The reorganization of the Yangzhou First Division was quite smooth, the large-scale training of the whole division had been carried out in an all-round way, and the enthusiasm of officers and non-commissioned officers at all levels for training was very high, which made Luo Jian very gratified.

The recruitment of scholars into the army was also quite rewarding.

In this era, although the scholars are not ashamed to join the army, but now the court is so sluggish, and I don't know when I will be able to open the department again, many scholars under the talent in order to make a living, but also have to find something to do, and this Yangzhou No. 1 Division has a lot of treatment for the recruited scholars, and it also has a lot of attraction to these people, and it has recruited fifty or sixty young scholars into the army in two days.

The military work started well, Luo Jian was a little worried about Liu Weimin's construction of the factory, this little Liu and Sun Laiyue had left the house for seven or eight days, I don't know how far it had been, Luo Jian was going to take someone over in the afternoon to have a look, but I didn't expect Liu Weimin and Sun Laiyue to hurry back during the meal.

beckoned the two to sit down and eat, but Liu Weimin smiled and said, "Chief, don't be busy eating, I'll report the good things to you first, you can eat more." ”

When Luo Jian heard this, he hurriedly asked, "But the construction of the glass factory is going well?" ”

"Chief, it's not just that the glass factory is going well, but all the good things have happened to me." Liu Weimin said with a smile.

"Hurry up, what is the sale, it's really urgent." Liu Lan listened anxiously beside her, and kept urging Liu Weimin.

"Hehe, it's not a good thing. Chief, the glass factory, we first engaged in a small boiler for experimental production, and it took three or four days to succeed, and finally let a group of technicians master the basic technology, as for how to produce the finished product is still in further exploration, I am not an expert in this, I have to come back to find some information. ”

Liu Weimin said as he asked Sun Laiyue to take out a large piece of glass from his baggage, and Luo Jian took it and took a look, although it was not too pure with a little green, but the transparency was already very good.

"Isn't that a good thing? With mature technology, what good news is it to make glass? Liu Lan was clearly not satisfied with this.

"Don't worry, it's not good news just to make glass, but the point is that while I was looking for quartz sand, I found a limestone mountain on the side of the canal, where we have already built a cement factory and are already starting to produce cement." Liu Weimin asked Sun Laiyue to take out a small bag of cement from the burden and hand it to Luo Jian.

"Have you done an adhesion experiment?" Luo Jian took the cement and looked at it carefully and asked.

"I've done it, and it's working well." Liu Weimin looked at Liu Lan, meaning that this was not good news.

"You were very useful in construction, but now—" Liu Lan began to pour cold water on him again.

"Chief, there's good news." Before Xiao Liu's voice fell, Liu Lan picked up, "Don't keep prevaricating us with useless news." ”

"Hehe, this is great news, chief, I have found a sulfur mine, and the reserves are really good." Without waiting for Liu Weimin to greet him, Sun Laiyue took out a piece of sulfur ore from his baggage and handed it to Luo Jian.

"What great good news is this, and what is the use of this brimstone?" Liu Lan, who was born in liberal arts, didn't react for a while.

"This is really the best news, Xiao Liu, you have implemented the construction of the glass factory, hurry up and start this sulfur mining matter, this must be grasped quickly, and our development in the future will be the foundation." Even if it is a small-scale production first, it must be done first, and then slowly expand the scale later. ”

Luo Jian knew Liu Weimin's intention at once, sulfur is the preferred raw material for the production of sulfuric acid, and sulfuric acid is known as the "mother of inorganic chemicals", which is a necessary raw material for the production of modern explosives in the future.

Liu Lan didn't know this, and was a little surprised by Luo Jian's excitement.

"You can arrange people to do the production process, try to use mature technology, you can do technical guidance, you must ensure your own absolute safety! Also, this sulfur can also be used to produce primitive matches, and if the amount is large enough, this can also be done. ”

With Sun Laiyue and others present, Luo Jian said more implicitly, but Liu Weimin still understood what Luo Jian meant.

