Xiao Ding was overjoyed when he heard that the workers had found black stones, and he was the first to think of coal.

Following the workers, they came to the place where they were digging the clay, and sure enough, they saw the black coal under the pit.

That's a good thing! Coal is one of the excellent fuels, both in ancient times and in modern times.

I didn't expect that behind the village of Luoxia Village, there would be a coal mine.

The people in the village didn't know what this black stone was and what it was for, but Xiao Ding did.

If you take this coal mine for yourself, it will not be a fortune! There is a mine at home, isn't that what it means!

However, Xiao Ding knew very well in his heart that it was impossible to keep it for himself. In this era, once the government knows the news, it will immediately send someone to take over the mine, such a big benefit, how can the government let you go for nothing!

With coal, Xiao Ding is more confident in making virgin cement. At least you don't have to worry about the fuel for calcining the stones.

Xiao Ding asked Second Uncle Niu to lead people to build a brick and stone earthen kiln on the open field.

The winter is cold, which is very unfavorable for construction. Clay-stirred mud can easily freeze. Xiao Ding had to ask people to boil the water first and then come to the mud.

When the kiln was finally built, Xiao Ding had the limestone moved into the kiln and placed it, and then filled the kiln with coal. After the coal was ignited with wood, the kiln door was sealed.

After a few hours, the flame in the kiln was extinguished. It wasn't until the next morning that Xiao Ding ordered someone to open the earthen kiln and move out the limestone that had been completely cooled, and the limestone at this time would shatter with just a slight bump.

Xiao Ding asked people to borrow stone mills from the village, and use them to grind these burned limestones into lime powder. There are also clay blocks, which are also ground into fine powder with stone grinding.

He also ordered Zhao Laixi to drive to the blacksmith shop in the town to buy some iron slag and come back. Iron slag is also ground into a fine powder with a stone mill.

Then he blended the three ingredients in different proportions.

Due to the cold outside the house, it is not suitable for experimenting with cement, so Xiaoding got some of each raw material into the house, mixed it in different proportions in the house, and then experimented to see which proportion of cement had the best effect.

Xiaoding's test method is very simple, that is, after mixing different proportions of cement powder, smearing it on the ground in the corner of the house, and then observing its condition after drying, and comparing which proportion is closest to the cement of later generations.

After repeated experiments, Xiao Ding finally determined the final mixing ratio of the original cement: 75 percent lime powder, 15 percent clay, 1.5 percent iron slag powder, and 8.5 percent coal ash powder, the effect is the best. The reason why some coal ash powder is added is to increase the ease and compatibility of cement.

Since no gypsum powder is added, the cement setting time of this formula is much longer.

Although Xiao Ding experimented with the formula of the original cement, it is now in the winter moon, and the weather is cold, and it is obvious that the outdoor weather is no longer suitable for the construction of cement.

Xiao Ding instructed Second Uncle Niu to arrange the workers to prepare the materials in this winter. When spring begins, the yards and houses he planned will require a lot of cement and lime. Therefore, these ingredients must be prepared in advance.

The vegetable selling work in the past two days was completed by Zhao Laixi and Zhao Hu, and Xiao Ding did not follow. Zhao Laixi and Zhao Hu went to Xiangmanlou every day to deliver vegetables, and then went to various blacksmith shops in Beicheng to buy a large amount of iron slag.

Now the people in the village have also known about the coal mine dug up behind the village, and they also know that coal is an excellent fuel. So these days, every day, villagers go to the coal mine to dig coal and bring it home for cooking or heating.

For this coal mine, Xiao Ding once talked to the village chief He. He hoped that the village chief would send someone to take care of the coal, so that people from other villages would come to dig the coal after hearing the news. I also hope that the village chief He can warn the villagers not to sell coal without permission. After all, this coal mine was discovered in Luoxia Village, and it must be counted as the common property of everyone in the village.

On this day, Xiao Ding was grinding stone powder at home, and suddenly saw a team of officials coming from the direction of Luoxia County, and went straight to Xiao Ding's house. The leader of the team is the vegetable master.

"May I ask if this is Tian Xiaoding's house?" Master Cai asked a worker who was working.

"Yes, Tian Xiaoding is over there." The worker replied, pointing to where Ding was working.

Soon, Master Cai came to Xiao Ding with an official errand.

"Tian Xiaoding, are you guilty?" Master Cai saw that Xiao Ding was busy there, so he stepped forward and asked.

Xiao Ding was stunned for a moment, and said in his heart what crime did he commit again? Why did these officials find their homes?

"The grass people don't know." Xiao Ding knew that it was not easy to be an official, so he hurriedly gave a salute, saying that the government knew about the coal mine?

"You harbor bandits, collude with bandits, and bring disaster to the township, and dare to say that you are not guilty?" Master Cai waved his hand, and then said, "Come on, take Tian Xiaoding away for me!" ”

"And those bandits, they will all be arrested and taken away by me!" Master Cai added.

couldn't help but say that Xiao Ding and Zhao Hu were quickly chained around their necks by the officials. Then he was dragged towards Luoxia County.

Even Fan Sanpang was mistaken for a thief and put on a chain and took him away.

Xiao Ding only understood at this time, it seems that the matter of taking in the bandits has already happened.

When the workers who were working saw this situation, they were all frightened. When Second Uncle Niu saw it, he hurriedly asked people to inform Zhao Laixi and Tian Dabao.

When the Tian family heard that Xiao Ding was arrested for taking in those bandits, they were also very frightened. Only Zhao Laixi was not too nervous. He knew in his heart that that Hu County Commander would politely call him brother every time he saw Xiao Ding, although he didn't understand why Hu County Commander would do this, but he knew that even if Xiao Ding was taken back to the county office, Hu County Commander would not do anything to him.

The news that Xiao Ding was arrested by the official for colluding with the bandits soon spread throughout Luoxia Village. Tian Caishen and Zhou's also heard the news, and the two couldn't help but secretly admire their wisdom in their hearts, fortunately, they broke off their relationship with Tian Dabao's family a few days ago, otherwise once this matter is implemented, if it is really full of beheadings, it will definitely affect the old mansion.

When he arrived at the county court, Xiao Ding finally understood why he had the East Window incident. Because he saw another old acquaintance in the court, Xue Beast.

Xue Yubeast was beaten by Hu County's order for 20 boards last time for molesting Han Lu'er on the street, and his ass was opened, and the more he thought about it after he went back, the more angry he became, and he hated Xiao Ding even more. He sent someone to inquire, and it turned out that Xiao Ding was from Luoxia Village, and he was in the same village as his old house.

He sent someone back to the old house in Xia Village to inquire about Xiaoding's information. Last time, Xiao Ding's family moved to a new house, and Steward Xue also came to congratulate him, so he also knew that Xiao Ding had taken in a few bandits. This time, Xue Beast was wronged and came to inquire about the news, and Steward Xue told him about it.

So, Xue Beast found his uncle Master Cai and told Master Cai about the matter. Master Cai is an old fritter who has been in officialdom for a long time, and of course he knows that colluding with bandits is not a trivial matter. If convicted, jail time is light. So he reported the matter to Hu Zhixian.

When Hu Zhixian heard this, he knew that this was not a trivial matter, even if he had the heart to protect Xiao Ding, but if Xiao Ding really had this matter, if he shielded him again, he might even be involved. So he ordered Master Cai to lead the team to catch Xiao Ding and the thieves together.