The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 365 Chonghua State-Owned Nitration Plant

Fireworks may be dazzling, but they are ultimately fleeting; the important military and political affairs that need to be attended to cannot be delayed in the slightest.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Jiang Han, accompanied by Jiao Yu, went to the saltpeter workshop located at the foot of Lao Jun Mountain.

Laojun Mountain is not an isolated peak, but a continuous mountain range consisting of large and small mountains such as Yanjia Rock, Laojun Mountain, Moyu Mountain, and Cangwangzhai Mountain.

Looking at the misty mountain scenery, Jiao Yu also mentioned a widely circulated local legend.

Laojun Mountain is not only famous in Southwest China for its saltpeter, but also for a secret affair of the Ming Dynasty.

Legend has it that after the Jingnan Campaign, Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, secretly escaped from the underground palace with nine close confidants. After several twists and turns, they arrived at the peaks of Laojun Mountain.

Seeing no hope of restoring his kingdom, he shaved his head and became a monk at the ancient Longquan Temple in the mountains to avoid disaster.

It wasn't until Emperor Renzong ascended the throne and issued an edict pardoning the former officials of Emperor Jianwen and their descendants that Zhu Yunwen left Longquan Temple and wandered around, eventually disappearing without a trace.

According to folklore, the Tibetan King Village in the mountains is where the fallen Emperor Huizong of Ming is hidden.

After listening, Jiang Han looked at the towering and secluded mountains in the distance, and simply smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The past events of the Jingnan Rebellion have long since faded away. What lies hidden in these mountains now is the saltpeter base that he values ​​most.

Upon reaching the foot of Laojun Mountain, the scenery suddenly opened up before us.

More than twenty workshops built of blue bricks are lined up along the mountainside, neat and spacious.

Outside the workshops, one can see artisans dressed in indigo uniforms busily at work everywhere.

Some were carrying loads on their shoulders and backs, unloading freshly collected saltpeter from mule carts;
Some were vigorously stirring the saltpeter water by the stone trough, while others were drying saltpeter stones, creating a well-organized scene.

Compared to the desolate scene when Li Xinghuai first arrived two years ago, where "the people all hid in the mountains," the situation is now worlds apart.

When Jiang Han and his group arrived, Zhou Guangyu, the person in charge of the saltpeter plant, had already been waiting for them for a long time.

Zhou Guangyu was about forty years old, with dark and rough skin, and his fingers were thick and calloused.

He was originally from a crafts family, but because of his superb skills and reliable character, he was later promoted to the position of Director of the Ministry of Works' Bureau of Works.

Because the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry jointly supervised the saltpetering, Zhou Guangyu was entrusted with an important task and stayed in the mountains of Jiangyou.

He was mainly responsible for managing the saltpeter producers and supervising and verifying the production and quality of saltpeter.

Upon seeing Jiang Han, Zhou Guangyu was somewhat excited and quickly stepped forward to bow in greeting:

"Your subject, Zhou Guangyu, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's arrival!"

"No need for such formalities, Master Zhou."

Jiang Han stepped forward, helped him up, and patted his strong shoulder encouragingly:

"You must have worked hard, leaving your wife and children behind and toiling away in the mountains year after year."

"Tell me, how has the saltpeter plant been operating over the past year?"

Zhou Guangyu was prepared and immediately replied:
"Thanks to the king's great fortune and the effective new policies, the saltpeter plant is now operating smoothly and its output is steadily increasing."

"Ever since the year before last, when Steward Li came with the king's decree to abolish the artisan registration system and promote fair trade, the saltpeter makers who were originally hiding deep in the mountains have gradually come out of the mountains."

"Now, all the saltpeter craftsmen in the mountains have been registered, numbering about five hundred, and have all been incorporated into government-run workshops."

"In accordance with the established regulations, we will provide each person with a base salary of five qian of silver per month."

"At the same time, the saltpeter production will be based on the price of one hundred coins per pound, and the saltpeter will be paid out in bonuses according to the amount produced, with more pay for more work!"

"Since the reward money was introduced, the artisans have been very enthusiastic, wishing they could live in the cave every day to collect saltpeter."

Jiang Han silently calculated in his mind that, according to what Jiao Yu had said before, the saltpeter factory could produce 20,000 catties of saltpeter per month. With the bonus and base salary, that would amount to more than 2,000 taels of silver.

