As the thick furnace door was opened by the craftsman with a long iron hook, a stream of red molten steel flowed out along the groove.
Wherever it went, bursts of black smoke were seen, accompanied by balls of flames exploding from the molten steel, as if the molten steel was burning, brilliant and dazzling.
All the officials standing behind Ying Zheng seemed to have heard Li Yi's instructions. After looking at it for a few times, they felt that their eyes were a little uncomfortable. They looked away, slowed down, and continued to watch.
It wasn't until they burst into tears that they all looked away completely, not daring to look again.
Feeling the heat wave coming like a tidal wave, even the first emperor, who was in excellent physical condition, couldn't hold on. He led Li Si and others back for more than ten meters before regaining their breath.
"You have made great contributions, hahaha, you have made great contributions to the imperial court!"
Ying Zheng glanced at the molten steel in the distance, then at Fusu and others, and sighed with a smile.
In just a moment, he understood the effect of the molten steel on Da Qin.
Because not many people know the power of thermal weapons, with these steel materials, Da Qin's new equipment is no longer an artifact owned by a few people, but a national weapon equipped by the entire army.
Fusu and others were stunned when they heard Ying Zheng's emotion.
Although they all knew the effect of steel on Da Qin, the expression on Ying Zheng's face was obviously not the effect they imagined.
However, Ying Zheng didn't say it clearly, and they didn't care, as long as Ying Zheng didn't transport all the steel here.
But Fusu smiled and handed over to Ying Zheng: "Father, the molten steel smelted in the blast furnace is not real steel yet. It needs to use the next step of the process, which is called the stir-fried steel method. It is to stir-fry the molten steel like vegetables. Finally, The molten steel formed is the real molten steel!"
"It turns out this is not real molten steel..."
Ying Zheng and the ministers were slightly surprised, then smiled and patted Fusu on the shoulder: "My son has done a good job and made such a good thing. When it is shipped back to Xianyang, the first batch of armaments will be made. Father, Mr. Distributed to you!"
Good guy!
The emotional father still has to pick peaches!
If this had happened in the past, Fusu would have definitely fought hard with the First Emperor, but after experiencing being driven out of Xianyang, he gradually became mature.
Seeing Fusu frown slightly, he said with some embarrassment: "Father, the emperor clearly knows that my son is not refining these steels for his own personal use, but for the sake of the Qin Dynasty."
"I know you are thinking about Great Qin, but things have to be prioritized. My father needs a batch of steel to build new weapons!"
Ying Zheng rarely negotiated with Fusu in a consultative tone because Fusu's current performance made him somewhat satisfied.
Although father and son had an unpleasant past, they were father and son after all, so there was no such thing as an overnight feud.
However, Fusu did not want to compromise on the steel matter, and once again showed a troubled expression: "Father and son, I naturally know the importance of new weapons to the Qin Dynasty, but building railway tracks is also very important... "
As soon as these words came out, Ying Zheng's face suddenly darkened. Seeing that he was about to get angry, Meng Tian, who was on the side, was afraid that Fusu would offend Ying Zheng again, so he immediately stood up and said;
"Your Majesty, the eldest son has been busy building this railway for several months. Now that the rails are almost ready to be laid, it is really difficult for him to ask him to transport the rails back to Xianyang..."
"but."
As he spoke, he changed the topic and continued: "Now that the steel rails have been refined, it is just right to use them to pave roads. His Majesty needs steel to make new weapons. We can start refining them immediately. I believe it will be refined in a short time." A new batch of steel can be transported back to Xianyang via rails. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds..."
As soon as these words came out, all the ministers behind Ying Zheng nodded, feeling that Meng Tian's remarks made sense.
However, Ying Zheng did not directly agree to Meng Tian, but turned to look at Li Si.
Li Si stroked his beard and knew Meng Tian's thoughts well, but as Meng Tian said, it is better to repair the rails and use the rails to transport the steel back to Xianyang instead of transporting the rails directly back to Xianyang.
But what kind of thing is this railway track? How is it transported to the east?
Li Si was confused.
Feng Quji, who seemed to have the same thoughts as Li Si, couldn't help but said:
"I would like to ask General Meng, I have been hearing you mention rail transportation just now. What kind of transportation is this rail transportation?"
"this....."
Meng Tian hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Fusu.
Fusu hesitated slightly and then handed over to Ying Zheng and others: "Father, in order to demonstrate to you the transportation method of railway tracks, I would like to ask my father and other ministers to accompany Fusu back to the shogunate, where there is a model of railway transport. Sand table!"
Model sandbox?
What is this?
Ying Zheng was stunned for a moment, looked at Li Si, and then waved with interest, "Okay, let's go take a look!"
After saying that, he walked straight outside the steel plant.
Not long after, the group arrived at the side hall of the Jiuyuan Shogunate.
I saw a huge wooden platform placed in the middle of the side hall. Inside the platform was a 1:100 reproduction of sand and soil models of mountain geography, mountains, rivers, jungle cities, etc.
