Chapter 173 Someone is coming from the capital! (First update)
Two days later.
The craftsmen sent by the imperial court finally arrived.
The leader is Zheng Yuanqing, the chief officer of Yu Heng Division of the Qing Li Division under the Ministry of Industry.
Zheng Yuanqing's official position is not low, starting from the fifth rank.
Yu Hengsi is mainly responsible for supervising the harvesting and smelting work in the mountains, forests and rivers. It is also responsible for managing the timely harvesting of various bird and animal resources, and is responsible for the production and manufacturing of military uniforms, weapons, ceramics, coins and firearms.
The one who relies on the mountain to eat the mountain is Yu Hengsi.
According to normal circumstances, when an iron mine is restarted in Peiping, there is no need to send a worker from the Ministry of Industry. However, because of the "Guo Huan case", too many people in the Ministry of Industry have been purged, and there is really no extra manpower. Finally, Zheng Yuanqing, who was promoted from the head of the Ministry of Works to a member of the Ministry of Works, was sent.
At the same time as Zheng Yuanqing, there were hundreds of ‘hundred workers’.
Most of them are construction and iron smelting.
When a large number of people came, Xia Zhibai went out of the city to greet them.
Zheng Yuanqing is over forty years old, his face is a little weathered and a little tired, his eyes are a little cold, and his expression is a little serious.
Xia Zhibai stepped forward to greet him, cupped his hands and said, "I have met Yuan Wailang."
Zheng Yuanqing looked at Xia Zhibai for a few times, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, and nodded: "The number one scholar belongs to him." My ability is really impressive, and I have benefited from you this time. Otherwise, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to reach my current position.”
Xia Zhibai smiled bitterly.
The Guo Huan case actually had little to do with him.
It's just that not many people in the court knew about it, and they all thought that it was his method of accounting that exposed Guo Huan's mistakes, which then led to this turmoil in the court. Xia Zhibai He knew it, but he couldn't really say it.
He said slowly: "What can be done about an unintentional act?"
Zheng Yuanqing said solemnly: "Whether it is unintentional or intentional, this matter is over. This time I will serve His Majesty has ordered us to come here to reopen Zunhua Iron and Steel in Peiping, and we will act impartially. However, the iron and steel industry is unusual. Starting the furnace and forging requires a lot of manpower. This may require Xia Zhuangyuan. You are responsible for it yourself. "
Xia Zhibai nodded and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Yuanwailang, I have found the manpower."
Zheng Yuanqing looked slightly sideways, a little surprised.
If he remembered correctly, Xia Zhibai came to Peiping in less than half a month. In such a short time, he could find hundreds or thousands of people?
Zheng Yuanqing did not ask too many questions. After this political turmoil, he deeply understood the truth, which is to be cautious in words and deeds. There is a lot of money in the Ministry of Industry, and there are many people coveting every official position. If you are not careful and someone grabs the handle, it can easily overturn, so you must be careful again and again.
Zheng Yuanqing said: "That's good."
Xia Zhibai hesitated for a moment, took out a drawing from his arms, then slowly opened it and said: "I have an unsympathetic person below. Please, I want Yuanwailang to build it according to the drawings I designed.”
Zheng Yuanqing frowned and said coldly: "Xia Zhuangyuan, as I said before, Tie Ye is not a trivial matter. Not everyone can interfere. If something goes wrong, many people will die. How can it be such a childish thing? "
Xia Zhibai smiled and said: "I have understood Tieye's manufacturing difficulties, otherwise I would not have dared to be so abrupt."
"But Zunhua Tieye, I do. I have some ideas of my own. What I want to build is not the earthen furnace of the past, but a complete process for smelting molten iron, to facilitate the future expansion of Zunhua Iron Smelting. ”
Zheng Yuanqing showed displeasure and said coldly: "This is not up to you."
"The imperial court has long made regulations on the forging of iron furnaces: All iron furnaces must be made of salt and mixed with clay. It must be built by bricks. The furnace must be built near a mountain cave, or it must be surrounded by huge trees.
Zheng Yuanqing directly moved out of the Ministry of Industry's forging regulations.
Xia Zhibai's face remained as usual, and he continued: "Yuanwailang is overly worried."
"The construction of the iron furnace should naturally be focused on the imperial court. I am only building the iron furnace. Some arrangements have also been made for the surrounding iron smelting industry. ”
“For example, the construction of Zunhua Iron Smelting Plant was divided into several stages. The first stage was mainly used to build iron furnaces, and subsequent ones will be followed. Things related to coking and steelmaking are being built one after another, and with the improvement and improvement of production technology, the iron furnace may not be able to be improved in the future.”
“If you don’t plan in advance, wait for the iron furnace to be updated in the future. , isn’t it necessary to suspend production on a large scale? ”
"Steel and iron, in my opinion, should be the backbone of the country. With the increase in steel production, there will be great changes in all aspects of the Ming Dynasty. Planning before taking action has always been my principle of doing things, and I will not be embarrassed. Yuan Wai Lang, he just knows how to make certain adjustments.”
Xia Zhibai sent the drawing to Zheng Yuanqing again.
Zheng Yuanqing did not take it, his eyes swept back and forth over Xia Zhibai, and said: "Xia Zhuangyuan, according to the regulations of the court, I am not allowed to come, but other officials don't like to work with you, and they don't like to work with you. Knowing your care, you finally sent me here."
