Before the spring breeze arrived in February, the Chu Wangfu had already felt a warmth.

The princess is happy.

The news spread throughout the province in the shortest possible time.

Li Kuan was also happy, and on the same day, he asked Laifu to send an extra month's money to all his subordinates to celebrate.

And Laifu, who has always been stingy, has no objection at all this time.

"The Chu Wangfu is finally a successor, and the heart of the old slave can be regarded as falling."

Laifu's old face smiled, which made Li Kuan feel funny and moved.

Like the Laifu family, who have served the Li family for several generations, the level of loyalty is definitely not comparable to the so-called mansion stewards of later generations.

Even the most famous steward of the British Empire is far from this.

"Uncle Laifu, this king is still young, so why worry about the heirs."

"Hehe, that's what the prince said."

Laifu didn't refute it, anyway, at this time, he had no opinion on what Li Kuan said.

However, don't look at Li Kuan and Laifu when they talk, they look very normal about Cheng Jingwen's pregnancy, but the actual situation is ......

"Jingwen, be careful, there's a staircase here."

I saw Li Kuan carefully helping Cheng Jingwen to take a walk in the courtyard, enjoying the early spring scenery in the Baicao Garden.

"Lord Wang, you don't have to help me, I will walk by myself, didn't Doctor Sun say everything, it's only been about two months now, and it won't affect walking."

Cheng Jingwen saw Li Kuan walking in the garden like a child, as if she couldn't walk with a big belly.

In fact, at this moment, if it is a person who does not know the situation, he will not be able to see that Cheng Jingwen is pregnant at all.

I was pregnant in October, and now it's only two months, and it's not time to show my pregnancy at all, and that little life is not as big as a fist.

"I know, I know. The path is cobblestone, be careful of stumbling. ”

The truth is reasonable, what should Li Kuan do, but what is still the case.

When Cheng Jingwen saw this scene, she was amused and sweetened in her heart.

Many things, without comparison, you can't find the gap.

The Cheng family also gave out seven pregnant women in one breath last year, what kind of attitude Cheng Chumo has, Cheng Jingwen knows better than anyone else.

All year round, most of the time I was not in Chang'an City, not to mention, even when I was in the house, I didn't see any thoughtfulness from my eldest brother.

Compared with today's Li Kuan......

Cheng Jingwen was embarrassed to admit that it was her eldest brother.

"Mei Niang has seen His Royal Highness the King of Chu and Princess Niangniang."

Just when Li Kuan and Cheng Jingwen were walking in the Baicao Garden, the Wu Meiniang sisters happened to be enjoying the scenery here.

After this period of adjustment, Wu Meiniang has adapted to the current situation.

Giving up is unwilling to give up, and since this is the case, then you can only accept it.

The picture of Li Kuan taking care of Cheng Jingwen just now naturally fell in Wu Meiniang's eyes.

This is really a rare strange man in the world.

Although the status of women in the Tang Dynasty is higher than that of ordinary dynasties, there are basically few people who take care of the princess like Li Kuan in Chang'an City.

Even the fang xiang, who has always been afraid of the inside, Wu Meiniang has never heard similar rumors.

"Mei Niang, such a coincidence, are you also here to see the peach blossoms?"

Li Kuan's attention just now was on Cheng Jingwen, and he didn't notice that there were other people in the garden.

As for Xi Junmai, who is in charge of the guards, he naturally knows Wu Meiniang, and he will not deliberately remind or warn him.

"Miss Wu, I heard that you were unwell a while ago? It's all right now, right? ”

Cheng Jingwen could vaguely feel something, but considering Li Kuan's careful care of herself during this time, she didn't have much to worry about.

"Thank you for your concern, but I didn't pay attention for a while, I was infected with the wind and cold, and now I am completely cured."

Some time ago, Wu Meiniang didn't go out in her yard, and the reason she gave was that she was unwell.

"This year's spring is coming earlier than in previous years, the peach blossoms in Baicao Garden are the most beautiful time now, if Miss Wu is fine, how about enjoying the flowers together?"

