The Ordnance Institute, responsible for the manufacture of weapons and the formulation of weapons regulations, was established in the early Southern Song Dynasty. Affiliated to the Ministry of Industry, it is under the supervision of promotion officers, promotion officers, and manufacturing supervision officers, and is responsible for recruiting workers and gathering materials to manufacture military and armor equipment. Also known as "Imperial Armory Institute" and "Tiju Manufacturing Armory Institute".
The Ordnance Institute was originally subordinate to the inner government, and eunuchs served as the point officers of the Ordnance Institute. Shaoxing returned to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry in the fifth year, and later returned to the inner government. In the 30th year of Shaoxing, it was again under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry. From then on, it remained unchanged until the Jiading period of Zhao Kuo.
The Institute of Military Weapons has a transcendent status, with more than 5,000 craftsmen. The weapons produced by the Ordnance Institute are the most sophisticated in the Song Dynasty, and the quantity is huge, which is the guarantee for the weapons of the armies of the Song Dynasty.
"Your Highness!"
Seeing Zhao Hong coming in, all the officials greeted him with great respect.
Everyone knew that this future official of the Song Dynasty was talented and had a strong personality. He would not even give the powerful Prime Minister Shi Miyuan face, and he was strong-willed and admirable.
The advising officer was the director of the Ordnance Institute, and the imperial court asked the prince Zhao Hong to hold the post concurrently. The officials of the Ordnance Institute were naturally very diligent.
In the future, when Zhao Hong comes to power, perhaps one of them, the "old people" of the Ordnance Institute, will achieve enlightenment, and chickens and dogs will ascend to heaven.
"Your Majesty Du Fan, I have met His Highness!"
A forty-year-old official came forward to pay homage. He was well-dressed and had a neat face. He seemed to be well-educated and lived a very regular life.
"You are Du Fan, the superintendent of the Ordnance Supervisor. Please accompany me around."
The Ordnance Supervision was the weapons manufacturing department in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the late Southern Song Dynasty, weapons manufacturing and other tasks were mainly assigned to the Ordnance Institute of the Ministry of Industry. The affairs of the Ordnance Supervision were sparse and became a place for talent storage.
"Your Highness, please!"
Du Fan, together with another Ordnance Institute point officer, led a group of Ordnance Institute officials, cheering in front and behind, to start patrolling.
It was indeed an important weapon of the country. When it came to the warehouse, weapons, flags, military tents, paint, leather, tendons and other items were piled up like mountains, which made Zhao Hong amazed.
If he had any regrets, it was that he didn't seem to see many "big killers" that were enough to make him excited.
"How far can this kind of walking bow shoot?"
Zhao Hong picked up a stiff bow and asked curiously.
"Your Highness, if you are a good archer in the army, you can shoot a hundred steps with one stone and two stones. If you use a crossbow, it is relatively easy. You can shoot four stones with one hundred steps. For most archers, they can only shoot Forty or fifty steps, the best killing range is thirty or forty steps."
The accompanying craftsmen quickly explained.
"I heard that among the Tatar army, their archers can shoot up to two hundred paces. Can we make such a horned bow?"
Zhao Hong continued to ask.
"Your Highness, you must have just heard that. Besides, Tatar is far away from me in the Song Dynasty. Where did you hear these things? Our feud in the Song Dynasty is the Jin Kingdom in the north. What does it have to do with the Tatars? Your Highness Isn’t this unfounded worry?”
Du Fan laughed softly.
"Practice is the only criterion for testing truth. Just because you haven't seen it, it doesn't mean that others haven't. This is what a wise man does. Be prepared for danger in times of peace and take precautions. Sitting in a well and looking at the sky, blindly arrogant, will only make empty talk, and you will eventually be slapped in the face by reality."
Zhao Hong glanced at Du Fan dissatisfied, and then turned to the craftsman.
"Master, if you want to make a horn bow with a longer range, is it possible?"
Du Fan's face turned red, but fortunately, he didn't retaliate immediately.
"Your Highness, this villain needs to go back and think about it carefully. However, if there is a real thing, there is a high probability that it can be made."
The craftsman did not dare to reply to Zhao Hong easily without trying it.
Zhao Hong nodded. Some things cannot be rushed.
In the workshop, the sound of "ding-ding-ding-ding-ding" is constant, and many craftsmen are sweating profusely, forging weapons.
Picking up the weapon and looking at it carefully, Zhao Hong frowned slightly as he examined the iron ingot in front of him.