Although there is relatively mature technology at hand, the development and production of this explosive is still very dangerous, Liu Weimin knew that Luo Jian was worried about his safety, and his heart was moved, and he agreed.

Seeing that Liu Lan hadn't reacted yet, Luo Jian said with a smile: "You, return all the chemistry you learned to the teacher." ”

"I haven't studied chemistry for a few days, so you're not allowed to laugh at me." Liu Lan pouted and said angrily, making Luo Jian and Xiao Liu laugh.

"Liu Lan, you have time to make up for the basic knowledge of chemistry, your students must master these basic knowledge, and I will talk about it when I have time in the future." Luo Jian smiled and said to Liu Lan.

"Speaking of students, I remember, where is the master you found for me?"

Liulan's primary school has recruited a lot of students in recent days, there are already more than 20, and she is in charge of teaching mathematics and natural foundation alone, plus management, she is really a little busy, and there is no one to teach this language now.

Steward Luo heard it beside him, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Miss, don't worry, the master who invited me said that he would come over this afternoon." ”

Liu Lan was silent when she heard this.

The good news brought by Liu Weimin made everyone eat this meal very happily, Liu Weimin hurriedly ate and ran to Luo Jian's study alone to find information.

Luo Jian called Sun Laiyue aside and carefully inquired about the placement of the eliminated soldiers, and heard Sun Laiyue say that the glass factory, the cement factory and the brick factory all need a lot of manpower, and now they have been almost arranged, but the dormitory has not yet been built, and they are still living in simple tents for the time being.

Luo Jian knew that there was no machinery now, and all kinds of processes were all manual, and there must be more manpower needed.

Luo Jian told Sun Laiyue that he must be as lenient as possible with these workers, the dust in these three factories is very serious, and told Sun Laiyue about the style and production method of masks, and asked him to be sure to send the masks in place before production.

Liu Lan listened to it next to her, pointed at Sun Laiyue and said, "I will go to the factory to inspect in the future, if I let me know that you treat the workers harshly, I will not spare you." ”

Sun Laiyue was so frightened that she quickly stood up and bowed to Liulan again and again, and said in her mouth: "Please don't worry, Miss, you don't dare to do this." ”

While a few people were talking, Steward Luo came in to report that the master who had applied for the job had arrived, and Luo Jian asked him to invite someone in.

After the two scholars entered the hall, Steward Luo introduced Luo Jian and the others to the two scholars. Liu Lan looked up and couldn't help laughing.

"Oh, Xiaosheng Juren, oh, no, it's Li Tingjuren, and you are also here to apply for the master's job?"

One of the two people who came was Li Ting Li Juren, who met in Liulan in the Slender West Lake that day, Li Ting saw a woman in the house calling him, looked up, and saw that he was dressed like several angels he had seen in the city a few days ago, and he felt that his eyes were naïve, and it was not easy to look carefully, so he had to nod his head.

Seeing that he didn't recognize him, Liu Lan thought it was funny, and said, "Can you figure out what kind of melon you can't eat?" ”

When Li Ting heard this, he was taken aback, he never expected that the fairy-like woman he met in Slender West Lake was actually one of several angels, if he knew at that time, he would not dare to come forward to talk to him.

"There is no form in the small life, and the female angel of all hopes forgives the sins." hurriedly bowed his head and stepped forward to apologize.

Liu Lan laughed and said, "I don't blame you, but when you come here to be a master, you have to listen to my arrangement, are you willing?" ”

"Xiaosheng is willing, willing to listen to the female angel." Li Ting was so frightened that he agreed without a word.

"This gentleman is also here to apply for the master's job?" Liu Lan asked another scholar who had come with her.

"Xiaosheng's name is Wang Xu, and he is a talent from Chongzhen for 12 years, and I am not here to be a master." Another scholar said.

Liu Lan is a little strange, why are you not a teacher? Before Liu Lan could ask, this Wang Xu continued:

"I was originally the master of Ren Fu Tai Mansion, I saw that Ren Fu Tai Gongzi learned in the angel here is very different from our usual days, some knowledge Xiao Sheng has also been thinking weekdays and did not know, these days listening to what the son said, there is a feeling of being stunned, so I want to learn this mathematics and natural science with a few angels here, I wonder if the angel can allow Xiao Sheng to study here?"

