"You go on, I'll go over there and have a look." Suddenly feeling itchy and untouchable, the leader of the caravan, Audre Sabah, threw a word at the merchants behind him, stirred up his camels, and hurried to the large waterwheel by the river.

In his eyes, the waterwheel is nothing new. Along the way, many countries use waterwheels to irrigate farmland and grind rice and flour. However, the two-story waterwheel was the first time he had seen it in his life. And his intuition clearly told him that the strange-looking house next to the waterwheel was not for grinding noodles. Otherwise, the sound of metal crashing would not be so fierce and harsh.

Looking at the lively people, there are a small half, not pure Tang people. Therefore, the accession of Audrey Sabah did not cause any exclusion. With the flow of people, he soon came to the waterwheel by the river. However, just as he climbed out of his camel and was about to come to the strange-looking house to find out, several soldiers, though notch, suddenly stood in front of him without warning.

"Stop!" The leader of the team pressed the handle of the knife with his hand, and shouted vigilantly, "It's okay to watch the excitement, but you are not allowed to cross the white line without permission." Otherwise, you do it at your own risk! ”

"This, this ......" Audrey Sabah was startled and realized that around the strange house, a circle of striking white lines was drawn in lime. Quickly stopped, and looked around with a red face.

Most of the people who watched the excitement were gathered around the watermill, and there were no more than ten people like him who were interested in strange houses. They were also blocked out of the white line by the soldiers in charge of the guard, but the locals, but they were not as weak as him, and while stopping, they smiled and threw their hands to the soldiers blocking the road: "Master Jun, was it Zhang Zhenshou himself who commanded you to place the waterwheel just now?" ”

"Don't blame the military master, we just want to get closer, kowtow to the old man, and thank him for the kindness of the old man."

"Master Jun, the lives of our whole family were saved by the town guard. I just want to come closer, and thank you for the grace of life. ”

"Master Jun, has the old man been recruiting soldiers recently? We want to be soldiers and eat food. ”

"Master Jun, is this the factory mentioned on the notice? Why doesn't it look the same as the one in the north of the city......"

The soldiers who stood inside the white line and were on guard were really good-tempered. Unexpectedly, no one was annoyed, and while smiling and arching his hand to the people watching the excitement, he explained loudly, "It was indeed my town guard who was directing everyone to place the waterwheel just now. But kowtowing doesn't have to be. My town guard doesn't like people to kneel and kowtow at every turn. ”

"It's just a workshop in the factory. Zhang Zhenshou is instructing the craftsmen to work inside, don't go in and disturb him! ”

"Conscription will definitely be, but after spring sowing. We don't know exactly what day it will be. You may read the notices in the city, or ask the chief. ”

"Boom!" A loud bang suddenly interrupted all the noise around him. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and then Audrey Sabah was amazed to see that a stone pillar that looked like a chimney had been lowered by a full three feet at the top of the strange house.

"It's done, it's done, it's done, it's done!" "Guarded wisely!" "Oh, oh, oh......" The cheers suddenly burst out of the window, causing the soldiers who were in charge of guarding the perimeter to turn back with envy. Audrey Sabah craned his neck and tried to look at the window. Before he could understand what was happening in the house, another stone pillar in the shape of a chimney on the roof suddenly went down, "Boom! "The crash was earth-shattering.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak......" The sound of metal clashing and rubbing suddenly became more sharp and harsh. The chimney-shaped stone pillar that had fallen earlier suddenly rose slowly, and although it was slow, the amplitude was clearly visible.

At the window, the figure flickered. The sound of cheers and the clashing of metal mingled into a piece of exhilarating music. In a short time, the first chimney-shaped stone pillar had risen to its place. Immediately after, it fell at high speed again, "Boom! "It smashed the ground near the house up and down.

This time, I am afraid that it is tens of thousands of catties of force, and if it is smashed on a person, it will definitely be able to smash people into pulp. Audre Sabah didn't understand what the chimney-filled stone pillar was for. But he instinctively thought of the execution instruments displayed by the Great Eater Conqueror.

