With this in mind, Li Yao built some rooms next to the soap workshop specially for Xia Xian and set up a small high-temperature furnace, specifically for smelting and forging.
Wang Yuanguo bought all kinds of minerals from other places, and they were all smelted into metals here.
Then, according to Li Yao's memory, plus Xia Xian's tireless day and night experiments, it took them a full 10 days to finally forge the world's first high-strength steel wire.
The diameter of the steel wire barely met the requirements when measured with calipers. Xia Xian really couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Boss, what exactly will you use this steel wire for?"
"This is a small part of the grand plan," Li Yao said. "Stoke up the fire and you'll find out soon enough."
Li Yao used tweezers to clip a section of steel wire and turned it red-hot over the glowing coals, then quickly wrapped it around a round iron rod. After it had set to some extent, she quickly dipped it in water to quench it.
After it had completely cooled, Li Yao fished the coiled steel wire out of the water.
The world's first professional spring was thus born.
Testing it with her hands, all the parameters met the requirements, but Xia Xian still didn't understand.
"What exactly is this used for?"
"It's called a spring," Li Yao said. "It can be used for many, many things."
"You have to record the composition and process for making this material so that it will be easier next time you make it."
"Alright, so what do I need to make next?" Li Yao took out a pile of all kinds of drawings.
Looking at the thick stack of drawings, and the various strange little objects on them, Xia Xian felt like her head would split open.
It was like asking a strongman to embroider flowers - that feeling of power with nowhere to exert it was really maddening.
Fortunately, the difficulty of the parts decreased by a lot this time. Gears, chains, iron wheels, big springs, small bearings... these took three days.
The hardest was something involving threads, but Li Yao also came up with a good solution for him - making a simple manual mini lathe that slowly ground them out over two days, finally producing the desired threads.
On Qiu Carpenter's side, he also made some things according to the specifications, mostly relatively large frames.
With all the parts made, Li Yao couldn't wait to start assembling.
The wooden frame and handles were fitted with wheels, shock-absorbing springs, chains, pedals...
In less than half an hour, the world's first bicycle was successfully revealed before the two.
Both Qiu Carpenter and Xia Xian were dumbfounded.
The two of them had spent half a month, burning hundreds of catties of coal, but the end result was something they couldn't even comprehend.
"Boss, what is this used for?"
"It's called a bicycle," Li Yao said. "It's for riding instead of a horse."
"A carriage with only two wheels?"
Not only Xia Xian and Qiu Carpenter, even the villagers who came to watch the lively scene bulged their eyes wide open.
A carriage with only two wheels, one in front and one behind - wouldn't that fall over?
Li Yao pushed the bicycle out into the open ground, then nimbly straddled it.
After fumbling for a bit, she rode more and more smoothly, astonishing the villagers again and again.
"It really can be ridden!"
"What exactly is the principle behind this?" Xia Xian was quite worldly-wise, but this time she was also at a loss. "How does it not tip over?"
Li Yao rode around the open area a few times then stopped.
The test ride was a success, but there were still several areas that needed modifications. She left that task to Xia Xian.
And the time had come to the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month.
The so-called long work, short work, stop work on the 23rd.
The soap workshop started its vacation today. After everyone finished cleaning up, they gathered together excitedly, waiting for Li Yao to come distribute their wages.
Today's wages were different than usual, there were bonuses!
Everyone was full of anticipation, and also a bit nervous.
"I wonder how big the bonuses will be."
"If we could get an extra 500 wen each, our New Year will be great!"
"You dream big. There are over seventy of us! 500 wen each would be almost 40 liang of silver!" Someone said, "Even if Boss Li is generous, she can't give out that much."
"That's true, 200 wen each would satisfy us already."
...
Amidst the chatter, Li Yao finally arrived.
Everyone craned their necks, waiting for her to speak.
"It's New Year's, I'm sure everyone is concerned about the bonus," Li Yao said frankly. "I won't say much, I'll have Xiaohui distribute it to everyone now."
"Come up when I call your name."
Du Xiaohui held a ledger.
Ever since becoming the accountant for the soap workshop, she had also learned a lot of words from Wang Er, and could now recognize most of the villagers' names.
"Sister Liu."
"Oh, coming, coming!"
Sister Liu was one of the earliest to help Li Yao make braised goose. After Li Yao gave the braised goose business to the Fang family, she joined the workshop, and could be considered one of Li Yao's earliest employees.
"This month's wages are 900 wen," Du Xiaohui said. "Plus a year-end bonus package."
"Yo, there's a year-end bonus too!"
Wang Yuanguo unloaded a bag from the cart. Sister Liu couldn't wait to open it and immediately gasped.
"So much?"
Two jin of oil, 10 jin of rice, 10 jin of flour, 5 jin of meat, 5 jin of melon seeds, 5 jin of brown sugar.
To be honest, even ordinary families could not afford to buy so much for New Year's!
"There's also a cash bonus," Du Xiaohui paused before reading, "1 liang of silver!"
"How much?"
Sister Liu thought she had misheard.
1 liang of silver!
"Li Yao, why are you giving so much," Sister Liu's hands trembled, she didn't even dare reach out to take it. "You worked hard to earn money too."
"Take it, it's not much," Li Yao said. "Work hard next year, the bonus will at least double."
"Yo!"
Sister Liu excitedly accepted the silver and New Year's goods belonging to her. Her eyes inexplicably turned red.
She had lived over half her life but had never received so much money with her own hands, never received such weighty New Year's goods... Li Yao was too good to everyone.
"Liu Xiu, don't worry. I will work hard for you next year too."
After the workers' bonuses and New Year's packages were distributed, it was the management's turn.
Of the overseers, Li Yao gave the most to Granny Wang Xueshi - 5 liang of silver.
Although this granny was older and couldn't recognize too many words, she was really responsible. All the miscellaneous matters in the workshop were also handled by her.
So 5 liang of bonus wasn't considered much.
She was also one of their own, reliable, and would be even more diligent after benefiting.
The other overseers also each received 2 liang of silver bonuses. The heavy silver ingots reassured everyone, and the weighty New Year's goods also filled everyone with anticipation for the new year.
"Xia Xian, Carpenter Qiu, you come get yours too."
"We have some too?"
The two people watching the lively scene from the side were surprised.
Especially Xia Xian, who had only been in He Wan village for a few days and hadn't done anything for Li Yao yet. How could she be getting money too?
What surprised her even more was that Li Yao gave her no small amount.
2 liang of silver, double portions of New Year's goods.
"Boss, you are too polite."
"You deserved this," Li Yao said. "Have a good new year. We still have a lot to make next year, will need you to work hard."
"Yo!"
Although Xia Xian hadn't helped Li Yao make money, her contributions were undoubtedly the greatest.
Without her, Li Yao's bicycle could not have been made so quickly.
As for Carpenter Qiu, Li Yao also valued his skills highly. She still had many things she wanted to make next year, and would need the help of this skilled worker.
With the workshop on vacation, Li Yao also had to start preparing for New Year's.
The new county office was still under construction, so she had invited Magistrate Song and his family to spend New Year's at her home. The couple naturally happily agreed.
This was her first new year in this world, and also the first time she would be spending the new year with so many people, so she wanted it to be lively.
All kinds of meat were essential, as well as seeds and candy. Hot pot was also a must, they had to enjoy it several times.
She made lists of all this and asked Da Zhuang and Wang Yuanguo to prepare everything.