Rise of Rurik

Rurik had a sword hanging from his waist, and there were two followers behind him. If it wasn't for his young age, his appearance would be really impressive.

The three of them walked to the beach, and the smoke from the chimney accurately showed the location of the blacksmith shop.

As they approached, the sound of ding ding dong had reached Rurik's ears.

After a while, a bearded guy in a rough leather coat with two furry arms appeared in front of them.

This person is none other than senior blacksmith Kravatsen.

The old guy's eyes had already noticed Rurik coming with a golden ponytail, and the work at hand had not stopped.

Rurik leaned over enthusiastically: "I thought I was here, you would stop work and say hello to me."

"Oh, my little master, I'm very busy right now. You know." Clavasson stared at the sword embryo that was tightly clamped by the pliers, still not intending to suspend work.

Rurik looked around and saw that the wooden benches on the two sides of the "iron workshop" with only a wooden roof (the spring came and the wooden boards were taken to cover the wind) had five swords placed vertically. In other words, they are still sword embryos.

To the naked eye, their length and color are already very consistent.

"The swords on your stool, it's time for them to enter the final stage?" Rurik struck up a conversation.

"No. They're not yet formed. They've only been forged ten times, which is a long way from the fifty you asked for. But..." At this point, Kravason finally paused his work and grabbed the pliers. , put the red sword embryo aside and let it cool down naturally.

Clavasson took his wooden cup, picked up a glass of water from a bucket not far away, and drank it quickly.

"Ah! It's very comfortable. Rurik, you know my business, I have a lot of orders! I'm very busy now, and I have to do my best to make steel swords. If it's just to cut off ordinary iron swords, I find that it only takes twenty to forge. It's basically enough."

"This, I don't know." Rurik was a little surprised, because this Kravason was obviously cutting corners!

"You understand now. But don't worry, those brothers and I have already tried, and twenty times of forging is enough. Finally, use grease to do the final quenching, and the blade is done."

"The sword completed in this way is still sixty silver coins?"

"Of course." Clavasson smiled with satisfaction, "That's how the price is set, including those people. Selling a sword, the six silver coins in it are yours, I don't dare to be greedy for even a single silver coin. ."

Rurik already knew that blacksmiths had formed guilds of their own accord, and that Kravassen had spread about the technique of making steel swords.

Technology will spread sooner or later. If five professional blacksmiths can do one thing at the same time, the efficiency of producing steel swords will naturally be much higher. Now that Kravassen deliberately saves costs for practicality, swords will also be more efficient to produce.

They've filled nearly fifty orders, and he still has more than two hundred to fill.

Clavasson was very honest about the orders of several other blacksmiths, including himself, and everyone had accumulated up to five hundred orders! To complete them, the blacksmiths believe that even if it is winter, the struggle will continue. Of course, these struggles are very worthwhile, but it is a huge amount of money!

Rurik reckoned that with these orders alone, he should have received 3,000 silver coins in the end.

Just the making of steel swords? Do not! Once you understand the benefits of carburizing and quenching, shouldn't it be time to make some steel axes? According to the agreement, any sales of a steel axe will also receive a 10% profit.

Rurik led his own people over, and he ordered two of his subordinates to gather around the small fire.

"Kanuf, Fisk, you see, that's what a blacksmith does. Burning stones to make weapons."

"Is that so?" Fisk looked at the throbbing flames, and stared at the white-bearded Clavason, holding a sword embryo with tongs and placing it in the fire. Immediately after,

For the time being, Clavason, whose son couldn't help, personally operated the airbag blower. Every time he pressed the air, the flames rushed up fiercely, scaring Fisk to retreat subconsciously.

"You're actually scared?" Rurik joked.

"No. It's my first time at the blacksmith's shop. It turns out that our swords are all made this way."

"You?" Caravasson, who was squatting on the ground to press the airbag, frowned and said displeasedly: "My child, I am not making an ordinary sword. Are you free? Can you come and help me press this? My child , Before you become a warrior, you must understand how your sword was born. Listen, in the future, you will use the steel sword I made just like everyone else, and now come and help me."

Fisk thought about it for a while, and he felt that the old guy's words made sense, so he made a cameo role as a blacksmith's assistant.

As for Kanuf, his hands were itchy too.

With the help of two child laborers, Clavasson was free to add charcoal to the stove at any time, and his eyes could keep an eye on the flames.

