It was Dingsi (29) in the leap second month of the first year of Yuanyou.
Zhao Xu left the palace as usual and went to Kaifeng Mansion to oversee the government.
But he didn't stay all day in Kaifeng Mansion like he did in the past.
But after leaving the matters in Kaifeng Mansion, mainly the street invasion work, to the banquet officials and accompanying readers.
He left Kaifeng Mansion and, under the escort of Yan Yuan, arrived at Jinchengfang in the new city of Bianjing City.
Jinchengfang is a typical government-run workshop area.
In addition to the bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons, there is also the giant Nishizomeyuan in the workshop.
As the largest dyeing workshop in Bianjing City, the West Dyeing Institute employs as many as 700 dyers.
Each dyer has seven or eight apprentices and handymen.
There are thousands of people working in this workshop alone!
Cloth was dyed and colored every day, and most of the fabrics used in the palace were dyed here.
As for the Bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons?
There are tens of thousands of employees!
It’s just that most of the workshops and workshops are outside the city.
When Zhao Xu's car arrived at the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau, Shen Kuo led the officials of the bureau early to greet him at the gate.
When they saw the driver, they all knelt down to greet him.
"I respectfully welcome the official's sage."
Zhao Xu, served by Feng Jing, stepped out of the chariot.
"Excuse me, sir." Zhao Xu waved his hand and said.
Shen Kuo immediately led the officials to stand up, while Zhao Xu walked toward the official office under the escort of Yan Yuan.
Shen Kuo led the officials in the bureau and quickly followed.
As Zhao Xu himself admitted, it was an inheritance that was "bequeathed to me by the late emperor and to be passed on to my descendants."
The Bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons is an organization with countless privileges in the current Song Dynasty.
Including, all expenditures and fees in the bureau are transferred to the Fengzhuang Treasury without going through the Ministry of Household Affairs and Zhongshu.
In addition to being appointed, all the officials in the bureau are assigned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, rather than to the Ministry of Personnel or the Capital Hall.
And mainly the person in charge of the department.
For example, the first and second supervisors of newly established agencies such as the Gunpowder Department and the Movable Type Department were all directly removed from their posts by imperial decree.
Naturally, the Bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons has been regarded as Zhao Xu's private industry by internal and external officials.
As soon as he entered the official gate, Zhao Xu saw a picture on the wall.
Strange rocks and strange trees stand alone.
It was obviously Guo Xi's handiwork.
Zhao Xu deliberately stopped in front of the wall photo, looked at it for a moment, and then asked Shen Kuo who was following him: "Shen Tiju, this must be a work by the national master Guo Xi, right?"
"Your Majesty, this is indeed the case." Shen Kuo lowered his head and replied.
Zhao Xu put his palms together and praised: "Shan, you are indeed worthy of being a national player."
He then ordered Feng Jing: "Feng Jing, write it down and convey my decree to the chamberlain when you return!"
"Guo Xi is waiting for the imperial edict. He is loyal to the king and diligent in his work. However, he is specially awarded the deputy envoy Dong Lingjin!"
Dong Lingjin's deputy envoy is from the rank of seventh-grade craftsman.
The magic officer had the lowest status in the official system of the Song Dynasty.
But this is also an official!
Not to mention a high-ranking official from the seventh rank?
Within the system of the Song Dynasty, magicians could also be merciful.
Although, the person who favors him is just a magician.
Guo Xi, who was following the crowd, immediately came out to thank him: "Your Majesty, I am so kind to you. I will never repay you even if I die!"
Zhao Xu smiled and said: "In the future, I still need Aiqing's efforts to hand over my son."
This is actually a deal.
Use a seventh-grade magic officer to bribe Guo Xi.
At the same time, he also bound Guo Xi with the wealth and honor of his future descendants.
Similar to Taizu's drinking of wine to release his military power, he exchanged wealth for loyalty.
Others might be able to bribe Guo Xi with money, but what they gave him, could Zhao Xu give him something?
cannot!
Especially Guo Xi looks to be in his fifties.
Apart from wealth and a stable life, what else can a painter of this age pursue?
Therefore, Guo Xi's loyalty is almost guaranteed.
Of course Guo Xi understood, so he bowed his head and bowed again: "I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty!"
Other officials were watching with excitement as they watched Guo Xi receive the reward.
Guo Xi just painted.
The officials are willing to reward you like this!
If they have achieved something, they will be rewarded!
Especially the ministers were in high spirits.
