Tsk, chicken soup seems to work well!
The legendary Emperor Zetian is better than imagined - ahem, better inspired. I believe that as long as it is subtle, it can still exert influence slowly.
Wang Zi'an put his hands back with a leisurely expression, walked contentedly, and went out.
Before getting into the car and about to set off, Li Shimin suddenly stopped and called his groom calmly.
"Go and tell Manager Duan that Zian and I will go to the Ordnance Supervision Center later, and ask him to say hello to the officials he knows well there first, just to make it easier -"
After saying that, he turned around and climbed into Wang Zi'an's carriage.
"When the business gets big, no matter which department it is, your friends must all be a little bit——"
With that said, Li Shimin clapped his hands proudly and found the most comfortable position to sit down.
"I'm not bragging. In this city of Chang'an, my father-in-law's words are quite effective..."
Look how proud you are!
Wang Zi'an glanced at him angrily.
"So, he was arrested and imprisoned in Wannian County Prison last time?"
The smile on Li Shimin's face suddenly froze.
Damn it, you bitch, you can’t get through this, right?
Then, he thought of Gao Ting...
A sneeze——
Gao Ting, who was chatting with his wife in the back office, suddenly sneezed loudly, rubbed his nose, and reflected in his heart.
"Is it possible that I have been tossing with Xina's concubine too late in the past few days and caught the cold?"
This is a big deal!
As I get older, my body is no longer what it used to be.
Thinking of this, I quickly asked my servants to light up the fire, put a thick fur around me, and then asked me to fry a large bowl full of cold-repelling soup. After a lot of it, I drank it all in one go. Sweaty, he breathed a sigh of relief.
When Wang Zi'an saw that this guy had stopped raising his tail, he happily sat down on the soft cushions and leisurely ate the snacks stored in the car.
Chongrenfang, where the prince lived, was actually very close to the Arms Supervisor. The carriage came out of the square gate and went directly to the east gate to enter the imperial city. The first yamen was the Arms Supervisor.
Although Uncle Hong and Uncle Wen were both temporary directors of the Ministry of Industry, Uncle Wen was now temporarily seconded to the Ordnance Supervision because of his skills.
From a distance, Duan Lun and a thin old man wearing gray robes could be seen standing at the door of the weapons prison, waiting.
"I've met my boss, I've met the Marquis of Chang'an——"
Before Li Shimin and Wang Zi'an could dismount, Duan Lun and the old man in gray robe had already rushed up.
"Just keep calling me Zian -"
Wang Zi'an jumped off the carriage, waved to Duan Lun with a smile, and then began to look around curiously at the surrounding environment.
Is this the legendary weapons supervisor?
It doesn't look like anything special, it's just a little bigger than an ordinary workshop. Well, the location is a bit more expensive.
"This is Lao Huang, the supervisor of the Ordnance Supervision, a friend of our boss——"
Seeing Wang Zi'an looking at the weapons supervisor Huang Xu beside him, Duan Lun quickly introduced him with a smile. Huang Xu is like a replica of Wei Zheng, with a goatee and a serious smile.
With a straight face, he bowed his hand to Wang Zi'an very perfunctorily, and before Wang Zi'an could return the favor, he turned around with a nose that was not his nose and a face that was not his face.
That is, His Majesty brought them, otherwise they would be blasted out directly.
It's ridiculous. Is it easy for me to monitor weapons?
After so many years, I have finally produced a few excellent products, but I personally miss them!
Wang Zi’an:……
Old guy, am I digging your ancestral graves?
"There is a laborer in charge of the matter——"
Li Shimin smiled and cupped his hand at Huang Xu.
"Shopkeeper Li, you're welcome -"
Huang Xu's rigid face finally showed a smile.
"I heard that Shopkeeper Li brought something good to our weapons supervisor this time?"
Li Shimin nodded and pointed at Wang Zi'an, who was looking up at the sky with his hands behind his back at a 45-degree angle.
"To be precise, it's not me, it's my son-in-law, the Marquis of Chang'an, Prince An. However, you can just call him Zi'an. After all, in front of the two of us, he is just a junior..."
Prince Ann!
Is it this young man who has a way to forge hundreds of steel?
When Huang Xu heard this, his rigid expression immediately softened, and he forced out a smile.
"The Marquis of Chang'an——"
Seeing that Wang Zi'an was only looking at the sky, as if he didn't hear anything, his face couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, but immediately, even if he didn't see Wang Zi'an's coldness, his thin face was filled with a warmer and more friendly smile.
