The next morning, Changsun Wuji's carriage drove slowly to the construction site by the Bahe River.
As I walked along, I saw that it was freezing cold and there were very few people on the official road. Most of the people walking on this road at this time were related to the construction site.
"There are so many cars and horses coming and going, they seem to be transporting wood? Is Xiao Rui building a workshop? So much wood is used? I remember that when the Ministry of Industry approved it last year, enough construction materials were already provided."
With doubts, Changsun Wuji's carriage stopped outside the construction site, got out of the car and walked into the construction site. No one was informed. He wanted to see what was going on at this construction site.
The unfinished half of the construction site is indeed building houses, but there are not many manpower. This kind of progress, let alone half a year, is estimated to take a year, right?
While walking and watching, Changsun Wuji came to the other half. The site where the house had been built was bustling with people coming and going. The sound of craftsmen playing, the intensive sound of sawing wood, the sound of chopping and planing, the clanking of iron... The dozens of acres of venue seemed to be more lively than the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival in Qujiang Pool these days.
Walking next to one of the craftsmen, Changsun Wuji humbly asked for advice: "Master, what are you doing? It doesn't look like beams for building a house."
The man was about fifty years old, with gray hair and a face full of vicissitudes of life, and his whole body was messy and scrawled. Such an old man was originally living a scruffy life in Hebei, but now at this construction site, he seems to have regained his vitality. , his eyes are full of excitement and passion.
If it weren't for his old age and his body aching after working for a while, no one would believe that he was an old man.
The items being made at this construction site must be kept confidential. When the old craftsman saw that he was a stranger, he was very wary and said, "Sir, are you from outside? If anything happens, please go to the chief engineer's building over there to find the chief engineer."
Sensing the other party's wariness, Changsun Wuji said gently: "I am sent by the imperial court to contact you for pig iron. Mr. Xiao has written to ask for pig iron, and I will contact him. As you know, pig iron is strictly controlled by the imperial court, so we need to know whether it is suitable for use. Regulations? If you don’t comply with the regulations, it will not be good for Mr. Xiao.”
As soon as he heard that it was not good for Xiao Rui, the old craftsman became nervous, confused for a moment, and quickly explained: "It's legal. The imperial court stipulates that the private trade of pig iron can only be agricultural tools or cooking utensils. What we make are agricultural tools. Mr. Xiao said to work harder and make sure we catch up with the spring plowing."
"Farming tools?" Changsun Wuji also knew the sufferings of the people, but looking left and right, he couldn't see what kind of farming tool this bent wooden piece was?
"Master, may I ask what kind of farm tool this is? I am so ignorant that I don't recognize it."
Upon hearing this, the old craftsman dropped his work and said with a cold face: "If you want to know what it is, come with me. I will take you to find the chief engineer."
Hiss...what a vigilant veteran. Changsun Wuji regretted a little. If he had known this, he should have found someone younger to fool him.
But when I looked up, I saw that they were all old, weak, sick and disabled. How many of them had retired at a young age?
The old craftsman insisted on taking Changsun Wuji and his entourage away, and the two of them had no choice but to follow. Judging from their posture, if they did not cooperate, they would immediately be regarded as spies spying for information.
"Hey, Uncle Guo? Why are you here free? I'm not here to welcome you. Please come quickly." Xiao Rui happened to walk out of the main engineering building and bumped into him head-on.
"Master Xiao, these two people asked all kinds of questions when they came up. I thought they were spies with evil intentions..."
Xiao Rui smiled and said: "I misunderstood Master Wang. These two are not spies. They are uncles from the country and adults from the Ministry of Industry. They are both our big benefactors and are our own people. But you did the right thing. You must always maintain your integrity." Be careful, if spies from other countries sneak in, it will be bad."
"Okay, let the old man continue his work."
The accompanying officials from the Ministry of Industry thought to themselves, what an arrogant old man, knowing the identity of Uncle Guo, why he didn’t even say hello?
But he doesn't know that the men, women, and children at this construction site all rely on Xiao Rui's kindness to provide food for them, so Xiao Rui has the final say here, and everyone only believes in him. No matter how big the others are, haha, what does it have to do with us? ?
Changsun Wuji went straight to the point and explained his purpose. Xiao Rui smiled bitterly and said: "Oh, if I had known that I couldn't hide this matter, it would be better to report it to His Majesty at the beginning. In fact, it's nothing. Xiaguan invented a new type of plow called Quyuan. Plows can greatly speed up farming efficiency. Even without large animals, three strong laborers can plow two acres of land in one day."
