Coal was called by many names in ancient China, with ugin, carboniferous, and scorched stone being the most common, but it was also mistakenly called "graphite". Moreover, the word "coal" is derived from the misnomerical name of "graphite", because during the Han and Wei dynasties, coal and ink were close to each other.

"Where did this come from?"

The little official hurriedly reported: "Out of the mountains outside the city, it is combustible, and it is the most convenient to melt iron." ”

Ah, it was Xunxin who said that I knew that Shanxi was a famous coal mining area, but I didn't know that it had been mined and used by people since the end of the Han Dynasty, and I didn't know that in addition to Datong, there were also coal mines that were easy to excavate in the east of the river. Hurriedly asked, "Whoever picks it can be summoned to me." ”

In this way, the little official quickly led the Zeng Ergou to Shi Xun. It took him nearly half an afternoon to inquire in detail about the situation of coal mining and coal use, and combined with the knowledge of his previous life, he finally understood a general idea.

It turns out that the Chinese have known about the coal for a long time, and it was first used as a side branch of ink jade, called "Wujin" or "Nirvana", which was used to carve ornaments. Later, it was discovered that coal could be burned, and at least in the Western Han Dynasty, small-scale mining began. Coal is excavated, mainly used in metallurgy, and a small amount of anthracite is crushed, spices are added to make briquettes for the heating of the homes of the powerful - it is said that the coal of Liangzhou was once paid into the palace, and the coal of Hedong is of inferior quality, so there is no such honor.

Zeng Ergou is a family heirloom, knows how to prospect and dig coal, so he relies on this craft to cooperate with the blacksmiths in the county, but he can barely worry about food and clothing. He told Shixun that he had seven or eight people under him, and he mined hundreds of catties of coal every day. Most of it was supplied to blacksmiths. A small amount is reserved for the wealthy households in the county for wintering. Shi Xun asked him, "If I increase your manpower." How much graphite can be mined per day? Zeng Ergou replied: "The mineral deposits in the mountains of this county are limited, and it is inconvenient to mine, even if there are many people, it is only 500 catties a day." If in the villain's hometown, there are enough people, and two thousand catties a day can also be achieved. ”

"Where is your hometown?"

"At the foot of Hukou Mountain in Beiqu County."

Hedong County of the Han Dynasty, which was roughly equivalent to the two cities of Linfen and Yuncheng in Shanxi Province two thousand years later, can be roughly divided into three areas:

The easternmost part is mountainous. And there is Huo Dashan in the north, Wangwu Mountain in the south, facing each other in the distance, this part of the area is the smallest and the most sparsely populated. The central part is the river valley, including the Lianshui Valley centered on Anyi in the south, that is, the Yuncheng Basin 2,000 years later, and the southern section of the Fenhe Valley in the north, the Linfen Basin, which is the most fertile and prosperous area in Hedong County. The northwest is a mountainous plateau. That is, the southern section of the so-called Luliang Mountains in the future, which is vast and sparsely populated. It is under the jurisdiction of Beiqu and Puzi counties.

Beiqu County is later Ji County, but the county is northern, and the Hukou Mountain that Zeng Ergou said is located in Beiqu County, bordering the Yellow River. "Yu Gong" said: "Cover the river whirlpool, like a pot." The name is derived from this, which means that the river is here, turbulent and turbulent, and the whirlpools are dense, as if pouring water from a pot - this is the "Hukou Waterfall" of the eternal scenery.

Shixun had previously toured all the counties in the county, but in fact, he did not run them all, including the four counties north of Baibo Valley and occupied by the Southern Xiongnu, including Pingyang, as well as the two counties of Beiqu and Puzi in the north, all of which were not involved.

According to Zeng Ergou, his hometown is at the foot of Hukou Mountain, where there are many coal mines in the mountains, which are also convenient for mining. It was only a few years ago that the Southern Xiongnu once ravaged Beiqu, and his family property was taken away, so he was forced to go into exile in the safer Linfen County.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas? There are clouds in the Beishan Sutra: "The Mountain of Mengmen...... There are many yellow and yellow o'clocks underneath, and the Dogne stones. This is generally known as the earliest record of coal in China – the "Mengmen Mountain" is Hukou Mountain, and the "Nirvana" is coal, not the alum as it was later referred to.

So Xun said to Zeng Ergou, I'll add some people to you, send you back to your hometown, open a big mine, and all the proceeds from the excavation will be purchased by the government, are you willing to do it? Zeng Ergou immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "Since it is the commander's order, how dare the villain disobey?" ”

But he really didn't expect that after a few days of Shixun's departure, thousands of people were sent at once, and he was scared on the spot: "The little and the little have never hired so many mercenaries ......" Shixun comforted him: "I will send a hundred soldiers to accompany you to help you build a mine, don't worry." ”

Shi Xun has been having a headache these days, and there is not enough food in the county treasury, so he doesn't dare to open up to recruit soldiers, what if Yuan Jun kills him? Couldn't it be better to give up Anyi and flee to ask for the protection of the Huns? Originally, I planned to barter with the Huns and get some food, but the problem was that I didn't have any necessities for the Huns, and the four counties of Pingyang are now short of food and clothing - this is really "a good woman is difficult to cook without rice".

However, Shi Xun clearly knew that there was no shortage of grain in Hedong, and the grain stored in the large households in each county for many years probably added up to several times more than the county government. If the world is peaceful, he can't go out and send troops to rob it, but the problem is that the big war is coming, and it is really not good to offend those wealthy families at this time and cause turmoil in the county. As for asking large households to donate, this kind of idea is not reliable, just as Mr. Lu Xun said: "The richer you are, the more you refuse to let go, and the more you refuse to let go, the richer you are." "The wealthy family only has family interests in their eyes, and only short-term interests, who cares about your county government and the country? How many people will understand the truth of "no country is no home"?

