In the Three Kingdoms period, the opening scene features the killing of Huang Gai, shocking Zhou Yu!

The letter was sent on the third day.

It has already fallen into Cao Cao's hands.

"Wenruo."

Cao Cao closed the bamboo slips.

"Do you think Zhao Yu has gone mad from staying in the mountains all this time?"

He said the coal in the mountains was auspicious.

"Can it also enhance the combat effectiveness of our soldiers?"

"If this were truly useful, it would have been used long ago. Why would it be his turn?"

Xun Yu took the bamboo slip and looked at it, smelling a faint earthy smell.

"Prime Minister, Zhao Yu's actions, although... although unconventional (unreliable)."

But he never lied about important matters.

"Back then, in the affairs of Xiliang and Jiangdong, and also with that 'soft, fragrant jade' that could produce foam, they were all very useful."

"He said it's an auspicious omen, perhaps... it really can bring about an improvement?"

Cao Cao threw the honeycomb briquettes back into the box and wiped his hands:

"Hmph, this kid is either playing tricks to scam funding, or he's actually discovered something."

"That's all, it's just a matter for a few craftsmen."

Cao Cao picked up his pen,

He wrote a large "Approved" on the letter.

"Send word! Have Ma Jun take his belongings, a few blacksmiths, and assign Ding Yi another task—to go to the Ice Crystal Pavilion together!"

"I'd like to see what kind of 'auspicious omen' this is!"

……

On the same day,

Zhao Yu's first batch of handmade honeycomb briquettes has dried.

Zhao Yu had someone build a simple stove out of bricks.

Since there was no iron stove, we had to make do.

He put some dry grass and sawdust at the bottom of the stove and lit it.

Then, he picked up a piece of honeycomb briquette and placed it on top.

Cao Jie, Sun Shangxiang, Ma Chao, Aya, Liu Laogen, and dozens of other coal miners were all watching the spectacle from the sidelines.

Nobody believed that this coal slurry mixed with mud could catch fire.

At first, there was only smoke.

Acrid smoke,

Cao Jie covered his nose:

"Ahem... Husband, is this the auspicious omen you spoke of? Is this a beacon fire?"

Zhao Yu remained calm and composed:

"Let the bullets fly for a while... let the fire burn for a while."

About fifteen minutes later.

The ignition source at the bottom has burned out.

Just when everyone thought the fire was out.

The twelve holes in that black coal lump,

Twelve ghostly blue flames suddenly shot out!

The flame was steady and strong.

It didn't make a crackling or popping sound like firewood.

The initial black smoke has also disappeared.

A powerful wave of heat instantly erupted from the furnace opening.

Zhao Yu placed the large copper kettle that he had prepared earlier on it.

Only half a cup of tea's time had passed.

"Glug glug..."

The water's boiling!

"this……"

Having led armies for many years, Ma Chao knew best how much firewood was needed to boil a pot of water.

But now, just a few inconspicuous pieces of black mud have boiled a whole pot of water.

And judging from the intensity of the fire, it seems it can burn for a long time!

"Did you see that?"

"This is called a honeycomb briquette."

"One piece of coal can burn for two hours! From now on, our Ice Crystal Pavilion won't need to cut down trees or gather firewood! Cooking, boiling water, and heating will all depend on it!"

Although Aya and Sun Shangxiang couldn't understand it

But she thought the blue flame was really pretty, and... really warm.

She quietly reached out and approached the stove.

The warmth spread from my fingertips throughout my body.

……

Eight days later,

The tranquility of the Ice Crystal Pavilion was broken.

A convoy of cars drove into the valley in a grand procession.

Ma Jun sat in the first car.

Following behind were ten subway cars, bellows, crucibles, and all sorts of tools.

Ding Yi sat in the back with a bitter expression.

He was living a good life in Ye City, writing articles and spending time with Cao Qing.

As a result, because of a letter from Zhao Yu, he was photographed in this remote, unpowered mountain forest.

"General...General!"

When Ma Jun saw Zhao Yu...

It felt like seeing a family member.

Zhao Yu didn't waste any words.

They pulled him directly to the makeshift honeycomb briquette stove.

"look!"

Zhao Yu pointed to the eerie blue flames shooting out of the furnace.

Ma Jun is an expert.

He only glanced at it.

My eyes widened.

This stable and sustained high temperature!

This is a combustion method that generates amazing heat without an open flame!

Zhao Yu patted Ma Jun on the shoulder.

"Old Ma, now you know why I specifically called you two here, right?"

"What...what kind of fuel is this?"

"This temperature...if it were used to smelt...smelt iron..."

"That's right!"

……

With technology (Zhao Yu), an inventor (Ma Jun), an executor (Ding Yi), and fuel (coal).

The rest is quite simple.

There's only one thing missing—iron ore.

Although Bingjingting has coal, it doesn't have much iron ore.

But it doesn't matter, the neighboring "Heishan County" is rich in iron ore.

Zhao Yu changed into a brand new set of clothes.

Riding a tall horse,

He was accompanied by Ma Chao (as bodyguard and enforcer) and fifty fully armed personal guards.

They went to the neighboring county with a menacing air.

The county government office of Heishan County.

Magistrate Li is drinking tea.

Upon hearing that "the cousin of the Ice Crystal Marquis, the Prime Minister's son-in-law, the General of the Garrison, the Great Han Angel, and the Divine Might General" had arrived, he was so frightened that he dropped his teacup.

"This humble official...pays his respects to Your Excellency!"

Magistrate Li bowed respectfully to Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu smiled and helped him up:

"Lord Li, there's no need for such formalities. I'm currently working on a... well, a 'lucky omen project,' and I'm short of stones."

"I've heard your county is rich in iron ore? Could you... lend me some?"

Magistrate Li wiped his sweat:

"How much does Your Excellency require? I will have someone procure it immediately."

"not much."

Zhao Yu extended one finger.

"A thousand catties? That's easy."

"What nonsense! A thousand catties is barely enough to fill someone's teeth."

"Give me 100,000 jin first."

"How many?!"

Magistrate Li nearly fainted.

"One hundred thousand catties? That's the imperial court's annual quota!"

Zhao Yu's face darkened, and he deliberately feigned displeasure.

"Lord Li, this is for the Prime Minister to practice auspicious omen calculations. You can just give me the one intended for the imperial court."

My father-in-law won't say anything.

What's wrong? Are you having trouble?

"Should I go and talk to my father-in-law and ask him to send a more capable magistrate instead?"

Ma Chao, standing nearby, gave a timely cold snort.

The broken sword in his hand flashed with a cold light.

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

Magistrate Li was almost in tears.

"This humble official will open the granary immediately! Forget 100,000 catties, if Your Excellency wants it, I'll even take away the stone lions from the county government office!"

……

All materials are ready.

Zhao Yu's "Industrial Revolution" has officially begun.

He chose a sheltered mountain hollow.

Stay away from residential areas (although there weren't many residential areas at that time).

Zhao Yu is preparing to engage in coke-to-iron smelting.

Using coal to smelt iron will make people think he doesn't know anything.

Directly smelting iron from coal results in excessively high sulfur content, which makes the iron brittle.

It must first be dry distilled into coke.

Zhao Yu directed the villagers to dig several huge earthen kilns.

Fill in the high-quality coal that has been dug out (manually screened).

seal,

Simmer over high heat.

three days later.

"Open the kiln!"

With Zhao Yu's command.

The kiln opening was opened.

A pungent plume of black smoke shot into the blue sky like a roaring black dragon.

(Since the dust removal equipment hasn't been installed yet, let's pollute first and then treat it).