"The matter of iron ore really has to be solved, what is the other problem?"

After understanding the first question, Liu Zheng asked Han Fu another question.

"Another problem is that when we want to refine weapons with higher strength and harder, we encounter difficulties, the strength of the flame in our furnace is not strong enough, and we can't completely remove the impurities inside, so I wonder if the Lord has a way to increase the strength of the flame."

Liu Zheng actually had some understanding of Han Fu's way of building weapons, and when he built stirrups with him before, Liu Zheng had already mastered some of the process of refining pig iron.

For this kind of refining method in ancient times, although it was relatively simple, Liu Zheng actually didn't have much of a way for a while.

First, the iron-making furnace is small, and the amount of iron ore smelted at one time is limited, which is why pig iron is more valuable at this time, and also because although there are many ores, it is not so easy to refine ore into iron.

The second is that the firepower is not large enough, at this stage, most of the iron is generally used to make iron, wood, at most charcoal, the flame temperature of wood, at best, is more than 1,000 degrees, and even the temperature of some wood may only be a few hundred degrees.

It is not so easy to completely remove impurities from iron ore, and higher temperatures are required.

And the way to increase the temperature of the flame, Liu Zheng only knows two.

After all, he is not a professional to learn this, and it is not easy to return to the two, one is to change the fuel, so that the flame fuel for refining pig iron is not wood and charcoal, but into a higher temperature fuel, such as coal.

The flame produced by the combustion of coal is higher than that of wood and charcoal, and the use of coal to smelt pig iron can remove more impurities from the iron ore.

Either way, it is to use a greater external force, such as a blower to support combustion, to raise the temperature of the flame.

Han Fu actually has a blower here, but at this time, it is not called a blower, but called a blower, which is made of leather bellows and wooden frames, with air inlets and exhaust outlets, and several hoops are connected together called a row or row, which can increase the air intake, enhance the firepower of combustion, and quickly increase the furnace temperature to more than 1200 degrees required for ironmaking.

At the earliest, it was driven by human and animal power. Later, Liu Zheng and Han Fu made a transformation, using dozens of oxen and horses to pull large rows and blows, plus hundreds of workers to load ore. This effectively improves the refining of pig iron.

But now I still can't be satisfied, I can only continue to improve. In order to change this situation, we must carry out reforms and get the blower out of this thing.

As soon as Han Fu told Liu Zheng about the difficulties he encountered, Liu Zheng fell into deep thought, and after a while, he had some thoughts in his heart.

"Okay, Uncle Han Fu, I understand what you said, you are busy first, I'll think about it and see how to solve this problem."

After Liu Zheng left from Han Fu's side, he actually had some thoughts in his heart about the two issues that Han Fu said, the first of which was the problem of pig iron.

The problem of pig iron is actually very easy to solve.

First of all, now that the trade between Jiaozhou and Xuzhou has been successful, the problem of pig iron can be directly transported from other places, which can be alleviated in a short time.

Although it was transported from other states and counties, it was still impossible to completely solve the problem of ore shortage, but this was only Liu Zheng's first-hand preparation, and he had other methods.

And this method is Zhu Yazhou, which Liu Zheng has always wanted to develop before!

This place in Zhuyazhou, don't look at him, it is not particularly big, but it is better because of the good climate, and it has been developed into a famous resort area in the future.

He clearly remembered that at that time, Zhuyazhou was the most famous, in addition to tourism, that is, iron ore.

The iron ore in Zhuyazhou was the first in China at that time, and even the first in Asia. The largest iron-rich mine in Asia is Zhuyazhou Island.

If the iron-rich ore on this island can be mined, the source of pig iron under Liu Zheng's command will be endless, and there will be no need to worry about pig iron anymore.

And not only pig iron, but also a lot of gold and silver ore on the island, mining together is enough to supplement military spending, for Liu Zheng, it is no better.

As for the use of coal to fuel combustion, this is not difficult for Liu Zheng, in his previous life, in Yichun County, in fact, there are coal mines, and coal mines are not uncommon, there are some in various places, the difficulty is difficult, in the ancient Han Dynasty, the use of coal mines to make fires is not much, they do not know, this kind of black gold, how much value.

Liu Zheng first ordered someone to go to the vicinity of Hepu to look for black coal, if he didn't find it, then Liu Zheng would directly send someone to look for it near Yichun at that time, and it should be able to be found.

After all, the matter of coal is not very urgent, the most urgent thing is pig iron, so after Liu Zheng learned about the situation on Han Fu's side, the first thing was to find Mi Fang.

In the past two days, under the leadership of Yuan Zhou, Mi Fang has roughly understood some of the customs and customs of Jiaozhou, and also understands what is missing here.

I was planning to buy some things that were missing from Xuzhou and Yangzhou in the past two days, bring them back, and carry out the first wave of trade.

But after Liu Zheng found him, he explained the situation in Jiaozhou, and asked Mi Fang to go to Xuzhou and Yangzhou to buy some pig iron to sell here, Mi Fang agreed in one bite.

Although pig iron, this thing, is relatively scarce in Jiaozhou, but in the Central Plains, especially in Xuzhou, Qingzhou, Yuzhou and other places, there is no shortage.

Mi Fang and they can easily buy some pig iron, and when the time comes, they can directly sell it to Jiaozhou, which is also very easy.

After all, now with the sea route, the transportation of goods from Xuzhou and Jiaozhou is not difficult.

After explaining Mi Fang, Liu Zheng found Xu Huang, now Xu Huang is the general in charge of the defense of the entire Jiaozhou, after Liu Zheng left, all military transfers, all obey Xu Huang's orders.

"Brother Xu Huang."

Xu Huang was soon ordered by Liu Zheng and came to Liu Zheng.

"Lord, you called me?"

"Well, after returning to Jiaozhou, I went to Uncle Han Fu, and I heard that he was worried about the iron mine recently."

"This, it is indeed a more urgent matter, before we recruited soldiers, but Jiaozhou did not have such weapons to equip, so although we have a lot of soldiers and horses now, but there are not enough weapons and equipment, we must solve this problem as soon as possible, otherwise those soldiers and horses under us will not find the corresponding combat power."