Lu Bu, accompanied by Zhang Shiping, Sun Ce and others, went to the open space in the arsenal.

Craftsmen who had been working in the arsenal were also called here.

The men and women brought by Sun Ce stood in two columns on the left and right sides of the old craftsmen.

Zhang Shiping looked at Lu Bu, and Lu Bu nodded at him.

With Lu Bu's approval, Zhang Shiping took two steps forward and shouted to the people present: "There are a lot of newcomers in the arsenal today, and I have something to say to each of you on the orders of the Marquis of Chu." ”

The first batch of craftsmen in the arsenal was only three or two hundred.

The new men and women were far outnumbered.

At first, the craftsmen were still looking around, and some even whispered about which of the women present looked more pleasing to the eye.

Zhang Shiping shouted, and the people who were talking in a whisper all stopped, looking at him intently one by one.

It's not that people are afraid of him, it's just that Lu Bu is standing behind him, and everyone present has a kind of awe for Lu Bu that the low-ranking person looks up to the high-ranking person.

The scene was quiet, and Zhang Shiping then shouted: "From today on, there are not only men but also women in the arsenal. It's just that if you think that the women here can be bullied at will, then you are wrong! The Marquis of Chu issued an order, and all the women who came to work in the arsenal made immortal contributions to Xuzhou and Yangzhou. They are supposed to do things with their heads held up just like men. But if someone wanted to bully them, Chu Hou would not agree. ”

Sun Ce, who was standing next to Lu Bu, saw that Zhang Shiping's speech was a little messy, and looked at Lu Bu.

Lu Bu also nodded, and Sun Ce took two steps forward to stand beside Zhang Shiping: "The Marquis of Chu has an order that anyone who harasses and molests women working in the arsenal will be punished as homicide. Those who dare to insult will be divided into five horses! ”

Sun Ce's words were concise and to the point, when he announced Lu Bu's order, he was still discussing which woman was better looking just now, and the craftsmen who were itching in their hearts and wanted to wait until the fact to flirt with them gasped one by one, secretly glad that they didn't do that.

Although it is somewhat interesting to use hands and feet on women, once they are sent to be punished, their heads will be completely goodbye to their necks.

No matter how big the color heart is, when it touches the life, few people will dare to do it.

Sun Ce shouted, calming everyone present.

Not to mention that the craftsmen used to work in the market, they saw with their own eyes how miserable those who were dismembered by the five horses because of the inferior armor, let's just say that those servants who were sent here by the master's family had also heard Lu Bu say that as long as the order was given, they would never change for any reason.

"You all understand what Chu Hou means." When Sun Ce finished shouting this, Zhang Shiping continued: "Those who come here today, regardless of men and women, will be divided into several groups later, led by different old craftsmen. You must learn the skills here as soon as possible, and the officers and men of the army will be waiting for you to provide the ordnance, and no one shall slack off! ”

The men and women present looked at Zhang Shiping intently, those women who were sent to the arsenal and didn't know what was waiting for them next, and their eyes lit up at this time.

They thought that their fate would be even more miserable when they were sent to the arsenal than when they were servants in the past, but they didn't expect that the first thing they heard was that Chu Hou would support them, and no one could bully them at will.

The women who are used to being bullied are a little at a loss for a while, and they don't know what to do in the future.

Zhang Shiping, who didn't know what else to say, turned around and bowed deeply to Lu Bu: "Dare to ask Chu Hou, can you let them disperse?" ”

"I still have something to say." Lu Bu took two steps forward, and Zhang Shiping and Sun Ce consciously retreated behind him.

Looking around at the people present, Lu Bu shouted, "You should all know what the arsenal means to me. What does it mean to me to do things here? I don't care what you have done in the past, what I want to tell you is that since you are here, from this day forward, you are all free, and there is no one to bully and enslave you! From now on, there is only one thing you have to do, and that is to obey the arrangement of Shiping and do what you do well! Whether or not a lieutenant or soldier can win on the battlefield has a lot to do with whether or not you can provide better ordnance. The soldiers of the three armies are my backbone, and you are my feet. I can't stand without a backbone, and I can't walk without my feet! ”

After a pause, Lu Bu then shouted: "I'm actually a very good person, whoever relieves my worries, I treat him as my own family." If anyone blocks me, I will definitely make his life unsmooth, and maybe his life will be lost. Since you have come to the arsenal, I hope that each of you can do things with peace of mind and relieve your worries for the officers and men of the three armies and for Xuzhou. ”

Calling out to the men and women working in the arsenal, Lu Bubing didn't expect a response from them.

