In Kuaiji Mountain, there are thousands of rocks competing for beauty, thousands of valleys contending for streams, mountains overlapping with peaks, lush vegetation, and clouds steaming through the clouds.
In the early summer morning, under the shade of trees, the "Zheng's Iron House" at the foot of the mountain is not hot at all, and the air is fresh and refreshing.
Zhao Hong came from the mountain path, followed by Tian Yi, who was leading the horse, and several other guards. Everyone was sweating profusely, but the scenery was beautiful and they were in good spirits.
A few months have passed, running back and forth, practicing martial arts, riding and shooting with Li Tang and others. Zhao Hong has become much darker, but he has become much more energetic.
The iron smelting at Zheng's Iron Works was on track and there was no need for him to worry about it. He came today to forge cannons.
According to Li Tang, several artillery pieces have been built and he came to see the effect.
"Your Highness, I am dismissed from the official position, and I am still following you. Isn't it appropriate? If people like Shi Miyuan see me, I'm afraid it will be trouble again."
Tian Yi followed Zhao Hong, looking left and right, as if he were a thief, making people look down upon him.
Tiefenfang has been taken over by the Arms Department of the Ministry of Industry. He is now a commoner. He comes in and out here and inevitably attracts criticism.
"I'm not even afraid, but you're just scared! I'll hire you to be my personal staff and bodyguard, and I'll pay for it myself. That's fine!"
Zhao Hong said angrily, despising Tian Yi for shrinking back.
There are some things that will bring peace to the world if you are not afraid.
"Tian Dalang, don't worry. Now that His Highness is famous in Beijing, those troublemakers have to think carefully even if they want to slander His Highness!"
Guard Hu Datou led the horse and said energetically.
"low profile!"
Xu Sheng looked at Zhao Hong who was calm in front of him and said seriously.
Over the past few months, many of Zhao Hong's catchphrases have been accepted by these young guards.
I saw Zheng Hao sitting at the door of the iron workshop, his big round head tilted, as weak as an eggplant beaten by frost.
Zhao Hong couldn't help but smile.
"Old Zheng, what's wrong? You're listless?"
It seemed that Fatty Zheng was very resistant to the fact that the imperial court had taken away his livelihood.
The imperial court paid him a "transfer fee" of 5,000 yuan for 10 years, which was enough for his family to live happily for a lifetime.
"The villain has met His Highness."
Zheng Hao quickly stood up and greeted Zhao Hong with a smile on his face.
"Old Zheng, there is no need to be polite. Is it because the iron workshop is going to be bought by the government, and you are unhappy about it?"
Zhao Hong asked with a smile. There are some things that you enjoy, which may not be replaced by money.
"Your Highness, the iron workshop is my lifeblood. When the government buys it, I feel very reluctant to part with it!"
Zheng Hao's face was filled with grievances.
This Zhao Hong, instead of going out to have fun and live happily, he hides in the ravines all day doing such boring things.
Is he mentally ill?
Is there anyone like him in the world?
"Old Zheng, the important weapon of the Iron Smelting Kingdom, it is a helpless move for the court to take it back."
Zhao Hong said seriously and took a heavy breath.
Once the new technology of iron smelting is spread to the outside world, it will not matter to the Jin people. If it spreads to the Tatars, it will be a big trouble.
"The craftsmen are under the control of the Ministry of Industry of the imperial court. Wouldn't it be better if there are no servants and they can receive salaries? Everyone's life will be easier, so you should be more open-minded."
"Although I say this, in my heart..."
Zheng Hao's eyes flickered and he spoke reluctantly, not knowing whether it was true or false.
"Old Zheng, come, sit down and drink tea!"
Zhao Hong looked at the table at the door. There was a pot of hot tea on it, and the aroma was lingering.
"The villain dare not!"
Zheng Hao nodded and bowed with an apologetic smile on his face, but did not dare to sit down.
There is a difference between superior and inferior, and the superior and inferior know themselves. Although Zhao Hong has no airs, he is not arrogant enough to want to be on an equal footing with the prince.
"Sit down. There are no outsiders here. Let's drink tea!"
Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha, Zhao Hong poured a cup of tea for Zheng Hao and motioned for him to sit down.
What's the point of putting up those useless airs? He is not so shallow.
"The spring water is clear, and the new tea before the rain is so delicious! Why didn't I drink such good tea when I was in Lin'an City?"
Zhao Hong sipped the tea and shook his head slightly, seeming to enjoy it very much.
