The weather in southern Sichuan is humid and rainy. This also breeds many poisonous insects and small beasts. But fortunately, the tiger barbarians were eliminated, and southern Shu, which had been barren for many years, began to show a situation of being in ruins and waiting for development.
Dou Tong is indeed a talented person. He has been running Shunan for many years and has already accumulated experience. After the stability of southern Shu, the silkworm industry was vigorously reformed, making the quality of Shu brocade in southern Shu catch up with that in central Shu in recent times.
You know, Shu brocade is almost the most rare treasure in the entire Shu state.
Even before the "Silk Road" was opened, Chen Sheng could make a lot of money by only trafficking through Xiangjiang.
Even though it was a troubled time, there were many wealthy men who were not short of money.
After riding out of the city, while waiting for the battle report, Xu Mu observed the mountains of the two counties in southern Sichuan. It's a pity that the land in southern Shu is indeed barren, and it is not possible to open up wasteland and create fields like Nanlin County.
It's no wonder that Dou Tong was desperate and thought of selling horses.
"Sun Xun, how many days have it been?"
"It's been seven or eight days since the young military advisor and the others left."
"It's about time then."
This is a small battle, and it has nothing to do with victory or defeat. What he wants is for Mu Yunzhou to tense up so tightly that he doesn't dare to let go.
One day, we can conquer Muyun State. His Xu Jiajun not only broke the situation, but also more likely to become a big fish swimming upstream.
"My lord, the mining master just happened to arrive in southern Shu."
"You didn't tell me earlier." Xu Mu paused, with a happy face, "Go and invite him over."
Zhou Zun and the miners have been working tirelessly during this period. The ore sent to the ironworks a few days ago came from their hands.
Of course, he has always been grateful to these five coachmen who followed him from humble beginnings.
At dusk, Zhou Zun rushed to Nanzhong County with only a few horses and horses.
"I've met my boss!" Zhou Zun said in a moment of excitement, probably out of habit of shouting.
The sound of "Boss" made Xu Mu feel like he was in a trance, returning to the days when he was struggling to make ends meet.
"Zhou Zun, sit down." Xu Mu said with a smile.
Zhou Zun clasped his fists without saying anything. He first poured a glass of wine for Xu Mu, then poured a glass for himself and poured it into his mouth comfortably.
"Zhou Zun, have you discovered anything during this period?"
Putting down the wine cup, Zhou Zun thought for a while and said, "My boss, it's still the same. I've sent people to search every corner of the Nanlin Mountains, but nothing much has been discovered. Let's focus on mining large mines first. Lord, wait until there is more time for the remaining small mines, and then allocate manpower to mine them.”
"Where's the saltpeter?"
"My boss, I've never seen him before."
Xu Mu sighed, "Here in southern Shu, I heard Dou Tong say that there are ferocious beasts in many places. You must be careful when prospecting."
"It's natural."
Now, Zhou Zun can be considered an official, with a mining camp of thousands of people and thousands of miners under his command.
"By the way, boss, I found this."
Zhou Zun suddenly spoke and took out a dry object from the bag he carried with him.
"My boss told me before that if there are any rare things, I will bring them back."
"This thing is very precious. I asked the old people in the mining camp, and they said it was called Baidie. In the past, when there was peace, there would be caravans selling goods. They would go all the way south and bring back seeds, but there was no planting work."
"Baidie!" Xu Mu suddenly got excited and took what Zhou Zun was holding.
In ancient times, Baidian was another name for cotton.
"Boss, this thing..."
"Zhou Zun, you have made a great contribution!"
It takes no effort to get there even if you wear iron shoes. If cotton can be grown alive, Shuzhou's take-off will be just around the corner.
Not only can it keep out the cold, it can also be paired with metal to make cotton armor. Of course, cotton armor is mostly used to defend against firearms, but in any case, combined with the metal layer, it is much better than ordinary cloth armor and wooden armor.
"Zhou Zun, listen to me. If you find any white piles, be sure to send someone to stay. If there are any white piles spewing cotton, collect the seed cotton and take it back to Chengdu immediately."
