When a group of Murongs were preparing to deal with the enemies on the east and west sides.
Liu Yu, who was far away in the Central Plains, had already begun to calmly deploy a new border defense strategy.
Especially after the workshop in Luoyang successfully produced glass.
Liu Yu immediately asked the generals in Jiuyuan Yunzhong of Xiazhou to return to Luoyang.
He plans to set up glass workshops in two places.
This decision shocked the generals Wu Xin, Liu Yan and others who returned to Luoyang.
None of them understood Liu Yu's decision.
"Your Majesty, Xiazhou is the border." Wu Xin reminded.
"Of course, I know." Liu Yu said.
"Your Majesty, it's close to the Qiang and Hu tribes, and sometimes there are bandit troubles. The glass workshop is not safe there," Liu Yan said.
"Of course I know what you said." Liu Yu said.
"Then why does Your Majesty still set up a workshop in Xiazhou?" Wu Xin was puzzled.
"Because I want to use the glass workshop to solve Xiazhou's military ration problem!" Liu Yu said.
"Is there a military ration issue? Your Majesty, you can't eat this glass," Liu Yan said.
Liu Yu gave him a disdainful eye roll, "You guys are really stupid. I use the glass workshop to produce military rations, not to eat glass."
"Your Majesty, do you want to do business with glass and let the merchants in Guanzhong exchange grain for glass?" Wu Xin asked.
His strategy is exactly what Wu Xin said.
Set up a glass workshop in Xiazhou to make glass, and then let Guanzhong merchants exchange grain for glass.
In this way, the seller has the advantage. As long as the exchange price is right, a steady stream of grain will be transported to Xiazhou every year.
Merchants transported grain and grass voluntarily, thus eliminating possible corruption and losses in the process.
Moreover, this kind of profitable business can also ensure the sustainability of Xiazhou's military rations.
The huge profits are enough for people to commit crimes at the risk of beheading.
What's more, the profits from glass will definitely be huge in the future, and Liu Yu doesn't believe that those businessmen won't be tempted.
"However, Your Majesty, there is a lot of wasteland in Xiazhou. As long as we open up more fields, we can ensure sufficient military rations. Why bother?" Wu Xin was still a little confused.
"No, Xiazhou is located on the edge of the grassland. Although it can be cultivated, it will greatly damage the soil fertility. Over time, it will create a large area of desert. It is necessary to maintain some military camps, but large-scale land reclamation will not work in the long run. It turns out that the gains outweigh the losses!" Liu Yu said.
The location of Xiazhou at this time was the famous Mu Us Desert area in later generations.
The Mu Us Desert was a desert that was abruptly changed from a grassland forest to a desert due to human factors.
The efforts of subsequent generations, coupled with the role of high technology in later generations, turned the desert back into an oasis.
This journey to the Mu Us Desert started from the time of the Qiang and Hu tribes.
A large number of military camps cleared the wasteland, causing the area to completely become desertified.
If Liu Yu wants to stay in Xiazhou for a long time, he must be on guard against desert talk.
Therefore, it is the wisest strategy to set up a workshop in Xiazhou, use the abundant local sand and soda ash to make glass, and then use the grain and grass in Guanzhong and the Central Plains to supply it.
After listening to Liu Yu's explanation, Liu Yan, Wu Xin and others were in admiration.
"Your Majesty's vision is so great that he can think about things hundreds of years from now. I really admire him," Liu Yan said.
"Your Majesty, once the Xiazhou Glass Workshop opens, it may revitalize the entire northwest." Wu Xin said happily.
The number of people needed to make glass using craftsmen can be far less than the number of people farming.
In remote Xiazhou, perhaps only a thousand craftsmen could feed tens of thousands of soldiers.
And if there are a thousand farmers, they cannot feed tens of thousands of soldiers no matter what. Once Liu Yu came up with this method, it basically guaranteed that Xiazhou would never be short of food and grass again.
At this time, Ge Hong, the workshop supervisor next to him, continued.
"Your Majesty, according to your instructions, we not only made glass, but also made glass mirrors!" Ge Hong said.
"What, really?" Liu Yu also looked surprised.
He didn't expect that Ge Hong would be so powerful.
"Really, Your Majesty!" Ge Hong looked proud.
Later, Ge Hong took out a small box from a locked small room.
Judging from his cautious look, he seemed to have a priceless treasure.
"Glass mirror? What is that?" Liu Yan asked doubtfully.
"It should be a mirror made of glass." Wu Xin was also puzzled.
Several of them felt that it was just a mirror, almost the same as a bronze mirror.
After the bronze mirror is polished smooth, it becomes a woman's favorite thing.
However, when the workshop supervisor Ge Hong opened the small box and took out a glass mirror, everyone was so surprised that their jaws almost dropped.
"This, this,,,,," Liu Yan couldn't even speak.
"Why is it so clear?" Wu Xin also trembled.
The rest of the people also had their eyes widened.
They had never seen such a clear mirror.
Everything in the mirror is as clear as another real world.
Any bronze mirror I have seen before is not comparable to this glass mirror.
"The glass mirror is well made." Liu Yu also nodded in praise.
Once you have glass, you can naturally create glass mirrors.
"Is this a mercury mirror?" Liu Yu asked again.
Ge Hong nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty, according to your instructions, this is covered with mercury!"