The surface of the iron ingots is rough, and some have tiny honeycomb shapes, which is completely different from the flat and smooth surface of cast iron in later generations.
The accompanying officials were all cautious, for fear of soiling their satin boots and official uniforms. Only a few young officials followed Zhao Hong without hesitation.
"Is there an iron smelting furnace in the armory?"
Zhao Hong looked at Du Fan.
"Your Highness, the iron smelting furnace includes the fan, the watcher, the ore operator, the smelter, the hook sand maker, and the iron smelter. When smelting, the stench is high, and the roads in the city are dirty. There are many complaints from the people. Lin'an The city is endless, with many palaces and countless houses, so there are only furnaces for smelting iron, not furnaces for smelting iron.”
Du Fan was understatement again. In his words, it seemed that there used to be an iron smelting furnace in the city, but it was later abolished.
"Does any of you know if there is an iron smelting furnace there?"
While Zhao Hong was asking, his mind was spinning rapidly, trying to find out from his memory where there were iron ores in Hangzhou.
Where there are iron ores, there should be facilities for mining and smelting iron.
"Your Highness, most of our iron mines are in Jiangxi, Fujian, and Sichuan. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find iron smelting land near Lin'an City!"
Du Fan shook his head, looking disapproving.
It is really beneath the dignity of a high-ranking prince to come to this dirty place and ask such lowly questions.
These matters should be left to the officials below. The prince should pay attention to world affairs.
"You talk too much. Just tell me, apart from Lin'an City, where else can iron be smelted in the mountains and rivers of the nearby prefectures and counties?"
Zhao Hong frowned and asked directly.
"Your Highness, you are too... rude!"
Du Fan's face turned red, he turned his head and snorted while puffing his sleeves.
Judging from his appearance, he didn't seem to want to answer Zhao Hong's question.
"You, the eunuch, are so clean and dignified. It's so easy to do your job. If you're not in your position, you don't want to do it. You are in your position, and you don't want to do it! You have thousands of dollars a year. Salary, you, and you, don’t you feel guilty?”
Zhao Hong also snorted coldly, not politely.
They are high-minded but low-handed, talk a lot, and know nothing about economic matters. These are the scholar-bureaucrats who have broad robes and long sleeves.
With the disgrace of Jingkang, the Song Dynasty moved southward, and the four major iron smelting areas in the Northern Song Dynasty, Xuzhou Liguojian, Yanzhou Laiwujian, Xingzhou Qicun Smelting, and Cizhou Guzhen Smelting, are all under the rule of the Jin people. The iron output in the Southern Song Dynasty was only 20 to 30% of that in the Northern Song Dynasty. This may also be a main reason that restricted the Northern Expedition in the Southern Song Dynasty.
"You... are simply unreasonable!"
Du Fan blushed and was about to leave, but was quickly stopped by the official next to him.
"You are the one who makes no sense!"
Zhao Hong looked at Du Fan with anger.
"You don't know anything when you ask three questions, but you still talk cleverly. You are not familiar with official affairs, so I can't tell you anything. Where did you get such great official authority? Everything is done by the craftsmen and officials below, what use are you? Are you just a decoration?"
These officials who are mediocre, lazy and inactive are no less harmful than corrupt officials.
"And you guys, your boots are clean. I walked half a circle around the warehouse, and my boots were all dirty, which shows how diligent you are. The people work hard all year round, but their income is only sixty or seventy dollars. You guys are so relaxed and comfortable!”
Hearing Zhao Hong's cynicism, all the officials looked at each other, and no one dared to say a word.
"Your Highness, our dynasty founded the country based on Confucianism, and the dynasty treated the scholar-bureaucrats favorably because of the national law. Your Highness, this is the family law of our ancestors, and it is also the basis of our dynasty's national policy and the foundation of the country. Your Highness, don't be too picky."
It was Du Fan again, blushing and speaking angrily.
"The imperial court treats scholar-bureaucrats well because they are here to do the work. They are not raising a bunch of losers and still being able to justify themselves without doing anything. Officials like you are useless and are really shameless!"
Zhao Hong was so angry that he became furious unknowingly.
This official talks eloquently and is eloquent. What is the use of the court in raising such people? No wonder the common people want to curse!
"Your Highness, I have something to say."
The young official next to him saw that Zhao Hong was blushing, and he was holding his neck as he stepped forward. He might have started a fight, so he quickly intervened.
