Chapter 36 Princess Yangzi: School starts tomorrow, find a good roommate
Guan Lingcheng led a group of blacksmiths to study repeatedly for many days, but still could not refine iron that was tough enough. Seeing that the stipulated delivery date was approaching, they had no choice but to report to the First Emperor and ask for guidance from the immortals.
Wei Shengxue was invited to the ironworks. Guan Lingcheng was standing at the door waiting for someone. When he saw her, he almost cried with joy.
"Master, you are finally here."
Wei Shengxue was not impressed by the big guy's red eyes and took a step back to show her refusal.
She walked inside, guided by Guan Lingcheng. She observed her surroundings as she walked. The ground was smooth, with no scattered coal or iron ore, a testament to the diligence of the tidying staff. Iron ore and coal were piled separately in a corner, carefully kept away from the fire.
Wei Shengxue nodded secretly, they put their heart into it.
But... she searched again and again, even spreading her spiritual sense to scan around, but there was no trace of the most important blast furnace.
This couldn't help but surprise her.
No, you didn't even prepare the basic tools for iron smelting, and then you came to her and said you couldn't do it and couldn't complete it. Isn't that a bit outrageous?
As soon as he said this, Guan Lingcheng burst into tears.
The date set by His Majesty was getting closer and closer, but he couldn't even get the most basic things. This was absolutely a dereliction of duty, a huge dereliction of duty. The psychological pressure was so great that he couldn't sleep all night.
When Guan Lingcheng thought about how difficult each day was, he couldn't stop crying.
Weishengxue was silent for a moment. I remember that your Qin law stipulates that adult men are not allowed to shed tears.
"That has been changed." Guan Lingcheng wiped away his tears and answered in a muffled voice.
Otherwise, he would not dare to commit crimes so openly and knowingly break the law.
“Take me to see your finished product.”
Guan Lingcheng lowered his head in shame, his voice as small as the flutter of a mosquito's wings, "We don't have a finished product."
Wei Shengxue changed the subject: "Take me to see your failed product."
Guan Lingcheng then took her there, and there happened to be a batch of failed products that had not been disposed of.
…
Weishengxue looked at the pile of iron blocks that were obviously cracked and broken into pieces. Although they were basically damaged, they could still be identified as having been pieces of iron plates.
"Aren't you smelting iron to make plowshares, horseshoes, swords, spears, and other tools? Why are you making iron plates first?"
This kind of large iron plate needs to be both hard and tough, which is much more difficult than ironware directly molded.
"Don't be too ambitious," Wei Shengxue said earnestly, imitating the tone of her homeroom teacher. "Keep your feet on the ground and take it one step at a time. Don't think about running before you've even learned to walk."
Guan Lingcheng was completely stunned.
They clearly started from the simplest point, but why were they described as ambitious in the eyes of the Immortal Master?
After another round of communication where they were talking at cross purposes, the two finally had the same train of thought.
"...the temperature was high enough to melt the iron into molten iron, but the resulting iron plate was brittle and fragile, even weaker than inferior bronze."
Wei Shengxue was not a professional, and did not find any problems when listening to the process he described, but the failed product was right in front of him, and there must be at least one problem in each procedure.
“Take me to see the production process.”
Guan Lingcheng hesitated for a moment: "...Yes."
When he reached the outside of the factory, he stopped and turned around and said, "The temperature in the workshop is high, there's a lot of flying dust, and the ground is dirty. I'm afraid it will stain the immortal's dress."
Wei Shengxue's mind moved, and the invisible spiritual shield around her was revealed. A cyan light flowed, enveloping her entire body.
It was only at this time that Guan Lingcheng saw that the immortal he originally thought was walking on the dark ground with him was actually not touching the ground. A thin layer of green light separated her from the ground, and also separated her from all people and things.
Perhaps this mortal world is too dirty for immortals.
Thinking of this, Guan Lingcheng quickly lowered his head, not daring to look or think anymore.
"Immortal, please." He leaned sideways and used his right hand to guide her.
Wei Shengxue stepped into the manufacturing workshop, where the hustle and bustle was in full swing. Raging fires burned in the furnaces, burning the iron blocks to a red color. The blacksmith then took them out and placed them on the casting table. The hammer was raised high, the muscles on his arms bulged, and he hammered down one by one.
