Iron Dynasty Novel Chapter 559

For access to a complete chapter, you can subscribe to my /caleredhair

Molten steel mixed with heat flowed in the crucible. In the scorching sumr, the steel workshop was as hot as a furnace.

Upon leaving the royal residence, Xiao Ming went directly to the steel workshop. In just a short while, his clothes were soaked with sweat.

“Your Highness, it’s too hot here. Let’s discuss this outside,” Chen Wenlong advised. Ordinary people would find it unbearable to stay in this steel workshop for a while, and he worried that it would be uncomfortable for Xiao Ming.

Looking at the shirtless slave craftsn working diligently, Xiao Ming said, “No need. I am not that delicate. By the way, I heard the steel workshop has a new supervisor. Where is he?”

Chen Wenlong pointed to the young man who was rushing towards them from not far away and said, “Your Highness, that’s him. He is a student from Bowen Academy, specializing in steel production. He took office a month ago. As Your Highness said, he also ntioned Besser steelmaking, but later he just said there were no materials, so the matter was not brought up again.”

“Oh,” Xiao Ming showed an interested expression. After three years of cultivation, more and more students were entering various workshops in Qingzhou. However, due to limited conditions, many things they had mastered but found it difficult to realize.

But this was inevitable. In his contemporary era, his country was also poor and had nothing. At that ti, scientists returning from overseas also started from scratch.

However, there was one point where he couldn’t compare: at that ti, the entire nation was united in production, while the environnt he was in was still at war. So, he could only achieve things one by one.

“I greet Your Highness.”

The young man calling himself ng Kuo was scholarly in appearance, looking like a scholar. However, like the craftsn in the workshop, the young man was also bare-ard, covered in black iron filings.

Xiao Ming looked up and down at ng Kuo and said, “Chen Wenlong says you are from Bowen Academy. Since that’s the case, let

test you. Which produces higher quality iron in Besser steelmaking, acid or alkaline?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, it’s alkaline.” ng Kuo said, “Acidic furnace lining cannot remove sulfur and phosphorus from the iron, but alkaline furnace lining can.”

“Why remove sulfur and phosphorus?”

“For steelmaking, phosphorus is a harmful substance. The presence of phosphorus increases the hardness and brittleness of iron. Good pig iron should have low phosphorus content. Sulfur promotes the combination of iron and carbon, making the iron hard and brittle, and chemically combines with iron to form low-lting point iron sulfide, causing hot brittleness in pig iron and reducing the fluidity of molten iron. Therefore, pig iron with high sulfur content is not suitable for casting fine parts.”

As ng Kuo spoke, Chen Wenlong’s face was beaming. Xiao Ming couldn’t help but ask, “I asked ng Kuo, why are you so happy?”

“Your Highness, this ng Kuo was selected by

from Bowen Academy. His current fluent answers prove that my judgnt was correct,” Chen Wenlong said with a chuckle.

Xiao Ming was also very satisfied with ng Kuo’s answer. Regardless of conditions, at least he had mastered the knowledge. He then asked, “What are the oxidants in Besser steelmaking? What are the slagging materials?”

“The oxidants are only iron ore and oxygen. For slagging, there is li.” ng Kuo answered calmly and confidently.

Xiao Ming nodded and asked so deeper questions, which ng Kuo answered promptly, making him even more satisfied.

After a pause, he said, “With you here, I can rest assured and entrust the Besser steelmaking production line to you.”

“Besser steelmaking?” ng Kuo exclaid upon hearing this.

“That’s right. I have found the alkaline lining material for the converter. Now the alkaline Besser steelmaking thod can be realized. Next, you are to lead the craftsn of the steel workshop to produce the converter and simultaneously build a production line to increase steel output.” Xiao Ming said this while handing the drawings to ng Kuo.

Taking the drawings, ng Kuo eagerly opened them. As Xiao Ming said, they marked all the equipnt needed for an entire production line, and the drawings also included detailed structural diagrams of specific equipnt.

“Don’t be afraid of failure. If it doesn’t work the first ti, you can try a few more tis.” Xiao Ming said to ng Kuo. Any technological innovation would encounter various problems in its early stages. In Xiao Ming’s view, Besser steelmaking would also have to fail a few tis before the tricks can be summarized from practice.

However, since the conditions for this technology were already in place, its realization was not far off.

And once Qingzhou could obtain a large amount of cheap steel, then building railroads, which required a lot of steel, would beco possible, and the operation of steam locomotives in Great Yu Empire would no longer be a luxury.

At the sa ti, a large increase in steel production would also improve war capability, making weapon production easier, unlike now where most troops are still in the cold weapon era.

ng Kuo carefully read the drawings once. He said to Xiao Ming, “Your Highness, I have been waiting for such a technology to be realized. Your Highness, rest assured, I will build the production line even if I don’t eat or drink.”

Xiao Ming nodded. The technical difficulties of Besser steelmaking were the converter and oxygen blowing. Now that the problems were solved, other issues such as material feeding and molten steel shaping were the sa and did not require further research.

Over the next few days, Xiao Ming and ng Kuo continuously discussed the establishnt of the production line. So of the facilities were also handed over to craftsn for production. On the fifth day, the first batch of magnesite ore arrived from the mine.

This batch of ore was ordered by Xiao Ming to be mined first for experintation. After calcination, grinding, and casting, the converter’s lining was ford.

After this step was completed, the remaining matters were a natural progression. Xiao Ming also did not want to continue participating. After all, he did not want to dampen ng Kuo’s enthusiasm.

Because in his opinion, a leader should be moderately lazy, otherwise if they do everything themselves, subordinates will develop lazy habits.

Stepping away from the Besser steelmaking affairs, Xiao Ming continued to shift his focus back to the current chaotic situation.

At this mont, a piece of news brought by Wang Xuan made a cold sweat break out on his body.

“The Prince of Wei sent envoys to ally with the Prince of Yan, the Prince of Zhao, and the Prince of Liang?” Xiao Ming asked anxiously.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Wang Xuan’s expression was grave. “And the envoy has already reached the Prince of Yan. This is the news brought back by our secret agent in Bozhou.”

“This ti, it seems the Prince of Wei is truly desperate.” Xiao Ming’s face was grim. This was a crisis that could lead to the downfall of his state.

If the four kings attacked him simultaneously, he would surely be unable to resist. After all, in this era, the advantage of firearms could not completely offset the human wave tactics of cold weapon armies.

And in fact, the true weapon that ended cold weapon warfare was the machine gun, but for him, he couldn’t produce that yet.

“Your Highness, if the Prince of Wei’s cunning plan succeeds, it will be a catastrophe for us. I believe we should imdiately assassinate the Prince of Wei’s envoy to delay the alliance.” Wang Xuan said.

“This can only treat the symptom, not the root cause. If one envoy dies, there will surely be a second. Now, what we should think about is how to break this alliance.” Xiao Ming said bitterly.