back to ancient times to be emperor

Chapter 43 Respectable Craftsman
During the New Year period in the Dashun Dynasty, court officials were given fifteen days of vacation as usual. From the first day of the new year to the evening of the Lantern Festival, they began to clock in and go to work the next day.Well, it's time to go to work.

However, just like the later celestial dynasties, there will always be people who will contribute silently, even if everyone is on holiday, they will still stick to their posts.And they are not even recorded at 01:30 in the historical records, but the progress of mankind is driven by them.Don't you see, most of China's four major inventions came from the Song Dynasty.It can be said that without these craftsmen, the Song Dynasty could not have resisted the invasion of nomads. These craftsmen, they deserve to be unsung heroes!
When Lu Chengqi came to the office of the Ministry of Industry, which was still in full swing, he wondered if he had gone to the wrong place.A well-behaved office of the Ministry of Industry was turned into a large-scale steelmaking factory by Lu Chengqi's decree.The original ruins were directly removed, and a large open space was sorted out. Many craftsmen were recruited, most of them were refugees along the Yellow River.

The workshop that originally made pyrotechnics was moved to a secret place outside the city, where it specialized in the research on the ratio of black and gunpowder, and the production of black and gunpowder ingredients. In fact, it was to grind charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur to make the particles more round. Spread evenly.Although these craftsmen don't understand the principle, they will sum up their experience. Lu Chengqi is also surprised that they have initially mastered the power of black and gunpowder in a short period of time.

But Lu Chengqi knew that there was nothing better than rifles and iron cannons to bring out the greatest power of black and gunpowder.To make guns and iron cannons, the prerequisite is that the steelmaking technology is very mature.It's a pity that although the Dashun Dynasty had a lot of iron smelting, the strength was never enough.In the Dashun Dynasty, there were pig iron, wrought iron, and steel.The ancients did not have the concept of carbon content. The main basis for distinguishing pig iron, steel, and wrought iron is its performance. Hard and brittle ones are "raw", malleable ones are "cooked", and strong ones are steel.Because the frying and smelting process is carried out in a semi-liquid state, it is difficult to separate slag and iron, and the product often contains more inclusions. Even though the carbon content is high, it is not rigid, so it can only be called "wrought iron".

Although Lu Chengqi is a liberal arts student, he also knows that carbon alloys with a carbon content between 0.02% and 2.06% are called steel.He left the imperial guards outside the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry, but he wandered around the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry quietly.He watched with interest these people were using extremely primitive methods to make steel, although they thought they were using the best technology.

Suddenly, he saw an acquaintance. The face of this acquaintance seemed to come out of a coal pile, and it was black.Seeing Lu Chengqi suddenly, this person was stunned for a moment, and quickly saluted: "The emperor is here in person, Tang Xun, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, is far away to welcome you, and I hope your majesty will forgive me!"

The craftsmen present suddenly heard that the emperor was coming, they didn't dare to move, and waited for Lu Chengqi's instructions.Lu Chengqi didn't want to disturb them at first, but Tang Xun was so straightforward, he didn't see his expression at all, and immediately called out, which made Lu Chengqi embarrassed for a while.He knows that in everything, he is afraid of laymen leading experts. Even though the current smelting technology is very backward in Lu Chengqi's view, he dare not use some advanced ideas to guide them casually. He couldn't bear to continue to delay the appearance of the guns he cared about.

Lu Chengqi said embarrassingly: "Everyone has worked hard. I can see that you are very hardworking, so I am relieved. Looking back, I will ask the Ministry of Accounts to give each craftsman two pennies as a New Year's gift. I hope everyone will continue to work hard !Okay, I don’t have anything to say, you can go about your business. Tang Qing, come with me.”

The craftsman looked at Lu Chengqi's back, but his heart was warm, and he worked harder.

