Fang Zi'an said goodbye from Su Heng's house and rushed to Qian Kang's house to call him for help. The two of them went to various markets in the city, large and small, and searched for pine charcoal in the whole vehicle. The price of charcoal in the Great Song Dynasty was very expensive. A load of firewood costs less than 30 yuan, but after burning charcoal, the price of a scale of charcoal is as high as 400 yuan in the harsh winter season. A scale is only fifteen catties. In the cold winter season, burning charcoal for heating is only a luxury money that can only be spent by the rich and wealthy families of officials. At most, ordinary people's homes use firewood to burn a hearth, or simply endure the cold and fight it with their bodies.

Fortunately, it is already the height of spring, and the weather is already very warm, and there is no need to burn charcoal for heating, but some is needed to cook food. So in fact, it has come to the off-season of charcoal sales. Obviously, the people who burn charcoal in the mountains can't store charcoal from spring to autumn and sell it in winter, because they depend on it for their livelihood, so they have to pull it out and sell it. Because of this, the market price of charcoal has dropped to 300 wen per scale.

Fang Zi'an settled the account, and if he wanted to buy two thousand catties of charcoal plus freight, he still needed forty or fifty taels of silver. Su Heng said that so much charcoal had to be burned in one day and one night, and if it went on for a long time, it would be a lot of money. So Fang Zi'an and Qian Kang discussed, since charcoal smelting is needed for a long time, why not simply sign a long-term supply contract with a few charcoal-burning people, so that the people who sell charcoal will not worry about not being able to sell it, and they can also reduce the price in this regard. The two gathered four good sellers of pine charcoal to discuss together, and finally reached an agreement to buy all the charcoal they produced for 280 wen a scale.

Both parties were happy, Fang Zi'an saved money, and there was no need to come out to buy from time to time. The supply of subsequent blast furnace charcoal is ensured. And for the people who sell charcoal, they are actually very happy. The price is lower, but they no longer need to pull charcoal carts around the city to sell or wait for buyers, and they can free up more time to burn charcoal, and produce more charcoal to make up for the loss. And the other party promised that no matter how much charcoal they burned, they would want it, which was a big deal that would not worry about sales for a long time.

In fact, Fang Zi'an prefers to use charcoal instead of charcoal. The price of coal is low because the vast majority of people are not used to this new fuel. Because there are too many impurities, the heat is not enough when burned, and the smoke and dust are too thick, which often causes poisoning incidents for the whole family. Originally, in Bianliang City, the original capital of the Great Song Dynasty, many families have used charcoal for heating in winter, and the imperial court is also ready to vigorously promote it. However, after more than a dozen massacres in a row, people were so frightened that they didn't dare to use it. The vigorous promotion of the imperial court was also stranded. The people don't recognize it at all, and the wealthy don't buy it at all.

Fang Zi'an originally wanted to use coal, but he also had to admit that the current quality of coal is difficult to use in blast furnace smelting. Unless the process of crushing, cleaning and purification is carried out, then the cost becomes extremely high. It is impossible to carry out such crushing and washing by hand, and it is necessary to design machinery, which needs to be driven by steam engines that have not yet been successfully used. So it's actually a paradox.

If the steam engine wants to be applied on a large scale, it is necessary to find a way to carry out a cheap transformation of the charcoal that was everywhere in the Great Song Dynasty and has not yet been put into popularization, so as to facilitate the operation of the steam engine. The cost of charcoal is too high, and it is too large to burn, so it is necessary to make a small fuel such as a charcoal ball, which can continue to burn for a long time, to ensure the continuous operation of the steam engine, without the need for someone to add charcoal to the fire every moment. Therefore, every thing with innovative significance must be launched with a series of supporting updates, and at this level alone, it is a kind of significance to drive the overall scientific and technological innovation forward. Of course, the first to eat crabs obviously has to pay a greater price, with more effort and energy.

That night, the gourd-shaped blast furnace in the backyard of the Su family was officially lit. A large amount of charcoal was shoveled into the upper and lower furnaces, and soon after ignition, the fire raged. The huge chimney actually emitted dark red flames in the dark night sky, and the air intake below was inhaled into the air without wind to help the combustion. Fang Zi'an didn't understand the operation of this gourd-shaped blast furnace at all, and was skeptical of it at first, but at this moment he found that his knowledge was not enough. In addition to meeting the needs of his so-called secondary smelting, the blast furnace built by Su Heng also seems to have some kind of air circulation function, which can fully burn fuel without the need for bellows blasting. Even in the middle of the fire, the air intakes had to be temporarily closed and opened according to the size of the charcoal fire to adjust the fire.

In the middle of the night, the spectacle appeared. The entire blast furnace seems to have been burned through, and the whole is pink. It's like the translucent red color you see when you shine a flashlight on your palm. Fang Zi'an was stunned, fearing that an accident would happen, but Su Heng didn't care, but showed surprise on his face.

"It worked, this stove worked. At this point, the entire furnace will be able to withstand extremely high temperatures in the future. A refractory layer will be formed at the inner tank, and it will be as smooth as a mirror, and it is not afraid of bonding molten iron and cinders. It can be said that the furnace is the key to smelting, and if the furnace is successful, the follow-up will not be difficult. ”

Fang Zi'an doesn't seem to understand, he doesn't need to understand, as long as Su Heng thinks that he has succeeded, he is naturally happy and happy.

