contend

Chapter 146 Cunning
Back in Xidu, Du Yu came to see him with a blueprint.

It is a flow chart of iron smelting.

The conversion methods of pig iron, wrought iron and steel are marked above.

Unlike the previous block smelting method, pig iron is first combined with mature iron, and then the wrought iron is smelted into steel.

It is a mixture of pig iron and wrought iron.

"This method existed at the end of the Han Dynasty. It was called Guangang method. There were blacksmiths in Guanzhong who used this method to smelt iron. I sorted out the iron smelting techniques in the Guo family's collection, visited the blacksmiths in the western capital, and figured it out. How much each contains, the temperature of the smelting fire may increase."

Is there a method of pouring steel in this era?
Yang Zheng was ecstatic.

Technology is fighting power.

Later generations always talked about the four great inventions, but they left out the steel filling method. In fact, the steel filling method should have the highest gold content.

Yang Zheng remembered that it was during the Northern and Southern Dynasties that a text called Qiwu Huaiwen was improved.

At the beginning, because the name was too weird, I remembered it.

The traditional block smelting method, like forging, infiltrates carbon into wrought iron and smelts it into steel.

The pouring method is that pig iron and wrought iron are mixed and smelted according to a certain ratio.

Wrought iron takes carbon from pig iron to form steel, and pig iron decarburizes and directly becomes steel at high temperature.

This technology did not appear in the West until the seventeenth century.

The great people of this era are all-round.

It doesn't matter if you are immature, as a time traveler, Yang Zheng knows that this path is right.

All that's left is to experiment.

"Yuan Kai's method can reach [-] troops!"

Du Xian was delighted, but in an instant, worries filled his brows and eyes.

"It's great Wei's luck to have this method of pouring steel!"

Of course Yang Zheng understood what he said, "This is also China's luck!"

Du's two generations were protected by Wei En, and Du Yu was protected by Xia Houxuan. Although Cao Shuang and Sima Yi didn't like to see Du, it didn't hinder Du Yu's loyalty to Cao Wei.

However, Yang Zheng felt that many technologies were invented by people from aristocratic families, but they were also inseparable from the continuous practice and improvement of the people in their work.

From the end of Han Dynasty to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, it can be called an era of technological explosion.

Zuo Bozhi, Guangang Method, Mafeisan, Pi, Gunpowder, Nine Chapters of Arithmetic, Qi Min Yao Shu, Treatise on Febrile Diseases, etc.

Regardless of being tired, Yang Zheng and Du Yu hurried into the blacksmith's shop in the city.

The blacksmiths in the city were originally Guo's domestic slaves, and together with the carpenters, cobblers and other technical personnel, they were all occupied by Yang Zheng.

This is the real first pot of gold.

Relying on Yang Zheng's groping in Fanghan, after all, it was a small matter, and he didn't know that the Year of the Monkey had passed.

The mixing ratio of pig iron and wrought iron was tested several times and it came out.

The biggest problem with steel pouring still lies in the temperature.

That is the color of charcoal.

Eat food one bite at a time, walk the road step by step.

This winter, Yang Zheng and Du Yu almost stayed in the blacksmith shop, improving step by step from the forge, to the iron, to the charcoal.

I have never eaten pork, but I have seen pigs running.

Yang Zheng knew the general idea, and Du Yu often understood in two or three sentences.

But Du Yu is meticulous, he can understand every single point, and his hands-on ability is extremely strong.

The two just learned from each other's strengths and worked together. They spent twenty days and nights in the blacksmith's workshop, unkempt, sleeping by the forge when they were tired, and eating a mouthful of dry food when they were hungry.

Nothing is unachievable.

After more than 20 days of contact, Yang Zheng discovered that Du Yu is the top skilled craftsman of this era.

When something is in his hands, it takes an hour or two to transform it into a more reasonable one.

Apart from coming up with some ideas, Yang Zheng spent more time helping him.

The resources of the entire western capital were mobilized, and finally a piece of steel was cultivated with the method of pouring steel.