"this...."
It seemed that Ying Zheng was shocked when he saw this kind of sand table for the first time.
The ministers behind him also looked surprised.
At this time, Meng Tian stepped forward with a smile and explained, "Your Majesty, please look at this black line, which is the rail line that the eldest son is planning to lay. The carriages on it are specially used to transport goods..."
"How lucky?"
Ying Zheng asked subconsciously.
"Your Majesty, please see, there is a winch in front of the bucket truck. There is a stranded wire at the front end of the winch. The winch is rolled by water conservancy, the winch is pulled, and then the truck bucket behind is pulled, so that it can move back and forth on the rails."
Meng Tian explained to Ying Zheng, while pulling the mechanism and demonstrating it to Ying Zheng.
Only a thin rope was seen. As the mechanism started, the gear slowly rotated and the rope was pulled for traction, thus driving the front of the car on the model sand table to start moving.
"The carrying capacity of these carriages is beyond the reach of bullock carts. From this, you can imagine how much manpower and material resources can be saved in transporting steel from Jiuyuan back to Xianyang in the future!"
"and."
Meng Tian said, paused, looked at Fusu again, and said with a smile: "This is just the simplest method of transportation. When the steam engine is built and railways are spread all over the world, we can also use it to transport troops. In the future, we can transport troops all over the world. , no more than half a month!"
"This is real?!"
Ying Zheng's eyes widened with disbelief on his face.
Fusu smiled, took out a drawing, handed it to Ying Zheng and said, "Father, these are the drawings planned by Brother Hao. I just followed Brother Hao's wishes to build this unprecedented... railway!"
"Although Erchen and General Meng don't understand the steam engine that Brother Hao is talking about, General Meng and I both recognize Brother Hao's ability. We both believe in the future of railways!"
"It's so, so amazing!"
Ying Zheng took the drawing from Fusu's hand and opened it to look at it. He couldn't help but be surprised: "This thing can actually move on its own? This so-called locomotive seems to be made of iron, right? How can such a big locomotive move on its own?"
Looking at the introduction on the drawing, the First Emperor felt that his three views had been subverted.
In his mind, using a winch to pull the truck body was already magical.
But this so-called steam engine train made him unable to figure out how it moved.
Even though Fusu and Mengtian wanted to explain to him, they couldn't do anything.
After all, no one in the world can explain the concept of steam engine clearly except Zhao Hao.
Fortunately, Ying Zheng did not pursue the matter to the end. He was just shocked and exchanged the drawings with Fu Su, solemnly saying what he was doing;
"Since you have your own plan, my father will not cause you any trouble. My father supports your laying of this railway track, but the steel that my father needs must also be transported back to Xianyang!"
"Father, don't worry, I promise to transport the steel back to Xianyang..."
Fusu smiled and bowed his hands, then thought again
He seemed to be wondering, "Father, I have no problem transporting the steel back to Xianyang, but the price..."
"what price?"
Ying Zheng was stunned and suddenly felt a bad feeling.
Seeing this, Fusu smiled and said, "Brother Hao said this, the iron ore belongs to the country. Even though we have found the iron ore, we cannot monopolize the country's resources. However, the steel-making technology belongs to us, so If the country wants to use the smelted steel, it has to pay some hard work..."
What? !
Ying Zheng seemed to have heard wrongly. He stared at Fusu blankly, thinking to himself, could this still be his selfless and righteous eldest son?
He actually asked me for money? !
"Can you say that again?"
Ying Zheng's face suddenly darkened and his eyes narrowed slightly.
The ministers behind him looked at each other and couldn't help but look at each other.
The last time the First Emperor and Fusu had a conflict, it was the last time. This time, they started to have a conflict as soon as they met. It was no one else.
"Father, even if you ask me to tell you a hundred times, the court will still give you this money!" Fusu said bravely.
Ying Zheng immediately became angry: "Zhao Gao! Where is my sword!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
When Meng Yi heard this, before Zhao Gao could take the sword, he quickly stopped Ying Zheng and said with a bitter face: "Your Majesty, please listen to what the eldest son has to say. Maybe there is something hidden in this..."
"Hidden secrets of fart! This kid's brain has been hoofed by a donkey!"
Ying Zheng brushed Meng Yi away angrily and looked at Fusu with cold eyes: "Do you think that just because I came to Jiuyuan, I have forgiven you? I haven't made the mistake you made last time..."
"Father!"
Seeing Ying Zheng's eyes turning red and feeling cold, Fusu showed his anger for the first time in front of everyone and interrupted Ying Zheng with a shout: "In order to make Da Qin a better place, each of us must do our best." It’s changing, why is my father still so stubborn?!”
"Father always said that Fusu was a stubborn donkey. Have you ever thought about how Fusu spent this time in Jiuyuan?