Compared with the stone pillars in front of me, I am afraid that those execution tools such as beheading, chopping hands, and cannon branding are all children's tricks. I am afraid that any punishment is not as terrifying and desperate as tying people to a platform and watching tens of thousands of catties of stones fall from the sky.

However, soon Audre Shaba overturned his own ideas. For he saw the second pillar of stone rise again, and then fall heavily. Accompanied by the piercing sound of metal friction and collision and excited cheers, two stone pillars of tens of thousands of catties, at a slow speed and constant frequency, rose and fell alternately, if they were used to smash people, they would have smashed people into powder a long time ago, and there was no need to repeat them so many times.

"Let one go, let one go." An apprentice craftsman walked out of the strange-looking house with a wheelbarrow, and his young face was full of pride.

Deliberately showing off to the crowd watching the excitement, he was not on the wheelbarrow, covering any cover. Therefore, the objects in the carriage were quickly seen clearly by everyone.

There are a few strange looking iron billets, or steel billets, that make people feel very familiar, and the surface is faintly glowing red. Obviously, it was just built in the workshop, and the internal temperature has not yet had time to cool down. And the instrument that made these billets, needless to guess, was the two stone pillars on top of the strange house, which rose and fell repeatedly.

"With tens of thousands of catties of strength to forge repeatedly, what kind of magic weapon does this have to be?" Instinctively, Audre Sabah began to guess the purpose of the billet as soon as he saw it. However, in the next moment, he lowered his head with a sigh, and his heart was quickly filled with bitterness.

He knew what the billet was for, no wonder, the first time he saw it, he felt that the shape was somewhat familiar! It's a plowshare, a plow of a "car plow"! The two large knives used to plough the ground under the plough were indeed not made of pure steel. Instead, wood or other materials are used as the main body, and a pure steel plow is covered!

Unless the strange house in front of you is also moved, it will be difficult to imitate it even if you buy a plowcar and bring it back to Persia. It is true that a horse plow is ten times faster than an oxen plow, but the faster it is, the more wear and tear the plow will be. If you want to use it for a long time, you have to use a specially built plowshare. And this strange-looking house in front of you is precisely the key to building a plowshare.

Not in the mood to continue watching the excitement, he turned around, and Odre Sabah mounted his camel and drooped his head to chase his caravan. Because the roads were getting more and more congested, his caravan didn't go far. Soon he was reunited with his companions, and then, according to the guidance of the zealous people along the way, he found a storehouse on the side of the road, less than a hundred paces from the city gates, which was specially designed to facilitate the passage of caravans.

Strictly speaking, it can't just be called a warehouse. Rather, it is a large warehouse where you can rent a warehouse, store camels, and rent a house to live in. Compared with warehouses in other cities and countries along the way, the rent of the warehouse is very fair, and the level of service is more than a notch.

"The guest officer, please sit inside and drink a bowl of milk tea. No charge, free of charge! Seeing the arrival of new guests, the enthusiastic and shrewd men immediately greeted them with smiling faces carrying shiny copper kettles and clean wooden bowls. Whether the guest decides to stay, or takes a few glances and leaves, place a steaming bowl of milk tea in front of the latter.

There was a lot of tea in the milk tea, and there was plenty of salt, and after a few sips, Audre Sabah regained his strength. The purchase and imitation of the car plough was only a temporary idea for him, but it was not the main reason for him to come to break leaves. He chose to make a detour to Crushing Leaf in order to open up a shorter trade route. Judging from the observations so far, this decision should be the right one, and it may bring him many unexpected benefits.

While comforting himself in his heart, he looked around with milk tea, preparing to find someone to come earlier than him, and from the other party's mouth, he would find out the basic situation in Broken Leaf City. As a result, he was surprised to find that seven or eight colleagues were holding milk tea in their hands, gathered in front of a black wooden board in the inn lobby, pointing.

"Sabah, sell, on the other side, the plough is open for sale. We just now, we just now, we almost made a big mistake! The old vendor Xibo ran over with milk tea in his hand and whispered at Audre Sabah.

"Open for sale? How can it be! Audrey Sabah asked, instinctively.

