Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 103 Go and fetch Bi Maokang

Standing around the iron stove in winter is very warm, Song Yingxing was sweating from the heat, Zhu Youjian also took off his coat, pointed to the fire bricks at the bottom of the stove with a willow stick and asked: "Why didn't you think about it?" It is too slow to directly heat iron ore with coal and burn it with wood fire."

"Your Majesty, I have also thought about using coal to make iron, but now not only iron is made, but also firewood is used to burn porcelain in Jingdezhen. Because the things made of this coal cannot be used, I am thinking, maybe coal burns When it was iron, something else must have burnt into it."

Song Yingxing's answer made Zhu Youjian very satisfied.

In this era, coal with a higher burning value can only be used for heating in daily life, because coal contains too many impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus.

The use of coal to smelt iron will undoubtedly make the smelted iron contain more impurities, which will affect the quality of steel.

However, if the main energy source is still burning wood, it will be difficult to increase the industrial output and efficiency of Daming.

The development of iron and steel smelting began with the iron-making method.

This method has been used throughout ancient China since the Han Dynasty, and the West only surpassed China when it invented crucible iron smelting around the middle of the eighteenth century AD.

Then, with the development of chemical technology, Bessemer converter steelmaking and basic open hearth steelmaking appeared, and later electric arc steelmaking completely replaced the crucible steelmaking method.

Daming's chemical technology is almost zero.

We can only rely on natural materials as reducing agents and oxidizing agents to regulate a series of redox reactions in the ironmaking process.

But in Zhu Youjian's view, although the methods of converter steelmaking cannot be applied immediately, crucible steelmaking can be realized.

This is not Zhu Youjian's real whim, it comes from his infinite self-confidence as a time traveler.

In fact, as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, iron smelting in crucibles had already appeared, but it was lost for some reason.

The existing empirical evidence is that in the "Excavation Report of Han Tombs in Mancheng", it is mentioned that more than ten crucibles were found in Han tombs, and there was a steel layer at the bottom of the crucibles.

It can be seen that the iron and steel smelting of the Han Empire has surpassed that of Western Europe for thousands of years. It must be known that crucible steel smelting did not begin to appear in the West until 100 years after the current Ming Dynasty.

Of course, it may really have something to do with Confucianism starting to rule China from the middle of the Han Dynasty.

We ourselves have left the advanced technology of our ancestors in historical books or tombs, while the social elites put more energy into various interpretations of Confucianism, and even gave birth to Cheng Zhu Neo Confucianism, Pu Xue and other knowledge, which completely led to Eastern civilization is biased.

Less gossip.

Zhu Youjian did know the basic method of crucible ironmaking, which is to use graphite and clay as raw materials to make a crucible furnace, put pig iron or scrap steel in the crucible, and then heat it with coal.

Graphite has good air tightness and strong thermal conductivity, which can isolate the impurities in the coal from polluting the molten steel, increase the temperature in the furnace, shorten the working hours, and then combine with Song Yingxing's willow stick to stir, which can promote the oxidation of impurities and control the content of In this way, Daming's iron and steel smelting level can at least surpass that of any country in the current era for more than a hundred years.

Graphite is not difficult to develop. As a crystalline mineral of carbon, this substance has strong chemical stability, is easy to mine, and has low processing costs. Moreover, Zhu Youjian himself knows that the area around Changyang, Shandong Province is now a large graphite mine base for future generations. , Shandong is still in the hands of Daming, which can be quickly mined.

Zhu Youjian directly called Song Yingxing into his house, and handed Song Yingxing his idea and blueprint of making iron in a crucible, and asked Song Yingxing to find a way to dry coal to obtain coke at the same time, which was more conducive to iron smelting.At the same time, the south is rich in hydraulic resources, and it is completely possible to push the blower to the blower for oxygen supply.

Because the iron ore in Daming had high phosphorus content, Zhu Youjian asked Song Yingxing to find a way to use quicklime to make alkaline bricks.