In order to find iron ore suitable for steelmaking, Fusu climbed all over the mountains and rivers of Jiuyuan and crossed countless rivers in Jiuyuan. More than a hundred craftsmen and soldiers who prospected with Fusu died. Although this time A hundred people may be insignificant in the eyes of his father, but to Fusu, they are Fusu's brothers and sisters. Without them, Fusu would have fallen off the cliff and fallen into the abyss, never to see his father again! "
"Prospecting alone is very difficult, and there are also mining and steelmaking. I don't know how many people died!"
"What you see is the effect of steel on Da Qin, but these are all paid for by life!"
"this...."
When all the ministers heard this, they were all stunned.
Fusu made everyone understand for the first time what an innocent heart is.
Even Ying Zheng was secretly surprised.
He didn't expect that Fusu would put himself in danger and go to the deep mountains and swamps to prospect and mine.
However, Fusu's words still did not touch his mind, and he only listened to him calmly;
"Is this why you asked me for money? Are you planning to get rewards for those who died?"
"I...."
Fusu opened his mouth, but stopped talking.
Li Si glanced at him and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I think your Majesty's idea is good. However, Young Master Hao also said before that he would improve the treatment of craftsmen, establish an academy of science, and provide salaries to those craftsmen with special skills. ....."
"I agree to pay salaries to the skilled craftsmen of the Academy of Sciences, and to reward those who died. I also agree, but these craftsmen serve the imperial court, isn't that what they should do?"
"If every craftsman is given a salary, how can the court have so much money? If every craftsman is treated the same as an official, what is my Qin court?"
"this...."
Li Si was speechless and unable to speak.
Meng Yi didn't speak during this period. He lowered his head and pondered for a long time before finally thinking...
He thought: "The craftsmen from the Academy of Sciences can do it, but these craftsmen can't."
"They are all working for the imperial court, so why should the doctor favor one over the other?"
Fusu frowned coldly.
Meng Yi sighed secretly, wondering why the eldest son was still so stubborn.
After thinking for a while, he set his eyes on Meng Tian.
I saw Meng Tian thinking for a moment and then said to Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty, as the eldest son said, we cannot let those who serve Da Qin feel cold. We must still give what is due!"
"How to give?"
Ying Zheng raised his eyebrows and rolled his sleeves with some displeasure: "Da Qin needs money everywhere now. How can I have so much money to support all the craftsmen in the world? I can't just support the craftsmen from your Jiuyuan County and not those from other places." Craftsman, right?"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. What I want to say is that in order to increase the enthusiasm of craftsmen, we can give this money, but it cannot come from the court, it must come from the local government..."
"What's the meaning?"
"Your Majesty, this is what I think."
Meng Tian raised his hands and said: "In addition to the steel refined by the imperial court for armaments, counties and counties will definitely need steel. In the future, if counties and counties need steel, they must buy it from the steel factory and cannot be allocated by the imperial court.
In this way, part of the money purchased for steel can be used to maintain the operation of the steel plant and pay craftsmen, and part of it can be turned over to the national treasury, getting the best of both worlds! "
[In view of the general environment,
"this....."
All the ministers were shocked when they heard Meng Tian's words.
"How can this still be done?"
Although no one has used this method before, all the ministers present are smart people, and they know that this method is feasible after a little thought.
In the past, the reason why craftsmen could be used for free was because the imperial court's recruitment system forced craftsmen to obey.
Now, in order to allow craftsmen to better display their abilities, Zhao Hao proposed to improve the treatment of craftsmen, so that craftsmen who were not valued before would gradually become different.
In particular, various novelties such as the firecrackers and Quyuan plows made by Gongshu Cheng, and the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle made by Brother and Sister Mo Xuan, as well as Zhao Hao's idea that science can make people immortal, made Ying Zheng's concept of craftsmen Change gradually.
Deep down in his heart, he also wants to reuse craftsmen.
However, as the First Emperor who dominated the world, he had to consider the problem holistically.
Improving the treatment of dozens of craftsmen is okay, but improving the treatment of tens of thousands of craftsmen around the world is not a small sum.
Therefore, before Meng Tian came up with a solution, he had always refused.
Now that he heard Meng Tian's method, although he had already agreed in his heart, Fusu's actions just now still made him a little unhappy, so he asked indifferently: "What does the place need steel for? The imperial court has no money, where can the counties come from?" money?"
"Your Majesty, according to Young Master Hao, the carbon content of steel can be divided into grades. The best steel can be used to make armaments, while the inferior steel can be used to make farm tools and other daily necessities!"
Meng Tian smiled and said, "As for where the money from each county comes from, your Majesty doesn't have to worry about it. As officials who govern a country, they will figure it out on their own..."
"Ah."
Ying Zheng couldn't help but smile when he heard this, and raised his finger to point at Meng Tian: "Meng Tian, I haven't seen you for a few months. I didn't expect that even you have become so slick..."
"In your Majesty's opinion..."
"Okay, I'm sure!"
Anyway, as long as he didn't pay for it himself, the First Emperor didn't bother to care so much.