"What's impossible, people have written it clearly!" Xibo nodded vigorously, and a rare trace of shame appeared on his bark-like face, "Let's really be careful in the future." This place is completely different from the places we have been to before. The plough is not hidden at all, it is sold open, and it can be ordered, and the price is not as expensive as two hundred scimitars! ”

"Where is it written?" Audrey Sabah didn't believe his ears, hesitated to stand up, and asked in a low voice, "Do you see clearly?" Is it accurate? ”

"It's written on the blackboard, including the price!" The old merchant Xibo pointed to the black plank with his finger and replied in a low voice, "One plow truck is thirty cranes, and two sets of plowshares are also given." In addition, people also sell spinning wheels for spinning wool and looms for weaving woolen cloth, and the prices are not too expensive, and they are also sold openly. ”

"Really?" As if a mountain of gold suddenly appeared in front of him, the leader of the caravan, Audre Sabah, pushed away his old friend Sibo and walked quickly to the black plank. lest the latter misread and let himself rejoice.

As it turned out, Sibo was not mistaken. On the blackboard, in Tang and Turkic characters, it is clearly written that the special goods that Broken Leaf City can provide at the moment, as well as the transaction price of these goods. From the easy-to-carry woolen cloth, the six gods of flower dew, the golden oil, the herbs, to the bulky spinning wheel, loom, plow, the same.

It's just that the latter few things indicate that the number of stocks is insufficient, and if the buyer needs more than two, he has to make a reservation. Pay a deposit of 10% first, and then come back to pick up the goods around August.

In addition, if the purchaser can provide Brimstone, Flame Oil, Saltpeter, and Soda Blocks for Shattered Leaf City in a certain amount, they will receive a Priority Ticket. With the priority coupon, he can pick up a plow, spinning wheel, or loom on the spot, and the Six Gods Trading House in Shattered Leaf City can guarantee supply at any time.

If the vendor doesn't have a priority coupon and doesn't want to wait for the autumn to pick up the goods, the Six Gods Trading House in Broken Leaf City has also thoughtfully given a third option, that is, to buy it at the Six Gods Workshop outside Chang'an City. There is an abundant supply there, and even if the caravan wants to buy hundreds of plows at a time, it can be guaranteed to be picked up within ten days.

"This Six Gods Trading House should be opened by the city lord's family, right? Why haven't I heard of it before in Chang'an! Some vendors muttered quietly as they watched.

"That's your loneliness, last spring, the Six Gods Trading House beat the Great Cannibal Treasure Pavilion to the point that it couldn't stand in Chang'an City, and obediently rolled up the cover!"

"Ah, I remember. That's right, it's the Six Gods Firm! Selling a kind of glass mirror, only the size of a fist, but up to hundreds of hangs. ”

"Last year, the trade route was cut off, and I didn't dare to go to Datang, but I didn't expect that after a year of hard work, people would open the semicolon to Broken Leaf City!"

"The lord of the city is so bold that he is even willing to sell a plow. This Broken Leaf City will not be developed in the future, so it's strange! ”

"I hope the city lord can hold it, this place is too close to the sphere of influence of the Great Cannibal."

"How can you speak? If the big cannibal dares to fight openly, it is to start a war with Datang! ”

"This time, I've really come to the right place. Buy any of these goods, and you won't have to worry about getting rid of them when you go back. ”

"Indeed, this is the right time!" The leader of the caravan, Audre Sabah, whispered in his heart, then took a sip of the strong tea in his cup and strode towards the outside of the inn.

With his intuition, he judged that there must be more surprises waiting for him in Shattered Leaf City. He just wanted to go in and have a look, he couldn't wait!

…………

"With Zhao, a total of twenty spinning wheels, fourteen pedal looms and three cart plows were sold today", the door was gently pushed open, and Luo Huaizu, dressed as a strategist, rushed into the study and put an account book in front of Zhang Qian's eyes. "In addition, there is a deposit for forty plowtrucks, and those traders are really not stupid, they all know that after bringing this thing back, it will definitely be multiplied several times."

