Stopped, Hou Meng continued to add: "However, isn't the sulfur now controlled in the hands of T? Gunpowder is a large amount of consumables, and without a Japanese production area, outsiders may not be able to obtain a large amount of sulfur.

In addition, there is nitrate, at present, saltpeter is only produced in Xiaoliuqiu, and then it is the nitrate cave in Chengdu Prefecture, and the Shaanxi nitrate factory produces a small amount for Taoist priests to make pills.

I heard that in the past, Taoist priests also extracted medicinal nitrate from human feces and bird dung when refining nitrate...... But as long as we keep Xiaoliuqiu firmly in hand, even if others get the formula, they will inevitably scrape the nitrate on the wall of the latrine......

When I think about it, I have never heard of a large amount of nitrate ore in the north, and as long as we control the production of nitrate, I think that even if one or two guns leak out, it will be waste to others. ”

Who said there are no nitrate mines in the north?

Zhao Xing remembered that China's largest nitrate mine was in Inner Mongolia, and after Song Huizong's power was weakened, it was the Taoist priests who suffered the most. Originally, the Song Dynasty respected Taoism as the state religion and especially favored that group of Taoist priests, but there were Taoist priests who went north to present maps to the Hu people and seduce the Mongols to slaughter, and now this situation is even more difficult to say.

Taoist priests are not amateurs with sulfur and nitrate, gunpowder is a by-product of Taoist alchemy, at this time, if there is an exiled Taoist priest who fled without permission and sold the formula to the Liao people, the Jin people and the Xia people, then the history of Zhao Xing's change will return to the original trajectory, but in this way, it may be that the Hu people's destruction of Chinese civilization will be even greater.

"There is more than one Japan in the world, and there is more than a small Ryukyu, there are minerals in the Japanese Ryukyus, which does not mean that there are no other places, these guns are in the Nanyang Affairs Bureau, and I can strictly control them, because my army has regulations, I can do that every gun is registered, and it is strictly forbidden for them to take home, but I think, the Beiyang Affairs Bureau can't do it."

Hou Meng thought for a moment, and then turned to attack from other sides: "Taiwei already knows that the Westerners have got the formula, why don't you detain those Westerners—I remember that Taiwei has also done something similar." ”

Zhao Xing nodded lightly: "Cost and benefit - I calculated it like this at the time: we can get at least 100 million yuan a year by trading with the West, and what can we gain by deducting this group of Westerners." Of course, it doesn't cost anything to deduct them, but the knock-on benefits will cause our trade to be greatly affected.

I have carefully weighed that the manufacture of this kind of gun is not something that can be done by individual strength, it requires the completion of the entire 137 sets of processes in a huge workshop, and my Song Dynasty has a vast territory and a large population, so it is completely possible to rely on our national strength and economic strength to establish such a huge workshop and complete a complete set of assembly operations, but the West cannot do it.

The West is a small country. Their land is not as good as ours. Landed nations are not even comparable to our own trading territory, territory, and population. Even this is a small country. Even now they are unanimously waging a holy religious war against the outside world. But they are as big as 6. There is still infighting between countries. Such a small country and a widow. I want to gather enough human and material resources. The production of such new weapons, which cost a lot of money...... I don't think many countries can afford it.

What's more. I said it earlier. These small nations are constantly fighting each other. In such cases. No one wants their enemies to have access to such a timeless weapon. So they are bound to clamp each other down. Tear each other down. It's not possible to work together. So. Even if they get the recipe. This gunpowder was made. There are also limited quantities. Power is limited.

Most importantly, it is. Our Song army is on its way to Africa. Plan as I am. They will occupy a huge sulphur mine in Africa. Lost support for sulphur mines in Africa. I think they produce gunpowder in limited quantities. At most, it will be a civil war. And our Great Song Dynasty is beyond their imagination. There really will be a day. If we have a conflict with them. As long as we remain as strong as we are. I believe. Small European countries are the power of one country. Can't compete with us.

So. I want to think about it. Instead of blocking them. Delay their access to gunpowder. It's better to let them go back. Conduct a sulphur trade with them. And we mainly devote our energy to maintaining the strength of our Great Song Land—to maintain the immediate prosperity of the land with the money we receive from them. This is the right way. Engage in conspiracy and small destruction. It can't be a big deal. ”

Hou Meng heard Zhao Xing tell the truth. He took advantage of the victory to pursue: "So to speak. You're going to sell gunpowder to the Arabs too? You sell gunpowder to both sides of the warring field. Wouldn't it be better to make money on both sides?

