abnabooks #295 - Output of mortar workshop
#295 - Output of mortar workshop
“Pitter-patter——”
The rotating holy machine water pump spewed streams of black, foul-smelling water, while the water level in the mire of Autumn Dusk Island visibly decreased.
Walking on the road leading to Autumn Dusk Island, Hohn looked around.
The previously barren wilderness was now filled with beastmen laborers and local villagers.
Autumn Dusk Island already had a large amount of abandoned land, which could be replanted simply by removing the bushes and tree roots from the soil.
However, the soil on Autumn Dusk Island had been gradually acidifying for a long time, so people could be seen constantly spreading lime to change the acidity of the soil.
Following behind Hohn, Martin curiously stared at the scene of beastmen and humans coexisting peacefully.
He really hadn't expected that there would be such a paradise in this Black Bone Swamp.
Bypassing several mounds, the guide leading the way suddenly walked to the side, leaving the main road and stepping onto the muddy ground.
“What's wrong? Why the sudden detour?”
“Your Grace, they're repairing the road ahead.”
Following behind the others, Martin's gaze was fixed on the ground beside him.
Nearly a hundred beastmen and local villagers poured gravel into the dug-out trenches with wooden buckets, then picked up wheelbarrows and dumped half a wheelbarrow of mortar into them.
Then, the beastmen laid nearly a hundred head-sized stones on top of the mixture of mortar and gravel.
Continuing forward, seven or eight alchemists stood by the roadside, constantly scattering iron powder and using alchemical rituals to catalyze its rapid drying.
Although it was called rapid drying, it would still take four or five days to completely dry.
Seeing Hohn's arrival, Witt, who was directing the construction and wearing an iron helmet, trotted up to Hohn.
“Your Grace.”
“You're the one having this road built?” Hohn pointed to the mortar road being constructed beside him with his riding crop.
“Yes, I think hardening the roads within the city is passable, but it's difficult to transport goods to the docks.”
“Tell me about it.”
“We plan to build a main road 1000 meters long and 8 meters wide, with an estimated 3200 cubic meters of work, using 658.3 tons of mortar, 914.2 tons of sand, and 1828.5 tons of stone.”
Hohn paused in his steps, turned his head to Witt, and asked, “What is the current production of our mortar workshop?”
Witt turned his gaze to Satchis, who answered fluently, “The mortar workshop uses crucibles as a group, with 3 alchemists per crucible, and currently has 10 crucibles.
Each crucible can produce 8 tons per day, and with sufficient raw materials, the total daily output of 10 crucibles is 80 tons, and the monthly output is 2400 tons.”
“How much?” Hohn hadn't even spoken yet, but Martin exclaimed from the side.
Because Kashya County bordered Black Serpent Bay, mortar transportation was very cheap, and Martin knew a little about it.
In his memory, a mortar workshop producing 1-2 tons per day was normal, and 10 workshops producing about 700 tons per month was normal.
How did they do it?
Martin didn't hide this question in his heart and asked Hohn directly.
“Because they use a small workshop model, everyone does all the procedures together, there are always people waiting, and there are never enough people to use it,” Hohn poked a small hole in the mortar surface with his hand, “Each of our procedures has a dedicated person responsible for it, assembly line operation, the warlocks only need to consider how to refine cement faster and better.”
Seeing that Martin didn't understand, Hohn just smiled: "I'll take you to visit later, and you'll understand... Hey, you know a lot about this mortar?"
“Yes, we often use mortar as building material there, Black Serpent Bay is right next to us, and the price is very cheap.”
“About how much is a ton of mortar?”
Martin scratched his head, obviously he knew nothing about these mundane affairs that were too close to life, but his companion beside him responded: “It depends on the situation, when it's expensive, a ton is a little less than 80 dinars, and when it's cheap, 40 dinars is enough.”
So, calculated at a median price of 60 dinars, 2400 tons is 144000 dinars, which converts to 1200 gold pounds.
If Hohn's mortar workshop could sell to the outside world, after deducting labor and material costs, the monthly net profit would be about 900 gold pounds.
Currently, this number can only meet internal needs rather than external needs, and there are still nearly 1800 tons of mortar piled up in the warehouse.
“However, since the warrior monks have returned to their hometowns one after another, our mortar orders have shown a significant increase,” Satchis explained.
Hohn could probably guess the reason. After obtaining a large amount of spoils and money on the battlefield, the warrior monks were eager to live in better houses.
If they wanted to build houses, mortar that was close and cheap was a good choice.
Arriving next to the Mechanical Palace, standing on the hillside and looking towards the town, the ruins on the edge of the town were visibly reduced.
As for those hastily repaired insula apartments, they were spontaneously renovated by the residents.
Several war monks followed the priests of the chapel, measuring the land in the ruins, seemingly preparing to build houses.
Four months ago, this was still a ruin, and four months later, it had become a vibrant town.
The most ⊥new⊥ small ⊥say⊥ is ⊥in⊥ six ⊥9⊥⊥book⊥⊥bar⊥⊥first⊥send!
“Lord Martin, go and stay in the town first, I'll go to the Mechanical Palace.”
After saying goodbye to Martin, Hohn shook the reins and quickly arrived in front of the Mechanical Palace.
Looking inside through the gap in the gate under the gable, Hohn could still see a figure sitting in a wheelchair.
“Silov.” Hohn threw the riding crop and reins to the groom who was holding the horse, and strode into the Mechanical Palace.
The head that was originally drooping suddenly lifted up. Although Hohn couldn't see what emotion was on that expressionless face, he could tell from her erected ears and propeller-like rotating tail.
Putting the book on her lap, Silov quickly turned the wheelchair, seemingly wanting to pounce on Hohn.
But as she approached, Silov pinched the handwheel, abruptly braked, and stopped in front of Hohn.
“Yo, not bad, you've even learned to drift.” Hohn showed her a mouthful of white teeth.
“Long time no see, Hohn.” Silov crossed her hands and tugged at her skirt, “Where's Jeanne? Didn't she come?”
“She needs to guard Jeanne Fort, just in case. I'll give her a vacation. She'll probably come next week or the week after.” Hohn took out a pair of shiny things from his pocket and handed them to Silov.
Silov's eyes lit up, and her tail stood up like an antenna: “What is this?”
Although she was born with an interest in shiny objects, Silov still didn't understand Hohn's intention.
Hohn explained with a smile: “A little gift for you, called crystal covers.
Later, you drop a drop of water from the moon pool on the film, then cover it with the cover, and then use the microscopic divination spell, maybe it will be useful.”
Previously, Silov had always said that when her divination spell saw the microscopic world of living things, it was either a mass of blurry colors squeezing around, or a hazy black shadow.
Hohn had always suspected that it was because the sample was too thick, the light could not penetrate, and there was no coloring, so he couldn't see clearly.
In order to analyze what exactly was in the water in the moon pool, Hohn specially found some crystals with high transparency from the monastery's jewelry.
This way, Silov might be able to see clearly.
“Thank you.” Silov carefully and solemnly put away the covers, “I will make good use of them.”
“By the way, didn't you say there was a little surprise in the letter? Where is it?”