Chapter 44: Journey Through the Middle Ages

Chapter 44: Journey Through the Middle Ages

"...As per your request, we have obtained the first batch of beeswax from the beekeepers." After Sir Nicholas, Sir Cornell also began to report on the beeswax matter.

Louisa assigned Sir Cornell to manage the 'pollen map' and the task of contacting beekeepers just as this year's honey season was about to begin. This resulted in many beekeepers missing this season. However, this is not a major issue; missing this honey season or not fully participating in it means there’s always the next season, as this isn't a one-time event.

Although many beekeepers missed out, some beeswax was still produced, and along with the regularly purchased beeswax, it sufficed to begin producing the first batch of beeswax candles.

Sir Cornell marveled, "The beehives you commissioned the craftsmen to make are much better than what the beekeepers originally used! Previously, they could only harvest honey and wax once a year, but now, without needing to wait for the bee colonies to recover, they can directly enter the next honey season... allowing for two honey and wax harvests annually. They can harvest after both the spring-summer and autumn honey seasons."

"With favorable climate, abundant pollen, and diligent beekeeping, harvesting three times a year is achievable! Harvesting after each of the spring, summer, and autumn honey seasons."

The movable frame beehive marked a significant technological advancement, dramatically boosting honey production. Louisa recalled from her past life learning from beekeepers that they harvested at least twice annually, even when pollen was scarce. Once nectar sources became abundant, harvesting three or four times annually became standard!

"Due to this, we’ve only collected the first batch of beeswax this year..." Sir Cornell continued to marvel.

Normally, beekeepers would harvest honey and wax at the end of the autumn honey season—with the previous method of destroying hives and killing bees, the two had to be done together.

But with Louisa's movable frame beehives, the recovery period for the bee colonies was eliminated, allowing for two honey harvests a year, and thus the first batch of beeswax was taken early.

This is because bees secrete beeswax and build honeycombs (the hexagonal cells of the hive) as a preliminary step to making honey; only with honeycombs can they make honey inside. Moreover, once a honeycomb is filled with honey, bees secrete beeswax to 'cap' the honeycomb to better preserve the honey.

This is the so-called 'capped honey,' the finest of honey, sweeter and more concentrated than uncapped honey.

Thus, harvesting honey and wax are inherently linked; being able to harvest honey twice a year naturally allows for two wax harvests. However, in later times, many beekeepers would try to harvest honey without taking wax, or simply use purchased paraffin mixed with beeswax to pre-make the honeycomb foundations for the bees—beeswax could still be sold in later times, but honey was more economically beneficial.

Moreover, bees secreting wax to build honeycombs inherently delays honey production, not to mention that worker bees need to be full of honey before they can secrete wax. Producing 1 kilogram of beeswax consumes 3.5 kilograms of honey!

"...We have control over 118 beekeepers, each generally managing 50 hives. If the honey season goes normally, it's calculated that we can harvest about 17,000 pounds of beeswax." Both direct and indirect control are considered, as both types can acquire beeswax.

Stationary beekeeping is simpler, with one person able to take care of it (as it was mainly stationary beekeeping at this time). But since bees forage within a 2 to 3-kilometer radius, unless the surrounding nectar sources are extremely rich, the maximum is about 40 hives.

For migratory beekeeping, beekeepers in later times could manage about 100 hives without issue, but this would require two or more people to oversee. Considering that beekeepers are often couples, this isn't a problem.

As for Sir Cornell's mention of each person managing 50 hives, although he said 'each person,' beekeepers often have wives and children as assistants. Thus, there's no shortage of beekeeping hands, but if it's migratory beekeeping, it's not as convenient to move around as in later times, making it impossible to manage about 100 hives.

In any case, due to bee species, beekeeping techniques, and other reasons, a combination of stationary and migratory beekeeping averages 50 hives per beekeeper without issue.

Louisa calculated in her mind that a standard movable frame beehive has 10 frames. In other words, each frame's honeycomb yields about 3 pounds of wax. Converting 3 pounds to kilograms is just over 1 kilogram. Compared to later times, this is quite little—even the 'old comb' with the least wax content in later times could yield 2 taels per frame, and 10 frames would also make 1 kilogram!

Louisa estimated that this difference might be due to different bee species and rearing methods.

Sir Cornell obviously didn't think this wax yield was low; in fact, he thought it was too much! Harvesting wax twice a year would mean 34,000 pounds of beeswax? And that's without increasing the number of controlled beekeepers.