In other words. You are not afraid that Westerners and Arabs will get gunpowder. Why are you afraid that my Beiyang Affairs Bureau will get new weapons? You still say that you are not suspected of secession? We are also Song people. You are still a Song official. Why are you willing to sell weapons to Westerners, Nanyangs? But you won't sell it to us? ”

Zhao Xing raised a finger: "You are mistaken, I am selling gunpowder, not muskets, especially not new muskets?" And this new type of musket process is complicated, we are now making muskets, the barrel life is limited, although the craftsmen are doing their best, but now the production of muskets, the cost rate is not even half of the cost, but I have 50,000 troops in Nanyang waiting to be fed, how can I take into account the Beiyang Affairs Bureau? ”

Hou Meng was taken aback: "Fifty thousand, where did you get so many troops?" I heard that you don't have only 30,000 people? Among these 30,000 people, there are only 6,000 firearms troops, how can your power expand so quickly in the blink of an eye? ”

"More than that

Fan pushed the door in at this time, he was not worried about Zhao Xing's negotiations here, anyway, he ^ had a black face, so he ran over to play his role.

He pushed the door and replied lazily: "Fifty thousand soldiers is the number ten days ago, yesterday our Qinglong and White Tiger Legion was officially formed, the two armies have a total of 6,000 people, and the auxiliary soldiers are about 50,000, plus the Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu Army, we have a total of 110,000 troops." ”

Hou Meng stammered: "Not counting the demon and monster army, the Nanyang Affairs Bureau already has 110,000 troops?" …… Why do you want so many troops? ”

Shuai Fan immediately replied: "The Demon and Monster Army is now stationed in Dali and monitoring Tubo, and the other three armies are not enough to be stationed overseas, so they naturally have to expand their army to deal with unexpected changes." ”

Hou Meng blinked his eyes and quickly replied: "The Iron Cavalry can't make big waves, the Privy Council has secretly written to the Beiyang Affairs Bureau, let's not assist them, a few days ago, the Iron Cavalry asked to go south along Jingxi Road, we have refused, Han Xianggong told Zhao Liangfu, saying that after Huashigang, Jingxi Road is full of mourning and hatred, and now the Beiyang Affairs Bureau is busy pacifying the place, I am afraid that it will not be able to supply the food of the Iron Cavalry, and once the Iron Cavalry Army marches from Jingxi Road, I am afraid that some people will be disturbed, and they will attack the army.

Zhao Liangfu received our refusal, and he had already diverted the road to the south, and I heard that because the local people were unwilling to supply grain and grass, the Iron Cavalry marched only twenty or thirty miles a day. ”

Hou Meng was talking about the Iron Cavalry going south, and it seems that the Privy Council is also dissatisfied with the Iron Cavalry going south, and they know that at this sensitive moment, threatening Zhao Laohu may be misfired. Therefore, although there was no need for the Zongmuzi on the surface, the Iron Cavalry was transferred south to "change clothes", but in private, the counties had been notified, hoping that they would not cooperate.

Of course, they didn't dare to inform Zhao Xing, lest Zhao Xing knew that this iron cavalry army was half-hearted and would preemptively deal with the precious and only cavalry in this forbidden army.

They didn't know that Zhao Xing's four divine beast troops had already achieved semi-cavalry.

When Hou Meng said this, he showed Zhao Xing that he supported Zhao Xing's initiative in the last military admonition, and the Northern Affairs Bureau was by no means opposed to Zhao Xing in this regard, even if it was not Zhao Xing's ally, so he didn't have to worry that after the guns were leaked, he would arm the Northern Affairs Bureau against Zhao Xing himself.

Zhao Xinghan smiled: "Iron Cavalry, I never thought it was aimed at us, this broiler army is just another collection of the official family, it is not used for fighting, it is used for performance and dance, I have never worried that the broiler will become a phoenix."

But when you say that, I'm embarrassed not to give you some new muskets, so ......"

Zhao Xing stretched out three fingers, he didn't say the number, Shuai Fan had been categorical, and said in an unquestionable tone: "Three hundred strokes, we can only squeeze out three hundred strokes, this gun is hugely powerful, three hundred strokes are enough to equip the personal soldiers of the generals of the Beiyang Affairs Bureau, there is no more, do you want to love it." ”

Zhao Xing stammered and looked at Shuai Fan and said, "I originally wanted to say thirty strokes!" ”

Handsome and temperamental.

Hou Meng endured and endured, and was furious: "Three hundred poles of flowers, Zhao Liren, do you think I am here to beg, I have an official letter from the Privy Council, asking you Guangnan Ordnance Bureau to allocate our ordnance according to the quantity, I will not agree to one less pole." ”

Zhao Xing smiled and said: "Don't worry, I didn't say I wouldn't give it to you, it's just that our daily production is limited, if you ask me with this attitude, I have to tell you, when we produce enough, we will definitely allocate it to you!" ”

Hou Meng sat down slowly: "We are friends, we used to be friends, right, you are honest, how long do I have to wait?" ”

Zhao Xing didn't answer yet, but Shuai Fan still rushed to say: "Three thousand new guns, no matter how you say it, it will take five years, maybe ten years is not necessarily." ”

Hou Meng also wanted to preemptively say: "We are friends, you have to please, I will first take back part of the guns in the soldiers' hands and give them to you, but you also know that this kind of gun needs special bullets, three hundred guns, I can match you with enough bullets - 10,000 per gun, three spare barrels, but you want 3,000 guns, I can only be equipped with 100 bullets per gun, and it is useless to have a spare barrel." ”

Hou Meng's eyes rolled, and he immediately smiled again: "I remember that Xiaoliuqiu should be managed by the Beiyang Affairs Bureau, but the Nanyang Affairs Bureau handed over Japan to us, but it has been delaying and not returning Xiaoliuqiu, Zhao Xianggong, should we continue to talk about when to return Xiaoliuqiu?" ”

Zhao Xing, who was pinched and hurt his feet, said with a sneer: "Lord Hou, Brother Yuangong, Xiaoliuqiu has no big production, that is, a group of Jin Dynasty fugitives established several tribes there, they live by fishing, and the tribute items are just coral shells. It is not as rich as our Nanyang Affairs Bureau, which can maintain the normal operation of this route. So don't fight with me, and throw me such a loss-making deal." ”

Hou Meng pointed to his finger for several periods, and said: "The Nanyang Affairs Bureau transported a total of 300 ships of saltpeter from Xiaoryukyu last year, which is equivalent to sending a shipload of saltpeter from Nanyang every day. Nowadays, the earlier and bigger the ships of your Nanyang Affairs Bureau, each ship is afraid of carrying a thousand materials...... What is the price of saltpeter now, even if Xiaoliuqiu does not produce anything else, the saltpeter trade alone is enough to maintain this route, so don't talk about fooling people. ”

When it comes to shipbuilding, Zhao Xing smiled more honestly: "Beiyang."

What kind of ships are being built now, and is there enough wood? ”

Speaking of this, Hou Meng was a little weak-hearted. Historically, there were not many hardwoods produced in the north, but there were still some until the Mongols crusaded against Japan and cut down the hardwood resources in Liaodong to extinction, so that there was no large-scale shipbuilding industry in the north.

It is not yet the time for the rise of the Mongols, but even so, the wood production of shipbuilding in the north is not much, according to Shen Kuo's records, at this time in Shandong, the number has been cut down, even the grass does not grow on the stones, and the known shipbuilding industry of the Great Song Dynasty is south of Quanzhou, because the south is rich in hardwood resources, which can supply shipbuilding.

In other words, the current Northern Affairs Bureau is unable to rely on the hardwood resources smuggled from the Liao State independently, which is far from meeting the needs of shipbuilding, and a large number of hardwood resources in the south are under the control of Zhao Xing.

Hou Meng thought for a long time, and said with difficulty: "We don't want Ryukyu, but the wood needed for shipbuilding ......"

Zhao Xing smiled more and more like an honest man: "Why bother, why bother to set up another set of shipbuilding stalls, as long as you have money, my Nanyang shipyard will sell you ready-made ships, and guarantee that they are exactly the same as the Nanyang Affairs Bureau, look, we take what we need, you give us the shipbuilding volume you need every year, I guarantee that the supply will be given priority, Xiaoliuqiu's affairs, you might as well turn a blind eye." ”

Hou Meng came to his senses at this time: "What we just talked about seems to be the issue of the new gun, how did you get around to Xiaoliuqiu, this yard is one yard, the matter of Xiaoliuqiu still needs to be discussed by Han Xiang and you personally, I don't count what I promised." ”

Just now, the two sides of the confrontation were actually showing each other's hole cards, and Hou Meng told Zhao Xing that he had the work that Zhao Xing needed in his hands, and he could jam Zhao Xing's neck; And Zhao Xing counterattacked: The life and death of the Beiyang Affairs Bureau are in the palm of my hand, if I don't supply wood or ships, your Beiyang Affairs Bureau is just a sailor on the road.

