I, a useless prince, started with the Xiang Yu template.

In the open space in the backyard, raw coal was spread out on the ground.

The area was covered with rough, black coal.

Chu Yun didn't waste any time or preamble and immediately got to work.

In my previous life, I lived in the countryside when I was a child. There was no natural gas and no heating.

Every household relied on firewood and honeycomb briquettes for heating during the winter and for cooking.

I've seen it for over a decade, from childhood to adulthood; I've seen it a lot and am very familiar with it.

The process of making honeycomb briquettes is simple and straightforward, with virtually no barriers to entry.

First, break up large pieces of raw coal, grind them into fine powder, and sieve them into uniform coal powder.

Then mix in a small amount of loess and water according to the specified ratio.

Loess acts as a binder, allowing coal briquettes to hold their shape, burn well, and remain compacted.

There were no professional honeycomb briquette molds, and the conditions were rudimentary.

Chu Yun simply used what was available and made do by hand.

He found a thick, round bamboo tube, removed both ends, and made it into a hollow round frame.

They found three thin bamboo sticks to make holes, replacing the ventilation holes in the mold.

The method is rudimentary, but the principle is exactly the same.

The crowd stood in a circle, watching quietly without saying a word, their eyes fixed on Chu Yun's every move.

Chu Yun held a wooden shovel and carefully broke up the clumps of raw coal.

Large pieces become smaller pieces, and small pieces become powder.

Filter it again through a coarse sieve to leave behind fine and pure coal powder.

Then add dry loess in proportion and mix thoroughly over time.

Finally, add water in small amounts several times, stirring and kneading slowly.

Before long, the originally loose coal powder turned into coal slurry that was neither too wet nor too dry and formed into fine clumps.

His technique was skillful and showed no signs of unfamiliarity.

Su Zhe and the others were filled with doubt.

In their eyes, this is simply mixing mud and black soil.

There's nothing mysterious about it.

After the coal slurry was prepared, Chu Yun placed the bamboo tube frame on the flat stone slab.

Fill with coal slurry, and compact and flatten it with force.

After compacting, take three thin bamboo sticks and insert them evenly inside the coal briquettes.

Three vertical holes allow for complete ventilation, ensuring proper combustion and sustained firepower.

After completing this step, gently remove the bamboo tube frame and slowly pull out the bamboo stick.

A piece of homemade honeycomb briquette with ventilation holes is considered to have taken initial shape.

The conditions were rudimentary, and the workmanship was rough.

It cannot compare to the uniformity of mass-produced machines in later generations.

But the structure is exactly as it should be.

Chu Yun proceeded slowly and steadily, using the same method to make seven or eight honeycomb briquettes by hand.

The stones were neatly arranged on the stone slabs and spread out to dry.

After completing all the procedures, Chu Yun patted the dust off his hands.

Looking at the curious crowd around him, he gave a simple explanation.

"It can't be burned yet."

"It's too moist, it won't burn, and it'll just smoke."

"It must be thoroughly dried in the sun."

"Once the water has evaporated completely tomorrow, we can light a fire and test it."

"You'll find out then whether this thing can save Beiliang from the winter or not."

Everyone nodded, their eyes fixed on the rows of black coal briquettes on the ground.

I was still half-believing and half-doubting.

Can a dark lump of mud really replace firewood?

Can it really feed millions of people through the winter?

No one is sure; we can only wait for tomorrow's results.

........

A night passed in the blink of an eye.

The next morning.

The sun was bright and the sunlight was plentiful.

The honeycomb briquettes in the backyard were completely dried after being left to dry for a whole day and night.

The entire coal slab becomes hard and solid, neither soft, sticky, nor crumbled.

Chu Yun arrived at the backyard early in the morning.

Li Wanqing, Su Zhe, and their three companions, along with a group of guards, were waiting there early on.

Everyone was filled with anticipation.

Success or failure hinges on today's test.

