Qingzhou, Linzi.
When Liu Yu first occupied Qingzhou and controlled Linzi City, he always felt that he had sufficient manpower and material resources this time.
Now you can free your hands and experiment with a series of technological products that transcend the times, such as steelmaking, glassmaking, porcelain making, and even the production of gunpowder and artillery, which you have always wanted to do before.
However, reality soon dealt a heavy blow to Liu Yu.
In other words, the social productivity that was in line with the level of the Wei and Jin Dynasties quickly gave Liu Yu a heavy blow.
Many technologies that Liu Yu knew about the principles and processes, but when he really wanted to implement them, he found that there was not enough pre-technical level to prepare for them.
For example, the furnace temperature technology and corresponding refractory materials required for steelmaking and glass burning are a big problem.
Although there have been many craftsmen who can meet these two requirements since the Eastern Han Dynasty, these skills are often considered secrets by many craftsmen. When it came time to implement them, Liu Yu found that he was always lacking this Lacking that, not to mention starting from scratch, Liu Yu would have to personally order people to test many necessary technologies.
Moreover, although Qingzhou has been a world-famous land of salt and iron since the beginning of Qi State, the quality of the iron ore is really average, and the smelted steel requires a lot of manpower and material resources to process.
In addition to these technical factors, the biggest problem, and also the most critical issue, is the lack of manpower and material resources.
At this time, Liu Yu truly realized what productivity restricts the development of technology.
With the current population of Qingzhou, it is already very difficult to ensure 50,000 full-time and semi-full-time soldiers. With the original number of craftsmen Liu Yu received, it would be difficult to carry out so many technical experiments, but if the number is increased If there are a large number of craftsmen, manpower must be drawn from farmers who are already in short supply. As a result, Qingzhou agriculture, which is already on the verge of a food crisis, may really face a more serious famine.
Therefore, all prerequisites must be to ensure the production of food. If you want to take a big step to test black technology, you must first complete the accumulation of manpower and material resources.
Otherwise, if Liu Yu insists on going his own way and is desperate to develop his black technology, given the current bad situation in Qingzhou, I am afraid that his black technology will not be developed much, and he will face the crisis of disintegration.
It is for these reasons that many of Liu Yu's original plans to develop technology trees had to be temporarily shelved.
However, during the Western Jin Dynasty, many technological technologies were on the verge of reaching maturity, and all it took was Liu Yu to make some small suggestions to pierce the final window.
Therefore, at this time, the most effective and fastest technological improvement in Qingzhou was the firing of porcelain and the preparation of gunpowder, in addition to the sun-salt method in the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
The Chinese word "porcelain" was just invented in the Wei and Jin Dynasties to distinguish pottery. Therefore, in the Western Jin Dynasty, the first period of great development after the maturity of Chinese porcelain technology, Liu Yu combined such matters as firing, furnace temperature and color. Techniques such as glazes are almost effortless to experiment with.
Moreover, Qingzhou has been the earliest place to produce pottery since ancient times. Until the Wei and Jin Dynasties, it was an important production place of porcelain in the world.
Liu Yu's experiments on porcelain were not too easy compared to other steelmaking, and he did not even need to add additional craftsmen. He just improved the original kiln and process, and he was completely competent.
Soon, various kinds of porcelain were trial-produced in Qingzhou. Different from the original celadon of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, these colorful and crystal-colored porcelains amazed the craftsmen who made them as soon as they appeared.
Almost all of these people worship Liu Yu, who taught them related crafts. They feel that this governor has simply obtained the true inheritance of some immortals. No matter what, he should have obtained some immortal magic from the Heavenly Master. Otherwise, Why couldn't these craftsmen, who had been making porcelain all their lives, make these porcelains, yet Liu Yu could make them do it with just a few words?
In fact, when Liu foresaw these porcelains, his real thought was that the craftsmanship of this era was really primitive and lovely compared with the Ming and Qing Dynasties of later generations, and many craftsmanships and paintings were far behind.
However, these porcelains are enough to stand out from any similar ones in this era.
Unfortunately, unlike food and cloth, porcelain is not really a first-tier necessity.
In the current chaotic situation in the world at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, the real sales of these porcelains, which can be called the treasures of the world, are very limited.
When the quantity did not develop on a large scale, almost all of it was purchased and digested by the powerful local families in Qingzhou.
However, Liu Yu still set aside some high-quality products for external sales.
As for the target of the sale, it was none other than Wang Jun, the governor of Youzhou who had just ended his confrontation with Liu Kun.
Because of the pressure from the Xiongnu and Han Dynasty, Liu Kun, the governor of Bingzhou, took the initiative to give in to Wang Jun under the mediation of Sima Yue or the emperor.
In line with the principle of quickly settling the dispute, Sima Yue, King of the East China Sea, immediately sealed the powerful figures in each state after seizing Luoyang and regaining control of the emperor.
The imperial edict also granted Liu Kun, the governor of Bingzhou, the title of General of Pingbei, and Wang Jun, the governor of Youzhou, was granted the title of Sikong, one of the three princes.
From a legal point of view, Wang Jun at this time can already be compared with the ruling Taifu Sima Yue.
Judging from the actual situation, Wang Jun, Sikong of the Jin Dynasty, had a very high self-esteem. In fact, he felt that Sima Yue was inferior to him.
Especially this time after forcing Liu Kun, the governor of Bingzhou, to give in, Wang Jun felt that he was already the number one person in the world, while the emperor and the tutor were just skins.
Of course, Liu Yu also had a hand in Sima Yue's massive increase in titles after he defeated Gou Xi. Liu Yu even felt that if this continued, he might be more famous than a certain heir to the Iron Throne. .
