Standing on the edge of the surging river, looking at the huge waterwheel that was rotating with the river with great interest, Zhao Hong's heart was secretly shocked by the great creativity of the ancestors.

The large waterwheel up to six or seven zhang is installed on the "U" shaped stone dam on the shore, and through the transmission shaft, the stone grinding on the shore is driven, and the cement produced by grinding is bagged and transported to various places.

Limestone and clay are mixed in a certain proportion, calcined in a lime-burning kiln, and then finely ground into clay cement.

Although it is not as good as the ordinary cement of later generations, its strength and durability are far beyond the times.

Looking at the big waterwheel, some things that were foreign and flattering floated in his mind, and Zhao Hong's nose couldn't help but snort coldly.

What bullshit European windmills, the civilization of the Chinese is at least more than a thousand years old!

Looking at Bailuzhou and the waterway thirty or forty steps on the shore, Zhao Hong shook his head. It seems that it will not be long, perhaps twenty or thirty years, as the water level drops, the Egret Island and the tributaries on the shore will become smaller and smaller, and eventually the Egret Island will be connected with the land on the shore, and there will be no more beach scenery in the middle of the two waters.

The students in the back of the martial arts hall were ignorant, and they didn't know what the emperor meant by bringing them to the cement factory?

"What's the daze? Let's get down to earth and go in and have a look. ”

Zhao Hong smiled slightly and strode forward. Wei Liaoweng, the squire of the Ministry of War, Qiao Xingjian, the squire of the Ministry of Works, as well as Cao Youwen, Yu Yu and other students, followed closely behind.

Everyone entered the cement factory, although they were all rammed workshops made of loess, which looked simple, but stones, clay, charcoal and other materials were stacked neatly and in an orderly manner. It seems that the managers of the cement plant have some skills.

Next to a pile of cyan materials, a man dressed as a craftsman grabbed a handful of cement and examined it carefully, turned and walked over, and stopped him.

"Let me ask, I want to know, how many people are in the cement factory and how much cement can be burned every month?"

Several huge cement kilns rising from the ground in the distance made Zhao Hong a little excited.

With the increase of foreign population and the development of all walks of life, the expansion of Jinling City is inevitable, and a large number of roads and buildings naturally need a large amount of cheap and durable cement.

Horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws must not be able to run on those potholed dirt roads. Even if the car doesn't fall apart, the ass can't stand it.

"Back to Your Majesty, there are 300 people in it, and now it can produce 30,000 catties of cement per day, and it can produce about 1 million catties per month. By the time the three new kilns are completed next month, it can reach 1.5 million catties per month. ”

Peng Daya, a member of the Ministry of Labor, hurriedly took off his mask and replied respectfully.

said that it is a mask, but in fact, it is sewn with three layers of gauze, which is of course much worse than that of later generations. However, this is Zhao Hong's invention, not only the cement factory, but also the gunpowder factory, the iron factory and the weapons manufacturing division, all the front-line production personnel are one person.

1 million Song Jin, that is, 1.2 million Jin in later generations, 600,000 kg, 600 tons.

"600 tons, still too little!"

Zhao Hong shook his head in disappointment.

600 tons, a school down, I'm afraid it will cost more than 100 tons. I'm afraid it will have to be increased by five or six times to barely meet the current market demand.

Although there are some regrets, Zhao Hong also knows that there are some things that cannot be rushed.

"Your Majesty, this is Peng Daya, a member of the Ministry of Works, this cement was developed by him, and he is a cadre."

Qiao Xingjian, the waiter of the Ministry of Works, introduced on the side.

The Ministry of Industry has made achievements, and he, the waiter of the Ministry of Industry, also has a bright face.

"Peng Daya, did you try out this cement?"

Zhao Hong looked at the handsome man in his thirties, short and thin in front of him, and asked in surprise:

"Where's your uniform? How do you dress like this? ”

The guy was dressed in coarse clothes, wearing a self-developed mask, with a gray face and mud on his cloth shoes, and he thought he was a craftsman from a cement factory.

"Your Majesty, the cement factory is dusty and dirty, and it is inconvenient to wear official uniforms, not to mention, it will not look like it will be after a while. I hope that Your Majesty will forgive me. ”

Peng Daya bowed, a little embarrassed.

"Forgive what sins? You did very well! You are good, you should be a role model for all officials! I'm very pleased! ”

Zhao Hong nodded appreciatively. Such pragmatic and hard-working officials are rare.

Maybe you can advertise it in the newspapers.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your forgiveness!"

It seems that he didn't expect Zhao Hong to be so kind, and Peng Daya couldn't adapt to it.

"Peng Daya, tell me how cement is made?"

Zhao Hong immediately became interested.

"Your Majesty gave the minister the idea, clay and limestone, and the minister just tried it every day, and added some plaster. It took more than a month and more than 50 attempts to finally test this cement. As for the recipe, the minister has already written it down and will present it to His Majesty later. ”

Peng Daya was a little proud, a little boastful.

"You're direct, you're welcome."

Zhao Hong laughed and groaned slightly.

"Peng Daya, you have developed cement, and you have made great contributions. I promoted you to the Ministry of Works, rewarded with thousands of dollars, and specialized in cement production. If there is a new "invention" in the future, I will also raise the reward. ”

Tried more than fifty times! The patience, hard work and perseverance in it are not something that anyone can do.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Peng Daya was overjoyed, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed in thanks.

The staff member Wailang is just the seventh grade, but Langzhong is the sixth grade, and he has gone up two steps.

"Get up. Those who do things for the country will be seen in my eyes and remembered in my heart, and I will never be treated badly. ”

Zhao Hong waited for Peng Daya to get up, and then continued.

"In the northwest borderland, the Jin people destroyed and destroyed, I want to strengthen the defense of Shukou, so I want to send some craftsmen over to build a cement factory in Sanguan and Wuzhou......"

"Your Majesty, the ministers are willing to lead the craftsmen to go, be loyal to the country, and share worries for Your Majesty!"

Peng Daya took Zhao Hong's words and said immediately.

"Peng Daya, you are very good!"

Zhao Hong laughed. A smart person is a little thorough, and he is willing to take the initiative to ask for help, such an official is good.

"You don't need to stay long, after the cement factory in Shukou is built, you can come back. The country is in ruins, and there may be a lot of such external transfers in the future, and I hope you can understand my hardship. ”

Zhao Hong looked at Peng Daya and said softly.

"But with His Majesty's dispatch, although he goes to the soup and fire, the minister will never give up!"

Peng Daya bowed solemnly, with a solemn face.

"Well said! If only there were a few more officials like you in the world. ”

Zhao Hong nodded with satisfaction and disappointment.

This Peng Daya, hard-working, is much stronger than the Du Fan that the ordnance supervisor saw at the beginning.

The official uniform on that guy and the boots on his feet were cleaner than his face. Can such an official do things for the people and the country?

"Headmaster, are you going to strengthen the defense of Shukou?"

Cao Youwen, a student of the Lecture Hall who accompanied him, asked in surprise.

This cement is a sharp weapon for building a city, once solidified, the hammer is not rotten, not worse than glutinous rice soup loess. The point is that it's cheap. There are many carbons and limestones in Shukou, so you can build a few large kilns.

It is also to look at firearms, and to observe cement, and to send craftsmen to the northwest, this is not obvious, the emperor should strengthen the defense of the northwest frontier.

"Cao Youwen, you are from Tongqing Mansion in Shukou, what do you think of the defense facilities in Shukou? Can it withstand foreign invasion? ”

Zhao Hong didn't look back, and asked softly.

Regardless of the defense system of the northwestern frontier, it seems imperative to deploy troops.