During the Zhengde period, China's steel production was equivalent to the entire Europe combined, and its smelting technology also reached the top of the world.
The steel-frying method has been promoted nationwide, and has achieved large-scale, mass production and continuous production of raw and wrought iron. The iron-making furnace and the iron-frying furnace are strung together, and the pig iron liquid produced by the iron-making furnace flows directly into
In the iron-frying furnace, willow sticks are used to stir the iron to form mature iron - this not only improves production efficiency, but also reduces charcoal fire consumption.
Europe had to wait for more than two hundred years before a similar mixing furnace was invented. China had promoted it as early as the Chenghua period.
Moreover, in Europe, iron rods were used to stir molten pig iron, and only low-carbon wrought iron could be obtained. In the Ming Dynasty, willow sticks were used to stir, and the carbon of the willow wood was mixed into the pig iron, slowing down the decarbonization rate of the pig iron, and low-carbon steel could be obtained directly.
If the steel frying master has good skills and good luck, there is still a chance of frying medium carbon steel or even high carbon steel.
Of course, most of the time, only high-quality wrought iron can be produced. This situation is most common in government-run iron works. For example, the Zunhua Iron Works in the north has been using criminals to fry steel, which is called "prisoner frying."
.The mortality rate is extremely high. It is said that nine out of ten people will die ("Gu Jiujiu"), often from being beaten to death or from illness. People who speculate in steel cannot save their lives, so how can they improve their frying and refining skills?
Private ironworks are much more powerful, the most typical one is Foshan!
China has always had a monopoly on salt and iron in ancient times, but the government in the Ming Dynasty did not control the iron smelting industry. According to Zhu Yuanzhang's thinking, the amount of steel produced by the government was enough, and there was no need to compete with the people for profit. At that time, some officials discovered new iron mines and suggested to the emperor
It was immediately nationalized, but as a result, it was slapped on the horse's leg and was directly exiled overseas by Zhu Yuanzhang.
For blacksmith households in the Ming Dynasty, those with the heaviest service could work for the government for half a year. Those with the lightest service could work for the government for half of the five years. The remaining time could be allocated freely.
It was these favorable factors that led the iron and steelmaking technology of the Ming Dynasty to reach the pinnacle of China's feudal dynasty, and also reach the pinnacle of the world at that time.
However, Wang Yuan wanted to cast cannons, but there was a very fatal situation, that is, the quality of Chinese iron ore was too low!
The large-scale use of coal in the north to smelt iron makes the smelted iron more brittle, and it is very easy to explode when used to cast guns. The south still uses bamboo charcoal to smelt iron, and the quality is slightly better, but there are still many impurities, and the smelting process
The cost is also very high.
Bronze cannons are now commonly used in Europe. Unfortunately, China is severely short of copper, and the manufacturing cost of copper cannons is unaffordable.
Then cast steel cannon?
Wang Yuan inquired from the blacksmiths and found that steelmaking was time-consuming and laborious, and the output was very low. From a cost perspective, it was not as good as casting copper cannons.
There were two main methods of steelmaking in China at this time -
One is the aforementioned steel frying, but the main products are wrought iron and low carbon steel. The success rate of frying high-quality steel belongs to the realm of metaphysics.
One is pouring steel, and there were improvements in two directions in the Ming Dynasty. One is the "pig iron covering method", which has been widely promoted across the country; the second is the "pig iron pouring method" (Suzhou Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.), which is currently only used in
South Zhili region.
Taking into account both cost and quality, Su Steel cannon casting is the most cost-effective, but the price of Su Steel is still countless times more expensive than copper!
What is even more embarrassing is that as the governor of Zhejiang, Wang Yuan cannot run around at will during his term. The best steel plants in the Ming Dynasty were mainly government-run in Zhili and Shanxi, and privately owned in Fujian, Guangdong and Huguang. Zhejiang's
The technology of iron and steel smelting is really worrying.
When the Haining Shipyard was building a large shipyard, Wang Yuan rode to Shaoxing, where there was the Lizhu Iron Mine, the largest iron mine in Zhejiang.
The prefect of Shaoxing was called Liang Qiao. Hearing about the governor's inspection, he immediately came to see him.
But that's all. Liang Qiao was a truly upright official, and meeting the governor was purely out of official etiquette. Historically, as soon as his term in Shaoxing expired, he immediately returned to his hometown to serve his seriously ill mother. After paying his last respects to his mother, he studied hard for twenty years behind closed doors.
For the rest of his life, he only accepted a few disciples. He was indifferent to fame and wealth, and did not attach himself to power. He died of illness at home.
On the other hand, the magistrates of Kuaiji and Shanyin counties kept trying to flatter Wang Yuan, which annoyed Wang Yuan (similar to Hangzhou Fucheng, Shaoxing Fucheng was also split in half, with half going to Shanyin County and half to Kuaiji County).
When Wang Yuan came for a visit and met the local officials, he naturally wanted to ask: "How are the Guanyin statues being renovated in the counties of Shaoxing?"
Liang Qiao replied: "All the old statues of Guanyin have been demolished, a few new ones have been built, and most of the new ones are still under construction."
Wang Yuan asked again: "Have you encountered any resistance?"
Liang Qiao replied: "I know the governor's intention. This is to rectify the bad habit of infant drowning, and it can save countless babies. A little resistance is not worth mentioning."
Wang Yuan was very happy: "I will report to the imperial court to explain the achievements of Grand Administrator Liang."
Liang Qiao didn't give a good look and said: "No, my mother is old and often sick in bed. When my term is up next year, I will resign and return home. My political achievements are of no use to me. Moreover, I
Although I support the Governor's construction of the Angry-Eyeing Guanyin Statue, I am opposed to the Governor's opening of the sea in Zhejiang. Regardless of whether the Governor listens to it or not, I will say a few things that will not please you. Opening the sea will be beneficial to merchants, but harmful to the common people!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Wang Yuan laughed non-stop. He felt that Liang Qiao was very interesting, but his vision was a little bit poor. He said: "Then regardless of the opening of the sea, I wish you good health and a long life!"