"Thanks to Uncle Shi, otherwise, the vendors might not be willing to pay such a high price!" Zhang Qian raised his head from a large pile of copper parts, smiled, got up and poured a cup of tea for Luo Huaizu with his own hands, and praised it loudly.

"It's you who built this kind of plow, they can see it as long as they have eyes, I just take advantage of their desire to steal, but they can't." Luo Huaizu was praised with a proud face, but he pretended to be unwilling to take credit and waved his hand modestly.

Whether it is the wasteland duo far away from the city, or the multi-plough near the Broken Leaf River, it is deliberately arranged under his planning. The purpose of the performance comes first, and the land reclamation itself takes a back seat.

And the effect of the performance was just as he expected in advance. None of the caravans that walked the Silk Road were fuel-efficient lamps. Meticulous work, crooks, robbers from all over the world are mixed in. After seeing the powerful effect of the car plow, the caravan's first thought was to get it at any cost and smuggle it out of Datang.

And once the traders have the idea of "whatever the cost" in their hearts, and find out that stealing and robbing will lead to the risk of being crushed, the price of the plough will become dull. No matter how high the price of the six gods in Shattered Leaf City is to plow, as long as they are willing to sell it, they will rush to it!

"Uncle Shi's move, the benefits to Broken Leaf City are not just the extra dividends!" Knowing what kind of temperament Luo Huaizu was, Zhang Qian thought about it and continued to praise with a smile, "Throughout this year, the mouths of the traders traveling back and forth on the Silk Road can't let go of our Broken Leaf City. And as long as they are willing to come and walk around, even if they don't buy anything, they can bring new news and popularity to Shattered Leaf City. What's more, they still have the fierce fire oil we desperately need. ”

"There have already been three caravans that have offered to exchange the fire oil for the plough, and I agreed to it according to the quota system you said. For every 5,000 catties of fierce fire oil, you can get the cooperation of a spot car plow. Then the price of the oil and the price of the plough were converted into each other. Although Luo Huaizu likes to hear compliments, he smiled and turned the conversation to the transaction. However, there are very few spots received in the past few days, and the total is only more than 20 barrels, all of which add up to less than 2,000 catties. ”

"It's okay, with the beginning, there is the future. The key is to let them see the benefits, so that they can continue to send the goods over! Zhang Qian smiled again and nodded slightly, his eyes full of expectation.

Lacking the knowledge and conditions for industrial production of alcohol, his current alcohol is all purified from rice wine. And rice wine is brewed from grain. In the case of small-scale production, around Chang'an, there will be no serious consequences for the time being. If it is produced on a large scale, and it is still in the Western Regions, where there is a shortage of food, it will be a bit unreasonable.

Therefore, it is urgent to replace alcohol with a gasoline mixture as a fuel for dragon cars. Even if the oil is smuggled and the price remains high, it is better than taking grain to make wine, and then refining alcohol from wine.

In addition, without considering cost, product quality and refining efficiency, the process of separating fierce fire oil is no more complex than distilling to make alcohol. To distill alcohol, he had to use at least an iron pot, a bamboo tube and a condensation jar. And the earth method separates the fierce fire oil, according to some tricks of another time and space, he only needs to prepare two iron buckets.

"The kind of gasoline you are talking about, can it really replace alcohol?" Luo Huaizu was a little uneasy, suddenly put away his smile, and lowered his voice to ask. "The Niu Master Award has been urging you to refine alcohol for him, and even used the words "whatever it takes". If the things made from fierce fire oil are not as good as alcohol. You have a life-saving grace for him......"

"Rest assured, gasoline is ten times more effective than alcohol when used on dragon cars." Zhang Qian was confident, and replied crisply, "I have already sent Guo Jing to keep an eye on it, and use an iron can to separate the fierce fire oil, and soon you will be able to see the result." In the past, there was no fierce fire oil, and the use of alcohol was an expedient measure. ”

"That's good, lest he think you're pampered." The stone in Luo Huaizu's heart finally fell to the ground, and he nodded with a smile. "Although that old guy is not qualified to be your dependent, if he can take care of you a little more, you will be much better in Broken Leaves. There's no need to let him estranged you because of a few thousand pounds of alcohol. Besides, even though he doesn't care, you still have to show the respect that should be shown. As the saying goes, reach out and don't hit the smiling face......"

