I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 193 Hoe! Hoe!
"Master, is this the earthen stove?"

Two days later, Black Ridge Valley.

Looking at the earthen stove not far from the riverbed, which was only as high as Ryan's neck, he couldn't help blinking his eyes.
Is this the furnace that can produce iron?

Why is it so crude?
He thought the earthen furnace was just the initial form. It turned out that it would be completed by just making a hole at the bottom?

Jason also looked at the ugly earthen stove with doubt, sobbing and sniffling. He even doubted that it could be used at all.
“We’ll know if it works once we try it.”

Luke was very confident. He patted the bellows beside him and said, "Don't worry about whether the cat is black or white. As long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. It doesn't matter if it's ugly. As long as the principle works, we can imitate a brick furnace in the future!"

"Go ahead and pump the bellows!"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders, picked up the bellows obediently, walked to the earthen stove, and aimed it at the specially reserved pipe on the left. After inserting it, he grinded it again to prevent it from leaking. When he found that there was no problem, he stood up and said, "Master, do you want to buy some more cats?"

"Yes, there is more and more food, and there are more and more disgusting thieves. It's time to expand the cat population, just like little Charlie did."

Thinking of little Charlie, Ryan couldn't help but smile. Even though the master tried to stop him, it was impossible to keep an eye on little Charlie all the time, so he finally attacked the two bitches.
Luc was really scared yesterday when the two female dogs came out to eat with big bellies. Looking at little Charlie sticking out his tongue with a flattering smile on his face, he had no choice but to give them more food.

Luc hadn't expected Ryan to think of this, but he didn't object. The manor really needed a few more cats.
"I wonder if St. Martin's Abbey is still willing to sell it to me?"

With all sorts of things in his mind, Jason had already poured the iron ore and charcoal into the earthen stove in a 1:1 ratio, and then took the prepared wood ash and added a little more.

Everything was done and ready, Luc straightened his expression.

Iron smelting has always been a big deal.

Especially for the Middle Ages.

Even skilled blacksmiths would pray for God's blessing.

Jason devoutly drew the sign of the cross on his chest and prayed to God to bless the success of iron smelting. Luc needed him, and he also needed Luc's protection. Now was the time to prove his worth.

Luke took a deep breath and reached out to light the charcoal!
"Pull the bellows!"

Huchi——Huchi——

Jason pushed the lever hard, and the wind condensed into a ball and continued to flow into the earthen furnace.

Black smoke was bubbling out of a thumb-thick hole in front of the earthen stove. Luc pulled Ryan away. It was obviously the detoxification outlet and he couldn't get too close to it.

A small wisp of black smoke drifted along the steep cliff, brushed against the slanting branches, and finally merged into the sky and disappeared.

Luc looked along the smoke, remembering the scene before him deeply.

If the iron smelting is successful, perhaps this will be a new beginning for his estate.

"Master, you and Mr. Ryan light another pile of charcoal. We'll need it soon!"

"No problem. By the way, if you get tired of pumping the bellows, just give it to someone else."

"it is good!"

The bellows couldn't stop. By the time Luke piled up the charcoal and the food was cooked at noon, Jason's arms were already sore. Ryan took over and continued to pump the bellows.

When he swallowed the last bite of bread, Luc suddenly saw a ball of red molten fire coming out of the base of the earthen stove. It didn't look like a flame, but more like molten lava.

"Master, there is hope!" Jason also caught a glimpse of this scene and shouted in surprise.

This is a reflection of rising temperature!
"Very good, try harder!"

Ryan pulled even harder upon seeing this.

The three people took turns pulling from morning to dusk, until their arms were sore. Finally, an irregular black piece appeared at the base of the earthen stove!
Jason held his breath, took the wooden clamp, carefully took it out, and placed it on a flat stone slab. He twisted his wrist, turned it over a few times, then raised his head, revealing a look of joy that could no longer be concealed, and said:

"Master, it's iron!"

“We’ve mastered it!!” “Oh~ God bless!”

Ryan cheered devoutly.

Luke clenched his fists and couldn't help waving them.

This iron mine can really produce iron!
"But it hasn't really taken shape yet, sir. We have to build it in one go, otherwise it will be difficult to shape once it cools down."

"Listen to you!"

It was getting late, but it did not dampen their enthusiasm at all. Luke took the wooden fork and fixed the iron block. Ryan and Jason held the hammer, each on one side. They spat twice, flexed their muscles and swung the hammer hard on the iron block!
Bang bang bang!
The ping-pong sound of metal hitting each other echoed in the valley, and the unique sound of metal collision made Luc feel extremely comfortable.

The pitch-black corners turned red and hot visibly under the hammering, like a snake that had shed its skin, constantly shedding the surface layer. Under Jason's skillful forging and Ryan's cooperation, the corners changed into various shapes.

When the iron block was about to cool down, Luc would insert it into the pile of charcoal next to him to heat it up again, and then put it back in its place to continue hammering it.

The nights in June were already hot, not to mention that there was always a hot guy in front of them. The three of them had already taken off their shirts and were naked like real blacksmiths.

I smeared maple leaf juice all over my body to avoid becoming a mosquito bite.

The appearance of the ironware dispelled their fatigue. The moon hung on the branches, still hammering furiously. Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the irregular piece of iron gradually turned into a reddish, thin, curved piece of iron.

"Ryan, go get that hoe handle!"

Before smelting iron, Luc had already thought of the experimental tools - a hoe.

What the manor lacks most now is the iron hoe. If possible, the first thing to do is to equip it with farm tools.

Ryan brought the sharpened hoe handle and placed it on the stone slab with a thud. Jason saw this and deftly wrapped the bent iron sheet around one end of the hoe handle. He said to Ryan, "You go left, I'll go right. Flatten it until it covers the hoe!"

"can."

Luc held the wood to prevent it from rolling. Amid the vibrations in his arm, as the last knock ended, a hoe in the shape of a figure 7 finally appeared in his pupils.

"How's that?"

Luc suppressed his excitement and asked Jason.

Jason placed the red-hot iron into the water. With a sizzling sound, the sound of cold water pouring over the iron shot out. After placing it back onto a small piece of charcoal to slowly temper it, he slowly said, "We'll have to wait a little longer. Let's try it after it cools down, but I think it should be fine."

Jason's eyes lit up.

As an apprentice of a professional blacksmith, he has seen a lot of iron and stone. The iron ore in Black Ridge Valley is not the best, but it is definitely not bad.

Before forging, he knocked off a part of it with a hammer. He inferred that the piece of iron should be able to be used to make weapons, but unfortunately there was too little of it, and it was difficult even to make an arrowhead.

But this only means that they used less materials.

"Master, if you really want to make more iron tools, especially arrowheads, this small earthen furnace is definitely not enough." Jason suddenly suggested.

At present, we can only make a few farm tools.

"I understand, but don't worry, take your time."

Luc nodded. He certainly wanted to mass-produce ironware, but now was not the time.

Seeing that it seemed that the sky was about to brighten, the three of them simply did not sleep and dug some more ore. When it was bright, Jason finally took up his newly made hoe.

The tip of the hoe hit the ground without deforming or breaking, but it brought up a piece of broken soil and two weeds on it.

Luc and Ryan couldn't help but look at each other.

There is iron!
(End of this chapter)