"...This time, due to insufficient preparation, we actually only collected a little over six thousand pounds of beeswax." Sir Cornell said with some regret, as too many beekeepers didn't catch this season.

A little over six thousand pounds, specifically about 6,400 pounds, at 6 pence per pound for beeswax candles at this time, amounts to 160 pounds of goods, which isn't really little. Moreover, this is just the first time; with stable acquisition of at least 17,000 pounds, twice a year, it's a business of at least 850 pounds annually.

This business can't be said to be small, after all, not all businesses can be like sugar... In fact, looking around the world, there are few businesses in this era that are better than sugar.

The question is, what is the cost of this business.

For those beekeepers directly controlled by Louisa, the means of production (such as beehives), raw materials (nectar sources, etc.), and production sites are all provided by Louisa. Acquiring beeswax from them costs almost nothing (these beekeepers can get honey), while beehives, nectar sources, etc., are either a small one-time investment or were originally just sitting idle, so the cost is really low.

For indirectly controlled beekeepers, they only received the method for making movable frame beehives from Louisa, along with the new beekeeping method and some information on nectar sources not on Count Balzac's private lands—the nectar sources in Count Balzac's private estates and forests are certainly for the use of directly controlled beekeepers.

They only signed contracts to sell beeswax preferentially; to get their beeswax, real money still has to be paid.

In the market, 1 pound of beeswax candles is priced at 6 pence, but that's for finished candles and at market price! As for the beeswax directly collected from beekeepers, that's another price, at most 3 pence per pound.

Taking into account the beeswax sourced from various channels, along with labor and other costs that, although minor, do exist, Louisa calculated that the production cost of beeswax candles would be approximately 2.5 pence per pound, she could earn at least 500 pounds a year.

Of course, the scale might expand in the future, but given the current situation, it's already worth pursuing—after all, a baron's annual income generally doesn't exceed 500 pounds! And a baron is not a low-ranking noble but a true high-ranking aristocrat. Below barons are various knights, who are considered the lower nobility.

It's also the fault of modern literature, where noble titles had already greatly depreciated by that time, and many could be bought with money. This portrayal made barons, the gatekeepers of high nobility, seem almost insignificant.

Louisa had informed Count Balzac about the beeswax candle business. However, since beeswax candles were already a mature business, even with Louisa's use of movable-frame hives and different management methods, the profits didn't particularly worry the Count. It's not that the Count looked down on a few hundred pounds, but there was no need to control it tightly.

So, he let Louisa manage it herself, with the earnings being hers. Of course, the costs were also hers to bear, meaning she would bear the profits and losses. This was essentially keeping the benefits within the family, as the entire Brudo would eventually be Louisa's, so why fuss over this?

This also provided Louisa with a stable source of income for her usual expenses and affairs... Typically, noble girls like Louisa might possess valuable jewelry and clothes, but they rarely had much cash on hand.

This seems similar to the wealthy young ladies in ancient China. Despite the exquisite attire and accessories of the girls in "Dream of the Red Chamber," their actual spending money was limited unless they received support from the household matron, like Jia Baoyu.

If Louisa were an ordinary noble girl with limited expenses, it wouldn't be a big deal. But as the heir of Brudo, Count Balzac would assign her certain tasks, and handling tasks requires money—though some not only don't cost money but can also be profitable. However, that's a different approach and not stable.

"Oh, it's alright... Well, let's store these beeswax carefully. After the autumn honey season, we'll collect another batch and then make the candles together. We can use this time to build a candle workshop. Have you found a supplier for the wicks?" Louisa expressed understanding upon hearing Sir Cornell's regretful remarks.

"Yes, the three-strand cotton wicks you requested need to be loosely braided... Such wicks aren't readily available and must be custom-ordered from a rope maker. I've found a female rope maker who specializes in cotton ropes and can handle this job. Here's a sample she made, take a look." Sir Cornell took out a roll of cotton rope from his pouch to show Louisa.

Louisa examined it, nodded in approval, and said, "Well done, I have no further comments. Let's proceed with the candle workshop as initially planned. Regarding sales, we can initially supply the Brudo court." Louisa had even thought about the sales.

During this period, the lighting expenses of the royal and noble courts were substantial.

For important occasions such as banquets, secular celebrations, and religious festivals, the consumption of candles could range from hundreds to thousands per event... Not to mention daily consumption; although individual rooms in the court might not use more candles than a citizen's room, the sheer number of people in the court lighting candles adds up!

