Chapter 83

Zhang Han lived in the iron field, and every morning he would clean his nasal cavity, and every evening he would take a bath. Otherwise, after a few days, his nostrils would turn completely black. The miners, even the crevices of their hands and feet, were stained with black grime, which could not be washed off unless they soaked in a bath every day. They worked hard every day, either mining stones or washing them, or taking turns working at the furnace. Who had the leisure and strength to do such things?

Standing at the door, his feet on the path paved with blue bricks, he saw the disordered houses and clothes that had not been put away. Across from him was the miners' living area. The office area here was not as grand and comfortable as the living area. Zhang Han had to endure this inconvenience for now, planning to renovate and expand the area when he had the time.

"How many people are there?"

"Only six hundred or so, far from the number the master wants."

Three hundred steps to the left of the office was a furnace under construction. The furnace, over two zhang (about eight meters) high, was the best in Dongshan. The furnace body was shaped like a wine bottle, with more than half of it underground. The furnace mouth was about one zhang wide, and the bottom was three zhang and five chi thick. To facilitate the addition of materials, most of the furnace body was in a pit, the bottom of which was made of bricks, and the upper part was made of refractory clay. Looking down from the top of the furnace, one could see that the inside of the furnace body was also coated with refractory clay, which was mixed with salt to withstand high temperatures.

Zhang Han watched as they built the furnace. He knew the general situation of many things, but when he saw these people in action, he was truly impressed. It was no wonder that one had to find experts to do the job. Even if Zhang Han had seen the diagrams and knew every construction point and detail, he would probably be at a loss if he had to do it himself. However, many craftsmen who could not read or write were very skilled at this work, and they built the main body of the furnace with almost no difficulty.

Unlike ordinary blast furnaces, a pit was dug at the top of this blast furnace, and a small brick house was built. The main structure was made of honeycomb refractory bricks. A passage was dug to the blast furnace's air inlet, which was also built with bricks. On top of the brick house, another passage was built near the top of the furnace. In the middle of the passage, a chimney was built with a protruding pipe structure, and a fan was installed behind the chimney, operated by manpower. This way, the heavy smoke could be discharged through the chimney, while the lighter hot air could be blown back into the heat storage chamber. This increased the furnace temperature, and the iron production speed increased by thirty percent.

The furnace top was also modified to enhance heat storage. From all the details, the blast furnace designed by Zhang Han had high energy storage, fast iron production, and saved a lot of charcoal costs. Overall, the profit of this iron field was at least fifty percent higher than that of ordinary blast furnaces.

This was just the regular market price. The high profit from smuggling was another matter. Even without smuggling, the profit from this iron field in a year would be considerable.

The key now was the shortage of manpower. This iron field would eventually be expanded to cover hundreds of acres, facing several high-quality ore veins. China was not short of copper and iron, but the quality of the ore was low, and there were few rich iron veins. The same was true in Dongshan, so each iron field required a large number of workers, and the physical strength and skills of the miners were also high. Therefore, experienced workers were more important than new ones.

"I'll go around and set up more points." Cai Jiu couldn't sit still. There were only six hundred people now, and the furnace was almost built. The living area, storage area, and roads were almost complete, and it wouldn't take more than half a month for the ore to be mined in large quantities. The manpower was seriously insufficient. When the first blast furnace was built, what would he use to supply it? The master had built the furnace so well that many old iron fields praised it. Many people from other mines and furnaces came to inquire, but they were kept at a distance by the guards. This technological improvement might not be a great invention, but Zhang Han was not generous enough to share it with other mines.

Everything was going smoothly, but if the manpower was not complete, it would be a joke!

Cai Jiu put on a raincoat, a hat, and a pair of leather boots from Xinping Fort. These boots were specially made by Zhang Han. Ordinary guards wore them for over one tael of silver, and team leaders and managers paid over two taels. Cai Jiu's pair was at the manager level, with high shafts reaching below the knee, made of high-quality leather, and both the soles and the body were finely crafted. They were usually maintained with oil, and such rainy weather was conducive to walking.

As Cai Jiu put on his boots, Zhang Han turned to him and smiled, "Going out now is a good idea. It's best to visit more gambling dens and taverns. You've worked in the iron field before, so you know where these guys like to go."

By this time, Cai Jiu was already standing in the rain, with rain dripping from his hat. He turned and smiled, "Please rest assured, Master. I know exactly how many people gather in these places."

Zhang Han said, "I'm just saying. I don't interfere with your work."

