——I’m really stupid! Why haven’t I thought of such a simple truth?
A self-deprecating smile appeared on Qingdeng's lips.
This is probably the so-called "darkness under the light".
Clothes, cosmetics and jewelry - they are to women what fertilizer is to crops - although crops can grow normally without fertilizer, they will not grow strong enough.
However, in addition to these three, there is one more thing that is essential for women.
That's the mirror!
How can you try on clothes without a mirror?
How do you apply makeup without a mirror?
How can you wear jewelry without a mirror?
At this thought, the self-deprecating look on Qingdeng's face became even more intense, and he laughed at himself again: Why didn't I think of that?
He had been competing with clothes, cosmetics and jewelry before, and his thoughts were spinning in dead ends. It was not until he saw Ziyang's silver mirror that he suddenly noticed this inconspicuous "golden mountain"!
Bronze mirrors are still widely used in RB nowadays.
The so-called bronze mirror, as the name suggests, is a mirror made of copper with a high tin content and carefully polished.
With such a material and such a production method, you definitely don’t have to count on its clarity.
Although it can illuminate objects, it can only reach the level of "being able to distinguish between humans and gorillas", and it is impossible to see the specific details clearly.
Therefore, compared to the bronze mirror, the silver mirror is basically a dimensionality reduction attack!
No matter in terms of clarity or beauty, silver mirrors surpass bronze mirrors in countless ways.
After Liebig discovered the "silver mirror reaction", silver mirrors began to become popular in Western countries.
Although silver mirrors are quite common in the West today, they are still a very valuable rarity in RB, which has not yet lit up the "mirror-making technology" technology tree.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, some Western businessmen saw this business opportunity and shipped ship after ship of silver mirrors to the Republic of China.
However, because silver mirrors are fragile, it is difficult to preserve them. Coupled with the cost of shipping across the ocean, when the silver mirrors landed on RB Island, the price was sky-high!
In addition, the increasingly fierce Zongxing movement has further raised its price.
Regardless of other places, in the Gyeonggi area, which has become the forefront of the Zunban movement, Zunban patriots are hunting "national traitors" everywhere.
Any businessman who sells Western goods will be labeled as a "national traitor" by them. At worst, his shop will be smashed, and at worst, his head will be lost.
For this reason, in the entire Gyeonggi area, it is difficult to put products with Western labels on the shelves openly.
To be fair, from this aspect, the anti-imperialist movement has a certain positive significance in anti-imperialism.
The strong resistance of patriots to Western goods invisibly increased the cost of selling silver mirrors.
So, just as Ziyang said today, if her Western silver mirror, which is less than the size of a palm, is sold in the market, it will definitely sell for a high price of 3,40 taels of gold.
There is no doubt that... silver mirrors hide huge business potential! At the same time, it is also a "blue ocean industry" that no one has set foot in!
No woman can resist a beautiful and clear mirror.
A mirror is not a necessity of life that cannot be lived without.
Its attributes dictate that only the middle and upper classes who are free from the pressure of survival have the need to use mirrors...and this is exactly what Qingdeng wants!
Making money from poor people is not what Qingden wants.
Due to layers of exploitation by the government and local gentry, the people at the bottom of today's RB have long been impoverished. The frequent peasant uprisings in recent years are the best evidence of this.
Making money from them is like scraping oil on a stone. No matter how hard you try, you can't scrape out a few ounces of oil.
Whoever has money gets it!
Looking around the entire Gyeonggi Province, the most indispensable thing is the rich.
Especially Osaka!
Osaka, which enjoys the reputation of "the kitchen of the world" and "the commercial capital", has gathered many wealthy people.
If you want to make money, make money from them!
The mirror is actually the most ideal product that meets Qingdeng's wishes.
If silver mirrors can be mass-produced, there is no doubt that he will monopolize the entire RB mirror industry!
From now on, will the Shinsengumi's military expenditures still be a problem?
By then, he may even have money to build warships!
The method of making silver mirror...or the difficulty of "silver mirror reaction" is at the level of "middle school chemistry experiment".
In modern times, if you look for any chemistry practice room in a key middle school, you can find all the materials needed for the experiment and easily complete the experiment.
It's just that the chemistry knowledge in middle school... to Qingdeng, is an ancient memory buried deep in the brain...
Fortunately, Qingdeng had always been a top student with excellent grades in his previous life.
Don’t underestimate the value of top students!
Although the specific details were blurred, he still remembered the general content and important parts clearly.
Another lucky thing is that the four chemicals needed to make silver mirrors—glucose, sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide solution, and silver nitrate—can all be produced from civilian products that can be found everywhere.