Cheng Jingwen glanced at Li Kuan next to her, and sent out an invitation with a smile on her face.

I heard that he wrote a beautiful poem for Wu Meiniang during the Lantern Festival before, "I suddenly looked back, but that person was there, and the lights were dim", and asked him to send himself a poem to see which one was better.

Wu Meiniang looked at Li Kuan, then at Cheng Jingwen, and replied with a smile: "Mei Niang has this intention." ”

After speaking, Wu Meiniang took the initiative to step forward to help support Cheng Jingwen's other arm, which surprised Li Kuan.

Which one is this playing?

The Baicao Garden in the Chu Palace, there are a lot of flowers and trees planted.

In addition to the exotic flowers and plants purchased from Hu merchants everywhere, there are also common flowers, plants and fruit trees.

As a common fruit tree, peach trees naturally exist.

I saw that in a corner of the Baicao Garden, dozens of peach trees were blooming with flowers, and the faint pink color attracted a lot of bees to buzz there.

I don't know when it started, there was a nest of bees in the Baicao Garden, and they really knew how to choose the land.

Considering that even if it was bitten by a bee, it would not be a big deal, Li Kuan did not let people drive away the nest of bees.

"This herb garden, with all kinds of flowers blooming all year round, is really a good place for a walk."

Cheng Jingwen looked at the Baicao Garden, which was getting bigger and bigger year by year, and she was secretly smacking her tongue in her heart.

As a husband, he really doesn't treat money as money, and the most important thing is that he really has this capital.

I don't want to say much myself.

"Indeed, I can't help but think of the beautiful scenery of 'Suddenly Peach Blossom Forest, Hundreds of Steps Between the Shore, No Miscellaneous Trees, Fresh Grass, and Colorful Fallen Flowers' in the "Peach Blossom Spring", this Hundred Herb Garden can be regarded as the Peach Blossom Source in the Chu Palace."

Wu Meiniang lightly opened her lips and praised Baicao Garden on the side.

However, Cheng Jingwen on the side heard Wu Meiniang mention "The Story of the Peach Blossom Spring", but her face suddenly turned red.

On the wedding night, Li Kuan's one: extremely narrow at the beginning, only to understand people. After repeating dozens of steps, the allusion to the sudden enlightenment, she will never forget it for the rest of her life.

Now that she suddenly heard "The Story of the Peach Blossom Spring" from Wu Meiniang's mouth, she couldn't help but think of the scene that night.

However, her face was so red, but she confused Wu Meiniang.

Could it be that pregnant people tend to turn red?

"Ahem!" When Li Kuan saw this picture, he quickly changed the topic, "This situation and this scene make me can't help but think of a sentence: In this garden in February spring, the peach blossoms on the human face are red. ”

"The peach blossoms on the human face are red?"

Wu Meiniang looked at Cheng Jingwen's ruddy face, and then looked at the peach blossoms blooming next to her, which was really appropriate.

However, how do you think that this poem is only half finished and incomplete?

……

"Bang dang!" "Bang dang!"

Although the weather was still relatively cold, the Jintai Iron Shop was in full swing, and many of the men were just wearing short coats and wielding hammers there, beating the fiery red iron.

"Shopkeeper, today's iron ingot price has risen again, from the second half of last year to the present, it has risen by three percent."

Although Mrs. Kim didn't go to work in person today, she still came to the shop early in the morning.

It's basically his habit.

Don't look at him now, he is now a well-worth workshop owner, but just like in his early years, as long as the workshop starts, he will come to the site to take a walk.

"Is the price of iron ingots sold by each company rising?"

Jin Taizou frowned, Jin Tai Tie Shop's things take the route of good quality and low price, if the price of iron ingots rises, he can only follow the price increase, otherwise he will lose money.

However, in this case, their own guests will definitely not be satisfied.

"Yes, first of all, the eldest grandson's iron-making workshop began to increase in price, and several others immediately followed suit."

"The eldest grandson's family is the largest ironsmith in the Guanzhong area, and as soon as they raise the price, everyone else will definitely follow."

