C61 Refining Fine Steel with Its Tools

Walking towards the northwest of White Horse Camp, there was a small island that was encircled by a river. The area of the island was around ten miles, and there were many thick reeds growing on the island. Winter river water is very shallow, a kick barely up to the knee, the water is also very clear, occasionally you can see silvery white fish in the aquatic plants.

The reeds in the middle of the island had already been completely dug up, and what replaced them was a thirty feet tall iron furnace. In the cold noon wind, a large group of craftsmen were doing the final test.

Gongsun Xu stood about a dozen steps away from the Iron Refining Furnace, with his hands behind his back as he watched craftsmen busy with work. In the early days of this dynasty, the Chu people invented the method of stir-frying steel (by repeatedly heating, folding, and forging raw materials, they were able to produce fine instruments). The efficiency of manufacturing fine weapons was greatly improved, but it was still a long way from Gongsun Xu's demand. Originally, at the end of the Three Kingdoms, the Chu people invented the method of ironing steel (smelting pig iron and wrought iron in proportion, then adding different amounts of carbon powder, one would be able to obtain different grades of steel without repeatedly forging them). Later, when the Northern Qi Dynasty was in full swing, the famous alchemist Xu's mother wrote something about it in the book, Shen Hou wrote about it in detail in his "Dream of Writing".

Gongsun Xu was very interested in these things in his previous life. He had once seriously studied the Iron Fist Technique. This technique wasn't particularly difficult and he quickly mastered the theory. Ten or so days ago, he had drawn out a blueprint and gave it to the leader of Trades and Crafts Camp, Li Yu. Now that the iron smelting furnace was ready, he could finally practice the method.

"General, my father has arrived." At this time, Ma Tiedan walked over with the old horse.

The Liu brothers knew them and approached without any resistance.

"My name is Ma Jun. Greetings, General!" Old Ma immediately bowed when he saw Gongsun Xu turn his head.

"What did you say!?" Your name is Ma Jun? Is it someone in the shadows? " Gongsun Xu's expression immediately changed. Could it be that Ma Tiedan's father was the most famous mechanical inventor of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Jun?

Ma Jun was surprised as he said, "My ancestor was the Windraiser. Due to Dong Zhuo's turbulence, I ended up here."

Gongsun Xu was overjoyed. The historical Ma Jun had improved the loom, invented the turning wheel and the pointing carriage, and also improved the stone-throwing cart s and the Zhuge crossbow s! One must know that more than two thousand years later, there were still people researching on Zhuge Yun's crossbow, and they could not even replicate it completely. However, he did not know that he had already invented a few things.

"General, you seem to have heard of my lowly name?" Ma Jun asked carefully.

"Heard of it." Gongsun Xu nodded. He didn't dare to tell Ma Jun's story again like he did when he was flattering Hua Tuo. He decided to talk later, so he pointed to the steel furnace and changed the topic. "Mr. Ma, what do you think about this iron furnace?"

"I dare not call myself sir. Could this little one take a closer look? "

"Mr. Ma, please read as you wish. After you've finished reading, you can share your thoughts on this matter."

"Thank you, General." Ma Jun thanked him and walked forward with bright eyes.

"General!" Ma Tiedan bowed and said, "This is exactly how my father is. When he sees something new, he loses all focus. Please do not blame him, General."

"It doesn't matter. Your father is a man of character. How could I blame him?" Gongsun Xu looked at Ma Jun's back and whispered, "Tie Dan, did your father make a lot of new things?"

"That's right!" Ma Tiedan nodded and replied proudly, "When my father was still in Chang'an, he increased the number of warp threads of the loom from fifty to sixty. A proficient weaver can weave two extra pieces of cloth a day! Later on, he invented the waterwheel, and the officials even rewarded him with fifty years' worth of money. "

"Anything else?" Gongsun Xu asked after thinking for a while.

"No, everything else is just some small stuff!" Ma Tiedan suddenly became afraid of his forehead, "Oh yeah, on the day Sun Dajie knocked on his door, when I went home, my dad was making a wooden horse. He said that after I succeeded, I could go on my own."