This is obviously still the old crude method, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and can only produce rare and expensive iron tools.
Guan Lingcheng led her forward until they reached the innermost, most remote and empty corner.
This is it.
The blacksmith, who had monopolized a large portion of the chassis, looked far from pleased; even the fire in his furnace was dim. The blacksmith in charge sat nearby, smacking fresh tea leaves. The bitter taste lingered on his tongue, bringing a moment of clarity.
Heijiang stuffed another handful of tea leaves into his mouth expressionlessly, his eyes were blank and his sight was vague and unfocused, making it hard to tell whether he was daydreaming or simply in a daze.
When Guan Lingcheng saw this, he couldn't help but feel sympathy. He was the general manager of the ironworks, and he was the person in charge of the blast furnace. The two of them had been working hard for so many days without making any progress, and neither of them felt good.
"Blacksmith," he called out, "the immortal has come in person to instruct us. Why don't you get up quickly?"
Immortal?
Immortal!!
Heijiang's ears moved, and his brain received feedback. He jumped up and swallowed the tea leaves in his mouth in one gulp. He quickly wiped the stains on his hands and saluted respectfully.
"No need to be so polite," Wei Shengxue didn't care whether they were polite or not, and even felt that the constant politeness was a bit annoying. She directly asked to see the iron-making process.
She observed the whole process with her spiritual consciousness, recorded the whole process by the system, and compared it with the information in the database, she was always able to find one or two clues.
…
The ironworks is busy, but the registration for the training class has come to an end.
After working hard for more than half a month and going through several rounds of screening, we finally finalized the final list.
Today is the day to announce the final list of students. Whether they have been eliminated or are waiting for the results, they all gathered outside the temporary training school for obstetrics and gynecology nurses.
By the way, this name was also given by an immortal.
Obstetrics and gynecology is simple and clear, and it doesn't sound like the names of midwives and delivery women, which make them sound like they are elderly.
They especially like the title of "nurse", which means "nurse is a guardian who protects mothers in labor". How powerful!
Guards have to be selected from the best in the army, and they are also "guards"!
In fact, this place is not called this name, and even the plaque has a different inscription, but everyone changed the name without any prior agreement.
Temporary training school for obstetrics and gynecology nurses.
A name that brings joy to one's heart every time one recites it silently.
The one hundred women who participated in the final selection stood in an orderly line in the open space in front of the school. The immortal said that this was one of the rules to be followed in school.
As everyone expected, Princess Yangzi finally appeared.
For the first time, everyone stretched their necks regardless of etiquette and looked behind her, but they still couldn't see the figure that they had once seen so beautifully.
"The Immortal is not here today, and I have been given full authority to handle all registration matters."
Princess Yangzi looked at everyone's obviously disappointed expressions and nodded with satisfaction. This was exactly how it should be. Everyone should have great respect for the immortal and look forward to it. When the immortal appeared at the beginning of the school year, they would get the warmest response.
After whetting their appetites for a while, Princess Yangzi clapped her hands and announced, "On the second day of school, the immortal will teach us and serve as our first teacher in the school."
As soon as these words were spoken, those who had hopes of being selected blushed with excitement, while those who were watching but failed hit their heads in frustration, blaming themselves for not trying harder, otherwise they would have been the ones to become the immortal's disciple!
Self-centered
Princess Yangzi took a black brocade book from the hand of the palace maid beside her. Everyone subconsciously fell silent, as they all knew that the book contained the final list.
"Zhao Yun, Jin Xi, Li Jiang..."
Every time she read out a name, there was a cheer of surprise from the audience. Thirty names wasn't a long list, and the last one was read out in just a few minutes. Those whose names were called smiled and congratulated each other, while those who were not selected also managed to cheer themselves up and not lose face in front of the crowd.
Princess Yangzi closed the brocade book in her hand and handed it to the palace attendant beside her, who placed it on the tray above. As the first batch of students taught by the immortal, their names would be honored to be carved on a stone tablet and placed on the side of the school.
This is a special honor.
Princess Yangzi signaled with her eyes, and the palace maid beside her struck the gong. The loud bang attracted everyone's attention, and the buzzing sound of whispers below quickly disappeared, and silence returned.
