There was no rain for two months, and the river was exhausted...

All the pressure is on Xin Zixiu. As a parent, he always thinks of those desperate people and is worried all day long. After all, if this continues, many people will definitely starve to death.

The swaying oil lamp dropped his figure on the wall. The shadow also sat like him. People and shadows were doing the same movements.

"Hey, the food price has risen again, it's almost a stone or two, but how can the people live!"

Xin Zixiu's face was filled with worry. He heard someone coming in, and he asked without raising his head.

"Is there any news from Mr. Shi in the past two days?"

The master Li Hui came in. He bowed first and then said.

"Returning to Futai, Mr. Shi has been in the blacksmith shop for the past two days, so he hasn't come out much."

Still not coming out?

"Do you know, what does he want to do?"

Xin Zixiu asked curiously, and then said to himself.

"Forget it, I won't bother him. Even if I use him, I have to believe him, right?"

Believe him... Seeing Futai silently, Li Hui said.

"Futai, you asked me to go down to check his identity two days ago, and I have already checked it clearly."

"oh?"

Xin Zixiu asked again.

"When returning to Futai, Mr. Shi was actually an official of the court, but he was a Jinyiwei dismissed post. After returning to the court from the old port last year..."

"It's him!"

He was shocked suddenly, and then Xin Zixiu remembered that there was indeed such a person.

"Isn't he in the village in the suburbs of Beijing? Why did he get here?"

"Futai, I heard that Mr. Shi opened several factories on the banks of the Lugou River, and also opened a coal mine with the Duke of England's mansion. I really don't know why he got here."

"How many factories are there..."

Upon hearing this, Xin Zixiu sat there, pondered for a moment before saying.

"Well, I understand this. Have you found out about that Mr. Zhang's identity?"

"I went back to Futai and asked someone to check it out. Mr. Zhang... There was a person with the same name as him, but he was not as old as he did."

Li Hui's answer made Xin Zixiu's brow jump and he said curiously.

"Oh, who is the person with the same name?"

"That man is the son of Zhang's Mansion in Wusha Hutong."

Zhang Mansion in Wusha Hutong!

Xin Zixiu suddenly stood up and was so shocked that he didn't say anything for a long time. He said after a while.

"You said yes, they don't match their age!"

"Yes, it really doesn't match. So, I think it may be just the same name..."

"There are so many people with the same name in the world. Besides, the surname Zhang is originally a big surname. That young master Zhang is just a young man. I think he is just a foreign scholar who went to the capital to prepare for the exam."

Xin Zixiu said casually.

"Ming'an, go down, this matter is stopped. As for their identity, what do you and me have to do? As long as you can save the people in this area, do you understand?"

Staring at Li Hui coldly, Xin Zixiu waved his hand to signal him to go down, and then his brows frowned even tighter. Sitting behind the desk, he seemed to be thinking about something...

“It’s out…”

With a roar in the blacksmith shop, the 100-pound iron furnace opening was opened, and then the fiery red iron water flowed out of the iron furnace. While the blacksmiths stared at the iron water, Shi Yiwen's eyes were also staring at the wooden box containing the sand model.

As the molten iron was poured into the sand mold and the sand mold's eyes kept spewing out smoke, Ma Laosi stared at the mold box and asked.

"Young Master, this sand model really works?"

His tone was full of suspicion. Yesterday, Li Dianshi from the yamen led Mr. Shi to Tiefang, and then Mr. Shi took out a drawing to ask him to cast iron tools.

"This cast iron must be made first, and the iron tool can only be cast after the clay mold is dry."

After learning that the mud mold would take at least half a month to dry out, Mr. Shi suddenly wanted to use river sand and other raw materials to make sand molds.

"It will definitely do it!"

Shi Yiwen raised his head and looked at the blacksmith beside him and said.

"This sand and sand mold is set, and there is no need to wait for the mud mold to dry out. You need to put a finished part model or wooden model into the sand, and then fill the pattern around it. After unboxing and removing the pattern, the sand forms a casting mold. It is more convenient than the mud mold..."

In fact, Shi Yiwen is also a little worried when explaining many things. Such repeated explanations always make people feel helpless.

"If I had known, I should have the factory prepare the things first."

However, it was not clear at that time what exactly needed here.

Forget it, let's deal with it first.

Shi Yiwen, who seemed full of confidence, was beating in his heart. After all, these craftsmen were casting with sand molds for the first time. What if something unexpected happened... what's the big deal? The big deal would be recast once.

The iron was flowing and flowing into the sand mold. The piercing air spurted white smoke from time to time. Soon, more than a dozen cast irons were cast. Shi Yiwen seemed a little anxious while waiting for the cast iron to cool down.

"Zhiyuan, look, you're so anxious, let's drink some water first."

Zhang Jingxiu, who walked over with a teacup, looked at the sand mold on the ground, and then said softly.

"In the Lugou, it's okay if you order people to make those things, let alone just such a small thing?"

"Oh, Zixuan, people are different."

Shi Yiwen sighed softly.

"In fact, this kind of thing is more suitable for manufacturing in the factory. And the cost may be lower, but..."

After hesitating for a while, Shi Yiwen explained again.

"A small thing like this cannot be made in the factory. After all, the freight is placed there. If it is made in the factory, the people who benefit at most are the people hundreds of miles away. If they are far away, they will be beyond their reach. Just like an iron pot, it is too far away. Once the freight is high, the people will not be able to afford it."

Transportation, in ancient times, was transportation. Most of the time, the ancients transported along the river. With the help of rivers, the canals sold materials from all over the country, but even water transportation was too restricted.

Finally, after waiting for almost half an hour, the sand mold was broken, revealing the still fiery red castings. Looking at the familiar appearance, Shi Yiwen smiled and turned his head to say to Zhang Jingxiu.

"It's done!"

Then he ordered the blacksmith.

"Okay, next, cast iron rod!"

Although the castings have not cooled down yet, he is still very satisfied with the castings. However, other materials require a lot of raw materials, such as cowhide, but they are all fragmented materials.
Chapter completed!