The dense sound of firecrackers crackled, and in the entire Luanhe River Valley, people's shouts were heard: "The iron is out!" ”

Seeing the joy of everyone, Zeng Yuheng, Tan Tingxiang and other officials also showed a look of relief. No matter what you think, it is always pleasant to be able to contribute to the court and the people and feel your achievements.

"Congratulations to Lord Tan, congratulations to Lord Tan! And my lords, congratulations to everyone, the production of molten iron at the Zhili Iron Works is not only a great event for Zhili, but also a great event for the entire imperial court and the entire Chinese Empire! I suggest that Lord Tan issue a recital to report the good news to the court and His Majesty! Zeng Yuheng was also a little excited, and congratulated Tan Tingxiang and the officials with his fists.

"Hahahaha, thank you for the reminder! Otherwise, Tan would have really forgotten about it! Yes, yes, immediately draft a recital and give good tidings to Your Majesty! Tan Tingxiang's sudden realization, which made Zeng Yuheng secretly amused, anyone who will forget to report to the imperial court, you Tan Tingxiang will not forget, he naturally will not say this, but said flatteringly: "Zeng Mou also immediately sent someone to Tianjin City to send a telegram to Shengjing, to report to His Majesty and the cabinet, Lord Tan and all the adults have worked hard for the imperial court, Zeng Mou sees it in his eyes and feels it in his heart, and he should do his best to publicize the merits of all the adults!" Not for anything else, but for the hearts of the people, for our Chinese imperial steel industry to flourish as soon as possible. ”

As he spoke, Zeng Yuheng bowed to the officials present, and saluted the craftsmen of the iron factory who were still working, causing everyone to bow and thank them.

However, Zeng Yuheng then took this opportunity to talk about his plans: "Have you designed the development plan of Zhili Iron Works? ”

Tan Tingxiang also did his homework on mining iron ore and opening an iron factory, and he was a little confused about what Zeng Yuheng said, and he looked at the envoys of Hong Guan, the governor of Yongping Prefecture, Pei Yinggeng, the governor of Luanzhou, and the officials of the Public Works Department, and asked them to come forward to answer, but unfortunately, they did not have any good ideas. In desperation, Tan Tingxiang said: "Lord Zeng, we have thought about developing a large-scale steel plant that can make both iron and steel. Therefore, we are ready to build two more steel mills, as well as a rail plant. It's just that the technology in this area is relatively lacking, and I am preparing to apply to your ministry for a few officials who understand technology to guide and guide. ”

Zeng Yuheng shook his head and said, "Don't do this! There are not many officials in the Ministry of Public Works who understand steelmaking technology, and even if they do, they are only in a single aspect, not in the planning of a comprehensive steel industry. Today, according to the output and scale of the Zhili Iron Works, plus the output of the Sijiaying Iron Mine, it is second to none in China, and only a few large steel companies such as Krupp Iron and Steel Company, Nanyang Iron and Steel Company, Shengjing Iron and Steel Plant, Ma'anshan Iron and Steel Plant and other directors or chief engineers have such planning capabilities.

Therefore, I suggest that Lord Tan can take the initiative to petition the cabinet or directly to His Majesty, asking for the transfer of special personnel from these large iron and steel companies to plan and rebuild the Zhili Iron Works, so as to build the current simple iron works into a comprehensive large-scale steel base!

By the way, Lord Tan, the fuel used by your Zhili Iron Works is coke ironmaking? ”

Tan Tingxiang frowned: "Coke, I know this coke, the directors of your ministry who came to guide have mentioned it, and the subordinates of our public works department also suggested to Tan that we have built a workshop specializing in the production of coke, and the output is not very high, and it is only a few thousand catties per day." However, this coke is too troublesome, and the iron plant is about to be put into operation, and it is too late in time, so we use this coke as an introduction to ignite the high-quality coal in Luanzhou Tangjiazhuang Coal Mine, but it will also live up to its mission and refine this molten iron. Why, Lord Zeng, does this steel mill have to use coke? ”

