Steel is what Ming Dynasty needs most right now.

Whether it is building a steam-clad ship, or making a steam locomotive or railroad tracks, all of these require a huge amount of steel.

Therefore, Zhu Ying issued an edict, instructing all provincial capitals to prepare for steelmaking.

With the lessons learned from later generations, Zhu Ying was very clear that steelmaking was not something that could be handled carelessly. If it was messed up, it would have a huge impact on the entire Ming Dynasty's economy.

Quality comes first.

Technology is also the most important aspect.

The book "Tiangong Kaiwu" has not been written yet.

There is no such thing in the Yongle Encyclopedia either.

But this does not hinder steelmaking technology.

Because whether it is the steelmaking methods recorded in "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" or the Yongle Encyclopedia, they are already existing and mature.

Both of them just recorded it above.

The steel smelting process at the Ministry of Industry has reached the stage of large-scale, mass production, and continuous production of raw and wrought iron.

And because Zhu Ying has enhanced the status of the Ministry of Industry and strongly supported the craftsmen's skills over the past few years, the production department under the Ministry of Industry has become increasingly mature.

The iron-smelting furnace and the iron-frying furnace are connected in series, and the molten pig iron from the iron-smelting furnace is allowed to flow into the iron-frying furnace. It is stirred with a willow stick to oxidize the carbon in the molten pig iron and become wrought iron.

This continuous production process is modified based on Zhu Ying's combined and modular production, which not only improves production efficiency but also reduces energy consumption.

In fact, when the Ming Dynasty reached this level, it was already the end of the Ming Dynasty.

This means that the steelmaking technology was advanced by more than 200 years.

It sounds a bit exaggerated, but it is quite normal if you think about it.

No matter which dynasty, the status of craftsmen was very low, and the imperial power rarely had ideas about innovation.

Except for the founding emperor of each dynasty, other succeeding emperors faced the warning of strictly observing the ancestral teachings as soon as they came to power.

For the imperial power, unchanging state is called stability.

Reforms and the like are things that the emperor will only consider when there are problems or the country is in turmoil.

Therefore, the Ming Dynasty's steelmaking technology improved rapidly, so it was no longer a big deal.

Simply put, conventional iron-making methods can only produce pig iron.

The pig iron is then forged to decarburize, or the wrought iron is put into a furnace and heated to carburize it into steel, a process known as the pouring steel method, which requires two heating steps.

By now, the Ming Dynasty had invented the steel-frying method, which allowed steel to be produced without cooling and reheating, thus reducing fuel consumption and greatly increasing output.

There is also an issue of steel quality involved here.

Although the output of coal forging has increased, the quality of steel has decreased.

But it doesn't matter.

Zhu Ying has successfully invented the steam engine.

It is entirely possible to make a steam hammer to forge steel.

The power of a steam hammer is much greater than that of human power. The most important thing is that it does not require rest and can be hammered continuously without interruption, hammering away all the impurities in the pig iron and mass-producing truly hard-forged steel.

Why is it said that the invention of the steam engine could change an era?

Among them, the conversion of manpower is the most important factor.

This day.

Zhu Yuanzhang came to the Scientific Research Department with his eldest grandson.

Today's steam hammer has been completed.

Although it is called a hammer, it is actually a rectangular piece of high-quality steel.

The bottom is not hammer-shaped, but flat.

This makes it easier to hammer out impurities in the pig iron.

"Can this thing really produce thousand-forged steel?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked his eldest grandson beside him with some curiosity.

Because the main design concept of this forging hammer came from Zhu Ying.

Huang Guan is now Zhu Ying's think tank.

Zhu Ying only needs to tell the general direction, and Huang Guan will complete the specific design.

It's really so easy.

To this end, Huang Guan studied a large number of craftsman books or consulted old masters.

No matter how high the status of a craftsman is, it cannot be compared with Huang Guan, a senior official of the third rank.

The so-called treasure of technology, teaching apprentices with some skills is because they are worried that their own jobs will be taken away.

But in front of Huang Guan, there is no need to worry about this.

It is just a pipe dream for a third-rank official to compete with a craftsman like you for his job.