Gongsun Xu was surprised, he walked on a wooden horse himself! Wasn't this what they called a famous horse with a strong reputation in the world? He had picked up a treasure! No matter what, he had to make Ma Jun stay in the Trades and Crafts Camp!

"General, I feel that this iron furnace is a bit strange." Ma Tiedan didn't know that Gongsun Xu was scheming against his father. He looked at the iron furnace with a puzzled expression.

Even Ma Jun, who walked beside the iron furnace, was puzzled. Compared to the iron furnaces he had seen before, this one was even bigger, and the structure was also very different — there were three iron pipes on top of the furnace that were as thick as ocean bowls. The sides of the stove were made with soil to make a few curved channels to drain the molten metal. The inside was painted very smooth, almost the same as the surface of the copper mirror. The side of the stove was also fitted with a tall gutter (or bellows), but it was not alone. Instead, they had been installed in groups of two, with a total of three sets.

Ma Jun didn't understand the role of the iron pipe and the curved canal, but this combination of the two caused his eyes to light up. His forehead, the pat, had such a simple method, why didn't he think of it? The wind generated by the combination of the two would be even stronger! Ma Jun asked since he didn't understand, then he grabbed a person and asked him about the function of the iron pipe and the curved ditch.

The man waved his hand impatiently. "Where did the idle come from? I'm busy! "

Ma Jun wanted to climb up the ladder to take a look, but there were many people walking around craftsmen. He did not have the chance to use the ladder at all, he could only scratch his head and sniff his ears repeatedly.

Gongsun Xu couldn't help but laugh as he ordered Ma Tiedan to call Ma Jun over.

After Ma Jun came over, he cupped his hands and asked, "It's said that the blueprints for this furnace were drawn by the general. I wonder if I can ask you a few questions?"

Gongsun Xu had already heard from Ma Tiedan about Ma Jun's words, so he smiled and said, "Mister De Heng, please just ask. I will speak whatever I know."

"There is a place I can't understand at all. The little guy can guess that it's for draining molten iron, but what are those three iron pipes up there for?"

Gongsun Xu pointed at the funnel above the iron pipe and smiled, "By adding carbon powder into the molten iron through the three pipes and then draining it into the sand mold through the curved channel, you can get a high-quality steel ingot!"

"You don't need to repeatedly forge the ingot?" Ma Jun instantly opened his eyes wide.

At this moment, if one wanted to forge a Fine Steel Blade, one would have to at least repeatedly forge the steel blank ten times in order to obtain a decent quality steel knife. If he could obtain superior steel ingots without going through forging, then wouldn't he be able to quickly obtain even more fine steel artifacts? If this could happen, it would be the fortune of all craftsmen!

Gongsun Xu laughed, "That's right! "If Mr. De Heng doesn't believe me, do you dare make a bet with me?"

"What bet?" Ma Jun asked in confusion.

"If what I've said is true, Master De Heng will agree to stay behind and be the commander of the Trades and Crafts Camp!"

"It's a deal!" Ma Jun agreed without even asking himself what he would get if he won. He was full of praise for Gongsun Xu's "invention" of toothbrushes, pancreas, and other things. He believed that these new things could benefit the people, and were much better than manufacturing excellent weapons to kill people. He had long thought of interviewing Gongsun Xu, so why would he reject this bet?

Gongsun Xu was overjoyed. He did not expect to get Ma Jun under his wing so easily, so he chose a few new things that the technology at this time could definitely produce. For example, Ma Jun's undiscovered compass carriage and the Zhuge crossbow, he told Ma Jun the main points in detail. Ma Jun was overjoyed to hear this. He kept discussing it with Gongsun Xu, wishing he could immediately find a tool to try it out.

As the two of them chatted, Ma Tiedan occasionally interjected. Soon, an hour had passed. Just then, the leader of the Trades and Crafts Camp, Li Yu, came over and reported that everything was ready.

Li Yu was skinny, around forty years old, and was a famous blacksmith in Youzhou. He only had around 300 craftsmen at the start. After that, there were more and more craftsmen of all kinds, and with the addition of the strong labor that was transferred from the auxiliary force, there were already more than 1000 people in the Trades and Crafts Camp.