Zeng Yuheng frowned even more, he was a little angry, the manual wrote, although it is for small iron and steel factories at the level of prefectures and counties, but it is also clearly written the most conventional process of ironmaking and steelmaking, among which the raw materials are written very clearly, there must be enough iron ore, coal and limestone, etc., and coal is best to be made into coke, one side has a large calorific value, and can quickly increase the furnace temperature. Moreover, not only does it solve the problem of fuel heating, but also the texture of coke is hard and can withstand greater pressure, so that the furnace can be heightened and enlarged, so that a blast furnace with a larger volume can be made, and the ironmaking output can be greatly increased. Coke is porous and breathable, which is conducive to the so-called chemical reaction in the ironmaking process, and is an ideal fuel and reducing agent, and can also produce coal gas, which is very useful in ironmaking and steelmaking. It's just that Zeng Yuheng understands that even he only knows that these profound truths should be like this, but he doesn't know why he wants to do this, and it is strange to tell Tan Tingxiang, an official who has never been in contact with natural science, to understand it.

Zeng Yuheng also remembered at this time that although the No. 1 blast furnace had a closed roof and a channel device that used gas to heat the blast, it didn't seem to be used.

Zeng Yuheng couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Smelting steel is not so easy, coke must be used. Master Tan, let's put it this way, the output of coke can be doubled compared with the use of coke, the use of coal can be reduced, and the quality of molten iron is much better.

In addition to the coke plant, the Zhili Iron Plant must also be equipped with a series of auxiliary plants, such as raw materials, there must be a selection plant for the analysis and selection of iron ore, a coal washing plant, and the selected iron ore may also involve the subsequent process requirements of oremaking, uniform crushing, etc., but also equipped with some other ores, which has a batching plant, in addition to a limestone plant, and even the transportation and reuse of slag, or the manufacture of phosphate fertilizer, must set up a tailings treatment plant and so on. The main factory is not only a steelmaking plant and a rail factory, because the steelmaking plant should set up the steelmaking process according to the actual situation, and the steelmaking process must be considered from various aspects such as raw materials and product finalization. Generally speaking, converter steelmaking mills and open-hearth steelmaking plants, rail mills, rolling mills, wrought iron mills, bolt factories and other conventional steel branches, as well as machine factories, iron casting plants, iron-making factories, hook nail factories, steel mills, special steel mills and so on. All of this requires specialized personnel to gather information and carry out targeted planning. ”

Tan Tingxiang was a little unhappy in his heart, secretly thinking about steel, before you came, we didn't build it with our own strength, and we also produced molten iron? Your Ministry of Public Works wants to intervene, but you just want to make a political achievement.

But his face was full of shame, and he said, "What Lord Zeng said is true! Tan arranged for someone to ask your ministry for help, and implored the imperial court to send professional personnel to help the Zhili Iron Works plan, so that our Zhili Iron Works can develop into the largest steel plant in the north and even the entire empire! ”

Zeng Yuheng nodded and said, "Anyway, Lord Tan can establish the Zhili Iron Factory, which is a great achievement!" Some subsequent steelmaking plants and other auxiliary plants will be established after the unified planning is completed. Lord Tan has worked hard for the development of the steel industry in Zhili, and Zeng will definitely mention it in front of His Majesty! Especially what Zeng Mou said to Lord Tan just now, what His Majesty hopes most is to establish a large-scale comprehensive iron and steel company, rather than a simple iron factory. ”

Tan Tingxiang was stunned when he heard this, knowing that his mind was seen through by Zeng Yuheng, and when the other party said this, he naturally reminded himself that as long as he did what he said, he would recommend his own merits to His Majesty.

So, Tan Tingxiang smiled, and he didn't dare to slander Zeng Yuheng in front of him anymore, and said gratefully: "Then there is Master Lao Zeng!" ”

As he was talking, a messenger from the Zhili Governor Yamen who was riding a fast horse hurriedly came over and reported to Tan Tingxiang: "Lord Futai, there is an important official document issued by the imperial court. As he spoke, he handed the telegram compilation document in his hand to Tan Tingxiang.

Tan Tingxiang took a look, laughed, and handed the document to Zeng Yuheng with a happy face: "Lord Zeng, great joy!" As I just said, the steel industry, the imperial court decided to speed up the development of the iron and steel industry! ”