"Everyone, we will be classmates from now on. Go home and prepare today, bring clothes and daily necessities, and classes will officially start tomorrow. We adopt the model of six days on and one day off here. You are not allowed to go home during the school period and you will live in the school dormitory. The school does not allow quarrels or trouble. Repeated violations will lead to expulsion from the school, and an announcement will be made at the gate." Princess Yangzi did not say anything more.
The specific rules are left to the people below, and after they are drafted, he only needs to take a look and review them.
For this matter, the Legalists specially sent a disciple over.
In their words, this was obviously a job for them, the Legalists, and they were willing to serve the Immortal and Her Royal Highness the Princess.
After saying this, Princess Yangzi left the school. But for the students at that moment, it was just right.
As soon as the big shot left, they gathered in groups of three or five, chattering away. Some even organized a gathering and invited everyone to a nearby restaurant.
"We'll all be classmates from now on, so why don't I treat you all and let's go out for a quick meal together? This is a great opportunity to find three roommates you get along with. I heard the dormitories on campus are four to a room, so if you don't get along or have different living habits, it'll be tough."
As soon as she finished speaking, someone immediately asked, "Sister, you have such a spiritual message. I wonder which lady it is."
The young woman who had just spoken smiled and said, "I am Wang Yu from the Wang family."
Wang family?
There are many families with the surname Wang in Daqin, and even in the court, one can count five, six, seven or eight of them, but which other Wang family could she mention with such a proud tone?
It must be the Wang family where Wang Jian, Marquis of Wucheng, and Wang Ben, Marquis of Tongwu, belong.
"Sister and Marquis Tongwu..."
"That's Grandfather."
Wow~
The people who were around and heard it were shocked, because that was the Wang family.
In the Qin Dynasty, which promoted the system of military merit and honored military prowess, father and son were idols of everyone. When the First Emperor conquered the six kingdoms, they had led the troops of five of them.
Wang Yu said nothing in response to their praise, but had a proud smile on his face. This was the honor earned by his great-grandfather and grandfather with their meritorious service, and it was the pride of their entire Wang family. He did not need to be modest, but he could not talk about it all the time either.
As they talked, they headed towards a nearby restaurant. Wang Yu had already sent his servants to book the place in advance, so no outsiders would disturb their gathering.
As the only daughter of the Wang family's direct lineage, Wang Yu has received the highest standards of training almost since she was a child. Being good at networking and being versatile are her labels, and being able to make friends easily is her most basic skill.
After hearing the palace maid's report, Princess Yangzi praised her attendants, saying, "The Wang family's daughter has been well raised. If there's an opportunity, I'd like to ask for her to help me."
…
While the final list of candidates was being announced, Weishengxue had already completed a simple casting.
During this period, she had an unexpected surprise - coke.
The Qin Dynasty already knew how to make and use coke to reach higher temperatures. How long had they only been using coal? This creativity is simply amazing.
She reviewed the entire process but still found no problems. She only vaguely felt that something was amiss with the material. However, she simply attributed this to the poor quality of the ore. After all, it was just ordinary iron, not comparable to spirit crystals, black gold, or red sun iron.
She thought about it but couldn't find any problem, so she said carefully: "Maybe it's a problem with the materials. Where did this iron ore come from?"
Guan Lingcheng replied, "It is in the iron ore discovered in Qin."
Wei Shengxue: "Is this the best iron ore in Qin? Is there any better ore?"
Guan Lingcheng: "Then we need to transport it from Yanzhao. It will take half a month to a month."
Wei Shengxue possessed extraordinary talent for cultivation, but he had only been practicing the path for twenty years, and having grown bored in the mountains, his learning had become somewhat haphazard. While he could rapidly master alchemy thanks to his natural affinity for spiritual plants, he was more of a novice at refining weapons, understanding the process without understanding the underlying principles.
I was confused for a moment.
In the silence, she suddenly had an idea:
Both blacksmithing and refining require furnaces, so the difference should not be that big.
As she thought this, she casually cast a few purification spells on the iron ore piled beside her.
A flash of inspiration came, and a layer of light yellow dust slowly seeped out of the surface of the gray-black iron ore.
Guan Lingcheng and Heijiang looked at this scene in amazement.
Guan Lingchengxu looked at it carefully and found that the yellow dust seemed somewhat familiar.