To be honest, the price of one hundred coins wasn't expensive, and he felt it was well worth the expense.

It is important to know that the Ordnance Bureau had extremely high requirements for the purity of saltpeter used in the manufacture of gunpowder; it had to be at least 90% pure to be considered qualified.

The purification process of saltpeter is extremely complicated and consumes a great deal of manpower and resources.

He nodded, then turned his gaze to the few saltpeter makers watching nearby, and waved to them:
"Thank you for your hard work, craftsmen."

"Come forward, everyone."

The craftsmen had already heard about the visitor's identity, so they immediately put down their work and nervously prepared to kneel down in worship.

Jiang Han waved his hand to stop him:

"No need, just stand and answer."

"I came here today to see you all and also to learn about the current situation of the saltpeter factory."

“You’re all experts, so please share your insights.”

Upon hearing this, the group of craftsmen looked at each other, hesitant to speak, and finally could only look at an older craftsman.

The old craftsman's surname was Liu, and everyone called him Old Liu. He was probably over fifty years old and was said to have spent his whole life drilling in the saltpeter cave, so he was the most experienced.

Old Liu was pushed forward by the crowd, so nervous that he was at a loss for words and could only stammer:

"In reply to Your Majesty, I am a rough old man and I do not know how to speak properly."

"What does Your Majesty wish to ask?"

Jiang Han smiled and said gently:

"Don't be nervous, just chat about everyday things."

"Now that you've joined the nitrate factory, your income should be higher than before, right?"

"How much can you earn in a month? Is it enough to cover household expenses?"

Old Liu rubbed his hands together and answered cautiously:

"This...this is not fixed, sometimes more, sometimes less."

"When things are going well, we can produce forty catties of high-quality saltpeter in a month; when things are not going well, we may only produce a little over thirty catties."

"In total, I can earn about three to four taels of silver a month."

Jiang Han was somewhat surprised and pressed for an answer:
"Why isn't it fixed yet?"

Old Liu quickly explained:

"Your Majesty is unaware of the truth."

"On Laojun Mountain, there are more than twenty saltpeter caves of various sizes, scattered in different places, with varying distances and difficulties of mining."

“Take Chaoyang Cave, which has the largest output, for example. The entrance to the cave is located on a cliff, and the terrain is extremely dangerous.”

"We need to go to Chaoyang Cave to collect saltpeter. We have to climb stone steps for more than an hour to reach the top of the cliff, and then we have to lower a ladder from there to reach the cave entrance."

"Although it is dangerous, everyone is eager to go there because the nitrate soil produced in the cave is of good quality and yields a lot of nitrate."

"The saltpeter plant operates on a shift system. No matter how good the cave is, you can only go there once every three months, which is why the income varies."

He didn't know if what he said was good or bad, so he could only try to salvage the situation by saying:
"But Your Majesty, rest assured, our lives are much better now than before."

“They used to be artisans, born to boil saltpeter, and their descendants couldn’t escape it.”

“There is a fixed quota for nitrates every year. If you don’t meet it, you will be whipped at best, and imprisoned at worst. Your family members will also be implicated.”

"The meager wages and monthly rice allowances provided by the government, after being deducted by several intermediaries, are not even enough to fill one's stomach with thin porridge."

“The children at home were crying from hunger. There was no other way but to flee into the mountains, boil some smuggled saltpeter, and take it down the mountain to exchange for some salt and grain.”

The other craftsmen nearby chimed in, echoing:

"Yes, yes, Old Liu is right!"

“In the past, women and children could only follow us in the mountains, hiding here and there, suffering hardship and exhaustion.”

"Now it's all good, we can finally settle down and buy a house in town."

"A primary school has opened in town, so I can send my son there to learn a few characters. Maybe he can even take the imperial examinations in the future..."

Hearing the chorus of good news from everyone, Jiang Han nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand dismissively:
"Let's go, take me to see your saltpeter-making process."

"Let's see if we can make some improvements."

He also wanted to improve the process, but in fact, during the Ming Dynasty, these experienced saltpeter makers had already summarized a very mature purification process.

Purifying saltpeter involves a total of seven steps, which is quite complicated.

Old Liu first led Jiang Han to the warehouse where the raw ore was stored, and introduced it to him one by one:
"Your Majesty, please look. The saltpeter we have collected can be roughly divided into three grades based on its color and shape."

