As soon as these shots were fired, Ji Qingwen and his entourage were all shocked.

Among them, Huang Degong had the least knowledge and the most shallow city government, so he couldn't help but scream: "Mom, what is this?" If you take such a blow, even if you are steel and iron bones, won't you have to be broken and broken? ”

Li Yan squeezed out an embarrassed smile on his face and said to Huang Degong: "This is the power of artillery." Not to mention the flesh, even the city walls can blast you open. ”

Even Chen Wenzhao, who had seen the power of artillery, said in a trembling tone: "These cannons are so powerful, compared with those cannons used to defend the city in Liaodong, they not only hit farther and more accurately, but also are much more powerful...... If only there had been these cannons in the early years......"

And Ji Qingwen originally traveled from later generations, and he didn't know how many times he had seen the scenes of artillery roaring in movies and television, and he had long been mentally prepared for the power of artillery. However, it was the first time for him to watch the scene of artillery firing at such a close distance today, and he was still intimidated by this overwhelming momentum, and finally understood the origin of the nickname of the "God of War" of artillery......

But I heard Zheng Zhilong You say in an unusually proud tone: "Lord Ji, look how powerful this artillery is. With such a treasure on my ship, how dare ordinary pirates come to die? Your goods, your silver, are safe! Sir, put your heart in your belly, hahaha......"

Zheng Zhilong was laughing loudly, Chen Wenzhao suddenly lowered his voice, and whispered beside Ji Qingwen: "Lord Ji, these cannons are a sharp weapon, you have to find a way to get a few in your hand, and when you encounter a strong attack, they can come in handy."

There is no need for Chen Wenzhao to remind him of this, Ji Qingwen also knows it.

"Speaking of silver...... Ji Qingwen suddenly twisted the topic over and said to Zheng Zhilong, "How much silver is your artillery?" ”

Zheng Zhilong is a person who is good at observing words and feelings, and when he heard that Ji Qingwen's tone was wrong, he immediately moved his eyes, and the lion opened his mouth and said: "This thing is very expensive, a cannon costs 50,000 taels!"

"Nonsense! When I was fighting in Liaodong, I also asked that a cannon would look like four or five thousand taels at most, and it would definitely not exceed six thousand taels. Chen Wenzhao on the side immediately retorted.

Zheng Zhilong didn't expect that there was a knowledgeable person here, so he rolled his eyes and explained: "General Chen is right, I am right, the fault is that there is no unified pricing for this thing." First, the current market is different from the early years, and second, the imported goods are naturally very different from those made in Daming......"

Ji Qingwen listened to Zheng Zhilong's explanation, and was making a small calculation in his heart-

I sold 300,000 taels of silk worth 300,000 taels of silver on this trip, and after deducting the cost and the daily expenses of weaving the yamen, I could still earn 200,000 taels. If it is really as Zheng Zhilong said, the imported artillery costs 50,000 taels of silver per piece, then the huge amount of 200,000 yuan in his hand can only buy four guns, not including gunpowder, shells, and fuses!

——Thinking of this, Ji Qingwen's face couldn't help but show embarrassment.

Li Yan had already understood Zheng Zhilong's thoughts, and suddenly smiled "poof" and said, "I understand what Brother Ji means, don't you just want to get a few artillery pieces to play with?" But this thing is so powerful that we won't use it if we buy it. However, the priest John Tong whom Brother Ji knew seemed to be proficient in Western knowledge, and he must be able to use artillery. We learned how to apply it from him, and if it's not too late to find a way to buy it, maybe John Tong will be able to get the artillery, and he won't have to bother this Zheng Da shipowner......"

Li Yan's words seemed to be talking about him left and right, but there was murder in the words, and he told Zheng Zhilong unmistakably: Don't think that we don't understand Western affairs at all, as long as we go back to Suzhou and ask John Tang, then everything will fall into place.

Therefore, Zheng Zhilong listened to these words, a cold sweat suddenly broke out on his back, and he hurriedly said: "I did buy it for 50,000 doors at that time, maybe the market is not right now, maybe it can be cheaper......

At this time, even Ji Qingwen saw that there was something strange in it, and knew that the price of 50,000 taels of silver was very high, but in fact, it was just that he didn't want to give it to himself.