After shouting the last sentence, he turned to Sun Ce and ordered, "Let's go!" ”

Zhang Shiping motioned for everyone to disperse and followed Lu Bu to see him off the arsenal.

When he walked in the direction of the gate of the arsenal, Lu Bu asked him, "How long will it take, and you can make all these people come in handy?" ”

"It takes some days to learn the skill." Zhang Shiping replied: "The Marquis of Chu is in a hurry to ask for armor, and the arsenal has to teach the new craftsmen skills while rushing to make it, and I think it will take a month or two to say the least, and these people can really come in handy." ”

"I'll only give you half a month." Looking at Zhang Shiping, Lu Bu said: "Half a month later, these people must all come in handy. The armor still has to be made more quickly, although Cao Cao has no signs of sending troops to attack Xuzhou at the moment, but no one can tell when he will send troops to attack. Once Cao Cao comes, if the soldiers don't have armor, what do you want me to give them to protect? ”

Zhang Shiping lowered his head and said to Lu Bu: "Don't worry, Chu Hou, I have put down everything recently and only stared at the arsenal. ”

"It's not like I'm worried about you." Lu Bu said: "What I'm not worried about is actually Cao Cao. You should know very well what you rely on to get to where you are today. Once I am powerless to resist Cao Cao, and when he breaks through Pengcheng, will you be able to make a living so smoothly? Even if he won't ruin your livelihood, for so long, you have been by my side, with Cao Cao's person, do you think he will let you live? ”

When Lu Bu said the last sentence, Zhang Shiping gasped.

He didn't know much about Cao Cao, but he decided that those who could achieve a feat like Cao Cao must be decisive characters.

Since he met Lu Bu, he did get a lot of benefits in Lu Bu's hands, but he also brought a lot of benefits to Lu Bu.

If Cao Cao really investigates it, as the businessman with the closest connection with Lu Bu, he and Tian's family, I'm afraid that few of them will end well......

"I have written down everything that Chu Hou said." Zhang Shiping bowed down and watched Lu Bu and Sun Ce leave.

When Lu Bu walked away, he stood up straight and said to the few stewards who came to the door with him: "What Chu Hou said, you also heard it?" Once there is an accident in Xuzhou, we have helped Chu Hou do a lot of things like us, I am afraid that no one can end up with a corpse. If you want to survive, the only way is to follow Chu Hou and forge better ordnance for him. You guys will take care of your own affairs later, and if anyone doesn't do well, I won't have anything good for him to think about. ”

Several stewards were brought to the arsenal by Zhang Shiping, and they have always done things safely, and they also know each other very well with Zhang Shiping.

As a big businessman, Zhang Shiping rarely spoke to his subordinates in such a tone.

He would say so, and of course the stewards knew that things were not small.

The stewards responded one after another, accompanied Zhang Shiping back to the factory, and did not mention the matters at hand.

It was only said that Lu Bu, who stayed in the arsenal for most of the day, returned to the official mansion, and was talking to Sun Ce, when a guard came to report: "Qi Chu Hou, just got the news that the Yuan family in Hebei sent Yuan Shang to Xuzhou, saying that there is something to discuss with Chu Hou. ”

Yuan Shang is Yuan Shao's most beloved son, and he was sent to Xuzhou, which shows that Yuan Shao must have a lot to talk about with Lu Bu this time.

Lu Bu asked the guards, "Has Yuan Shang arrived in Xuzhou?" ”

"I have entered the territory of Xuzhou, and I should arrive in Pengcheng tomorrow afternoon." The guard replied.

