Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 395 Graphite Crucibles Revolutionize Technology! What is Zhang Shiyuan good for?
Zhao Rui glanced at Hai Rui's expression and saw that the official looked extremely serious, his black and white eyebrows tightly furrowed together.

He asked with some concern.

"Has something urgent happened?"

Since Zhao Rui had earned Zhang Yunxiu's complete trust, Hai Rui naturally wouldn't hide anything from him. He handed the letter to the other party and said...

"Has there been any news from the coastal garrison recently?"

Zhao Rui took a closer look at the contents and was immediately startled. He shook his head repeatedly and said...

"The soldiers in the garrison are all under the jurisdiction of Governor Yin, which I am not very familiar with. However, recently, people from all over the country have been going out to sea to fish and trade, and there has been a constant stream of them. I have never heard of any Japanese pirates causing trouble."

By now, the anti-Japanese pirates had become much less common on the coast. In addition, with Japanese envoys visiting the capital, Oda Nobunaga imposed great restrictions on pirates within his own country in order to maintain normal trade with the Ming Dynasty.

Due to various reasons, Japanese pirates have almost disappeared from the seas today. If there are any Japanese pirates, they are Japanese merchants who come to trade.

Hai Rui clearly understood the reasoning behind it, and he frowned deeply as he spoke.

"The matter of the Japanese pirates cannot be ignored. Since this is a message from Zhang Shiyuan, immediately issue a note to all garrisons to be on high alert."

Hai Rui will still respect the news about Zhang Shiyuan.

Zhao Rui said with a bitter face, "Hai Xiantai, we do not have such authority. Military affairs in all parts of Jiangnan are under the control of Governor Yin. The garrisons and generals will not act without the governor's seal."

If the imperial court wants a governor to govern a region, it must grant him military power. However, since the governor holds all kinds of power, if he cannot be found, all kinds of affairs in the government office will inevitably be paralyzed.

Hai Rui was furious, and veins bulged on his forehead as he spoke.

"This Yin Yangshi is going to ruin everything!"

As he spoke, he turned back to his study, put on the official robes he wore there, and walked straight out the door.

Zhao Rui was startled and said, "Hai Xiantai, you haven't slept a wink all night."

Hai Rui turned his head angrily and said, "The military situation is urgent and we can't worry about that. Go and prepare the carriages and horses. We can rest in the carriages and head to Ningbo Prefecture immediately to investigate."

If it were other places, it would be fine, but Ningbo Prefecture is developing rapidly now. Due to the catch of the ocean-going navy, people are flocking into the prefecture to start businesses.

Most importantly, with ships constantly coming and going in Ningbo Port, people's hopes for the sea have just been ignited. If they were to encounter bandits again, it would undoubtedly be a bucket of cold water.

Things are different now; maritime trade is extremely important!
With a clang, the crisp sound of shattering echoed from the Xishan weapons workshop once again.

Zhao Shizhen sat slumped on the ground with sunken cheeks and a somewhat vacant look in his eyes as he spoke.

"Still can't do it?"

He looked at the shattered ceramic crucible on the boiler, his voice filled with despair.

The path of researching steam engines has been fraught with difficulties.

Leaving aside the need to understand the underlying principles, obtaining the materials is extremely difficult.

If more robust and precise metal parts cannot be produced, a more stable and powerful steam engine cannot be manufactured. Without a steam engine, the power of the lathes in the workshop cannot be guaranteed, which almost creates a vicious cycle.

And all of this originates from this small ceramic crucible.

"Lord Zhao, four more have gone bad."

The craftsman, covered in oil stains, rushed over to report.

Zhao Shizhen took the pottery shard from the other person's hand and couldn't help but sigh. His eyes became increasingly anxious.

Nowadays, the manufacture of firearms in the weapons workshop has also reached a bottleneck. Ultimately, it is because the ceramic crucibles are not heat-resistant enough, and when casting iron parts, they are prone to leakage and often have pinholes.

Even though there are many skilled craftsmen in Xishan, the cast parts have too many flaws, so it's like a skilled cook trying to make a meal without rice.

The craftsman tentatively asked, "Lord Zhao, should we replace these ceramic crucibles? I think they won't be able to support future production."

Zhao Shizhen said helplessly, "How could I not know that this clay crucible has limited durability? Where can I find a melting mold that is more heat-resistant, sturdy, and easily shaped than clay?"

These iron smelting vessels not only need to be heat-resistant, but also easy to shape; ordinary materials are really hard to achieve this.

He gathered all the artisans, big and small, from the workshop, and everyone brainstormed together, but they still couldn't find a solution.

Just when everyone was at a loss, someone finally appeared in the workshop.

"I have seen a kind of 'ink stone' in ancient books. It is black and dense and can withstand a thousand degrees of intense heat. If it is used to make a crucible, the molten iron will be able to be stored stably."

It's another familiar "ancient book".