Besides, for now, Cao Cao, like Yuan Shao, is a warlord, who can really represent the country?

Therefore, Shixun can only follow Zhang Ji's proposition and buy grain from large households at a low price, but there are not many copper coins in the county government in question. Although business is encouraged, it is not so quick to see results, what kind of business can make money quickly? It was the puppet who saw coal in Linfen, and he couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief.

As Zhang Ji said: "The money of the government treasury comes from the mountains, forests and ponds, and the second comes from the trade ......" Shanxi is a treasure trove, with countless underground mineral deposits, but in addition to copper, iron and other limited species, people in these years do not know much about the development and utilization of the road, but Xun is only a liberal arts man, although he has the basic knowledge of geography and chemistry, but he does not know how to explore, excavate and utilize mineral deposits at all.

Fortunately, he found coal, this thing is useful! Originally, the county government and the wealthy families cast iron tools and used charcoal, not to mention the high price of those things, and the output was not high. If it can be exchanged for coal, it can not only save the cost of charcoal burning, but also export to other counties, and it will definitely be able to earn a lot of income when it comes and goes.

So Shixun sent Zeng Ergou back to Hukou Mountain to mine coal. After he returned to Anyi, he immediately ordered that in the future, the county government would build iron tools and winter heating, and all of them would be replaced with coal, and then the coal would be used to trade grain to major households and other counties. Cangcao Peng Qixi went back and set up a plan for several days, and came to the result that the county used this income to recruit troops, which was more than 4,000 people.

It was Xun Xin who said that with the original mobile forces in the county, it was only six or seven thousand...... Forget it, it's better than nothing. So on the same day, a list was issued to recruit troops, with a quota of 6,000, for 12 departments, divided into two armies on the left and right, with Xiahoulan and Sun Wen as the left and right governors.

Time passed, and soon ushered in the three years of Jian'an's wax month, it has been more than three months since he came to Hedong, all government affairs are on the right track, and six thousand soldiers and horses have also been recruited. The New Year is approaching, he misses his wife and children who stay in Xudu, Cao Miao and others have letters to report that everything is fine at home, but he is always unsteady in his heart - Yuan Shao should not take advantage of the New Year to launch a sudden attack, right? I wonder if I have a chance to go home for the New Year?

It's a pity that all of this is a tragic delusion.

The day before the day of the day, Shixun received a report from Sikong Mansion that the imperial court had officially issued an amnesty for Gongsun Zhan, and then Yuan Shao sent an envoy to play, saying that since the war in Jizhou was over, he would personally lead a large army into Xu to protect the Son of Heaven. Of course, Cao Cao replied that if you want to come, you can't bring soldiers - and then wrote to Shi Xun and other generals from other towns, saying that Yuan Shao meant that he was going to find an excuse to move troops, and Qing and others had to be careful.

When Shihoon received the letter, he couldn't help but wander around the room with his hands behind his back, and a passage gradually appeared in his mind:

"Over the years, the people have been tired, there is no accumulation, and the country is deeply worried. It is advisable to send an advance envoy to offer the Son of Heaven to agriculture and the people; If it can't be passed, it is the cousin Cao's road across my king, and then enter Tun Liyang, gradually camp Henan, benefit from boats, repair equipment, dispatch fine horses, and pay for its borders, so that he is not at ease, I will take it. In three years, things can be settled. ”

This is the idea given to Yuan Shao by Tian Feng and Fu before the Guandu War in the original history. On the one hand, the army pressed the border, threatening the heart of Cao Cao's Yanzhou, and at the same time, "dispatching elite cavalry and spending money on its borders", forcing Cao's army to run for his life.

On this timeline, Cao Cao's power has faintly caught up with Yuan Shao, and Gongsun Zhan has not been completely wiped out, so it will be difficult to introduce the nonsense of "using the divine martial arts of Ming Gong, the strong people across the river, and the Cao clan, such as covering your hands". Yuan Shao claimed to be a general and led a large army to Xudu, which was an obvious excuse, just waiting for Cao Cao to refuse, so that he could "express Cao's road across my king's road" and officially turn his face and start a war.

Therefore, it was Xun who wrote to Cao Cao, saying: "I am afraid of Yuan Shao's plan, but I want to enter Tun Liyang, gradually camp Henan, make boats, repair equipment, dispatch fine horses, and despise me, so that I am not at ease, and he will take his escape......" I copied the sentence in the history book, and asked Cao Cao to take precautions.

Then he threw his pen and sighed: It is estimated that there will be a war around New Year's Day, and I will definitely not be able to go home and see my relatives......

Thinking of this, suddenly there was a cold war for no reason - "copy my border"? As Xun's uncle and nephew and Guo Jia said in the past, the Cao family has two major weaknesses, one is Langxi, the other is Hedong, Yuan Shao wants to mobilize Cao's soldiers, so that he can be exhausted, so that he can accumulate strength in Jizhou and Youzhou in the rear, and wait for the opportunity of a thunderous blow, it is likely that he will send troops to attack the second county. It's fatal, this soldier has just just started training, if Gao Gan waves the division to kill, how can it be good?

The eastern front is blocked by the Huns, and the northern line is still empty, no, I have to go to Puzi and Beiqu two counties to do a field survey. (To be continued......)

PS: Strive for the second watch tonight, please look forward to it. By the way, it's almost the end of the month, ask for tickets!