Luo Jian was overjoyed when he heard this, there was such a person among the Confucian scholars, how could he let it go?

Without waiting for Liu Lan to speak, she said first: "Of course, you are interested in this knowledge, this is a good thing, I will provide you with learning materials in the future, if you don't understand something, you can ask Miss Liu, or you can come and ask me." ”

"Brother Luo, you are in charge of me again, are you the principal or am I the principal? But what Brother Luo said must be counted. Liu Lan pouted and said to Luo Jian.

When Li Ting saw that the relationship between these two angels was not simple, fortunately he didn't make a mistake that day, otherwise he might have happened, and he was shocked into a cold sweat when he thought about it.

At this time, Luo Jian thought of a scientific enlightener in the late Ming Dynasty, Song Yingxing, a famous scientist in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and the author of "Heavenly Creation".

According to historical records, at this time, Song Yingxing should be in Fengxin's hometown in Jiangxi, not close to Yangzhou, so he had to send someone to invite him as soon as possible. I was afraid that I would forget it in the future, so while Sun Laiyue was still there, I asked him to arrange for someone to go to Fengxin, Jiangxi, and told him to come to Luo Jian to get some things before sending someone to go.

Just as the two scholars had been arranged, Steward Luo came to report that another scholar had come to the door. Luo Jian was a little funny, and secretly said that all scholars came to the door today, and when someone came in to report to the house, he knew that this was the secretary sent to him by Shi Kefa.

is a celebrity in history, Wang Xiuchu, the author of "Ten Days in Yangzhou", he is not very famous among Shi Kefa's staff, if there is no "Ten Days in Yangzhou", maybe no one in later generations will know that Shi Kefa has such a staff.

After Wang Xiuchu stepped forward to salute Luo Jian, he said, "The superintendent asked me to follow Luo Angel, if there is any sending, please feel free to command." ”

Luo Jian saw that he was going to work now, and thought that he had to do some pre-job training. He sat him down and told him the main duties of the secretary.

Seeing that he doesn't seem to understand, he doesn't force it, and some things have to be explored slowly in the future work. He took a signature pen and a notebook from the study and handed them to him, seeing that Wang Xiuchu was puzzled, he told him that this was a pen and a notebook, which were used to record things at work and some affairs arranged by the leader at any time, and taught him how to write the signature pen, which made Wang Xiuchu, who was used to using a brush, a little uncomfortable, and asked him to take time to practice.

There will be a lot of records at any time in the future, and he can't be allowed to follow behind with the four treasures of the study at any time.

Wang Xiuchu had just been given a simple training here, and someone from outside came to report, saying that the supervisor had asked Luo Jian to come over, saying that there was an emergency. When Luo Jian heard this, he didn't know what the emergency situation was, so he hurriedly beckoned Wang Xiuchu to rush to the Governor's Mansion together.

Ruan Dacheng's first letter was quickly whipped and delivered to Ma Shiying at noon the next day, and Ma Shiying opened the letter and read it several times.

I thought that this Shi Kefa and what Lu Wei said in the compromises seemed to be true, these angels really saved Yangzhou, and now they are still thinking about how to repel Duoduo, if they can repel the Qing soldiers, then Nanjing can be safed for the time being.

Ma Shiying actually knew very well about the grim situation faced by the Southern Ming Dynasty, otherwise he would not have let his son Ma Luan and more than 1,000 Guizhou soldiers secretly take over the West Gate of Nanjing, and just wait for the news of the fall of Yangzhou to come, so he pulled Zhu Youxiang to escape from Nanjing.

Now, according to Ruan Dacheng's letter, several angels who came to Yangzhou seem to be full of confidence in holding Yangzhou and Nanjing, and Ruan Dacheng also talked about his views in the letter, thinking that these angels have a lot of magic weapons in their hands, Yangzhou is not undefendable, and Nanjing may not be lost.

