The coke coming out of the Kongshan Coking Plant was transported directly to the newly built steelmaking plant in Kongshan without any further stop.
Zhu Gaojie wanted to build an industrial city in Kongshan, and the steelmaking plant was indispensable.
In ancient steelmaking, ores with high iron content were first mined and then heated with charcoal made from natural combustion. The heated ore was then poured into cold water. The purpose was to allow the hard ore to pass through the heat. After expansion and contraction, the ore is made brittle, and then the ore treated in this way is crushed, and then washed with water to leave the iron part. The iron sand is heated and melted in an earthen steel-making furnace, and waits The molten steel is cooled.
The steelmaking technology of the Ming Dynasty was quite mature and advanced, and it was far ahead in the world. Even Britain, which was the first to carry out the Industrial Revolution, could only catch up with the steel production of the Ming Dynasty in the 19th century.
The biggest shortcoming of the steel-making technology of the Ming Dynasty was that the temperature was not enough. Because the temperature was not enough, the smelted steel was only in a paste state, not a liquid state. If you want to refine liquid steel, it must be at least over 1,600 degrees Celsius, but the limit for steelmaking in the Ming Dynasty was over 1,300 degrees Celsius.
The biggest reason for this problem is that charcoal was used to make iron in the Ming Dynasty, but Zhu Gaojie had coke, so he did not need to worry about insufficient temperature.
Unlike traditional steelmaking, Zhu Gaojie adopted blast furnace steelmaking.
This method has a relatively simple process, high output, and low labor requirements.
In addition, adding a small amount of alkali while smelting with this method can also solve the problem of dephosphorization. The disadvantage of Kongshan's steelmaking plant is that the smelting time is long, with each furnace taking about one day. However, due to the large molten pool, each furnace can produce two thousand kilograms of molten steel. The output is extremely high, and the quality is also high.
Molten iron like magma boils in the steelmaking furnace. After the charge is melted, when the molten pool is heated to the specified temperature, ore can be added for refining and the alkalinity of the slag can be increased at the same time.
After the process is complete, the uneven brown iron ore becomes bright, high-quality steel. However, there will be a dedicated trolley to pull away the steel and transport it to the warehouse.
…
At Prince Qi's house, Zhu Gaojie was giving instructions to his little secretary Su Wu: "In terms of iron ore procurement, we need to hurry up. The Kongshan Steelmaking Plant has been in operation very well, and I plan to continue to expand it."
Su Wu was a little confused: "Your Majesty, two more steel-making warehouses have been built in Kongshan, but the two new ones are almost full. We have smelted so much high-quality steel, are we just putting it in the warehouse to watch? "
Zhu Gaojie shook his head and chuckled: "Don't worry, someone will buy it."
"Who will buy such a huge amount of steel?" Su Wu was a little tired. "If we can't find a stable export, our series of steelmaking lines in Kongshan will probably go bankrupt."
Zhu Gaojie made steel neither for his own use nor for sale. Such a huge amount of steel could only be used for forging weapons. But steelmaking and weapon forging are two different things. Zhu Gaojiu smelted the steel and stored it in the warehouse without anyone caring about him. He dug coal in Kongshan. This was the emperor's order, but how to use the coal dug out was the palace of Prince Qi. The emperor has been watching the matter, but has not spoken. Who dares to take care of it?
But if you use this steel material to forge weapons, well, you don’t even have to wait for death, you just die suddenly on the spot!
At this time, the elusive Shadow Attendant Aqi came out of nowhere and said calmly to Zhu Gaojie: "There is news from the palace, and the emperor wants you to see him."
Zhu Gaojie smiled and looked at Su Wu: "Did you see that the buyer is coming to the door?"
Su Wu suddenly realized it and exclaimed with admiration: "Your Majesty, you are so good!"
Zhu Gaojie never thought about making too much money by making steel. He just wanted to build the Ming Dynasty's industrial city in Kongshan. And this requires the emperor's support. The best way is to bring the emperor into the group, but if you want to bring the emperor in, you have to pay a sufficient price.
It was impossible for him to spend a huge amount of time and energy to build Kongshan Industrial City and then hand it over to the emperor. This will indeed give a huge boost to the future industrial development of the Ming Dynasty, but for Prince Qi's Mansion, it is a completely loss-making business. Zhu Gaojie is not a second-armed man, so he cannot do such a thing.
Therefore, Zhu Gaojie's initial plan was to get Kong Shan out and sell it to the emperor. As for how much he could sell it, it would depend on how much the emperor was willing to pay.
If the emperor doesn't want to pay, he can just snatch Kong Shan over. He is the emperor and he is the biggest, and Zhu Gaojie can't do anything about it. But the old man wouldn't do that. Although His Majesty the Emperor was sometimes rogue, Zhu Di still couldn't do such a thing.
If the emperor really kidnapped Kong Shan, Zhu Gaojie would not care. Unless Zhu Di killed him directly, Zhu Gaojie would definitely prepare to rebel.
You steal my Kongshan, I will steal your kingdom!
…
Xuanwu Lake, pillowed by Purple Mountain in the east and Ming Dynasty City Wall in the west, is a royal garden. During the Hongwu Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Gao selected Xuanwu Lake as the place where the central government of the Ming Dynasty stored the national household register, tax records, and land records. Xuanwu Lake has since been a forbidden area, isolated from the outside world.
