Chapter 315- Perusing Steel Technique
Translator: TeamTWO
Editor: Nora
After he sent Black Mamba off, Ouyang Shuo returned to the Lord's Manor.
After they came back from Jingdou, Song Jia had already returned to Dongli Sword Sect. Currently, the huge Lord's Manor was really empty.
Bing'er was on her holidays now, so this little brat that had behaved herself for half a year could finally relax. At this time, she had brought little black and little white to god knows where to play.
This little brat was different from before; she wouldn't stick to her brother for the entire day.
After he drank a little wine, Ouyang Shuo felt slightly dizzy and just went back to his reading room to rest.
In the afternoon, Ouyang Shuo brought two Guards and went toward Research Institute No. 7.
When he saw that it was the end of the year, Ouyang Shuo wanted to understand what the research institute had managed to do in half a year. As for what they did in their day to day workings, Ouyang Shuo didn't bother.
The research institute was located in the east region and its building style was similar to the Alchemy Workshop beside it. A huge empty space laid behind the institute—they used this area to test out their creations.
Sun Xiaoyue's grandpa, Old Sun had spent much of his time in the Beihai Shipyard. The ones mainly in the institute were alchemist Magnus and Thermal weapons master Liumo. They were currently moving toward steelmaking.
The work at the research institute made the Magnus really excited. When he saw Ouyang Shuo, he said warmly, “Oh! Lord, welcome, welcome!" As he spoke these words, he really wanted to hug Ouyang Shuo.
When the Guards behind Ouyang Shuo saw this, they immediately ran up. Their left hands ready to draw their swords, as they assumed a defensive position.
When Magnus saw such a situation, he laughed. Ouyang Shuo wasn't the small lord from before.
"Is Liumo here?" Ouyang Shuo hadn't seen his sworn brother in a long time.
As a westerner, Magnus was more open-minded. As such, he just laughed off this awkward situation and smiled, “Liumo is in the testing field. He’s testing out the steelmaking technique."
"Oh? Has the steelmaking technique succeeded?" Ouyang Shuo felt delighted.
"Of course!"
"Go, let's go take a look!" Ouyang Shuo couldn't wait.
The olden Chinese steelmaking technique started during the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period. At the time, they mainly used two techniques—carburizing and decarburization. As the demand for steel increased, the supply couldn't keep up. At the later stages of the West Han period, the stir smelting technique came into being, which pushed steelmaking into its mature stage.
Smiths would forge iron at high heats for over a hundred times until it became elite steel. At the start of the Wei dynasty, the elite steelmaking technique became the most prosperous.
During the period of the Northern and Southern dynasties, steelmaking technology experienced another huge breakthrough with the perfusing steel method.
The perfusing steel method made use of both raw iron and worked iron. Raw iron had a high carbon content, as such its melting point was lower. The smiths let the melted raw iron perfuse into the gaps of the worked iron, which increased its carbon content and created steel.
During the Sui Tang period, this technique was commonly used and proliferated.
During the Song and Ming Dynasty, with cold smithing and air hardening techniques, the types of steel and their properties all increased. The steelmaking technology at that time led the world.
Unfortunately, during the Qing Dynasty, the king decided to lock up the country. As a result, China's technology didn't progress, and the westerners surpassed them.
The research institute had managed to recreate the perfusing steel technique from the Sui and Tang period.
As a thermal weapons expert, Liumo knew the olden steelmaking techniques like the back of his hand. He also had had access to the various books on the subject in the book collection house. Despite these factors, replicating the perfusing technique had a high level of difficulty.
The research institute had opened for half a year. After constant trial and error, they finally gained some results. If not, why would one say that technical manuals were precious? If they had one for the perfusing steel method, they wouldn't need to go through all these troubles.
In the backyard, there sat a huge furnace with a complete set of facilities.
Liumo busied himself in front of the furnace, as he taught the blacksmiths how to control the fire.
When they saw Ouyang Shuo, the blacksmiths bowed and greeted him.
Ouyang Shuo waved them off and asked them to continue their work.
"Brother Liu!" Ouyang Shuo called out.
As the territory expanded daily, Liumo and the other players' attitudes toward Ouyang Shuo changed. Although they didn't worship him like the aboriginal people, they wouldn't act so casual.
Liumo was a skill maniac. Hence, he didn't care much about such matters.
The two started talking in the backyard.
Based on Liumo's description, the perfusing steel method was only the first step.
Next, Liumo was prepared to build on the base of the perfusing steel method and breakthrough. Then, they could catch up with the western countries.
