Chapter 176: Old Hu, Do You Want to Write a Book?
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Yingtian, the imperial capital.
Since Hu Yuancheng pointed out the shortcomings of iron smelting last time, Zhu Gaoxu has made it easier for him to take root in the Second Bureau and devote himself to solving this problem.
Compared with later generations, the iron smelting technology of the Ming Dynasty was indeed somewhat backward.
But the best craftsmen of this era were recruited by the imperial court. In a sense, the Royal Manufacturing Bureau can represent the highest level of Ming iron smelting technology at this moment.
Zhu Gaoxu remembers clearly that using coal to make iron has always been a normal practice in ancient times.
Because coal reduces the cost of ironmaking compared to charcoal and can also save charcoal, it has always been the mainstream of ironmaking in ancient times.
However, coal contains a large number of impurities such as phosphorus and sulfur, which has become the biggest killer restricting the development of iron smelting technology.
Using coal to make iron is completely wrong and has led the entire iron smelting industry astray.
The correct approach should be to use coal to make coke and then use the coke to make iron.
So under the personal auspices of Zhu Gaoxu, the Second Bureau of the Royal Manufacturing Bureau began a vigorous reform movement.
The original low-rise iron workshops were all bulldozed and replaced by blast furnaces.
These blast furnaces have wide bellies and gradually tapered necks, making them look somewhat like vases.
In order to extend the service life of these blast furnaces and solve the problem of making crucibles, Zhu Gaoxu finally found the perfect refractory material - graphite!
In fact, if you just build a blast furnace that can smelt iron, it won't be a big problem to build it directly with clay or with red bricks.
The key point was that Zhu Gaoxu wanted to extend its service life, so he used advanced refractory materials used in later generations of steelmaking furnaces in the blast furnace lining.
Graphite has many uses, and now it is an excellent refractory material.
Zhu Gaoxu ordered the craftsmen to first crush the graphite, add water and sieve it into fine mud, then manually shape it on a rapidly rotating wooden plate like a plastic porcelain body, and finally put it into a special high-temperature kiln to calcine it into shape, and the graphite crucible was released!
The ancients mostly used three steel-making processes: stir-frying, steel-making, and steel-filling, but none of them are suitable for large-scale industrial production of steel!
The Zhu Gaoxu kiln is a crucible for steelmaking!
Since the ancients invented the crucible steel-making method in the Spring and Autumn Period, it was most prosperous in the Han Dynasty. The steel smelted was used to make strong fish scale armor and sharp ring-headed swords, and only then did the invincible Han Dynasty kings have The domineering declaration of "Anyone who openly offends the Han will be punished no matter how far away"!
However, for unknown reasons, the crucible steelmaking method was lost during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
On the contrary, the Indian Asans used the crucible steel-making method to refine wootz steel. The weapons made from this were extremely sharp and became a precious weapon pursued by the self-proclaimed noble barbarians in Europe.
What Zhu Gaoxu has to do now is to restore the lost craftsmanship of his ancestors and use the crucible steelmaking method to increase the output of Daming Steel!
Once the Royal Manufacturing Bureau implements blast furnace ironmaking and crucible steelmaking, the Ming Dynasty's steel production will make a qualitative leap. By then, the production efficiency of both cold weapons and hot weapons will be greatly enhanced!
Especially the firecrackers and artillery that Zhu Gaoxu has been thinking about can be mass-produced on a large scale!
By that time, let alone the Tatars entrenched in Mobei, Ming'erlang could even embark on a journey to conquer the world under the leadership of Emperor Yongle!
Hu Yuancheng stood next to Zhu Gaoxu, watching the craftsmen build this magical workshop under Zhu Gaoxu's guidance. Although his face was full of exhaustion, his heart was full of admiration and respect.
Although he was not from the Ming Dynasty, he had lived in the Ming Dynasty for so long and knew that this huge dynasty had always respected Confucianism and Cheng Zhu as the official doctrine.
As for craftsmanship, it was dismissed as one of three religions and nine streams, and the craftsmen were reduced to a humble status that was even inferior to merchants!