At this point of conversation, Hou Meng first gave in, he put aside the topic just now, returned to the gun, and at the same time told the other party secretly: We all have our own scruples and needs for each other in official business, this gun ......

Zhao Xing glanced at Shuai Fan, and Shuai Fan suddenly interjected: "Just now you mentioned Hua Shigang, I just want to ask you, has Hua Shigang been robbed in the territory of Jingdong West Road, and how is it now?" ”

Zhao Xing seemed to be aroused by Shuai Fan's words, and he immediately asked: "How is Uncle Zhang, I heard that he is now the governor of Yunzhou?" ”

Hou Meng was stunned for a moment, and replied with an unchanged face: "I heard that the Nanyang Affairs Bureau is cultivating Yin-Yang Dao soldiers, and there are rumors in the Jingzhong General's Sect, saying that the Jingshi will strike the dynasty, and there are secret spies belonging to the Guangnan Yin-Yang Dao Department instigating it, and General Xiaoshi has also vaguely talked about such a thing - now it seems that this matter is indeed true."

The robbery of the state Huashigang happened to be born at the time of turmoil in the imperial court, it was probably the last batch of Huashigang of the official family, you should know, it was a collection of rich businessmen in the Soviet Union collected by Tong Guan, and it was quietly transported to the capital from the 6th Road, but I didn't expect to be robbed in Yunzhou.

After the robbery was born, the magistrate was worried that the court would be held responsible, and he was busy solving the case, and it happened that the court had a boycott incident, and after that, the magistrate wanted to hide the matter and did not report it to the court. This matter has only recently been exposed, and I only got the news from the Beiyang Affairs Bureau a few days ago, saying that a local tyrant named Chao Gai gathered Zhuangke and robbed these Huashigang. Afterwards, he was arrogant and not tired, and he was noticed. The government sent troops to encircle and suppress, and Chao Gai had already fled to Liangshanbo - this matter is under Uncle Zhang's night control, and he is still counting on transferring a few fast guns from you to enter Ludang to suppress bandits. ”

Zhao Xing immediately remembered Liang Zimei, the official of the Qian Gang and Cai Jing's son-in-law he met in Huanqing, and he asked tightly: "Who is in charge of the Daimyo Mansion now?" ”

Hou Meng replied: "Liang Zimei, a scholar from the Chinese Academy." This guy is Cai Jing's son-in-law, and he was originally going to be purged, but I heard that Lord Huang Luzhi stopped him, saying that Liang Zimei had a relationship with you, and you once praised Liang Zimei for being diligent and meticulous. Moreover, the government and the opposition are turbulent, and it is not easy for the border generals to be replaced. ”

This is right, Liang Zimei Liang Zhongshu is in the Daimyo's Mansion, if Liang Zimei wants to send Cai Jing's birthday gang, it should be sent to Bianliang in the west, and it is impossible to send it to Shandong in the east, so it is impossible for Chao Gai to rob Cai Jing's birthday gang in Shandong, and he can only rob Huashigang.

Zhao Xing didn't expect that he would speed up the process of history and make Hua Shigang short-lived. But Chao Gai still appeared.

It seems that fate is sometimes incredible, and the characters who are destined to leave their names in history always can't help but show up.

Chao Gai appeared, so where is Fang La, who rebelled earlier than Chao Gai? Will this Fang La still appear in central Zhejiang, and finally the army will be directed at Hangzhou, and the followers in the city will join forces with the outside to conquer Hangzhou, and then use Hangzhou as the capital, establish their own religious regime, and implement armed secession?

Perhaps, Fang La is currently one of the many small armed forces in central Zhejiang, and has not yet had time to attract the attention of the Great Song Dynasty.

"Let's quickly check, check if there are any bandits in Su, how many bandits are there, and who are the leaders?" Zhao Xing jumped up in a hurry.

Zhao Xing didn't know that Fang La, the "Holy Emperor", was based on the uprising of Yiwu Prefecture and Qingxi Prefecture in Muzhou, but because his efforts had seriously tampered with history, the Wudoumi Sect, which was the Zoroastrian, Manichaeism, and Taoist branches of Fang Lalai's uprising, had lost the popularity of believers under the persecution of Jingjiao.

(To be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please post 6 sections more, support for \, support genuine reading!) )