Therefore, when these old masters faced Huang Guan, they tried their best to tell him all the knowledge they knew, for fear that Huang Guan would not understand.

As long as he could gain the favor of Huang Guan, this important official, he would be able to rise to great heights in one step.

Huang Guan's internal struggle led officials from the Ministry of Works to follow suit.

Previously, officials from the Ministry of Industry did not actually know much about technology.

Isn't it putting the cart before the horse for officials to learn technology?

Such jokes as laymen guiding experts are completely common in the Ministry of Industry.

But I can't slack off now.

Even though Huang Zhanshi was a third-rank official, the Minister of Revenue was a second-rank official.

But the saying "a higher-ranking official can kill someone" doesn't work in Huang Guan's case.

Even the Minister of Works, Shen Xi, had to give Huang Guan some respect when he met him, and it was absolutely impossible for him to show off his superior's power.

This has improved the atmosphere in the entire Ministry of Industry.

Those who can become officials have at least received education.

Of course, learning things is much faster than craftsmen who only know how to pass on skills.

Zhu Ying issued an edict.

No matter who you are or what your status is, as long as you can make reforms to existing technologies, you will be rewarded and given titles.

For example, the official who invented the method of frying steel is now the head of the Ministry of Industry.

Being promoted from a clerk to a sixth-rank official was truly a meteoric rise to heaven.

This is different from the current rules for official promotion, but his promotion was a special authorization of the emperor and was conferred personally by the crown prince.

Everyone understands one thing: these days, if you want to achieve success overnight, you have to engage in technological innovation and reform.

If you gain the favor of the Crown Prince, then wealth and glory will not be far away.

In such an atmosphere, there is no need to say more about the enthusiasm of both the craftsmen and officials in the Ministry of Works.

"Grandpa, just watch. You will know how effective my steam hammer is."

As Zhu Ying finished speaking, a large piece of freshly made pig iron had been prepared.

The procedure now is to forge and refine away the impurities.

"Light the fire, open the furnace!"

A craftsman shouted loudly.

The steam engine next to it gradually started to run as the temperature rose.

A large amount of coal was added, and the square hammer driven by the gear began to move.

Boom, boom.

As the steam engine gained power, several gears began to mesh, and the square hammer began to hammer up and down.

The craftsman uses tongs to hold the pig iron that has been cooled by water and places it under the square hammer.

A huge force instantly smashed down, creating a stream of fireworks.

Bang, bang, bang…

The square hammer was tireless, hitting the pig iron rhythmically.

Such force is beyond human power, and each hammer exerts a force of more than a thousand pounds.

"Good hammer, good hammer. Such a heavy hammer is beyond human power. The steel made by thousands of forgings is as easy as taking something out of a bag."

"With this hammer, we can forge the strongest armor and the sharpest weapons for our soldiers."

"Musketeers and cannons made of this kind of steel can fire dozens of times without worrying about the risk of the barrel exploding."

"This is a valuable weapon in the army."

Zhu Yuanzhang just watched a passage and then laughed and said.

He immediately thought of how to use the hammer.

The craftsmen used the hammer easily and conveniently without requiring much effort.

This means that the Ming Dynasty can mass-produce steel that has been forged thousands of times.

"This kind of sharp weapon must not be stolen by others. From now on, any manufacturing company in any region that uses this kind of hammer must be heavily guarded."

Zhu Yuanzhang added.

This can completely upgrade the equipment of all current soldiers.

Zhu Ying smiled and said, "Don't worry, Grandpa. Not everyone can use this square hammer. The key lies in the steam engine."

"Without the steam engine, this square hammer is just a decoration and has no use at all."

"Now, all personnel who can manufacture steam engines have been concentrated in the Research Department. The Research Department is located at the foot of the capital, and is heavily guarded by the three guards. No one can enter."

"Moreover, only a handful of people understand the core technology of steam engine manufacturing, and most of the others only know the basics."

"The steam engines needed to manufacture steelmaking sledgehammers in various prefectures would only be transported from the capital, rather than made by human workers."

Zhu Ying's words made Zhu Yuanzhang feel a lot more relieved.

Then he asked, "If someone disassembles it, can they copy it?"