One factor was the choice of fuel.
Olden steelmaking used wood as fuel and didn't use any phosphorous solvents. As such, the amount of phosphor in the olden steel was very low. The temperature of the furnace was also too low and couldn’t merge the iron.
Liumo wanted to replace charcoal with coal.
Ouyang Shuo frowned; this was a problem. The main regions for coal in China was in the Mongol and the Henan region; Lianzhou totally didn't have any coal.
Feng Qiuhuang's Fallen Phoenix County coincidentally fell into the Henan Region.
It seems like he needed to have a good conversation with Feng Qiuhuang.
"About the coal, I will find a way to solve it. Big Brother Liu, you don't have to worry!"
"Great!" Liu Mo was elated.
As the steelmaking technique had already taken shape, Ouyang Shuo decided on the spot to create a large scale steel factory to satisfy the territorial steel needs.
For the location and construction, Ouyang Shuo gave all the authority to Liumo.
When he returned to the Lord's Manor, Ouyang Shuo immediately sent Feng Qiuhuang a letter to discuss the coal deal.
Ouyang Shuo wanted to invest in a large scale coal mine within her border through the Four Seas Bank. The coal obtained would specifically be sent to Shanhai County.
Of course, one needed to find a coal mining technical manual. If not, it would all be for naught.
Coal was called black stone during the olden times, and its uses weren't common. To find such a technical manual, one needed to spend a lot of effort.
Ouyang Shuo directly sought the help of the Hequanji Chamber of Commerce and the Cui Chamber of Commerce to help him search.
Mulan County, Lord's Manor.
After the New Years, the temperature in Lianzhou Basin started to slowly turn cold.
Looking out of her window, Mulan Yue was out of sorts. After coming back from Jingdou, she had heavy thoughts and would look out through the window in a daze.
If one didn't know, they would think that she was thinking about her lover.
Li Feixue stood behind her, as she played with the dagger in her hand. The dagger was really exquisite, a gift from Mulan Yue when they went to Jingdou.
After the battle of Zhennan Pass, Li Xuefei had joined Mulan County. At the start, her father's death made her very solemn and demoralized, but Mulan Yue's care helped her walk out of the shadow. Hence, she was very reliant on Mulan Yue.
So, she insisted on staying at Mulan Yue’s side to take the role of her personal guard.
Li Feixue might look like a small girl, but her martial arts skills weren't to be trifled with. With her by her side, Mulan Yue was safe. As such, Mu Guiying could spend most of her time in the barracks.
Without Mu Guiying, Mulan Yue became more independent and stronger. Her strength and ability started to show in the territory.
The little brat was able to aptly deal with territory matters.
Running a County was a big challenge to Mulan Yue.
Luckily, she had a talent for developing the economy of the territory. With her personality that didn't want to lose, she ran the county well.
If not, the Mulan Yue in Ouyang Shuo’s last life wouldn't be one of the three heads of the Lianzhou Basin, who would not lose in a battle against Ba Dao and Xiaofeng Canyue.
Her ability to learn from others was her strong point.
The local specialties of Shanhai County inspired her, so she pushed for cole planting.
As expected, the oil was very popular and helped the County profit.
Not only that, Mulan Yue also brought in the colored silkworms industry from Shanhai County and ran it well.
The economic ability of Mulan County wasn't that bad amongst the Shanhai Alliance.
In terms of administrative organization, she copied Shanhai County’s model.
Dealing with administrative matters was her weak point.
The NPCs that spawned, although they weren’t as old school as the olden chinese, but they still had doubts in a female lord.
This was the reason why most female lords couldn't become as famous.
Mulan Yue wasn't like Bai Hua and Feng Qiuhuang, who had a bunch of people at their sides. She lacked training, so she could only take things step by step in regards to administrative matters.
She passed a large portion of it to her subordinates to handle.
"Feixue, go call Sister Mu," Mulan Yue turned around and said.
"Ai!" Li Feixue replied. She stored her dagger and ran off. Her braid flung around in the air, and she looked really cute.
A few moments later, Mu Guiying rushed over.
"Sister, I thought about it. It's time to move Mulan County under Brother Wuyi's territory," Mulan Yue said something shocking; this was the matter on her mind. Finally, she had her answer.
Mu Guiying remained quiet. She knew that once Mulan Yue made a decision, it was hard to change it.
"Ok, let's make a trip to Shanhai County."
"Sister, you agree?" Mulan Yue said happily.
"Of course, I support you!" When she saw Mulan Yue slowly grow, Mu Guiying felt happy.