Time travel rebellion, I'm serious

However, having said that, Liu Wu still didn't quite believe it.

Just listen to Liu Wudao: "But I still don't believe it. This is simply too exaggerated. Because according to what you said, Deshou, isn't making armor weapons more profitable than selling private salt?"

Although Liu Wu was not too clear on this point, he also understood that the reason why arms made money in the original world was because of a series of reasons such as technology and assembly lines, which reduced the cost of weapon manufacturing and generated huge profits.

However, in this world where productivity is not high, Salt and Iron is run by the government most of the time. Although it is also a huge profit, this does not mean that the weapons it builds can have such huge profits.

Therefore, Liu Wu had this doubt. Because he really couldn't figure it out, isn't it just steel? Ordinarily this shouldn’t be the case!

However, not to mention Shi Deshou, Lu Yulin, Lu Shu and Ouyang Sheng, who were standing there as models, were stunned when faced with Liu Wu's doubts.

However, Shi Deshou was a professional after all. He put away his surprise and explained to Liu Wu:

"On the market, one tael of silver can buy 20 kilograms of pig iron, but we are at the junction of Daqian and Bailian, and fighting often occurs. Therefore, in Jiangnan, the price of pig iron has skyrocketed due to the war."

"In addition, we are very special and the purchase volume is large, so we can barely buy 10 kilograms of pig iron with one tael of silver."

"But brother, do you know the price of a pound of fine steel?"

Liu Wu was stunned when he heard this. He thought about it and found that in the past 16 years, he really didn't know the price of steel.

Although he had made his own weapons, he had purchased the pig iron and refined it himself.

As for the rest of the time, he didn't pay attention to it. He was already very tired from living a difficult life, so he might as well pay attention to the prices of food and vegetables.

So Liu Wu thought for a moment and then shook his head.

At this time, Shi Deshou understood why Liu Wu asked such a question, so Shi Deshou said slowly:

"Nowadays, the market price of a pound of fine steel is 16 taels of silver, but this is only the market price, and its price is often priceless. Therefore, the price of fine steel is now as much as 38 taels per kilogram."

"Moreover, this is not just limited to Jiangnan, but the entire Daqian. If it is in the territory controlled by the White Lotus Sect, the price will be higher."

Liu Wu frowned when he heard this. This was too exaggerated, because according to this calculation, the price of steel was hundreds of times more expensive than pig iron, which was obviously unreasonable.

But before he could ask, Shi Deshou continued:

"So, just like Big Brother's sword, it weighs five kilograms. If calculated based on the cost of materials, the fine steel itself is worth 190 taels."

"Coupled with the labor costs and many other expenses for making it, this sword will cost more than 240 taels of silver at worst."

"As for the armor and Mo Dao worn by Kefeng, the materials themselves cost 1400 taels according to the market price. The actual price will not be less than 3300 taels."

"If you add in the labor costs and many other expenses, as well as the special characteristics of the armor and knives, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is worth ten thousand taels of silver!"

Hearing this, Liu Wu opened his mouth and said: "How is this possible? From pig iron to steel, the time and materials consumed are not much. Why is the difference so big?"

Liu Wu's question really shocked a few people.

What does it mean to go from pig iron to steel, which takes less time and consumes less materials?

Lu Yulin couldn't help but said: "Brother, these two are not the same thing. Why are the prices similar? Although fine steel is forged from pig iron, the cost is very high, otherwise there would be no Talk about hundred-forged steel!”

Liu Wu nodded when he heard this and said: "I know about hundred-forged steel, but isn't this a false finger? Does it really need to be forged hundreds of times to become steel?"

The three of them fell silent immediately after hearing this, only to hear Lu Shu speak carefully, saying:

"Brother, do you think it's possible? This hundred-forged steel really needs to be forged hundreds of times before it can be formed!"

Liu Wu frowned and looked at Lu Shu carefully, wanting to hear why.

Just listen to Lu Shu explain: "I once went to the craftsman's workshop with my father and saw with my own eyes how a piece of pig iron was turned into fine steel. It really took a hundred times of forging."

In response, Liu Wu remained silent.

So, he thought for a while and asked:

"But if this is the case, the forging of steel is so complicated and the price is so expensive, then how did Daqian and Bailian arm the army? This is not a small amount of money?"

The three of them were very surprised by Liu Wu's inquiry. They only heard Lu Yulin say:

"Brother, where did you hear that those soldiers are armed with fine steel weapons? You know, even in our army, except for your sword, which is made of fine steel, there is no one that is all made of fine steel. It is a weapon forged from fine steel.”

"Even the weapons used by Lu Shu and I are not all made of fine steel. As for the soldiers below, it is even less likely."

"Wait a minute!" Liu Wu stopped Lu Yulin from continuing to speak, and asked while thinking: "Jianhou, do you mean that except for me, no one in the army has weapons forged from steel?"

"In that case, what are the weapons used by you and the soldiers made of? Aren't they still made of iron?"

"It's just that pig iron is brittle and wrought iron is soft. If it's not forged into steel, how can it be used?"

Lu Shu was very surprised when he heard this and said: "It's very simple, iron is wrapped in steel!"

"Brother, please don't forget. As the saying goes, good steel should be used on the blade. This is not just talk. Just like hundred-forged steel is truly hundred-forged steel, it is also true that good steel should be used on the blade. Use it wisely."

"The reason why a steel knife is called a steel knife is because the whole body is made of wrought iron, and the blade is made of iron-clad steel. This saves steel without reducing the power of the weapon."

"As for the knife that is made entirely of wrought iron, it is really just a large blade. It can't be said that it is not very lethal, but it is just that, otherwise armor made of leather will not be so popular."

Liu Wu heard this and said, "If that's the case, where is the spearhead?"

Lu Yulin replied: "The same is true for the spearhead of the spear. It will not reduce the power even if it saves money."

Liu Wu was shocked when he heard this and didn't know what to say for a moment. Because no matter what he thought, he couldn't figure out why the difference was so big.

But according to what they said, Liu Wu now understood to some extent that he seemed to be very surprised with their thinking.

However, he discovered a problem in the conversation just now, that is, he had been talking about steel, and what they were talking about was fine steel.

Then he said: "I was talking about steel, and you were talking about fine steel. Do you think it is possible that these two are not the same thing?"

Lu Yulin shook her head and said, "I checked just now. The armor plates and the Mo Dao are all made of fine steel. We are talking about the same thing."