Zhang Qian nodded and humbly accepted, "I am going to send craftsmen to set up waterwheels and armor workshops in Sanhekou, that is, in Xingu Mocheng. Let Wang Han preside over the construction of Xingu Mo City while supervising the construction of Shining Star Armor and Iron Vest. No matter how much is made, it is sold to the cattle manager according to the capital. ”

"It's pretty much the same, he's a general, and armor and weapons are his favorite." Seeing that Zhang Qianken listened to his persuasion, Luo Huaizu suddenly felt relieved. However, when the words fell, he suddenly frowned slightly, "Suo Ge has been slaughtered by you, and all the tribes of the Tuqi Shi have honestly sent all the Tang people in the tribe to Broken Leaves. What do you need to stock up on so much alcohol and armor? He, he's not going to want to rebel......"

"His whole family is in Chang'an, and he brought a few nephews with him on this expedition! In addition, I, Wei Bo, and Guo Hong cannot be regarded as his descendants, and I will not obey him unconditionally. Zhang Qian glanced at Luo Huaizu, and "admired" this person's imagination, "He stockpiled alcohol and armor to deal with the Turks." Zhang Renyuan proposed a message to the imperial court, and in the autumn of this year, the Shuofang army fought west from the surrendered city, and the Anxi army took the Qarlu army from Yanbo Prefecture (Karamay) to the east, and worked together to destroy the Turks, and joined forces to defeat the wolves! (Note: Wolf Juxu, that is, Hangai Mountain in Outer Mongolia.) ）

"The old guy is so bold!" Luo Huaizu was taken aback, and blurted out the words of surprise, "Isn't it a hurry!" Wouldn't it be better to give you and Anxi Jun a few more years? Anthy had just experienced a vicious battle last year, and it was impossible for his strength to recover so quickly. And according to your plan, as long as the wool cloth can be bought well, in the future, the tribes of the Western Regions will be firmly integrated with the Central Plains, and Mo Si can't pull it away! What's more, although Mo Si has been defeated repeatedly in the past two years, the Turks are still numbering millions of people. That Zhang Renyuan is not seventy or eighty years old, what are you afraid of waiting for two more years?! ”

"It's not that Zhang Ren is in a hurry to take Mobei in one battle, it's that the saint can't wait!" Since he had already taken Luo Huaizu as a confidant, Zhang Qian didn't hide it from him, sighed, and explained in a low voice, "According to the news from Chang'an, he has been unable to stand up since November last year. Since he ascended the throne, he has always relied heavily on Zhang Renyuan. Even if he was forced to sleep and eat restlessly by Wu Sansi back then, he refused to transfer Zhang Renyuan back from Shuofang to give him courage. Therefore, Zhang Ren wanted to pacify the Turks before he drove to the west, so that when he left, he would not leave too many regrets in his heart. ”

He said so much, but Luo Huaizu only heard one sentence, his eyes were red, and he asked loudly. "You mean, Li Xian is going to die! Like you predicted last year? Really can't survive this year? ”

"I'm not sure, but he's terminally ill!" Zhang Qian's heart was very uncomfortable, and he sighed and nodded.

Li Xian has the grace of knowing him, although he has never given him any real power before he came to the Western Regions, but he has always taken good care of him in terms of official positions, titles, and salaries. However, Li Xian's weakness, suspicion, and fickleness also disappointed him again and again, and he even did not dare to hand over his back to this person, lest he accidentally die from a hidden arrow shot from behind.

"He, he, he also has today? If it weren't for him back then..., alas-" also had mixed feelings in his heart, as well as Luo Huaizu. First he gritted his teeth, and then, suddenly, he raised his head and sighed.

His goal in life in the past ten years is to kill Li Xian with his own hands and avenge those who died at the hands of Wu Zetian because of Li Xian's weakness. However, at this moment, when he learned that Li Xianzhen's life was about to end, he didn't feel any happiness in his heart.