In the eyes of the ancients, ironmaking was the process of obtaining iron from iron ore.
During this process, a series of impurities are left behind.
Therefore, the ancients also regarded this process as purification.
In fact, what Ma Shi said was correct, but Hu Changan was not satisfied with this ambiguous answer.
"Mr. Ma, why can the impurities in iron ore be separated only through high temperature? Why can't they be separated by simple beating?"
"If high temperatures alone can separate impurities in iron ore, why can't you get metal by heating ordinary stone?"
Ma Shi was so angry when he heard these strange questions.
Could it be that Mr. Hu is here specifically to find trouble?
Ma Shi had never thought about these strange questions before, let alone answered them.
As a senior, he was frustrated by the junior's questions. Ma Shi was furious: "Shilang Hu, I really don't know the answers to the questions you asked, but do you know the answers to these questions?"
Ma Shi didn't think Hu Changan could answer the questions he raised.
However, Hu Changan was well prepared and replied calmly: "Mr. Ma, there are many tiny particles invisible to the naked eye in the air we breathe."
"These particles cannot react with other substances at normal temperatures, but in high-temperature environments, these particles can react with other substances to generate new substances."
"In a high-temperature environment, the main components in iron ore can react with particles in the air to generate iron elements and impurities."
"The resulting iron can be used by us and forged into a long sword to kill the enemy."
"In fact, ordinary rocks can also separate other substances at high temperatures, but the temperatures they require are extremely high and cannot be achieved with current methods."
Hu Changan used simple and easy-to-understand words to explain the chemistry knowledge in high school textbooks to these ancients.
This was their first exposure to chemical knowledge, and everyone was a little skeptical.
It is natural to be doubtful, after all, this knowledge has never been recorded in books before, nor has it been passed down orally.
Not only that, this knowledge belongs to a completely new system, completely different from the knowledge they have been exposed to before.
If you want to believe it, most people still don’t believe it.
However, looking at Hu Changan's vow, it seems that it is indeed true.
Several of the craftsmen who had been exposed to alchemy in their early years also frowned, thinking carefully about Hu Changan's words.
In ancient times, Taoist priests who made alchemy were the most primitive and original chemists.
Some truths are actually universal.
Hu Changan has now broken through this layer of window paper for them, and they can naturally think about it logically.
However, Ma Shi sneered at Hu Changan's words.
In Ma Shi's opinion, this is completely nonsense!
Things like particles in the air are just nonsense.
Ma Shi has lived for so many years, but he has never seen particles in the air!
In Ma Shi's opinion, all this is Hu Changan's nonsense, just a way to win people's trust!
"Shilang Hu, what you said is simply ridiculous!"
"I don't believe a word of it unless you can prove it to me!"
"What's more, even if what you say is right, how will it help iron-making?"
Ma Shi's words immediately won the support of many craftsmen.
They also couldn't stand the way the people above pretended to understand and were pointing fingers.
And Hu Changan's words just touched their point of anger.
They are all high-quality craftsmen selected from all over the country. There are things that none of them know. How can Hu Changan, a person who has never been exposed to iron-making, speak so clearly?
This is an insult to their expertise!
When Hu Changan saw this, he also smiled slightly.
He didn't expect that his casual remarks would be recognized by everyone.
Since seeing is believing, then Hu Changan will give it to them!
"Everyone, how about you send a few representatives to compete with me?"
"You use your old methods, and I use my new methods. Let's compete on the same stage to see who can make iron more efficiently."
"Of course, I can't make iron as fast as a group of you by myself, so I will just choose some of the remaining people to implement my plan directly."
"Same people, different technologies, let's compare whose technology is more efficient!"
Suddenly, everyone was excited.
These craftsmen have been working hard at the Ministry of Works all year round to make iron, and they haven't encountered anything so exciting for a long time.
Fight in public! Exciting!
Of course, everyone is not very optimistic about Hu Changan.
Even Manager Jiang on the side cast a look of pity on Hu Changan.
Sure enough, he is still a young man, and he doesn’t know how vast the world is.
Although Hu Changan was very talented in other areas, when it came to ironmaking, Manager Jiang did not think that Hu Changan, a young boy, could compete with the experienced craftsmen from the Ministry of Works.
This is simply like striking an egg against a stone, and you can see the consequences with your eyes closed.
It seems that Hu Changan is going to be completely embarrassed in front of all the craftsmen!
After a while, representatives from the Ministry of Industry headed by Ma Shi made their selections.
Hu Changan randomly selected a few of the remaining people to act as his team in public, and the two parties were finalized.
The match is scheduled for a week later.
Everyone's eyes are full of fighting spirit.
After the team headed by Ma Shi returned, they immediately began to exercise day and night.
After all, everyone has worked together for many years, so there is no need to say much about their tacit understanding.
As for the method of making iron, they are using old recipes that have been passed down many years ago, and there is nothing that can be improved.
Right now, all I can do is work hard to exercise.
You must know that ironmaking is a physical job that requires carrying heavy objects such as iron ore and charcoal back and forth.
Only with a stronger body can you carry more heavy objects in less time.
Hu Changan's team went to Yingtian City to buy charcoal under Hu Changan's instruction.
Liu Dong's formal punishment has not yet come down, so Hu Changan can still buy charcoal in Yingtian City for the time being.
After purchasing the charcoal, Hu Changan ordered people to put the charcoal into a stove that was isolated from the air and heat it directly.
Everyone looked at Hu Changan's strange behavior, and Monk Zhang Er was simply confused.
Why, could it be that because Shilang Hu couldn't buy charcoal in winter, he was going to enjoy the warmth brought by charcoal for a while in autumn?
In this late autumn weather, the whole Hu Mansion is as warm as spring.
And the doubts in everyone's hearts are also rising.