He is now the general appointed by the Emperor of the Western Jin Dynasty to conquer the East, the military governor of Qingzhou, and the governor of Qingzhou.
Inside the residence of Linzi Governor.
After summoning a few confidants who were responsible for trading in Youzhou and actually buying horses, Liu Yu asked a lot of questions.
Liu Yu finally said uneasily.
"Wang Pengzu is now ranked Sikong and is already one of the three princes. He must be full of arrogance. When you meet him, you must not pay attention to some of his arrogant words. You must remember that nothing else matters. As long as I can buy the horse back."
Liu Yu was very worried about his old father-in-law.
It is said that since Wang Jun was granted the title of Sikong, he came and went in Youzhou with great force, comparable to princes and kings. After all, even the Xianbei Great Chan Yu Duan Wuchen, who was granted the title of Sikong by the Western Jin Dynasty, was Wang Jun's subordinate.
In this way, Wang Jun can be regarded as the "King of Kings".
After receiving repeated assurances from his subordinate officials, Liu Yu felt slightly relieved.
After these officials retired, Hua Xiu, who had been by his side, spoke.
"General, I don't think you need to care so much. Wang Jun is arrogant. As long as these little officials say a few good words, he won't know what's going on."
Hua Xiu didn't seem to have a good impression of Wang Jun's brother-in-law.
"Wang Junzhi is full of arrogance. Now prophecies are flying all over Jizhou. I'm afraid he won't be satisfied with the title of Boling County Duke in the future."
When Liu Yu heard what Hua Xiu said, he immediately knew that Hua Xiu must have heard the prophecies and nursery rhymes coming from Hebei.
Recently, a lot of prophetic songs have come out from the land of Yanzhao in Hebei, and almost all of them say that those who sit in the land of Yanzhao will control the world in the future.
Liu Yu knew as soon as he guessed that this must be a rumor spread by Wang Jun. After all, in the Western Jin Dynasty, using this kind of feudal superstition, which Liu Yu thought was quite outdated and ridiculous, was very popular, although not everyone was like it. Believe it or not, but as long as someone can correspond to certain prophecies, someone will definitely believe it.
Liu Yu felt that the reason why Wang Jun spread these prophecy rumors must be to attract the hearts and minds of the scholars and people in Jizhou, Hebei Province. After all, compared to the world-famous Liu Kun, Wang Jun could not compare with Liu Kun in terms of fame except for having a father who betrayed the emperor.
But this time, Liu Kun fell into disgrace in front of Wang Jun. Wang Jun will definitely publicize it to win over people in Hebei.
"They are just some tricks to fool the villagers and women. As long as we can get horses from Youzhou, there is no harm in shooting more horses for Wang Jun."
Liu Yu has no pressure to flatter his old father-in-law Wang Jun. As long as he can bring Youzhou's horses to Qingzhou, these false claims don't matter.
Because now Liu Yu has faced an excellent opportunity, an opportunity that may expand his power.
Not long ago, Shi Le of the Xiongnu Han Kingdom led a large army of Hu and Han bandits into Yanzhou. He first defeated three cities in a row and defeated the Yanzhou army twice in a field battle.
Suddenly, Yuan Fu, the governor of Yanzhou, panicked and immediately asked for reinforcements from surrounding states and counties. In his letter for help, he even made an offer to Liu Yu, a young boy in his twenties, to be his brother, regardless of his age. For the sake of our friendship as ministers, please give me a hand.
"Uncle, I wonder when the food and fodder logistics will be ready?"
Liu Yu asked Hua Xiu.
Liu Yu's Qingzhou has decided to respond to the request for help from Yuan Fu, the governor of Yanzhou, and go south to Yanzhou to support the defense against Shi Le's attack.
"It will take three days at the fastest. After all, due to the severe drought, several rivers that can be transported by water have dried up, so land transportation is necessary, which will take more time."
After hearing Hua Xiu's answer, Liu Yu nodded. If it took three days, it would be very fast.
"I don't know what the situation is in Yanzhou now."
Liu Yu then asked Li Feng next to him, who was in charge of scout intelligence.
"The latest information today is that Shi Le led tens of thousands of troops to surround Juancheng two days ago." Li Feng said, "Since then, there has been no news about Juancheng in Yanzhou, but other places such as Xueqiu , I heard that it has been breached, and there seems to have been massacres in several places where resistance was fierce."
"Yanzhou Juancheng is a big city after all. It should not be like small cities like Xueqiu. It should not be attacked by Shi Le so quickly."
Liu Yu felt that Juancheng, where Yuan Fu, the governor of Yanzhou, was personally in charge, was a big city as famous as Linzi and would not fall so easily.
Shi Le, the Xiongnu and Han general who fled into Yanzhou this time, was no longer the former bandit who gathered Jiehu Wuwan bandits.
But after several months of plundering in Yuzhou, he transformed into a rogue bandit who commanded the gathering of tens of thousands of Jiehu, Wuwan and Han refugees.
After wooing several large-scale refugee groups, once Shi Le entered Yanzhou, he was like a wolf entering a flock of sheep. The aging Yuan Fu was no match at all.
However, this is indeed an excellent opportunity for Liu Yu. As long as he can defeat Shi Le, it will be too simple to occupy Yanzhou.
Everyone in Qingzhou had no objection to repelling Shi Le. They all felt that Shi Le, a rogue barbarian, was just a clown who wandered all the way from Jizhou.
However, Liu Yu knew that it was after conquering Yuzhou and turning the original pure barbarian army into an army of Han refugees that Shi Le's strength developed by leaps and bounds.
This time when we go south to Yanzhou, I am afraid that the Shi Le we face will not be as easy to deal with as before.
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