After saying goodbye to Ziyang, Qingto led Mai Kinoshita to most of the markets in Kyoto and Fushimi, and finally bought all the required materials and equipment.
Use the starch contained in corn and potatoes to prepare glucose. Use 25%-5% concentration of dilute hydrochloric acid at 100 degrees to hydrolyze the starch contained in corn and potatoes to generate an aqueous solution of glucose, which can be concentrated
Obtain glucose crystals.
After the opening of the country, corn and potatoes have appeared in the vegetable markets of major cities and towns in RB, so these two vegetables are not difficult to buy.
Sodium hydroxide [NaOH] is commonly known as "caustic soda". As early as ancient times, there was a local method of making caustic soda. The component of slaked lime used in building houses is calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)], which is mixed with soda ash [Na2CO3]
Mix the solution, filter out the solid, and then evaporate and purify it to obtain caustic soda.
Ammonium hydroxide [NH3·H2O] solution is ammonia water. Add alkali to urine, heat the reaction to generate ammonia gas, and then dissolve it in water to produce ammonia water.
As for silver nitrate, you need to use carbonized saltpeter. First, use carbonized saltpeter to obtain nitric acid. After making the nitric acid, immediately put it into silverware to make silver nitrate.
Theoretically speaking, as long as the procedures are correct and the hands and feet are quick, it only takes half an hour to make a silver mirror!
Of course, the above is always theory.
No matter how beautiful the theory is, it is still false.
If you want to implement these theories into real gold and silver, you still have to rely on your own hands to gradually explore!
"call……"
Qingdeng let out a long breath, then took out the cuff band from his arms with firm eyes and tied his sleeves tightly.
"let's go!"
He lit the candle and buried himself in front of the case.
The "ding ding dong dong" sound of bottles and jars being knocked kept ringing.
…
…
About 2 hours later——
"Damn it! Not enough urine!"
Qingdeng lay on the ground in the "orz" position.
The first experimental goal he chose was to produce ammonia.
Unexpectedly, I hit a snag just after I started.
Making ammonia requires urine.
This material should be the easiest to obtain, and Qingdeng can directly use it himself.
However, maybe it was because the equipment was not sophisticated enough - it was difficult to buy test tubes, droppers and other professional experimental equipment, so I had to make do with pots and pans - I worked hard for a while, but the result was still the same.
Ended in failure.
Not only did they fail to produce ammonia, but they also used up all the urine they had finally saved.
Although it is regrettable, the experiment must continue.
Qingdeng stood up and muttered:
"Gotta find new urine..."
After muttering like this, familiar faces passed through his mind.
Kondo Isamu, Hijikata Toshizo, Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Ichi, Inoue Genzaburo...
Just after recalling 5 faces, he felt as if he had a nightmare, his face turned pale and his body trembled violently.
It's not that he dislikes his brothers...but...but...he really doesn't want to come into contact with these people's urine!
"Since you don't want to ask them to do anything, then you can only..."
Qingden fell silent halfway through his murmuring, with an indescribable strange emotion flowing between his brows.
The candlelight hit his body, drawing out a long, faint, and deep figure...
…
…
The next day——
In the third year of Wenjiu (1863), early morning on February 25th——
Kyoto, Mibu-go, Shinsengumi Residency——
"Hahaha~~~!"
The Souji yawned loudly.
I saw her half-closed sleepy eyes, her figure swaying, walking in a "Z" shape, like a drunken drunkard.
This is her old problem - "waking up and staying awake" is very serious.
Suddenly, she heard a "bang" sound... Because the path she was traveling was swinging violently, her head accidentally hit the wall of the corridor.
Judging from the volume, it sounds quite powerful.
However, she only rubbed the affected area a few times, then acted as if nothing was wrong, and then continued to drift towards the toilet like a wandering spirit.
At this time, Qingdeng's voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
"Xiao Si."
"Hmm...? Oh...it's Ji-kun (Tangerine-kun)...Zhao-ya (good morning)..."
Because she had not fully recovered her consciousness, her speech was slurred.
"Xiao Si, do you want to relieve yourself now?"
"..."
"..."
The sudden and powerful question caused the other party to suddenly open his eyes wide, and his eyes suddenly became much clearer.
"Yes, I'm just about to relieve myself... Mr. Tachibana, why are you asking this? Do you have any important things that take up your time and need to be entrusted to me?"
"Well... I do have a very important thing to ask you, but it doesn't cost you any time. It's a small thing that you can do easily when you relieve yourself. It's just... how should I put it..."
Qingdeng hesitated and looked away.
He has never been an indecisive or procrastinating person.