The court's lighting consumes significant amounts of lamp oil, tallow candles, and beeswax candles—'tallow candles' are made from animal fat, in contrast to beeswax candles. Generally, the term 'candles' without further specification specifically refers to beeswax candles.

Setting aside lamp oil, among tallow and beeswax candles, beeswax candles might constitute less than one-tenth. After all, while 1 pound of beeswax candles doesn't seem expensive, they are consumables and are quickly depleted! Thus, even in the royal and noble courts, they are used sparingly, and only a select few at the top of the hierarchy can use them daily.

Nevertheless, it's reasonable for the Brudo court to consume two to three thousand pounds of beeswax candles annually. After all, a 'reputable' family at this time typically consumes 100 pounds of beeswax candles monthly, let alone the court—this estimation is quite straightforward.

Compared to beeswax, tallow candles, due to the lower melting point and softer texture of animal fat, must be made relatively thicker, with 1 pound of tallow yielding only 8 candles.

For beeswax candles, a standard church candle with a base diameter of 2 cm and a length of about 12 cm, 1 pound of beeswax can make 17 and a half candles. Such a candle can burn for approximately 5 hours, provided the wick is properly trimmed. Of course, if using Louisa's candles, there's less need to worry about trimming the wick.

100 pounds of beeswax candles have a total burning time of 8750 hours, which is about 290 hours a day over a 30-day month. But a large mansion of a prestigious family can't possibly light just one candle, and with occasional banquets and festivals, the candle consumption naturally increases.

From this perspective, 100 pounds might even be deemed quite economical for those 'prestigious families'.

Sir Cornell, however, seemed hesitant: "What does Mr. Chatham say?"

Chatham is the court steward of Brudo, and the 'little steward' in charge of lighting is his subordinate.

In places like the Brudo court, lighting consumption is substantial. And beeswax candles are the most lucrative part of lighting procurement, even among all court expenses... Simply put, it's not just about the procurement itself.

"We'll just sell to him at the market price, and the benefits they receive will remain about the same as before," Louisa said indifferently.

The court procurement price for beeswax candles is not higher than the market price, partly because beeswax candles, as a mature commodity, have a fairly transparent and stable market price. At the same time, as a major expense, Count Balzac couldn't overlook it.

On the other hand, the more realistic reason is that those involved in the process have other ways to profit.

The simplest example is after a grand banquet, the last candles that were lit but not fully burned, collecting these candle ends amounts to a lot. In the court, from the court steward Chatham down to the servants serving the banquet, all share in this benefit to some extent!

"Beeswax candles are always in short supply compared to tallow candles. I think the candle supplier for the Brudo court didn't spend much to bribe Mr. Chatham to get this order," Louisa, not being a true medieval secluded noblewoman, understood these matters clearly.

Suddenly thinking of something, Louisa smiled: "No, it's hard to say, perhaps Mr. Chatham will regret it later—our beeswax candles will be more durable than before, and there will be fewer opportunities to report losses. Moreover, we might not need wick trimmers anymore, and this position might have to be abolished."

"Of course, removing a few candle trimmers won't harm Mr. Chatham's interests, so it's not a big deal."

Actually, it's not that the issue isn't significant, but rather it's not serious enough to oppose Louisa, the heir to Brudo.

Sir Cornell had seen the candle samples made by Louisa with the new wicks and knew she was right.

He couldn't help but smile and said, "I think it's fine. No matter how many candles are used, only the leftover candles after the last refill will be shared. What's the difference? Perhaps because the quality of the candles we provide is better, Mr. Chatham might even benefit more!"

"It's hard to tell. They sell the beeswax itself, sold by weight, both within and outside the palace," Louisa gently shook her head but didn't say more.

The candle ends can not only be sold to candle merchants outside the palace to be melted down and made into new candles but also used by people inside the palace for daily lighting.

The candle issue was pretty much resolved here. Louisa spoke a few more words with Sir Cornell, gave him some encouragement, and then watched them leave.

At this time, Maxim, after waiting outside for about half an hour, was finally invited in.

After Maxim bowed and sat down, a servant promptly brought a glass of iced lemon water—Louisa was accustomed to serving drinks to guests, which wasn't unusual at the time, though others mostly used 'wine' as the beverage of choice.

Louisa didn't like wine, especially during serious discussions. As for more suitable beverages like tea or coffee, they hadn't yet reached the West, so she could only offer fruit teas, juices, and the like.

