Zhangjia blacksmith shop coal-fired iron-making began in Zhang Deli, coal has long been used in the north, because of its frequent smoke poisoning deaths, no promotion, coupled with the south of the coal resources are few, no one cares, in recent years, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, these several port areas, due to the convenience of shipping, coal burning gradually began to become popular, coal is characterized by burn-resistance, high temperature, of course, also cheap, many places kiln, porcelain are changed to coal, the effect is good.

The Zhan family's north and south freight stores didn't know where to get some coal to pay off debts, and used a mule cart to pull a few trucks to send them to Zhangjiajiang's shop, and tried it on the Laojun furnace, and couldn't stop.

In fact, few people knew at that time that the iron ore in this area was quite rich, but this iron is not easy to refine, because the ore here contains tungsten, which was called wolframite in later generations, which is the kind of blackened iron ore, even if the iron ore that is not black is selected, it also contains a certain amount of tungsten. Tungsten steel is a kind of steel with high value, it itself is temperature resistant, high hardness, is the preferred material for the manufacture of guns and firearms, of course, the production of knives is not a problem, the sword and knife are inseparable from tungsten steel.

Good tungsten steel must be smelted at high temperature, otherwise it can only be iron containing impurities, peers say that the local private pig iron, the quality is too poor, can only be used roughly, hit an iron nail, furnace, etc., it is not cost-effective. The Zhang family is otherwise, the temperature conditions for steelmaking are available in the providence of heaven, and the iron smelted by Laojun's furnace is absolutely superior, but no one can explain why.

When the Zhang family used coal on the Laojun furnace, it was no longer a dream to smelt "iron".

Everyone in the world knows that good steel is made by hammering it all the time, but the experts know better that if the iron embryo is not good, even if it is tempered thousands of times, it will be in vain. It's like making noodles, the best white flour is kneaded a few times, if the wheat bran content in the flour is high, it will be difficult to knead it, of course, as long as you knead it hard, but it is far worse than white flour. The same is true of steel, even if it is tempered, it is not possible to get good steel.

Since the Zhang family set up the furnace, they have set several furnace rules, one of which is not to make weapons. How do I delimit a weapon? Does a pig-killing knife count? Anyway, depending on what you say, if you say it in a small way, no one asks! Say it to the big one, lose your head! It all depends on the mouth of an official, whether it is a craftsman or a businessman, he does not dare to cross the thunder pool.

Zhang Deli was fifty-eight that year, and his grandson Zhang Yingquan was also born and had just turned one year old. Suddenly, one day, the Zhan family brought a message from the county seat, and Han Jingshi of Han County, Jin County, was invited.

Who is the county? It is equivalent to the current deputy county magistrate, second only to the magistrate of the county, and it is said that he was originally a military Beijing official: the Seven Rank Ceremony. Later, he was assigned to the civilian position: Bapin County Cheng. According to the principle of high literature and low martial arts, in essence, it is to be promoted, you must know that there is no county in general, Jin County is a big county, and the county is a fat shortage.

After I went, I learned that Han County had a knife, calling himself a treasure knife, because he rescued an envoy from the Western Regions, the thank you gift given by others, I heard that it was paired with a pair called "Damascus knife" in the upper study of the palace, which is a rare thing.

Playing with this kind of treasure knife is an identity, showing off!

In the first two years, Han County Chengyi didn't pay attention, slid the knife to the ground, and was trampled on by the horse's hooves. Looking around for a blacksmith to pick it up, no one took this job, it was not a matter of money, people said: This knife is difficult to take! One is that the pattern on the knife can not be connected, the second is that it is not guaranteed to be strong after it is connected, and if it is re-forged after melting, it is not guaranteed, which is very different from the original knife. How can this work?

After coming to Jinxian, I heard that the Zhang family had three knives, and the folk reputation was good, so I visited the Zhan family goods store to have a request to repair the treasure knife.

Zhang Deli was curious, and repeatedly weighed the broken knife, this knife, as big as a pig-killing knife, a single-sided blade, a sheepskin scabbard, hanging on the waist is also an ornament. The blade is forged by the best "iron" layer by layer, and then carefully laid out with a hand hammer, the hammer is stacked like fish scales, neat, regular and shaped, forming a dazzling pattern, if it is not a thousand hammers, it can be seen that it is not a loss of the Western Regions.