This made Ma Shiying very entangled, hating that as the first assistant of the cabinet, he couldn't go to Yangzhou to see it in person. Now the Ma Ge Department is in the Southern Ming Dynasty, and everything in the court is decided in one word.

If he gives up Nanjing and flees, of course, it means that all these rights will become a mirror flower again, and decades of struggle have reached the peak of his life, and now he is about to be ruined, how can he be willing?

Now the news from Yangzhou is like a life-saving straw, and Ma Shiying feels that he must catch it. I read Ruan Dacheng's letter twice.

I began to think about how to reward these angels, and after thinking about it, I felt that it seemed inappropriate to use the word "reward" for "angels", and after thinking about it repeatedly, I didn't hear the next person come to report that there were guests outside asking to see, and the next person repeatedly reminded me to react, it turned out to be Taichang Temple Shaoqing Li Zhan asked to see.

This Taichang Temple Shaoqing Li Zhan is an out-and-out official fan, a master who can hold the stinky feet of the eunuch and cry in order to be promoted, and he can even do without his face.

Ma Shiying originally looked down on this person, but when Shi Kefa was kicked out of Nanjing some time ago, this Li Zhanke became a pawn and made great contributions, which made Ma Shiying put him in the ranks of usable.

Although the Cabinet Department does not form a party, it never rejects allies that are beneficial to it, and as long as it does not threaten its own power status, the Cabinet Department can generally accept it.

Now Li Zhan also saw with his "keen" vision the extremely important role of Luo Jian's angels to the Nanming Dynasty, which was still breathing, and came to the Ma Pavilion Department to offer advice.

"Dare to ask the Ma Pavilion Department, now Yangzhou is safe, but these angels have made great contributions, I don't know how the Pavilion plans to place these angels?" After sitting down and making a few noises, Li Zhan went straight to the point.

"What do you have in mind for Gongshou (Li Zhanzi)?" Ma Shiying is struggling with this, and as soon as he listens to what Li Zhan says, he wants to hear his opinion.

"Cabinet, according to the humble position, these angels must be of great use, now the Qing Dynasty is powerful, the Ming army is unusable, if you can rely on these angels will be able to make the army return to the heart, but also let the Qing prisoner have some scruples, Nanjing can be stable, the cabinet can solve the worries, the emperor can be at ease."

Li Zhan's meaning is very clear, you have to go up to the top of these people, only in this way can you ensure the stability of this court, and your Ma Ge Department can continue to be your first assistant.

When Ma Shiying heard it, isn't this nonsense? I know that, but it's just how to use it, and that's the crux of the matter.

"According to what the public sees, how can it be used?" Ma Shiying asked very dryly.

"Cabinet Department, how about inviting the angel surnamed Luo to be the governor of the left army?"

Li Zhan wants to do it directly in one step, you must know that this left army governor is the highest grade of the Ming Dynasty's military generals, and according to his authority, he can lead the world's soldiers and horses, but since the Ming Dynasty Taizu, this position is a false title, and it is owned by the nobles.

"No, if they hadn't saved Yangzhou, I'm afraid that Nanjing would not be protected now, and the false title of a military general would not be enough to reward his merits. I mean to crown him as the Duke of Weiguo, add the title of the secretary of the Ministry of War, as the governor of Huaiyang, the commander-in-chief of the Huaiyang soldiers and horses, and the other two plus the general military rank, and the actual post is arranged by the Duke of Weiguo, what do you think? ”

Ma Shiying thought much more practically than Li Zhan, if he didn't give a few people real power, he was afraid that he would have to leave again, and this was not the time for the court to be stingy.

When Li Zhan heard this, it turned out that the Cabinet Department had already made a plan, and hurriedly said: "The Cabinet Department considers the problem for a long time, and it is beyond the reach of the humble position. After finishing speaking, I got up and said goodbye, and when I was done, I had a bottom in my heart, so why stay.

Ma Shiying was disturbed by this Li Zhan, and simply made up his mind, got up and went into the palace to report to Emperor Hongguang.