Whether the minister is promoted or not depends entirely on the emperor!
With a decree, there are many people who have gone straight from Xiaohuang Gate to the east end to worship the officials!
Walking past the wall photo, you will see an empty courtyard.
In the yard, there were already wooden boxes placed on tables.
Zhao Xu looked at it, turned to Shen Kuo and asked: "Shen Tiju, what are these?"
Shen Kuo replied: "Your Majesty, I have learned that these are the things I have been ordered to make in the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau since I took office."
He led Zhao Xu to the first table and opened the box on the table.
Inside is a small sand table.
What is shown on the sand table is the layout of the official mansion in Jinchengfang of the Bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons.
Zhao Xu smiled and nodded: "Good!"
"I have recently been in charge of government affairs in the Kaifeng Mansion, and I often discuss matters with the ministers at the Bianjing Sand Table of the Sha Table Division!"
"Your merits are great, and Shapansi's merits are great!"
Zhao Xu said, and ordered Feng Jing: "Feng Jing, write it down, there is an official in the sand table department who has contributed to the presentation and construction of the sand table. The chief and deputy envoys of the sand table department will each be moved to an official position, and the meritorious craftsmen will be given three official posts. The rest will be rewarded with twenty guan each."
"promise!"
Shen Kuo immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty is so kind. I would like to thank you on behalf of Shapansi."
"My merits will be rewarded, and my mistakes will be punished!" Zhao Xu said with a smile.
Under the leadership of Shen Kuo, they came to the second table.
The wooden box on the table was opened, containing pig iron sheets soaked in bile alum water. There was already a layer of copper clay on the iron sheets.
Zhao Xu saw this and said to Shen Kuo: "This is your merit!"
“This is the only way to achieve knowledge by studying things.”
Shen Kuo immediately bowed and said, "I dare not take credit. This is the teaching of a sage!"
Zhao Xu and Shen Kuo have already unified their external rhetoric on this matter.
Smelting copper with gallbladder water is a principle that Shen Kuo, under Zhao Xu's enlightenment, observed the laws of nature and all things in the world based on the great meaning of saints' character to achieve knowledge.
Shen Kuo himself also wrote an article "On the Theory of Smelting Bronze and Observing Objects with Danshui".
He took his own Confucian views, mixed them with Zhang Zai's Qi theory, and Wang Anshi's new views.
Not to say it is closely related to modern physical chemistry, at least it is far from the topic.
There is nothing we can do about this.
Let alone chemistry, contemporary people don’t even have the concept of oxygen.
Therefore, if you talk to them about metal ions and displacement reactions, they will definitely not understand, and no one will understand.
This matter can only be explained through Confucian theory.
Of course, Shen Kuo's articles are also progressive.
Because the theme and core of that article revolved around "observing everything in nature and everything in the world" and then drawing out the truth from it.
Zhao Xu plans to instigate Shen Kuo to do several famous experiments in modern primary school and junior high school textbooks next year or the year after.
Bury the seeds first and then talk.
As for germination and fruiting, you have to wait.
Of course, Zhao Xu would not wait in vain.
He has been making relevant preparations.
For example, just now, he specially awarded Guo Xi the rank of deputy envoy of Dong Ling Jin, just to prepare for the future.
The Technician Officer system has a total of nineteen levels. With a few changes and some name changes, it can be used as a real Technical Officer and Engineer to hone the sequence.
In the future, we can even draw thresholds such as civil servants and military envoys, and those who cross the corresponding thresholds will be eligible to exchange for military or literary qualifications.
However, in order to accomplish this, there must be a social foundation.
The economic base determines the superstructure.
Zhao Xu was pondering these things in his mind, and Shen Kuo had already led him to look at several more products from the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau.
Includes the new and improved Divine Arm Bow.
This brand-new divine arm bow has enhanced armor-piercing capabilities and can penetrate iron armor within a range of fifty steps.
Zhao Xu took a closer look and found that this object was somewhat similar to the enemy-defeating bow of the Southern Song Dynasty that he had seen in some modern museums.
They are all strung with a bow and fall into the category of a crossbow.
At the same time, they all have powerful armor-piercing capabilities.
Zhao Xu ordered Yan Yuan to test fire on the spot, and sure enough, after winding up, at a distance of fifty steps, he penetrated an iron armor that was used as a target.
If it is within thirty steps, the armor-piercing ability of this bow has reached its peak.
It can penetrate chainmail armor, which is known as the most powerful defense in modern times.
