Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

Chapter 73 760 Jin

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Liang, who was guarding outside, knocked on the door.

"Your Highness, Your Highness!"

Before Guo An and Zhu Fu could react, Zhu Di sat up suddenly.

"What's the matter?"

Zhu Liang replied: "His Royal Highness, Zhong Huo, who is in charge of Iron Smelter, has reported that the giant iron-smelting furnace at the foot of the mountain behind can be opened!"

"Very good!"

Zhu Di got out of bed directly, got up and walked outside.

Guo An and Zhu Fu, who were still a little confused, also staggered to keep up.

Staying here overnight, everyone sleeps in a full body, no one takes off their clothes, not even their shoes, and they can walk straight out of bed.

After leaving the door, Guo An heard Zhu Di asking Zhu Liang, "What time is it?"

"Return to Your Highness, it's midnight!"

"this late?"

Zhu Di said with emotion, and walked straight towards the back mountain.

"yawn……"

Guo An yawned for a long time, pulled his eyelids vigorously, and after regaining consciousness, he dragged Zhu Fu beside him and hurried forward.

When they arrived in front of the giant iron-smelting furnace, a group of craftsmen had already surrounded the iron-smelting furnace.

Surrounding them, torches and piles of fire were lit, brightly illuminating this area.

Every craftsman's eyes are shining with excitement and anticipation.

"His Royal Highness is down!"

Following Zhu Di's arrival, Zhong Huo hurried forward with a group of artisans to greet him.

"The villain sees Your Highness!"

"Get up."

Zhu Di waved his hand, and then looked directly at the giant iron-making furnace in the innermost part.

"Can the furnace be turned on?"

Zhong Huo replied: "Reporting to Your Highness, it has been almost five hours, and the furnace can be opened!"

Zhu Di directly ordered: "Open the furnace!"

"The villain obeys the order!"

Zhong Huo's face brightened, and he turned around and shouted loudly to the craftsmen behind him: "Your Highness has orders, open the furnace!"

"Open the furnace!"

All the artisans were also full of excitement.

As blacksmiths, the iron furnace is the guy they eat.

They have long heard that Guo Xianzun in Wanping County led ten craftsmen to work day and night to build such an iron-making furnace with a height of two feet.

Therefore, they have long been looking forward to when they will be able to smelt a furnace of iron in this giant iron-smelting furnace.

And now, they can finally witness with their own eyes that this giant iron-smelting furnace is making iron, and they even help out from the side. All the craftsmen can't help but feel full of strength.

As an old craftsman opened the bottom tap hole, fiery red molten iron flowed out directly.

"The iron is out!"

"Mould on!"

"And then on……"

"Up to the crucible..."

"superior……"

Under the watchful eyes of Guo An, Zhu Di and others, the giant iron-smelting furnace was full of molten iron for two cups of tea.

Fortunately, there are more craftsmen around the iron furnace, and they can deal with it calmly.

Zhong Huo also remembered Zhu Dizi's order during the day, when filling the molten iron, he first used some knife molds to fill it.

Therefore, Zhu Di, Guo An and others saw that every time a mold was installed, a craftsman would take it and leave.

In the house in the distance, there was the sound of ding ding dong dong.

And after waiting until there was no more drop of molten iron flowing out of the iron-making furnace, all the lights in the surrounding rooms were lit up, and there were all the sounds of beating and forging.

"Ding ding dong dong..."

Just as Zhu Di was staring at each room curiously, Zhong Huo ran over with a happy face, "Your Highness, the villain just did the math, and a total of 110 rough steel knives were produced, weighing 440 catties." , and another 320 catties of molten iron, totaling 760 catties!"

"760 catties of molten iron?"

Zhu Di turned his head sharply, staring at Zhong Huo closely, "Are you sure what you said is correct?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the villain will never dare to deceive His Highness!"

The bell trembled and said hastily.

Zhu Di's face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye, his eyes were shining red, he looked at Zhu Fu and Guo An subconsciously, and said excitedly: "Zhu Changshi, Guo An, a giant iron furnace can be produced at least a day. The iron is 760 jins. As long as this king asks Tieye to build ten giant iron-making furnaces of this size, wouldn’t it be possible to smelt [-] jins of steel in a day, which is stronger than the pig iron in the past?

Is it more than 20 catties in one month, and more than 60 catties in three months? "

Zhu Fu also saluted excitedly, "Your Highness is wise!"

Guo An quickly followed suit and said, "Your Highness is wise!"

"Hahaha, 60 catties of pig iron, 60 catties, I didn't expect it to be solved so easily."

Zhu Di was overjoyed and laughed out loud.

No one could know how worried Zhu Di was when he received the imperial edict.

Unexpectedly, only one day has passed, and for him, 60 catties of pig iron, which is like a mountain, can be solved so easily.

Thinking about it, Zhu Di looked at Guo An and said with admiration, "Guo An, I will credit you for this matter!"

Guo An chuckled and said, "Your Highness, just remember to give the 100 taels of silver to the lower official!"

Zhu Di was a little puzzled, "What 100 taels?"

Guo An's eyes widened, and he looked at Zhu Di helplessly.

"Your Highness may have forgotten. A month ago, His Highness offered 100 taels of silver, and also sent ten old craftsmen to the lower officials, so that the lower officials can develop how to increase the speed of iron smelting."

Hearing this, Zhu Di's face froze, and he remembered.

"It's been more than a month, I didn't expect you to remember it every day!"

Guo An looked at Zhu Di seriously: "Your Highness, that's 100 taels of silver. If I save some money, it will be enough to cover all my expenses for a year!"

Zhong Huo: "..."

Zhu Fu: "..."

Li Wang: "..."

Save a little money, you need 100 taels a year, does anyone say?
Zhu Di was furious, "You thief officer is really extravagant! If those inspecting censors know about it, they will definitely read another book!"

"Your Highness, these are all earned by the lower officials dignifiedly, why should you be afraid of them?"

Speaking of this, Guo An is full of confidence.

He believed that the matter of iron smelting alone was enough to make Zhu Di take him seriously.

Even if he was resigned by the inspector censor, he could still enter Yanwang Palace, work as a steward, and continue his life.

Maybe he would be safer then.

At least, he has never heard that when Lao Zhu was on the throne, he went to kill officials in the palaces of various princes.

At this time, Zhu Di was still thinking about his steel knives, and he didn't have the heart to talk about these words with Guo An.

In addition, I was in a good mood at this time, and said directly: "I will send someone to take the 100 taels when I go back. No, I will give you 400 taels more. It is my reward for you!"

Guo An shook his head and refused, with a determined look on his face, "Your Highness, the 100 taels agreed before, the next official only needs 100 taels."

"Ok?"

Zhu Di glanced at Guo An with some surprise, "You thief officer didn't like money very much before, why don't you want more than I give you?"

Guo An said: "Your Highness, forgive me. Although the officials like money, they also have their own principles."

"what ever!"

Zhu Di didn't care that much about this either.

(End of this chapter)