Zhang Deli then thought about it, and imitated a new knife like this, so that he could comprehend the skills of the Western Regions, as for the materials? Recently, there are two furnaces of high-quality iron in the newly baked iron, which are not worse than this knife, otherwise how can it be: as soon as the connoisseur makes a shot, he will know if there is one.

After returning to the craftsman's shop, he made a knife with one mind, striving for size, weight, and pattern, which was realistic, and finally after quenching and polishing, it took three days to make it successfully.

Sure enough, it is extremely sharp, and the sound of finger attacks is more crisp, if you don't compare it with the original knife, you really can't see that this is a fake, have you ever seen a fake that is better than the real thing?

Han County Chengbao knife was restored, of course, overjoyed, patted his chest and promised: If there is something in the future, even if you look for this official, you will definitely open the road in the mountains and build a bridge in the water.

I thought this incident was a good story, but I would have thought that half a year later, Han Xiancheng was suspected of "trespassing with a knife" and the general's camp was locked up.

What's going on? Lin Chong's version of trespassing in the White Tiger Festival Hall?

Within a few days, the two catchers came to Zhang's craftsman's shop: "Which one is Zhang Deli?" ”

Before he could react, another catcher said, "Follow me to the lobby to hear the trial!" ”

The faces of the people were terrified, and they were ...... panicked.

Han Xiancheng was obviously invited to the camp, and the camp gate also said that the short knife was okay, but no one admitted it! What is this not a frame-up?

There is a eunuch who came to Jiangnan to buy and identified, knowing this knife, it is the "Damascus knife" in the study in the palace, and I saw it in person a year ago, and at that time Han Xiancheng happened to be in the capital to serve as a ceremony, if you can't tell the origin, this matter can be big, and then imagine that if the treasure knife in the palace is stolen, it is even more indisputable.

One word: injustice!.

Sitting in the hall is a huge person from the county.

Han Xiancheng was furious: "I'll say it again, this knife was broken into two knots two years ago, and there are several people in the Department of Ceremonies to witness, and it was not repaired until half a year ago, even if someone sees the knife in the palace, it can't be this knife?" ”

"Zhang Deli bring!"

"Wow! …………”

"Smack!" After the sound of the startling wood, he continued, "Blacksmith Zhang, you took this knife?" ”

"Reply to adults, yes!"

"Smack! Why don't you see the seams? ”

"Returning to adults, no...... It's ......"

"Huh?!"

Zhang Deli didn't want to hide anything, so he made it clear.

The next day, the official retrieved the two fragment knives and ascended to the court again.

"Wow! …………”

"Smack! Blacksmith Zhang, this imitation Western Regions knife is made of good iron? The official asks you, where did this come from? ”

"Back to adults! Two years ago, I bought it in a shop in Quzhou Mansion. ”

"You are guilty!"

"Back to my lord's words, the imperial court has a monopoly on salt and iron, and the villain is saved, but this is the iron material obtained from bartering, my lord Mingjian!" Zhang Deli had to lie, mining and smelting iron ore without permission was also a crime!

"Smack! What is the crime of making weapons privately? ”

Zhang Deli chuckled in his heart, which pot is not opened and which pot is not mentioned, this is also a weapon? But what is it if it is not a weapon?

"My lord! My lord! Wronged ......"

"Quit!"

Five days later, the verdict was announced: Han Jingshi broke into the general's camp with a knife, violated the camp system, and reported to the patrol government to deprive him of official goods, and he was released and returned to the country; Zhang was guilty of making weapons for profit, which violated the laws of the Qing Dynasty, and considering that he was old, he was exempted from hard labor, and was sentenced to three years in prison and fined three hundred taels of silver.

Zhang Deli instantly saw Pang Zhixian's eyes flickering, and suddenly realized that this was the fighting method between the county and the county, and he was just a grass man who was established.

After his release from the three-year sentence, Zhang Deli was so ill that he could no longer use the hammer in the furnace, and he died two years later at the age of 60.

Han County Cheng has no official, restored Han Jingshi's true colors, and returned to his hometown in Qiantang. This matter was quickly forgotten by the people of Shanzhen!