Chapter 98: The Glassmaking Formula

This immediately opened up a new line of thinking for Wei Shi'an. He had been laboring over glazed crystal for so long without success; could it be that the material itself was the problem?

"But the glazed crystal I've been using is already the finest quality available," Wei Shi'an remarked.

Li Su inwardly marveled at how wealthy Dean Wei truly was. To have access to the highest-grade crystal and not even flinch at wasting it on a project as uncertain as the "thousand-mile eye"—he was the perfect candidate to be tasked with glassmaking.

"Think about it, Dean Wei. A magnifying lens is quite different from the 'thousand-mile eye' you described. Since the latter requires viewing things at a great distance, the transparency of glazed crystal simply isn't enough."

"I recall seeing something called 'glass' in an old, rare volume from my master's collection. I believe it would be much better suited for the device you wish to create."

"Glass?" Wei Shi'an did not doubt Li Su's words. He knew that Xi Sheng’s library was so vast that even Xi Sheng likely didn't know the full extent of his collection, though he couldn't help but feel that having such a book in Xi Sheng’s hands was a waste of a precious treasure.

Li Su nodded. "Compared to glazed crystal, glass is less brittle, easier to polish, lacks the impurities and colored tints of crystal, and is free of the veins found in jade. It is truly transparent."

Wei Shi'an’s eyes lit up brighter with every word. If glass were indeed as Li Su described, it would certainly be superior for crafting his desired instrument.

"How is it made?" Wei Shi'an asked eagerly.

Li Su looked troubled. "I’m afraid I’ve forgotten the specifics."

Wei Shi'an was skeptical. "Stop spouting nonsense! Xi Sheng said you have a photographic memory! How could you have possibly forgotten?"

Wei Shi'an found Li Su to be quite slippery and insincere. "Do you think I would just take your knowledge for nothing?"

Li Su didn't feel the least bit embarrassed; instead, he chirped with a grin, "I knew Dean Wei was a man of his word."

"Then hurry up and tell me!" Wei Shi'an urged.

His impatience was understandable. Glass represented a breakthrough for the "thousand-mile eye," the project he had been most obsessed with over the past few years.

Li Su understood his urgency. As Wei Shi'an slid paper and a brush toward him, his eyes burning with anticipation, Li Su began to write. He detailed the proportions of the various raw materials needed for smelting glass, listed every step with meticulous precision, and added clear notes on the necessary precautions.

Wei Shi'an picked up the paper as if it were a rare treasure. "If glass can truly be produced, I will only take what I need for the thousand-mile eye. You may do whatever you wish with the rest."

Wei Shi'an figured that success wasn't guaranteed, but if it were indeed produced, Li Su would have done him a massive favor—he would even be willing to let Li Su have the use of the glass-smelting kiln.

"If glass is successfully produced, I would like to order a batch of glass bottles from you, Dean. Perhaps you could offer me a favorable price?"

Since Dean Wei was providing the materials, the kiln, and the labor—and because he was a man devoted to the study of physical phenomena—they would likely work together again in the future. Li Su decided not to be too greedy for now.

Wei Shi'an waved his hand dismissively. "If it can really be made, I’ll make them for you for free."

***

Li Su was so simple-minded, Wei Shi'an thought. To offer up such a discovery and only ask for a discount—he clearly hadn't learned the shrewdness of Xi Sheng.

A person like this would surely be torn to shreds if he ever tried to enter the officialdom, surrounded by those old foxes with their hidden agendas.

In exchange for the glass formula, he decided he would protect Li Su a little in the future.

This was exactly the effect Li Su had intended. By playing the innocent, he had lured Wei Shi'an right into his trap. Once the glass was ready, he would then guide the Dean on how to construct the thousand-mile eye.

The fact that the Dean loved the study of physical phenomena was perfect. Li Su felt he was quite capable in this area and more than enough to keep the Dean hooked. Whenever there was something he wanted to get done but lacked the time for, he could rely on Dean Wei.

The Dean was happy, and he was happy. It was a win-win.

Wei Shi'an, in high spirits, carefully tucked away the formula before finally remembering why he had called Li Su in the first place.

Having now gained a level of respect for the young man, Wei Shi'an remarked, "Whenever you decide you’re tired of being an official, come find me." In his view, what was the point of being an official? It was nowhere near as interesting as scientific research.

When he managed to invent something new, his heart felt truly at ease. The official life, however, only brought him frustration and an urge to beat people up.

And it wasn't just an urge; he had actually done it before.

His father and grandfather were both military generals, and he had practiced martial arts since childhood. Few among the civil and military officials were his match, and those he had beaten had been left with no room to retaliate.

That was one of the reasons he had resigned so easily: he was worried that if he stayed, he would end up beating even more officials.

Li Su suddenly felt hungry. "Dean Wei, do you have anything to eat here?"

"What do you think?" Did his workspace look like a place that kept food?

Li Su lied through his teeth. "I think you do."

Wei Shi'an: "..."

"There is nothing!"

"Sigh, a formula for smelting glass isn't even worth a meal," Li Su said with a mournful tone.

Wei Shi'an choked. "Fine, fine! Come to my house to eat, is that enough?"

Wei Shi'an’s home was located within the academy grounds, in a private courtyard.

***

Li Su nodded vigorously. He never wanted to eat the canteen food at the academy again; it was a form of torture.

Li Su chose not to mention the canteen's quality at that moment; he wanted the Dean to taste it himself. It was a bit of a mischievous impulse. But the impact of experiencing it firsthand would be the greatest—just like when the students he met on the mountain complained about the food, he hadn't taken it to heart either.

Wei Shi'an brought Li Su to his home.

His wife looked gentle and kind. Li Su greeted her, "Greetings, Madam Wei. I am Li Su, a student at the academy. Please forgive my sudden intrusion."

Madam Wei glanced at Li Su in surprise; it was the first time Shi'an had brought a student home.

She smiled at him. "Come in and sit. Don't just stand there."

Li Su couldn't help but think that although the Dean seemed short-tempered and his wife very gentle, they were inexplicably well-matched.

Wei Shi'an told his wife, "Madam, this brat insisted on coming over to sponge a meal."

"Shi'an, what kind of way is that to speak? Don't mind him, Young Master Li; he just doesn't know how to speak kindly." He had offended more than a few people because of his bluntness.

Li Su didn't mind Wei Shi'an’s words at all; to him, they didn't sound harsh. Having been tempered by his master, he was rarely emotionally swayed by what others said.

Li Su smiled. "It's quite alright. What the Dean said is the truth."

Li Su enjoyed a meal at the Wei residence—this was what one could truly call a meal.

When he left, Madam Wei even packed some food for him to take away. Li Su didn't refuse and accepted it graciously.

After Li Su left, Madam Wei remarked, "That student has a very good temperament." To be able to endure Shi'an's temper.

Wei Shi'an nodded. "He is decent." It would just be better if he weren't Xi Sheng’s apprentice.

Madam Wei looked at him in shock, wondering if she had misheard. For Shi'an to praise someone? That was a rare sight indeed.