After watching the test firing, Zhao Xu was full of praise.
An edict was issued on the spot, and the relevant officials and craftsmen who had presided over the improvement of the divine arm bow were given promotions, titles, and gifts of money and silk.
And on the last table, Zhao Xu saw the granules of gunpowder that he had been thinking about for a long time.
Although, before he came, he already knew the good news about the successful preparation of granular gunpowder from Shen Kuo's memorial.
But when he saw the real thing, he was still excited.
The presence of granular gunpowder means that there is a foundation for brand-new fighting methods and tactics.
At the same time, granular gunpowder is easy to store and stable for a long time, which also makes it a material directly controlled by the central government.
Zhao Xu was immediately delighted and said to Shen Kuo: "Thank you for your hard work, I love you!"
Shen Kuo bowed his head reservedly and thanked: "It is my blessing to be loyal to His Majesty!"
Zhao Xu pinched the gunpowder particles in his hand and said to Shen Kuo: "This matter still needs to be kept secret, so let's hold it for a year or two."
"I am not wronged!" Shen Kuo said with his head lowered.
Zhao Xu laughed and said to him: "Of course, you must be rewarded for your contribution!"
"Officials and craftsmen in the Gunpowder Department must also reward him!"
"In this way..." Zhao Xu looked at Feng Jing and ordered: "Feng Jing will record that Shen Kuo, the official appointed by the imperial court and promoted to the weapons manufacturing bureau, has been loyal to the country, loyal to state affairs, and diligent since he took office. After being transferred to the first level of government service, I will be sent to the imperial court to invite a senior official to serve as a senior official. I will pay my respects to the Imperial Palace as a lecturer. He will come to the palace every ten days to give lectures and banquets for me!"
Shen Kuo was overjoyed and immediately worshiped: "I thank your Majesty for the reward!"
Although he was once a senior official, a bachelor of Longtuge, and a commander-in-chief, he was only one step away from three provinces and two governments.
Today's imperial doctor is two levels away from the middle doctor.
But the treatment of being a lecturer in Jiying Palace and coming to the palace to lecture the emperor every ten days is really great!
This is almost a ticket to power!
Zhao Xu looked at him with a smile and said, "In addition, Shen Tiju's wife Zhang is a virtuous wife, so she must be rewarded!"
"Shen Kuo's wife is Zhang, and she is the wife of Yingchuan County!"
When Shen Kuo heard this, he nodded and thanked him endlessly.
To him, this reward is even more fragrant than the reward from the Minister of Jiying Palace!
Why?
Because my wife will definitely be very happy!
He might be able to get a month's exemption from scolding!
This is really great!
After Shen Kuo, Zhao Xu would certainly not fail to reward the Gunpowder Division.
Everyone in the Gunpowder Department was rewarded with ten pieces of money and a piece of silk cloth.
This is just the reward for getting started!
From among the meritorious craftsmen, the ten most meritorious and top-notch ones were selected to serve as officials.
And appointed them as relevant officials of the Gunpowder Department.
The relevant supervisors and ministers of the Gunpowder Department were promoted collectively.
Almost everyone with meritorious service was promoted to an official position, and those with high merit were even promoted to two officials.
It's not over yet!
Zhao Xu also announced that craftsmen in the Gunpowder Department must only work in the Gunpowder Department for more than ten years and make no mistakes or break the law.
They can all be awarded official positions in various departments and places in Beijing according to the regulations on seniority.
This is the painting cake.
Work hard for Zhao Guan's family. If you work for ten years and perform well, you will be able to eat royal food for the rest of your life!
As for the rewards for the officials and ministers of the Gunpowder Department, Zhao Xu was even more direct.
He ordered Shen Kuo to propose regulations for the Gunpowder Department with reference to the Horse Racing and Tea Farms of the Song Dynasty.
Set KPIs for these people.
The annual production quota is stipulated, and those who complete the grinding reduction survey will be directly promoted if they exceed the quota.
As for those who fail to meet the target?
Of course, he will be fined a copper, have to be punished, or even be demoted!
Taking into account the particularity of the Gunpowder Department, Zhao Xu also asked Shen Kuo to develop a set of safety production procedures.
And safety is also included in the assessment standards.
If something goes wrong and someone dies, they must be held accountable.
On the other hand, if the year goes smoothly, it is of course a plus.
Once these rewards, measures and systems are announced.
The entire gunpowder department was boiling instantly and morale was high.
(End of chapter)
