Nanjing City, Jiangdong Association Hall.

The great gentry of Jiangnan, Wang Feng, the former Hongguang Dynasty minister, and Zhao Zhilong and others gathered in the room, and Cheng Bi, the head of the Jiangdong Chamber of Commerce, was also among them.

"Cheng Huizhu, what did you react after the regent left Songjiang last time?" Wang Feng asked.

Cheng Bi said: "This is what I should ask Mr. Zhao, I am not in Nanjing recently."

Wang Feng said: "Yes, the Regent suddenly took back the fief of Han State and wanted to take back the shares of Huaxing Silver. The leader must have a lot of things to deal with!"

Zhao Zhilong smiled and said, "After the Regent returned to Nanjing, the Ministry of Revenue released news that he wanted to set up a company and develop the Huainan Mining Veins. However, few people bought shares."

Zhao Zhilong was a former Nanjing governor. He recommended Nanjing to surrender to the Qing Dynasty and proudly preserved his family business.

After the Qing army advanced south, it cleaned up the gentry in Jiangnan. Many gentry who were interested in the Ming Dynasty had their families destroyed and their property was plundered by the Qing army. Many gentry who defected to Zhao Zhilong and Wang Feng like this, had their property preserved and even increased.

After the Ming army recovered Jiangnan, among this group of people, because of political stains, a small number of people like Qian Qianyi were able to become new officials, and their original titles were also deprived.

However, although they could not be an official, these people took advantage of the Han Dynasty's emphasis on industry and commerce and vigorously opened up the sea to engage in business. With their wealth, they achieved exponential growth in wealth.

As we all know, opening workshops, recruiting workers, and handling relationships requires a lot of money.

These people saved their family resources while the Qing army went south, so their capital was naturally stronger than others and easier to succeed.

At this time, these people's industries were spread all over the south of the Yangtze River. In order to obtain the protection of the government, they also took the lead in the industry of Han, invested in Huaxing Company, participated in silk weaving and maritime trade, and bound themselves to the Han.

Wang Duo smiled when he heard the words: "It's good to let the Regent know that the Regent can enter Nanjing, in addition to the contributions of the Han army soldiers, it is also inseparable from our support!"

At this time, Cheng Bi said with a calm face: "The Regent is indeed a little lacking in consideration this time, but we cannot embarrass the Regent. After the Regent realizes that we need our support, the Chamber of Commerce still needs to support the Regent. If you lose money, just treat it as a donation!"

Wang Duo and others smiled and nodded, "Then wait for the Regent and call me to wait!"

...

The work workshop in Nanjing City is located north of Taiping Gate and is adjacent to the university.

At this time, in the workshop, Regent Zhao Ming and many craftsmen from the Ministry of Works gathered in a yard, surrounding a set of blowing equipment for iron smelting in the Han Dynasty.

Zhao Ming looked at it and couldn't help but secretly talk, "You even made the blast furnace!"

Chen Yujie said: "After listening to Your Highness's request, I simply did it all!"

Zhao Ming said a lot to describe what he needed to Chen Yujie, but Chen Yujie was confused and didn't understand what Zhao Ming really needed, so he simply restored the whole set of things.

Zhao Ming observed carefully for a moment. He had heard that ancient blowers might evolve towards steam engines, but he didn't know what the blowers looked like.

At this time, watching Zhao Ming around and an official from the Ministry of Works immediately introduced: "Regist, this is the hydraulic blower made by Du Shi, the prefect of Nanyang, according to the ancient secretary, who imitated the hydraulic blower made by Du Shi, the prefect of Nanyang in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and was used for iron smelting."

Zhao Ming nodded, Chen Yujie immediately introduced: "Regent, this is Song Yingxing, the regent minister, and the Song Langzhong!"

Zhao Ming's eyes lit up when he heard the words. He thought he was just an ordinary official, but he didn't expect it to be Song Yingxing. Zhao Ming didn't care about looking at the set of hydraulic blowers. Suddenly, he became enthusiastic and came to kill him. He blamed Chen Yujie and said, "Chang Geng is here, why didn't you tell the Lone King earlier?"

Song Yingxing's courtesy name was Changgeng, and was a newcomer to Fengxin, Jiangxi, and a famous scientist in the Ming Dynasty. "The Creation of Things in Heaven" is his work.

Zhao Ming once visited Song Yingxing and invited him to become an official in Han Dynasty, but he failed several times.

First, there was a war in Jiangxi and it was difficult to find anyone. Second, after finding it, Song Yingxing refused to become an official. It was not until not long ago that Chen Yujie sent someone to persuade him and came to Nanjing to serve.

Previously, Song Yingxing was a fifth-rank magistrate, so he was appointed as the doctor of the fifth-rank rank dysfunction department.

Because Zhao Ming has been in a complicated situation in recent days, he did not notice that Song Yingxing had joined the company, otherwise he would have to chat with him.

Song Yingxing was held by Zhao Ming, but for a moment he was at a loss. He couldn't understand it at all. However, after one encounter, why the Regent was so enthusiastic about him made him particularly unnatural and just wanted to stay away from this man.

"Your Highness, this hydraulic blower uses the water flow to rotate the water wheel, and then drives the crankshaft and connecting rod through the rotation of the water wheel, thereby pulling the bellows back and forth to blow the blast furnace and increase the furnace temperature!" Song Yingxing could only change Zhao Ming's attention.

After hearing what he said, Zhao Ming also understood.

The steam engine is a steam-driven cylinder to perform a linear piston movement, and then the linear movement is converted into circular motion through the crankshaft and connecting rod. The blower of the Taihan Dynasty transformed the circular motion of the water wheel into linear motion, which was exactly the opposite process.

As for the bellows, from the skin of the Warring States Period to the Song Dynasty, there were already accordion wooden fans similar to automatic valves, and to the late Ming Dynasty, piston blowers had appeared.

At this moment, Zhao Ming didn't care about Song Yingxing's intimacy. After walking over and looking carefully, he asked in a deep voice: "Law Song, you watch the water flow, drive the water wheel, and make circular movements, and then use the crankshaft and connecting rod to pull the bellows in a straight line, thereby heating the blast furnace. Can the whole process in turn use the hot air generated by coal combustion to push the blower, make linear reciprocating movements, and then use the crankshaft and connecting rod to convert it into circular movements!"

Song Yingxing was stunned for a moment and murmured: "Otherwise?"

Seeing this, Zhao Ming knew it was time to show off his erudition.

Zhao Ming immediately ordered: "Get a stove and then carry the pot of water!"

Chen Yujie hurriedly ordered someone to do it, but soon after, the stove and kettle were brought in.

Zhao Ming took advantage of the time of boiling water and talked with Song Yingxing for a while. After a while, the lid of the kettle blocked the spout was steamed and pushed up and fell.

Zhao Ming pointed and said, "Can you use this kind of steam to activate the bellows and perform straight-line reciprocating movements?"

Song Yingxing was silent for a while, "I have noticed this phenomenon before, but I have said frankly that even if it is made, it will cost too much coal and firewood and have no effect. It is better to borrow water power, which will continue to be continuous and without any money!"

Zhao Ming said: "Chang Geng, you just need to say whether it can be done?"

Song Yingxing said: "I will try my best!"
Chapter completed!