"Knock knock knock!"
Just as Yang Biao was sighing, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
"Come in!"
After receiving Yang Biao's permission, a servant from the prefect's office pushed open the door and entered. At the same time, a gust of cold wind swept in again, and the servant next to him couldn't help but shiver.
Yang Biao, however, was completely unaware of what was happening because he was wearing a cotton-padded coat.
After closing the door behind him, the bailiff bowed to Yang Biao.
"I pay my respects to Prefect Yang!"
Yang Biao nodded and looked at the constable, "No need for formalities. What brings you here so late?"
The constable respectfully reported, "Reporting to the Prefect, we have made progress in finding the graphite you previously instructed us to search for!"
Yang Biao asked urgently, "Oh? Have you found it?"
Long before Yang Biao arrived in western Liaoning, Liu Hong had written to him, saying that there was a type of graphite in northern Liaoning that could be burned to keep warm and ward off the cold. Its effect was far superior to charcoal, and it was also much cheaper.
Yang Biao had always attached great importance to this, so when he first arrived in western Liaoning, he immediately sent people to search for the graphite (which is coal) that the emperor had mentioned. Unfortunately, they had not found it for so long. Now that there was finally news of graphite, Yang Biao couldn't help but feel excited.
Seeing Yang Biao's anxious look, the constable dared not delay and quickly said:
"Reporting to the Prefect, according to several Wuhuan people who fled here, they found the graphite you mentioned in Lingyuan, in northwestern Liaoxi, and the local Wuhuan people did indeed use it to cook meat."
Yang Biao asked repeatedly, "Did they bring those things with them?"
The constable nodded. "Yes, but not many. I've already brought them over; they're just outside!"
"Bring it in quickly!"
"promise!"
The constable received the order, turned around and went outside. He quickly brought back a bamboo basket, followed by several ragged Wuhuan people.
"Prefect, look, isn't this the graphite you mentioned?"
Yang Biao approached and looked down. He saw about a dozen black, stone-like objects placed inside the basket.
Its appearance does indeed seem to be very similar to the graphite mentioned in the emperor's letter.
Yang Biao bent down, stretched out his palm, and was about to take out a piece to examine it closely.
"Prefect, wait!"
Seeing this, the constables nearby hurriedly spoke up to stop Yang Biao's actions.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Biao stopped reaching down with his hand, turned his head, and looked at the constable with some confusion.
The constable respectfully said, "Your Excellency, this thing is black and will become dirty if you touch it. I will do it for you instead!"
"Hehe~ It's alright, what's there to fear from a mere stain?"
Yang Biao smiled, then took out a piece of graphite. As soon as he held it, he felt that it was a little lighter than a stone of the same size, but much heavier than charcoal.
Yang Biao then took the graphite closer to examine it carefully. He felt that it seemed to have some similarities with charcoal.
Then Yang Biao held up the graphite and looked at the constable, "Ask these Wuhuan people if they use this for indoor heating?"
"promise!"
The constable accepted the order and then began to chatter away with the Wuhuan people.
Yang Biao noticed that the Wuhuan people looked fearful during their conversation, and kept waving their hands and shaking their heads.
What did they say?
After the constable finished talking with the Wuhuan people, Yang Biao looked at the constable and asked.
The constable respectfully reported, "Your Excellency, according to them, this graphite can only be used for cooking meat outdoors, and cannot be burned indoors!"
Yang Biao frowned and asked in confusion, "Why is that?"
"Reporting to the governor, they said that after this substance is burned, there will be an unpleasant smell in the room. If you are exposed to it for too long, you will experience mild symptoms such as weakness in your limbs and unbearable headaches, and severe symptoms such as suffocation and death. Many people on their side have died because of this!"
"What....??"
After hearing what the constable said, Yang Biao couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and then his expression changed.
"Young master, what's wrong?"
Upon seeing Yang Biao's sudden outburst, the servant beside him looked at him nervously, as it was the first time he had ever seen his young master so distraught.
"I'm fine!!"
Yang Biao waved his hand, saying he was fine, but he couldn't calm down for a long time.
Because what the messenger just said was almost exactly the same as what the emperor had written in his letter, what shocked him was how the emperor knew about the advantages and disadvantages of this graphite.
Yang Biao then turned to the servant and said, "Quickly! Bring in that coal stove we made back then!"
"What coal stove??"
The servant was slightly taken aback, looking at Yang Biao with some confusion.
Yang Biao looked anxiously at the servant and reminded him, "These are the iron buckets that I told you to have the blacksmith make!"
"Okay, I got it. I'll go get it right away!"
Upon hearing this, the servant remembered that his young master had indeed given him a blueprint and instructed him to find a blacksmith to forge many iron buckets of varying sizes.
Because he didn't know the purpose of those things, and Yang Biao never mentioned them again, they were put into the warehouse by the servants.
Seeing Yang Biao's anxious appearance, the servants did not dare to delay. They hurriedly went outside, found a few servants from the prefect's mansion, and rushed towards the warehouse.
In the secret letter Liu Hong sent to Yang Biao, in addition to explaining the advantages and disadvantages of graphite, he also attached a blueprint for making a coal stove. He stated that placing graphite in the coal stove would not only prevent graphite poisoning but also make the room as warm as spring.
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