Du Yu, who has always been calm, couldn't help but smile.

"Xingyun, this steel crown is the best in the world!"

Not only is it the best in the world, but it is also extremely efficient, so it doesn't need to be tempered as before.

Of course, it is indeed easy to produce high-quality products after repeated trials and hardships.

Wei Wu once cast Baipi Dao and Yitian Sword, which were decorated with dragons, tigers, bears, birds, and sparrows. It took seventy top skilled craftsmen and it took five years to succeed.

But this kind of thing is actually not suitable for use on the battlefield.

It is even more impossible to equip on a large scale.

"If you get this divine product, you must break Zhong Qiang!" Yang Zheng laughed.

To deal with Zhong Qiang is actually overkill, this thing is ahead of this era.

Cold forged armor, iron floating map, and kidnapped horse can be released in advance.

The two looked at each other and laughed in the blacksmith workshop.

"This method is my Chinese treasure, and it must not be leaked. I will designate a waiting officer to monitor it." Yang Zheng warned.

Du Yu thought so.

Yang Zheng reforged the Liancheng steel, and with Du Yu's cooperation, he made a long-handled mace weighing twenty catties.

In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were such weapons called "shu".

Call Liu Heng and let him try.

"Why is this thing so ugly?" Liu Heng looked disgusted.

Du Yu laughed again.

Yang Zheng wished he could squirt a mouthful of old blood on his face, this fellow had a distorted face, and he hated everything.

Every time he went to the battlefield, it was this guy who destroyed the most weapons.

"Stop talking nonsense, just try your hand." Yang Zheng didn't bother to explain.

Liu Heng reluctantly mentioned it, weighed it twice, "It's okay."

Dance up, tiger and tiger wind.

When a stick went down, the stones shattered and the ice and snow flew.

Liu Heng quickly felt the ferocity of this thing, and couldn't put it down, "Why didn't the general take it out earlier? With this thing in hand, Meng Yu is no match for me!"

"Don't you think it's ugly?" Yang Zheng said angrily.

Liu Heng rubbed the back of his head, "This subordinate is ignorant, the general is not to blame."

While the two were laughing and cursing, the guards rushed over, "General, the envoy of Zhong Qiang is asking to see you."

"Let him come here to meet someone."

"Follow the order."

A moment later, the envoy of Zhong Qiang was brought, and it was Ke Gu who was a little surprised to see Yang Zheng's disheveled appearance, but someone who can be an envoy must have a flexible head, and he quickly controlled his eyes, "Ke Gu pays his respects to General Yang. "

"Why are you here?" Yang Zheng knew what he was doing as soon as this person came.

"Since the general agreed to send troops, why has there been no movement? Qin Hu and Lu Shuihu are less than two hundred miles away from the general, and they can be destroyed in ten days."

"Are you here to teach Ben Jiang how to do things?" Yang Zheng's eyes darkened, and his tone was very bad.

"Don't dare, dare not, since the general has formed an alliance with my king, as an ally, they should help each other." Ke Gu's eyes flickered a few times.

"Yewu ravages Xiping, the people's food is taken by him, and our army is short of food and military equipment. It's freezing cold today. Qin Hu and Lu Shuihu have always been cunning. With the advantage of the land, they rush to send troops. Wouldn't it be self-defeating? If your king really cares about the friendship of his allies, why not provide some food, cattle and sheep to help the general tide over the difficulties?" Yang Zheng's words were half true and half false.

Ke Gu thought for a while and said: "Since the general has difficulties, I will report to the king and ask for food for the general, but I don't know when the general will send troops, set a date, and let my family rest in the heart of the king."

Seeing his seriousness, Yang Zheng said with a half-smile, "The day your family's food arrives is the time when you will send troops."

Ke Gu clenched his fist on his left chest and saluted, "I hope the general will keep his promise by then."

"You keep your promises, and the general will certainly keep his promises."

After Ke Gu left, Du Yu said: "Midang has always been greedy and cunning, but now he is trying to lure me with money, there must be other plans."

