After a while, Xu Shou brought over a sturdy old man with a bare body.

The old man's eyebrows were thick, and his muscles were covered with sweat and plaster, and he had obviously just finished his physical work.

Although Xu Shou found the person, Xu Shou kept a distance of three feet from the old man. Even if there is nothing on his face, the disgust is obvious.

It's not just Xu Shou, it's Zhang Tangqing. Seeing that the old man was dirty, he also took two steps back.

"What do you call my husband?" Fan Yu knew that those who did such work as iron-making could not be clean.

Therefore, he did not retreat, but arched his hand at the old man.

When the old man saw that Fan Yu was so young, he wore a scarlet official robe, which was not low.

"Shangguan calls me Liu Zhen." As soon as the old man spoke, his voice was extremely loud, and Fan Yu's ears buzzed.

Fan Yu said with a smile: "Uncle Liu is really old and strong, and he must have extraordinary iron-making skills. ”

Liu Zhen's hair was slightly gray, and after listening to Fan Yu's words, he laughed and said, "I'm only forty now, where is my husband." It's just tired, and his face looks old. If the iron-making skills are poor, how can they be selected for this iron academy, which is naturally not weak. But I don't know what the official called me. The molten iron in the furnace is almost ready to be baked at this time. If you don't look carefully, you'll be scrapped. If you have something, please talk about it quickly, I can't delay. ”

This Liu Zhen still spoke like this to a scarlet-robed official like Fan Yu, which made Xu Shou's face ugly. Zhang Tangqing, who was behind Fan Yu, was also a little uncertain.

Fan Yu didn't think it was offensive to him, but said with a smile: "Master Liu, if you are not a person who specializes in the art industry, you can't be so concerned about your job. It can be seen that Liu Dajiang is such a person. ”

Hearing Fan Yu praise himself like this, Liu Zhen finally showed a look of embarrassment.

"Shangguan has won awards, I have dealt with a lot of Shangguan, but no one has ever said that about me. Most of the time I couldn't say a word to me, and I left. Liu Zhen smiled heartily.

Fan Yu laughed when he heard this, "That's because Master Liu is capable, so there is no need to flatter Shangguan." This body's ability, but no one can easily move you. I came this time to ask Master Liu for advice, is there any common problem in this iron smelting. ”

Liu Zhen thought about it, then shook his head and said, "If you talk about iron smelting, there are many problems in it. There are many impurities in the ore, and it is not easy to heat up the steaming stone furnace, and there are many impurities in the iron ingots smelted. All the workshops that use iron come to find it, especially the most found by the horse chopping knife. They say that the iron we make here is extremely brittle and can break easily if we don't use too much force. However, the iron ingots sent by Cizhou will not have such problems. ”

At this time, the iron-making furnaces were all called steaming stone furnaces, and Fan Yu understood it.

"Oh? Did Master Liu find the reason why the steel knife was too brittle after filling steel? Fan Yu couldn't help but be attracted by this question.

"I think it's ore different." As soon as Liu Zhen mentioned this, he became serious, "The ore near Kaifeng is not as pure as the ore in Cizhou. The ore in Nacizhou has fewer impurities when smelting iron, and the toughness is better after steel filling. However, the ore here in Kaifeng has more impurities, although it can also smelt iron, but it is worse. ”

Fan Yu nodded, there were not many high-grade iron ores in China in later generations, and he also knew this.

"In that case, Master Liu has a way to remove the impurities in this iron?" Fan Yu asked.

Xu Shou was a little impatient with Fan Yu and a craftsman saying this.

Fortunately, Fan Yu is a Shangguan and a marquis, so he can't say anything.

On the other side, Zhang Tangqing thought that the previous Fan Hou Ye had said a lot of things, and he wanted to produce more good iron. If Fan Houye can't make a good iron, wouldn't it be a conversation after dinner.

Liu Zhen frowned and shook his head and sighed: "This matter is very difficult, Shangguan must know that all that is burned in this steaming stone furnace is charcoal." Not only iron ore has more impurities, but also a lot of impurities in carbon. ”

The coal he spoke of was coal. The coal dug up at this time is called charcoal because it is black and light.

"If you burn charcoal, there will be fewer impurities, and the iron will be better." Fan Yu said to Liu Zhen.

"Shangguan really doesn't understand, this charcoal iron making is indeed better, but the cost is higher. Moreover, the temperature of charcoal is lower, and it takes longer to make iron. If it just takes a long time, it's fine. But when the temperature is low, the impurities in the iron will not be refined, but more will be left. Liu Zhen spread out his hands and said helplessly.

Zhang Tangqing heard the craftsman Liu Zhen say that Fan Yu didn't understand, and said with a secret smile in his heart, he was only a fifteen-year-old boy, what could he understand. It seems that this Marquis Fan, although he is serious on the surface, is just a layman. Presumably, he will be promoted in the Arsenal soon, and he is just a formality here.

Fan Yu nodded, "I see." If the temperature in the steaming furnace is raised, there will be less impurities in this iron, right? ”

Liu Zhen clapped his hands and said, "That's it." If the furnace temperature can be raised further, the speed of steaming stone in this steaming furnace will also be accelerated, and the molten iron will flow out more, and the impurities will melt more. ”

Hearing this, Fan Yu didn't have a clue in his heart, so he said to Liu Zhen: "Take me to the steaming stone furnace to have a look." ”

Xu Shou was startled, and hurriedly stopped: "Master Hou, don't take any risks, the temperature of the steaming stone furnace is extremely high, and the iron and stone can be melted." When a person is a few feet apart, his hair will curl and sweat like rain. If the molten iron in it is splashed, it will make people rot and turn into ashes in an instant. Hou Ye is a nobleman, so he can't be so risky. ”

Zhang Tangqing didn't dare to look at it anymore at this time, and said: "Master Hou is expensive, how can he go to such a dangerous place." If you have to see it, then stay away. ”

Liu Zhen was stunned, he didn't expect that this little Shangguan was actually a marquis.

"I'm not going to come close, just look at it from a distance." Fan Yu motioned to Liu Zhen and asked him to lead the way in front.

A group of four people approached the steaming stone furnace, and it was still seven or eight zhang away, when there was a scorching heat.

Fan Yu got closer, only to find that not far behind the steaming stone furnace, there was actually a waterwheel that kept turning. If you look closely, this waterwheel drives a one-person high bellows, constantly blowing air into the steaming stone furnace.

It seems that this Da Song is not the only one who knows how to use water power, but no one has thought of using more range.

The so-called steaming stone furnace is nothing more than a large earth jar, with thick smoke and fire coming out of the top.

Fan Yu didn't understand the structure of the steelmaking furnace in later generations, and if he said that he would change the structure of the steaming stone furnace, he would definitely not be able to do it. However, the grade of this iron ore is not good, and if you want to improve the quality, you must first increase the furnace temperature.

After turning around the steaming stone furnace, Fan Yu saw that there was a huge mountain of coal piles behind him. Suddenly, my mind flashed, and I seemed to find inspiration.