On the seventh day of the second lunar month, the imperial court held a ceremony to sacrifice farmers.Since the land was ploughed after last autumn's harvest, Li Shimin saved extra effort when he ploughed it himself this year.There have been no strikes on the cattle as they did last year.After the end of the ploughing, Zhao Yunze made a move that surprised everyone, he went to the plot where Li Shimin had cultivated, squatted on the ground and dug up a handful of soil and carefully rubbed it.At that time, everyone was busy preparing to return to Chang'an City, but no one asked Zhao Yunze what he was going to do.This Lord Zhao often makes big abnormal actions, whether it is Emperor Li Shimin or officials in the court, they are no longer surprised.Zhao Yunze was busy until Li Shimin got off the road, and then followed the team back to Chang'an City.After eating the sweet meal at noon, the other ministers went home, but Zhao Yunze did not go home, he went directly to the East Palace to ask to see Li Shimin.Li Shimin met with Zhao Yunze in the main hall of the dormitory."
Peng Yu, I guessed that you had something to do."
Li Shimin said."
After the agricultural ceremony, what treasure are you looking for in the field" Zhao Yunze took out a paper bag from his arms and presented it to Li Shimin.Said: "The minister is looking for this thing." ”Li Shimin opened the paper bag and saw that the paper bag was wrapped in dozens of yellow grains like rice grains."
This is an egg," Li Shimin wondered.Zhao Yunze nodded and said, "This is the locust egg that the minister found in His Majesty's borrowed field. ”"Peng Yu means, is it to tell me that there will be a locust plague this year" "It is exactly like this, after the harvest last autumn, His Majesty issued an order to advocate deep ploughing of the land before winter, and your borrowed field was also plowed by the officials of Sinong Temple, and these insect eggs were exposed.Chen took a closer look in the morning, and the distribution density of insect eggs in the field was very high.This year, there is a high probability of a locust plague in Guanzhong. ”Zhao Yunze said."
But didn't you say last year that you would freeze to death pests and eggs in winter" Zhao Yunze sighed and said, "Theoretically, that's the case."
But there is also a certain probability that not all overwintering pests and eggs will freeze to death.In addition, there was very little snowfall in Guanzhong last winter, and the ground was not very cold.This allows the eggs to escape.Judging by the amount of snowfall last winter, there is a high probability that there will be a major drought this year.As the saying goes, there are many fish in flood years and locusts in drought years, so we have to guard against it" Li Shimin's brows also wrinkled deeply, and said: "But this locust plague, like drought and flood disasters, is a natural disaster, and how to prevent Peng Yu can have a strategy" Zhao Yunze said: "The minister has no better strategy to prevent locusts."
All the minister can think of is to encourage the people to raise more chickens and ducks, so that they can prey on the larvae of locusts. ”"Well, that's an idea.Even if there is no locust plague, the people can raise more poultry and exchange some money to supplement their families. ”Li Shimin nodded.As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shimin smiled bitterly again: "Although this plan is good, the people may not necessarily listen to it" "Why" Zhao Yunze was puzzled.Li Shimin said: "Since ancient times, the people of the Central Plains have believed that locusts are natural insects and cannot be hunted.If the people were told that the purpose of raising chickens and ducks was to prevent locusts, the people would not follow the initiative of the imperial court. ”"That's not to say that.It is only said that the imperial court will buy a large number of chickens and ducks after the autumn to encourage the people to raise more.Most of the chickens and ducks raised by the people are in the form of free-range, and the chickens and ducks will naturally catch the larvae in the field for food. ”Zhao Yunze said.Li Shimin said with a smile: "If you say this, the people will obey, but where does the money come from to buy chickens and ducks after the autumn" Zhao Yunze said: "Anyway, the army will also buy some pigs and sheep every year to improve the food of the soldiers, and this year buy less pigs and sheep and more chickens and ducks."
Besides, Your Majesty has not forgotten the benefits of refined salt, movable type printing, and the commercial tax on glass."
Last year, the profit of the salt factory set up by the imperial court doubled compared with previous years, which was all thanks to Peng Yu's salt purification method.Movable type printing does not increase the commercial tax too much, but the glass is a high tax rate, and I think that this year's tax revenue of the imperial court will rise significantly compared with last year.Then I took out a sum of money to encourage the people to raise chickens and ducks to ensure that my Datang food is good. ”Li Shimin said."
Your Majesty Shengming" "It's Peng Yu Shengming." ”"Well, the minister can only say that he is smart, but he doesn't dare to boast of the word Shengming."
On the second day of the "Hahahaha" dividing line agricultural ceremony, Zhao Yunze came to the arsenal office.A group of old partners and old subordinates met each other, and they had a lively greeting.After the middle and low-level officials went to do their own things, only Yan Liben and Fang Zhi were left in the second hall of the Arsenal Special Administration to chat with Zhao Yunze."
Brother Yan, how was the output of the Arsenal Special Agency last year?"
Zhao Yunze asked Yan Liben.Yan Liben said: "A lot of firearms have been produced, and the telescope that Brother Zhao made has also made hundreds. ”Zhao Yunze asked again: "My Datang saltpeter is scarce, and there was very little saltpeter used by Taoist priests in alchemy before, but it was not affected.But the arsenal is equipped with a large amount of gunpowder, and I don't know that saltpeter can be used" Yan Liben said: "Saltpeter is scarce, but fortunately, there is no shortage of saltpeter in Datang, and with Brother Zhao's method of purifying saltpeter, it is the same for purifying saltpeter."
The preparation of gunpowder was not affected. ”"That's good" Zhao Yunze nodded, and said: "Brother Yan, although X is no longer in the Arsenal Administration, but I still have to say more, you have to hoard a lot of gunpowder this year" "Why is the gunpowder prepared by my Arsenal Special Agency on the same day to be used up the next day, this is the rule that Brother Zhao set last year, so as not to cause potential safety hazards." ”Fang Zhi was surprised at this time."