According to the customs at this point, the new furnace had to be sacrificed, and sometimes even thrown in three beasts to pray for help from the Fire God. However, Gongsun Xu directly skipped this step and ordered the fire to be built.

Li Yu regretted not being able to hold the sacrificial ceremony, but he still obediently went over and told the craftsmen to light the fire. craftsmen had long poured the iron ore into the furnace. Hearing the order, they all raised their torches and lit the dried wood, then pulled the torches.

Gongsun Xu went up to take a few steps and found it very boring, so he dusted off his hands and asked Ma Jun: "Mr. De Heng, would you like to come with me to the barracks to rest? "Refining iron takes a long time, there's no need to wait here."

Staring at the furnace, Ma Jun replied without turning his head: "No need, General please do as you please, I will watch from the beginning to the end."

Gongsun Xu did not force him. He instructed Ma Tiedan to take care of Ma Jun and went back to the barracks to rest.

When he was young, Gongsun Xu was playing chess with Guo Jia in the military tent. He was unable to learn the game of Go, which was a favorite game for literati. He forcefully dragged the reluctant Guo Jia to play chess to pass the time.

"General!" Guo Jia was the last to die.

"Aiya!" Gongsun Xu turned pale with fright. He quickly grabbed his horse and begged, "Feng Xiao, let me take a step back!" What if I just regret a single step? "

"My lord, you've said this seven or eight times!" Guo Jia sighed, "We don't like to play chess. Since the lord insisted on pulling us here, let's do it. We will regret it at least seven or eight times for every game of chess."

"It's different this time!" Gongsun Xu continued to argue. He pointed at the chess board and said, "Just now, your sleeves blocked this position. Otherwise, I would have been able to see such a good move!"

"Sigh." Guo Jia touched his forehead and sighed, "My lord, how about you win this game as well?"

"What are you saying!" Gongsun Xu stared and exclaimed, "Am I that kind of person? "Feng Xiao, are you going to regret this move?"

Guo Jia nodded helplessly: "Give way!" Of course! "My lord, if you want to regret something, just regret it for a few steps!"

"Haha, that's more like it!" Gongsun Xu laughed loudly. Just as he was about to pick up the chess piece and put it back down, Ma Tiedan reported loudly from outside.

"The iron ores in the general's furnace have all melted, while the craftsmen is removing the impurities. Then, the carbon powder will be added. Please come over and watch."

"Aiya, what a pity!" Gongsun Xu casually threw away the chess piece and sighed: "It looks like we are going to win, this kid really came at the wrong time! Feng Xiao, I will continue this matter when I get back! "

"My lord, let's talk about it when you come back," Guo Jia waved his hand weakly.

Gongsun Xu sent for Zhao Yun and Yan Rou, and they quickly walked towards the island.

When they arrived in front of the Iron Refining Furnace, Li Yu had already ordered the craftsmen to add carbon powder into the molten liquid, the hot and fiery red liquid flowed along the curved channel into the sand mold, and quickly began to condense.

Seeing this, everyone applauded. craftsmen was the most excited, for the sake of this Iron Refining Furnace, they had toiled day and night for more than ten days, and were finally able to refine the Iron Water.

Ma Jun and Li Yu's faces were solemn as they anxiously waited for the liquid metal to completely condense, so that they could check if it was iron or steel.

Half an hour later, in front of everyone, Ma Jun personally wielded the hammer and ruthlessly smashed it on an unknown piece of blank metal.

After a few blows, the black color on the surface of the rough surface disappeared without a trace and was replaced by a bright green color.

Ma Jun threw away the hammer, grabbed the blank piece of metal, and cried out as if he was holding a rare treasure: "This is a high-quality steel ingot!"

Everyone jumped up and down to applaud. The scene was as lively as if it was New Year's.

Gongsun Xu also cheered loudly. He didn't expect that he would succeed the first time he used the Iron Ore Method! In his eyes, each and every piece of ingot had become knives, armour, and crossbows … …