Li Xiao stayed in Kaifeng for only two days, and then led the whole army along the Yellow River and returned to Tielongcheng in Shanxian County, Shandong. Pen, fun, and www.biquge.info

At this time, it was the middle of December, the weather was cold and the ground was freezing, and the Yellow River on the high embankment had frozen.

In the cold weather, Li Xiaojun, who was escorting the prisoners and capturing them and returning to the east, was high-spirited, with slogans that shook the sky and military songs loud, adding a warm vitality to the entire bleak and lonely Yellow River Plain.

In the neatly marching army, Li Xiao, the chief general who was closely guarded by the cavalry guards, was thinking about what Lu Xiangsheng said to him in the living room that day.

To be honest, when Lu Xiangsheng said that he wanted to protect Li Xiao as the commander-in-chief of Denglai, Li Xiao's mood was not particularly excited.

After all, even if he became the commander-in-chief of Denglai, he would only be responsible for the military defense of Dengzhou and Laizhou, as well as nominally have jurisdiction over the guards of Denglai, and the imperial court would also pay a battalion of 5,000 soldiers. But these things are not very attractive to Li Xiao, who is bent on seeking development.

The simple point is that if he becomes the commander-in-chief of Denglai, he is only a pure military commander, and he does not have any control over the land and wealth of Denglai. The subordinate guards only have nominal jurisdiction, but they cannot actually control and manage them. Even if there is an additional 5,000 soldiers and horses, it is unknown whether it can be issued in time when the imperial court is in short supply.

Li Xiao is not a person who is greedy for fame, so he has a bright appearance, but the benefits he can obtain are limited official positions, which does not arouse much interest in him.

Thinking of this, Li Xiao smiled lightly and revealed the matter.

Now along the way, the big thing that has really been pressing on Li Xiao's mind is how to properly settle the 130,000 prisoners.

This is the problem that Li Xiao must seriously face and solve.

Although Li Xiao confidently made a guarantee in front of Lu Xiangsheng that day, it was by no means easy to really settle this large number of rogue prisoners.

Eight days later, Li Xiaojun successfully returned to Iron Dragon City.

When he saw the 130,000 captives who had settled in the densely packed tents in the open space in the northwest area of Iron Dragon City, Li Xiaoxin sighed.

Since a lot of industrial projects have been built now, it is not easy to settle these prisoners, and the Ming Dynasty government, which is already sloppy and weak in management, will of course only be an empty word for the resettlement of the surrendered rogues.

Li Xiao is a thoughtful person, since Kaifeng returned to the journey, he ordered his soldiers to go to Chifeng City urgently, and praised Chen Zilong in front of the army, and Xu Xiuqing, the governor of Chifeng City, urgently called to Tielong City, ready to discuss and see how to settle this large number of prisoners.

In the living room of Li Xiao's mansion in Tielong City, the charcoal fire in the white cloud copper basin was crackling, and Li Xiao, Chen Zilong, Xu Xiuqing, Wu Liang, and Guan Yi, deputy director of the Supervision and Relief Department, discussed methods and countermeasures for the resettlement of displaced people.

Guan Yi spoke first and reported to everyone the specific situation of the current capture and capture.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our army defeated two bandits this time, and captured a total of 129,400 prisoners, including 95,000 strong men, 22,000 strong women, and more than 10,000 old and weak. A total of 52,000 taels of gold, 510,000 taels of silver, 9,820 horses of silk and 370,000 stones of grain were seized. ”

When Guan Yi said this, Li Xiao nodded and motioned for him to stop.

Xu Xiuqing, the head of Chifeng City, stood up and first said with a smile on his face: "Although our army now makes a lot of profits every day, there are many captures, which is a good thing, and it has also added considerable help to the development of our army." ”

Wu Liang, the head of Iron Dragon City, immediately continued: "That's true, with this large amount of money, it is just right for our army to develop the newly leased Ocean Island. ”

Everyone laughed, Li Xiao looked around at everyone, and said with a smile: "Everyone, the first thing to ask you to come here today is how to arrange this group of prisoners, but this matter is the top priority for our army." ”

After Li Xiao finished speaking, Chen Zilong interjected on the side: "Master Li, the students think that the key to this batch of captives is to arrange those homeless strong men, as for those women and women, as well as more than 10,000 old and weak, it is better to arrange them." ”

"Oh, please elaborate."

