Zhong Xinde had seen Su Ziheng's unified standard unit conversion rules for weights and measures, as well as the exquisite measuring tools, and he was like a treasure. After seeking Su Ziheng's consent, he found paper and copied the rules written by Su Ziheng one by one.

He also arranged for many of his craftsmen to start copying that set of measuring tools. Regarding Zhong Xinde's request, Su Ziheng agreed without hesitation, but told him to be as careful as possible in the process of imitation so as not to damage it.

Rao is like this, Su Ziheng did not hand over a complete set of all the measuring tools to Zhong Xinde to copy, but gave him a few simple measuring tools, such as a scale, a rod scale and a metal measuring cup.

For this reason, Zhong Xinde once delayed the construction of the furnace. Su Ziheng didn't say anything about this, anyway, he wasn't in a hurry for a moment. What's more, sharpening the knife is not a mistake for a woodcutter, in his heart, the basic things are more important.

While Su Ziheng was smiling and looking at the heated discussion of everyone in the school, Shi Meng walked in from the outside and said to him, "Master, Zhang Xiaoshan is asking to see him outside. ”

"Zhang Xiaoshan?" Su Ziheng was stunned for a moment, and then remembered, "Is that kid from the livestock trading market?" It's only been two days, is there any news? ”

Turning around the school, he saw that everyone's minds were not on him, he smiled and said lightly: "You take him to the side hall, and I will come over immediately." ”

Su Ziheng explained to Zhong Xinde and the others, saying that he had left in advance, and let them copy it first, if there was anything they didn't understand, they would explain it when he came back.

came to the side hall, Zhang Xiaoshan was already waiting. After seeing Su Ziheng come in, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "I've seen Su Gongzi." ”

Su Ziheng stretched out his hand and said with a smile: "Don't be too polite, you came to me today, but the livestock I want has been settled?" ”

Zhang Xiaoshan said excitedly: "Master Su, that's right, there is great news. A few days ago, you asked the little one to pay attention to the livestock, and the little one wanted to go back to the village to see if there was a way......"

Su Ziheng interjected and asked, "Does your village raise its own livestock?" ”

Zhang Xiaoshan's face turned red, and he said with some embarrassment: "There are indeed a lot of horses and sheep in the small village, but there are not many of them, and they can't meet your needs. However, there are many people in the small village who have a way to the Moxi grassland, and they can get a lot of horses, cattle and sheep to come over. ”

Su Ziheng listened to Zhang Xiaoshan's narration expressionlessly, but secretly pondered in his heart, it turned out that Zhang Xiaoshan and their village still had trade contacts with the Mengyuan border.

"This year, the Mengyuan Moxi grassland has suffered a major locust plague, and there are many herdsmen who have a large number of horses, cattle and sheep at home who can't keep them, so it is also a good way." Thinking of this, his heart suddenly became hot.

Su Ziheng was silent, and listened to Zhang Xiaoshan continue: "Didn't I hear that there was a locust plague some time ago, and the little one wondered if the Moxi Grassland would also be affected, so he went back to the village and begged the elders to go to the border of the Moxi Grassland to inquire about the news. ”

"A small clan uncle told the little one that Moxi was indeed affected. And they have a lot of livestock for sale there, but the herdsmen on the Moxi side said that they don't want silver taels, just grain, I don't know if you agree? ”

Su Ziheng pondered for a moment and asked, "Then did they say how to change it?" You must know that our Xiliang side has also been plagued by locust plagues, and the price of this grain will be higher and higher, and the supply will exceed demand. ”

Zhang Xiaoshan said cautiously: "This son, don't worry, the exchange price of livestock will definitely be cheaper than buying grain with silver taels." And the herders also said that if they could get grain to the border, there would be even greater benefits. ”

Su Ziheng sneered: "Transported to the border? They are really wishful thinking, which is absolutely impossible. Not to mention the risk of being robbed by them, even if they can trade honestly, I won't take this risk. If the government finds out and charges me of fornicating with foreigners, I can't afford it. ”

Zhang Xiaoshan's face froze, "This ......"

Su Ziheng thought for a while and said, "Otherwise, you go back and tell those herdsmen in Moxi to let them drive their livestock to your village, and then I will arrange for someone to transport the grain to your village." If the government finds out, it will say that it is the grain purchased by your village, how about it? ”

Su Ziheng still didn't want to give up this deal, if there were enough horses, cattle and sheep, he could think of the development of the base space at that time. Instead of watching large areas of land go to waste, as is the case now.

Zhang Xiaoshan hesitated for a moment, "That'...... All right. The little one will go back and ask first, but how many livestock do you need, Childe? ”

Su Ziheng said: "At least one hundred horses, cattle and sheep are more than one hundred, and two hundred is fine." But if I have more, I won't send that much grain to the side, unless they allow it to be traded in silver. ”

Zhang Xiaoshan nodded heavily and said, "Childe, the little one is clear." The little one will go back and find out first, and then rush over to report the results to you as quickly as possible. ”

……

……

Mongol-Yuan Empire, Moxi Grassland Border.

Narisong was a small patriarch of the Turhut tribe, one of the four major tribes in Moxi, and their tribe was small, with less than 200 people. On weekdays, they live by grazing, although they have to pay to the Great Khan and the Great Patriarch of Turghut every year, and 50% of the income from grazing every year must be paid, but the remaining 50% can barely survive.

However, that was in the absence of natural disasters and wars. This summer, a locust plague broke out in the Moxi grassland from nowhere, and the grass near the grassland where the pine lived gnawed away.

Although when the locust plague broke out, Narisong organized the tribesmen to mow a batch of pasture, but that bit of grass could not support the more than 1,000 horses, cattle and sheep of the tribe to migrate to the Mobei grassland.

In the process of migration, in addition to livestock, they also need food. Even the Mengyuan people cannot eat meat for three meals a day, and most of the time, in addition to meat, milk and tea, they will also eat pasta.

For a large tribe like the Turgot, it may be that people will grow food where the land is fertile, but a small tribe like Narisong will not grow their own food, because they may migrate one day and grow food cheaper for others.

If you don't grow your own food, if you want to eat pasta, you have to trade food with others. In previous years, Narisong traded with the Turghut tribes, and occasionally traded privately with the border people of Great Xia.

However, a few months ago, the Turghut tribe and the other three large tribes in Moxi united with more than a dozen small countries in the Western Regions to form a coalition army, saying that they wanted to wash away the shame of being defeated by Zhong Qinghan three years ago, and launched another war.

After the outbreak of the war, the four major tribes of Moxi no longer sold grain to the outside world, saying that they wanted to use all of them as military food. As a result, Narisong lost the way to buy grain internally, and could only secretly trade privately with the border people of Great Xia.

Who expected that the locusts originally entered the Mobei grassland all the way from the Moxi grassland, but they were caused by Yelu Zijin's fire that the locusts changed their route and invaded the territory of Liangzhou. In this way, the border people of Great Xia will naturally not sell their grain anymore when they themselves are also affected by the disaster.

Suddenly, Narisong lost even the last way to trade grain. Wanting to migrate to the Mobei grassland has also become delusional. Without food, they can only eat meat; Without fodder, the livestock would starve to death.

In this case, the cubs are often the first to starve to death, and the cubs do not have much meat on their bodies, which is simply not enough for the people of the Narisong tribe to eat. Under such circumstances, it is estimated that by the time they migrate to the Mobei grassland, all the more than 1,000 livestock will die, either starve to death or be eaten.

Without livestock, the tribe can only be swallowed up by other tribes and reduced to shepherds, with no hope of rising again in this life.