The craftsman said, "Steel made by the ordinary method is easy to be brittle." In this way, I can make the steel tough by adding something cheap to the molten iron. ”

Li Buqi had already roughly guessed what he added to the molten iron in his heart, and couldn't help but be taken aback: "This method has already been invented in this era?" The wisdom of the ancients is truly unfathomable. ”

Seeing that the officials and craftsmen were all stretching their necks to look at it, Li Buqi naturally would not let go of this opportunity to buy horse bones, and immediately said: "If this method is really useful, it is that the reward of the imperial court is not satisfactory, and I will also ask the official family to reward it again." This is not the place to talk, you can talk about it when I go back. ”

Li Buqi's reputation has always been guaranteed, and the old craftsman happily followed Li Buqi to Li Buqi's office. Li Buqi sent people out after bringing tea, and then asked the old craftsman what he wanted. Exactly like Li Buqi's speculation, the old craftsman's method was to add lime to the iron-making furnace.

Li Buqi was engaged in chemistry before the crossing, and of course he knew that adding lime to the blast furnace could remove the sulfur and phosphorus brought in by the iron ore, which not only improved the quality of steel, but also had a great benefit. Coal contains sulfur, so using coal to make iron will cause high sulfur impurities in the steel, resulting in very brittle steel, adding lime and sulfur to form a precipitate, you can use coal to make steel directly, no need to cut trees to burn charcoal.

It's not that Li Buqi hasn't thought about using this method to develop the steel industry in the future, but he doesn't want people to see him as an omniscient immortal, so he has been thinking about how to naturally lead this method out. I didn't expect it to take all the effort!

However, the old craftsman's method is still very primitive and crude, and there will be many problems. For example, the nature of the slag will change after adding lime, and how to produce the slag is a problem, so Li Buqi asked why it had not been presented to the imperial court before. Under Li Buqi's repeated questioning and side knocks, the old craftsman finally said that he had offered this method before, but the official at that time thought that adding lime to molten iron would increase waste, which was pure nonsense, so he stuck this matter.

Li Buqi was no longer able to complain about the civil officials' thoughts, but he wrote a document on the spot asking for a reward for the old man, and promised the old man that he would definitely strive for a satisfactory result. In the end, Li Buqi told the old craftsman that if he went to the royal test ground to improve this method, he would get more rewards. The old craftsman's face blossomed, and he thanked him again and again before leaving.

There are masters in the people, and they don't know when they will be able to pick up treasures. Li Buqi wrote another notice for the calligraphers to copy, and posted one in each workshop, telling the craftsmen and officials in each workshop that anyone who could improve production efficiency and product quality could be rewarded, even if the self-created method of tying knots on armor was better than other methods, they could also be rewarded.

As the director of the Salt and Iron Division, Liu Xiang's top boss reported Li Buqi's every move to him every day, but there was nothing of value. The second examination that Li Buqi said was held as scheduled, but as a result, another director and two petty officials were suspended. These people went to Liu Xiang to complain, which made Zhang Yaozuo a little worried, but he didn't expect Liu Xiang to settle the matter, greeted Wang Gongchen and arranged these people to other departments.

After two exams in a row, Li Buqi won several people, and the authority of the case was established at once. But Zhang Yaozuo was even more worried, and when he returned home, he called Master Huang over.

Master Huang walked into Zhang Yaozuo's study and asked, "The official is back, but is there something wrong?" ”

Zhang Yaozuo asked Master Huang to sit down before saying: "Today, Li Buqi fired a few more people out of the case, Liu Yushi and Wang Jixiang did not take the opportunity to make trouble, but calmed the matter. This is most likely an attempt to capture the past, similar to the latter situation we expected, it seems that Wang Jixiang really did not just drive Li Buqi out of the third division. ”

Master Huang thought about it for a while, and said with a confident look: "Actually, I don't think the officials need to worry too much about it now. How many actions did we deduce after Li Buqi entered the main case? But who would have thought that Li Buqi would get an exam, and now he will be deposed if he wants to be deposed, and he will be promoted if he wants to be promoted, and no one can say anything. At that time, we didn't expect it, but we were afraid that Ji Xiang would not think that passing the two exams would deter the top and bottom of the case, grasp the authority, and make Ji Xiang unable to say anything. ”

Judging from this matter, Li Buqi is afraid that he has already thought it through, and what he will do next will definitely be planned and then moved. Now, according to the situation said by the officials, Li Buqi's power in the case has just begun, and he has an official family as a backer, so it is difficult for the prime minister to find trouble for Li Buqi in his office. If you want to catch Li Buqi again, you can only make up your mind about money, and I'm afraid this is also the reason why Ji Xiang doesn't attack now. However, there are officials watching from the side, and it is not easy for the prime minister to succeed. ”

Zhang Yaozuo pondered for a moment and said, "Mr. is reasonable. It's just that it seems that the old man still has to mention a few more words. If the imperial history wants to check the minister's money, few people can escape. Li does not abandon his family wealth, so it is naturally impossible to be greedy for a few small money. However, I still have to warn him to sort out the minister's money clearly, and don't say anything. ”

Master Huang smiled slightly and said, "It's okay to do a little bit about this matter, as long as you don't let him affect the officials." ”

Zhang Yaozuo shook his head and said: "Although Li Buqi is cautious, it's just that young people are easy to be complacent, and after all, they can't see the depth clearly, so they are afraid that he will make mistakes in small things, so they still have to watch him carefully." ”

Master Huang said: "The officials probably don't know what Li Buqi said in the Royal Public Library yesterday, right? ”

Zhang Yaozuo hurriedly asked, "What did he say?" ”

"Yesterday, Li Bu abandoned the public library and talked about learning with celebrities Shao Yong, Zhang Zai and others, during which he said that the purpose of learning should be 'to establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a life for the people, continue to learn for the saints, and open peace for all generations'. What do the officials think of this sentence? ”

Zhang Yaozuo smashed it for a long time before slapping his thigh: "To the word!" The responsibility of my generation of scholars has been exhausted by this sentence! I can't give up on it. ”

Master Huang said: "Li Buqi first degraded the "Six Classics" as a Mongolian book, and now he says this sentence again, which shows that Li Buqi is quietly doing learning, and he is very thoughtful in learning. Hehe, the officials see that Li Buqi is running a library again, and he is making a topic for people to discuss, if Li Buqi can't be an official, I'm afraid that he will go to study knowledge. Li Buqi has already done a lot of things, if he really goes to study, I am afraid that it will be even more fearful than being an official, isn't this more in line with the intention of officials? Wouldn't it be better to save officials to protect him? ”

Zhang Yaozuo thought for a long time and nodded, "Mr. is right." It's just that I'm afraid that Li won't give up being Tao Zhugong and not being a scholar, so it's better to let him go up the official position, so that there will be no accidents. ”

"Ah, I'm just making a suggestion, and the officials naturally see it better than I do." Master Huang understands very well that he only has the right to make suggestions, and as for how to decide in the end, it is Zhang Yaozuo's business, but as long as this matter is done in the end, he will be indispensable for half a lifetime of wealth.

PS: Resume the double watch, in order to thank you for the love and no reward, today's three watches.