Chapter 1233 Mining

Ten days later.

Bai Feng had already selected a group of craftsmen from the workshops of Yizhou officials and gentry.

There were a total of thirty craftsmen in this group.

Like Wang Kuang and Li Rufeng, there were many Yizhou officials who wanted to have a good relationship with Bai Feng.

If Bai Feng had not selected only one craftsman from each Yizhou official or gentry workshop.

Then it would not be impossible to double the number of craftsmen who would return to Hanzhong with Bai Feng on the basis of thirty.

For Bai Feng, sufficient manpower was as important as ensuring that the manufacturing methods and processes of steam engines and steam locomotives in the R&D center were not leaked.

While Bai Feng was selecting craftsmen, Xiahou Dun also mobilized a group of craftsmen from the Yizhou General Works Supervisor.

There were a total of fifty craftsmen.

There were only a little over two hundred craftsmen in the entire Yizhou General Works Supervisor, and Xiahou Dun mobilized a quarter of the craftsmen to Bai Feng at one time.

After learning that Bai Feng had selected craftsmen from the workshops of Yizhou officials and gentry, Xiahou Dun held a banquet at his mansion again.

"Hanzhong Hou, are these fifty craftsmen enough?"

During the banquet, Xiahou Dun told Bai Feng the number of craftsmen from the General Works Department who were going to be transferred to Hanzhong, and asked Bai Feng.

"Hahaha, the general is really generous!"

"Fifty craftsmen are enough, which has exceeded my expectations."

"In addition to the craftsmen provided to me by Yizhou officials and gentry, there are a total of eighty craftsmen this time!"

Bai Feng said happily to Xiahou Dun.

"After returning to Hanzhong this time, I will arrange for these craftsmen to participate in the manufacture of steam engines."

"The steam engine will definitely be manufactured in one month at the latest!"

Then Bai Feng smiled at Xiahou Dun again.

Xiahou Dun was also very happy to hear this.

He was worried that Bai Feng's craftsmen were insufficient, so he transferred a quarter of the craftsmen from the General Works Department.

Of course, most of the fifty craftsmen who were transferred did not participate in the manufacture of armor, swords and arrows.

As long as they waited for about a month, the improved looms could be used in the Xiahou family's workshop.

Xiahou Dun remembered that Bai Feng had said that the efficiency of using steam engines as looms would be at least 30% higher than that of water-powered looms!

For Xiahou Dun, this brought a lot of benefits to the entire Xiahou family.

"That's great, hahaha!"

Xiahou Dun smiled at Bai Feng.

"When the first batch of steam engines are manufactured, I will send someone to the general's mansion as soon as possible!"

Bai Feng once again gave Xiahou Dun a reassurance.

For Bai Feng, selling steam engines is also equivalent to speeding up the mining and use of coal.

After all, if steam engines only use wood as fuel, the efficiency is too low.

So Bai Feng not only wants to sell steam engines to Xiahou Dun, but also to the officials and nobles of Yizhou, and give them a batch of coal.

When these Yizhou nobles and officials who use steam engines as new power for looms find that coal is the best fuel for steam engines, they will naturally think of ways to start coal exploration and mining in Yizhou.

This can also save Bai Feng a lot of manpower and material resources.

Compared with Hanzhong, Yizhou's mineral resources are definitely richer.

It is also easier to explore and mine coal.

In addition, the officials and nobles of Yizhou will definitely pay more attention to the exploration and mining of coal for the profits of their own workshops.

In this way, after Bai Feng made the steam locomotive, the fuel problem was half solved.

And Bai Feng didn't have to worry about the nobles and officials of Yizhou selling him coal at a high price.

Because the more cloth these loom workshops that use steam engines as power produce, the more difficult it is for Yizhou alone to digest.

A large amount of cloth must be transported to other states and counties for sale.

At this time, the train in Bai Feng's hand once again became a hot commodity in the eyes of these Yizhou officials and nobles who were eager to sell cloth.

Xiahou Dun was even happier when he saw Bai Feng's promise to him again.

"General, after this steam engine is manufactured, it is best to use coal to provide fuel for the steam engine!"

Bai Feng now began to explain the wonderful use of coal to Xiahou Dun.

After all, mining can only be carried out with the leadership of Xiahou Dun, the governor of Yizhou.

Because it is related to the taxation of the entire Yizhou.

"Coal?"

Xiahou Dun was stunned when he heard this.

Why doesn't this steam engine use wood to boil water?

Curious Xiahou Dun asked Bai Feng.

"Yes, it uses coal, which is also known as stone coal and black gold stone!"

Bai Feng nodded to Xiahou Dun when he heard this.

Coal was indeed used in the Han Dynasty, but the scale was always small.

Coal was not mined and used on a large scale until the Song Dynasty.

"Why does this steam engine use coal? Can't charcoal and firewood be used?"

Xiahou Dun couldn't help but ask Bai Feng.

Yizhou doesn't have any coal mines now. If Xiahou Dun wants to use coal as fuel for steam engines, he has to use manpower to mine.

In Xiahou Dun's opinion, it is more convenient to use charcoal and firewood.

"General, you don't know that if one or two steam engines use charcoal and firewood, there will be no problem."

"But what if there are dozens or even hundreds of steam engines?"

"How much charcoal and firewood are consumed every day?"

Bai Feng certainly knew Xiahou Dun's question, so he began to guide Xiahou Dun.

After hearing Bai Feng's question, Xiahou Dun also began to think in his mind.

Although Xiahou Dun has not seen a real steam engine yet, he can understand from Bai Feng's previous description that if this steam engine is running, it can run day and night.

That is to say, the steam engine must be provided with fuel all the time.

The cost of charcoal and firewood is very high.

You know, in ancient times, there have always been woodcutters who made a living by cutting wood.

Fuel has never been so easy to obtain from ancient times to the present.

"Hanzhong Hou, what is the wonderful use of this coal, please tell me in detail!"

After calculating in his mind, Xiahou Dun has begun to be interested in Bai Feng's proposal to use coal as fuel for steam engines.

Seeing that Xiahou Dun had caught up with his pace, Bai Feng continued to smile at Xiahou Dun:

"General, you don't know."

"When I first made the steam engine, I also wanted to use charcoal or firewood."

"But charcoal and firewood burn too fast, and the firepower is not easy to control, and someone has to keep adding firewood to the steam engine."

Bai Feng began to make up some reasons to get Xiahou Dun to help him explore and mine coal in Yizhou.