When Lu Chengqi called Tang Xun out, he actually wanted to tell him about the development plan of the Ministry of Industry.Huang Xishi was getting old, and Tang Xun was the one who took over. He was proficient in water conservancy and iron smelting. He was really a rare talent.

Lu Chengqi said: "Tang Qing, I have an idea. If anyone can contribute a lot of methods to make steel, I plan to reward him with ten thousand dollars. What do you think?"

Tang Xun was taken aback, and said bluntly, "Your Majesty, is it too much?"

Lu Chengqi shook his head and said: "The way of steel is related to my life and death in Dashun, so I can't be careless. But this steel really can't meet my expectations! I did this to stimulate the craftsmen all over the world, and they are all for my use. Not only It is steelmaking, as long as it is useful to the Dashun Dynasty and the people, I will not hesitate to reward it. Tang Qing, don't underestimate these craftsmen, they are the unsung heroes behind Dashun!"

Tang Xun was very grateful for Lu Chengqi's praise, so he didn't say much.Lu Chengqi once again asked which steelmaking method the Ministry of Industry was testing, and Tang Xun sighed: "Your Majesty's request is really difficult. The steelmaking techniques of the past dynasties are nothing more than pouring steel, frying steel, forging and refining." The crucible method. It takes time and effort to cultivate a piece of high-quality steel. Your Majesty asked the Ministry of Industry to come up with a large number of methods for making steel, but I have no power."

Lu Chengqi smiled and said: "You are limited by history, why can't you create another method?"

Tang Xun said: "New steelmaking methods? Those are all flashy, not worth it..." Tang Xun shook his head stubbornly.

Lu Chengqi said mysteriously: "Tang Qing, if I say that there is a way to make a large amount of steel. Do you dare to bet with me?"

Ten thousand people in Tang Xun didn't believe it. Although the person in front of him was the emperor, he was only 1 years old. How could he know how to make steel?It is really impossible to make a large amount of steel.As a top figure in this field, Tang Xun would not believe it.There may be geniuses in writing, arithmetic, and language, but Tang Xun doesn't believe in geniuses in technology.Which technology is not obtained by the painstaking efforts of the craftsmen of the past dynasties, inheriting the footsteps of the predecessors?Lu Chengqi has never even touched a hammer or a bellows, so he doesn't know anything about steelmaking!Even if it was forging with iron, Lu Chengqi couldn't swing that big hammer!

Lu Chengqi said mysteriously: "I have been granted by heaven to know a method of making steel. However, this method is too miraculous, and I have never dared to tell people. Can Tang Qing help me identify whether this method is true or not?"

Tang Xun was dubious, and said: "Your Majesty, tell me?"

Lu Chengqi then told Tang Xun the blast furnace steelmaking method of later generations.By the way, Tang Xun mentioned the modern steelmaking principles, and Tang Xun was fascinated by it, and sighed: "Your Majesty is really a heavenly man! It turns out that I have never been able to make good steel, and it turns out that the temperature is not enough."

Lu Chengqi also laughed and said: "If the temperature is not enough, the impurities in the pig iron will not be removed, and the iron is too hard. Even if it is forged into steel, it will not be useful. If you want to maximize the power of black and gunpowder, there is no good steel. , is not possible. And the cost of steelmaking and the output are too small to meet my expectations. If the blast furnace method is feasible, I will promise you a reward of ten thousand guan."

Tang Xun said modestly: "Your Majesty, if this method works, the biggest contributors are not the ministers, but the craftsmen!"

Lu Chengqi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed loudly, and said, "Tang Qing, I did not misunderstand you. You are rewarded clearly, and you are a person who does great things! Make the steel well, and I will not treat any craftsman badly. I will go back It is decreed that as long as there are inventions, they will be protected by law. I will also create a science and technology award to encourage people to invent and innovate!"

Tang Xun smiled slightly, matching that coal-like face, it was a bit ridiculous, but it was even more awe-inspiring: "What your majesty thinks is the blessing of the craftsmen in the world!"

(End of this chapter)