"Very good, let's try the work for a day first!" Wang Wenzuo said to Liu Pingji who was standing aside: "Be careful to cool down the saw blade to prevent it from overheating. Others should not get close to avoid accidents and injuries. Have you remembered this?"
"I have remembered it all. Please feel free to join the army!" Liu Pingji stared at the automatic saw machine. He had no idea that the craftsmanship that he and his father originally used to cast Buddha statues and incense burners could be used on these machines. Compared with Compared with those solemn, elegant, or mighty statues of gods and Buddhas, those strange gears, triggers, and connecting rods seem to be much more interesting and useful.
Wang Wenzuo was still worried when he saw Liu Pingji's distracted look: "Sancho, send two soldiers to stand beside the sawmill. No one else is allowed to approach except the workers, otherwise they will all be kicked out!"
After making arrangements here, Wang Wenzuo hurried to the shipyard. Compared with the task of making crossbows given by his superiors, Wang Wenzuo actually cared more about shipbuilding.
The reason is very simple. Ballistas can only be used to kill people, but sea-going ships can do much more: trade, whaling, plundering, fleeing and even colonization. No matter how high your official position or title is, you are still just a human being. Lord, and every captain is a king on his own deck.
"Are you all ready?" Wang Wenzuo asked in a deep voice.
"It's ready, please take a look!" Supervisor Yuan Fei stretched out his right hand and pointed to the dock on the shore.
The Baekje people were a nation skilled in navigation, and there was no shortage of shipbuilding craftsmen in the capital, but they did not yet know how to build ships in docks at that time. Usually they set up scaffolding on the shore and built the boat on it. After the boat was built, they spread mud on the ground and then dragged the boat into the water manually.
But there are two troubles: 1. If the tide rises, the half-built boat is likely to be washed away; 2. Only flat-bottomed boats can be built, and large sharp-bottomed sea-going boats cannot be built, otherwise they will be towed into the water. Toppling over, or sinking into mud.
The emergence of the shipyard changed everything. The original shipyard was a deep pit near the water's edge. People built ships in the pit. After the ship was built, the earth wall near the water's edge was demolished, and water poured in. In the pit, the boat floats naturally, and then it is dragged into the water.
The dock built by Wang Wenzuo was much more advanced. First, he found a small section of sunken riverbank on the river bank, and then built an earth embankment to isolate it from the river, leaving only a gate for ships to enter and exit. Finally, the water inside was drained, and the dock was built. After it was built, it was about thirty-five meters long, twelve meters wide, and five meters deep.
In order to facilitate the transportation of materials, more than ten booms were erected around the dock. Wang Wenzuo carefully inspected the gate and earth embankment, and nodded with satisfaction: "Yuan Fei, you did a good job!"
"This is all a subordinate's business!"
"I'll have a pig delivered this afternoon so that the shipwrights can have a good meal. We'll start work tomorrow!"
When Wang Wenzuo returned to Bingcao Yamen and was thinking about how to mix the cost of shipbuilding with the cost of ballistae, military officials came and said that Liu Duhu had summoned him. Wang Wenzuo stood up quickly and said with a smile: "The Protector summoned me, do you know what it is about?"
"I don't know, I don't know!" the military official said with a smile: "But Governor Liu just came back, it should be related to him."
"Oh, thank you very much!" Wang Wenzuo opened the drawer, took out a lot of money and gave it to the military officer: "If anything happens to the Protector in the future, please remind me first. Wang will be very grateful!"
"Don't dare!" The military officer was overjoyed. He put the copper coins in his sleeves and said in a low voice: "The king joins the army. The reason why the governor invites you is to transport food!"
"Transporting food? Do you know where to transport it from?" Wang Wenzuo asked quickly.
"My subordinates only heard a few words outside the door!" The military officer said with a smile: "No matter how much, I don't know!"
"Yes!" Wang Wenzuo nodded, then followed the military officer to the door of the festival hall, waiting for him to pass the message for him before entering.
"My subordinates pay their respects to the Protector and Envoy!"
"No courtesy!" Liu Renyuan sat in the middle. He waved his hand to signal Wang Wenzuo to sit down: "Sanlang, the repeating crossbow you made is really powerful. Liu Shijun broke through several thieves' mountain gates and put it on our necks. The rope is finally a little looser!”
"This is all Liu Shijun's good management. How dare I take the credit!" Wang Wenzuo quickly stood up and thanked him. Compared to Liu Renyuan, he was much more wary of Liu Rengui. Military law is ruthless. He didn't want to offend his immediate superior and die. Don't know how he died.
"Wang Canjun doesn't have to be humble!" Although Liu Rengui was also smiling, he gave people a rather distant feeling: "It has been a month since I sent out troops. I wonder how many weapons Wang Canjun has made?"
"There are six intact ones!" Wang Wenzuo raised his head slightly and peeked at Liu Rengui's face from the corner of his eye: "But the workshop is ready. As long as there are enough materials, the next step will be soon!"
"Well, hurry up then!" Liu Rengui nodded noncommittally, but Wang Wenzuo couldn't tell his true thoughts from the other person's faint smile.
"I obey your orders!" Wang Wenzuo bowed respectfully before sitting down again.
Liu Renyuan stroked his beard. He could feel the alienation and wariness in the conversation between Wang Wenzuo and Liu Rengui. One of the two people was a subordinate he valued and loved very much, and the other was a future colleague, which made him quite embarrassed. Uncomfortable, but unable to interfere - after all, no one stipulates that bosses and subordinates must be intimate.
"Wang Junjun, in accordance with the decree of the imperial court, will send troops to attack Goguryeo after the beginning of spring. General Su crossed the sea from Dengzhou and went straight to Pyongyang City, and I and the Chief Superintendent of Jilin Road (that is, Silla) have the responsibility of providing food!" Liu Rengui's voice was smooth but without any emotion. Wang Wenzuo took a careful look. Could it be that he was quite dissatisfied with this arrangement? Or does he always talk like this?
"Sanlang!" Liu Renyuan coughed: "I have discussed with Ambassador Liu again and again, and both of us feel that it is extremely difficult to transport food to Pyongyang. Do you have any good ideas?"
There are at least three major rivers (Han River, Daedong River, and Baekchon River) between Sijiang and Pyongyang. It was not only difficult to transport grain, but it was also a life-threatening situation!
Wang Wenzuo hesitated for a while, and finally decided not to give people any control in front of Liu Rengui: "The official thinks that we are really unable to handle the matter of transporting grain, and it is more convenient to get it from the Silla people!"
"Yes, but since the court has arrangements, we can't do nothing!" Liu Renyuan sighed, glanced at Liu Rengui, and then whispered: "Something must be done after all!"
"Any action?" Wang Wenzuo also glanced at Liu Rengui and found that he still looked like a living dead. He gritted his teeth and said: "The official thought that the power to transport food was not enough, but the containment effect was good!