"Lord Li, according to statistics, in the Chifeng Battalion and the Tielong Battalion alone, there are about 6,000 unmarried soldiers in our army, but first of all, among these captives, women and women who have never been married or whose husbands have died are forcibly assigned to our soldiers as wives. In this way, first, the morale of the soldiers can be calmed, second, the number of prisoners who need to be assigned and resettled can be greatly reduced, and third, the old and weak who are related to the woman can also be arranged according to the situation, which is a very good thing. Chen Zilong said sarcastically.

Li Xiao nodded with a smile, and asked Guan Yi again: "How many adult women are there who don't have spouses?" ”

Guan Yi hurriedly replied: "Your Excellency, there are about 8,000 people, but they are just a match for the soldiers of our army. After the soldiers are allocated, the surplus women and women can also be matched with the craftsmen of our army's factories and mines, but they can be regarded as finding a good home for them. ”

Li Xiao laughed and said to Chen Zilong: "Zilong's suggestion is very good, in this way, plus the old and weak who are related to those women, I am afraid that at least 10,000 people can be arranged like this." Zilong, then you can handle this matter, you can be a mass matchmaker for my soldiers and craftsmen everywhere. ”

Speaking of this, Li Xiao added with a smile: "Although this kind of distribution is mandatory, the wrist should not be too blunt, and it is always better to pay attention to your affection and my wishes." ”

Everyone laughed, Chen Zilong stood up, smiled and bowed his hand to Li Xiao: "Please rest assured, my lord, I will handle this matter properly for you." ”

After Chen Zilong finished speaking, Xu Xiuqing interjected: "Then how should the rest of the women and the old and weak be arranged?" ”

Chen Zilong thought for a moment and said: "The remaining women and the old and weak are all the wives and families of the rogue soldiers, as long as their husbands can be arranged, have a job, and get a salary, they can naturally live with them, but they don't have to worry about it." ”

Wu Liang frowned on the side and said: "It's just that if their husbands are subsequently examined and found out that they have done a lot of evil things in the past, but they can only be reformed through labor, but they are only responsible for food and shelter without pay, in this case, how can these women and the old and weak survive?" ”

Before Chen Zilong could speak, Li Xiao took over and said: "This matter is not urgent, and when I see it, how many such women and the old and weak have no salary because their husbands have to be reformed through labor, and it is not too late to make other arrangements." ”

When everyone heard this, they all nodded, and then Guan Yi stood up and said, "Lord Li, this time our army went on an expedition and suffered a lot of losses, but we can first recruit some troops from the rogue to supplement our army's losses. ”

Li Xiao nodded and agreed with his opinion: "What Wozi said is true, this official is thinking, just like the last time he accepted Zhang Xianzhong's department, from this batch of prisoners, absorb 10,000 people with good physical fitness, but not long after joining the army, those who do not have deep bad habits are selected into our army, first unified from the auxiliary soldiers, and then selected into all kinds of soldiers after the ideological education work is strengthened." ”

After Li Xiao finished speaking, he explained to Guan Yi: "Then this matter of selecting prisoners to be selected into our army will be arranged by Guan Yi." ”

"Rest assured, my lord, the students will definitely handle this matter wholeheartedly, and strengthen ideological education, so that they can become qualified members of our army as soon as possible." Guan Yi promised loudly.