After the furnace fire remained in this state for an hour, Su Heng began to close the air intakes one by one, and the furnace gradually dimmed, and the entire furnace showed a dark red. After that, charcoal is added every quarter of an hour, after which only one hole is opened to ventilate to maintain the temperature in the furnace. The dark red flames from the mouth of the chimney have long since disappeared, and the blue-black smoke billowed out, quite an exhilarating atmosphere of the great industrial development of the steam age.

From night to day, and then to the evening. For a day and a night, the charcoal fire in the gourd blast furnace was never extinguished. The two thousand catties of charcoal burned only a small pile of less than two hundred catties. Su Heng did not leave the scene every step, Fang Zi'an and Qian Kang did not leave half a step, and the two of them were sent to the stove by Su Sister-in-law and Su Zheng to eat and drink. The three of them became more and more cooperative, Su Heng was responsible for mastering the heat, Fang Zi'an and Qian Kang were responsible for carrying charcoal and adding charcoal, and the three of them were covered with black ash and their eyes were blood-red.

"Almost. It's time to turn off the heat. Open the door of the furnace and rake out the rest of the charcoals. Su Heng finally spoke.

Fang Zi'an and Qian Kang jumped up, hooked the furnace door with an iron hook, and raked out all the remaining charcoal fire inside with an iron rake. The upper and lower furnace doors are all opened, and dozens of air intakes in a circle are also opened, allowing the furnace to start naturally dissipating heat. By the early hours of the next morning, the furnace had finally cooled down from the scorching heat. Under Su Heng's leadership, the three of them got into the still hot hearth from the furnace door, and by the light of the light, Fang Zi'an was dumbfounded. The inside of the furnace is really as smooth as Su Heng said, as a mirror, as if a layer of enamel has been burned. Reaching out and knocking, there is an overall roaring echo, which is hard and smooth, which is amazing. After inspecting the upper and lower floors, Su Heng expressed great satisfaction. The whole gourd blast furnace was sintered evenly without any damage, which met his requirements.

"Okay, the furnace is basically in shape, and the smelting crucible and some other facilities that I have brought from Wuxi tomorrow will also arrive with the ship. As soon as those things arrive, we will be able to officially smelt the refined iron we need. Young Master Fang, there are a few things I have to discuss with you. Su Heng said with red eyes and a face full of black ash.

"Brother Su, but it's okay to say." Fang Zi'an.

"Well, this iron smelting is a delicate job, and it can't be casual. The subsequent parts casting is also a technical work. Not everyone can do it. So I called a dozen brothers from my hometown in Wuxi to help me this time. They used to follow me, but when I moved to the capital, they opened a local ironware shop in Wuxi to make a living. But this time, I had to bring them all. I gave them a salary of ten taels of silver for a month, a total of sixteen people, and I am afraid that this silver will be paid by you. One hundred and sixty taels a month. They also have to support their families. Su Heng said.

Fang Zi'an is overjoyed, Su Heng has his own team, which is really unwanted. I like this kind of thing, professional people find professional people to cooperate, and get twice the result with half the effort. The old leader, the leader of the ten thousand dragons, they are all like this, this is the fastest way to do things. As for the salary, this kind of craftsman who can be looked down on by Su Heng, the salary of ten taels of silver is not high.

"Brother Su, although you and I have a cooperative relationship, you can completely call the shots in this matter. Not only salary, but also their consumption expenses such as housing and food must be solved. As long as it is good for the whole thing, do exactly what you want. Brother Qian, listen up, I may not have much time to be here in the future, you are responsible for contacting Brother Su about these things, and you must also remember this rule. All necessary expenditures must not be stingy, and they will be done in full accordance with Brother Su's requirements. Fang Zi'an said.

Qian Kang agreed, Su Heng was also very happy in his heart, and continued, "Also, when the people are all here, and the things are all together, we will start smelting iron." These days, we are going to buy iron ingots and other related things. I'm afraid I'll have to spend a lot of money. Believe me, and I will build this steam engine. But as for how much money to spend, I can't control that. Don't feel sorry for that time. ”

Fang Zi'an said, "I don't hesitate to smash the pot and sell iron." Again, it's up to you. But I'm afraid I don't have time to accompany me here every day, Brother Qian Kang represents me, and you can tell him anything in the future. ”

Su Heng then remembered and asked, "I heard that you participated in the Spring Exam, did you win the list?"

Fang Zi'an smiled, "I barely got it, so I don't have time to come here every day." I'm afraid I won't be able to help myself in the future. ”

Su Heng didn't say anything, didn't even congratulate him, nodded and said, "I see, that's no way, if you become an official, you have to be restrained." It's okay, since Brother Qian represents you, I'll discuss it with him. ”

Fang Zi'an smiled, "I will also take the time to come, I hope to see the steam engine built as soon as possible." That's what I'm looking forward to the most. ”

Su Heng smiled: "I'm not like this. I feel more and more that once this thing comes out, it will be shocking and shocking. ”

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