So he had an idea, looked up and silently counted the guns on Zheng Zhilong's deck, and said, "Master Zheng, I see that you have seven guns on each side of the ship, a total of fourteen. The number fourteen seems unlucky, so why don't I take your four guns first, so that you have ten guns on board...... It's perfect, it's good, it's good! ”

When Zheng Zhilong heard this, he immediately became anxious and hurriedly said, "This is not good......

"Yes, yes, yes." Ji Qingwen said, "Just having a cannon, not a bullet is not enough." Then I'll move two more boxes of gunpowder, two more boxes ...... Oh no, four boxes of shells - two each for flowering and triggering. ”

This is almost the same as Ming robbery, so anxious that Zheng Zhilong is sweating: "Lord Ji, this is not good, this is really not good."

But I heard Li Yan say on the side: "Ship Master Zheng, don't worry, Brother Ji is not an unreasonable person, we will move the artillery, explosives, and shells for the time being, and when you come back next time, we will definitely settle the money for these things to you." We have opportunities to deal with in the future, so why rush for a while? ”

He paused and said: "Of course, Brother Ji is not a stupid person, he has long guessed that the price of 50,000 doors offered by Ship Master Zheng just now must be inflated, so naturally he will not be the one who is wronged."

Ji Qingwen immediately answered: "That's right, you go back all the way, think about it clearly, as long as you offer me a suitable price, I will never bargain." Also, as you saw just now, I have so many soldiers under my command that I can't do without weapons in my hands. You brought all the 200 fine swords I asked you to buy last time, right? ”

"Brought, brought." Zheng Zhilong replied immediately.

"Alright, these swords, you send me off the ship with the artillery and shells. I have made a separate list, and you have purchased all the muskets, swords, and other items listed on it, and sent them to me, and I will settle the bill for you together. ”

After Ji Qingwen finished speaking, he didn't forget to add another sentence: "I still say the same sentence just now, there are thousands of clouds in the sky, ten thousand clouds, but there is only one cloud on your head, and that is me!" My cloud can shelter you from the wind and rain, and it can also rain thunderbolts, you have to think about it! ”

Although Zheng Zhilong was not convinced, he could only rely on Ji Qingwen to make money now, so he could only reluctantly agree, let himself work hard, and I don't know how many ways he bought the artillery, which was moved by Ji Qingwen; He could only pretend to be willing, and handed over the two hundred good Japanese knives he purchased to Ji Qingwen.

Although Zheng Zhilong always had a flattering expression on his face, he had another plan in his heart - the Book of Changes said that "the clouds are from the dragon and the wind is from the tiger", and the clouds in the sky are changing at any time; What's more, as long as he becomes a dragon that can subdue the entire East China Sea in the future, then he will be able to call the wind and rain, so why look at the face of the so-called "cloud"?

In any case, Ji Qingwen and his entourage in Songjiang Mansion today not only obtained 300,000 taels of silver and 200 good knives, but also obtained two artillery pieces and supporting gunpowder and shells, which can be said to have gained a lot.

So Ji Qingwen happily immediately led the army to escort 300,000 taels of silver and went straight to Suzhou.

Back in Suzhou, Ji Qingwen allocated from 300,000 taels of silver the cost of purchasing materials for the weaving yamen next year, the daily expenses of the Yamen Welfare Village, the silver taels that he planned to reward the weavers and the military in the New Year, the bribes of officials at all levels, and the money that promised to print and engrave the "Geometric Original" and "The Complete Book of Agricultural Administration" for Xu Guangqi, and actually saved as much as 150,000 taels of silver!

Ji Qingwen sat in the study, and when he saw the huge word "10,000" behind the fifteenth on the account book that Li Yan sorted out for him, he finally swelled unscrupulously, slapped the table, and shouted: "Where are the more nine dukes?" ”

Duo Jiugong was really waiting outside the door, and hurriedly pushed the door in, and asked, "What did the young master tell me to order?" ”

"You go and inform Chen Wenzhao and Ge Sheng that I will set up a banquet at the welfare workshop tomorrow night, and the village warrior group practitioners will not talk about him, and let Ge Sheng gather all the weavers and come over." Ji Qingwen said.

Duo Jiugong asked, "Young Master, there is still more than half a month before the New Year, and it is too early to set up a wine dinner and invite Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, right?" ”

Ji Qingwen was on the rise, and said: "Who said that you have to wait for the New Year to be able to set up wine?" Who said I was invited for a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner? I'm in for dinner, yes...... It's to be discussed! ”