After Guan Yi finished speaking, Wu Liang, the head of Iron Dragon City, said to Li Xiao in a tentative tone: "My lord, now there are only 86,000 strong men left to arrange. The students were thinking, why not take advantage of the fact that there are so many strong laborers now to vigorously expand the steel smelting and production in Iron Dragon City, but they can digest and absorb a large number of captives. ”

Li Xiao's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked: "What is the number of people engaged in steel production and the production equipment in Iron Dragon City now?" ”

Wu Liang hurriedly said: "My lord, now in the Iron Dragon City, there are 3 blast furnaces and 2 frying furnaces, which can produce at least 36,000 catties of wrought iron every day. The wrought iron produced is mainly used in the forging and smelting yard to produce all kinds of armor, weapons, and production and living utensils. In addition, it is used to make firearm shells such as earth-shattering thunder. ”

Wu Liang paused and continued: "In the entire Iron Dragon City, the number of workers used is roughly 3,000 mining teams, 2,000 people for grinding, washing and transportation, 3,000 workers operating blast furnaces and stir-fry furnaces, and 8,000 male workers and 5,000 female workers in the forging and smelting field, 200 male and 300 female workers in the ammunition factory, and 300 male workers in the trebuchet manufacturing factory. ”

Hearing this, Li Xiao immediately said to Wu Liang: "Manager Wu, let's do this, now that the manpower and funds are sufficient, double the steel production in Iron Dragon City." ”

Wu Liang had a smile on his face, and said busily: "The students also think the same way. In this way, a total of 6 blast furnaces and 4 frying furnaces can be built in Tielong City, and the daily wrought iron output will reach 72,000 catties. ”

Li Xiao smiled but did not speak.

He knew that in the middle of Wanli, when the industry and commerce of the Ming Dynasty reached its peak, the total amount of iron produced in the country in a year was only 180,000 tons, and the iron ore consumption was about 40 to 450,000 tons.

This number, which sounds like a lot, is simply not worth mentioning compared to modern China.

You must know that in contemporary China, as early as 2007, the total annual steel output was 489.66 million tons, compared with the Ming Dynasty, it is not an exaggeration.

And now their own one-day steel output is 720,000 catties, that is, 36 tons, then, according to the calculation of 20 days of production in a month, the output of a month is 720 tons, and the output of a year can reach 8,640 tons.

Li Xiao's Iron Dragon City, although the annual steel output is as small as a mustard in modern China, is enough to be proud of the iron yards and workshops throughout the Ming Dynasty.

According to modern China, Shanxian County has 150 million tons of iron ore reserves, which is enough for dozens of generations of self-mining, and Li Xiao does not have to worry about the shortage of ore.

While Li Xiao was pondering, Wu Liang still said diligently: "If this is arranged, the mining team can be increased to 6,000 people, the number of grinding, washing and transportation personnel can be increased to 4,000, the number of workers operating blast furnaces and frying furnaces can also be increased by another 3,000, and the 8,000 male workers and 5,000 female workers in the forging and smelting field can be at least doubled on this basis, reaching 16,000 male workers and 10,000 female workers!" ”

Li Xiao smiled: "If this is the case, how many manpower can be selected from the captives?" ”

Wu Liang hurriedly replied: "My lord, including the number of employees in each process, if the scale of the forging and smelting field is expanded, at least 25,000 strong male prisoners can be selected as laborers, and the required female workers can also solve a considerable number of women's work problems." ”

Li Xiao nodded and smiled: "Very good, Wu Liang's work will be arranged by you." ”

Next, Li Xiao stipulated that the personnel to be arranged, the same as the last time Zhang Xianzhong's department was arranged, the hardest and most tiring mining work was carried out by those who committed the heaviest crimes, and those who committed the most minor crimes were to go to dry crushing and washing mines.

These captives were all compulsory labor in the nature of re-education through labor, and they did not have any wages except for food and lodging, and they worked under the whip of the overseers every day, which was regarded as redemption for the crimes they had committed.

Next, select the prisoners who are less guilty than the grinding team and the washing team, and arrange them to be steelworkers who operate the blast furnace and the frying furnace, just enough to meet the manpower required for the expansion of the blast furnace and the frying furnace. In addition, in order to make them more conscientious in their work, in addition to food and housing, they were also given a salary of 2 yuan per month.

Finally, the prisoners who committed the least crimes were apprenticed in the forges for three and a half cents a month.

Li Xiao planned to divide the captives into three, six, nine and so on at any time, so as to artificially create a difference in treatment, which could effectively prevent them from grouping, so that even if they wanted to resist, they would not be able to form a cohesive force.

