Chapter 119: How Steel Is Made (2)

The place is not far away, just in the east of Xinzhou City, the name is Dingxiang.

Looking at the mountains full of ores, Fang Zhongyong was overjoyed, and then sad.

Boss Zhe asked in a low voice, "Why is the big handsome unhappy?" That's worth more than coal! ”

"I can't ask for it, tossing and turning!"

The Buddha said that there are eight sufferings in life, birth, old age, sickness and death, resentment and hatred, love and separation, and the five yin are blazing, and they can't ask for it.

Fang Zhongyong's five yin are now flourishing, all because he can't ask for it.

Farewell, my Vale. Farewell, my BHP Billiton.

"Smash!"

Everyone saw that the handsome man was angry, although they didn't know why they were angry, but as a subordinate, how could they not worry about the officials?

Smash it. Smash hard.

When the refractory furnace was built, Fang Zhongyong gave an order: "Burn him!" Uh-no, burn it. ”

In an instant, thousands of pounds of iron ore were thrown into the furnace.

It sounds like a lot, but how much ore weighs? It's just a small pile of dark red stones.

When the ore was in a molten state, Fang Zhongyong put in a little iron ore powder, and ordered Lux to increase the blast. Seeing that the reaction was a little slow, he handed Di Qing, who had the greatest strength, an iron rod: "Have you fried vegetables?"

Di Qing looked confused: "What?"

"Less nonsense! As soon as I sprinkle the mineral powder, you start stirring the molten iron, just like stir-frying with a shovel. ”

Di Qing tried to stir it, the molten iron was viscous, where was it so easy to stir?

Di Qing tore off his robe, revealing the tendons and flesh of his body, and shouted again, dancing the iron rod, which was really as light as stir-frying.

Looking at Di Qing's career line, uh no, vest line, and uh no, mermaid line, Fang Zhongyong was envious.

Good guy, this muscle, coupled with the beautiful face of the prosperous world that can be broken by blowing bullets, is a proper young woman killer! No wonder people wear masks when they fight, this is for fear of envy, jealousy and hatred of the enemy!

Stir and refine.

Stir again and refine until there are no more impurities in the soup.

Fang Zhongyong shouted: "Cook!"

A craftsman opened the valve, and a thick pot of iron juice slowly flowed out along the pre-dug tunnel.

After it was completely cooled down, the craftsman excitedly shouted: "More than 300 catties of refined iron." God, you can produce 10,000 catties of fine iron in a month! ”

Looking at the excited crowd around him, Fang Zhongyong felt a little ridiculous.

The steelmaking mill, which produces 10,000 catties of iron a month, should have been shut down a long time ago, right? Where's the excitement?

In fact, it's not to blame everyone for being rare and weird.

If you want to say that there are iron factories with an annual output of 100,000 catties, there are still a lot of them in the Great Song Dynasty. Iron coins cast by the imperial court (ancient version of steel hammers?) The agricultural tools used by the people, and most importantly, the weapons and armor needed by the sergeants, which is not a big iron eater?

It has been estimated that the annual output of steel during the Northern Song Dynasty should be about 100,000 tons.

If you really want to count on this bit of iron cast by Fang Zhongyong, the Great Song Dynasty has already been destroyed by others eight hundred times.

But iron and iron are not the same.

The 300 catties of refined iron produced by this furnace are roughly equivalent to the standard medium carbon steel of later generations. Although the strength is not as good as manganese steel and tungsten steel, it is not even as good as 100 steel. However, it could not stand with high efficiency, and with a little forging, it could meet the equipment needs of four or five hoplites.

If you set up 100 of the same furnace, you can equip 10,000 people in a month, 100,000 a year, 100 million in 10 years is not a dream!

Imagine what it would have been like to have a million iron riders in the 11th century. That picture, Meidi is very!

Fang Zhongyong was not the same as the vulgar, and muttered to himself: "Only so much after a busy day?" It shouldn't be! ”

Ask the professional: "Blacksmith, what do you think of the iron made by this method?"

The blacksmith looked at it carefully and said, "It's worse than 100 steel, but it's still much stronger than wrought iron, and with a little tempering, you can make blades and armor."