Iron smelting is the core industry of the Changsun family, so they were willing to sell coal mines and limestone mines, but they refused to sell any iron ore, and even acquired several newly discovered iron ores in various parts of Guanzhong in recent years.

As an iron processing workshop, the biggest production cost of Jintai Iron Shop is the purchase of iron.

In other words, the iron-making workshop of the eldest grandson's family is the main source of materials for Jintai's iron-making shop.

"In the past two years, more and more places have used iron, and even the plows and rakes of farmers have begun to use a large number of good iron to make them; In addition, the honeycomb coal stoves of wealthy families also like to be wrapped in iron sheets, and the demand for iron materials is increasing in all walks of life. ”

The guy in charge of iron procurement is an old guy who has been with Mrs. Jin for several years, and he is very responsible for analyzing and confirming the reason for this situation.

However, this will not change the situation.

"I know that. However, the iron-making shop of the Changsun family has put a lot of manpower and material resources into the steel production, and although the output of pig iron has also increased, it is far from catching up with the demand. ”

Jin Tai was actually a little dissatisfied with this practice of the eldest grandson's ironmaking workshop, and there was no way to do it.

"Hey, the main use of stainless steel is the production of weapons, and the procurement is all from the yamen of the imperial court, and the price is much higher than that of iron. The eldest grandson is naturally willing to produce more steel. ”

Although the eldest grandson's family is high, there are no outsiders on the left and right, and the guy dares to say anything.

In fact, the eldest grandson's family has made a lot of money through the sale of iron and steel in recent years.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to endure not being involved in the whaling industry and cement production and other money-making industries made by the Chu Palace.

You must know that at least seven or eight of the nobles of Chang'an City alone have gone to Dengzhou Mansion and embarked on the road of whaling.

"Forget it, it's useless to complain, this time the price of iron has risen, we will absorb it ourselves, and the next batch of goods can only follow the price increase."

The price change of iron material is not something that can be decided by oneself at all, and even if Mrs. Kim is very unhappy, she can only accept the reality.

……

In the Changsun Mansion, the atmosphere has been very relaxed recently.

Whether it is the eldest grandson Wuji or the eldest grandson Chong, they often have a smile on their faces, and the people under them are naturally much better.

"Aye, this year alone, last month, the ironmaking workshop earned 50% more money than last year, according to this momentum, the money earned this year is worth the past few years."

As the eldest son, Changsun Chong also knows something about the industry of the eldest grandson's family, and the eldest grandson Wuji also intends to let him take over slowly, anyway, this family will be passed on to him sooner or later.

"In the past few years, the household department has been rich, and last year His Majesty changed the government soldiers in various places to Zhechong government, and all kinds of weapons and equipment are being updated and replaced on a large scale, and the need for stainless steel is naturally much more than in previous years."

As the largest user of stainless steel, what changes have happened to Datang's government soldiers, the eldest grandson Wuji is naturally very clear.

In the past two years, the eldest grandson's family has not expanded the output of the ironmaking workshop at all, but the expanded part of the iron material has basically been taken to a special workshop to temper into steel.

Selling steel is more profitable than selling iron.

Just like the steel of later generations, a ton of ordinary construction rebar only costs 3,000 yuan when it is cheap, but high-grade die steel is easily sold for 50,000 or 60,000 yuan a ton.

Even some higher-grade special steel, even if you pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a ton, you may not be able to buy it.

Although the price of the steel of the eldest grandson's family is not as exaggerated as that of iron, the profit is still very considerable compared with the cost of hammering iron into steel.

"Aye, in two days, our new steel tempering workshop will be built, and the daily output of steel will be greatly increased, just in time for the need for the superintendent to create a new type of horizontal knife."

The Changsun family is not the only workshop in Datang that produces iron materials, but the only one who can sell materials on a large scale to the general is the Changsun family.

"In the past year, the household department has also complained about the continuous rise in the price of iron, and now the price has risen a lot, and if it continues to rise, His Majesty will not be able to stand it. It just so happens that next to the steel tempering workshop, it can be used to build another ironmaking workshop, and once it is put into production, the price of iron and steel in the Guanzhong area will basically be decided by us. ”

The eldest grandson's family has a big business, and there are many people to support.

