The Prodigal Son of the Empire

"The high-alumina bauxite you mentioned is what you used to make the mold! It's a shame that we didn't believe you in every possible way before."

"And the bellows is another world!"

"Nowadays, all kinds of things really make me feel ashamed!"

Seeing how many people spoke like this, Wang Kang also stood up and hurriedly said: "Everyone, you are serious. I also spoke poorly before, please forgive me."

This is how Wang Kang acts. If someone treats him maliciously, he will return it in every possible way.

But if there is more courtesy, I should pay back three points.

"No, no, I'm still arrogant and despise you!" Li Zheng said hurriedly.

After several exchanges, there is a feeling of meeting each other with a smile and grievances. In comparison, Wang Kang is still willing to deal with craftsmen like Li Zheng and the others.

Straightforward, as long as you can get the recognition, there is always the same.

Several people sat down and chatted while waiting, Wang Fuchen looked at Wang Kang and said: "Master Kang, since you want to smelt iron on a large scale, have you discovered an iron mine?"

"I also saw the iron ore during the refining process. It was obviously newly excavated."

"Yes!" Wang Kang nodded and did not hide it, nor could he hide it.

"Sure enough!" Wang Fuchen said: "Outsiders say that Xinfeng County is a barren land, but there are a lot of iron ore deposits here!"

"In March, when Xinfeng County was not the fiefdom of your Earl's Mansion, a batch of iron ore was excavated and transported to our Metallurgical Bureau."

"I didn't expect to dig out another one now that it's in your hands."

At this moment, Li Zheng sighed, "Our country of Zhao has few iron ore resources, and the Ministry of Industry of the imperial court has only two mines, but they have been mined for many years, and they are about to become poor mines."

"And most of the rest are in the hands of veteran nobles."

Wang Fuchen sighed, "Young Master Kang, do you know why we asked the lion to open his mouth and bet you with that one hundred thousand gold coins?"

"Because our Metallurgical Bureau wants to buy iron ore, how ironic it is, and it's normal to buy and sell, but do you know? Those old nobles take advantage of it to sell it for a price!"

"It's really disgusting!"

Seeing how many people were heartbroken, Wang Kang was also lost in thought. No wonder Zhao Huang wanted to cut the price vigorously. It turns out that the old nobles are involved in so many aspects...

Several people chatted for a while, and after a few more hours, the foreman came over, "Master Kang's molten iron has completely solidified!"

"Oh? Really?" Hearing these words, Master Xi hurriedly stood up, and Wang Kang was also pleasantly surprised.

The first batch of steel smelted by him finally came out...

[Author's digression]: The end of the fifth watch, and it will still be the same tomorrow!The author is so awesome, you should do it too, as long as you have a banknote!Book friend group, button group, welcome to 272586792

Chapter 221 The First Hammer, Finally!

Several people accompanied them to the location where they could clearly see that the molten iron had completely solidified, and they could also feel the heat emanating from it.

Although it is solidified, it has not cooled completely.

The foreman took a wooden hammer and handed it to Wang Kang and said, "Master Kang, let you strike the first hammer!"

What he meant was to break the mold. The soil mold carried the molten iron. Although it could withstand the high temperature, it also cracked in some places, and it was impossible for it to fall off perfectly.

So this soil model can only be a one-off, and it can only be smashed to take out the steel.

So the significance of this first hammer is very heavy, and the craftsman asked Wang Kang to complete it.

"It's better for you to come, I was watching from the beginning to the end, but I didn't do anything." Wang Kang said with a smile.

"But this..." The foreman's eyes were agitated after hearing this. Wang Kang was able to say this, which really surprised him.

"That's it, choose a brother from the craftsmen as a representative, and he will strike the first hammer!" Wang Kang said with a smile.

"Good!" The foreman was even more grateful, and the other craftsmen looked at Wang Kang differently.

One person was quickly selected from them, who was the craftsman who was in charge of mixing the ingredients, because it was very hard to do this because it was very close to the hearth and had to withstand high temperatures.

This craftsman is shirtless, has a generous figure, and looks excited while holding a wooden hammer. This is a great honor!

He looked at Wang Kang and said, "Master Kang, then I'm here!"

"bring it on!"

"Snapped!"

The craftsman struck directly on the clay mold, and the clay mold shattered with the sound, and the soil clods fell from the knocked place, and then the craftsman passed the wooden hammer to the next person.

After this, all the soil molds were soon shattered, exposing the steel inside.

The whole body is dark and has a strong metallic texture, the whole body is slender, and the appearance looks no different from ordinary iron.

There are also irregular protrusions, which of course cannot be compared with the steel bars of the previous life specifications.

But with this soil method, it can only do so much.

The other craftsmen dispersed, Master Xi stepped forward, and said solemnly: "Master Kang, I have to inspect it!"

"Let's test it!" Wang Kang said with a light smile, his expression confident.

"Come and help me!" Master Xi shouted, and then several craftsmen clamped the steel with tongs and moved it to a cast iron table next to it.

Master Xi is a cast iron master and an old craftsman with rich experience. He can distinguish it by knocking, feeling and listening.

After setting up the steel, Master Xi picked up the hammer and hit one end of it hard a few times.

"ding, ding"

Crisp voices sounded one after another.

"This sound?" Wang Fuchen looked shocked. He is also an old craftsman. After a long time of forging cast iron, they have mastered the most basic method, tapping the braid!

Based on years of experience, if the sound is dull when knocked, it is ordinary iron. If the sound is clearer, it means that the material performance is better.

Could it really be better?Wang Fuchen thought in amazement.

The percussion continued, but Master Xi's face became more and more serious, and he stopped after a while.

"Old Xi, how are you?" Li Zheng asked hurriedly.

Master Xi raised his head, with a surprised expression on his face, and said strangely: "If I'm not bad, this hardness is comparable to the thirty-thirty wrought iron of our smelting bureau, and it's much stronger than that!"

"What?" Hearing this, Li Zheng was surprised.