Hiss...two acres a day?
The two of them were as shocked as Li Xiaogong. This was twice as efficient as before.
"really?"
Xiao Rui said seriously: "Seriously, there are no jokes in the army!"
"Okay, that's the case, it doesn't matter if I give you the pig iron." Changsun Wuji gave up the idea of blackmailing Xiao Rui. He had some issues with Xiao Rui, but there was no difference between right and wrong.
Xiao Rui said regretfully: "Well, I originally wanted to surprise His Majesty, but now it seems that you can't give me the pig iron without telling the truth."
Changsun Wuji smiled and said, "The imperial court controls pig iron. This is a necessary inquiry. Don't blame His Majesty. Your Majesty intends to help you. We currently have insufficient pig iron production. If you ask for such a large share, it will affect this year's ordnance manufacturing." Repair. Before coming, His Majesty also said that if you can solve this problem, no matter why, I can also grant you pig iron."
"Oh? Seriously? If that's the case, it's really not difficult. Can Uncle Guo help me?" Xiao Rui smiled.
Changsun Wuji just mentioned it to help His Majesty make some remarks, but he didn't expect Xiao Rui to really dare to take up the challenge. Why, do you know how to make iron?
Understanding Xiao Rui's eyes, Changsun Wuji left the people from the Ministry of Industry behind and told him to keep it secret. Then Xiao Rui walked out, and the two of them walked to the bank of Bahe River.
Xiao Rui pointed to the frozen river and said: "The purpose of building this workshop on the bank of the Bahe River was to use this river in the future. Is Uncle Guo interested in playing a betting game with me?"
Changsun Wuji became interested, "It's interesting, let's talk about it."
"You supply the pig iron to me for production first, and I will borrow it from the imperial court. When the snow-capped mountains melt and the floods arrive, at most in June of this year, as long as your ore can keep up, I will return you twice the pig iron." Xiao Rui looked at it. Looking at the wide river surface, I seemed to see dozens of waterwheels working desperately.
After thinking for a moment, Changsun Wuji exclaimed: "According to ancient books, during the period of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, the craftsman Bi Lan invented a tool for drawing water from the river for irrigation. Later, it was transformed by Zhuge Kongming of the Three Kingdoms into the current waterwheel, which was widely used in Shu. For hundreds of years, I only heard that waterwheels were used for farmland irrigation or waterwheels for large ships.”
"I didn't expect that you could improve it and use it for craftsmen to smelt iron? Could it be that in addition to your medical skills, you are also a skilled craftsman?"
This time it was Xiao Rui's turn to be surprised, and couldn't help but give Changsun Wuji a thumbs up, "Uncle Guo is very knowledgeable, and I admire him from the younger generation. It's just a little trick, but I didn't expect you to see through it. In this way, the so-called bet should be regarded as I never mentioned it."
Changsun Wuji laughed and said: "No, I want to bet! Your Majesty originally wanted to increase the cost of pig iron materials by 10% to fill the national treasury. Now it seems that doubling the pig iron production seems to be more cost-effective. I make the decision to make a bet with you. Don't worry about the production, I will keep the plowing matter a secret for you."
Xiao Rui didn't expect this fat man to be so cute, so he bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, uncle."
On the way back, an official from the Ministry of Industry asked in confusion: "Uncle Guo, why do you want to help that Xiao Rui?"
Changsun Wuji glanced at this man and said with emotion: "Although I don't like this young man's arrogant and domineering style, I have to admit that he is a talent. He is dedicated to serving the court, producing plows to promote agriculture, and building workshops to start work. , and also solved the livelihood of so many retired veterans. If these big issues come to light and I hold him back for personal grudges, then how can I have the dignity to be the Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty?"
"At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, our main enemies were the Turks in the north. The shame of the Weishui River will not be washed away. Anyone who dares to ignore the national hatred and provoke internal fighting will be the enemy of the entire court!"
The official from the Ministry of Industry was obviously Changsun Wuji's confidant. After hearing these words, he fell to the ground in admiration.
"That eldest son..."
Changsun Wuji looked in the direction of Chang'an, thinking of his unsatisfactory son, and said helplessly: "Know your shame and then be brave. It's not a bad thing to suffer some losses. If Chong'er can be half as capable as Xiao Rui, he won't remember those things anymore. It’s unpleasant.”