It was summer, and lemon water was quite appropriate. Moreover, this wasn't Louisa's invention; lemon water is regarded as one of the world's oldest soft drinks.

Well, soft drinks are relative to alcoholic beverages... Lemon water probably appeared in ancient Egypt and has always been considered a good summer refreshment. At most, Louisa had people add some honey boiled with lemon peels to the lemon juice when making lemon water, avoiding the trend of adding unnecessary spices.

Maxim felt somewhat awed by the room's opulence when he entered the grand living room, inevitably feeling a bit out of place. It was somewhat like an ordinary person in later times walking into a super luxurious hotel lobby, inevitably feeling a bit out of place. Wanting to book a room but concerned about the expense, and once asking, if not needed, fearing being looked down upon.

Louisa's second floor in the Red Tower was entirely hers, truly the most opulent part of the entire tower—the interior of this circular tower was entirely hexagonal, and so was the second floor. Accordingly, the second floor was divided into two rooms and a living room, half of which was a large living room!

This grand living room far exceeded Maxim's expectations. Actually, it wasn't the kind of great hall sung about in poems, covering hundreds of square meters. It was probably 'only' about seventy or eighty square meters, but it was indeed compact and exquisite.

The large living room had two pairs of four-panel windows on the north and south, letting in plenty of light while ensuring good air flow, making it not stuffy or humid even in summer... The windows were beautifully crafted, with frames painted a soft cream color, and limestone carved columns on both sides as decoration.

Additionally, the living room, as per Louisa's request, used mahogany for the wainscoting—the dado was adorned with plaster decorative strips, below which were smooth rectangular wooden planks, above hung the long tapestries bought in Provins, with the overall theme of ancient Roman sage stories serene and elegant.

This blend was both rich and deep, yet fresh and elegant.

And the living room's ceiling, the only place in the room with murals. This was quite rare in the good rooms of noble castles at the time, where good rooms often had many murals painted on the walls.

Specifically, the ceiling's mural depicted a sky full of stars! Among them, the stars of the zodiac were specially inlaid with sparkling colored stones to indicate, rather than painted.

It was beautiful during the day, and one could imagine how magical it would be at night, with enough candlelight, the 'stars' sparkling!

The floor was patterned with colorful ceramic tiles, bright in color, flat and tight, spotless... This was already dazzling enough to make one envious of the owner's wealth. But in this living room, it was relatively insignificant.

Maxim could see a large marble fireplace in the southwest corner, completely different from the fireplaces he had seen in wealthy homes. Now thinking about it, those were just poor imitations of the great nobles—those hearths were also stone, but not marble, and those wealthy families often painted them to imitate marble!

Moreover, Maxim had never seen such a large fireplace. He had once entered a knight's castle hall, and he dared say the fireplace used in that hall wasn't as big as this one. And big has its advantages, that is, without the need for complex carvings, relying on the solid materials and huge volume, it could also make people feel extraordinary.

Even without much carving, it appeared more simple and generous!

Besides, the valuable furniture placed in this living room was also impressive—Louisa chose to receive Maxim in the corner of the 'string bed' near the south window.

The so-called 'string bed' was actually a piece of furniture imported from the East, which used tightly stretched ropes instead of a bed board. This type of bed also existed in ancient China, known as the 'palm bed', made with palm fiber ropes.

Compared to the cold and hard bed boards, the string bed was undoubtedly much more elastic, and this piece of furniture was probably the origin of the spring bed and sofa in the future.

Yes, the sofa also came from this.

Actually, even at that time, the string bed wasn't just for sleeping; placed in the hall, it was used for sitting—what was this if not a sofa—although, at that time, beds for sleeping were often also used for sitting. This was an era when furniture was not yet mature!

The string bed Louisa was sitting on was as gorgeous as the rumors said, after all, it was a piece of furniture from the East, almost like bringing a corner of that heathen country here...

The bed legs were intricately carved with various animals holding pillars, and they were also gilded. Besides, the bed frame and the rope parts were invisible, all wrapped in the thick and beautiful fur of a leopard. Then it was covered with a quilted silk mattress, making it look soft at first sight.

This string bed was also piled with many large and small soft pillows for the sitter or sleeper to use—they were all made with embroidered silk pillowcases, in colorful hues of light red, golden yellow, sky blue, deep purple, grass green, orange-red... Two of them even had smooth tassels hanging from the corners!