"The highest grade is called snow saltpeter, which looks like pure white and transparent ice needles. It has the highest purity, reaching over 70%."

"We need to go more than ten miles into the nitrate cave to knock it off the rock wall."

Then he grabbed a handful of grayish-white saltpeter and introduced it,
"This is 'earth saltpeter,' which is of lower quality and needs further purification before it can be used."

"The worst is 'wild saltpeter,' which has a lot of mud and sand and uneven texture. It is usually sold to shops in town to make firecrackers and fireworks."

After examining the raw ore, the group moved to a row of huge stone troughs.

Once the nitrate soil has been selected, the first step is to soak the filter soil.

Put the saltpeter into a stone trough and soak it for a whole day according to the rule of "five catties of saltpeter to ten catties of water".

Old Liu pointed to the opening at the bottom of the stone trough and explained:
“There is a bamboo sieve here, and several layers of burlap are placed on the sieve so that the saltpeter water can slowly seep down and flow into the earthenware jar below.”

"If you use nitrate clay, you need to tread and stir it repeatedly to make it fully dissolve."

Next, the group came to a row of earthenware jars filled with pale yellow saltpeter.

"The second step is to add alum."

The alum that Old Liu mentioned is actually alum. Adding alum to salt water can absorb impurities in the salt water.

"After letting it stand for two hours, filter it again with a fine sieve made of horsehair, and the resulting saltpeter water will be much clearer."

The third step involves adding wood ash, a process known as ash rinsing to remove impurities.

The craftsmen need to fully dissolve the wood ash in water, then put it into a cloth bag for filtration, and add saltpeter.

Wood ash water is alkaline and can neutralize some acidic impurities in nitrate water, allowing nitrate to crystallize and precipitate more quickly.

After standing for a day, a layer of brown foam will float on the surface of the nitrate water, and some grayish-white particles will sink to the bottom.

After skimming off the foam, keep the clear liquid on top.

Next is the boiling and simmering area, where several large iron pots are set up, bubbling and steaming.

Here, the craftsmen need to boil the radishes and saltpeter solution, using a ratio of one pound of radish to ten pounds of saltpeter solution, and simmer them over low heat for two hours. After boiling, they filter the solution several times with gauze, making the saltpeter solution clearer and giving it a light amber color.

At this stage, the purity of the nitrate solution can reach 85%, which is sufficient for the usual preparation of gunpowder.

However, the Ordnance Bureau had high requirements, so further refinement was still necessary.

The saltpeter solution needs to be boiled over high heat, then simmered over low heat until a white film forms on the surface. Then the heat should be turned off immediately.

Next, pour the saltpeter solution into the ceramic basin and place it in a cool, shady place to cool slowly.

After cooling overnight, needle-like crystals resembling icicles will grow on the walls and bottom of the basin; this is called "basin saltpeter".

If the Ordnance Bureau has special requirements, such as needing even higher purity, then refining is necessary.

Dissolve the saltpeter in hot water, add a small amount of egg white, stir, and let it stand for two to three hours.

Egg whites absorb residual pigments and fine impurities, forming flocculent precipitates.

After filtering out the impurities, pour the nitrate solution into a ceramic basin for secondary cooling using the same method as before to obtain highly pure nitrate.

However, the amount of refined saltpeter used is small and it is labor-intensive and time-consuming, so it is generally only used in refined gunpowder.

After the entire tour, Jiang Han was filled with awe.

He originally wanted to come and offer some guidance, but after walking around, he realized that the ancients had already optimized the purification process to this extent.

He picked up an earthenware jar containing "pure saltpeter," gazing thoughtfully at the flawless, transparent crystals inside.

Jiang Han estimated that the purity of the sodium nitrate should be around 95%, or even 97% or 98%.

This high-purity potassium nitrate should be able to be used directly as fertilizer.

As early as the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign, when Jiang Han proposed the establishment of the Salt Administration Office, it was mainly based on two considerations.

The first use is for military purposes, and the second is as a high-purity fertilizer.

The importance of fertilizers to agricultural production cannot be overstated.

Currently, Sichuan and even Yunnan and Guizhou mainly rely on traditional organic fertilizers such as compost, manure, and sludge, and do not use chemical fertilizers in the true sense.