"It must be preparing to attack Xihai again. Stabilize us first." Yang Zheng had met him a few times and knew him quite well.

"Midang Ruo really sent food, could it be that we really want to beat Qin Hu?" Liu Heng interjected.

"Why do you really want to fight? Isn't it okay to fake a fight? It's enough to send troops to deal with it at that time. The general never said that Qin Hu must be wiped out."

"The subordinates feel that Zhong Qiang may not be able to send food, and in a few days, Zhong Qiang may make a movement."

"Then let Meng Guan prepare earlier."

However, Midang didn't move until the wind and snow melted.

During this period, Meng Guan led [-] Qiang soldiers and Shao Tixun [-] Hu people into the West Sea and defected to the captives.

Bilu was originally a branch of the Xiongnu. After being defeated by the Han army, a part of them fled to the West Sea grassland and merged with the local Yuezhi and Dingling Zhuang Hu.

It can be regarded as a moderate force in Xihai. When Yang Zheng broke Ye Wudai's hometown, Tuo Tu, the leader of the captives, even paid a visit to Yang Zheng.

Winter goes to spring, and the eighth year of Zhengshi rolls around.

Medang's food is completely gone.

The ice and snow have just shown signs of melting, and the Huangshui River Valley has just thawed.

The entire Xiping County was busy, and Yang Zheng issued an order for reclamation.

Regardless of military or civilian slaves, all go into battle.

Open the canal and build the dock.

In troubled times, only grain is the most valuable.

Food is also the root of everything.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, a large number of people were imprisoned by gentry tyrants, and the people who lost their land took the initiative to become slaves. Isn't it also because of the food in their hands?

In order to improve efficiency, Yang Zheng also built a lot of iron farm tools, and the cattle and horses were also distributed to the various docks.

Everything is ready.

During this period, Meng Yu also brought other Qin and Hu leaders to visit.

Yang Zheng was not stingy either, and sent some leather armor and food.

Under the leadership of Jiang Faye, Lu Shuihu and the Qiang tribe also gradually moved closer to Yang Zheng.

Many small tribes simply entered the western capital and became the rulers of the people.

Yang Zheng naturally would not refuse anyone who came.

The Han and Qiang have the same origin, and both developed from the northwest region.

One group went east along the Yellow River and merged with the Yandi Shennong tribe, and the other went westward against the Yellow River, so they became the Qiang people.

As March approached, the ice and snow melted, and the cold wind did not retreat.

The lost emissary Ke Gu came again, and Yang Zheng was very annoyed.

It's boring to do this every day without rain.

But in order to stabilize Zhong Qiang, Yang Zheng still met.

"My king will attack the West Sea in March, is the general willing to send troops together?" Ke Gu didn't seem to remember the promise made more than a month ago.

He didn't mention it, and Yang Zheng didn't mention it either, it was tacitly understood by everyone.

"The general will send troops, what will happen then?"

Soldiers, move when it suits their interests, and stop when they don’t suit their interests.

In a word, if you don't see a rabbit, don't scatter an eagle.

Ke Gu rolled his eyes, "At that time, the east of Longqi will belong to the general, and the west will belong to my king."

Yang Zheng almost didn't laugh out loud.

Longqi is just north of Linqiang.

The west of Longqi was originally the territory of Xiping County, but now it is occupied by Lu Shuihu.

And Lu Shuihu didn't have much hostility towards Yang Zheng.

So Yang Zheng didn't attack them for the time being.

I think this is Chi Guoguo's white prostitution.

Is there such a shameless person in the world?

"The King Midang is really fair, so it's decided, when the time comes, a certain army will lead an army of [-] to help your king sweep the West Sea." Yang Zheng opened his mouth and came.

If you can fall into the pit in Xihai once, you can fall into it a second time.

Moreover, Yang Zheng and the ambush soldiers sent by Meng Guan and Shao Tixun will be enough to drink a pot of fascination by then.

Ke Guqian laughed, "The general really values ​​love and righteousness."

(End of this chapter)