Chapter 26 - 10: Kitchen_2
Clang~ clang...
The sound of metal striking was rhythmic, the smell of friction-induced heat growing ever stronger, and the sparks becoming increasingly bright. A few times, the flint dropped, leaving small black scorch marks on the surface of the dry rope bundle, but it was always just a step away from success.
Accumulating experiences of failure, Chen Zhou began to lower the flint, bringing it closer to the rope bundle, while adjusting the angle at which the flint struck the firestone based on the size of the sparks.
Eventually, he found that when the most fragile edge of the flint touched the uneven surface of the firestone, the sparks were at their largest and most concentrated.
At this moment, Chen Zhou realized why the flint was deliberately made with a thin edge. It was to let the harder firestone shatter iron chips through rapid friction to create sparks. He had been using the side of the flint against the firestone, which explained why he couldn’t ignite a fire.
Having grasped the trick, the sparks Chen Zhou struck grew larger and larger.
Finally, with a forceful strike, a glistening ember fell between the flint and the firestone, landing in the embrace of the rope bundle and sending up a wisp of smoke.
"Success!"
Sweat beaded on Chen Zhou’s forehead as he nervously set down the flint, bringing his face nearer to the rope bundle, carefully blowing to fan the flame.
The small flame in the rope bundle, aided by the wind, expanded rapidly, and visible flames emerged. They quickly consumed the fire tinder, emitting a smell of burning oil, growing to the size of a fingertip in mere seconds.
Fearing he might miss the opportunity, Chen Zhou mustered the courage to pinch the unburned half of the rope bundle, moving it closer to the wick inside the oil lamp.
The small flame kissed the oil-soaked cotton wick, instantly emitting black smoke. With a sizzling sound, the flame split into two, one half remained in the rope bundle, while the other clung to the wick.
At last, the oil lamp was lit.
Not wanting to waste the remaining fire tinder, Chen Zhou took a deep breath and blew out the flame in the rope bundle, waiting quietly for the oil lamp’s wick to burn sufficiently, melting the solidified grease.
The warm yellow light flickered, and in this shimmering glow, Chen Zhou saw the interior of the kitchen clearly.
The largest feature of the room was undoubtedly the stove.
It was entirely made of small brown square bricks, with a chimney extending to the upper level, its base shaped like an old-fashioned clock, standing against the wall in the center of the room.
At the base of the stove was a pit for placing firewood. The pit was surrounded by low brick walls to prevent the flames from spreading uncontrollably to other areas.
Hanging above the pit was a large, round iron pot, weighing at least thirty pounds by estimation, its bottom covered with a layer of soot from the firewood, and its mouth closed with a lid.
The wooden floor beside the stove was layered with bricks, with mud also applied on top, clearly for fire prevention.
𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Next to the stove stood two large wooden barrels, each more than half a person in height.
Holding the oil lamp, Chen Zhou approached to take a closer look, finding the barrels filled with water. In the flickering firelight, the water surface appeared still as a mirror, with green algae on the barrel walls and floating impurities clearly visible in the water.
Looking to the barrel’s bottom, a neat cubic protrusion barely emerged from the blanket of green moss, its surface also shrouded in a layer of green algae, making it indistinguishable.
Having prepared himself for the ship’s poor hygiene conditions, Chen Zhou was not surprised.
After boiling, the bacteria and algae in the water would be killed, at most resulting in a peculiar taste, which was not a big issue.
However, adding unknown substances to drinking water was excessive, for example, that small block at the bottom of the barrel. Chen Zhou had to figure out what it was, otherwise, he wouldn’t dare drink the water.
This wasn’t him making a fuss over nothing.
Throughout human history, there have been numerous instances of people taking deadly poisons as Immortal Pills.
Even a wise and capable figure like Li Shimin would heed an alchemist’s single word, consuming elixirs made of mercury and heavy metals to seek immortality, only to end up poisoning himself to death.
Even in a technologically advanced nation like the United States, there were cases of people believing in radium water, causing this radioactive substance to become popular nationwide, harming countless citizens, including some millionaires.
If these smart people couldn’t avoid being deceived, let alone in the 17th century with its ignorance.
In this era, it was highly possible for a sailor with insufficient knowledge to place some water-soluble heavy metal - like a lead block - in water to seek a slightly sweet taste.
If Chen Zhou drank such water with an excessive amount of lead, his intelligence would likely decline to nearly the level of a dog.
For the sake of his life, Chen Zhou undressed to the waist, extending his bare arm into the barrel, hooking the edge of the small block to fish it out.
Perhaps due to the water surface distorting the light, when Chen Zhou held the metal block, he realized it wasn’t as heavy as it seemed from above.
The top side of the block was covered with green moss, and the bottom was a light black-brown color. It wasn’t very heavy when he weighed it.
Whether in school or in the factory, Chen Zhou often dealt with metal products of various compositions. Compared to the average person, he prided himself on understanding the weight of different materials better.
Therefore, just by handling it, he judged from the feel that the metal block couldn’t be lead.
Lead is among the heaviest metals, even a small piece would have substantial weight. Chen Zhou trusted his intuition.
Feeling the weight of the metal block again, Chen Zhou estimated its density to be above iron and copper, below lead and gold. Coupled with its unique oxidized color, it was evident—a block of silver.
To verify his hunch, Chen Zhou used the flint to scrape the metal block’s surface, leaving shallow scratches as expected.