Iron Dynasty

His Royal Highness, the merchant ship of the King of Chu has arrived, and it is said that it brought cotton seeds, but...

But it's okay to hand over the artillery to them?

It seems that Your Highness has seen everything. Pang Yukun smiled.

Xiao Ming is writing a textbook on training the flintlock army.

Yesterday, he went around the lathe workshop, the military workshop, the equipment department, and the gunpowder workshop in a row, and he issued all his requirements.

Whether it is a bayonet, a clear strip, or oil-paper-wrapped ammunition, these three things are things that have no technical content.

The bayonet is just a cylindrical shape at the bottom, and the strip is nothing more than an iron rod. It is easier to wrap the bullets in oil paper, just use oil paper to mix the bullets and gunpowder in advance.

What is lacking is not technology, but an idea, or experience.

And the flintlock guns are about to be installed, Xiao Ming naturally has to consider the construction of modern military academies. Entering the age of firearms, the war will be normalized, and the battle will no longer be the three-pointed axe before.

It is because of this that he wrote textbooks and prepared to teach war to the generals of the Qingzhou Army.

Putting down the brush, Xiao Ming walked out of the main hall. Now he has taken off his thick winter padded jacket and walked lightly.

As he walked outside the palace, Xiao Ming said: Li Kaiyuan can transport cotton so smoothly, do you think it's the King of Chu who is so kind? This time it's just an exchange of interests. He wants artillery, and I want cotton.

That's it, King Wei should be upset again. It is said that King Wei complained a lot about His Highness in Jinling City.

I don't care about him. The King of Wei has always been at odds with the King of Chu. We sold the artillery to the King of Chu, and he is naturally unhappy. In this case, we don't need to participate in the conflicts between the various kings. On the contrary, use Their contradictions are both right and left. Selling arms is the right way.

After analyzing the situation in the Great Yu Kingdom, Xiao Ming decided to adopt the isolationist diplomacy of the United States during World War II.

Not participating in any battles between forces, just making a fortune in silence.

After all, the current internal discord in the Great Yu Kingdom cannot be reconciled, and the various vassal kings are suspicious of each other. In this case, it is safer for the fisherman to benefit.

Your Highness's words are not bad. King Wei is not happy, so I will buy some artillery pieces and go back. Wouldn't it be enough if there are more? Pang Yukun said.

That's right, so selling artillery to the King of Chu is also to stimulate the King of Wei to buy more artillery.

The two of them talked all the way to the wharf, and Xiao Ming sent someone to the military workshop at the same time to send the thirty artillery pieces made to the fleet of the King of Chu, and at the same time unload the cotton seeds.

At first Li Kaiyuan went to Chu, and the King of Chu naturally refused to give the cotton seeds to Xiao Ming at first.

Later, King Wei's artillery was in place. In order to show off his force, King Wei set off fireworks like fireworks at the Yangtze River. This incident seriously stimulated the King of Chu.

In Qingzhou, Xiao Ming kept pressing the artillery for Chu Di.

There is no cotton seed, Xiao Ming can wait. After all, the King of Chu can't stop the cotton sellers, and the textile workshop can still support it.

Boarded the merchant ship and inspected the cotton on board.

At this time, the messenger of the King of Chu who came with the cotton seeds said: Your Highness, the King of Chu has an order, and you can't see the artillery. This cotton cannot be handed over to Your Highness. If Your Highness uses force, I will have to burn the cotton seeds.

Xiao Ming and Pang Yukun looked at each other, this messenger was a little timid, he smiled and said, This king has always kept his word, how could he covet these three shipments of cotton seeds, but the king of Chu chose to send cotton seeds this month with ulterior motives.

The envoy of the King of Chu was embarrassed when he heard the words.

He naturally understood Xiao Ming's meaning. March was the time to plant cotton, and now it is naturally threatening.

Because once Xiao Ming fails to fulfill his promise, the delay will take another year before cotton can be planted.

After waiting at the dock for an hour, the military workshop brought the artillery there.

The envoys of the King of Chu checked the artillery and ammunition, and only then did the people agree to get on the boat and carry the cotton seeds down.

Xiao Ming personally came to pick up cotton seeds this time because he attached great importance to cotton as a crop. After all, cotton can produce many industrial products, and this clothes is just one of them. There is also a great demand for cotton in medicine.

If cotton is successfully planted in Qingzhou this time, Qingzhou will not have to worry about the source of cotton in the future, and will no longer be constrained by the king of Chu, which will affect the development of Qingzhou's textile industry.

This time, the cotton sent by the King of Chu was sent directly to Guanzhuang by Xiao Ming. It was the spring ploughing season again, and the Qingzhou Army once again played the role of farmers.

Now that all the land in Guanzhuang has been cultivated, the next step is to scatter the cotton seeds.

Your Highness, do you really want to grow cotton?

On the ridge of Guanzhuang, Niu Ben asked behind Xiao Ming.

As soon as the cotton was delivered to Guanzhuang, Niu Ben brought the soldiers over.

Although Xiao Ming had already greeted him, Niu Ben was still a little hesitant, because in his opinion, food was the most important thing.

Now the grain production in the six states has recovered somewhat. Last year, there was a lot of surplus, but now it is impossible to say that there will be turmoil caused by the barbarians again.

Not enough rations at that time was a terrible thing.

Old General, you don't have to worry about this. There is not much food in Qingzhou now, but King Wei, King Chu, and King Yan have more food. This time, taking advantage of the artillery trade, this king bought a lot of food from them to store up. already.

Niu Ben heard the words, this time with a light sigh.

He had a strong idea of ​​valuing agriculture and suppressing commerce. Because he commanded the army to fight all the year round, he naturally knew the sorrow when the front line ran out of food.

Therefore, food is more important to him than anything else.

He actually disagreed with Xiao Ming's current practice of placing equal emphasis on businessmen and farmers. It's just that an army general only needs to be responsible for fighting and training the army. These political propositions are not for him to mention.

Now that Xiao Ming brought the cotton seeds, he couldn't hold back, but he asked casually.

Knowing that in order to make up for the harvest of the official village, Xiao Ming bought food from other places, he finally felt at ease, at least Xiao Ming has not lost his head yet.

The cotton seeds were distributed one by one, and the soldiers picked up the seeds and sprinkled them on the fields of Guanzhuang.

In addition to the Guanzhuang owned by Qingzhou, Xiao Ming and Pang Yukun also established several slave plantations this year.

None of these plantations will grow staple crops this year, either cotton or sugar cane and rapeseed.

Although soaps, perfumes, and mirrors can make huge profits for a while, ordinary sugar, vegetable oil, and clothes are the things that the powerful and the common people need.

Capturing this market will yield lasting profits.

It is for this reason that Xiao Ming boldly opened up plantations. In his plan, Qingzhou is based on bulk commodity trade. While self-sufficient in food, he will also adopt a strategy of purchasing and storing large quantities of food.

Since last year, various states have started to build concrete granaries. Xiao Ming's goal is to store enough food for the people of Qingzhou for three years.

This goal is not enough just to rely on the grain harvest in the fief.