Meng Kang said: "I have to go back and discuss this with them, I know what my brother is like." However, the healthy shipbuilding is run by the government, and it builds a big ship for the escort of Huashigang. Although a craftsman like me is not in the stream, I am afraid that the transfer officer will report to Shangfeng, and it is no one else who manages Huashigang, it is Cai Jing and Taishi Cai. ”

Zhu Wu said with a smile: "Brother Meng Kang doesn't need to worry too much, since the promotion official squeezes you out, I can't wait for you to leave early, and we don't want to pay for it, so how happy the promotion officials are, they won't report such a small matter to Taishi Cai." What's more, Brother He Chaogai also has an official body now, Yuncheng group training, don't look at the official position, but he is actually in charge of Yuncheng, even in the entire Jeju Mansion, he is also a powerful figure. ”

Of course, Meng Kang didn't understand this, and when he heard Zhu Wu say this, he was also very surprised, but he didn't expect that Chao Gai in his impression was the lord of a village, and now he has become a hegemon.

Chao Gai said, "Where are your thirty brothers?" ”

Meng Kang said: "Rest in the Tianya car shop." ”

"Why don't you come and have a drink?" Chao Gai said.

Meng Kang got up to go, and Zhu Wu said, "Don't be so troublesome, let's go over." ”

It turned out that Zhu Wu was thoughtful, ordinary craftsmen rarely came to such a luxurious place as a big restaurant, and they felt uncomfortable when they came.

Chao Gai and the others had almost eaten their meals, and everyone got up and rushed to the Tianya Inn.

It turned out that the transfer officer deliberately made things difficult, and he did not pay his salary until the twenty-third day of the lunar month, and he gave everyone two months' wages until the twenty-third day of the lunar month, and everyone was homesick and rented a boat to go north along the river, and walked for six days before arriving at Yuncheng, and it happened to be snowing heavily, and the boatman was unwilling to continue north. Meng Kang had no choice but to go ashore and take the land route, and just rested in Yuncheng in the afternoon. Meng Kang was bored in his heart, settled down and the craftsmen came to the city alone for a stroll, just walked to the door of this Chaojia building, the man saw his tall body, and told him that if he could play with the knife a few times, he would have free wine and food to eat.

On a whim, Meng Kang played a few knife tricks. According to the rules, it is four dishes and a pot of wine, but Meng Kang is thin-skinned, and it is not good to eat much for nothing, as long as he has two dishes and a pot of wine, he will meet Chao Gai after not eating for a while.

Chao Gai smiled after hearing this: "Brother Meng Kang doesn't have to be like this, this restaurant usually makes money, and it is brothers from all over the world who take care of the business, and the restaurant makes money." After making money, he should spend it on his brothers from all over the world. Hundreds of friends are entertained every year, and four dishes and a pot of wine are not worth a few dollars, just to let friends in difficulty have a full meal. ”

Meng Kang was so moved that he almost bowed his head, and several people were willing to spend the money they had gotten again.

Tianya Inn belongs to the middle and low-end car shop, and the thirty craftsmen brought by Meng Kang live in the Datong shop, with ten people in each room. Of course, although the price of Tianya Inn is cheap, the conditions are much better than other big car shops. The bed is covered with a thick straw mattress and a new cotton futon, which is very warm.

When everyone saw Meng Kang coming, they greeted each other.

Chao Gai asked, "Have you eaten?" ”

"I haven't eaten yet, I've earned so much money after a year of hard work, and my family is counting on this money." Humane.

Zhu Wudao: "The price of wine and rice in the inn is also very cheap, my brother has a treat, everyone let go of it." ”

The stove room of Tianya Inn stews meals all day long, this year's Yuncheng chicken, duck and goose harvest is abundant, the chef of Tianya Inn prefers to stew goose in iron pot, the goose is very fat, a live goose is ten catties. Thirty people stewed three big geese, put radish vermicelli, and the fragrant dish was served. The guy also served five jars of rice wine.

Chao Gai said: "When you arrive in Yuncheng, even if you arrive at home, everyone eats and drinks well, drinks and eats well." Chao Gai picked up the wine bowl and drank it all.

They are all shipbuilders, and those who work hard eat a lot. This one was eaten violently, and the three geese were not enough, and it took three more stews to eat enough, and the steamed buns also ate more than 100. Full of wine and food, everyone's eyes were red when they drank one by one.

Meng Kang said: "I'm sorry everyone, I only got two months' wages this year, and it seems that even if I continue to work next year, I may not be able to get much salary." This Chao Tuanlian also has a shipyard to open, and wants everyone to stay and build ships, and they will earn 80 yuan a year. ”

Some of the people said: "The commissioner deliberately withheld it, and it is no wonder that you don't give money." ”

"It's just that if we don't go, I'm afraid we will never get back the arrears."

Meng Kang said: "Chao Tuanlian said that he is willing to make up for the wages we don't have to come back." ”

Everyone was very moved, Chao Gai beckoned, and Jiao Ting brought in a box of silver from outside. Inside is a neat and tidy big silver ingot, a fifty taels, dazzling white flowers.

"If you are willing to stay, fifty taels per person will be issued now. Ten taels per person who are unwilling to stay is considered a travel fee. Zhu Wudao.

Everyone said: "We came out with Foreman Meng, Mengtou, you say something, and we will listen to you when you go and stay." ”

Meng Kang said: "Chao Tuanlian is so generous, what else do we have to say as craftsmen." Anyway, everyone is in this business, so let's all stay. ”

"Okay, okay." The crowd rejoiced.

Chao Gai was also very happy, the shipbuilding technology of the Northern Song Dynasty was very advanced, and to develop the sea and vigorously develop maritime trade, it was not enough to rely on a single Ye Chun, but also needed the addition of senior craftsmen like Meng Kang.