Until this Han prince appeared, he continued to innovate production techniques and improve the status of craftsmen, giving Ming craftsmen a bright future!
Hu Yuancheng has been an official in the Ming Dynasty for so many years, and this is the first time he has seen a noble man from Tianhuang who can eat and live with the craftsmen!
This alone was enough to make him respect His Highness the King of Han.
At least that gentle and elegant Prince, His Highness, couldn't do it.
Furthermore, in the final analysis, Hu Yuancheng was able to become an official in the court because of his own firearms craftsmanship.
To be honest, he is just a craftsman.
Soon Eunuch Haishou came over with a dark look on his face and said excitedly: "Your Majesty, everything is ready. I have checked three times. Is it possible to start smelting iron?"
In the past three days, he, the eunuch of the second bureau, has not been idle. He has been busy beside King Han, and even went into the mine to dig for the graphite...
But, it's all worth it!
Eunuch Haishou knows that the first round has only built a blast furnace for iron-making, and the technology of crucible steel-making has not yet been conquered!
But now in the second game, they are already a big step ahead of them!
We are now at the stage of testing the entire process. As long as everything runs smoothly, the second game will instantly surpass the first!
Zhu Gaoxu nodded upon hearing this, waved his hand and shouted domineeringly: "Fire!"
After hearing the order from His Highness the King of Han, Eunuch Haishou personally picked up the torch and threw it into the blast furnace from the tap hole at the bottom.
In an instant, thick smoke billowed out of the blast furnace, and then a raging fire ignited.
A famous craftsman walked to the prearranged work station and began to perform each operation in an orderly manner.
The coal in the preheating pool ignited instantly, rolling and burning with the iron ore in the blast furnace, and the flames released went straight into the furnace and seemed to reach the sky!
Seeing this scene, everyone froze on the spot. They had been burning iron all their lives, but had they ever seen such a blazing flame?
In just an instant, everyone was sure that this blast furnace would produce unprecedentedly good iron!
Although the fire is fierce, it will take some time for the iron ore and coal ore to melt. UU Reading www.uukanshu.net Eunuch Haishou took the initiative to ask Ying to supervise here.
Zhu Gaoxu and Hu Yuancheng were busy for three days and three nights. When they had a rare free time, they sat down in the room to rest and drink tea.
Hu Yuancheng took a sip of tea and spoke meaningfully: "My lord, you have the important task of supervising the country, but you have been here for three days in a row. I am afraid that some courtiers will take the opportunity to impeach you..."
"Impeach, impeach, I just hope that those bitches can't stand me and can't kill me!"
Zhu Gaoxu waved his hands indifferently, with a playful smile on his lips.
"Lao Hu, you are a master of weapons. Are you interested in writing a book about it?"
Hu Yuancheng: "???"
What?
Writing a book and talking about it?
I am an Annanite, can I do that?
Although Hu Yuancheng is respected by both the government and the public, this is only superficial.
Having served as an official in the Ming Dynasty for so many years, he has always received a lot of cold treatment and ostracism. If he hadn't been grateful for the kindness of today's emperor, Hu Yuancheng would have left his post long ago to avoid being scorned by those pedantic scholars!
As for writing a book and establishing a theory, that was an extravagant hope that he never dared to achieve!
After all, you are a foreign barbarian who has never read the books of Confucian sages. What qualifications do you have to write books and establish opinions?
Thinking about it, Hu Yuancheng smiled bitterly, "The prince is joking, don't mention this matter again..."
"Why not? How much have you, Hu Yuancheng, contributed to our Daming Firearms? As long as you are willing, I will see who dares to poke his beak from the side and break his three legs!"
Hearing this, Hu Yuancheng was startled, his expression became serious, and there was a hint of excitement.
After all, if he succeeds in writing a book, he, a "foreign barbarian", can also leave his name in history!
"What the prince means is..."
"Go to the prison, I will arrange a good job for you!"
Hu Yuancheng: "???"
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