The blue waves are rippling, and a big boat goes straight down the canal to the south of the Yangtze River.

Li Chuan stood at the bow of the boat, still thinking carefully about the harvest of this trip to Beijing.

Officialdom is a quagmire, once you step in, if you want to be clean and clean, it is wishful thinking to come out completely, whether you pretend to be stunned or show loyalty, in order to let Emperor Chongzhen eliminate his vigilance.

The world is like this, if you don't wear a mask, you will only be unable to move an inch.

The real stunned youth can't survive in this world full of people.

Through several contacts, coupled with Emperor Chongzhen's political measures in the past few years on the throne, Li Chuan also has a general understanding of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, not a master of eloquence, and a little emotional, a little suspicious, and even a position is not firm, this is a contradictory complex, mixed under this kind of emperor, it really makes people feel insecure.

If the founding emperor of Zhu Yuanzhang knew what those Shanxi businessmen had done, how could he bear it, even if he poked a hole in this day, it is estimated that he would kill Shanxi into a river of blood, how could he look forward and backward.

Based on this alone, it can be seen that Emperor Chongzhen lacked a bit of decisiveness.

There is an old saying that if the lord is weak, the minister is strong, and if the minister is strong, the lord is weak.

Although Emperor Chongzhen often killed ministers, he actually couldn't suppress the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty, and even sometimes, he had to compromise with the ministers, such as the Jiangnan bureaucrats led by the Donglin Party, who had forced Emperor Chongzhen to reduce the commercial tax to sixty taxes.

In such a situation, the fate of being a lonely minister is very worrying.

If it is replaced by a male lord like Chengzu Zhu Di, Li Chuan will not introduce him as a lonely minister, just hug the emperor's thighs, and care about him The north wind of the east and west, no matter how fierce it blows, there is a high block, but Emperor Chongzhen is not Chengzu.

If you think about it in the long run, if one day the courtiers in the court attack him in groups, will Emperor Chongzhen not be able to resist the pressure and arrest him to the capital to behead him, so as to avoid some pressure and calm the anger of those courtiers and nobles.

Li Chuan pondered in his heart that the Shanxi businessmen had already been offended, but they could no longer offend the bureaucrats and doctors in Jiangnan to death, otherwise it would be difficult to retreat under the attack from both ends. Among the emperor's relatives, they only offended the Chengguo Mansion and the Wei Mansion in Jinling, fortunately, although these two are powerful, they can't represent all the nobles of the Ming Dynasty, as long as the next time they divide the goods, balance the interests as much as possible, and don't worry that the nobles of the Ming Dynasty will follow the group to attack.

However, this has to be a degree, and it can't be the suspicion of Emperor Chongzhen.

How to grasp this degree has to be well thought about.

I was thinking about it, and Taobao sent a letter.

It was Levin who sent the message: "Sir, the cannon you want has been prepared for you." ”

Li Chuan immediately refreshed, but when he saw the appearance of the cannon, the excitement quickly disappeared, this cannon was too ugly, a crossbar was fixed between the two wheels, and a barrel was added to the crossbar, and there was no other device except sights.

This kind of shoddy thing can also be called a cannon?

The point is that the barrel is too short, and it is doubtful whether it can be used on the battlefield, let alone for use on the battlefield.

"Is this a cannon?"

Li Chuan's face was not good-looking, and he questioned Levin.

Levin smiled: "My sir, you don't understand this, this is a mortar, invented by the Soviets, although it is a little backward, but it is easy to operate." This mortar is a caliber of 120mm, which belongs to a large-caliber mortar, I contacted you a manufacturer of anti-personnel grenades, and the firing range can reach eight kilometers with this mortar, I don't know if Mr. is satisfied? ”

"Really?"

Li Chuan really couldn't believe that such a simple cannon could shoot a cannonball eight kilometers away.