Upon hearing this, all the craftsmen present were greatly encouraged. Zhang Yunxiu can now be considered the undisputed mentor in the hearts of the Xishan craftsmen!
If you encounter any problems, going to Zhang Yunxiu is definitely the right thing to do; it's far more effective than praying to gods and Buddhas.

Zhao Shizhen's eyes lit up, but then he frowned and said.

"Inkstone for writing? This thing is brittle and fragile, how could it be shaped into a crucible?"

It wasn't that he wanted to refute it, but it was just too illogical.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "It is not the graphite of the desk, but 'crystalline graphite' from the deep mountains."

Although they didn't know what he was saying, all the craftsmen present were invigorated upon hearing the terminology.

But Zhang Yunxiu continued to speak eloquently.

"Search for high-purity, impurity-free inkstone blocks in the ink mines of the mountains, crush them, add clay as a binder, knead until smooth, shape them into a crucible, air-dry them, and then slowly fire them in a kiln for three days. The fire needs to be more intense than when firing pottery."

He gave a very detailed explanation, and even picked up a ceramic crucible to demonstrate.

"Clay can enhance toughness and allow graphite particles to bind tightly together, making it an indestructible refractory material after being fired thoroughly!"

Zhao Shizhen's eyes immediately lit up with excitement. Using inkstone to make crucibles? This was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing, but Zhang Yunxiu's description sounded very convincing, so he naturally wanted to give it a try.

What appears to be a soft stone to the average person can actually be transformed into a sturdy crucible?

Zhao Shizhen was a man of action. There happened to be a small ink mine in Xishan. He immediately ordered his men to search for high-purity, impurity-free inkstone blocks, following Zhang Yunxiu's instructions.

Today in the workshop, almost all the craftsmen have stopped what they are doing and devoted themselves to the research and development of graphite crucibles.

If a workman wants to be good, he must first sharpen his weapon.

If the graphite crucible cannot be developed, then other research in the workshop becomes meaningless.

Fortunately, making graphite crucibles is not a very difficult task.

Zhang Yunxiu didn't interfere with Zhao Shizhen. He helped him write down the production steps and the proportions for the graphite crucible before leaving early.

To the craftsmen, this commander was unfathomable.

But only Zhang Yunxiu himself knew that it wasn't that he didn't want to continue guiding, but that this was all he could do.

Everyone has their own expertise. Even if he knew this knowledge, he still needed the skilled craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty to put it into practice.

Zhao Shizhen seemed to have inexhaustible energy. He couldn't wait for the craftsmen to search, so he personally led a team to the ink mine. They spent half a day digging and sifting out suitable graphite. Zhao Shizhen wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm, but ended up making his face look like a big, messy cat.

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

"My mentor once said that there are differences in graphite ore. Large crucibles use coarse-grained graphite, while small or irregularly shaped crucibles use fine-flake graphite."

Since we intend to build steam engines, ships that can travel to the ends of the earth, and cannons and muskets that descend from the heavens with divine might, we cannot be careless. We must thoroughly study this graphite crucible before embarking on other manufacturing endeavors.

All the craftsmen had burning eyes. Since entering the Xishan workshop, they no longer lived in fear every day and were constantly suppressed by their superiors.

Xishan not only provides food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, but also offers generous salaries and rewards.

Such a life is no different from a dream.

But they did not become weary because of this. Everyone was full of enthusiasm and wanted to create the earth-shattering firearms and artifacts that Zhang Yunxiu and Zhao Shizhen had described!
After the concept of graphite crucibles was proposed, Xishan Workshop was engrossed in its research and development.

"Crush and sift the graphite, using a ratio of 30% graphite and 70% kaolin clay, and knead it repeatedly with water."

Zhao Shizhen inspected the workshop and explained the details to the craftsmen.

The craftsmen already had experience making pottery crucibles, and after a few simple instructions, they were able to get started very easily.

First, the mixture is kneaded according to a specific ratio, then shaped using a wooden mold, and a layer of fine graphite powder is applied to the inner wall to prevent the molten iron from sticking together.

In just one day, the workshop produced more than one hundred graphite crucibles.

All the graphite crucibles were placed in a ventilated warehouse to air dry for three days before being sent into a vertical kiln to be fired with a mixture of pine wood and coal.

During these past few days, Zhao Shizhen carefully guarded the warehouse, fearing that something might happen to these graphite crucibles.

The weather has been quite nice these past few days, neither too cold nor too hot, with occasional sunshine. The graphite crucibles in the warehouse are in good condition.

Three days later, Zhao Shizhen put the crucibles into the kiln.

Watching the raging fire in the kiln, he could hardly leave for a moment. Zhao Shizhen and the craftsmen in the workshop stayed in front of the boiler day and night, adjusting the fire temperature from time to time.

For three consecutive days, Zhao Shizhen practically ate and slept next to the kiln.

On the morning of the fourth day, as the kiln temperature gradually dropped, he and the craftsmen carefully opened the kiln door, where dozens of shiny black graphite crucibles lay at the bottom.

