"You must have heard Lu Ban tell you about the specific treatment."
"From today on, as long as you concentrate on working for Gu, Gu will naturally not treat you badly."
"But if you dare to have second thoughts, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Ji Lie looked serious.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will work faithfully."
Lu Ban and other craftsmen quickly nodded in agreement.
"very good."
Ji Lie nodded with satisfaction and ordered,
"From now on, you and your family will all move to Zhuangzi outside the city."
"You are not allowed to go out if you have nothing else to do."
The reason why he found Lu Ban and others was to teach these people the skills of future generations.
At the moment, he has not completely controlled the fiefdom. If he allows these craftsmen to move freely, I am afraid that his skills will be completely exposed!
Therefore, Ji Lie must centrally monitor the craftsmen and their families.
After hearing this, all the craftsmen looked at each other, but in the end no one objected.
Things are tough right now.
Such generous treatment can only be found here in Ji Lie.
Although I can't move around freely, at least I have enough food and clothing.
Ji Lie nodded to Zhang Changde, who was standing aside, and motioned for him to send these craftsmen to Gao Laozhuang.
After nearly a day of work, Lu Ban and other craftsmen and their families were all arranged.
Lu Ban was appointed as the chief craftsman by Ji Lie and was responsible for managing all craftsmen.
In addition, based on the prestige and skills of the craftsmen, Ji Lie selected several more people as stewards.
After everything was arranged, Ji Lie called Lu Ban to his residence in Zhuangzi.
"Meet the prince."
"I called you here because I have important matters to give you."
Ji Lie said, took out a piece of straw paper and handed it to Lu Ban.
"Are you capable of forging the armor on this?"
The three typing words "Mingguang Armor" are written on the papyrus, recording the armor's creation process in detail.
In addition to the text, it is also paired with lifelike pictures.
When Ji Lie was young, he was obsessed with ancient Chinese weapons for a while.
Among them, I have focused on the study of Mingguang Armor and Tang Dao during the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
He almost stayed up all night last night, and with his amazing memory, he recorded the creation process of the Mingguang Armor.
Lu Ban took it, took a closer look, and then said with a bitter face,
"Reporting to the prince, this little man...can't read!"
Ji Lie slapped his forehead and then remembered that those who could read and write at that time were all wealthy nobles.
How could a craftsman like Lu Ban know Chinese characters?
"But a little person can probably understand these patterns."
"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint the prince. The armor on this is too sophisticated. I'm afraid this villain won't be able to make it."
Luban said honestly.
Ji Lie frowned, but did not doubt Lu Ban's words.
After all, the Mingguang Armor of the Tang Dynasty is far ahead of China's five thousand years.
Not to mention in the Great Xia Dynasty, it was far ahead.
"Let me tell you what it is specifically about."
"Actually, other problems are pretty easy to solve."
"The trouble is, with the current iron-making technology, the iron smelted may not be able to meet the demand for crafting."
Luban explained.
Although Daxia is very similar to the Han Dynasty in ancient China, it is extremely backward in many places.
For example, during the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods in Chinese history, steelmaking was invented.
After many forgings, the weapons made of steel have excellent performance.
However, the level of iron-making in the Great Xia Dynasty was still about that of the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the most basic steel-frying process was still used.
After listening to Lu Ban's words, Ji Lie suddenly realized.
I see.
Fortunately, I am known as a crotch-eye cat, so trivial matters do not trouble me.
"Craftsman Lu can rest assured about this. There is a way to improve the level of steel smelting."
Hearing what he said, Lu Ban looked a little doubtful.
Due to the low status of craftsmen, the level of iron-making in Daxia has been stagnant in recent decades.
As a vassal king, how could Ji Lie know how to improve the level of iron-making?
Seeing his expression, Ji Lie didn't explain anything, just smiled,
"It's getting late, you should go back and rest first."
"I will teach you this method tomorrow."
Lu Ban didn't think much and left.
…
At noon the next day, just after lunch, Ji Lie sent someone to invite Lu Ban.
When Lu Ban came to a courtyard, he was surprised.
I saw a strange-looking stove built with bricks and stones in the yard.
This blast furnace is like a large drum, thin at both ends and thick in the middle.
"I've met the prince."
After Lu Ban saluted Ji Lie, he couldn't help but said curiously,
"May I ask your lord, what... is this?"
"This thing is used to smelt steel. It is called the blast furnace iron-making method."
Ji Lie smiled slightly and told Luban everything about how to make iron in a blast furnace, how to pour pig iron into it, and how to obtain coke.
Lu Ban was confused when he heard this.
"Craftsman Lu, did you remember it?"
"Well... I'll report back to the prince, I have remembered it. But can this method really improve the level of iron-making?"
Luban was still full of doubts.
After all, he had never heard of methods such as smelting wrought iron and pig iron together, and quenching them with animal urine oil, which he had never heard of after working as a blacksmith all his life!
"You just go ahead and do it. I won't blame you if something goes wrong."
Ji Lie smiled.
"The villain takes orders!"
Lu Ban said nothing more and obeyed the order honestly.
The methods Ji Lie and Lu Ban mentioned can be said to be the synthesis of all iron-making methods in China's five thousand years of history.
Compared with the current technology, it is definitely far ahead!
Although the control of iron materials in the Daxia Dynasty was relatively strict.
But compared with weapons and armor, it is still relatively easy to get.
With Ji Lie's strong support, Luban quickly prepared everything he needed.
Ji Lie even specially drew the straw paper for the wooden bellows and asked the carpenters to make several wooden bellows.
After everything was ready, Luban started to get busy.
…
A few days later, Ji Lie was lying leisurely in the room, enjoying Xiu'er's shoulders and back.
Just then, Laifu hurriedly walked in.
"Your Majesty, it's not good!"
"Huh? What happened?"
"That Lu Ban suddenly got crazy!"
Hearing this, Ji Lie was slightly stunned.
"what's the situation?"
"The villain doesn't know what happened, but all of a sudden, he was crying and laughing at the same time!"
Laifu replied.
Ji Lie thought for a moment and figured out the reason.
He immediately stood up, took Laifu and Xiuer, and rushed towards the courtyard where Lu Ban was.
In the courtyard, Lu Ban was holding a long sword, looking a little crazy.
"It turns out that making iron... is so easy!"
