Now the Ming Dynasty said that it has been in the midst of war, but in fact, the war in this era is not as fierce as in later generations. For example, in the northwest, there are only a few dozen battles that actually take place, and on average, one battle per month is considered high-intensity. This is due to the limitations of communication, transportation and other technologies, and there is no need to worry about excessive intensity.

Even though the Japanese feudal lords, with the assistance of the Ming Dynasty, were already very active in preparing for war and starting wars, it had been five years since the first Maori family work was carried out, and the conditions for a real Great War had not yet been formed. However, the Ming army used Kuwu as a springboard and occupied the entire Hokkaido, which can be regarded as a good sub-base for the Pacific Fleet.

"Now the people are basically numb to war, and there is no obvious aversion to it." Zhu Cihong flipped through the newspapers everywhere and found that the Ming Dynasty had entered a benign war track, that is, there was a war in the front, but the rear seemed to be fine. Live the life that should live, and do the business that should be traded, so that it can not only expand the territory, but also keep the country stable.

From the perspective of society as a whole, because the front line is fighting, there is still a fixed goal to strive for, and the overall morale is like a rainbow.

Front-line battle losses have always been strictly controlled, and when recruits are assigned, great attention is paid to disrupting their hometowns, so as to avoid the villages and villages full of martyrs after a major war. After such dilution, even if the death notice is sent to a certain village, it will not have much negative impact.

Zhang Youquan walked out of the dock with a half-human-tall and life-wide marching backpack. He found the carriage at the door, bought a ticket to get on the carriage, and put his bag between his legs, saving him the trouble of throwing it on the roof. The coachman wanted to come over and get angry, but when he saw the fire gun on Zhang Youquan's back, he instantly suppressed his anger. put on the most polite tone and said: "Brother, the luggage must be put on the roof of the car, this is the rule." ”

Zhang Youquan was a little embarrassed, moved, and had to say: "Then follow your rules." With that, he picked up his bags and bent down to get out of the carriage. As soon as I threw it on the roof of the car, I heard a heavy muffled sound.

The coachman felt a little sorry for his canopy, but he couldn't help but say nothing, just muttered: "Yes, it's convenient for everyone to obey the rules." ”

Zhang Youquan ignored it, returned to his seat just now, and waited for a long time before waiting for a full car. When the seats were full, the coachman was willing to set off. When Zhang Youquan came back from retirement this time, his first feeling was that there seemed to be fewer people along the way. Many of the acres of farmland in my memory have also been wasted. Even trees were planted.

"Where have all these people gone?" Zhang Youquan muttered to himself.

"America, Hetao, Annam, Taiwan...... There are so many people going out. Many places are walked by the whole village. A man dressed as a merchant beside Zhang Youquan said very naturally.

"Didn't you say that the Haiyan River in China is clear, why do so many people leave their homes?" Zhang Youquan asked.

"People who go to the Americas go for gold, and they go to Hetao because there are many fertile fields, and the government also gives horses, sheep and farm tools." The merchant smiled and said: "If you go to Annam, Taiwan, Luzon, and Sriwijaya to grow sugarcane and rubber, the income is several times that of farming in Shandong, why don't you leave?" ”

Zhang Youquan said he understood, and then stopped talking.

The merchant asked, "Brother, from which battalion did you come back?" ”

"1st Guards Army, 1st Division." Zhang Youquan said.

The merchant was in awe. said: "It's General Xiao's soldiers." ”

"You've been a soldier too?" Zhang Youquan was a little surprised, and felt that this person did not look like a soldier.

"I haven't had such an honor." The merchant was slightly embarrassed. Then he said excitedly: "It's just that I often talk about the heroic deeds of your ministry in the newspaper, and I heard that the territory of the Tang Dynasty has been restored?" ”

"Pretty much." Zhang Youquan actually didn't know where the territory of the Tang Dynasty was, anyway, when people said so, he just responded casually and chatted.

The merchant was interested, and asked a lot about the customs of the Western Regions.

"Actually, our main force is only stationed near Luntai. On the Kazakh side, the soldiers of the Mongol and Uszang divisions were all fought. Zhang Youquan finally couldn't help but tell the truth, hoping that this businessman could stop in moderation.

"Tianshan North and South Road! That's amazing, is there any local product over there? The merchant asked.

Zhang Youquan thought for a while and said, "Cotton." Patches of cotton were planted there. ”

The merchant was stunned for a moment and said, "Can you really grow a living?" ”

"Why not? Live well. It is said that they live better than those in Jiangnan. Zhang Youquan said.

The merchant was thoughtful and said, "It seems that the price of cloth in Jiangnan is about to move." ”

"Can you manage Jiangnan?" Zhang Youquan was a little surprised: "It takes three or four months to walk from Tianshan Mountain to Shandong!" ”

"Goods and people are different, once they go, they don't care for three or four years." The merchant added: "Look at the previous Silk Road, from Xi'an to Taixi, did anyone go?" The goods that go to Japan only go in one batch a year, is there anyone who leaves? The key is to make a profit. ”

"There is a lot of consumption on the road, so it's better to grow it yourself in Jiangnan." Zhang Youquan said.