Thinking of the complicated process of 100 steel, Fang Zhongyong shook his head: "It's too slow!" ”

Looking for Cheng Kan, Fang Zhongyong's handwritten three secrets of the steel filling method:

First, the pig iron sheet is embedded in the middle of the coiled wrought iron bar, and the steelmaking furnace is sealed with mud for smelting;

The second method is to cover the pig iron sheet on a number of wrought iron sheets that are tightly bundled, so that the pig iron liquid can better and evenly penetrate into the wrought iron, and cover the furnace mouth with mud-coated straw shoes instead of mud sealing, so that the pig iron is easier to melt, so as to improve the efficiency of smelting;

The third method is to take wrought iron as the material iron, place it in the furnace, and put the pig iron plate at the furnace mouth, when the pig iron plate begins to melt, both use the fire tongs to clamp the pig iron plate to move left and right, and constantly turn the material iron, so that the material iron is evenly poured into the pig iron liquid; In this way, it can not only produce a good carburizing effect, but also produce a violent oxidation effect, so that the iron and slag are separated, and the steel with less slag and uniform composition can be produced.

Cheng Kan looked at it and was shocked: "There is such a talented man in the world?" How did you learn about this method of frying and filling steel? ”

Fang Zhongyong smiled: "Fortunately, you didn't say that there is such a beautiful woman in the world!" This technique of frying steel was present in the Han Dynasty. It's just that future generations are not good and have not carried it forward, and I don't dare to steal it for myself. As for this steel filling method, it was actually created by Qi Wuhuaiwen of the Northern Qi Dynasty. It requires a lot of pig iron and wrought iron as raw materials, which is a secondary processing. Only the imperial court had the ability and conditions to carry out the steel filling method and forge more and more tough weapons for the soldiers.

By the way, please add a sentence to the recital: Strictly order Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du to know the new method of steelmaking, and all craftsmen who master this method will be strictly controlled and must not be leaked. If this method flows into Western Xia and Northern Liao, you know the consequences. ”

Cheng Kan said with a smile: "It seems that Zhongyong and Zeng Gongliang have a deep grudge!" ”

"It's just a personal grudge, uh no, it's not even a personal grudge. This public article and talent are excellent, but the book is too angry and not suitable for military affairs. Soldiers, treacherous ways. If you let a sincere person take charge of the army, you are actually harming the soldiers. ”

Fang Zhongyong continued: "The scale of these three methods is different, and the effect is different. Ask the craftsman to experiment carefully to find out the good and the bad. If the steel filling method is feasible, there are still a few words in the late life that please remember for adults: use soft iron as the spine of the knife, bathe with the drowning of five animals, and quench the fat of five animals. This method can make the edge of the sword sharp, strengthen the toughness of the spine, and save steel. Those who are not reliable cannot be taught. ”

Cheng Kan smiled bitterly: "The old man is just a literati, how can he master a lot of military aircraft today?" I'm nervous! ”

Thinking of losing Bao Qingtian's reputation, Fang Zhongyong said: "If Cheng Gong is unwilling to implicate too much, he might as well recommend Bao Zheng to be the young superintendent of weapons." Well, it seems that this benevolent brother is currently only an eight-grade magistrate, and it may be a little difficult to improve suddenly. It depends on how Cheng Gong operates. ”

"Zhongyong and Bao Xiren have an old relationship?"

"I've never met. It's just that I heard that this person is extremely filial, and he only took up an official position for ten years, and he is not a person who is consumed by profit. But those who are filial will never be worse in character. And his temperament is severe and upright, and he is suitable for doing those confidential things, so that there are no loopholes for the rats to drill. ”

In these years, the saying that filial piety people can be trusted is extremely popular, and there was no title of filial piety in ancient times?

Cheng Kan has also heard of Bao Zheng's filial piety for a long time, and he has nothing to do.

Fang Zhongyong said to Dou Shouzhi who was probing his brain: "Don't peep there, be careful to treat you for the crime of spying on military intelligence." You have heard what I said to Master Cheng! It's your duty to give back how you want to reciprocate, and no one will blame you. ”

Dou Shouzhi hurriedly bowed and saluted: "What the slave does is an unpleasant errand, and I have thanked the two adults first." It's just that the slave and maid have a word, I don't know if I should say it or not? ”

Fang Zhongyong smiled: "If you know it's not appropriate to talk about it, don't talk about it." ”

"Master Xie. Belch? ”

Dou Shouzhi is about to cry, you don't play cards according to the routine!

