After more than two months of hard work, at the beginning of March of the seventh year of Yongjia, Weishuo's long-awaited steel filling method was finally successfully developed by the craftsmen. At the same time, in the process of development, two senior master craftsmen, five intermediate master craftsmen, and dozens of other levels of craftsmen and craftsmen were also born.

Large-scale steelmaking activities, which had not been had the opportunity to be carried out before, were immediately asked to start preparing for the construction of a new steelmaking workshop as soon as the technical reserves were completed. While dispatching relevant master craftsmen to be responsible for technical guidance, he also mobilized 3,000 soldiers to the shore of the salt flats to prepare for the construction of a large steelmaking workshop.

As building materials such as brick, cement, and wood were transported to the water's edge of the salt flats, a huge structure was erected. The new workshop covers an area of 1,000 acres, the wall is about three zhang high, and the workshop can accommodate thousands of people after completion, which is definitely the largest steelmaking workshop in this era.

Nearly dozens of craftsmen who fled from Youzhou and Changli, plus hundreds of apprentices, were all placed in the workshop by Wei Shuo. After a few days, a new steelmaking furnace has now been installed.

"My lord, it's time to get there."

When Wei Shuo was thinking about the operation mode of the first public steelmaking workshop, Feng Xian next to him reminded.

As soon as he entered the workshop, Wei Shuo felt a heat wave rushing towards him, and at the same time, the sound of forging steel and the squeak of the waterwheel ringing in his ears, and a cloud of steam diffused in the workshop, making Wei Shuo feel hot and stuffy in the cold spring season. Less than a cup of tea after entering the workshop, Wei Shuo felt a little sweat oozing from the corners of his forehead.

"Where is the new steelmaking furnace?"

Wei Shuo was very satisfied with the work of the craftsmen, but the most important purpose of his second trip was to inspect the steelmaking method.

"Lord, the new stoves are all over there, and they are close to the salt flat water, so you can use the water resources nearby. You see, the watermills that stand on the shore are used to power the steelworks. ”

A master craftsman pointed to the introduction of the busy crowd in the distance: "Lord, please see, those craftsmen are installing and debugging the new steelmaking furnace. In the next year, we will build 30 steel-making furnaces in the workshop, each of which can produce 30 catties of steel per day. ”

As soon as the master master finished speaking, Feng Xian was shocked and couldn't believe it, "What, what, what?" Master, you don't have a fever, do you? As you said, this workshop alone can produce 300,000 catties of steel in a year? Lord, he ...... They're not mistaken, right? ”

Looking at Feng Xian, who was making some fuss, Wei Shuo couldn't help but pouted and said secretly: "It's only 300 tons of production a year, what's the fuss!" You must know that in modern times, the annual output of any township-level steel mill is enough to beat this 'handicraft workshop' a few streets. ”

"Why do you say this? We are deeply loved by our lord, and we are eager to repay us with death, so why dare we deceive my lord? ”

"Don't blame the master craftsman, I don't mean to be offended, but I am just a little skeptical about the data you provided! At the peak of our dynasty, the annual steel output during the Taikang period was only about two million catties. During the period of Emperor Wu of the former Han Dynasty, there were 48 steel-making workshops in the country, and there were only 4 million catties of steel in a year, and the average annual steel output of a workshop was less than 100,000 catties. ”

"Yes...... However, the master craftsman told me that the steelmaking workshop in front of me can produce 300,000 catties of steel a year, how can I not be surprised and suspicious? ”

"Don't be in a hurry when you are in charge, and listen to the master craftsman!" Wei Shuo stopped the argument between the two and asked the master craftsman to give a detailed introduction to the steelmaking workshop.