"Your Highness, the mountain water is delicious and the charcoal fire is sufficient. If it is difficult for ordinary people at the foot of the mountain to boil water, let alone drink good tea!"
Zheng Yuanwai started from scratch. Although he was rich, he was still poor at heart.
"Is it so troublesome to boil water?"
Zhao Hong leaned on the back of his chair, sipping tea casually.
Such good water is not something that can be easily drunk in Lin'an City.
"Your Highness, the key is that it is not easy to light a fire every time, and it makes you look disgraced. Therefore, Your Highness has taken advantage of the iron furnace of the iron workshop!"
Zheng Hao pouted and said, Zhao Hong opened his eyes and couldn't help but be startled.
It’s so difficult to boil water. If you don’t have a gas stove, why don’t you have a charcoal stove?
"Your Highness, people in the country burn straw and wheat straw. Sometimes when it rains, the firewood becomes sluggish, making it more difficult to make a fire."
Zheng Hao said with a smile, standing and drinking tea.
"Old Zheng, brother, let me teach you a trick to make up for the loss of your iron workshop."
Zhao Hong thought for a moment and remembered something.
Perhaps, this matter is beneficial to people's livelihood and can liberate women from the stove.
"What's your great idea?"
Zheng Hao also became interested.
Zhao Hong is a skilled craftsman, and he is very skilled in strange craftsmanship, and he is ashamed of himself.
"Old Zheng, call your blacksmith, I will explain it to you, and I will keep your eyes open!"
Zhao Hong laughed and said, heartless and lungless.
He picked up the pencil and started drawing on the paper on the table.
I have been using briquettes and coal stoves since I was a child and have made countless briquettes with my own hands. I am also very familiar with briquette stoves and briquette machines.
"Your Highness, is this the coal machine and stove you call? Is this the coal?"
The blacksmith came over. Zheng Hao and he looked at the coal stove and briquette machine on the drawings, and asked suspiciously.
It’s not difficult to make a coal-pulling machine, but the key is the briquettes. How to do it?
"Remember, charcoal powder and clay are between four to one and three to one. Put the briquettes into the briquette stove and make a fire. You only need a few pieces of coal a day, and you don't need to light a fire all year round. Boil water for cooking, room Heating is very convenient!”
Zhao Hong smiled proudly and continued drinking tea.
A stove with one briquette and a stove with three briquettes. These two stoves, one big and one small, should be enough for cooking and making tea.
"Don't light a fire all year round?"
Zheng Hao and the blacksmiths still didn't believe it, their eyes full of doubt.
"Of course, practice is the only criterion for testing truth! I leave this skill to you, it will be enough to make up for the loss of your ironworks!"
Zhao Hong patted Zheng Hao's thick shoulder and said seriously.
"You sell yours, but I want to declare that the patent rights for this stove and briquettes are mine. In addition, for every stove sold plus 100 briquettes, I still have to charge a penny in royalties."
"Second uncle, go down and do it. If you don't understand, come back and ask me."
Zheng Hao sent away the hesitant blacksmiths and smiled.
"Your Highness, if it really works out, I'll pay you 10% of the fee!"
Zheng Hao looked around and found no one, so he lowered his voice and spoke.
"Your Highness, I have an unkind request. Please allow Your Highness."
Zhao Hong looked at Zheng Hao with twinkling eyes and nodded.
This fat man has a quick mind and is evasive when talking, so he must be holding back nothing good.
"Old Zheng, you are one of us. If you have something to say, say it, and if you have something to say, let it go!"
Zheng Hao helped him, and he would definitely do whatever he could to help him.
"Thank you, Your Highness! Dalang, come here for a moment!"
Zheng Hao smiled happily and shouted into the iron workshop behind him.
Then, a fat young man came out, with Mount Tai pressing down on top and dark clouds covering the sun, he walked straight over.
"Your Highness, this is the villain's boss. Da Lang, come and meet your Highness!"
Zheng Hao introduced the little fat man with a smile.
"Young man Zheng Tu, please pay homage to His Highness!"
The little fat man stepped forward and saluted Zhao Hong, feeling extremely stressed.
He is called Little Fatty because he is young. In fact, he is larger, taller and stronger than his father.
"Zheng Tu, are you a butcher?"
Zhao Hong made a joke.
The tall, fat young man in front of him, like a mountain, reminded him inexplicably of Zheng Tu, the "Guanxi conqueror" in the Water Margin.