Cheng Kan is still steady: "Zhongyong, don't play Dou Huangmen." Dou Huangmen, if you have anything to say, just say it! ”

"Thank you, two adults. Slaves and maids read little, but they also know the truth that hearing is false and seeing is believing. It's better for us to test it, and fortunately, there will be less trouble when the ordnance supervision is implemented. ”

Don't look at Dou Shouzhi as just a small chamberlain, what he represents at the moment may be Chen Lin, who is known as the prime minister.

Cheng Kan scolded with a smile: "You little eunuch, dare to question it?" Or would you like to open the eyes of this pickled goods? ”

"It's not difficult to audition, but you can't let me come in person, right? I'm afraid that it will still fall on the blacksmith, aren't you afraid that he will leak secrets? ”

Dou Shouzhi said in a low voice: "What's so difficult about this? Left and right are just a knife. ”

Cheng Kan, a guy who claims to be asking for the people's life, actually stroked his beard and said: "Although it is a little cruel, it is a way to save trouble."

Fang Zhongyong jumped up: "No! If the enemy country is a barbarian, if you kill it, you will kill it. But the people were so innocent that they were rashly killed just because of a trumped-up crime. In that case, how is the difference between my generation and leading beasts to eat people?

Dou Shouzhi, I warn you, if you let me know that if you kill one of the good people of the Great Song Dynasty, I will cut off one of your limbs. Hear clearly, it's a limb, not a finger. Let's see how many times you can cut it? Don't think that with the protection of Gonggong Chen, when the time comes, the king of heaven will not be able to save you. ”

Cheng Kan laughed: "Zhongyong doesn't need to be angry, it's all the old man's idea." The old man sees that you are messing with the military all day long, lest you forget the way of the gentleman's benevolence and forgiveness. Looking at your performance, the old man is really relieved. ”

Dou Shouzhi also smiled and said: "How can a slave and maid have the courage to kill the people in vain!" If he really did that, without Lord Fang's hands, Gonggong Chen would be able to chop the slave alive. However, rashly handing over important military matters to ordinary people, I am afraid that there will be trouble! ”

"What's so hard about that? If the blacksmith had a background, wouldn't it be easy to rule. ”

Fang Zhongyong called the blacksmith: "What is your surname, and how many people are there in your family?"

The blacksmith replied, "The youngest is surnamed Tie, and he is the fourth." There is also a mother-in-law and a stupid son at home. ”

"There's a little future ahead for you. If you are able to smelt a large amount of steel and make a fine blade according to the law given by the Commander, the Commander can ensure that you are the Armory Supervisor of the Crossbow Workshop. Although it has not yet entered the product, it is also a good position only under Jiupin County. ”

Coaxing honest people, I don't know if it will cause a divine thunder to fall, anyway, Fang Zhongyong hid behind Dou Shouzhi.

The blacksmith couldn't believe it: "The little one can only make steel and make iron, and he can become an official?"

"Actually, he is not an official, but he can already enjoy the court. Of course, if you can really make a divine weapon, or make great achievements in the method of forging steel, it is not impossible for you to be promoted to a rank and become a streamer. ”

Fang Zhong never minded giving this tip hope, although it may be a little distant.

But Fang Zhongyong underestimated the Chinese people's pursuit of fame and fortune. Don't say that there is hope to enter the product, just a simple public meal is already a great honor.

Tie Si was like beating chicken blood, roaring and roaring to make a fire, and forging it according to the steel filling method that Fang Zhongyong said.

Maybe it's a lot of skill, maybe it's a bit of luck, the new out of the pot, uh no, the new steel quality is surprisingly good and even better than 100 steel.

How do you know, you ask? Just look at the way the boss cries bitterly holding his open-minded short knife.

Dou Shouzhi's eyes were red. Pulled Tie Si and said viciously: "Immediately explain your residence, Lao Tzu will send someone, no, Lao Tzu will personally go and take your family over." From now on, you will die of old age in this mine. Without the permission of the Imperial City Division, you don't want to go anywhere. ”

Cheng Kan also couldn't help himself: "My generation of scholars claims to read through poetry and books in vain, but they don't even know such a wonderful method." What a shame on the sages! ”

After Cheng Kan calmed down, he remembered his duties again and asked a question: "What does Zhong Yongke have in mind about this weapon construction?"

"No idea. Such a sharp weapon, Angelica is state-owned, and only this coke is enough to eat in later life. Money is just a number to me, and I've never had much interest in it. ”

Maybe this sentence was too high, and Cheng Kan didn't understand it for a while.

It doesn't matter, he won't understand in the future.