Rurik watched the jumping flames with his hands behind his back, deliberately waiting until Kravassen was done with his work.

He didn't wait too long, because Clavathon knew very well that Rurik's sudden arrival must have something to do with it, and it might have something to do with that.

Cravason finally stopped the work in his hands. After he folded and forged the sword embryo, he put it directly in the fire to carburize. Now there is no need for the help of the blower, and the two children, panting and sweating, also stood up.

Karawasen happily drank a large glass of water again, turned around and asked, "Tell me, what's the matter with me?"

"That's it! As for the Great Merchant Gould's cup, I think the time has come, and I need you to help me make it."

"You think it's okay? But, I don't know how to make it. But if you can give me some pointers, it's like pointing me to make a steel sword, I think...I can make you satisfied."

The corner of Rurik's mouth twitched slightly: "Of course, as long as you follow my requirements, you will be successful. I will also sell glasses to make money in the future."

Here Rurik directly calls it "boli", not the Old Germanic "".

Boli is glass, which describes a completely transparent material similar to stone.

However, Clavason was still half-understood.

Because the Germanic language is also Latin from the Romans, and the Romans also learned about the making of glassware from the Egyptians and learned the term.

Although Western Rome fell, the craft of glass making did not cease.

Frankish kingdoms can still make their own glassware, such as making some decorative glass gems, or making glassware.

It's just that these utensils are mainly enjoyed by nobles, and its high price and narrow market make it difficult for poor farmers to understand it.

The same is true in Eastern Rome, where all kinds of glassware are still enjoyed by dignitaries.

Therefore, the glassware spread to the Nordic world is so rare, and the price is ridiculously high.

For this reason, Clavason hadn't even seen glass, neither "" nor "boli", both words were unfamiliar.

Rurik goes to great lengths to describe its beauty.

"It uses some special stones, adds special materials, and forms a lump of viscous red substance like slag in the furnace. Put this lump of substance in a container, and then press it with another utensil to make it Quilt shape.

When it gradually cooled, it became transparent as ice. But such a cup is much harder than ice!

Gould spent a hundred silver coins for a clear mug, and we don't ask for much. As long as we can mass-produce it and sell it for ten silver coins, that's fine..."

Rurik tried his best to introduce the beauty of a glass.

He especially emphasized two points: First, the raw materials of this product are not difficult to obtain, and the production is relatively simple. Second, this item can be bought for at least ten silver coins.

Undoubtedly, Kravasson takes these two things very seriously compared to what is still unknown about the so-called glass.

Clavasson couldn't help asking: "My little master, this is true. With only some stones, a quilt can be made relatively quickly, and I can sell it for ten silver coins?"

"It's true." Rurik pinched his waist confidently, "You just do what I say."

Having said that, Rurik paused, looked around, and muttered: "It's too late today. You can't collect the raw materials right away, and even if you do, we still need some other equipment. Now... ...you find me a plank and give me a piece of carbon."

"All right."

Soon, a wooden board that was supposed to be full of iron equipment was carried over by Caravasson. He faced Rurik with its flat back and handed a so-called charcoal pen, which was actually a slender carbon rod. .

Rurik squatted down and ordered Kravassen to squat in front of him.

He drew on the wooden board, and he talked about the details.

From the very beginning, words were a picture. Even the pure phonetic phonetic script of Runwen, which is a Nordic counterpart, originated from the magical modification of ancient Egyptian script.

By drawing pictures, Rurik believed that Kravassen could understand.

Because what is drawn on the board is simply a view of a mold.

Rurik was in his professionalism and couldn't help drawing three views.

After all, what he was painting was a schematic diagram of a mold system.

Where does Caravasson know what three views are, but this old guy is very clear about the bronze casting process, and only needs to be gently touched by Rurik, and Caravasson has completely understood.

"Rurik, although I basically don't understand your picture, you don't have to worry that I don't understand it. You want me to make two special utensils out of bronze, no problem."

Rurik babbled for a long time, and maybe the old guy in front of him really understood: "Well, you should understand the meaning of these two bronze tools. If you put him in the tool with a lump of mud at that time, you can finally It is pressed into the shape of a cup. I also need you to make a wooden frame to hold the upper utensils to ensure the stability of the pressing.”

Clavason nodded, "It seems, in a sense, this is a stone mortar for pounding onions."

"Similar indeed. It takes many times to pound an onion. As shown in the picture, I only need this appliance once."