"Welcome Brother Meng Kang." Chao Gai said.

Meng Kangna bowed: "Thank you brother for your righteousness, otherwise I don't know how to explain to my brothers." ”

Chao Gai stretched out his hand to help Meng Kang up, and found that Meng Kang's clothes were thin, so he immediately untied the sheepskin cloak on his body and put it on Meng Kang.

"It's cold, dress warmly, don't catch a cold. Jiao Ting, you go to the barracks and ask Song Wan to transfer thirty sheepskin jackets over, don't let everyone freeze. Chao Gai said.

Meng Kang and the others thanked them repeatedly, and Zhu Wu said: "Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year's Eve, looking at this situation, not only Shandong has heavy snow, I am afraid that Hebei is also snowing, I am afraid that it will be too late to rush home for the New Year, and it is not easy to rush to the cold and cold." Why don't you stay here and wait for the weather to clear up after the Spring Festival before going home to visit? ”

Meng Kang said: "It should be so. ”

Without saying a few words, I talked about sea ships. Meng Kang said: "What kind of ship is my brother currently building?" ”

"At present, the shipyard is mainly building wheeled centipede boats, which can sail quickly with only eight people stepping on the flywheel. There is also the Bird Ship, which is used for merchant ships. The flying bird ship was made with iron sheets and made it stronger for military use, and it was called the flying eagle ship. Chao Gai said.

Meng Kang said: "As an inland river ship, the centipede ship performs very well whether it is a merchant ship or a war ship, because it has a shallow draft, and all kinds of performance are superior, but as a sea ship, the centipede ship can only be used as an auxiliary ship, following the large fleet, you must know that the sea breeze is very large, and the centipede ship has a shallow draft and cannot withstand the wind and waves, which is easy to cause casualties, so my brother still needs a larger ship if he wants to go to sea." ”

"Oh, what type of ship do you think you should choose?" Chao Gai asked.

"Fukufune. It's not Meng Kang boasting, whether it's a big fortune ship or a small fortune boat, there is nothing that can't be built, but there is one thing that has to be willing to make good wood and good materials. Why don't you let me go to Yuncheng Shipyard to have a look? ”

Chao Gai said: "Okay, it's not far from here, let's go over early tomorrow morning." ”

Meng Kang said: "It's not long since it's dark, and I have a problem, and I forget everything as soon as I work." Why don't you rush over now? ”

"Okay, let's go now."

Immediately, Chao Gai ordered his soldiers to light lanterns and torches, and rushed to the Yuncheng shipyard with Meng Kang and four craftsmen.

During the Chinese New Year holiday, there are only a few dozen people in the shipyard, but just by looking at the mountains of wood, you can see that this is a large shipyard, and there are more than a dozen bird ships being built.

"Brother is really generous, and this wood alone is worth a lot of money." Meng Kang sighed.

Chao Gai smiled: "That's not much, nearly 100,000 trees have been cut down this year. There are also 70,000 trees drying in the shade. ”

Meng Kang watched it for a long time, visited the wheeled centipede boat, and found that it was indeed very good and convenient to change to a wheeled one.

Chao Gai said: "There are more than 300 craftsmen in this shipyard, and Ye Chun is in charge. Do the Meng Kang brothers want to come over and be a deputy, or do they want to open another shipyard? ”

Meng Kang said: "Everything is arranged by my brother. ”

Chao Gai looked at Zhu Wu, and Zhu Wu nodded slightly.

Chao Gai said: "Then let the Meng Kang brothers open another shipyard, specializing in making big ships, but the dock will be built in a harbor in Dengzhou." And it won't be on such a large scale, so I'll give you another hundred people, plus your existing thirty craftsmen, for a total of one hundred and thirty. It can be difficult to build a large fortune ship. ”

"Brother rest assured, if you can't build a boat, Meng Kang will come to see you." Meng Kangdao.

Meng Kang is really an expert in shipbuilding, as soon as he sees the ship, he can't move, so he has to study the wheeled design of the centipede ship, and he found that it is very labor-saving when he stepped on it, and soon found that the design of the bearing is different from the ordinary shaft.

Chao Gai and Zhu Wu didn't bother Meng Kang either, Chao Gai asked, "Why did Mr. Zhu let Meng Kang open a shipyard alone?" ”

Zhu Wudao: "Meng Kang's skills should be very good, but most people with good skills have a bit of a strange temper, and this is also the case with Ye Chun." If Meng Kang and Ye Chun are in a shipyard, it is inevitable that there will be friction, it is better to separate as soon as possible, and go to Dengzhou to open a Dengzhou shipyard to build big ships. The small place of Yuncheng can no longer accommodate us, and there is no possibility of development in terms of troops. ”

Chao Gai deeply thought that Xu Lin and Shi Wenbin were different. Chao Gai can control Shi Wenbin, but he can't control Xu Lin, and there is no fool who can do the prefect. He asked Chao Gai to train more than 1,000 soldiers, in order to support him. But on the other hand, he was also worried that Chao Gai would have too many troops and would not take him as the prefect seriously. Therefore, Chao Gai's Yuncheng regimental training no longer has the possibility of increasing troops. Therefore, Chao Gai now urgently needs to go to sea to seek more development, and sea vessels are particularly important.

Meng Kang shook his head and asked, "Why did Brother Meng Kang shake his head and sigh?" ”

"I found that the water wheel on the centipede ship is very good, and it is also good to load it on the Fu ship, but unfortunately the Fu ship is too big, and the wheels must be big, where is there such a big driving force to drive the water wheel." Meng Kangdao.