Chu Yun stepped forward and picked out the best-looking, completely dry honeycomb briquette.

Find a simple stove frame and place the honeycomb briquettes stably.

Start a fire, add kindling, and ignite the fire.

The small flame slowly ignited the edge of the coal block.

Everyone crowded around, holding their breath and staring intently.

At first, the flames were weak.

A short while later.

Pale blue flames shot out from the vents, growing stronger and more stable.

The flame is gentle and persistent, without any wild, flickering flames.

Most importantly, it produces very little smoke!

There was almost no black smoke in sight!

Everyone was stunned for a moment, their faces filled with shock.

Everyone subconsciously compared it to the usual scene of burning firewood.

Ordinary dry firewood, when lit, produces thick, pungent smoke that stings and irritates the eyes.

It burns quickly and consumes quickly; a pile of firewood is mostly burned up in half an hour.

Sparks and ashes flew everywhere; it was dirty and unsafe.

But the honeycomb briquettes in front of me are completely different.

The fire is stable, without sudden bursts or fire jumps.

The smoke was very faint, with almost no pungent smell.

Although the fire did not appear to be raging, the temperature was extremely high.

Standing nearby for a moment, you can clearly feel the continuous warmth emanating from you.

Su Zhe's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

"It's really on fire!"

"These coal briquettes made of black stones can actually be used to start a fire and keep warm!"

Zhou Meng reached his hand closer to the furnace, feeling the continuous heat, and couldn't help but marvel.

"It's so stable! Much better than firewood!"

"The firewood will go out after a while, so you have to keep adding firewood."

"This thing looks like it can burn for a long time!"

Several people took turns expressing their amazement, completely overturning their previous understanding.

Li Wanqing, who was standing to the side, was more perceptive and had a broader perspective.

She stared at the steadily burning honeycomb briquettes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

Others only see that it's useful for heating.

She saw through the immense value hidden behind it at a glance.

This is more than just winter supplies!

This is a continuous stream of wealth!

It is simple to make, the raw materials are readily available, and the cost is extremely low.

Its heat resistance far exceeds that of firewood, and it is clean and convenient to use.

Once large-scale factories are built and mass production begins, every household in the city will need to use it.

For heating in winter and cooking on weekdays, these are essential daily necessities that are consumed continuously.

If we promote it to other places, it will surely become popular throughout the North.

This is simply a money-making machine that never stops!

It can both solve the deadlock in people's livelihood and support the finances of the royal family!

Li Wanqing was shocked, and she finally saw the terrifying potential of honeycomb briquettes.

Chu Yun scanned the astonished expressions on everyone's faces and said loudly.

"You see it now."

"The biggest advantages of honeycomb briquettes are that they are cheap, burn for a long time, and are easy to use."

"The raw material is raw coal, which is abundant in the mountains, so there is almost no cost."

"A small amount of loess and manual labor are all it takes to mass-produce them."

"The cost is extremely low, and ordinary poor people can afford to buy and use it."

"Compared to firewood, the advantages are overwhelming."

"It burns for several times longer than the same weight of dry firewood."

"Less smoke, cleaner, safer, and easier to store."

"As long as we start construction immediately."

"On one hand, we organized manpower to carry out large-scale mining of the Heiyushan open-pit coal mine."

"We are building honeycomb briquette workshops to produce briquettes in large quantities."

"Stock up on enough honeycomb briquettes before the harsh winter arrives completely."

"The winter heating crisis for the millions of people in Northern Liang has been completely resolved this year."

"From now on, Beiliang will no longer have to worry about firewood."

"People have no worries about heating, cooking, or the cold winter."

After hearing these words...

Su Zhe and the other three were completely convinced.

Seeing the honeycomb briquettes burning steadily in the stove, no one doubted it anymore.

They clearly saw the practical and social value of this thing.

The four bowed in unison, their expressions excited.

"Understood!"

"Immediately and fully advance mining and coal production!"