The eldest grandson Wuji is an official, and on the whole he is relatively incorruptible, and he doesn't accept gifts from lower officials.

However, in his opinion, even if the imperial court does not buy its own iron and steel, it still needs to buy other people's, so he has no sense of guilt when he takes advantage of some convenience to control the purchase of steel and iron that will be used as a prisoner.

In fact, this is almost the common practice of the nobles of Chang'an City.

It can be said that it is an unspoken rule.

……

The palace of the king of Chu.

Li Kuan basically accompanied Cheng Jingwen every day during this time, either personally going to the kitchen to guide the cook to make food, or helping Cheng Jingwen to spread around the palace.

That loving scene, even Cheng Chumo and others, who came to say goodbye, couldn't stand it.

However, Cheng Jingwen's eyes widened, and Cheng Chumo didn't dare to say anything.

"Brother Wei Chi, since you have decided to take Zhu Erfu and them to the South Seas, this chart will be given to you. I don't know if it's accurate or not, and I hope you can slowly improve it. ”

For going to the South Seas, Li Kuan is naturally supportive.

For this reason, it took a lot of time to draw the nautical charts of the South Seas with the convenience of the system.

Of course, some of the small islands or something in it definitely can't be so detailed.

It can only be said that talking is better than nothing.

"Lord Wang, there is a major breakthrough in the ironmaking workshop, Dai Quan, please come over."

Just when Cheng Chumo and the others were about to say goodbye, Laifu came in from outside and brought Li Kuan a rather unexpected news.

Guanshi Mountain is more than 20 miles away from Chang'an City.

In previous years, there were no decent roads leading to Chang'an City.

It's just that after the Chu Wangfu bought the coal mine in Guanshi Mountain from the hands of the eldest grandson's family, in order to facilitate the transportation of ore and honeycomb coal, the original unseemly yellow mud road was well leveled.

And this road really ushered in a big change in the last year.

From Chang'an City to Liangzhou, the cement road that is more than 1,000 miles long has begun to be built.

Li Kuan naturally did not forget to pave the road from Guanshi Mountain to Chang'an City with cement.

"Lord Wang, it's done, it's finally done."

Not far from the end of the cement road, there is the iron-making workshop of the Chu Wangfu, next to the coke workshop, and then there is the honeycomb coal workshop and coal mine.

As soon as Li Kuan arrived at the ironmaking workshop, Dai Quan, who heard the noise, trotted to Li Kuan's side.

In the past few years, because Li Kuan arranged many craftsmen to engage in steelmaking without success, he pulled Dai Quan, a multi-expert, over to coordinate the matter of steel smelting.

Unexpectedly, after wasting an unknown amount of money, there was finally a result.

"Let's go, take this king to see."

Iron and steel is the food of industry.

For a long time after the Industrial Revolution, steel production and coal production were almost the two most important indicators used to measure a country's comprehensive national strength.

Over the years, Li Kuan has a general understanding of Datang's steel production.

About 10 million pounds.

At first glance, it seems that the yield is quite high?

But if you look at it in another unit, it is about 5,000 tons.

Doesn't it feel terrible to be low?

Isn't there a little doubt that this number is missing a zero?

But that's all there is to it.

Although compared with the production of later generations, it is meaningless.

However, more than 900 million tons......

The output of any eliminated small workshop steel mill is tens, hundreds, or even hundreds of times that of Datang's annual output.

Li Kuan wants to change some things in Datang, and steel is an issue that can never be avoided.

Therefore, Li Kuan has been investing a lot of money in the ironmaking workshop over the years.

Of course, the money was not used to build a furnace without any new ideas.

Instead, several blast furnaces were built at the same time, giving the craftsmen enough rights and funds to study the method of direct steelmaking.

In this era, steel was made of iron after being tempered thousands of times, not directly smelted.

Even the eldest grandson family, who has the most powerful smelting skills, is no exception.