"Nephew Zian——"
As he spoke, the guy came over and took Wang Zi'an's hand affectionately.
"Uncle, I have admired your name for a long time. You are young, promising, and handsome. When I saw you today, I realized that you are not only handsome, but you are like an immortal in the world. It's a pity that my old lady couldn't support me. Come out with some girls, otherwise you will have to compete with Shopkeeper Li for this quick son-in-law..."
Looking at this old guy, as if he was changing his face in a Sichuan opera, Wang Zi'an couldn't help but be speechless for a while.
What kind of people are these people that Lao Li is looking for?
Why is one more realistic than the other, and one more shameless than the other?
Seeing how old this guy was, looking like he was playing tricks, Wang Zi'an couldn't stand it any longer, and he held his hands in confusion.
“I don’t dare to take it, I don’t dare to take it, I’ll have to trouble Manager Huang later——”
When Huang Xu heard this, his face sank deliberately.
"Look, what do you call Guanshi Huang? Uncle Huang! I have been friends with your father-in-law for many years - coming to me is not like staying at your father-in-law's house? I'm a good nephew. , whatever you find in the photo later, just take it! If others don’t give it to you, why don’t we ourselves give it to you?”
As he spoke, he patted Wang Zi'an on the shoulder affectionately like a gentle and kind elder.
Wang Zi’an:……
That’s good, I hope you won’t regret it later——
It’s been decided that each of the apprentices will make a set!
If you miss this village, there won’t be this store.
"Then thank you Uncle Huang. You're welcome, nephew-"
Wang Zi'an was very kind and thanked Huang Xu with a smile.
Li Shimin couldn't help but cover his face when he saw two people walking back and forth, showing a deep uncle-nephew attitude and resenting the last time they met. How could you be more fake?
But he didn't point it out. After all, it would be a happy thing for everyone if Huang Xu, a smelly and tough old guy, could personally promise good things.
The Ordnance Supervision is really big, and it is divided into categories very finely. Even the bow and crossbow departments are specially separated, and everyone performs their own duties.
It was a real eye-opener for Wang Zi’an.
The wisdom of the ancients cannot be underestimated!
Wherever these people passed, the stewards in charge came out to greet them in a friendly manner, looking at Old Uncle Wen who was following them, and stared blankly at them.
Ah, this friend of Lao Li has a lot of cards.
Soon, several people walked to the yard where weapons were forged.
In the yard, dozens or hundreds of red stoves were burning, and blacksmiths were swinging their hammers with their bare arms, banging and banging, sparks flying everywhere.
After smashing it, pick it up with big pliers, throw it into the stove to heat it again, and wait until it is red all over, then pick it up and continue smashing it.
"This is the yard where the iron is forged. I am in the yard next to it, responsible for the quenching after forging."
When we got here, Old Uncle Wen greeted the craftsmen around him and introduced them.
This is indeed hard work.
Just use manual force to smash it, this thing can't get up fast even if you want to.
"Old Huang, let someone clear a space first and try this first -"
Li Shimin couldn't wait to take out the drawing and handed it over. As the superintendent of the Ordnance Supervisor, Huang Xu took one look and his eyes suddenly lit up. He immediately ran away with the drawings without saying a word.
There is no need to look outside, the Ordnance Supervisor has many carpenters himself.
Except for a few pulleys that require some work, the rest of the rack requires basically no effort.
In a short while, a set of pulleys was polished and the necessary frames were erected. I couldn't find such a large forging platform temporarily, so I temporarily put several iron mats that I usually use together and laid a thick iron plate on top. A piece of iron ingot weighing more than 100 kilograms was directly used as a forging hammer.
Anyway, just try the effect.
There was so much work going on here that the other blacksmiths couldn't help but stop their work and looked at the shelf curiously.
More than a hundred kilograms of iron ingots were easily lifted up by Huang Xu, who was dry, thin and gray-haired.
There was no way, no way, this old man had to do it himself and take the first blow.
Everyone couldn't help but hold their breath as they watched the huge iron ingot slowly rise and then turn in the air, accurately positioned in the middle.
Wang Zi'an quietly motioned to the people around him to cover his ears.
Then, I saw the big iron ingot falling rapidly in the air, and then there was a deafening sound in my ears.
Boom——
Even as I covered my ears, my ears were still buzzing!
The blacksmiths watching the excitement around were also shocked——
The sound was so loud, it was like a thunderclap in my ears. The other people in the yard thought something big had happened, so they all crowded around and looked in curiously at the door of the yard.
