By the time Luo Jian and his entourage returned to Yangzhou from Suqian, it was almost the first month.

"Metropolitan Governor, when you were in Xuyi, you were really not afraid that Li Benshen would turn against the water again? We're just such a few people, I'm scared to death. Yi Bangcai rode with Luo Jian.

"Yes, we are all worried, when we were in the second regiment, if it wasn't for the quick reaction of the senior staff officer, there would have been a big accident." A staff officer in the back continued.

"Governor, why are you so confident? When I was in the Dashun Army, if King Chuang went to any unit, there were no less than 2,000 guards around him, and they were all elite cavalry, so we only had dozens of people. The red lady patted her horse and asked.

"Hehe, if you are wary of your own troops, this is the source of trouble. We are carrying out education and rectification in the Third Division, Li Benshen and they all know that we hope to train and educate the troops well, not to clean them up, as long as they still understand this, where are the problems? Luo Jian said with a smile.

Yi Bang listened, lowered his head and thought for a long time.

"Governor, I'm really convinced of you!" The red lady said sincerely.

"Metropolitan Governor, the current situation of our Yangzhou Army is very good, and all divisions have made great progress, are we considering gradually changing their equipment?" Yi Bang asked.

"Wait until we go back and see the production situation of the factories in Guazhou, if the production capacity can't keep up, we have to take our time."

Luo Jian also hoped that the equipment of the troops would be replaced as soon as possible, so that the process of marching north would be greatly accelerated, but all this depended on the production capacity of the factory.

On the second day of February, the dragon raised his head, today was a good day with the sun shining, and Luo Jian and his party finally returned to Yangzhou.

Outside the city of Yangzhou has become a large construction site, although it has not yet frozen, it is impossible to start building houses, but the merchants are making preparations, bricks, stones, wood and other materials have been piled up outside the city of Yangzhou, and there are small tents everywhere, apparently the people who guard these materials live.

Shi Kefa and others were already waiting outside the east gate of Yangzhou.

"I said Xinghua, you have been gone for almost two months, you see, has there been a big change outside Yangzhou?" Shi Kefa said with a smile.

"It's big, but Brother Xian, so many factories to build? Our management can keep up, and some polluting factories can't be built on the edge of Yangzhou City. Luo Jian said.

"Be careful, I also specially asked Xiao Liu to come back and check it, these factories outside the city are textile factories, mirror factories and the like, by the way, the glass factory has been divided into several factories, and the original glass factory only produces glass raw materials." Shi Kefa said.

"By the way, Xinghua, how is the situation of the troops now? Has the problem of the Third Division been solved? Shi Kefa then asked.

"The current situation is good, and the problem of the third division has basically been solved, but we will pay more attention in the future." Luo Jian said.

When Luo Jian returned to the Dadu Governor's Mansion, Liu Lan was already waiting at home.

"Brother Luo, why are you leaving for so many days? Leave me alone in Yangzhou for the New Year, if it weren't for the godmother, how would I have spent this year? Liu Lan complained.

"Hehe, Liu Lan, I also want to spend the New Year with you, but you also know that the New Year is the most unstable time for the troops, if we don't catch the troops, what else can we do?"

Luo Jian stepped forward and gently hugged Liu Lan, and when Steward Luo and Cui'er saw it, they all quietly retreated.

"Brother Luo, I have some bad news for you." Liu Lan turned around and snuggled into Luo Jian's arms.

"Oh, what's the news?" Luo Jian asked.

"Since this month, the sales of my perfume factory have started to drop a lot, and I investigated, and it is the Manchu court that forbade their people to buy perfume from Yangzhou again, which is not a good sign." Liu Lan said.

"Oh? Did the Manchu court also learn to fight a trade war? We need to be prepared. Hearing Liu Lan's words, Luo Jian suddenly became alert.

After a few days, bad news came one after another.

The first to come to Liulan was Sun Laiyue, the head manager of the glass factory, who reported that the glass factory's sales had fallen sharply this month, about half from the previous month, also because of the ban on glass products in the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

Xiao Liu and Chen Zilong also ran from Guazhou to the Dadu Governor's Mansion to find Luo Jian, and the source of coal in several factories in Guazhou was tight.

The coal in several factories in Guazhou has been transported from the north by merchants, and I heard that the most are transported from Shanxi, but I don't know why recently, the merchant ships transporting coal have been detained a lot by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and now several factories are relying on the previous inventory.

Luo Jian knew very well that this was the Manchu court that had understood and began to impose an economic blockade on Yangzhou.

The Manchu aristocracy did not use luxury goods such as glass, which would not have any impact, but it would have a great impact on Yangzhou's economy.

The ban on coal shipments to Yangzhou was a double-edged sword, and although Yangzhou encountered major problems, the Manchu government's fiscal revenues would inevitably be affected.

Luo Jian's hometown is in the Huizhou area, of course, Luo Jian's ancestors moved from other places in the late Qing Dynasty, and Luo Jian can't figure out where it is, so he has no desire to go to this area to find his ancestors.

But Luo Jian clearly remembers that when he was a child, when he was a child, there was a coal mine mining on the road, and the deep mine was not far from the roadside, and the total amount of coal needed now could not be compared with the post-industrial era, so Luo Jian felt that the problem of coal mines was not a big problem, and it could be solved based on itself.

Luo Jian and Xiao Liu went to the study to open the computer and carefully searched for relevant information, knowing that there are also many coal mines in the jurisdiction of Yangzhou, and this search actually found more than a dozen, and there are large coal mines in Huainan and Huaibei, as long as they are mined, this problem is not a problem.

But time is a big problem, according to Chen Zilong, Guazhou's coal storage can only last for half a month, and if it is not replenished within half a month, all factories in Guazhou will be shut down.

