Chapter 52: Putting Things to Their Best Use

"Miss Feng'er, a little more, just a little more."

Zhao Xu went out, and Hu Langzhong and Feng'er arrived at the middle courtyard.

Feng'er ordered the large vat to be opened, and Hu Langzhong's eyes went straight immediately.

Feng'er smiled and said: "Hu Langzhong, this jar is already full, how can there be more."

After seeing that Chang Wei's condition gradually improved after applying this medicine externally and taking it internally, Hu Langzhong felt an itch in his heart.

He had never heard of, nor had he ever seen, this thing.

Most importantly, this medicine could save lives.

In this Yancheng, which year did a few people not die from being bitten by wild beasts or suffering sword and blade wounds?

Most importantly, if this medicine entered the army, how many soldiers could it save?

Therefore, he tossed and turned all night unable to sleep, his mind filled with whether this medicine was truly useful.

Only then did he thicken his skin to beg for medicine from Yan Wang.

Now that Yan Wang had agreed, he naturally wanted more.

So, seeing that Feng'er was young, he intentionally relied on his seniority to try and take advantage of the situation.

Thus he said: "Since His Highness can give one jar, he can give two. Miss Feng'er, why not prepare another jar."

Hearing this, Feng'er rolled her eyes: "Hu Langzhong, whatever His Highness says is the amount; not a bit more is allowed. His Highness lets this servant manage the Prince's Mansion, and this servant dare not be the slightest bit careless."

Having said that, she had the servants cover the medicine vat and walked away directly.

Hu Langzhong's expression was sheepish, thinking to himself that this Miss Feng'er, while looking delicate and pretty, was a difficult one to deal with.

He could only watch the medicine vat leave, looking back three times for every step he took.

After diagnosing and treating Chang Wei and writing another prescription, Hu Langzhong returned to the medical clinic.

He immediately had his apprentice bring over the patients who were running fevers due to red and swollen wounds.

Then, he followed the dosage used for Chang Wei to administer it internally and externally to the three of them.

Weaponry Bureau.

After arriving, Zhao Xu first inspected the blast furnace under construction.

The previous blast furnace was only for experimental use.

The blast furnace he now had Wang Ying build was the one officially intended for production.

Therefore, its height and volume were both larger than the first blast furnace.

"Do not stop day or night; hurry to build the blast furnace. The armor for the Prince's Personal Army is an urgent matter and cannot be delayed," Zhao Xu instructed.

The sixth month was about to pass, and there was not much time left for him.

Wang Ying held the blueprints Zhao Xu had given him.

Yan Wang had already instructed him that this was the armor the Weaponry Bureau would manufacture next.

Besides this, there were also swords, blades, long spears, shields, and other items.

And this required a large amount of steel.

If it were the former Weaponry Bureau, he wouldn't dare guarantee being able to smelt this much steel even if given a year.

But now he had this confidence; as long as the materials were sufficient, he could fully smelt the required amount of steel in two months.

Seeing that the foundation for the blast furnace was laid, Zhao Xu and Wang Ying went to the side of the Liu Zhang River.

He said: "Do you know about the water trip hammer?"

Hearing this, Wang Ying smiled and said: "Your Highness, this subordinate naturally knows it. It is something used by the common people to pound grain, built along the river, using the water flow to drive a wheel, and the wheel drives the hammer handle to strike up and down."

Zhao Xu nodded and asked again: "A blacksmith's hammering is similar in principle to this, is it not?"

Wang Ying frowned, then suddenly realized, "Your Highness, do you mean to use the water trip hammer to forge iron and steel implements?"

"Hmm, you are quite clever," Zhao Xu laughed.

It was easy to communicate with someone like Wang Ying who understood technology.

"Whether it is the plates for plate armor or the scales for scale armor, they all require hammering, and this consumes a great deal of time. A thing called a water-powered trip hammer can borrow the power of water to work day and night without stopping, greatly accelerating the speed of manufacturing iron implements. This water-powered trip hammer can be modified from a water trip hammer," Zhao Xu said slowly.