Xia Zhibai said: "Thank you, Yuan Wailang, for your understanding."
Zheng Yuanqing hesitated for a while, but still reached out and took the drawing.
Just one glance.
Zheng Yuanqing was startled.
This drawing is very detailed, and it took a lot of time to draw it at first glance.
The above also introduces in detail the construction expectations of Zunhua Iron and Steel, from the construction of iron furnaces in the first phase, to the subsequent expansion of coking coal production, to the subsequent steelmaking industry, which makes people feel like looking at the assembly line It feels very smooth and smooth, just like that, it transitions step by step from the original iron furnace, to using coking coal to make iron, and then to forging steel.
What surprised Zheng Yuanqing the most was that Xia Zhibai knew very much about steelmaking technology.
He also specially made a mark on this drawing.
At present, the main steel-making processes in the Ming Dynasty are the steel frying method and the steel filling method.
These two are the most basic processes for steelmaking. In addition to these two basic steel-making processes, the Ming Dynasty currently also has carburizing steel-making methods and hundred-steel-making methods. However, the latter two are more difficult and the efficiency of steel production is not high. Basically, there are only a few government-operated iron smelting methods. Only those who can use it.
Xia Zhibai also made reference.
And Xia Zhibai's ambition is also demonstrated in this drawing.
He completely abandoned the use of crucibles for smelting iron.
Crucible iron smelting is currently used in many places in the Ming Dynasty.
The equipment is simple, easy to operate and low in cost.
Xia Zhibai’s drawings all use blast furnace smelting.
Zheng Yuanqing put away his contempt and said in a deep voice: "Xia Zhuangyuan has put a lot of effort into iron smelting during this period. He has studied it deeply and has a detailed understanding of today's iron smelting technology. This drawing of yours I've seen it, and it's indeed quite well designed."
"But the imperial court's order is just to restart Zunhua Iron Smelting, not to build a super large iron smelting plant."
"I agree. I can complete one or two issues for you at most."
"As for the subsequent ones,"
"you need to figure it out yourself."
Xia Zhibai looked happy and said: "Thank you Yuan Wailang for your understanding, but on the basis of building the iron furnace, can you also build some of the other coking and steelmaking buildings for me? It doesn't need to be all, it just needs to be able to barely operate." That’s fine.”
Zheng Yuanqing stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then finally nodded.
Xia Zhibai said: "Thank you, Yuan Wailang."
Zheng Yuanqing waved his hand and asked curiously: "Why are you so persistent in steel?"
Xia Zhibai smiled, Said: "Because I think steel will be the mainstream of future development. Nowadays, with the emergence and continuous improvement of firearms, as well as the initial improvement of steelmaking technology, the future development direction has obviously been determined."
"It's steel!"
"Nowadays, steel is divided into three categories."
"There are those who make pig iron with wrought iron, there are those who refine it and make steel, and there are those who make it from the mountains and seas in the southwest. The shape is like amethyst. "
"The former is steel, the second is steel, and the latter is diamond."
"But I don't think the last one is steel. The description of the last one from Tianxia is more likely to be a misrepresentation of diamonds.”
"Whether it is true or not, one thing is certain at present, that is, the steel industry has taken initial shape. In the past, for a long time, steel or other metals were mainly 'cast'."
"By the Song Dynasty."
"The world's production tools, daily necessities, and weapons have all changed from 'casting' to 'forging'."
"And to In the Ming Dynasty, the emergence of fire guns, iron anchors, iron cable bridges and patterned steel has, to a certain extent, marked the 'forging' of steel. From its initial shape, it is maturing step by step. In particular, I also led the emergence of the steam engine, both of which If they can be combined, the world will be completely changed.”
Xia Zhibai's eyes were shining with light, full of longing and fantasy for the future.
Zheng Yuanqing was stunned.
He glanced at Xia Zhibai suspiciously, seemed to have thought of something, showed a meaningful smile, shook his head and said: "Young people can't achieve anything with their passion alone. They must first ensure their own safety. Whether the career can survive or not, everything is fake."
Finished.
Zheng Yuanqing rolled up his sleeves, got into the carriage and left.
Xia Zhibai stood there.
He looked at Zheng Yuanqing's leaving car with confusion, with a solemn look in his eyes. An old fox like Zheng Yuanqing, who had been in court for many years, would not say such meaningless words. Could it be that something happened in Yingtian Mansion?
At this time.
A figure appeared next to Xia Zhibai.
Fang Mo, he went north with the convoy this time.
Fang Mo scratched his head, showing a hint of embarrassment, hesitated for a while, and said: "Mr. , and said that sir, you are deliberately envying and suppressing their achievements and suppressing their talents."
"Under Li Sheng's instigation, many craftsmen have become emotional."
< br>Xia Zhibai sneered, but he didn't pay too much attention. Instead, he asked about something else: "It didn't affect the operation of the salt factory and coal factory, right?"
Fang Mo shook his head: "No."
"Then let him go." Fang Mo looked calm, closed his eyes slightly, and said with a smile: "Since my words have been transmitted, it is enough. As for what Li Sheng and the others will do, How to say, that is their freedom, I only look back at the results.”
"If Heaven wants to make it perish, it must first make it crazy."
"The human heart is always greedy, and always looks at the height of this mountain."
(End of this chapter)< br>