Alas, to be honest, I'm worried that there will be a locust plague in Datang this year.This gunpowder, sprinkled on crops, kills insects. ”Zhao Yunze said."
This year, I will have a locust plague in Datang," Yan Liben said in surprise.Zhao Yunze said: "Yesterday, you two also saw that a certain was digging in His Majesty's borrowed field, and a certain found a large number of locust eggs from the ground, and it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no locust plague this year."
You two should take my advice and stock up on some gunpowder.If there is a plague of locusts, gunpowder can also be used to kill locusts. ”"The arsenal can't make too much gunpowder, if there is really a locust plague, wouldn't it be a drop in the bucket to kill locusts with gunpowder," Yan Liben wondered.Zhao Yunze said: "If you can keep a little more food, you can keep a little more."
It's all speculation at the moment.Even if there is no locust plague, it is estimated that by the end of next year at the latest, His Majesty will use troops against the Turks.This year, we can stock up on more gunpowder, and next year we can also make firearms in large quantities, so as not to run out of gunpowder when we get it. ”"Next year, Your Majesty will use troops against the Turks, Brother Zhao, how did this inference come about," Yan Liben said in surprise.It is written in the history books."
Hehe, Brother Yan, the Turks had a heavy snow the year before last, and many tribes rebelled last year.Today, the Turks are not as good as they used to be.I, Datang, have been fighting hard since last year, Your Majesty is a person who holds grudges, how can you not use troops against the Turks" "Since Brother Zhao, the founder of the Arsenal Agency, has said so, then we will do it." ”Yan Liben laughed."
Brother Zhao is here, I'm afraid it didn't just remind us of the hoarding of gunpowder," Fang Zhi asked Zhao Yunze at this time.Zhao Yunze smiled and said, "Brother Fang guessed correctly, I came here today to ask for another in the arsenal." ”After speaking, Zhao Yunze took out a piece of paper from his arms, handed it to Yan Liben, and said, "There are two kinds of weapons painted on this paper, which are intended to be used by a special combat team newly established in the Lecture Martial Arts Hall.There was a shortage of craftsmen in the Lecture Hall, so they had to work hard to create these two types of armaments. ”Yan Liben was looking at the pattern on the paper, and Fang Zhi also leaned over curiously.There are two patterns on the paper, one is a crossbow and the other is a knife.The style of the crossbow is very strange, very different from the various crossbows currently used in the army.The drawings of this crossbow are very detailed, not only marking the size and materials of each part, but also the important parts, and also drawing small icons to indicate the size.The appearance of the knife is very similar to the horizontal knife of the Tang Dynasty, and the blade is narrow and long.But unlike the horizontal sword, which is straight, it is more like a single-edged sword, while the blade of this knife has a smooth curvature.Yan Liben carefully looked at the drawings for a while and said, "The design of this knife should be sharper than a horizontal knife when used for slashing.However, the horse stations of the Tang army were accustomed to using spears and lances.In foot combat, they are accustomed to using bows and arrows, spears and knives.The short knife is more often used for errand servants.The generals were equipped with horizontal swords, which were also only used as a decoration.I don't know who Brother Zhao designed this knife for" This knife was designed by Zhao Yunze inspired by the later Xuefeng knife.The Xuefeng knife was designed for the cavalry by Peng Xuefeng, a general of the New Fourth Army during the Anti-Japanese War.This sword was more powerful than the cavalry swords that the Japanese army was equipped with at the time.In 1942, in the First Battle of Shashanji in Hongze Lake, a cavalry regiment of the New Fourth Army equipped with Xuefeng knives annihilated most of the Japanese cavalry regiment in only nine minutes.The remaining Japanese troops were also afraid of the power of the Snow Maple Sword and surrendered.Due to the small amount of equipment of the Xuefeng Knife and the premature sacrifice of General Peng Xuefeng, the real Xuefeng Knife has actually been lost in later generations.The knife designed by Zhao Yunze is actually the Type 65 saber of the Chinese army.The Type 65 saber is considered the sibling version of the Snow Maple Knife.In the cavalry combat of the later era of hot weapons, the cavalry spear and saber were the main weapons of the cavalry.However, in the era of cold weapons, the cavalry of the Chinese army thought that the saber was too short, so they used spears and lances as cavalry weapons, and the saber was only used as a spare weapon.Therefore, Yan Li had doubts about the usefulness of this knife.Seeing Yan Liben's question, Zhao Yunze said: "Brother Yan, the special combat team established by a certain person will carry out special tasks in the future.They are more often encounters with enemy scouts and close-quarters covert attacks.This knife is designed to adapt to this kind of task. ”Yan Liben nodded and said, "There is no doubt about this knife."
But why is this crossbow so small, and the style is so weird" Zhao Yunze said: "This crossbow is also equipped for the special combat team."
The equipment of the special combat team is mainly lightweight.There is also no need for a very long-range attack ordnance.This crossbow is small and easy to carry.The strange style is due to the fact that the personnel of the Secret Service Research Division have made a special design on the crossbow spring so that the sound of the crossbow when fired is extremely small. ”"I don't know how much of these two types of ordnance will be made," Yan Liben asked."
Let's make two hundred each."
Zhao Yunze said."
Brother Zhao, the number of two hundred is not large, and there is no difficulty in helping you make it from the arsenal.But this cost," Yan Liben looked at Zhao Yunze with a smile."
Brother Yan rest assured, the cost will be borne by the martial arts hall."
Zhao Yunze said."
That's fine.A month later, Brother Zhao came to fetch the ordnance. ”: