Chapter 454: What If They Can’t Afford?
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Hai Dongli wrote on the paper, “This is a container that I unintentionally condensed when extracting the spinning thread. I think this material is very malleable and can be used for many applications. I can further study it.”
In modern times, plastic became an indispensable part of human daily life.
Water bottles, plastic bags, television sets, cell phones, printers, trash cans, transmission boxes, synthetic latex, and so on all required plastic.
Plastic has many advantages. It is light and can be modified to fit different requirements.
It has excellent chemical stability and is extremely resistant to corrosion, and is often used in pipes.
It is excellent in electrical insulation and allows extensive protection of cables.
It also had the effect of noise and shock absorption. If plastic was combined with gla.s.s and used in residences, wards, and hotels, they could stay warm in winter and cool in summer.
The best thing about it was its shaping properties. It can be as hard as a rock and as soft as paper.
However, plastic also had its obvious shortcomings. It was flammable, its toughness was not as strong as metal, and it was not resistant to heat.
At the end of the 21st century, plastic pollution caused serious damage to marine ecology, resulting in the production of degradable plastics.
With pollution under control, plastic became even more indispensable in life.
From the beginning, Bai Wutong could get everyone to make plastic products, but she felt that even if they did not use plastic products, it would not affect everyone’s lives.
However, as the industrialization process gradually began, the appearance of plastic was unstoppable.
Since she had expected it to happen, she might as well set up a system to prevent pollution now.
Bai Wutong took the strange plastic bucket and looked at it carefully. “It does look very malleable. If you can handle it, study it carefully. If you can’t, you can find someone else to be in charge.”
Hai Dongli wanted to focus on building the engine even more. He turned to look at Lin Qingcai.
Lin Qingcai’s eyes lit up. “Sir, can I?”
Bai Wutong had just considered letting Lin Qingcai be in charge of studying plastic products, but she had just given him a task, so she was afraid that he would not be able to cope with it.
He was full of confidence. Hai Dongli looked at Bai Wutong, indicating that he could give him a chance.
Bai Wutong smiled and said, “Since you’re willing, you’ll be in charge.”
“Thank you, Great Empress.”
As soon as they left, Bai Wutong summoned Sheng Huaixuan and asked about the transportation of the next batch of oil.
Sheng Huaixuan said, “The road we built has shortened the original three-month journey to half. The oil we mined previously has already set off. It should be able to arrive soon.”
If there was a car for transportation, the month and a half journey could be shortened to a week.
Bai Wutong thought of Chu Tianbao and n.o.ble Consort Ling. She wondered if they had already arrived at the Ling Kingdom and if they were not safe. She had never had a way to communicate with him. It was really worrying.
Suppressing the uneasiness in her heart, Bai Wutong handed the oil-made cloth to Sheng Huaixuan and smiled mysteriously. “Do you see anything different?”
Sheng Huaixuan touched the fabric carefully and did not notice anything different. He leaned closer and smelled a much fainter smell of oil. “There’s a strange smell.”
Bai Wutong smiled and said, “It’s made of oil extract.”
“Oil?” How was that possible? Sheng Huaixuan’s face was filled with disbelief.
Bai Wutong continued, “Yes, with enough petroleumr, we won’t have to worry about not having enough cotton. At the price we offered, if the Syrians don’t sell wool, so be it.” If they knew that the black oil could be made into white satin, their eyes would probably pop out.
Sheng Huaixuan touched the fabric in shock again. He looked up and was pleasantly surprised. “Apart from the local oil mines in Syria, we have two more oil mines.”
After discovering the petroleum in the southern frontier’s Syria area, Bai Wutong got someone to look for oil mines elsewhere. These three oil mines could supply the southern frontier for at least a few hundred years.
Bai Wutong nodded and said, “Yes, recruit some more people in the next few days to be in charge of oil extraction and textiles. Then arrange for them to coordinate with the female workers in the textile factory.”
Sheng Huaixuan said excitedly, “Yes.”
As soon as Sheng Huaixuan left, Bai Wutong searched for an effective way to deal with pollution on the computer in the s.p.a.ce. When she sorted out all the ways to deal with the pollution and arranged for someone to build a waste treatment plant and sewage treatment plant, another day had pa.s.sed.
She was unusually tired. After a few hurried bites, she fell asleep.
Qingfeng entered the room to check on her, closed the door, and waited quietly at the door.
Zong Bang and his clansmen had been in the temporary apartment for a week. Life here was really comfortable. The water was filtered and it was convenient to cook. It was not expensive to eat outside, and there were all kinds of novel things. Even his smelly feet had been cured by buying some medicine.
If not for the fact that the purpose of this trip was to sell the wool in the clan, he would have bought some businesses here and settled down.
Zong Bang’s cousin, Zong Ming, bought a lot of interesting things for his wife and medicine for his mother’s stomach pain. He wanted to sell the wool for a good price as soon as possible and buy more things from Carefree City to earn another large sum when he returned.
However, the price Zong Bang wanted was too high, making him very uneasy. He was afraid that these Central Plains people would not buy it.
If these Central Plains people stopped buying and no other Central Plains people could enter Syria to collect wool, they could forget about earning a single cent this year.
Zong Bang drank the Phoenix Tail Wine and ate the barbecued meat. He glanced at Zong Ming, who was busy, and said confidently, “Don’t panic. The Central Plains people must be even more anxious than us. There are so many of them. If they don’t have enough wool, they won’t know how to survive the winter!”
Zong Ming frowned and sat down. “But Brother, it’s been so long, but no one is bothering about us!”
Zong Bang said, “Are you stupid? The price we want is so high. They must have to think carefully, think of a countermeasure, or prepare to bargain. When they figure it out, all of this will be useless. They will naturally buy it at the same price.”
Zong Ming still felt uneasy when he did not see the real money. He poured a mouthful of wine into his mouth. “What if they can’t afford it?”
Zong Bang was stunned for a moment before he quickly smiled and said, “If they can’t afford it, then pay with the goods. I’m quite interested in the goods here. My father will definitely be happy if I brought a few bicycles back.”
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the courtyard door. Zong Ming quickly hid the stove that he had moved into the house.
Zong Bang opened the door and saw that it was Xu Yao, the official in charge of purchasing cotton. He immediately looked at Zong Ming proudly.
Just like what he had said, they must have come to discuss the price.
Zong Bang let him into the house. As soon as he entered, there was a strong smell of coal.
Xu Yao suddenly frowned and reminded, “You can’t use the coal and stoves in the house. It’s easy to catch fire. If your doors and windows are closed, you’ll be poisoned. The furniture in the house will also be damaged.”
Zong Bang smiled indifferently. “It’s just once. We’ll extinguish it immediately.” He pointed at the window in front and said, “Look, it’s open..”