Therefore, after only hesitating for a moment, he took a deep breath and said quickly:
"Xiao Si, can you give me your urine?"
"..."
"..."
Silence fell between Qingto and Souji.
At this moment, it seemed that even the sound of ants walking on the ground became as loud as thunder.
After about five seconds, the shock turned into sound.
"...Tachibana-kun, is your head okay?"
Souji's eyes looked like he had seen something bad.
The sleepiness remaining in his consciousness completely dissipated.
She reached out her palm and touched Qingdeng's forehead.
"I don't have a fever... What are you talking about so early in the morning?"
"I'm not sick, let alone having a seizure. I'm very serious."
"You still said you didn't have epilepsy? Aren't you seriously ill?"
"As I said, I'm not crazy. Xiaoji, I... no, the Shinsengumi needs your urine."
"Why are your words getting more and more outrageous! Okay, let me ask you, what do you want my urine for?"
"make money."
"How am I going to make money from my urine?!"
After roaring, the frantic director blushed and stretched out his hands to tighten his belt.
"This matter is confidential and cannot be disclosed to anyone yet. In short, I really need your urine now!"
After saying that, Qingden stretched out his hands and grabbed the general secretary's shoulders with a serious and sincere expression.
Looking at the other party's expression, the girl's expression wavered.
However, with just a snap of his fingers, his rationality regained its high ground.
"Go, go away! Do you think I am easy to talk to, so no matter how outrageous your request is, I will obediently agree to it?"
The general secretary tightened his belt tightly, so hard that even his joints turned white.
"All in all, I will never give you my...my...this or anything of mine!"
…
…
Ten days later——
Wenjiu three years (1863), March 10——
Kyoto, somewhere——
"Hey, do you think Mr. Tachibana is acting strange lately?"
Harada Sanosuke spoke to Nagakura Shinpachi beside him.
Nagakura Shinpachi nodded and said:
"Well, it's indeed a little weird."
Five days ago, the Shinsengumi officially started "daily patrols."
Every day, at least three squads patrol the streets to arrest or kill lawbreakers and suspicious persons.
In the eyes of the Shinsengumi team members, the days of patrolling the streets are undoubtedly like holidays - only when patrolling the streets, training is not required.
The teams responsible for patrol today are Nagakura Shinpachi's 2nd Division, Inoue Genzaburo's 6th Division, and Harada Sanosuke's 10th Division.
As soon as the sky turned white, the three of them led their respective teams and bravely stepped out of the gate of the station.
The great achievement of "annihilating the Kusunoki group overnight" greatly increased the prestige of the Shinsengumi in Kyoto.
Although it is not enough to deter Satsuma, Choshu and other major forces, the little fish and shrimps will definitely no longer dare to blatantly cause chaos, and the public security environment in Kyoto has greatly improved.
In contrast, the Shinsengumi's daily patrols have turned into a dull "armed parade."
I could spend a whole day wandering the streets of Kyoto without encountering a single decent case or a noteworthy suspicious person.
In order to pass the boring time, the three of them started chatting.
Sanosuke Harada: "Mr. Tachibana has been shutting himself in his room lately, and he is making noises about what he is doing. Uncle Gen, is there any inside information you can share?"
Genzaburo Inoue smiled bitterly.
"I'm not sure either... I'm also very concerned about Tachibana-kun's recent weird behavior, so just two days ago, I went to the director and asked her about it, but she also said she didn't know."
Before he finished speaking, he paused as if he remembered something.
"Speaking of which... the Souji has been acting strange lately."
His words immediately attracted the attention of Nagakura Shinpachi and Harada Sanosuke:
The two asked in unison:
"Oh? What's wrong with him?"*2
"Recently, I have always seen her secretly handing Qingdeng a porcelain pot containing something unknown. When handing over the pot, she acted like a thief, looking left and right.
His expression was still very stiff, as if he was going to the execution ground."
*******
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After the unremitting efforts of Leopard Leopard, we finally succeeded in improving today’s update time! (Leopard Leopard Head in tears)
PS: After writing this chapter, Bao Baozi couldn't help but ask himself: Am I still in my right mind when I write such an outrageous plot?
After learning that "the preparation of ammonia requires the use of urine", he can quickly come up with such a shocking plot... Bao Baozi is indeed a genius! (Baohan)
Thanks to book friends [AkiyamaTsuki] and [Sniper No. 11]!
The science content in this chapter is all copied by me...ah, no, I borrowed from the comments of these two people.
At the same time, I would also like to thank my book friend [Heavenly Blade Messenger V]!
Thanks to the information and advice he provided, I was able to come up with the idea of “making a fortune using mirrors”!
This chapter has been completed!