After the 20,000 strong men were arranged, Li Xiao suddenly remembered something, and he asked Wu Liang: "Mr. Wu, now outside Shanxian County, has the 150,000 acres of wasteland ever developed into mulberry fields?" ”

Wu Liang was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly replied: "Not yet, because this year, steel production has just been on the right track, and these wastelands have not yet had time to be developed." Doesn't the adult mean that he wants to develop these wasteland to house these captives? ”

Li Xiao nodded and said, "That's exactly what it means." ”

Wu Liang sighed and hurriedly said: "That is the case, then it is the same as before." It was from these captives that at least two husbands and wives were selected and contracted according to each household, and each household contracted 30 acres to become mulberry households. In this way, 5,000 families can be arranged. In this way, 5,000 strong men and their wives and their families can be arranged. ”

Li Xiao said with a smile: "Yes, this arrangement is very good, they are also the same as the previous silkworm households, in the first year, they pay 10 catties of silkworm cocoons per mu as a tax, and from the second year, they will pay 15 catties per mu, and from then on, it will always be a rule, and no more taxes will be raised." The rest of the cocoons produced by the Sericulture Division will be purchased at the market price. The mulberries produced by the mulberry tree are left for the silkworm households to eat for themselves. This work will also be arranged by you, Mr. Wu. ”

Li Xiao knew that if he developed these 150,000 mu of mulberry fields, he would bring considerable benefits to himself.

According to Zheng Rubao, the head of the sericulture section, these improved mulberry fields can produce about 1,000 catties of mulberry leaves per mu, 5 to 6 catties of silk can be reeled, and 750,000 catties of raw silk can be produced every year, plus 30,000 mu of mulberry fields of Chifengwei, a total of 900,000 catties of raw silk can be produced every year, and if sold to China, 540,000 taels of silver can be obtained every year, and if it is sold overseas, at least 1.2 million taels of silver can be obtained!

Of course, the sooner it is developed, the better.

After listening to Li Xiao's arrangement, Wu Liang smiled and promised loudly.

At this time, Li Xiao turned his head and asked Xu Xiuqing, the head of Chifeng City: "Manager Xu, now there are only 56,000 strong men left to arrange, but on the side of Chifeng City, where do you need manpower?" ”

Xu Xiuqing had a serious face, he thought for a while and said: "My lord, last time, because of the expansion of soldiers and horses in the Chifeng Battalion, Chifengwei recruited nearly 20,000 displaced people, like what cement factory, brick factory, sea salt factory, military horse farm, reclamation farm, quarry, lime field and other factories are all manpower, even the gold mine in Zhaoyuan has recruited enough manpower, and there is no undeveloped land. ”

Xu Xiuqing's answer made Li Xiao frown.

When Xu Xiuqing said this, she seemed to suddenly remember something, and hurriedly said to Li Xiao: "My lord, it suddenly occurred to me that the Ocean Island is now temporarily leased by our army, but it is just right to use these prisoners." ”

Without waiting for Li Xiao to speak, Xu Xiuqing hurriedly said to himself: "Master Li, I heard you say that Ocean Island is as big as one-eighth of Huangxian County, and there is living water on it, but at least 40,000 mu of cultivated land can be developed, and if 20 mu of land is pulled out for each household, another 2,000 Liukou families can be resettled. ”

When Xu Xiuqing said this, Chen Zilong next to him also came to his senses, and he interjected: "Yes, I heard adults say that there are nearly 2,000 acres of tidal flats on the island, and the number of salt fields that can be built is twice that of my Chifengwei, so that there are 3,000 strong men who can be arranged as salt factory workers." ”

As soon as Chen Zilong finished speaking, Xu Xiuqing said again: "Don't you still want to build a castle, a shipyard and a sailor base on the island, so that at least 5,000 strong men can be used as construction laborers." ”

Their words made Li Xiao nod again and again.

After Xu Xiuqing finished speaking, Guan Yi, who had not spoken, said with a rather worried look: "Even if it is arranged like this, there are still 45,000 strong men who have not been arranged, how can this be?" (To be continued.) )