Zhao Ming turned over his horse and led Sun Kewang out of Yangzhou City.At the end of the year, the Jiangbei area was covered with a layer of snow, but the streets of the city were cleaned.Early in the morning, the city of Yangzhou was full of people, the crowd was weaving, all kinds of shouting, so not hot.Groups of people rode slowly through the street, flanked by steaming breakfast stalls, teahouses and taverns filled with people, and tables set outside.Sun Kewang has seen this scene many times along the way, but every time he sees it, he still feels shocked.A glimpse of the whole leopard, these ordinary market atmosphere in the south of the Yangtze River, others will see a lively, but Sun Kewang sees more, that is the gap between the Zhou State and the Ming Dynasty.At this time, Zhao Ming and his entourage went out of the city and came to Guazhoudu, on both sides of the wharf, hundreds of cargo ships were docked, and there were thousands of sails sailing on the river.After Zhao Ming completed the unification of the south, the copper and tea of Yunnan and Guizhou, and the grain of Huguang could be connected through the developed water system network in the south and transported to Jiangnan, and the goods and materials in Jiangnan and overseas could also go up the river and enter the interior.The opening of the road gave the Ming Dynasty commerce and brought extreme prosperity.At this time, Zhao Ming stood in the north of the Yangtze River, pointed at the Yangtze River, and couldn't help but say to Sun Kewang: "Sun Guoxiang, do you look at this Yangtze River, does it look like the blood vessels in Daming's body?"
”Sun Kewang was stunned for a moment and said, "The analogy of the regent is very vivid. ”Zhao Ming said: "The Yangtze River is a blood vessel, and the merchant ships on the river are the blood, and they flow from Huguang to Jiangnan, and from Jiangnan to Huguang, and the Ming Dynasty has the vitality it has today!"
”Sun Kewang was thoughtful, and at this time, Zhao Ming came to the dock as soon as he clamped the horse's belly, and there were already warships waiting here.At that moment, Zhao Ming and his entourage boarded a big boat, crossed the Yangtze River, and resisted Zhenjiang near noon.Along the way, Sun Kewang wanted to ask about the domain several times, but Zhao Ming moved the topic away.Sun Kewang saw that Zhao Ming didn't want to talk about it, so he simply didn't mention it, and followed Zhao Ming to see what kind of fame Zhao Ming wanted to do.For Zhao Ming, he actually wanted to use peaceful means to force Wu Sangui to submit, but Zhao Ming knew that this possibility was not very likely, unless the Ming Dynasty had an absolute advantage, it was impossible for Wu Sangui to give up his current foundation.Although it was said that it was unlikely that Zhou would be resolved peacefully, Zhao Ming still decided to take Sun Kewang to see the strength of the Ming Dynasty, hoping that Zhou would make a correct choice.Zhao Ming did not take Sun Kewang to the camp of the Ming army in Jiangbei, and when the army did not fight, it was actually about the same, and there was no obvious gap.What Zhao Ming wanted to show him was that the Ming Dynasty had but the Zhou State did not have the ability, that is, the manufacture of equipment and strong economic strength.It is necessary to let Sun Kewang see inferiority complex, see self-isolation, and realize that Zhou Guo cannot be the opponent of the Ming Dynasty.The first place that Zhao Ming wanted to take Sun Kewang to visit was the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau in Zhenjiang.Zhenjiang and Yangzhou are opposite, located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal, and the location is very superior.At this time, the main problem restricting smelting and casting in the Ming Dynasty was the mining and transportation of ore and coal, of which transportation occupied the main factor.Generally speaking, the ore is transported by manpower and animal power, and people transport the ore down the mountain, a few hundred catties a day, after rough purification, there is not much left.Smelting requires ore and coal, which are often not in one place, and can be transported over long distances, which can increase costs.Since the establishment of the two Huai coal industry by the imperial court, the coal in the area of Huainan Shou County passed through the Huai River, entered the Grand Canal, and then arrived at Zhenjiang, while the copper and iron located in the upper reaches of Zhenjiang River were transported from the Tongling area of Chizhou to the outside of Zhenjiang City.The Ministry of Industry conveniently set up a workshop, including smelting and cannon casting, which was the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau.After Zhao Ming and his party went ashore, they ran to Zhenjiang and looked at the smoke-emitting workshop outside the city.The entire General Manufacturing Bureau, covering an area of about 1,000 acres, is surrounded by city walls, including the smelting and purification of crude iron and brass, the casting of artillery and muskets, the manufacture of shells, and the shooting range for test guns, covering an extremely wide area.When Sun Kewang arrived in Yangzhou, he saw the smoke columns rising in the direction of Zhenjiang on the river, and he was a little puzzled at first, but now he saw the huge workshop area, and he was immediately shocked.Zhao Ming smiled: "It covers an area of more than 1,000 acres, and there are tens of thousands of craftsmen working at the same time.In the south of the Yangtze River, there are many large-scale workshops like this, and there are several cotton spinning workshops with more than 5,000 employees in each county.These hired laborers, who produce in peacetime and with a little training in wartime, can be pulled into the battlefield. ”Zhao Ming intimidated Sun Kewang without a trace, bluffing Sun Kewang for a moment.He has always been very confident in himself, thinking that the Zhou State under his rule is no worse than the Ming Dynasty, but now he is starting to feel inferior.At this time, the officials of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau were already waiting outside."
