Iron Dynasty

Time flies into the month of August.

After being busy for more than half a month, Zhan Xingchang passed on Xiao Ming's idea to the four vassal kings, and the kings of Zhao, Yan, Liang, and Wei all sent messengers to Qingzhou to discuss the matter.

At the same time, after three failures, the iron and steel workshop produced the first alkaline converter. This news made Xiao Ming extremely excited.

He is about to face negotiations, and now the success of the alkaline converter has given him more confidence in the negotiations. Mass production of steel will allow him to realize the innovation of military equipment as soon as possible.

Like his plan, all he wanted was some time.

Your Highness, this is the alkaline converter.

In the hot steel workshop, Meng Kuo took Xiao Ming to a converter that was two meters high and one meter five in diameter.

Xiao Ming looked at the converter with satisfaction. The converter made by Meng Kuo was composed of a round table-shaped furnace cap, a cylindrical furnace body and a spherical-shaped furnace bottom, and it looked like a top.

The trunnion that can make the converter rotate is cast on the steelmaking furnace to meet the process of charging, tapping, slag pouring, etc. There is also an upwardly inclined cavity under the side of the converter, which is the air outlet.

The converter steelmaking method currently adopted by the iron and steel workshop belongs to the side-blown basic steelmaking method, which is the earliest method in the converter steelmaking period, and the later bottom-blowing and top-blowing technical requirements are very high, and he cannot achieve it.

But even so, this is enough to meet his current needs. The molten steel produced by this batch of converters is definitely much higher than the steel produced by the crucible.

It can be said that with the current intensity of gunpowder, he is no longer afraid of blasting.

In addition to the air outlet below the side, there is also a small pipe on the top of the converter, which is the molten steel outlet.

Well, not bad, not bad. Xiao Ming was very satisfied after checking the converter up and down.

In addition to the converter, the steel workshop has also undergone a complete overhaul. At this time, the converter is not placed on the ground, but on a support, the lower half of which is poured into concrete, and the upper part is the metal part.

The suspended converter can be rotated by the chain connected by the craftsman dragging, and there are two facilities on one side of the bracket, one of which is used to pour raw materials into the converter, and the other is used to tap steel.

In general, the equipment of Gangtie Workshop is still somewhat primitive. After all, it will take a long time before the automation of equipment.

Meng Kuo is quite satisfied with his results. The busy period of time has not been in vain. Now he is ready to build the second converter production line, Your Highness, we have already tried steelmaking, and the quality of the steel produced is much stronger than before. The phosphorus and sulfur problem of crucible steelmaking is finally solved.

Really? Your speed is fast enough. Xiao Ming smiled.

Meng Kuo said: His Royal Highness, the trouble is just the furnace lining. Other equipment is the simplest, so it's faster.

Although I say that, it would not have been possible without your hard work day and night, but this is just the beginning. You must continue to work hard. This king can count on you to reduce the cost of steel. Xiao Ming said.

His Royal Highness, if Xiaguan cannot greatly increase the output with the converter steelmaking method, His Royal Highness will throw Xiaguan in this furnace and make it together. Meng Kuo promised without losing his sense of humor.

With a smile on his face, Xiao Ming said, If that's the case, what is the difference between this king and a tyrant, but if we don't do it well, this king will definitely be replaced.

Yes, Your Highness. Meng Kuo smiled.

After wandering around in the steel workshop for a while, Zhan Xingchang sent someone to look for him.

Originally, Xiao Ming was going to negotiate with the envoys from the four directions and sign a contract, but because he was happy, he put this matter aside and came here on purpose.

As soon as Zhan Xingchang looked for someone, he found that Xiao Ming was no longer in the palace, so he sent someone to find Xiao Ming.

After explaining a few more words to Meng Kuo, Xiao Ming walked slowly towards the Qingzhou government office. When he arrived, he found that Zhan Xingchangzheng was arguing with the four messengers.

What's the matter? When did the government office become a bustling city. Xiao Ming said as he walked in.

Zhan Xingchang saw Xiao Ming coming and said, Your Highness, we were discussing this contract just now.

Xiao Ming nodded. At this time, he looked at the other four people. The messenger of King Wei was none other than Xiao Qi. He also knew the messenger sent by King Zhao. It turned out to be Wang Xi who served Queen Zhao.

As for the envoys of King Yan and King Liang, he did not know them either.

Noticing Xiao Ming's expression, King Yan's messenger dispatched and said, See your Highness in the second son of King Yan, Cui Zhang.

It turned out to be the prince, please take a seat, please take a seat. Xiao Ming said with a smile.

Cui Zhang took his seat. Originally, he didn't have to come personally this time, but because the skill of arquebus was too important, King Yan had to send his second son to Qingzhou.

The envoy of King Liang always had a cold look on his face. After the envoy of King Yan introduced himself, he said lightly: I have seen His Royal Highness King Qi in the next Zheng Hao.

After Zheng Hao, Xiao Qi and Wang Xi exchanged fake greetings with Xiao Ming respectively.

On the surface, the etiquette was over, and now it was time to get to the point. This time, Xiao Qi was the one who was the most angry. He ran around hard, but when he turned around, King Yan and King Zhao both offered conditions to humiliate Wei Di. .

At this time, he had to change his views on Xiao Ming.

The real conditions had already been reached under the negotiating table. Neither Cui Zhang nor Wang Xi wanted to waste time. After a while of silence, Cui Zhang first said: His Royal Highness, the purpose of our visit today is to stop His Highness from annexing Wei Di. , Since His Royal Highness has now agreed to this matter, I will write it down in black and white, using the contract as proof.

Yes, you all understand people, so don't waste any more time now. Wang Xi also said.

Xiao Qi naturally knew that King Yan and King Zhao had achieved ulterior motives with Xiao Ming, and he said: Two messengers, what you promised Your Highness has nothing to do with us, since His Highness wants a truce now, it is better to send Pengzhou and Tongzhou will hand it over to discuss the matter.”

Zheng Hao also said: What the envoy Xiao said is extremely true. His Highness has captured two cities in Weidi, and there is no reason for a truce if they are not handed over. Isn't that the advantage that His Highness has taken.

Xiao Ming said lightly: So you two came here to disagree with the thoughts of King Yan, King Zhao, and King Ben?

Exactly, only when His Royal Highness hands over Pengzhou City and Tongzhou City will we have a truce. Xiao Qi's tone was firm.

Xiao Ming looked at Xiao Qi unexpectedly, and suddenly showed a playful smile, then he looked at Cui Zhang and Wang Xi, You two, you have also seen that this is King Wei's aggressiveness, it seems that this truce contract cannot be signed. .

Cui Zhang and Wang Xi were suddenly a little annoyed, weakening King Wei, and at the same time letting Xiao Ming's hands and feet be bound was their goal. They didn't want to ruin their good things because of King Wei's two cities.