way before.

"Gould, he has dozens of mercenaries under his command to guard his wealth. Why can't we follow suit?"

"Who knows?" Clavason shook his head, not changing his attitude at all: "Son, you have to trust your brothers and bring wealth to your brothers. This is the key to your father's success. You can't trust those too much. An outsider seeking money."

Rurik then said: "I trust Kawi very much, as well as my brothers, and all your blacksmiths. We are a tribe, and I want to truly integrate the tribes."

Kravatson laughed: "Oh, that's really an honor for Kawi. But compared to your great ideals, your father really wanted those Novgorodians to be integrated into us."

"This is the general trend. Your daughter-in-law will be a Novgorod girl, and I think the same is true of the servant I will give you to train."

"Oh?" Clavasson's eyes lit up: "It's very interesting. Those people led by your cousin will be back soon if there is no accident. It should be just a few days. Your father will be soon too. Come back, when everyone is back, I look at our Rosberg and I can really see a lot of Novgorod women walking around."

After all, Russ men have no special opinion on the identity of their wives, and even marrying a Novgorod woman can attract men's desire to conquer and gain satisfaction.

Rurik didn't say more, urged Kravasen to process all the remaining materials, and he even made some suggestions.

"We'd better rework yesterday's work to make fifteen beautiful jugs. This will be combined with the original glass. See it in a wooden box to make a set. One cup Two hundred silver coins is too crazy. After packaging it like this, if it sells for two hundred silver coins as a whole, there will be no problem."

Thinking about it, Cravason thinks, this arrangement of prices is much more reliable.

Rurik also had requirements for the packaging of the wooden box, which must be made of hard oak, and the words "VON RUS" must be engraved on the box in rune words, just to prove that it is "Made in Ross".

Rurik also took the opportunity to joke: "There are jugs and glasses, they are as crystal clear as ice, but they can hold hot water. We sold it to Gould for twenty gold coins, maybe the old guy will be fifty sold for gold coins, and more."

"Huh? So, Gould is the biggest winner here?" Kravason shook his head regretfully.

"But Gould has also been risking being killed in business. Because we have respected him for so many years, Gould claims, he has made our Roseburg a second home. You can actually feel that making glass. The technology is not difficult. In order to make money, you and I must stick to the agreement, and we must keep this secret.

Actually, it seems to me that the secret of glass making will spread sooner or later, and if it is destined to become cheap, then we will make more money before that. "

Clavasson nodded and squeezed out a wry smile: "You child, you are also a natural profiteer! But I like it."

"Then look forward to our future." Rurik knew that this was actually a compliment, so he echoed: "I hope Kawei's wife is beautiful and hard-working."

"Oh, you can definitely rest assured about this." Clavasson was obviously holding back his laughter when he said this. Of course Rurik didn't know the secret inside.

Rurik attaches great importance to Kawei's potential. At this moment, he really can't imagine that his relationship with Kawei is destined to be close.

It wasn't just Rurik who needed Kawhi's work skills, Kawhi needed the power of the future that Rurik could see to the naked eye.

Because of the marriage Otto insisted on, there were no special circumstances. The little girl named Svetlana was Rurik's wife many years later.

Kawi's wife, Lilia, is Svetlana's sister, and Rurik's eldest sister-in-law.

In the foreseeable future, Rurik and Kawei will be brother-in-law.