Prince of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 579 The Land of Coal and Iron

Although the Ministry of Military Industry is newly established, it has always been heavily guarded because of the attention of Li Shimin and Gao Ming. Wang Ze was stopped by two guards as soon as he approached the main entrance.

"Stop coming, this is an important military area, and idlers should not approach!"

At this time, the two guards who stopped Wang Ze were wearing black iron armor, with a three-foot Tang sword on their waists, and a crossbow in their hands. They could be said to be armed to the teeth, and they looked murderous.

Looking at the two people who blocked him, Wang Ze couldn't help taking a step back, then frowned.

"I am Shangshu Youcheng Wang Ze. By order of His Highness the Crown Prince, I am here to inspect the bellows of the Ministry of Military Industry. Let me in quickly!"

"His Royal Highness asked you to come?" Hearing Wang Ze's words, the guards standing in front of him were stunned, and then cupped their hands towards him, "Since your lord is ordered by the Crown Prince, do you have an order from His Highness?"

"No, only verbal orders!" Wang Ze replied.

Seeing that Wang Ze didn't have a handwritten order, the two guards suddenly became a little embarrassed. The two discussed for a while, and one of them cupped his hands towards Wang Ze again.

"My lord, if you don't have an order, I won't be able to let you in. Please go back!"

"This……"

Just when Wang Ze was a little embarrassed, a loud voice sounded from the door.

"Master Wang?"

Hearing the voice, the guard and Wang Ze looked in the direction of the voice at the same time, and when they saw the person clearly, Wang Ze's eyes widened.

"Master Cui?"

It was none other than Cui Zhang who came out at this time, and he smiled and cupped his hands at Wang Ze as he walked out.

"Haha, it really is Mr. Wang. It's a coincidence that Mr. Wang came. If you come one step later, I'm afraid you won't be able to get in, hahahaha!"

"Uh……"

Hearing Cui Zhang's words, Wang Ze's face suddenly showed a bit of embarrassment, but he didn't know how to answer the words for a while.

Seeing that Wang Ze stopped talking, Cui Zhang smiled again, and then cupped his hands at the person standing beside him.

"Master Liu, Lord Wang was recruited into the East Palace by His Highness the Crown Prince just now, and now he is here under the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince, so let him go in!"

At this time, the person standing beside Wang Ze was none other than Liu Tao, the young supervisor of the Ministry of Military Industry appointed by Gao Ming himself.

After listening to Cui Zhang's explanation, he immediately smiled and nodded.

"So that's the case, then let me go in with Mr. Wang, Mr. Cui, go slowly!"

"Farewell!"

Cui Zhang smiled and bowed to Liu Tao and Wang Ze before leaving. After he left, Liu Tao bowed to Wang Ze.

"Master Wang, please!"

Hearing Liu Tao's words, the two guards standing in front of Wang Ze retreated consciously. Seeing this scene, Wang Ze also bowed his hands towards Liu Tao.

"Master Liu, please!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, and then they entered the Military Industry Department together. After entering the door, Liu Tao smiled at Wang Ze again.

"Master Wang is the first time to come to the Ministry of Military Industry, right?"

"Yeah!" Hearing Liu Tao's words, Wang Ze nodded immediately, and said, "It's indeed the first time for me to come here. I don't know what Master Liu has to teach you?"

"Haha, I don't dare to be taught!" Liu Tao waved his hand, and then said with a smile: "Actually, it is a rule set by His Royal Highness, that is for the sake of secrecy, Mr. Wang can't tell others what he saw here!"

"The rules set by His Royal Highness?"

Hearing Liu Tao's words, Wang Ze immediately understood why Lu Zhi didn't tell him anything before, and even said about the confidentiality agreement, which turned out to be the rules here.

Thinking of this, he immediately nodded towards Liu Tao, and his expression became serious.

"I see, I won't tell others what I saw here!"

"It's good that Mr. Wang understands!" Seeing Wang Ze's serious expression, Liu Tao nodded in satisfaction, "Just now I heard Mr. Wang said that he came to see the bellows, please come with me!"

After finishing speaking, Liu Tao turned around and walked towards the left, and his pace became faster. Seeing this scene, Wang Ze also quickened his pace to follow.

Wang Ze followed Liu Tao all the way, watching as he walked, and everywhere he saw were craftsmen with hammers and irons, and the sound of "clinking" irons was endless.

From time to time, there will be bursts of "stabbing" sound, which is obviously the sound made when high-temperature ironware enters the water.

And the blacksmiths made all kinds of things, including swords and spears, armor and shields, and cylinders that Wang Ze didn't know what to do with.

Seeing everything in front of him, Wang Ze couldn't help being a little speechless.

"Hundreds of skilled craftsmen have gathered together, this Military Industry Department really lives up to its reputation!"

Standing next to Wang Ze, Liu Tao burst out laughing when he heard his muttering.

"Hahahaha, Mr. Wang, you are wrong. These hundreds of people are only affiliated to the Bingjia Bureau. The number is not too many. The largest number is the Gunpowder Bureau and the Steam Engine Research and Development Bureau. There are more than 2000 skilled craftsmen there!"

"More than 2000?" Wang Ze was really shocked now, his expression was full of disbelief, "Where is the Gunpowder Bureau and the Steam Engine Research and Development Bureau, and more than 2000 skilled craftsmen are needed?"

"Haha, I can't say this!" Liu Tao shrugged his shoulders and gave Wang Ze a helpless expression, "Although I am the young supervisor of the Ministry of Military Industry, I must abide by the confidentiality agreement, otherwise I will There's big trouble!"

Although Liu Tao's tone was very relaxed, Wang Ze didn't dare to take this as a joke, and he immediately bowed to Liu Tao.

"It's the official who made a slip of the tongue, please don't take offense, Mr. Liu!"

"Haha, Mr. Wang, you're being polite!" Liu Tao smiled and waved his hand towards Wang Ze, "It's just a little curiosity, it's not a big mistake, Mr. Wang doesn't have to be like this, hey, the blast furnace is here!"

Having said that, Liu Tao stopped, then stretched out his hand and pointed forward.

"Look, Mr. Wang, that is the iron-making blast furnace, and the bellows that turn under the blast furnace is the bellows you want to see!"

Hearing Liu Tao's words, Wang Ze raised his head and looked in the direction of his finger.

What appeared in front of Wang Ze at this time was a huge cylindrical building standing in the middle of the square. The diameter of the base of this building was about six meters, and the height was about eight or nine meters. Like a giant chimney.

On the side of this cylinder, a huge blower was "huh-huh" filling air into it, and from a long distance away, Wang Ze felt a burst of scalding hot air blowing towards his face.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Wang Ze was stunned.

"This...is this really an iron-making furnace? How tall is a furnace that is unheard of? How does it make iron? And why does the bellows drive such a strong wind? It's really... really eye-opening. !"

Thinking of this, Wang Ze turned around immediately and asked Liu Tao anxiously.

"Master Liu, what's the matter with this iron-making furnace..."

Just halfway through the conversation, Wang Ze realized that because of the confidentiality agreement, Liu Tao would definitely not tell him anything, so he immediately stopped his words, and then cupped his hands at Liu Tao.

"This time there will be Mr. Lao Liu, and I have to go back to report to His Highness the Crown Prince, so I bid farewell!"

Seeing Wang Ze's anxious look, Liu Tao also showed a smile.

"Then I'll send Lord Wang out, please!"

(End of this chapter)