He indeed did not interfere. Cai Jiu smiled confidently, called a dozen helpers, and they rode off with the already written notices.

After Cai Jiu left, Zhang Han felt a bit bored.

At home, there were many official matters, but the reports from various places were sent only every few days. Moreover, everyone knew that Zhang Han was busy with the iron field, so the managers handled what they could without bothering him. More importantly, it was mid-summer, the wheat had been harvested, and the summer taxes had been paid. The pace of grain collection had slowed, and after the official market opened this year, trade in various places had declined, entering a short period of adjustment and rest. Even the expansion of Heyu Sheng had slowed. Only the craftsmen in Xinping Fort were still diligently modifying carriages, making weapons, and firearms. Of course, the latter two were kept secret from the garrison and Commander Lai, but even if Lai Tongxin knew, he would pretend not to know. No one would believe that a merchant with millions of assets would rebel. In the history of the Ming Dynasty, peasants, White Lotus followers, miners, and border troops had rebelled, and urban residents had rioted over taxes, but merchants rebelling was unheard of, and no one would think it possible.

Everything was developing smoothly, with not many things to do, but it was steadily progressing, like the gentle rain that soaked the land.

The rules and regulations of Heyu Sheng were becoming more detailed and thorough, which was also why Zhang Han had fewer things to do. He was, in a sense, tying himself up.

"Master, there's a letter from Xinping Fort."

Jiang Kui rushed over in the rain, not wearing an oil coat or a raincoat. His gray robe was half-wet, and his face was dripping. He was a loyal and honest man, and Zhang Han trusted him completely.

"Read it to me."

Hearing about the letter, Zhang Han finally had something to do. On such a rainy day, he seemed to be enjoying the scenery, but his heart was in turmoil, wondering how many things were waiting for him, trapped in the mountains. He returned to the room, dragged a chair, and half-lying down, put his feet on the table where Cai Jiu had just read the documents.

This posture was not very elegant, but Zhang Han usually had a lot of self-control, always maintaining a dignified demeanor in front of his subordinates to enhance his image and keep them in awe. After all, Zhang Han was too young, and sometimes he had to use a dignified aura to cover this. With Jiang Kui, a trusted guard, he didn't have to be so stiff.

"This one is from Manager Zhou, with no significant content..." Jiang Kui, who had done this before, took the letter from his chest, opened it, and saw that it was from Zhou Fengji. The old manager wrote a lot, mainly about the normal operations of the business in Xinping Fort, with no major changes, and urging Zhang Han to quickly finish the matters in Lingqiu and return soon.

"The old man must be tired," Zhang Han said lazily, adjusting his posture and smiling. "He wants me to return soon so he can take a break. When you write back, tell him I'm not in a hurry."

With Zhou Fengji in Xinping Fort, Zhang Han indeed had less to worry about. However, the old manager was too cautious, fearing that others would say he was overstepping his authority, and he was eager for Zhang Han to return soon. Zhang Han wanted to reassure him and not be too concerned, so he asked Jiang Kui to write back for him.

"This one is written by the lady herself, saying that her uncle has come..." Jiang Kui read for a while, then suddenly laughed, and handed the letter to Zhang Han, smiling. "Master, you read it yourself. I can't read it anymore."

"What are you up to?" Zhang Han looked suspicious and took the letter.

Sure enough, it was written by Chang Shi herself. Born into a wealthy family like the Changs, Chang Shi had read books as a child. The inner courtyard of the Chang family had a female school, where a teacher was hired to teach poetry, songs, and female conduct. The goal was not to achieve much, but to recognize some characters and not be illiterate... The original intention was so, but Chang Shi's handwriting was graceful and strong, reflecting her inherent toughness. Such a woman had supported the family for many years without a grown male, until Zhang Han took over and she retired to the inner quarters.

The letter started with some family talk, mainly reminding Zhang Han to pay attention to his diet and living conditions, not to catch a cold. In this era, being out of one's element was a big deal, and catching a cold could be fatal. Zhang Han was very cautious about these things. Growing up in a medically advanced era, he had no confidence in the medical practices of the Ming Dynasty. He exercised daily, not to fight, but to have a strong body to withstand minor illnesses. In this era, a plague could kill tens of thousands, and a minor cold could be fatal.

Zhang Han smiled and continued reading the letter. The concern from his family, though Chang Shi repeated herself, was touching. When writing to each other, a mother would not talk about business with Zhang Han.