"Don't worry, boss." Although he didn't understand why Xu Mu was so happy. But Zhou Zun had no objection. He always fulfilled Xu Mu's words seriously.
Even Xu Mu himself didn't expect that when he asked Zhou Zun to go prospecting, he accidentally discovered Bai Die. Many years ago, after the tiger barbarians were raging, the caravans heading south had stopped.
Even now, outside the Nanlin Mountains, there are still tigers and barbarians outside, looking at them with eager eyes.
Therefore, Xu Mu must collect the seed cotton from this batch of cotton as the first batch of seeds for the cotton industry.
"In this way, I will send you another thousand people. As I said again, wait until the cotton is rolled out, and there must be no mistakes in the matter of seed cotton."
After exhaling, Xu Mu felt a rare relaxation. During this period of time, he had been troubled by the alliance between Liangzhou and Muyunzhou.
But now, there is finally something comforting.
Cotton likes to grow in subtropical zones, and Nanlin County is probably suitable. It happens to be the time to open up wasteland. When the cotton comes out in August or September and the seeds are collected, it will be almost ready to start.
There was no saltpeter, but we got cotton, which was a big surprise.
"Zhou Zun, let's drink together."
"Drink with the host."
The two raised their glasses and drank together.
…
"My son Meng Huo, how far is it?" Si Hu shouted all the way on the mountain road.
As the little barbarian king, Meng Huo finally got used to it and was too lazy to pay attention to the silly guy next to him.
Dongfang Jing rubbed his forehead and tried to persuade him several times, but he simply didn't bother to persuade him anymore. The invincible tiger general seemed to only listen to his lord.
"Ignore you idiot, I'll go explore the road!"
The Anling Mountains are different from the Nanlin Mountains. Since human traces are rare, there are not even tigers and barbarians. If it weren't for a few herb collectors who constantly knew the way, I would have really gotten lost here.
"Meng Huo, be careful. If there is any trouble, run back immediately." Dongfang Jing reminded him a little worried.
"Military advisor, I know."
With more than thirty people, plus a herb gatherer, Meng Huo carefully held his ax and walked deep into the forest.
"That silly boy, I don't recognize him as my father. My mother also chose such a person. Silly boy, he eats more than me."
Only when they were far away did Meng Huo curse and speak.
"The road is wrong." After walking two miles, the herb collector next to him suddenly spoke.
"Don't you know the way?"
"General Meng... leave quickly, turn around and go back!"
"What?"
"There's something here!"
Just when the herb gatherer finished speaking, an endless howl suddenly sounded in the mountain forest.
"Xiao Wang, it's a pack of mountain wolves!" a plain barbarian screamed.
"Go back, I'll be back soon!"
The movement was a little late, and in a moment, even if it was clear sky and daylight, more than a hundred mountain wolves suddenly sprang out. Surrounded the thirty or so people in the field.
Meng Huo held the iron ax in his arms, cursed, and led his men to kill in one of the directions.
The herb gatherer had just picked up a knife, but before he could do it, he was thrown to the ground by two mountain wolves. Then his throat was bitten, and the herb collector who was the guide died on the spot.
"Xiao Wang, you are surrounded!"
Meng Huo gritted his teeth and looked at the seven or eight wolf corpses in front of him, feeling a little nervous in his heart. It's true that barbarians are good at fighting in the mountains and forests, but how can they kill such a large group of mountain wolves?
At one time, seven or eight of the more than thirty ordinary men exploring the road were dragged away by the charging mountain wolf.
Meng Huo held the ax and chopped off an old mountain wolf that rushed towards him. But this was far from enough. The howling of hungry wolves became increasingly clear.
"My son Meng Huo!"
At this moment, Si Hu's iron tower-like body suddenly rushed over, dragging a giant ax and firmly blocking Meng Huo.
His brother Mu told him that from now on, he would not only be one family with Mrs. Luan Yu, but also the same family as Xiaoman King Meng Huo.
Therefore, it is normal to protect your family.
"father--"
Meng Huo paused and blurted out.