Xuanwu Lake is a lake close to the west foot, named Zhonghu. His Majesty the Emperor became interested today and sat on the bank of Zhonghu to fish.
The islands are connected by embankments and bridges, forming a seamless whole. There are mountains and water everywhere, and the mountains are different, and the scenery is picturesque all year round. Fish are raised in the lake and lotus are planted. In summer and autumn, the water surface is green and pink lotus are shaded in it. The lake is full of fragrance, elegant and clean.
However, His Majesty the Emperor did not enjoy this purity for long before it was destroyed by some little beast.
Zhu Gaojie carried the fishing rod, strode to Zhu Di's side, and asked, "How long have you been fishing here, father?"
Zhu Di glanced at the bamboo fish basket beside him. There was nothing in the basket except a basket of water.
"Just arrived." Zhu Di said calmly.
In fact, he has been sitting here fishing for more than two hours and has not caught a fish yet.
As the saying goes, a fishing guy will never be in the Air Force, and he will never admit that he is in the Air Force. Zhu Di will never admit that he is in the Air Force. Don't ask, just ask because "I just arrived"!
Zhu Gaojie hung up the bait and swung the rod suddenly, causing waves on the calm lake.
Zhu Di frowned slightly: "Go away, I won't fish for you, and I won't fish for you either. I finally got the mood to throw a rod, and you, a little beast, came here to ruin the scenery?"
"Hey, Father, that's not what you said." Zhu Gaojie said carelessly, "My son is not very good at fishing. The worse my fishing skills are, the more capable I will be if I stay by your side."
Zhu Di thought for a moment that this was really the truth, but he still pretended to be unhappy: "If you like fishing, then fish, and if you don't, then get out. Do I still need you to set me off?"
Zhu Gaojie smiled and said nothing.
…
Half an hour later, the goose feather float on the lake moved slightly, and the fishing rod in Zhu Gaojie's hand trembled slightly. It was obvious that a fish had bitten the hook. But he didn't lift the pole, but his forehead was covered with sweat.
Because Zhu Di was watching him with murderous intent.
"Lift the pole, why don't you lift it?" Zhu Di gritted his teeth, "Obviously there are fish taking the bait without lifting the pole. Are you fishing or feeding the fish?"
Zhu Gaojie had no choice but to lift the pole, and a splash of water suddenly bloomed on the lake. A plump mandarin fish clenched the hook and refused to let go. He didn't even dare to copy it by hand, he just hoped that the plump mandarin fish would break the pole and escape, leaving Zhu Di with the last bit of face.
Unexpectedly, the mandarin fish jumped out of the water, jumped into Zhu Gaojie's fish basket, and threw himself into the trap.
Zhu Gaojie's fish basket was already packed with more than a dozen big fish, which was in sharp contrast to Zhu Di's empty fish basket.
The Air Force is not terrible. What is terrible is that the Air Force has been discovered. What is more scary than being discovered by someone in the air force is that he is in the air force, but the people next to him are protecting him.
Zhu Gaojie: "..."
Zhu Di: "..."
"Fishing for shit!"
Zhu Di was so angry that his liver ached. He was about to swing the pole and leave, but found that the pole and fishing line suddenly tightened. It was obvious that the fishhook was bitten.
"Hmm?" Zhu Di was pleasantly surprised, "Finally a fish took the bait?"
Even if I only catch one fish, just one! It also allows Zhu Di to retain his last face!
Zhu Di quickly grabbed the pole, but he always felt something strange and had an ominous premonition.
The pole broke through the water, but what was hung on the hook was not a big fish, but a ball of waterweed.
Zhu Di: "!"
"Ahem..." Zhu Gaojie tried not to laugh out loud.
"I'm still fishing for nothing!"
Zhu Di was furious, broke the pole directly, and threw the ball of water and grass into the lake together.
But this was not enough to relieve his anger, so the Emperor kicked the empty fish basket into the water!
After fishing all afternoon, I caught a bunch of aquatic plants!
I am so angry!
Feeling that the murderous intention in the old man was so powerful that it was almost solidified, Zhu Gaojie quickly changed the subject: "My son has brought something, please take a look at it!"
This is to give Zhu Di a step down, in order to divert the embarrassment of Zhu Di's incompetence and rage.
Zhu Di was very satisfied with King Qi's understanding and waved his hand: "What did you bring? Bring it to you!"
Zhu Gaojie took out a steel ingot one finger thick from his sleeve and presented it to the emperor.
Zhu Di took the iron ingot, touched the texture, and couldn't help but admired: "Good steel! It's high-quality steel. It would be perfect if it could be used to forge weapons!"
After saying that, Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaojie keenly: "Is this the steel you made in Kongshan?"
This is the purpose of summoning King Qi!
Zhu Di didn't pay much attention to Kongshan at first. Later, he realized something was wrong after hearing that King Qi was setting up a steelmaking plant in Kongshan.
Then he hurriedly sent people to secretly inspect Kongshan, only to discover that King Qi had already set up a complete steelmaking assembly line in Kongshan for mining raw coal, washing coal and burning charcoal, purchasing iron ore, and smelting steel!
He only needed more detailed information. Since the time was too short, Zhu Di did not check too detailed for a while. He only knew that the Kongshan Steelmaking Plant not only had high output, but also the quality of the steel it produced was of the highest quality!
Zhu Gaojiao cupped his hands and said, "As my father said, this steel ingot came from Kongshan Steelworks."
(End of chapter)