"Your Highness, Quanzi has been smelting iron with villains since he was a child. He has gone to school and likes these strange skills the most. How can he be a butcher?"
Zheng Hao introduced his son seriously.
"It's just a joke, don't mind. A son will inherit his father's legacy, okay! Old Zheng, tell me what you have to say!"
Zhao Hong also put away his smile and became serious.
"Your Highness, I want Da Lang to follow Your Highness. Just tell me that this iron workshop must have a trustworthy person to look after it."
Zheng Hao began to recommend himself without avoiding relatives.
"Your Highness, I have some experience regarding forging cannons and would like to share them with you."
Before Zhao Hong could speak, Fatty had already spoken with great interest.
"Oh, you should tell me!"
Zhao Hong nodded and became interested.
"The villain thinks that it is better to use sand molds than clay molds. Not only are clay molds slow, but they are also easy to stick to iron pipes and cause trachoma. But sand molds are much stronger. Sand molds are easy to dissipate heat and are breathable, and molten iron can slow down the process. It cools slowly and forms gray iron. Gray iron is tough and easy to cut with a knife."
Zheng Tu talked eloquently, seeming to be scolding Fang Qiu.
"So, you have some insights?"
Zhao Hong's heart moved and he sat up straight unconsciously.
The masters are among the people. This is really not a joke.
"Your Highness, the Shaoxing Prefecture made the Fire Gun and Thunder Thunder. I have helped with them. I have used sand molds and clay molds, so I know some principles of casting firearms."
Zheng Tu's mouth was modest and his expression was high-spirited. It seemed that he had a lot of skills.
"Back to Your Highness, the cannons cast earlier were all melted by Quanzi. He said the barrels were rough and useless. Quanzi had prepared some sand molds for pouring the barrels. When he used to cast iron pipes, he tried Pass!"
Zhao Hong was still surprised, but Zheng Hao lost no time in praising his son.
Tian Yi was slightly embarrassed. Speaking of which, he just followed Zhao Hong's instructions and cast the artillery in a satisfactory manner, without thinking too much about it.
"Okay! Zheng Tu, keep talking!"
Zhao Hong looked at Zheng Tu appreciatively and encouraged him to continue speaking.
Professional things must be done by professional people. This is the truth.
"Your Highness, the inside of the iron pipe is drilled and polished smoothly. You can use water to help cool down and avoid tool damage. Use a fixed tool to drill and grind the inside of the iron pipe. This can not only ensure the smoothness of the pipe wall, but also keep the pipe hole straight, ensuring that the cannon The quality of the tube also allows it to shoot farther.”
Zhao Hong was surprised. This guy has some skills. Could he be from time travel?
"Then there is no need to cast hollow cannons, build a few waterwheels, fix the cylinders and tools, and dig them out directly from the cylinders?"
Zhao Hong's words made Zheng Tu stunned for a moment, and then he nodded with excitement on his face.
"Your Highness, this is a really good idea! The cannon bore made in this way is smooth and straight, which is much better than the cast one. However, if you use a cylinder to rotary dig, it may be very expensive to use tools!"
"Okay! Don't be afraid of spending knives, just go ahead and try!"
Zhao Hong breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems that this kid didn't come from time travel, otherwise he wouldn't know how to drill hard.
"Zheng Tu, you must have prepared the sand mold for the cannon."
Seeing Zheng Tu's excitement, Zhao Hong asked directly.
Whether it can be reused depends on whether it is a wasted reputation. It's good to be ambitious, but talent must match it. Many times, talent is not worthy of ambition, which is very painful.
"Your Highness, the villain is ready to cast the cannon at any time."
Sure enough, Zheng Tu was confident and replied enthusiastically.
"Okay! Go over and have a look!"
Zhao Hong stood up and spoke sincerely to Zheng Hao, who was smiling all over his face.
"Executive member Zheng, it is true that the father of a dog has no son of a tiger!"
Having thought of a method and being able to solve it yourself is a true talent.
Looking at Zhao Hong's leaving figure, Zheng Yuanwai shook his head in confusion.
This compliment just doesn't sound right.
"Stop looking! Go and build a stove and coal machine! See if they can be used?"
Zheng Hao shouted to the blacksmiths, feeling suspicious in his heart.
Can this honeycomb briquette mixed with soil and charcoal really be ignited? Isn't it bluffing?
How could the mighty Song Dynasty prince know so many strange skills?