"In this way, there will be no need for so many craftsmen to beat their hands to make weapons here. Otherwise, at this speed, a few firecrackers can be made. Do you know the concept of molds? Some basic components, such as gun barrels, can be made first. As shown in my picture, first make such a mold, and then provide power with water power to make the whole mold rotate, and then cast it with molten iron, so that the basic components can be obtained continuously. You can quickly complete the weapon manufacturing, understand?"

Zhu Youjian intends to tell Song Yingxing how hydraulic rotation provides molds and then forms an assembly line.

After Zhu Youjian said it a few times, Song Yingxing could understand: "These carpenters can do it, it's just about designing, please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will definitely try my best to make this set of equipment of yours! "

"Don't be afraid of failure. The parts of all weapons are standardized. I have already told you what the standard is and what it means. The mold can also play this role, so that even the most basic craftsman can assemble a weapon For firecrackers, the efficiency will naturally increase a lot, hurry up and find someone to do it, and give orders, and whoever completes this set of equipment, from craftsmen to you, will be promoted and rewarded, and there will be no less silver rewards."

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, Song Yingxing nodded and asked again: "Your Majesty, I dare to ask, how did Your Majesty know these things?"

"Taizu taught me in a dream to revive Daming with new ideas and new methods. I have to obey!"

Naturally, Zhu Youjian would not say that he is a time traveler, and Zhu Youjian also made up a lot of stories about immortals teaching in dreams in ancient times.

In this era of supremacy of idealism, Song Yingxing did not have the slightest doubt. He just looked at the snowflakes falling in front of his eyes and bowed his hands to Zhu Youjian: "It can be seen from this that the revival of our Ming Dynasty is in sight. Your Majesty, you will definitely reopen the sun, the moon and the universe for the Ming Dynasty!"

"There is no need to talk about flattery. Now that the war is imminent, and when the country is in danger, all good knowledge and skills must be popularized immediately. You will enter the palace with me. From now on, you will enter the palace once every five days. I will do it for you personally." For teaching, you can recommend a few scholars who are superb in miscellaneous studies, and I will teach them all, and the learning of Taizu must be passed on!"

As soon as Zhu Youjian said that, he got on the dragon chariot first.

Song Yingxing's pursuit of learning has always paid attention to practical learning, and he is in the same vein as Xu Guangqi. Now that Zhu Youjian wants to pass on the knowledge taught by the Taizu to him, and he has become a student of the emperor in an instant, he is naturally very excited and runs away Come over: "Thank you, Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will definitely carry forward Your Majesty's holy learning. In addition, Your Majesty asked me to recommend scholars who are superb in miscellaneous studies. I know a few, and one of them must be known to His Majesty." , he is the young Sima Bigong of Nanjing."

Bi Maokang once served as the Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing.

"Bi Maokang, why did I forget him!"

Zhu Youjian patted his forehead, regretting so much, he hurriedly ordered someone to call Wang Chengen, and asked Dongchang to look for him immediately.

"Your Majesty! Please don't worry. Your Majesty is so eager to seek talents. I am very grateful. However, this Duke Bi seems to be suffering from an illness. I don't know how long he will live. I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to come to Beijing to take up the post. It's a day of bitter cold!"

Song Yingxing replied.

Zhu Youjian thought so too, but Song Yingxing reminded him that he also thought of Bi Maokang, and knew that this man had mastered the manufacturing technology of flintlock guns and had also written a book of "Army Book". These are not unimportant .Now it is absolutely impossible to let Bi Maokang recuperate at home.

"Wang Cheng'en, pass on my decree to Xu Wenjue, the Duke of Wei, and order him to build a dragon chariot like mine, which must not only ventilate and dissipate heat, but also keep warm, and then personally invite Bi Qing to come to Nanjing and live in his house. If Bi Maokang makes a mistake on the road, I will take him as a questioner!"

(End of this chapter)