Levine knew that he was an arms blind, so he was enthusiastic to give him literacy: "Sir, the cannon itself is only one of the factors that affect the range, and the ammunition itself is also very important, please believe that the ammunition I made for you, the range is absolutely not a little water, as for the lethality of the grenade, you can test it yourself, after all, I will cooperate in the future, I can't destroy my reputation." ”

Li Chuan reluctantly believed it a little, and said, "Let's wait until I try it!" ”

But when it came time to trade, he was not calm again.

A mortar costs 100,000 yuan, which is barely acceptable.

But a shell costs 10,000 yuan, which is a bit outrageously expensive.

"Cannonballs are too expensive, cheaper."

Li Chuan was very dissatisfied, 10,000 yuan for a cannonball, even if he was a local tyrant and had hundreds of millions of gold coins, he couldn't afford to consume it, and he couldn't afford to shoot 10,000 guns.

"10,000 yuan is still expensive?"

Levin was also complaining: "Sir, if you go and ask what the international price of the grenade is, there is no less than 20,000 yuan, although the grenade I provided to you is not as expensive as the military one, but 10,000 yuan does not make money, no matter how cheap it is, I will lose money." ”

"Five thousand."

How could Li Chuan believe it, and directly came to cut it in half.

As for the price of military grenades, he has nowhere to inquire even if he wants to.

"No, this absolutely not."

Levin shook his head again and again, although the cost of his grenade is low, far less expensive than the military, but the cost of a lethal high-explosive bomb is also 3,000 yuan, and he has to pay dividends to others, who is willing to take this risk without a few times the profit.

Li Chuan almost said dry saliva, but Levine didn't let go, so he could only pinch his nose and admit it.

The transaction was successful, and the mortar and the 10-round gun ejected into the virtual warehouse.

What is the use of ten shells, just hit it and it will be gone.

Li Chuan said again: "If the shells can be cheaper, I will order more." ”

Levine asked, "How much is the gentleman going to want?" ”

Li Chuan also learned well, did not rush to show the hole cards, and said: "This depends on the price, if it is 5,000 yuan for a shell, I want 10,000 pieces, if it is expensive, forget it, I will find someone else to customize." ”

"Five thousand is too little."

Levine listened to the great joy, 10,000 grenades, even if it is 5,000 yuan, that is a big order of 50 million, although the income is less, but if you take this order, you can at least earn tens of millions, although there was a burst of ecstasy in his heart, but he still complained bitterly: "The cost price of a shell is 8,000 yuan, and I can't make money if I get rid of the cost of making some connections, it's too little." ”

Li Chuan said: "Then forget it, I'll find someone to ask." ”

"Don't, don't!"

Levin was anxious when he heard this, and hurriedly smiled: "Let's discuss and discuss, business is negotiable, otherwise, Mr. will add another thousand, how much will I earn a few hard-earned money, and I will take this order, how about it?" ”

When Li Chuan heard this, he scolded his mother in his heart, where do he not know, the cost of a grenade will definitely not exceed five thousand, otherwise how could this guy be willing to sell him for six thousand, and even four thousand is debatable.

However, it's not bad to be able to cut down forty percent, and it's really troublesome to find someone else.

"Okay, hurry up and produce shells for me, and get me another hundred cannons."

Levin was surprised, this is the rhythm of going to Africa to grab territory, otherwise who has a brain convulsion and will buy so many arms, but the huge benefits are in front of him, whether he can turn over depends on this deal, Levineho went out and decided to let go of the vote, so he was busy saying: "There is no problem with producing shells, but I don't have much start-up capital, can I give some deposit?" ”

Li Chuan asked, "How much deposit?" ”

Levin said: "If you can deliver the goods in batches, you can give a deposit of 10 million first." ”

"Yes, but you need at least twenty cannons for the first shipment."

Li Chuan also had no choice, knowing that Levin might have taken the money and ran away, he could only pinch his nose and promise, if he could find a second supplier, he would not be so passive, it would not be easy!