"It's done!"

Zhao Shizhen was very excited. He took out the crucible, let it cool down, and then carefully picked it up.

Simply flick the side of the crucible with your finger.

With a crisp clang, Zhao Shizhen's pupils suddenly contracted.

Having spent a long time in the workshop, Zhao Shizhen could judge the quality of the materials in his hands simply by touch and sound.

The craftsmen standing nearby shouted excitedly, "Lord Zhao, we've succeeded! We've succeeded!"

This crucible feels uniformly thick and has a smooth, crack-free inner wall, making it far superior to the old ceramic crucibles.

Zhao Shizhen smiled, but instead of celebrating, he ordered the molten iron to be shaped.

Inside the workshop, the forging furnace rose again, and the refined steel slowly melted and turned red-hot. Under continuous heating, the graphite crucible steadily held the molten iron without any leakage or even cracks on the edges.

After the molten iron cools, the poured-out cast iron billet is smooth and dense, without any of the sand holes and impurities of the past.

Zhao Shizhen's face turned red from the molten iron. Still not convinced, he ordered the craftsmen to cast more than a dozen new musket parts.

After being used more than ten times, the graphite crucible remained intact, and its efficiency and quality even far exceeded those of the past.

Zhao Shizhen held the component forged from refined steel in his hand, feeling its cool and smooth texture against his palm. Under the sunlight, the component shone exceptionally brightly, even dazzlingly so.

“It really worked!”

He looked incredulous, but a deafening roar of jubilation erupted from the Xishan workshop.

Zhao Shizhen's hands trembled slightly as he held the parts. He had failed countless times over the years, all because of that ceramic crucible. He had initially thought it was due to his own lack of skill, but in the end, he discovered that the problem lay with the crucible itself.

All the hardships I had endured were solved by this one graphite crucible. By simply changing the material, all the previous problems were resolved!
With the tool problem solved, it's easy to imagine how much more efficient and effective it will be to advance research on artillery and firearms in the future!
Zhao Shizhen was so moved that he burst into tears. His tears washed away the black ash on his face, leaving a few streaks.

In his joy, he couldn't help but think that if it weren't for Zhang Yunxiu, he didn't know when he would have thought of making crucibles from graphite.

His master kept talking about ancient books, but Zhao Shizhen knew all too well that there was no ancient book in the field of weapons and firearms that he hadn't read!

He had read through ancient books but had never seen anything that used graphite as a material, and it was likely that few people had ever tried it since ancient times.

To be more precise, going back three or four hundred years to the Song and Yuan dynasties, the smelting technology at that time was simply not advanced enough to explore the materials used in ceramic crucibles.

Zhao Shizhen was overwhelmed with emotion. He didn't think Zhang Yunxiu was some kind of celestial being; he preferred to believe that the other was a craftsman genius who appeared only once in a thousand years.

Unfortunately, Zhang Yunxiu was a free spirit and never delved deeply into any field. He only dabbled in everything, yet this dabbling alone allowed him to surpass others for a lifetime.

Amidst his wandering thoughts, he quickly solidified his resolve.

Since Master Zhang Yunxiu is unwilling to spend the time, then I will carry forward and develop this art of craftsmanship myself!

Zhao Shizhen took out a parchment from his pocket, on which was a detailed diagram of the steam engine's structure.

Now that small steam engines have been successfully developed, it is only a matter of time before large steam engines are produced using lathes and graphite crucibles.

The thought of his creations being able to roam freely at sea and travel on land without the need for carriages and horses made Zhao Shizhen tremble with excitement.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the workshop, and a craftsman rushed over to report it.

"Lord Zhao, His Majesty has arrived in person!"

Zhao Shizhen put the parchment away and said with a smile.

"His Majesty isn't visiting the workshop for the first time, why are you so nervous? Come with me to greet him!"

The craftsman said with a bitter face, "If His Majesty were just coming to inspect the workshop, it would be fine. But His Majesty looks very angry and says he wants to find Commander Zhang. He seems quite upset. I'm afraid that if Commander Zhang causes trouble, our weapons workshop might be caught in the crossfire."

Zhao Shizhen glared at him and said, "How dare you! Commander Zhang is my master, and by all accounts, your grandmaster. How can you slander him like this? Is my master the kind of person who would cause trouble?"

When he said those words, Zhao Shizhen himself didn't feel very confident.

He thought for a moment and said, "No matter what, take me to see the Emperor first."

When Emperor Wanli arrived at the weapons workshop, he couldn't find Zhang Yunxiu. He immediately became angry, slammed his hand on the table, and said angrily.

"Where did Zhang Shiyuan go? What is he doing? Those Japanese pirates are practically defecating and urinating in Jiangnan. I kindly agreed to trade with them, yet they are so audacious!"

Zhang Shiyuan said he was going to train the troops, but where has that training gone?!

(End of this chapter)