"The main reason why the output of this workshop is very high is that we have adopted a new steelmaking method, abandoning the previous steelmaking technology using charcoal as a raw material, and using local coal as the main raw material. This not only greatly increased the temperature in the furnace, but also accelerated the melting of the iron, and the steel produced was of better quality than before. ”

At the same time, according to the suggestions of some senior craftsmen, a large number of hydraulic machinery and assembly line working methods are used in the workshop, which not only saves manpower, but also greatly improves production efficiency. The use of new steelmaking technologies and various mechanical tools is the real reason for the dramatic increase in steelmaking production. ”

"It's no wonder that the lord attaches the most importance to you craftsmen, just one technological innovation has brought about such a huge change. My lord, it seems that it is not for nothing that you are bent on improving the status of craftsmen! ”

Feng Xian is also a little convinced now, after all, he is from a poor family, unlike Kong Su, Liu Zan, Gao Zhan, Pei Wei and other celebrities from families, he has a sense of confidence and pride. The Hanmen scholar knows how to compromise and retreat, he can't have an awkward relationship with Wei Shuo for a long time, and this time he just took the opportunity to go downhill and 'reconcile' with Wei Shuo.

Wei Shuo did not underestimate this because of this, everyone has their own style and principles, as long as it does not harm the interests of others, no matter what others choose, there is nothing to blame. Feng Xian was born in a poor family, and in this era when the family is in power, he naturally knows how to be flexible and compromise better than others.

Led by the master craftsman in charge of the operation of the workshop, Wei Shuo and his party walked towards a furnace that was being installed. Apprentices and men come and go, pushing ore carts and pouring iron ore into the furnace. The faces of the people and apprentices were full of excitement and joy, and they did not have the lifeless appearance that was common in the workshops of the official government.

Since Wei Shuo occupied Liaodong, he abolished the strict personal restrictions imposed by the previous dynasty on the people under his rule, not only issued a slave release decree, but also completely abolished the poll tax, and most importantly, he perfected and established a clear employment system in Liaodong. Under this system, the people profited a lot.

Take the people in this workshop, for example, they work here, not only to earn money to support their families, but also to help their families work. Many of them are nearby farmers, who choose to work in their spare time to earn money, which has become a new trend in Liaodong. While Wei Shuo was pondering, the new stove was finally successfully installed under the guidance of several senior craftsmen.

At this time, the master craftsman in charge introduced: "We have been talking about steel filling just now, what is steel filling? Filled steel is made from pig iron and wrought iron smelted together, which can be used as the edge of a sword, and is a steel with a higher carbon content and better quality. Swords made of this steel will be sharper, and if the soldiers under the command of the lord in the future hold ring-headed knives made of steel, they will be invincible! ”

"Now our senior craftsmen have fully mastered the steel filling method, and can adjust the ratio between pig iron and wrought iron according to the needs according to the characteristics of carbon content in pig iron and low carbon content in wrought iron, so as to obtain the expected carbon content of steel filling. And I have one more good news to tell my lord. ”

"Oh? What's the good news? ”

"Oh, my lord, according to our painstaking research, we have invented a new steelmaking technology on the basis of steel filling - Suzhou Iron and Steel Method, that is, under the condition of high temperature (1300 °C), the molten pig iron is evenly dripped onto the softened iron, and the iron is constantly turned to make it violently oxidized, and then the iron is hammered to remove inclusions. The steel produced by this technology is of higher quality! ”

"Really? Hahaha! I didn't expect there to be an unexpected joy today! ”

Wei Shuo couldn't help but be overjoyed to learn that the craftsmen had developed a new steelmaking technology. At this moment, he really admired the wisdom of the ancient craftsmen from the bottom of his heart, he just gave the craftsmen a little benefit, but the craftsmen gave him so many surprises, not only overcompleted the development of the steel filling method, but also developed a new technology on the basis of it.

"Okay, yes, I'm very satisfied with your work, and I hope you will make persistent efforts to achieve more results!"

Wei Shuo then stayed in the workshop for a whole day, not only witnessing the completion of the new steelmaking furnace, but also seeing a furnace of steel coming out, and even Wei Shuo forged the steel with his own hands, and accepted a short sword made of new steel by the master craftsman. This short sword is extremely sharp, and the hilt is also engraved with inscriptions, which is beautiful.

Before leaving, Wei Shuo took the short sword and said to the master craftsman: "Master master, I am very satisfied with this short sword you have built. Seeing this short sword, I suddenly had a new suggestion, every year the training camp has many officers graduating from it, and in the future, when the military academy is completed, more officers will graduate from the military academy every year. I would like to give each of the graduating officers a short sword like this to serve as a sword for the generals, so as to cultivate a sense of honor among the generals. Hopefully, you'll be able to craft some more of these daggers in two years and give them to me. ”