"Water-powered trip hammer?" Wang Ying was shocked in his heart.

On the straight rod of the water trip hammer, there were upright scale-like protrusions, each corresponding to a hammer handle.

As the straight rod rotated, the protrusions would push the hammer handle, and the hammer head could fall once.

In this way, as long as the water trip hammer was made large,

there could be a dozen or so forging hammers pounding iron implements day and night to shape them.

"Why didn't I think of this? Why didn't I think of this?" Wang Ying patted his own head.

Eventually, he gave up struggling with himself and fixed his gaze on Yan Wang, admiring him beyond measure.

Zhao Xu noticed Wang Ying's expression.

In fact, the wisdom of the ancient people was infinite.

It was just that sometimes it was used in the wrong direction.

For example, this water trip hammer; since it could pound rice to remove the husk, it could be used to pound iron.

In the contemporary era, there was also gunpowder; people used it to make guns and cannons, yet they themselves used it to set off firecrackers.

Therefore, many machines already existed in ancient times, but they were used in the wrong places.

By taking them and modifying them, changing their use, they could be put to great use.

"The rest does not need me to say more, right? The current of this Liu Zhang River is swift, and the Weaponry Bureau is built along the river; would it not be a waste not to borrow the water power?" Zhao Xu gazed at the emerald green river water.

"This subordinate understands. I will have the carpenters build a giant water trip hammer—no, a water-powered trip hammer—this very day," Wang Ying bowed and said.

It was just that he suddenly remembered the Weaponry Bureau doing so many things at once, and the lack of manpower, so he said: "Your Highness, with so many tasks running in parallel, I fear there is not enough manpower."

Zhao Xu had already thought of this problem when he came.

There are still some slave girls sent by Wang Yanzhong last time who don't have any urgent tasks.

He said, "I, Yan Wang, will send you over two hundred more people in a while."

Thinking of Wang Ying sending a large number of men into the mountains to mine limestone, he said, "Call back the men mining limestone as well; I, Yan Wang, will take care of these things for you."

Wang Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

After giving instructions on recent important matters, Zhao Xu left the Armory and headed to the Yan Commandery Trading Firm.

For the sake of easier management.

The Rich Clans have now specifically set up a shop to serve as the headquarters for the trading firm.

This headquarters is right by the Golden Scale Pond.

Although these Rich Clans have handed over their land, they have already begun to receive returns from the income of selling Wine, so they are not short of money in their hands.

Therefore, they naturally thought of placing the trading firm by the Golden Scale Pond.

This way, they can find amusement for themselves and also entertain merchants coming from other places to buy goods in a timely manner.

"Your Highness, what wind has blown you here?"

On the west bank of the Golden Scale Pond, opposite the Tianxiang Lou on the east bank, is where the trading firm is located.

As Zhao Xu arrived and looked at the plaque on the two-story building, a voice rang out.

Looking toward the sound, it was Dong An.

"So it is Eldest Son." Dong An is the eldest in his family.

In the Great Song, the general polite form of address is 'Lang', based on the order in the family.

Therefore, he addressed Dong An as Eldest Son.

"I haven't seen Your Highness for several days, and I, Dong, have missed you greatly." Dong An came up to greet him and bowed to invite Zhao Xu inside.

These days, his opportunities to see Zhao Xu had all been snatched away by his own father.

Although he was resentful in his heart, an arm cannot twist a thigh.

Thus, upon seeing Zhao Xu, he was exceptionally attentive.

After all, he did not want to neglect his relationship with Yan Wang.

After inviting Zhao Xu to sit in the main seat, Dong An ordered tea to be served.

At this time, upon learning that Yan Wang had arrived, all the Rich Clan descendants came out to pay their respects.

Yang He came down from upstairs, grinning as he crowded over.

Now the fields in their homes have all been handed over to the Prince's Mansion.

They no longer need to go to the manors to inspect them.

Their families also found them to be an eyesore for being idle, so they were all sent to the trading firm.

"Your Highness, I wonder what gracious command you have for coming here today?" Seeing Yang He approach, Dong An immediately snatched the chance to ask.