As for Huang Xu, who insisted on pulling the rope by himself, everyone was almost stunned.
My ears were buzzing, and I just watched the lips of Li Shimin, Wang Zi'an and others move, but didn't hear a word...
But he didn't care about his ears. He pulled up the iron ingot with excitement, put it aside, and then rushed over excitedly.
Not to mention the iron ingot below that had just been heated, even the iron ingot above that acted as a hammer was slightly deformed by this blow. As for the iron ingot below, it was flattened by this blow just now!
Although they had expected it, Li Shimin, Old Uncle Wen and others could not help but be stunned and took a breath of cold air.
Uncle Wen carefully checked the quality.
He raised his head with excitement.
"With this, our efficiency in forging iron will probably be increased by more than a hundred times!"
After saying that, he couldn't help but praise.
"Zian, you have a really good brain. This method works really well, but the sound is too loud, which hurts your ears-"
As he said that, he subconsciously licked his ears again. The blow just now almost knocked out the earwax.
At this time, Huang Xu, whose ears finally calmed down a little, lowered his head to check the forging situation while shouting next to him with a loud voice.
"The effect is very good, nephew Zian, your method is very effective-"
Wang Zi'an couldn't help but pick his ears because of the loud voice, and hid behind him in disgust.
We weren't deafened just now——
Who is Zian?
There was such a big commotion, and the craftsmen who came outside couldn't help but look at each other in shock, but the expressions of the few Jian Cheng and others who were hiding aside and didn't dare to come in rashly could not help but change.
It’s Prince An, the Marquis of Chang’an, whom Your Majesty brought!
Seeing that nothing happened, at Jian Cheng's signal, several stewards hurriedly drove their people back.
I disturbed His Majesty. Is that a joke?
The frame is fine, but the hardness of the pad and hammer is not up to par.
But it's easy to do.
Huang Xu waved his hand.
Hundreds of steelmaking!
As long as there is a way, everything else is not a problem.
Li Shimin, Wang Zi'an and others couldn't get involved in the rest of the matter, so they followed Huang Xu and retreated to a nearby office.
Seeing that Huang Xu was busy making tea, Li Shimin stretched out his hand to stop him.
"No need to work hard, just bring boiled water - let alone, if you are used to drinking this boiled water, it won't taste like that..."
When Huang Xu heard this, he was deeply moved.
Listen, listen, as the king of a country, His Majesty is so frugal. On weekdays, he is reluctant to even part with a cup of hot tea and is used to drinking boiled water——
It has been decided that from today on, I will also learn from Your Majesty, be diligent and frugal, starting from giving up tea!
"Nephew Zian, you are so quick-thinking that you are able to come up with such an ingenious idea. You are really formidable -"
Duan Lun couldn't help but sigh when he thought of the amazing effect just now.
"Actually, it's just a little trick on using pulleys. It's not a big deal. Moreover, this method actually has great safety risks. Whether it is a wooden frame or a cable, it needs to be checked frequently, otherwise there may be big problems..."
Duan Lun and Huang Xu couldn't help but nodded.
It's not easy. It's really rare for such a young and successful young man to think about the safety issues of these miserable people.
"I have written it down and will definitely instruct the people below to check it more frequently."
"That's good--"
Having said this, Wang Zi'an couldn't help but sigh with regret.
"Actually, there is a more convenient way, but it's a pity that I don't know it——"
"any solution--"
This brat, when he says he doesn’t know how to do it, he is most likely lying——
Li Shimin couldn't help but feel something in his heart. He took a deep breath and looked at Wang Zi'an with burning eyes.
I decided that I would have to dig out this method from his mouth later!
Duan Lun, Huang Xu, Old Uncle Wen and others couldn't help but look over with burning eyes.
"Steel filling method——"
Wang Zi'an said and spread his hands.
"To put it simply, it's just to mix pig iron and wrought iron in a certain proportion and smelt them in a blast furnace. It's convenient and quick, and it's a hundred times more efficient than the previous method -"
Several people couldn't help but look at each other.
Damn it, you’ve explained it in such detail and you still say you don’t know how!
It’s a hundred times more efficient than the previous method!
Just thinking about it makes people feel excited——
"What is a blast furnace?"
Before Li Shimin, Duan Lun and others could ask questions, Old Uncle Wen couldn't help but asked curiously.
"It's a very tall furnace—"
Wang Zi'an smiled and gestured.
"This kind of furnace can increase the temperature of the furnace, which is much better than ordinary furnaces-"