To increase crop yields, the key elements are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Nitrogen promotes the growth of crop stems and leaves, while phosphorus promotes root development and fruit ripening.

Potassium can enhance the crop's resistance to adverse conditions, as well as its ability to resist disease, cold, and drought.

The main component of nitrate fertilizer is potassium nitrate, which can provide crops with both nitrogen and potassium, making it an extremely high-quality compound fertilizer.

If potassium nitrate fertilizer could be produced and used on a large scale, grain production would likely increase significantly.

When Jiang Han proposed using saltpeter as fertilizer, everyone present was stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

County Magistrate Jiao Yu frowned and tentatively asked:

"Your Majesty, please forgive my ignorance, I do not know the method."

“Salt water is very strong. I have only heard that it can be used as medicine in medical books, but I have never heard of it being used as fertilizer.”

"This is truly...unheard of. May I ask which book Your Majesty found this method in?"

Seeing the incredulous expressions on everyone's faces, Jiang Han was speechless for a moment.

He didn't know how to explain to the ancients what nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were, what chemical elements were, or what plant nutrition was.

Based on centuries of farming experience, people only know that human and animal excrement, wood ash, and river and pond silt can be used to fertilize fields.

However, they simply could not understand how saltpeter, which was used to make weapons of war, could be used in agricultural production.

This is understandable, as saltpeter has been a crucial military resource under strict control by the imperial court since the invention of gunpowder and its use in military applications, and its free circulation was prohibited.

Even if there is privately brewed saltpeter, it is of low purity and contains many impurities. When applied, it not only fails to fertilize the fields but also burns the roots of crops.

Therefore, no one has ever associated saltpeter with fertilizer.

Jiang Han was too lazy to explain. After all, these people didn't even understand the most basic chemistry knowledge, so explaining would be pointless. He could just observe the results.

He broke off a small piece of pure saltpeter from the earthenware jar, handed it to Jiao Yu, and solemnly instructed him:
"This thing is pure and clear, and contains great power."

"If you don't believe me, then select a few official fields with similar yields as test fields, and you'll know once you try them."

Jiang Han considered it in his mind and continued,
"It is May now, and the early rice should still be in the booting stage to heading stage, which is the key time to apply fertilizer."

"It's not too late to apply fertilizer now."

"Just apply ten to fifteen catties of pure saltpeter to the field."

"Remember, it's best to fertilize in two or three applications, with an interval of one or two days between each application."

"Dissolve the sodium sulfate in water and then apply it to the field in small amounts and multiple times to avoid damaging the seedlings."

"At the same time, you can also use well-rotted compost, which should make it even more effective."

“Besides paddy fields, we can also try dry land.”

"Find a few cornfields or wheatfields and increase the dosage per acre to 15 to 20 jin. Use it in the same way, in small amounts and multiple times."

Jiang Han was not worried about the experimental results. Scientific laws are universal and will not change with the times.

Potassium nitrate, as a high-quality nitrogen-potassium compound fertilizer, has been proven effective in promoting crop growth and increasing yield through numerous experiments over the centuries.

Potassium nitrate increased the yield of several major crops under his rule in the southwest.

For example, potassium nitrate can be applied as a top dressing during the three key stages of rice: the jointing stage, the booting stage, and the grain-filling stage.

Nitrogen promotes tillering and branching in rice, makes leaves dark green, and improves photosynthetic efficiency;
Potassium enhances stem toughness, prevents lodging, increases grain filling rate and thousand-grain weight, and reduces the probability of empty husks and shriveled grains in rice.

Other crops such as corn, wheat, and sorghum also have similar effects after fertilization.

Potassium nitrate can also significantly increase yield and improve quality in some cash crops, such as cotton, or various fruits and vegetables.

In conclusion, potassium nitrate has many benefits as a fertilizer, but it also has its limitations.

The main problem is the low production volume, making large-scale application impossible.

In the three southwestern provinces alone, there are more than 20 million mu of registered farmland, not to mention newly reclaimed wasteland.

Without industrialization and the inability to obtain guano from the sea, relying solely on traditional methods to refine fertilizer is like a drop in the ocean.

With this in mind, Jiang Han decided to temporarily refrain from promoting it, as long as it could guarantee the expenses of the government's manors and military farms.