Humble Song Yingsheng, waiting for His Highness."
An official in his forties, leading more than a dozen officials, bowed and saluted.Zhao Ming bowed slightly, jumped off the horse, threw the horsewhip to the guards, and said with a smile: "Come and see the workshop alone, what should you do, what else to do, don't be nervous."
Director Song accompanied the lonely observer, and the others dispersed!
”Song Yingsheng is Song Yingxing's brother, Zhao Ming thought he was dead early, and later slept with Song Yingxing, and learned that Song Yingsheng was still there, so he was transferred to the Ministry of Industry as an official.Song Yingsheng immediately turned around and gave a few orders to his subordinates, and then turned sideways and said, "Your Highness, please come with your ministers!"
”At that moment, Zhao Ming and his entourage, accompanied by Song Yingsheng, entered the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau.Zhao Ming asked casually: "Is there any progress in the things developed by Gu Rang Chang Gung?"
”Song Yingsheng shook his head, "Back to Your Highness, this minister doesn't know."
I only know that Chen's younger brother has not returned home for half a year, and the family is very worried. ”When Zhao Ming heard this, he nodded slightly, and asked if he was too difficult for Song Yingxing.At this time, the group had already arrived at the workshop for the production of muskets, and when they entered it, they saw that there were rows of long tables connected to each other, and the craftsmen were sitting on both sides, producing in an orderly manner.Sun Kewang followed Zhao Ming's side, only to see a musket, from one end of the table, or an iron pipe, waiting for one craftsman to pass down, each time a craftsman passed, a few parts were added to it, and when he reached the end of the table, a brand-new musket had appeared in front of him.Sun Kewang was shocked, this speed made him stunned, and he couldn't help asking, "Wouldn't you be able to make hundreds of strokes a day with this kind of production?"
”Song Yingsheng said: "Five lines are fully produced, and five hundred rods can be made in one day, but~" Zhao Ming interrupted Song Yingsheng's words and said with a smile: "Yes, you can make five hundred rods in one day, and you can make fifteen thousand muskets in a month."
Seeing is believing, and Sun Guoxiang himself has seen it. ”Sun Kewang's face twitched, and he was shocked by the ability of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau to produce muskets.Once the war starts, the Ming Dynasty will be able to have 15,000 more musketeers in a month.Thinking that it would take him at least a year to build 10,000 muskets in the Zhou Kingdom, Sun Kewang couldn't help but be discouraged, and he was afraid that he would not be able to win this battle.In fact, these lines are only semi-finished products for assembly, and the really labor-intensive barrel drilling, forging and polishing are actually very slow, not much faster than the craftsmen of the Zhou Kingdom.Jiangnan Workshop is in full production, and it can make about 30,000 rods a year, and most of the time, it is not in full production, so the output is about 20,000 rods.Zhao Ming didn't explain, but deliberately let Sun Kewang misunderstand, "Chief Song, take Gu to see the newly cast giant cannon!"
”When the next group left the workshop where the muskets were assembled and entered the cannon casting workshop, they saw that the craftsmen inside were busy, pouring red molten iron into the mold and taking out the cannons of one door after another.Sun Kewang only took a cursory look, and saw at least three or four hundred cannons."
Your Highness, this giant cannon is too big, and there has been no test firing so far!"
Song Yingsheng walked as he walked.Zhao Ming couldn't help but say: "Wasn't it placed at the test range?"
Why not shoot!
”"Because the target hasn't been built yet!
However, His Highness came at the right time, two days ago, Lang Zhong of the shooting range just reported to the minister that the target city had been built!
”Song Yingsheng said.Sun Kewang on the side listened to the conversation between the two, but he didn't think so, how huge the giant cannon can be, and it also needs to be specially built as a target.At this time, everyone came to the shooting range, and there was a wall fifty zhang long and three feet six feet high in the distance, and in front of the city wall, there was something covered with a red cloth.When Sun Kewang was puzzled, the red cloth had been pulled open by four or five messengers, revealing a huge cannon that had never been seen before.Sun Kewang's eyes almost fell in shock, he had never seen such a huge cannon, the cannon body was two zhang long, the muzzle of the cannon could accommodate two people, and the shells piled up next to him were afraid that one would weigh five or six hundred catties."
It's artillery!"
Sun Kewang was shocked and lost his voice.Zhao Ming smiled and said: "This is a siege cannon, which is used to attack fortified cities, such as Tongguan!"
”After speaking, Zhao Ming said to Song Yingsheng: "Since the target city has been built, let's shoot it!"
”(Thank you for the 500 reward that you dare to add, don't dare now, try it on weekends and more) ()