Hearing the news, Luo Jian was anxious and immediately went out to find Shi Kefa.

When Shi Kefa heard the news, he was also so anxious that the two discussed for a long time, and at present, in addition to quickly sending people to the south to purchase some emergencies, the only way to seize all the time is to mine new coal mines.

Luo Jian sent Wang Xiuchu to Fengyang with a specific coal mine distribution map and a group of people, so that Lu Zhenfei used all manpower and material resources to urgently mine the Huainan coal mine, in order to prevent insufficient manpower, Luo Jian also ordered the garrison troops stationed in Huai'an to rush to Fengyang temporarily to help.

After a few days, the ones sent to the south to purchase finally brought back a few ships of coal, which could cope with it for another half a month.

Sun Laiyue has been to the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion several times, the sales of glass products have continued to decline in the past half a month, and the factory has a serious overcapacity, hoping that the Metropolitan Governor can solve this problem as soon as possible.

Soon, some people reported that the Manchu Qing Dynasty had imposed an embargo on silk and other products in the south, and the developed textile industry in the south would also face difficulties.

At present, it is impossible to expect the Manchu Qing to open up trade channels, Luo Jian has thought for a long time, and at present, he can only go by sea, and the current warships have not yet started construction, and the safety of merchant ships going to sea is not guaranteed at all.

Luo Jian led people to Guazhou and found Liu Weimin and Chen Zilong to discuss together.

"Chief, our artillery is currently the most advanced, we have armed some merchant ships, with artillery and rifles, it should not be a problem to deal with ordinary pirates at sea." Xiao Liu thought for a long time and said.

"Xinghua, I think there is only this way at present, I have already found someone to study it, it is not a problem to install five or six of our artillery guns on a large merchant ship, and with our Yangzhou rifle, plus we are expected to have a long scope, there is no need to be afraid of dealing with small groups of pirates." Chen Zilong also said on the side.

When Luo Jian heard it, yes, there is also a telescope, fighting at sea, discovering the opponent first, this is more important than anything else.

"Chief, telescopes are not very useful, and now many pirate ships already have telescopes." Xiao Liu poured a basin of cold water on Luo Jian beside him.

"You should hurry up and load the merchant ships with artillery, and you must strengthen the firepower as much as possible on the premise of ensuring safety." Luo Jian said.

"Okay, let's start working on it right away, let's invite Song Lao to discuss it together, it is estimated that the problem can be solved in half a month, chief, you have to find someone to consider the problem of trade routes, see whether to go to Japan or Southeast Asia." Liu Weimin said.

Hearing Xiao Liu talk about this problem, Luo Jian turned around and beckoned someone to hurry up and find Zheng Chenggong.

Zheng Chenggong's sailor in Huangfei was not far from Guazhou, and after about two hours, people arrived.

"Come on, sit down, I have something to ask you." Luo Jian asked Zheng Chenggong, who was in the dust, to sit down.

"Damu, when you were in Fujian before, did you go to sea with your father?" Luo Jian asked.

"Governor, why haven't I ever been to sea, I grew up on the sea." Zheng Chenggong said with a smile.

"Da Mu, now that Yangzhou is in trouble, we must solve the problem from the sea, you know the situation of pirates in these directions, right?" Luo Jian took the map and pointed in the direction of Japan and Southeast Asia.

Looking at these two directions, Zheng Chenggong suddenly frowned.

"Metropolitan Governor, this..."Zheng Chenggong wanted to speak and stopped.

"Da Mu, if you have something to say, do you just say it, are these businesses controlled by your father?" Luo Jian asked directly.

"Not exactly, there are other forces on these trade routes, but they are mainly controlled by my father." Zheng Chenggong said helplessly.

"Damu, if you are asked to take a caravan to sea, can you guarantee safety?" Luo Jian asked dryly.

"Grand Duke, no! When pirates go to sea, they often don't recognize their relatives, even my father's subordinates! Zheng Chenggong also said very simply.

"What if it's an armed merchant ship?" Luo Jian asked again.

"The Metropolitan Governor is saying that our ship is equipped with this kind of artillery of our Yangzhou army?" Zheng Chenggong asked excitedly.

"Yes, if such a fleet of merchant ships were handed over to you, do you think you are sure?" Luo Jian asked.

"Governor, let me think about it." Zheng Chenggong stared at the map and thought about it seriously.

After thinking for a long time, Zheng Chenggong said: "Governor, if you want me to take a merchant ship to sea, I have a few conditions. ”

"Well, you name it." Luo Jian said.

"Grand Governor, first, I must bring people to the artillery unit to familiarize myself with the use of our artillery, second, at least eight or more artillery pieces must be installed on each ship to ensure basic firepower, and third, in case of conflict with my father's subordinates and cause trouble, Grand Governor can't blame me." Zheng Chenggong said seriously.

"Da Mu, when you meet your father's fleet, you want to fight too?" Chen Zilong asked with a smile next to him.

"If they don't look for trouble, of course I won't take the initiative to beat them, if they don't have good intentions towards us, then I won't be polite, I am a member of the Yangzhou Army, not a member of the Fujian Navy." Zheng Chenggong said coldly.

"Okay, Da Mu, I agree to all your conditions, you go back and quickly select people to Yan Yingyuan's artillery unit for training, if you can, you can also choose people from the artillery unit." Luo Jian said.

"Governor, it is impossible to select people from the artillery unit, let the landlubber go into the sea, seasickness will faint to death, where can there be a war?" Zheng Chenggong said with a smile.

While discussing here, Yangzhou Shi Kefa sent to find Luo Jian, saying that there was another big matter, and asked what was the matter, and the messenger said that the governor didn't say anything, and he had to wait for the governor to go back.