He walked forward, squatted down, pinched some powder with his fingers, and smelled it closely. A familiar pungent smell was smelling.
"Isn't this sulfur? How can there be sulfur in iron?"
【Sulfur? Sulfur!】
Once the system has the keywords, it can quickly search for the corresponding information from the database.
[Host, sulfur is a harmful element in pig iron. It reduces the wear resistance and stability of the iron. In other words...]
'That is, ironware made from sulfur-containing iron is hard and brittle, and easily damaged.'
【besides……】
"Sulfur is one of the raw materials for making gunpowder," Wei Shengxue answered again.
“There’s a saying, ‘Trash is treasure in the wrong place.’”
She didn't say this in her heart, but said it out loud, which immediately attracted the attention of the other two people.
Wei Shengxue didn't explain. With current technology, it wasn't possible to desulfurize pig iron. Rather than spending money on these sulfur-laden iron ores, it would be more practical to ship them from Yanzhao.
She used her spiritual power to teleport a piece of raw iron, brushed off the yellow powder covering it, and using her fingers as knives, she cut it into several thumb-sized pieces. Then she cast a few purification spells on them. In a flash, a layer of yellow powder slowly seeped out from each piece. She handed it to Guan Lingcheng for identification. It was all sulfur powder.
Given the Qin Dynasty's demand for ironware, there will be no shortage of sulfur for researching explosives.
She said, "I already know about this. Go back and tell Fellow Daoist Ying Zheng that I will temporarily set up a formation to extract the sulfur from these iron ores, but if we want to mass-produce standard ironware, we need to find other, more superior iron ores."
At this point, she smiled helplessly, "I can't possibly ask you to set up a formation in every ironworks and replenish the formation's spiritual power over and over again."
Not to mention whether she has so much time, Daqin may not be willing to put its lifeline in the hands of an outsider who may withdraw at any time.
Guan Lingcheng took these words seriously and said he would definitely inform His Majesty the Emperor.
But Hei Jiang's mind was completely captivated by what she said, "Immortal! Can you solve the problem at the iron ore mine? You are indeed an Immortal!"
Wei Shengxue already had a full understanding of these people's train of thought. She didn't bother to explain and said directly: "Collect this yellow sulfur and send it to the Red Courtyard. Tell them that this is the raw material for refining explosives for them.
The Red Courtyard was not originally called this name. It was just that people were researching explosives there, and there were rumbling sounds every few days. People talked about the rumbling courtyard, and it was shortened to the Red Courtyard.
Guan Lingcheng was naturally happy that the problem had been solved.
The blacksmith also patted his chest and laughed: "Fortunately it was solved, otherwise we would have to use blood sacrifice."
Wei Shengxue heard about blood sacrifice for the first time and was curious, so she asked, "What is a blood sacrifice?"
Guan Lingcheng didn't have time to cover the blacksmith's mouth, so he let it all out. "It's about using spiritual creatures like sheep and geese, throwing them into the sword-making furnace. That way, the sword forged will be full of spiritual energy. If you want to make the best sword, you must sacrifice human flesh and blood to the sword, and then use blood to smear gold, only then can you forge an unparalleled sword."
At this point, his tone was inevitably tinged with admiration, "The famous Gan Zhan Mo Ye was created when Gan Jiang sacrificed the body of his wife Mo Ye to create the sword."
Wei Shengxue was stunned.
"You guys really admire this kind of inhumane behavior?!"
Guan Lingcheng saw the shock on the immortal's face and immediately understood her opposition to this behavior. He immediately swallowed back the words of praise he had just said at home a few days ago and began to condemn:
"Such cruelty has never been advocated by our Great Qin. Unfortunately, the nobles of the six kingdoms, pursuing the principle of 'where there is sincerity, even metal and stone can be broken', strongly support the swordsmiths' practice of sacrificing living people. Most of the famous swords in existence today are the result of human sacrifice."
He spoke righteously and confidently: "Among these, there is absolutely no sword from the Great Qin!"
The blacksmith was holding his mouth tightly, complaining in his heart:
The reason why the Qin Dynasty had no famous swords was obviously because there were no good swordsmiths willing to come before!
Later on, they did appear, but you guys drove them away to make weapons!
The once great swordsmith became a screw on the Qin assembly line.
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