Iron Dynasty

It was quiet in the study.

After a while, Xiao Ming drew the blueprints, and suddenly there was footsteps outside the study.

Your Highness, the old slave is back.

Hearing this voice, Xiao Ming brought a smile to the corner of his mouth. It was none other than Qian Dafu.

This time, Xiao Ming suddenly remembered that the converter steelmaking method was not a whim. The most important thing was that Qian Dafu had discovered a magnesite ore in Feng, and this ore was the material needed for the alkaline furnace lining.

In 1856, the British Besmer invented the bottom-blown acid converter steelmaking method. This method was the beginning of the modern steelmaking method. It produced a large amount of cheap steel for Europe and further promoted the industrial revolution in Europe.

However, because this method cannot remove sulfur and phosphorus, the development is limited. In 1879, the Thomas bottom-blowing alkaline converter steelmaking method appeared in Europe. This method uses a converter with an alkaline lining to process high-phosphorus pig iron. Further improve the quality of steel.

Because of the lessons learned, Xiao Ming transitioned from acid lining to alkaline lining. Before, he did not introduce the converter steelmaking method because of material limitations. Now that magnesite is found, the material of the lining will not be a problem.

Come in. Xiao Ming said.

At this time, the door of the study was pushed open, and Qian Dafu walked in without a carefree manner. With a smile on his face, he stretched out a stone from his arms and said to Xiao Ming, Your Highness, this is the magnesite mine.

Xiao Ming nodded. The ore in Qian Dafu's hands was square, with a very smooth surface, similar to the crystals of table salt, but Xiao Ming recognized at a glance that it was magnesite.

You can't be wrong, this is magnesite. Xiao Ming grinned, he said, Now your prospecting team is getting more and more sophisticated, and the harvest in Laizhou during this period is not bad.

Qian Dafu's face was a little dark now, and he smiled with white teeth, and he said, Your Highness, this is also a coincidence, but Laizhou is really a treasure, not only this Lingmei mine, but also many gold and silver mines have been found. , waiting for mining.

The gold and silver mines will not move for the time being. If the magnesite mine needs to be moved, at least some must be collected and used. Now the world is in chaos. Even if you have money, you can't buy anything. Bartering is the right way. Xiao Ming said thoughtfully.

As Qian Dafu said, Laizhou is indeed a treasure. Not only does the gold mine have the largest reserves in the country, but the magnesite reserves are also the second in the country. The discovery of magnesite this time was also an accident when looking for gold and silver mines. found.

Yes, Your Highness, the old slave will arrange this after he returns. Qian Dafu said.

In the past three years, Qian Dafu has suffered a lot from an old housekeeper to a master of ore, and it is precisely because of his hard work that Xiao Ming has spent the most difficult time in the beginning.

During this period of time, the prospecting team has become more and more mature. After thinking about it, he decided not to let Qian Dafu go to the mine in person. After all, Qian Dafu is now in his fifties.

After pondering for a while, he said: Da Fu, when you come back this time, don't run around with the prospecting team. This king established the Minerals Department in Qingzhou. From now on, you will be in charge of the Minerals Department and manage the mines in the country. The field will do.”

Your Highness, is there something wrong with this old slave? Qian Dafu looked frightened.

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Xiao Ming said, Where did you want to go? It's just that you are old now, and the mother concubine has no one to talk to after returning from Chang'an this time. You serve the mother concubine for more than ten years. Nian, if you are here, I can accompany the mother and concubine to relieve the boredom.

Mentioning Concubine Zhen, Qian Dafu sighed, This time the Chang'an Rebellion is really pitiful for the maiden, since this is the case, the old slave will leave the mine search to his nephew, and now he has achieved some success in Bowen College. , and let him go out to experience.

Xiao Ming nodded. When he visited the mine last time, Xiao Ming saw Qian Dafu's nephew. This time Qian Dafu mentioned it and he agreed to it.

The master and servant said some more words. Xiao Ming took Qian Dafu to the backyard. During this time, Qian Dafu had been running around, but he had never seen Concubine Zhen.

Miss!

Seeing Concubine Zhen, Qian Dafu trotted over, suddenly knelt down in front of Concubine Zhen, and cried when his eyes were sore.

Since his escape, there are only two most important people in Qian Dafu's life, one is Concubine Zhen and the other is his nephew.

She has served by Concubine Zhen for more than ten years, and Concubine Zhen is both a master and a relative to Qian Dafu.

Concubine Zhen Ben Wang was joking with Fei Yue'er, when suddenly a dark man knelt down in front of her, but she leaned back in shock, until she realized that it was Qian Dafu, and she was relieved.

She first gave Xiao Ming a blank look, Ming'er, the mother-in-law asked Qian Dafu to come to Qingzhou to serve you. How could you let him go out and do the hard work of finding mines?

When she arrived in Qingzhou, Concubine Zhen asked Xiao Ming about the whereabouts of Qian Dafu, and she also knew where Qian Dafu had gone. At this time, seeing Qian Dafu like this, she couldn't help laughing bitterly for a while.

Xiao Ming wanted to explain, but was snatched by Qian Dafu, he said, Madame, Your Highness is because of trusting the old slave, and he is not at ease when the matter of finding mines is left to others.

Concubine Zhen sighed, You have this temper. You have always been a good person. It's good to come back this time. When are you going to go back?

His Royal Highness said to let the old slave stay in Qingzhou, and there is no need to go out in the future. Qian Dafu said.

Concubine Zhen nodded, glanced at Xiao Ming and said, Well, it's almost the same, you will accompany me to talk and relieve the boredom. I have been here in Qingzhou for a while, and I still haven't been out of the palace, and you will accompany me another day. Follow me around in and out of Qingzhou City.

Niangniang, leave this to the old slave. Qian Dafu said happily.

Xiao Ming breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. Concubine Zhen had been staying in the palace for a while now, and now she was willing to prove that she was finally getting rid of the knot.

After chatting with Concubine Zhen for a few more words, Xiao Ming went to the steel workshop with the blueprint. Qian Dafu came back and confirmed that the magnesite was real, and now he can set up a converter steelmaking production line.

Once converter steelmaking is put on the agenda, this means that a large amount of cheap steel will be possible, but the only fly in the ointment is the oxygen blowing technology in this converter steelmaking.

In fact, due to technical limitations, air was blown instead of oxygen in the initial converter steelmaking. The real oxygen blowing technology appeared in 1952.

As for industrial oxygen production, he has also studied, and now Qingzhou cannot overcome this technology at all. It is a high technology to condense the air to more than 100 degrees below the order and then separate it.

So in view of this, he still decided to use the traditional method of blowing air. After all, this method was still not backward even during the First World War, and it was enough for him to use.