Zhu Ying shook his head. "It can't be copied. After the steam engine was produced by the Research Department, some key parts were welded shut. Forcible disassembly can only destroy the structure. It is impossible for someone who doesn't understand to disassemble it without damage."

"Once a steam engine is damaged, laymen cannot repair it. It can only be operated again after it is taken back to the Research Department and its parts are remade."

The principle of the steam engine may not seem very complicated to people in later generations.

But that is all because of the theoretical basis of knowledge education.

For people in this era, it is completely dark.

Even most of the people who created the steam engine did not know how it worked.

I know the fact but not the reason.

"In that case, we are relieved. Instruct the Research Department to produce steam engines as soon as possible. Instruct all prefectures to prepare immediately and make more of this Thousand Forged Steel for us."

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard and gave the order.

The surrounding officials bowed and said, "As ordered."

Things like steel cannot be produced in a short period of time.

Like steam-clad ironclad ships, they are currently under construction.

It would take at least half a year to build all the steelmaking workshops, and it would be completed by the end of the year.

According to Zhu Ying's calculations, producing enough steel for rails and steam locomotives would require at least one year's output after completing a large number of steelmaking workshops.

But now it’s time to start planning the road.

There is no need to wait until the steel is available.

"Grandson, can we make the horse-drawn train you once told us about now?"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly remembered something.

That is, before the eldest grandson was canonized as the Crown Prince and officially entered the palace, the idea of ​​making railway tracks was proposed.

At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang directly rejected it and felt that such a move would be too costly and labor-intensive.

After all, the Ming Dynasty at that time was not as wealthy as it is now, and treasury crises became a daily occurrence.

It is ridiculous to spend so much manpower and resources to build a track for this purpose.

Even when the eldest grandson proposed to explore the road first, it was directly rejected by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Seven years passed slowly.

The Ming Dynasty underwent tremendous changes.

This track obviously has the potential to be truly feasible.

"That's right." Zhu Ying nodded in response.

Zhu Yuanzhang patted his eldest grandson on the shoulder and said, "I did misunderstand you back then. I don't have such a long-term vision as you."

"Although it has delayed us for several years, it is not a big deal for Ming Dynasty. Let's start the exploration now."

Zhu Ying smiled slyly: "Grandpa, your grandson has already completed the orbital exploration a few years ago."

"And the gravel road used to make the railroad tracks has been built for two years."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: "I knew it, I knew it, you are just like me, just stubborn."

Iron Xuan.

He was the minister whose home was in Nanyang and who discovered the remains of pre-Qin tracks.

After seeing the tracks left over from the pre-Qin period, he always felt that the tracks could be made, and he strongly agreed with Zhu Ying's idea.

After Zhu Ying officially appointed the Grandson as the Crown Prince, he received a task secretly assigned by Zhu Ying.

That is to explore the railway.

For this reason, Zhu Ying specially gave him the identity of an inspecting censor as a cover.

In this way, Tie Xuan was constantly on the road to explore the construction of the railway.

He led a group of people and spent nearly three years to complete the survey.

After the cement was produced, Zhu Ying continued to let Tie Xuan build the official road for the railway first.

Railway tracks are different from ordinary roads.

It cannot be made of cement, but instead is paved with gravel after compaction.

The function of gravel is to support the frame of the track. When the train is running, it will produce violent vibrations. These gravel are used to balance and reduce the vibration force caused by the train.

If we use cement, it will probably crack after one or two passes.

Zhu Ying had already completed this official road that served as the railway track in secret, but Zhu Yuanzhang was unaware of it.

"That is to say, the steam locomotive that our eldest grandson mentioned can be produced the year after next," Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Zhu Ying replied: "No, next year will be fine."

"The rails are made in a modular way and then assembled piece by piece. Although our current steel production is not large enough, we can still build them one track at a time."

"When the rails are almost the same, the steam locomotive should have been developed. The principle of this is very different from that of the steam ironclad ship, so it is not complicated for the Research Department to make it."

"Maybe next year, my grandson will be able to ride this steam train with my grandfather."

"By then, grandson wants all the Central Plains to have steam locomotives installed. If that happens, it will only take two or three days for us to travel from the capital to the border."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up.