A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

In late July, when the summer heat was intense, the cicadas chirped incessantly in the locust tree in the small courtyard in the west of the city, which was quite annoying.

Lu Qingyan wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the newly taken lump of material from the kiln opening—dark green, semi-transparent, with fewer bubbles than last time, but still densely packed, resembling a murky frozen stone when held up to the sunlight. He put the lump down and shook his head at the three craftsmen surrounding him.

Master Hu rubbed his rough hands, somewhat dejected: "Manager Chen, the material was ground finely as you instructed, and the preheating time was sufficient, but this..."

"The heat isn't quite right yet." Lu Qingyan turned to Craftsman Yu. "Master Yu, can you accurately estimate the preheating temperature?"

Craftsman Yu smiled wryly: "Manager, when firing porcelain, you can estimate the success rate by observing the fire color. But your material... it needs to be much higher than that for porcelain. The fire in the kiln is already turning white. I'm afraid if it's any higher, the kiln will collapse."

Abdul, a craftsman from the Western Regions, squatted by the kiln, poking at the ashes with an iron rod. Suddenly, he looked up and spoke in broken Mandarin mixed with gestures: "In my... hometown, we fire glass using a long kiln, the fire burning slowly, for three or five days." He gestured to indicate the name, "If the fire isn't fast, there's less heat."

Lu Qingyan's heart skipped a beat. That's it! Glass melting requires a long period of constant temperature to allow enough time for the bubbles to escape. Although his simple downdraft furnace had high thermal efficiency, it heated up and cooled down quickly, resulting in insufficient melting time.

"Master Hu," he turned to the old kiln worker, "can this kiln be modified?"

Master Hu circled the kiln twice, frowning in thought: "If we want the fire to burn slower, we need to lengthen the kiln chamber and add a heat storage chamber at the end of the kiln." He squatted down, picked up a piece of charcoal stone, and drew on the ground: "The fire enters from here, goes around a bend, stores the heat here, and then turns back. This way, the fire burns slower and saves charcoal."

Lu Qingyan looked at the simple drawing on the ground, his eyes showing approval. This old craftsman didn't understand the theory, but he was very experienced and grasped it immediately. This drawing was precisely the prototype of the regenerative structure commonly seen in glass kilns in later generations.

"Change it!" he decided. "How many days will it take?"

"It will take at least ten days to dismantle and rebuild," Master Hu calculated. "The bricks are ready, but they need to dry in the shade; we can't rush it."

Ten days. Lu Qingyan calculated the time. Today is July 23rd, ten days since the kiln was changed, the next trial firing will not be until early August. He thought of Zhou Wenyuan's sinister eyes, and felt a sense of urgency, but he knew that rushing would be useless.

"Then let's change it," he said in a deep voice. "Master Yu, continue preparing the materials, grind them as finely as possible. Abdul, in your hometown, besides using a slow fire, what other secrets are there to firing glass?"

The craftsman from the Western Regions struggled to organize his thoughts: "The material... needs to be stirred. Iron rod, stick it in, like this..." He made a stirring motion, "so that the air rises."

Stir! Lu Qingyan suddenly realized. Molten glass has a high viscosity, making it difficult for bubbles to rise; manual stirring can accelerate the removal of bubbles. This process was common knowledge in his previous life, but in this era, it's probably a closely guarded secret.

"Alright, try it next time, add stirring." He noted down the key points and then said to the three men, "You'll still be paid for these ten days' work. You've all worked hard. Don't tell anyone about the kiln renovation."

All three agreed. They were all skilled craftsmen familiar with the Yun family and knew the rules.

It was nearly late afternoon when they left the courtyard. Granny Lin came to pick them up in her carriage. After Lu Qingyan got in, she whispered, "Granny, has anyone been spying on us these past few days?"

"There were two instances of unfamiliar faces loitering at the alley entrance. This old servant had the farmhands keep an eye on them, and they didn't dare get close," Lin Mama said in a low voice. "Young master, what about the Zhou family..."

"I know." Lu Qingyan closed his eyes to rest. "Just speed things up."

Back in Wutong Lane, Yun Shuwei was checking the accounts in the flower hall. Seeing him return, she put down the account book: "How is it?"

"There's been some progress, but we still need to modify the kiln," Lu Qingyan explained briefly. "It will take at least another ten days."

Yun Shu frowned slightly: "Zhou Wenyuan has made another move today."

"Oh?"

"He went to the Ministry of Revenue and reviewed the tax deeds for all the shops under the Yun family's name for the past three years." Yun Shu sneered. "He said it was a routine check, but he had to choose this time."