Liang Qiao was a filial son. He liked hearing these words and had a much better impression of Wang Yuan. He immediately cupped his fists and said, "Thank you very much, Governor, for your kind words."
After some encouragement to the two county magistrates of Kuaiji and Shanyin, Wang Yuan temporarily stayed at the Shaoxing Hotel to rest.
The next day, accompanied by Luo Fang, the magistrate of Shanyin County, Wang Yuan went to inspect the official iron factory.
The condition of the iron factory is very bad. First of all, the scale is not large, and secondly, the enthusiasm of the iron smelting craftsmen is not high. Many people do not work at all, and do not even turn on the iron smelting furnace. They gather around and chat.
Luo Fang, the county magistrate, felt that he had lost face and called the owner of the iron factory to scold him.
The director of the iron factory could only bite the bullet and explain: "This year's task is almost completed. Two or three furnaces of iron will be smelted. I am afraid that the furnace will not be opened again within half a year. If the furnace is opened at this time, there will be no iron to smelt.
It will cost you a lot of money."
The official ironworks of the Ming Dynasty strictly implemented Zhu Yuanzhang's ideas and were completely in the planned economy model. Every year, there were tasks for how much iron was produced. Once the tasks were completed, they would be idle. After receiving the tasks, craftsmen would be recruited to serve and open the furnaces.
Luo Fang was very angry and scolded: "Today the Governor is inspecting, can't you turn on all the furnaces and smelt more iron and store it in the factory?"
The director of the iron factory muttered: "There isn't much money allocated from above. Iron ore and charcoal both cost money."
"Bastard!" Luo Fang was furious.
"I'm not talking nonsense." The director of the iron factory was not afraid because Luozhi County was not his direct supervisor.
Wang Yuan comforted him: "Okay, there's no need to scold. And don't waste money by opening iron furnaces just because I rebelled. In Luozhi County, there is a private iron factory nearby. Please accompany me to have a look."
Factories were official institutions in the Ming Dynasty, such as the East Factory, the West Factory, the Armor Factory, and the Shiji Factory.
The official iron smelting department is called an iron factory, and the private sector is called an iron smelting workshop.
With the largest iron ore mine in Zhejiang at its back and the government not imposing any control, many private iron factories have naturally developed.
The magistrate of Luo County immediately took Wang Yuan to the largest one nearby and sent someone to call the owner of the workshop in advance.
"Wang Lu, who is born late, pays homage to the governor!" the owner of the iron factory bowed.
Wang Yuan smiled and asked: "Do you have a reputation?"
Wang Lu replied: "I was lucky to be born late. I entered school in the tenth year of Hongzhi."
Wang Yuan praised and said: "Shaoxing is indeed a beautiful place, and every owner of an iron smelting workshop is a scholar."
The magistrate of Luo County joked: "Shaoxing is indeed prosperous in culture."
The literacy rate in Jiangnan during the Ming Dynasty was very high. According to the records of a North Korean official. Since he could not speak Chinese, he could only communicate through writing. When he met passers-by in the north, seven or eight out of ten were illiterate, while in Jiangnan it was just the opposite.
come over.
Wang Yuan asked: "Friend Wang, can this iron factory make steel?"
Wang Lu said: "Wrought iron is mainly made by frying steel. Occasionally, steel can be fried. To actually make steel, you have to find a blacksmith shop. They specialize in making steel for some customers."
"Do you know how to stir-fry steel?" Wang Yuan asked.
Wang Lu said: "The method of frying steel has been passed down to Zhejiang since my late grandfather's generation. Many craftsmen know how to pour steel, but there are few people buying steel. Shaoxing is still mainly engaged in iron-making."
In ancient times, there was no patented technology and it was difficult to keep it secret.
As soon as the "Su Gang Method" was invented, it spread in southern Zhili in just a few years, and later even spread to Huguang.
Under the leadership of Wang Lu, Wang Yuan visited the factory. It was obviously much more lively than the official iron factory. The iron smelting craftsmen had a positive attitude and worked enthusiastically because they could make money, and working in the official iron factory was purely free service.
There are seven groups of fourteen furnaces in the factory, all of which are connected with iron-making furnaces and iron-frying furnaces. There is also a separate forging furnace.
The liquid pig iron produced in the iron-making furnace flows directly into the iron-frying furnace, where craftsmen hold willow sticks and stir it continuously.
Wang Yuan could only watch the excitement. He knew nothing about ironmaking and only understood a few principles.
However, Wang Yuan did remember that the great development of steelmaking in Europe seemed to have started with steelmaking in Lao Shizi's crucible.
"Friend Wang, do you know the crucible steelmaking method?" Wang Yuan asked.
"Crucible?" Wang Lu was stunned and quickly realized, "The governor said it was a square furnace? A square furnace can only make iron, not steel."
The word crucible has existed since ancient times, and the crucible iron-making method was invented as early as the Han Dynasty.
Today, only small workshops in the northwest, southwest and various places still retain the crucible iron-making method, while the iron factories in Jiangnan and Hebei have long been eliminated.
Wang Yuan thought for a while and said: "Friend Wang, I will pay you to help build a square furnace. The higher the furnace temperature, the better. I will try to see if the square furnace can make steel."
Wang Lu hesitated to speak, but still refrained from admonishing him and just treated him as the governor spending money to have fun.
Square furnace steelmaking?
Nonsense!
Well, the word bullshit already existed in the Ming Dynasty, and there is also the famous bullshit monument.