"What is the price of an acre of land in Jiangnan? What is the price over there? If it can be planted in the Tianshan Mountains, who is still planting in Jiangnan? Moreover, now the imperial court is ruthless, and more taxes and fees are charged for planting mulberry and cotton, and many cotton farmers have changed to plant other crops. "Doing business.

"The cost of that truckload is also extremely high." Zhang Youquan couldn't help but shake his head.

"Little brother thinks bad." The merchant suddenly laughed and said: "The foolish brother said that the price of Jiangnan cloth should be moved, not that Tianshan cotton went to Jiangnan. Since Tianshan produces cotton, it is natural that it can also weave cloth! If the Tianshan cloth is distributed in the north and south of the river, won't the price of Jiangnan cloth fall sharply? ”

Zhang Youquan was stunned for a moment, smiled a little shyly, and looked out the window.

The road outside the window is smooth, and there is not much bump in the carriage, which is much more comfortable than the carriage in Zhang Youquan's memory. This is the benefit of rubber wheels, which are also available in the army, but they are only used for gun trucks, and it is said that the effect is significant. Zhang Youquan is a firecracker and has not been affected by this new material.

"Brother, what are your plans to return to his hometown this time?" The merchant was a self-acquainted man, and when he said a few words, he really looked like a brother.

"I don't have any plans, it just depends on how the government will settle it when the time comes." Zhang Youquan said: "Or be a teacher in Mengxue." He smiled embarrassedly and said, "Brother, I have no merit, I have been in the army for five years, and I have not established martial arts." ”

"Hey, this doesn't blame the brother." The merchant was relieved: "Brother Fool has heard that the army emphasizes the collective, and it is even more difficult to make meritorious contributions. ”

Zhang Youquan's heart was indeed a lot more relieved, and he suddenly lost his heart and said, "That's right." Originally, I thought that I could jump and win merit by virtue of my ability in the army, but who knew that now even the killer team in the army has been reduced, and the large and small phalanxes have been implemented. Do you know this phalanx? The small phalanx was thirty-six people, with only three rows. The large phalanx is one hundred people, and there are five rows. Everyone must not be ordered to move, although the power is great, but even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and other fierce generals will not be able to get ahead. ”

The merchant listened very carefully, and then asked, "Is there still armor in the army?" ”

"Gotta see." Zhang Youquan has indeed been in battle: "The general wears leather armor when he goes out into battle, and soldiers like me only wear chest armor on their upper bodies." ”

Leather is armor, and gold is armor.

"The soldier is better dressed than the general?" Merchants are very different.

"Actually, it's because the opponents we encounter now can't get close to the phalanx." Zhang Youquan scratched his head: "And there are artillery and cavalry in horizontal formations between the various formations, anyway, I have been a soldier for five years, and I have been in the Western Regions for four years, and I have never encountered a situation of short-handed encounter." The soldiers wear armor just in case, and it is impossible for the general to stand in front and fight no matter what. ”

The merchant let out a long sigh and said with a slight bow: "It seems that I still want to be bad." ”

"What does this big brother think?"

"You know rubber." "That's what these wheels are for." ”

Zhang Youquan nodded.

"This kind of thing only came out a few years ago, and it became popular all of a sudden. It can be thick or thin, it is wear-resistant, and it is a good thing! Xingshang said: "The key is that this thing comes out of the tree, which is much more convenient than mining iron, and women and children can pick rubber." This means ......"

"It's cheap." Zhang Youquan had already sensed the businessman's train of thought and took a bite.

"Yes, yes!" The merchant was greatly appreciative, patted his thigh and said, "And it's light!" I thought, if I could make armor out of this thing, wouldn't it be lighter than iron armor? ”

"Do you want to be a nail?" Zhang Youquan frowned and said, "I don't know anything else, but if I want to wear this thing into battle, I will inevitably feel worried." Unless I really see that this thing is resistant to stabs, arrows, and bullets. ”

The merchant looked ashamed: "I really can't say for sure, this time the foolish brother traveled thousands of miles south from Gyeonggi to see how this thing was made." ”

"Although it may not be possible to make armor, there is something that can be made now, and the army must also do it." Zhang Youquan said.

"What is it?" The merchants were very interested.

"Shoes!" Zhang Youquan raised his feet: "The army just doesn't fight, and it's idle to run thirty or fifty miles a day." A good pair of shoes will be wasted in a few days, and we all say that these shoes are not as durable as socks. If you tear off a piece of rubber from this wheel and tie it to the sole of your foot, won't you be afraid of grinding? ”

The merchant was stunned for a moment, and suddenly laughed and shouted: "Reasonable, reasonable!" We don't have to go to Nanyang either! This is to go back to Beijing with the foolish brother, and do this rubber shoe business! ”

"This ......"

"Needless to say, business opportunities are like warplanes! Let's go! The pedestrian thumped the board and shouted, "Stop, stop." ”

Zhang Youquan was stunned for a moment and said, "Big brother, I sent a letter to my family......"

"Manly man, don't you care about that!"

"I've never done business ......"

"Manly man, don't you care about that!"

"I don't have the capital to ...... either"

"Manly man, don't you care about that!"

"Big brother, your surname is ......"

"Manly man, don't you care about that!" (To be continued......)