It is said that the Duke of Ji Guo was a man of defiance against heaven and earth, and was famous for his donkey temper. When I saw him today, it turned out that what he said was true.
As soon as they met, he offended many officials of the Ordnance Institute. He was extremely fierce and awe-inspiring.
"Don't hesitate, just say what you have to say!"
Zhao Hong glanced at Du Fan, whose face was red, and turned to face the young green-robed official.
I can't help this Du Fan, but I also feel disgusted with him.
However, this green-robed official has thick eyebrows and big eyes, a straight body, young and tough, and a bit childish, exuding a youthful spirit.
Young people always seem to have unlimited hope.
"Your Highness, Xue Tan, the supervisor of the Ordnance Department, is my father. Xue Suiguang, the prefect of Pingjiang Prefecture, is my father. Xue Ji and Xue Xianggong are my grandfather."
Xue Tan looked at Du Fan and stepped forward to worship him.
His grandfather Xue Ji was Shi Miyuan's right-hand man, and the advantages and disadvantages involved were self-evident.
"Why are you talking so much? Just say what you have to say and get to the point!"
The grandson of Xue Ji, who was involved in political affairs, was indeed an official with grace, and he was a descendant of officials everywhere. This may be one of the reasons for "redundant officials".
"Your Highness, as far as I know, there is an iron smelting furnace owned by local people in Kuaiji Mountain, Shaoxing Prefecture, which specializes in smelting iron. I wonder if it can meet the needs of Your Highness?"
Xue Tan quickly introduced it to Zhao Hong.
When we meet and greet each other, don’t we always introduce ourselves? This prince is really stunned!
Shaoxing Prefecture? Kuaiji Mountain?
Zhao Hong nodded.
During the Song Dynasty, the iron smelting industry was privately owned. Wealthy owners owned one or even several iron smelting furnaces and hired a large number of servants to engage in production. Large-scale iron smelting factories were common, with specialized craftsmen and craftsmen from mining to smelting. Skilled workers who can skillfully carry out iron smelting production.
"Professor Xue, come and lead the way. Let's go to Kuaiji Mountain together!"
Zhao Hong made a decision immediately.
"Now?"
Xue Tan's young face was filled with shock.
Your Highness, he does what he says, and he is too resolute.
"Your Highness, I can't ride a horse, so I won't go around with Your Highness!"
Du Fan cupped his hands and bowed hastily, but his face was turned to one side.
Obviously, he still couldn't let go of Zhao Hong's rudeness.
"I don't expect you either."
Zhao Hong couldn't help but sneered.
"I'm talking about being a teenager. When Su Dongpo called himself "Old Man", he was only 38 years old, but he lived to be 64 years old. You, Mr. Du, must not have been more than 40 years old. You are probably the same as Su Dongpo. You have 20 years to go. Ten thousand years is too long. , Seize the day and night. Mr. Du, work hard to rejuvenate the country, and empty talk will harm the country. It is better to study less Neo-Confucianism and metaphysics and do more practical things for the people."
After Zhao Hong finished speaking, he snorted coldly and walked away.
When going to local mountainous areas, the roads are rugged, dirty and muddy. It would be a big joke if the official clothes and boots of this scholar-bureaucrat were soiled.
The country's treatment of scholar-bureaucrats was unprecedented in its history. If you still do nothing and are not satisfied with your desires, you are not a "scholar" but a "corpse".
He also knew that what he said was absolutely redundant. If the scholar-bureaucrats could save the country, the Song Dynasty would not have been retreating steadily, and would have settled in a corner of the south of the Yangtze River, which is what it is now.
As a ruler of the country, the Song Dynasty could have a "Queen of Yashan". If the scholar-bureaucrats don't bear this responsibility, who will?
"Your Highness, please!"
Xue Tan secretly admired Zhao Hong's uprightness and could only lead the way.
"It's really..."
Du Fan was left with a sulky expression on his face. He wanted to have an attack but couldn't.
"Forget it, Mr. Du, even the Prime Minister and Duke Ji dare to openly challenge him in the main hall. What can you, the chief inspector of weapons inspection, do?"
Hu Ju, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, appeared, smiling but not smiling, as if he was trying to comfort him, but he also seemed to be trying to make him angry.
"Ms. Hu, Mr. Shi is so affectionate! I'm taking my leave!"
Du Fan said coldly and walked away, leaving Hu Ju with a sullen face and a resentful sentence.
"Another stone from the pit, smelly and hard!"