This is going to cause trouble in the business sphere. Lu Qingyan pondered for a moment: "Are all the tax deeds complete?"

"Of course, everything is included. The Yun family has been in business for a century, and these are the things we value most." Yun Shu paused slightly. "But if he's determined to find fault, he can always find something wrong—for example, last year's batch of silk from 'Guangyuanhao' was delayed due to floods in Jiangnan, and we had to pay the other party 30% of the deposit. This was stated in the contract, but if he insists that we breached the contract..."

"Then let him investigate," Lu Qingyan said calmly. "The more detailed the investigation, the better."

Yun Shu was slightly taken aback: "You..."

"He's investigating the Yun family, so we'll investigate the Zhou family too." A sharp glint flashed in Lu Qingyan's eyes. "Vice Minister Zhou has served in the Ministry of War for many years, and the Zhou family also owns businesses. It would be impolite not to reciprocate."

These words, spoken calmly, sent a jolt through Yun Shuwei's heart. Looking at her husband, she suddenly realized that the gentle and refined scholar who had first entered the capital was now gradually revealing his brilliance amidst the turmoil of the court.

"Okay." She nodded. "I'll have Granny Lin take care of it."

Zhou Wenyuan seemed to have returned to normal, arriving at his duty room on time every day and occasionally chatting and laughing with his colleagues. However, the smile never reached his eyes, and when he looked at Lu Qingyan, his gaze was always scrutinizing.

Before leaving work that day, Zhou Wenyuan suddenly walked up to Lu Qingyan's desk and casually asked, "Editor Lu, you've been looking quite well these past few days. Is there some good news?"

Lu Qingyan didn't even look up: "Editor Zhou is joking. It's so hot, what happy occasion could there be?"

"That's true." Zhou Wenyuan leaned against the edge of the table. "But I heard that the 'Guangyuan' ship, owned by Editor Lu's wife, had a shipment delayed last year and lost a lot of money. In business, reputation is paramount. Once you lose your word, it's hard to go back."

He finally revealed his card. Lu Qingyan put down his pen, looked up at him: "In business dealings, unexpected events are inevitable. The contract clearly states that both parties consented, so how can there be any breach of trust?"

"Of course there's a written record," Zhou Wenyuan laughed. "But outsiders don't know the inside story. If word gets out that the Duke's mansion is abusing its power and delaying delivery, it won't sound good."

This was a threat to spread rumors. Lu Qingyan looked at him and said slowly, "If Editor Zhou has any free time, he should read more classic texts. Spreading rumors in the marketplace is not the act of a gentleman."

"A gentleman?" Zhou Wenyuan scoffed. "Editor Lu is truly a bookish idealist. How many gentlemen are there in this court?" He paused, lowered his voice, and said, "I advise Editor Lu to leave yourself an out in everything you do. Your job as a tutor to the prince is good, but it's also easy to offend people. If the Third Prince gets tired of you one day, or if something goes wrong, this backer won't be reliable anymore."

The matter had been brought up to this point. Lu Qingyan stood up and looked him in the eye: "Thank you for the reminder, Editor Zhou. However, I only seek to act with a clear conscience. As for having a powerful backer..." He smiled faintly, "I have never thought of relying on anyone."

Zhou Wenyuan's face darkened, and he was about to say something when Wang Bianxiu's voice came from outside: "Brother Lu, Scholar Li is looking for you."

Lu Qingyan nodded slightly to Zhou Wenyuan, then turned and left.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhou Wenyuan clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm.

The atmosphere in Li Mubai's study was much more relaxed. The old scholar was brewing tea, and upon seeing him enter, he gestured to the person opposite him: "Sit."

"What are your instructions, Scholar?"

"Nothing else to instruct me on." Li Mubai handed over a cup of tea. "Yesterday, His Majesty inquired about the Third Prince's studies, and I said he had made great progress. His Majesty was quite pleased to hear that."

Lu Qingyan accepted the teacup with both hands: "It is Your Highness's wisdom that is evident."

"You also deserve credit." Li Mubai took a sip of tea and suddenly said, "The Emperor has ordered the Privy Council to discuss your memorial."

Lu Qingyan's heart tightened.

"It's a huge argument." Li Mubai shook his head. "The pro-war faction says you're weak, the pro-peace faction says you're radical, the Ministry of Revenue says the trade market is too costly, and the Ministry of War says the military household contract system is chaotic." He paused, "But the Emperor hasn't made a statement."