Waving his hand to signal the guards to retreat, Lu Bu asked Sun Ce, "Bo Fu thinks that Yuan Benchu sent Yuan Shang over, what do you have to say to me?" ”

"I think it's for the coal." Sun Ce replied: "But Yuan Benchu is also a face-saving person, although he is asking the Marquis of Chu for coal, he will definitely not say it openly, and he will definitely use the crusade against Cao Cao as an excuse." I feel that when Yuan Shang came to Pengcheng, it is likely that he will blame Chu Hou in his words. ”

"Reproach me?" Lu Bu asked, "Why?" ”

"It has been many days since the Marquis of Chu and Yuan Benchu reached an alliance, but there has been no sign of sending troops to fight against Cao Cao." Sun Ce replied: "Although Yuan Benchu didn't care when the Marquis of Chu would crusade against Cao Cao, he would definitely let Yuan Shang blame him in his words, so as to put all the blame on the head of the Marquis of Chu. ”

"Since he wants to put the guilt on my head, I don't argue with him." Lu Bu pursed his lips and said to Sun Ce: "What he says is what it is, I let him make trouble, can't I?" ”

"Absolutely." Sun Ce replied: "It's just that Chu Hou has never thought that if Yuan Benchu is so noisy, he will really fall into the truth." ”

"So what can I do?" Lu Bu smiled very plainly: "I don't have enough armor, is it possible to lead the army without waiting for the armor to be made?" ”

Speaking of this, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he said to Sun Ce: "Before, I only thought about making armor myself, but I didn't think about getting it from elsewhere. Yuan Benchu had many soldiers and horses, and the armor in his hand must also be a lot. Wouldn't it be much easier for me if I could get some armor from him? ”

Sun Ce was stunned: "Chu Hou means to get armor from the Yuan family in Hebei?" ”

"Isn't that possible?" Lu Bu said: "Now that money is not very useful to me, I urgently need armor, if Yuan Benchu is willing to transfer some over, even if he gives him a little more coal, what can he do?" ”

"If this business is done, I'm worried that Chu Hou will lose a lot." Sun Ce shook his head and said, "Yuan Benchu can't wait to use other things as money to exchange coal with the Marquis of Chu. And I think that if he had someone bring him armor, he would have chosen shoddy ...... from the army."

"It's shoddy, but it's only possible to pass my level." Lu Bu smiled and said to Sun Ce: "Since he wants coal, of course, the armor will be sent to Pengcheng, and we will decide whether to return it or give it to one after we inspect it." ”

"If Chu Hou returns the armor, I'm afraid it will annoy Yuan Benchu." Sun Ce frowned and said to Lu Bu, "No matter what, I always feel that this is inappropriate. ”

"Whether it's proper or not, it's clear when you see Yuan Shang." Lu Bu replied: "Since Yuan Shang has come to Pengcheng, he wants to put a treacherous hat on me under the pretext that I have not crusaded against Cao Cao until now. I asked him to wear it all at once, and when he had almost worn it for me, I proposed that all the previous armor had been destroyed, and now the officers and men in the army did not have enough armor, and they really couldn't go on the battle. Let him say good and bad things first, and then I know how to deal with him. ”

"Since Chu Hou has such an idea, he might as well give it a try." Sun Ce frowned slightly, and said to Lu Bu: "It's just that I still don't dare to have too much hope that the Yuan family will send excellent armor. Although the Marquis of Chu and the Yuan family are still allies with each other at the moment, both Yuan Benchu and the Marquis of Chu understand that once Cao Cao is defeated, the alliance between the two sides will be terminated, and it will not be long before either the Yuan family sends troops to attack the Marquis of Chu, or the Marquis of Chu sends troops to attack Hebei. If he sent fine armor, wouldn't he be worried that the Marquis of Chu would use these armors against the Yuan family in the future? ”

"Bo Fu is really right to be worried." Lu Bu nodded and said to Sun Ce: "But I feel that Yuan Benchu should send the fine armor this time, since he knows that we and the Yuan family will have a fight sooner or later, the Yuan family must use good coke if they want to forge better weapons and armor." The coke had to be refined from charcoal, and a batch of armor could be exchanged for enough coal to forge more weapons and armor, and if it were me, I would have thought it was a good deal. ”

Lu Bu's analysis could not be said to be unreasonable, Sun Ce frowned slightly, although he wanted to refute, he could no longer find a reason to refute.

failed to convince Lu Bu, and Sun Ce also knew that Lu Bu did not convince him.

He said to Lu Bu: "Since the Marquis of Chu thinks so, then wait for Yuan Shang to come and see what kind of statement he gives before making a decision." ”

"What Bo Fu said makes sense, the most important thing now is not that we are here thinking about how to deal with Yuan Shang, but also what he will say when he comes here." Lu Bu nodded and said to Sun Ce: "You also prepare, tomorrow you have to go to the city gate to meet Yuan Shang." ”