Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

”My Lord, it seems agriculture really is the foundation of the nation. Cotton, rapeseed, hemp, these are all things we should encourage the people to start planting.”

As Simon was fretting over the cotton supply, Baldwin seized the moment to raise his concerns. He felt that lately, Simon had been placing too much emphasis on handicrafts and was beginning to neglect agriculture.

”You’re not wrong. But right now, we’re still facing grain shortages. It’ll be hard to convince the common folk to grow these other crops when they risk not being able to sell them later. Let’s have the Production Corps begin planting on a limited scale. Once our grain production stabilises, we’ll expand from there.” Simon said.

Baldwin nodded. For weeks now, he and Simon had been planning the agricultural and industrial layout of the six cities. These topics were already part of their agenda.

”Also, My Lord, what’s this new product you mentioned?”

At the last banquet, Simon had casually tossed out the hint of a new product. But with the spy crisis dominating everyone’s attention, the topic had been forgotten, until now.

”Mirrors,” Simon said with a smile, thinking of his latest innovation.

In the Eldorian Empire, the standard was still bronze mirrors, which gave a blurry, distorted reflection that barely revealed any facial detail.

Modern mirrors, by contrast, were glass mirrors made by coating the back of the glass with a reflective layer, typically aluminium today, which created a clear image. But extracting aluminium wasn’t an option. It required electrolysis, something impossible without electricity. And producing a silver-backed mirror through chemical plating also needed nitric acid, ammonia, and glucose, which were similarly unavailable in the current technological environment.

In the end, Simon determined the only viable method under current conditions was to use glass, tin foil, and mercury, a method historically used in pre-industrial Europe.

”Mirrors? You mean bronze mirrors? Those are common throughout the empire; I can’t imagine they’ll create much of a stir.” Baldwin said.

Simon shook his head. ”I’m talking about glass mirrors. In two days, I’ll have a prototype for you to see.”

Percival was visibly excited. After all this time, a new product was finally about to launch. He could already picture merchants lining up outside the Chamber of Commerce, jamming the street.

He chuckled to himself in anticipation.

Seeing the lecherous grin on Percival’s face, Simon warned. ”Your task right now is to procure cotton. If you delay my fleet’s departure, don’t blame me for what happens.”

Percival shuddered. ”Understood, My Lord! I’ll get on it right away. But please, don’t forget to finish the mirror soon!” He added, grinning again.

”I’m headed to the Oxford Academy now to speak with James about the mercury-silver mirror,” Simon said, rising to his feet.

With that, Simon and Percival left the Commandery Office, one headed to the Chamber of Commerce, the other to the Oxford Academy.

Several days earlier, when Baldwin first brought up the topic of a new product, Simon had already given James instructions on how to produce a mirror, asking him to prepare tin, mercury, and other materials.

Although Simon hadn’t found a local tin mine, tin was a relatively common metal in the Eldorian Empire. After all, bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, had existed since ancient times.

Mercury was no more difficult to obtain. In ancient times, it was even used in traditional medicine. It could be produced by heating cinnabar, which yields mercury and sulfur.

Cinnabar was a common ingredient in alchemy, often seen in medicinal formulas. In short, all the materials were obtainable.

Upon arriving at the Oxford Academy, Simon went straight to the chemistry lab, where James and his students were already waiting.

”My Lord.”

James led the students in a respectful bow.

Simon nodded. ”Are the materials ready?”

”All prepared,” James replied.

He then showed Simon the glass containers holding mercury and tin, as well as a pile of glass plates laid out on the table.

Ever since they had succeeded in producing sulfuric acid, the Chemistry Academy students had been refining granular gunpowder. Out of the ’three acids and two bases,’ they had already mastered sulfuric acid, caustic soda, and soda ash. Only nitric acid and hydrochloric acid remained.

Simon had already included the preparation methods for both acids in their chemistry textbooks. James was currently planning to conduct those experiments soon.

To make nitric acid, they planned to heat saltpetre at high temperatures to produce nitrogen dioxide, then dissolve it in water. For hydrochloric acid, they would use concentrated sulfuric acid and salt. All of this was still theoretical, but clearly explained in the curriculum.

It was also clear that Simon didn’t intend to spoon-feed them. He had given them the chemical theory; it was now up to them to figure out the experiments themselves.

After inspecting the materials, Simon said. ”Let’s begin. I’ll instruct; you perform.”

James nodded. Simon was clearly transitioning into the role of a hands-off director, increasingly leaving the experiments to his students.

Simon understood their frustration, but there was no other way. Knowledge wasn’t meant to be stored in one’s head; it had to be applied. Over the past few weeks, he had already taught James and the others about chemical symbols, and they had fully grasped the periodic table.

In fact, Simon’s chemistry curriculum was even more detailed than modern junior high textbooks, with numerous common reaction formulas explained clearly.

From here on, it was up to James and his students to turn theory into real chemical processes and apply them in industry. Otherwise, what was the point of learning all this?

Besides, at the current tech level of the Eldorian Empire, junior high-level chemistry was already more than sufficient. Anything more advanced, like electrolysis, would require electricity, which they didn’t yet have.

No electricity meant no progress in high-end chemistry.

James picked up a glass sheet and carefully applied a tin foil backing. Since tin had a low melting point, just over 200 degrees, it could be easily softened with gentle heating.

Once the tin foil was securely applied, he poured a thin layer of mercury over it and smoothed it evenly.

A chemical reaction took place between the mercury and tin, forming a silver-white amalgam known as tin-mercury alloy (tin amalgam). Historical records showed that this alloy was used as early as the Spring and Autumn period. While mercury was toxic, the amalgam itself was non-toxic.

This silvery fluid bonded tightly to one side of the glass, forming a reflective layer that wouldn’t flake off easily.

With the steps completed, Simon and James waited quietly for the miracle to happen.

Half an hour later, once the metallic mixture had fully dried, Simon picked up the mirror.

He saw himself clearly for the first time.

A young, slightly handsome face stared back at him. ”Wow... It’s been a whole year, and this is the first time I’ve seen my own face properly.”

He couldn’t help but marvel aloud.

The mirror in his hand had virtually no difference from a modern one, only slightly dimmer in lustre. After all, tin amalgam lacked the bright sheen of silver.

Still, even so, this mirror would undoubtedly be considered a revolutionary creation.