The lack of a statement meant there was still room for maneuver. Lu Qingyan felt somewhat relieved.

"Qingyan," Li Mubai looked at him earnestly, "I know you have a heart full of patriotism. But matters of the court cannot be rushed. Any one of your three policies will affect the interests of countless people. Without thorough preparation, rashly implementing them will only bring harm."

"The student understands."

"It's good that you understand," Li Mubai sighed. "I've heard that the Zhou family has been making a lot of moves lately. You should be careful."

"Thanks for the reminder."

As Lu Qingyan emerged from Li Mubai's study, the sun was already setting. Walking along the corridor of the Hanlin Academy, he gazed at the long shadow cast by the old locust tree outside, his thoughts churning.

The proposal was shelved, the Zhou family pressed on relentlessly, and the glass trial production suffered repeated setbacks... The road ahead seemed fraught with obstacles.

But he can't stop.

August 3rd, a small courtyard in the west of the city

The new kiln was finally completed. It was almost twice as long as the old one, with a brick-built heat storage chamber added at the rear, and the flue had been redesigned. Master Hu walked around the kiln and nodded in satisfaction: "This time it's done. The fire enters from here, goes around to the heat storage chamber, retains the heat, and then goes back to heat the kiln chamber. Not only does it save coal, but the fire is also more even."

Lu Qingyan carefully checked all the joints and confirmed that everything was in order: "Open the kiln and test the fire."

Charcoal was added, and the blower roared. At first, only bluish smoke was visible, but gradually a reddish glow appeared at the kiln opening, then turned incandescent. Master Hu stared at the observation hole, adjusting the air vents from time to time: "It's steady now, this fire color can be maintained."

The fire burned for eight hours straight. From afternoon until late at night, the courtyard was brightly lit. Lu Qingyan didn't leave; he stayed with the three craftsmen. They changed the charcoal twice, adding it very carefully each time to prevent any temperature fluctuations.

At midnight, Master Hu retrieved the materials again. He inserted the iron rod into the observation hole, dipping it into a bright red and transparent molten glass that resembled flowing lava in the night. This time, there were significantly fewer bubbles, only a few scattered small ones.

"It's done!" Craftsman Yu couldn't help but exclaim softly.

Abdul leaned closer to look and nodded vigorously: "Good! Better than last time!"

Lu Qingyan remained calm: "Try quenching it."

The material was immersed in water, and white steam rose from it. After cooling, it was taken out and held up to a lantern—it was pale green, translucent, with few bubbles, and the texture was much more uniform.

"Try stirring it," Lu Qingyan instructed.

Master Hu replaced the iron spatula with one with a crossbar, inserted it through the observation hole, and slowly stirred it. The molten glass was viscous and difficult to stir, but it was visible to the naked eye that the remaining small bubbles gradually rose and burst as the stirring progressed.

Half an hour later, the material was retrieved again. This time, the molten glass was much clearer; when held up to the light, it was almost transparent.

Lu Qingyan breathed a long sigh of relief.

While it's still far from complete transparency, this is already a qualitative leap. It proves that we're on the right track—we've grasped the key points: kiln structure, formula ratio, and mixing process.

"We'll test the molding tomorrow," he set his goal. "First, we'll try drawing the tube, then we'll make the flat plate."

The three craftsmen were exhausted, but their eyes shone with light. They were craftsmen, and they understood best the meaning of progress.

As he left the courtyard, the east was already tinged with the first light of dawn. Lu Qingyan sat in the carriage on the return journey, feeling refreshed despite not having slept all night. Looking at the pale green glass in his hand, bathed in the morning light, he seemed to see a glimpse of the future's possibilities.

Back in Wutong Lane, Yun Shuwei was also awake, waiting for him in the study. Seeing him return, she greeted him, "How did it go?"

Lu Qingyan handed the material to her.

Yun Shuwei took it and walked to the window to examine it closely in the morning light. After a while, she turned around, her eyes filled with amazement: "This is almost as good as the Third Prince's set!"

"We're still far from it." Although Lu Qingyan said this, the corners of his lips couldn't help but turn up. "But the path is open. Next, we need to refine the formula and improve the molding process."

Looking into his tired yet bright eyes, Yun Shuwei suddenly felt that all the hard work these past few days had been worthwhile. She said softly, "Go and rest. We still have to go to the Hanlin Academy when it's light."

"Um."

Lu Qingyan slept soundly. In his dream, he seemed to see a transparent glass window, exquisite utensils, and... a child holding a glass cup made in the Central Plains, proudly saying, "Look, we made it ourselves!"