Zhao Yanhuan took a few pieces of coal, lit them, and confirmed that they were coal.
There is so much coal in this mine without digging, which shows that the coal storage capacity is very large, enough to support her for a long time.
When Zhao Yanhuan was checking the situation in the coal mine, there were many people around him carrying baskets on their backs to pick up coal.
The ancients also knew how to use coal for heating, which can be traced back to three thousand years ago.
In the earliest days, people called coal as stone. Later, it was also called coal, graphite, stone, etc. In short, humans have a long history of using coal.
These people are so close to the coal mines, so they will definitely not let go of such a useful fuel as coal.
After confirming that this was a large coal mine, Zhao Yanhuan immediately bought this large area of land.
Then he recruited nearby people to mine coal on the spot. Because the work was very hard, Zhao Yanhuan paid him generous wages, including three meals a day and room and board. This attracted countless people to work.
With coal mines, it must be coked before it can be used to make weapons. Coal contains sulfur. If coal is used directly to make iron, the iron will be very brittle.
By coking coal and then forging iron, you can get very strong and useful weapons and armor.
With enough sharp weapons and strong armor, raising all the horses, and storing enough food, everything is ready and waiting for the opportunity.
Zhao Yanhuan chose to build this arsenal in a valley deep in the mountains. After thinking about it, Zhao Yanhuan decided to put her fourth uncle, Zhao Yicang, in charge of the arsenal.
Although Zhao Yicang has an out-of-touch personality, he is actually very reliable, and he has never gone wrong in anything he is asked to do.
Zhao Yicang has been accompanying Zhuang in Qipai Village to manage everyone's farming, but now that Zhuang has practiced it, he should be able to take charge of it on his own.
Besides, Zhao Hua'er was accompanying Mr. Zhuang, so Zhao Yanhuan directly wrote a letter asking Zhao Yicang to come to Yi'an Prefecture.
Originally, I only wanted Zhao Yicang to come, but I didn't expect that when Zhao Yicang came to Yi'an Prefecture, even Zhao Hua'er also came.
Seeing Zhao Yanhuan, Zhao Hua'er said directly: "Sister, my mother said that she can stay alone in Qipai Village. She asked me to come with my fourth uncle to see what we can do."
In the past, Mr. Zhuang didn't think much about anything, just cooking, and didn't think there was any difference between Zhao Hua'er being with Zhao Yanhuan and not being with Zhao Yanhuan.
But now that she has started to take care of things, she has more to think about. She knows that Zhao Yanhuan is going to do big things. Only at this time can the people around her be reused and get more benefits in the future.
Although they are a family, Mrs. Zhuang has no bad thoughts towards Zhao Yanhuan. She has even placed herself in the position of Zhao Yanhuan's subordinate in advance and never puts her elders in front of her.
However, this does not prevent Mr. Zhuang from having selfish motives and wanting his daughter to receive more and better treatment.
When Zhao Yanhuan saw Zhao Hua'er, she understood Zhuang's thoughts. She did not resent Zhuang's selfishness. Those who are not selfish are saints. We are all ordinary people, and it is normal to have selfishness.
So Zhao Yanhuan said directly: "Then help me take care of the pasture." On the pasture, Zhao Yanhuan has always let the herders take care of the cattle and sheep, and the horse breeders take care of the horses. Her mother Li Qing handles all kinds of chores.
But Zhao Yanhuan later planned to open a special medical class and let Li Qing systematically train a group of doctors and nurses.
In this way, Li Qing would have nothing to do. He had to find someone to take care of the pasture. Zhao Hua'er had been with him for a long time. Zhao Yanhuan knew that although Zhao Hua'er was silent, his ability was not weak.
Sure enough, Zhao Hua'er said without any embarrassment: "Okay, then I'll go to the pasture."
Zhao Hua'er was always fast in doing things, and it was the same this time. Zhao Yanhuan told her to take care of the pasture, so Zhao Hua'er didn't waste a moment and went to the pasture immediately.
Zhao Hua'er left, and Zhao Yicang came over and said to Zhao Yan with a bright smile: "Yan Huan, Hua'er is going to take care of the pasture. Then what place do you want Fourth Uncle to take care of me?"
Zhao Yanhuan did not smile. She looked at Zhao Yicang with a serious face: "I want Fourth Uncle to help me manage the arsenal."
As soon as he heard the arsenal, he knew it was a place where weapons were made. Zhao Yicang, who had always been quick-tempered, immediately became serious when he heard this.
Zhao Yicang did not feel that he could not manage the arsenal well. He just assured Zhao Yanhuan: "Don't worry, I will definitely manage this arsenal for you and nothing will go wrong."
Zhao Yanhuan nodded and said: "I want to transfer three thousand people from Qipai Village and let them be responsible for following my fourth uncle to build an arsenal in the mountains and serving as guards for the arsenal."
"I have prepared the people who forged weapons over the years, and they are just in use this time. In order to prevent leaks, their families have to live together in the arsenal."
Zhao Yicang nodded: "Just leave these to me."
"Okay, I'll trouble Fourth Uncle next." Zhao Yicang took over the job, so Zhao Yanhuan simply let go and left everything to Zhao Yicang.
Don't be suspicious of people when you employ them. A capable monarch must be able to recognize people. This is basic, but it is also very important to not be suspicious of people.
Of course, Zhao Yanhuan would not give up completely. After the arsenal was built, she would still have to take a look. After all, she had to give guidance on how to build a coke oven and how to forge weapons.
After the arsenal was completed, Zhao Yanhuan began to build a school. The teachers were all ready, and outstanding students who graduated from Qipai Village School could become teachers.
The school was full of children. Zhao Yanhuan divided the land and provided high-yielding and high-quality seeds. He only collected 30% of the tax and rented useful farm tools and cattle to the people. Life was easier for everyone than ever before.
So when Zhao Yanhuan said that their children should go to school, everyone was very happy to send their children to school. If it were in the past, they would definitely not send their children to school.
It's not that they don't know the benefits of studying, it's that life is too hard. Even a child is still a labor force and can work.
Moreover, after they go to school, not only can the children not work for free, but they also have to give money to the school. They don't have enough to eat, so how can they get the money to give to the school?
Nowadays, life is getting better, and Zhao Yanhuan's school is not restricted at all. The children only need to bring three meals. Even the pen, ink, paper and inkstone for studying are provided by Zhao Yanhuan, so the common people have no burden.
In addition to the children who were trained in the school, Zhao Yanhuan also sent people to the fields to educate adults about literacy. Reading was a very sacred thing in this era.
The person who especially made them literate was Zhao Yanhuan, so even if everyone didn't like learning very much, they didn't resist literacy and worked hard to learn literacy during their free time at work.
When Zhao Yanhuan asked them to learn literacy, she didn't set any high requirements for them. What she promoted was to learn simple common words.
Go out and look at road signs, store signs, and deeds to avoid being deceived. Just learn simple arithmetic and don't be deliberately ripped off when buying things.