He then turned to Jiao Yu and continued to give instructions:
"When selecting experimental fields, be sure to select several locations and use different amounts of fertilizer."

"It is imperative to assign a dedicated person to record and compare data, including detailed records of crop growth and yield under different dosages."

"The dosage I mentioned earlier was just an estimate and may not be the best solution. The specific dosage still needs to be explored and verified through practice."

"This matter concerns the national economy and people's livelihood. You must personally supervise it, do your utmost, and ensure there are no mistakes!"

Although Jiao Yu still had doubts, seeing Jiang Han's confident and resolute attitude, he knew that this matter could not be taken lightly, and bowed, saying:

"understood."

"Your subject will certainly record it in detail and compare it repeatedly."

Jiang Han nodded, then changed the subject, pointing at the workshop and shaking his head repeatedly:

"The current scale of the saltpeter workshop is still too small."

“The military is currently expanding its recruitment, and a monthly output of 20,000 jin is definitely not enough. If we also need to consider agricultural use, it will be a drop in the ocean.”

"We must immediately recruit more people and expand production!"

Upon hearing this, Jiao Yu's spirits lifted, and he quickly asked for instructions:
"What does Your Majesty mean?"

Jiang Han slowly stood on the high ground, his hands behind his back:

"Jiangyou has unique resources and a key location, and it will surely become an important cornerstone for agricultural administration in the future."

"In my opinion, Jiangyou's administrative level should also be raised."

"Effective immediately, Jiangyou County shall be renamed a directly governed prefecture, transferred from Long'an Prefecture to Chengdu Prefecture, and placed under the direct jurisdiction of the central government."

"County Magistrate Jiao Yu has been promoted to the rank of prefect, a fifth-rank official."

"Your main task is to focus on increasing saltpeter production and to thoroughly understand fertilizer application methods."

Upon hearing this, Jiao Yu almost choked on his breath. He never expected the king to be so generous.

He was originally just a county magistrate of the seventh rank, but now he has been promoted to a prefect of the fifth rank.

Moreover, after Jiangyou was reorganized into a directly governed prefecture, it became an administrative unit at the same level as a "prefecture," and would be directly governed by the central government. He could be considered to have one foot in the middle ranks.

But Jiang Han's arrangements weren't finished yet; he already had a concrete plan in mind:
"In addition, Chonghua Town should also be upgraded, and it should be changed into a county with a county government."

"The former Nitrate Affairs Supervision Office was upgraded to the Nitrate Affairs Supervision Bureau, headed by Zhou Guangyu."

"The bureau was located in the county government office, and it was in charge of all matters related to the mining, refining, purchasing and distribution of saltpeter."

With a wave of his hand, he encircled the entire foothills:

"I intend to establish a large-scale base here that integrates saltpeter production, gunpowder preparation, and fertilizer research."

"Conscript militiamen to clear this land for me and expand the factory."

"Since Chonghua Town is known as the hometown of gunpowder and many of its people are skilled in this craft, let's post notices and recruit all the people in the surrounding villages and towns who know how to make saltpeter."

"As for the name of the base, let's call it Chonghua Government-Run Nitrification Plant."

"The general manager of the nitration plant was also Zhou Guangyu, and the county government was responsible for review. Under the general manager, there were four workshops: nitrate mining, nitrate production, gunpowder, and fertilizer, each with a specific role."

"Separate accounting, materials, and auditing departments were established."

"For artisans, we should continue and improve the existing system, adopting a base salary plus a work-based system to attract more artisans to join."

"The nitration plant must establish a process standard and provide unified training to the newly recruited villagers and craftsmen to ensure quality."

"Furthermore, safety is of paramount importance. The storage locations for saltpeter and gunpowder must be far away from people and open flames, and must be guarded by designated personnel."

Jiang Han turned to look at Jiao Yu and Zhou Guangyu, and emphasized:
"We must make every effort to expand production and strive to increase the annual output of saltpeter to one to one and a half million catties within a year!"

This number wasn't something Jiang Han just randomly came up with.

Historically, in order to quell the Jinchuan rebellion, the Qing army consumed four to five million catties of gunpowder within five years, mainly from the saltpeter caves of Laojun Mountain.

Now he is integrating resources and setting up a special bureau, precisely because he has recognized the enormous potential hidden in Laojun Mountain.

(End of this chapter)