Moreover, the quality of iron at this time is also more worrisome.

This is also the reason why the iron-making workshop of the Chu Wangfu has not sold iron to the outside world.

"Lord Wang, you see, these steel ingots are poured out of the molten iron that was just poured out of the furnace the day before yesterday. In the past two days, I have compared the horizontal knives made of these ingots with those made of other stainless steels, and they are no worse than those steels that have been tempered for thousands of years. ”

Dai Quan excitedly introduced the steel ingot in front of him.

To be honest, before smelting these ingots, he had doubts about whether he could really make steel directly.

After all, since ancient times, steel has been made from iron.

Fortunately, the prince brought miracles to people as always, and he did not hesitate to spend three or four years just to really smelt steel.

"Which of these two horizontal knives is made of steel from our workshop?"

Although Li Kuan was very happy in his heart, he was not as excited as Dai Quan.

After all, I knew that this thing would succeed sooner or later.

"Lord Wang, it's this, look at this gap, it's a little smaller than the one next to it, which is enough to show that the steel directly smelted in our workshop is not bad at all."

In these years, to evaluate whether a piece of steel is good or not, there is no tensile testing machine, no bending testing machine, no tensile strength can be measured, and no understanding of its yield strength, can only use the most primitive method to judge.

Besides, Datang's steel production level is also internationally leading, with a long history, and its own set of standards for evaluating good or bad.

"Lord Wang, this horizontal knife looks almost without any patterns, but the one next to it is full of beautiful patterns, why don't you come down and try these two horizontal knives?"

As a martial arts student, Xue Li has his own set of judgment standards for the quality of steel swords.

Judging from his understanding, Dai Quan's holding a knife does not look like a good knife at all.

Could it be that this old Dai has been in the palace for a long time, and he has made enough credit, so he dares to start deceiving the prince?

"What Rengui said is reasonable, Lord Wang, let's give it a try."

Xi Junmai's understanding is obviously similar to Xue Li's.

In fact, whether it is a general or a blacksmith in this era, they will basically refer to this method to judge the quality of a steel knife.

Iron in ancient times contained not only a lot of carbon, but also a lot of sulfur and phosphorus.

Through forging, the iron is exposed to the air in a red-hot state, so that carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus are oxidized and removed.

This is also why everyone can always hear the sound of "clang, clang" in the blacksmith shop.

Even in the later nineties, such scenes could still be seen in some rural areas.

Of course, the blacksmith only knows how to do it, and as for why, he doesn't understand.

"Okay, if you want to try, give it a try."

Li Kuan saw that Xue Li and Xi Junmai both looked like they didn't believe what Dai Quan said, and they were also amused.

Although he is not sure what the quality level of the steel ingots in front of him is, Li Kuan believes that these steel ingots are really smelted directly from the furnace.

With a hundred guts, he did not dare to deceive himself in such a matter.

"Xue Langjun, Xi Langjun, if you want to try, you can go to the side and try it, little old man, I will continue to introduce to the prince how the steel ingot is smelted."

Although Li Kuan reminded the craftsmen of the ironmaking workshop some precautions for steelmaking, Dai Quan did not think that Li Kuan really knew how steel was made.

It's rare to have such a good opportunity today, so he naturally wants to introduce some iron-making workshops, well, to be precise, steel-making workshops, the achievements of the past two years.

Otherwise, at the end of each year, when Wang Xuance convened a meeting of the shopkeepers of various workshops, the people in the ironmaking workshop kept their heads down and kept silent, allowing other shopkeepers to gossip there, and these grievances would be in vain.

"It's okay, Dai Quan, you can say it, this king listens. The two of you are also sharp, and the left and right are just a matter of slashing each other a few times. ”

Li Kuan could naturally understand Dai Quan's displeasure, but he could also understand Xue Li and Xi Jun's thoughts, so he simply went there and made a mud.

Left and right is not much of a deal.

It's just that everyone's level of understanding is not on the same level.

"Bang!"

Xue Li and Xi Junmai glanced at each other, took a few steps to the side, and then each raised his horizontal knife and slashed at each other.

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