Because the hardness of steel is directly proportional to the carbon content, in order to train wrought iron into 'steel', in addition to tempering it, it is necessary to re-increase its carbon content...... The reason why Daming Steelmaking leads the world is that the key difference lies in this step.

In Japan, for example, when folding and forging, paper and plant ash are wrapped around wrought iron for forging, and this carburizing method is outrageously inefficient. Therefore, the Japanese people regard their steel knives as their lives, because it is not easy to get one.

The Ming Dynasty has two mature technologies, the stuffy steel method and the steel filling method, and the efficiency is many times higher than that of Japan.

Wuhu's specialty Sugang is the latter.

Zhao Hao saw that the steelmaking master first asked his apprentice to put the unforged wrought iron pieces into the iron-making furnace, and there was also a small worker next to him who was pulling the bellows to heat.

About two minutes later, the apprentice used large tongs to clamp one end of the pig iron and placed it diagonally in the mouth of the furnace, and at the same time ordered the apprentice to intensify the air blast so that the temperature of the furnace would continue to rise.

Before the tea was served, the pig iron began to melt at the end of the furnace, and the molten iron continued to drip down. At this time, the steelmaker took the large iron tongs from the apprentice's hand, clamped the pig iron at the end of the furnace, and began to move left and right, so that the molten iron was evenly poured on the wrought iron below.

Because the melting point of wrought iron is higher than that of pig iron, although it was put in first, it was only burned red and showed no signs of melting.

At the same time, the other hand of the steelmaker keeps turning the wrought iron sheet so that it can be evenly poured with molten iron on both sides. After pouring it twice, the master will clamp the wrought iron to the anvil next to the furnace and let the apprentice hammer forge it.

If you beat it thousands of times repeatedly to remove impurities, you can get the 'steel' in the hearts of craftsmen.

Steel is so difficult to make, and naturally it is much more expensive than bronze, which of course severely limits sales.

So the craftsmen came up with a compromise method, for example, if they wanted to make a large knife, they would first make the blade with wrought iron, and then only pour iron and steel on the blade, which is called 'good steel for the blade'.

~~

After visiting the steel mill, Zhao Hao felt that his throat was about to smoke.

Wang Yu has already asked people to prepare honeysuckle mint tea to clear away heat and relieve heat, although the taste is weird, but the effect is really good.

After pouring a few large cups, he finally suppressed the discomfort of the fire, and Zhao Hao was in the mood to speak.

He is still very satisfied with Wang Ji Steel Mill, at least this production process...... From ore washing and beneficiation, to soil coking, to coke ore mixed calcination, to frying steel or wrought iron, to the final steel filling method tapping...... The general direction is basically correct.

Although from Zhao Gongzi's point of view, there are a lot of problems in every link of production. But it also shows that there is a lot of room for improvement.

In this way, it is only necessary to continuously improve the process and increase the furnace temperature to provide enough steel for the group...... Of course, it is the steel defined by Zhao Gongzi, not the kind in the hearts of craftsmen.

As long as the square trough can be changed into a reverberatory furnace, the furnace temperature can be easily increased by several hundred degrees, and the quality of wrought iron can be greatly improved, and there is no need to use bronze casting cannons. Zhao Gongzi secretly calculated.

Jiangnan Bank launched a set of 'bronze coupons' after the year, with face values of '500 Wen', '100 Wen', '50 Wen', and '10 Wen'. The use and expansion of circulation as a secondary currency of silver coupons is one thing; On the other hand, it is to collect enough copper for the group to meet the material needs of casting guns and various castings.

There is no way, it is too taboo to mine copper directly in Daming. Copper is a currency that can only be mined by the government.

Therefore, Zhao Gongzi is eagerly looking forward to the day when high-quality wrought iron can be produced in large quantities.

At that time, not only will it not be a problem to build guns, cannons, and steam engines, but even the Zhengtai Railway promised to Lao Xi'er will no longer be just a big pie.

After chatting about process improvement for a long time, the topic turned to why most of the ironmaking furnaces had not started.

Wang Yu, who was originally excited, couldn't help but lower his voice. With a long sigh, he said: "Alas, the business is declining, and I am ashamed of my father." ”

"Why?" Zhao Hao asked pretending to be puzzled. In fact, before leaving, Secretary Ma will pick up important information about today's itinerary and tell his son, so that he can know in his heart.

Moreover, Wang Ji's business difficulties have long been no secret.

"Alas, the time is also fate." Wang Yu sighed again and said: "Our own family, there is no need to hide it, the reason why my Wang family was able to quickly gain a foothold in the industry and increase the sales of Sugang by 30 times in ten years." One is to rely on strong financial support, and the other is to have noble people to help. ”

Saying that, he glanced at Zhao Hao and said: "Ling Zu is one of them, but the most critical one is our Jixi fellow Hu Butang." ”

Zhao Li was originally Hu Zongxian's former subordinate, and he naturally didn't worry that Zhao Gongzi would be unhappy when he said this.

"Hmm."

Zhao Hao nodded, and listened to him continue: "Hu Butang can strongly resist the Japanese, relying on the support of the prime minister of the DPRK and China, and relying on the generosity of our Huizhou villagers, so that he can have a steady stream of military funds to recruit and train soldiers. At that time, the entire southeastern armament was in disuse, all ordnance was rotten, and it had to be rebuilt. ”

"Hu Butang reciprocated the favor and gave a large number of orders to Wang Ji, plus the weapons we built are really excellent, and they can fight against the hundred refining knives of the Japanese Kou, which is famous, and the sales channel will be opened at once." Saying that, he sighed and said: "It's a pity that not long after my father died, Hu Butang also died unjustly in prison. In addition, after the victory of the anti-Japanese war, swords and guns were put into storage and horses were put in Nanshan, and even orders were given to neighboring related households, and my family's business gradually became deserted. ”

"Open one less furnace today, send away a master tomorrow, and unconsciously become the half-dead appearance it is now." Wang Yu said gloomily.

"The north is still fighting Tartars, and Yu Dashuai in the south is also going to suppress pirates, how can there be no orders?" Zhao Hao took a sip of tea and asked softly.

"The trade in the north is monopolized by the iron mills of the Jin merchants, and although the quality of their iron tools is not as good as ours, it is still more expensive. However, the governors of the three sides only use Shanxi iron tools, and we can't grab them at all. Wang Yu smiled bitterly and said: "As for Guangdong, the level of ironmaking is already high, and the price is not expensive, who will give up the near and far?" ”

"Why should Uncle Wang worry?" Zhao Hao couldn't help laughing and said: "How much output do you have a year, I'll cover it all." ”

"Oops," Wang Yu was excited at first, and then waved his hand and said: "That's also a few million catties, too much, too much." ”

"Not much, Jiangnan Group has a lot of places to use iron." Zhao Hao waved his hand arrogantly and said: "In addition to steel, the most urgent thing at present is wrought iron, how much you want." ”

"That's great!" Wang Yu suddenly swept away his expression, and said thank you without a word.

Although wrought iron currently has too many impurities to be used as weapons, it is more than enough to make agricultural tools and tools. Tens of thousands of workers and 60,000 peasant workers in more than a dozen subordinate companies of the Jiangnan Group have gone to the sea of iron tools they need.

With the rapid development of Jiangnan Group, the scale is getting bigger and bigger, not to mention just one Wang Ji, even if it is to eat the output of the entire Wuhu, it is not difficult.

ps. The first update of the three consecutive changes, ask for a monthly pass!