Chapter 683: Overarching Strategy, Cement! II (1/2)
Chapter 683: Overarching Strategy, Cement! (II)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”We've experimented and learned that a mix of around three parts lime and one part clay has the best effect. But even so, this one compared to the previous slurries is like a soldier who retreated fifty paces laughing at a soldier who retreated one hundred paces,” Zhao Jingdian said respectfully.
Wang Chong nodded. Zhao Jingdian and his group had managed to produce some results from their research in this period. That they could find out the best ratio of lime and clay was already rather decent. Wang Chong also felt that the correct recipe used proportions like this.
However, just this was clearly far from enough. Wang Chong needed a cement path that could endure the weight of dozens of people at a time, of several thousand jin. It was obvious that the slurry before him would not be able to do this.
Moreover, just like Zhao Jingdian had said, cement of this level could truly only be called 'slurry'. Something was evidently missing from the mix.
Wang Chong stood up and asked, ”Jingdian, have you gotten any of that thing that I mentioned before?”
”Is Young Master speaking of that 'lu ore'? A few days ago, as Young Master ordered, I sent people to a mountain near the Silk Road in the northwest and had them dig up the ore Young Master spoke of. But whether it is the 'lu ore' that Young Master spoke of still needs Young Master's confirmation. Someone, bring that ore over.”
Zhao Jingdian waved his hand, and a few guards quickly brought in a box of ore.
As he looked at the red-brown stones within, Wang Chong inwardly smiled. This world naturally didn't have anything like 'lu ore1'; it was just aluminum. But this world of martial arts only regarded metallic-looking ores with great importance.
As for 'aluminum ore', such a thing simply didn't exist to them.
”It should be this.”
Wang Chong nodded as he looked at the ore in the box. Aluminum itself was not red-brown and only gained the color when it was mixed with iron. However, it was still rather different from true aluminum.
The color did make it much easier to identify.
In the era of the Great Tang, there was still no concept of aluminum2. Just like Zhao Jingdian, many people mistook the word '铝' for '缕' and were left completely confused. But this was of great convenience to Wang Chong, as it meant that no one would compete with him over aluminum in this era.
As for why Wang Chong had tasked Zhao Jingdian with finding aluminum ore, it was very simple. Wang Chong recalled that by mixing aluminum powder into cement, the cement could be made much tougher.
If one said that cement formed from lime and clay was the most basic form of cement, cement with the addition of aluminum ore was of a much higher level, nearing the complete form of cement.
Bang!
With a light slap of his palm and a burst of Stellar Energy, Wang Chong immediately pulverized the ore in the box into an extremely fine powder that slowly began to seep through the chinks in the box.
”Young Master?!”
Wang Chong's move was far too unexpected. Even Zhao Jingdian was perplexed.
”Jingdian, call the masons over and have them mix the lime and clay in the ratio you described, three to one. After that, add in this lu ore powder. Oh, and pay attention to the amount of water you add. More water will result in a weaker product, so research the ideal amount of water to add.”
Patting off the aluminum ore powder from his hands, Wang Chong got up off the ground.
Now that he was beginning to look over his memories, Wang Chong was realizing that he had missed something. Besides lime and clay, the amount of water added was also important. This would affect the properties of the cement.
After all, even the best cement would immediately dissolve if thrown into the sea. What viscosity would it have to speak of?
The masons under Zhao Jingdian had clearly missed out on this factor as well.
”Yes, Young Master.”
A look of doubt flashed through Zhao Jingdian's eyes, but he still nodded. He would always follow Wang Chong's orders unconditionally.
The masons in the mine quickly began to work.
Wang Chong had more boxes of aluminum ore brought over and similarly smashed them into powder. He remained in the mine, personally supervising the process as the masons split up to work on separate piles and began to mix in aluminum ore powder and water in differing quantities.
The mixing and stirring required quite some time, and after all that, forty to fifty piles of 'slurry', each using a different ratio, were finished mixing in the mine. But the crucial part was the hardening.
This required no small amount of time, and the only thing one could do was wait.
Wang Chong appeared very patient, quietly standing in the mine as he waited. Wang Chong regarded this cement with just as much importance as the city of steel, or perhaps even more, as this was something that could alter the fate of the empire.
One hour later…
One of the cement masons in front of Wang Chong deferentially said, ”Young Master, it's about time!”
”Mm.”
Wang Chong nodded and gestured to a worker. The worker understood and walked over to the first pile of hardened slurry. Snatching at it, he immediately became excited and turned his head.
”I can't believe it! Young Master, good news! After adding this lu ore powder, this slurry is several times harder!”
The worker was shaking in excitement.