Rurik had drawn it so well on this board that he sketched a hand-punch press and ordered Karawassen to follow this principle.

Rurik did not care in the slightest how exquisite the so-called suppression machine was.

Beautifully made by the machine? That is impossible. In the final analysis, Rurik wanted the finished glassware, even if the glass had a lot of impurities and was not well-regulated.

Of course, the rough machine naturally has its great value. In the final analysis, technology is accumulated and developed from generation to generation, even if there will be rapid innovation in the process, after all, it is the continuous transformation of people from generation to generation based on the original machine.

"That's it, since you can make the machine according to the picture, I'm relieved. Now please listen carefully to the materials I need."

"Yes." Clavasson straightened his nerves. "The raw material is the most important thing, tell me. I know these are part of Odin's wisdom."

"Hey, that's it." Rurik said solemnly: "I want you to prepare four things. First, those pebbles that are as transparent as possible, and the sand in the stream. Second, pure white lime The third is the ashes, like boiling salt, and I want the crystals in it, but this is the only thing I can ask the priests to do for me. Fourth, I want lead powder."

Clavason does know about these four substances, including the third, ash, and he now knows that the precipitates after the ashes melt is the key to making soap.

"Rurik, among these four things, sand and lime I have to collect myself. It is best if you can get me the essence of ashes. As for lead, I have ready-made ones here."

Rurik thought about it and said, "Okay, I can wait. At first I just wanted to do an experiment and prove that I can do it. You don't need to collect that much material, as long as we succeed, then we will try again. Increase production."

"Oh! My child, I really look down on my old bones." Clavason laughed. "I'm a blacksmith, maybe I don't have the energy to make cups for you, or something else."

"Of course. Even so, I still need your help. I'm here today to tell you about it. I'll be back the day after tomorrow, Clavason, and by that time I hope you've done what I asked for. You must do it as soon as possible, No matter what the result is, I will pay you..." Rurik thought for a while, then said casually, "Fifty silver coins!"

"What?! So much money?" Klaverson was startled.

"What? Do you think you have less money?"

"No! Enough is enough." Clavason's excitement was written on his face, and he felt comfortable when he mentioned the coin, "This is better than business, until the next morning. No! By the time the sun goes down tomorrow, you will be old. But come to me, and I will definitely succeed.”

"It's the day after tomorrow. I hope there will be no problems in the middle."

Rurik did not stay any longer, and he had already completed the notification of all the requirements for making glass, raw materials and processing equipment, and promised a huge sum of money after it was done.

Did you really start trying to make glass like this?

A decision has been made, and there must be a path to the end.

Ask yourself, Rurik admires his decision.

The technique of making glass was learned by a considerable number of peoples thousands of years ago. The technique of glass blowing came from ancient Egypt 2000 BC, the technique soon spread to the Mediterranean coast, and finally was carried forward by Rome.

The technique they use is still blowing, which is really a technical job. If a glass blower is unqualified, he can blow his cheeks to pieces.

Rus people who have never even seen glass, expect a few words of guidance to make a small group of people learn to blow glass? Really impractical. Even a single attempt, following the hot air recoil from the copper pipe, can completely burn the worker's throat, causing the person to become dumb.

But another processing method, the technology of pressing glass, it can be fully implemented.

After all, glass, because of its magical molecular structure, makes it unclear whether it is a liquid or a solid. It does not have a solid-liquid decomposition temperature, and when the temperature starts to increase, it starts to become sticky, and finally becomes a hot red paste like ketchup.

A blob of less extreme temperature, like a plasticine paste, is placed in a mold and can of course be pressed into the desired shape.

That is, compared to blowing glass, this pressing technique is more suitable for making window glass and wide-mouth quilts. If the bottle is made industrially, the industrial blowing method is astonishingly efficient. In later generations, a beverage company's factories around the world could blow out two million glass bottles a day.

The most critical point is that the pressed glass process is simple, which is its advantage. To quickly make the glassware, Rurik thought of only this set of suppression methods with the possibility of rapid realization.

It's just a possibility after all.

In theory, the possibility of success is very high! Rurik firmly believed that even if it was not possible to create pure transparent glass, it would be enough to create colored translucent objects.

As for the toxicity of leaded glass, Rurik didn't care. Anyway, the purpose of lead is to lower the melting point. If it is the glassware tableware you use, of course you can't use lead glass.