After letting King Dai and King Jing fight each other, Zhao Yao didn't pay attention to the affairs of the capital anymore. He was very busy every day, and he had no time to pay attention to things outside the Swamp Mansion.

He originally planned to wait until after the Shangyuan Festival to start work, but after the seventh day of the new year, there was nothing to do. In the past, in the capital, it was the busiest during the Chinese New Year every year, and it would not be idle until after the Shangyuan Festival. Now, in the swamp mansion, Zhao Yao does not need to go out every day to pay New Year's greetings, or participate in various activities in the palace.

Zhao Yao, His Royal Highness the King of Han, is the supreme ruler of the Swamp Mansion, and he doesn't need to go out to pay New Year's greetings, but other people come to greet him. However, the previous officials of the Swamp Mansion and the local rich gentry were all killed by him, and the rest were ordinary people, and they were not qualified to see Zhao Yao.

After the seventh day of the first month, Zhao Yao was completely idle. He originally planned to have a good rest for a few days on the Shangyuan Festival, after all, he hadn't been idle since he came to the Swamp Mansion. Maybe it's because he was too busy before, and he was very unaccustomed to suddenly being idle. After a two-day break, he threw himself into his work.

The officials of the small court of the Han Dynasty still went to work after the Shangyuan Festival in accordance with the previous regulations.

In the past two days, although Zhao Yao has been busy, he is only busy with alchemy.

In the backyard of the Han Palace, there is an alchemy furnace more than one meter high. Zhao Yao sat in front of the stove, holding a pu fan in one hand, and throwing things into the stove from time to time in the other.

When He Lianfang came to the backyard, she saw Zhao Yao refining again. He frowned slightly, and the cart wheelchair came to Zhao Yao's side.

"Stinky boy, do you want to cultivate and become an immortal?"

Zhao Yao raised his head and looked at He Lianfang with a slight puzzlement: "I don't have this plan." ”

"So what are you doing now?" He Lianfang pointed to the alchemy furnace in front of Zhao Yao, "Aren't you alchemy?" ”

Zhao Yao smiled helplessly: "Second uncle, didn't I tell you, I'm doing experiments, not really alchemy." As for what the experiment was, Zhao Yao didn't tell He Lianfang for the time being.

He Lianfang snorted coldly and said, "In my opinion, you are alchemy. ”

Zhao Yao stood up, shook the pu fan in his hand, and said mysteriously: "I am doing experiments through alchemy. ”

He Lianfang asked, "What experiment?" ”

"I'll tell you now, you don't understand, I'll tell you when my experiment is successful." After Zhao Yao finished speaking, he sat back in front of the stove, grabbed a handful of saltpeter from a bowl on the table next to him and threw it into the stove, and then put in a little sulfur and charcoal.

Saltpeter is easy to get. When Zhao Yao was still very young, he used saltpeter to make ice. Now the people of the entire Great Zhou can use ice in summer, thanks to Zhao Yao's blessing.

Sulfur and charcoal are also easy to get. There are many hot springs in Marsh Province, and sulfur is one of the most important ingredients of hot springs. Charcoal is made directly from the burning of trees. The most important thing in the swamp province is trees, and there are many valuable woods.

Zhao Yao's eyes stared straight at the alchemy furnace. He did not dare to put a lot of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal at once. If he puts too much at once, his life may not be guaranteed, so he can only experiment a little bit.

The lid of the alchemy furnace suddenly emitted a lot of smoke, and then there was a crackling sound in the furnace, and then a lot of sparks came out of the furnace. Although Zhao Yao rushed with a fan, there were still a lot of sparks splashing on him. There were also some splashes on He Lianfang, who was not far from Zhao Yao.

Waiting for the calm in the stove to return, Zhao Yao hurriedly wrote down Fang Cai's ratio and reaction.

"Second uncle, it's more dangerous here, you better go back."

"Danger, where is the danger?" He Lianfang didn't see the danger.

"Didn't a spark splash on you?" Zhao Yao walked behind He Lianfang and pushed him out of the backyard.

"What the hell are you going to do?"

"I'll tell you when I'm successful."

"You're really not alchemy?" He Lianfang saw that Zhao Yao had been squatting in front of the alchemy furnace day and night for the past few days, and he didn't even go back to the house to sleep, exactly like the Taoist alchemy he had met before. In his eyes, Zhao Yao was completely obsessed with alchemy.

Seeing that He Lianfang still didn't believe him, Zhao Yao was extremely helpless.

"It's really not alchemy, I'm really experimenting." As soon as he finished speaking, he added, "The goal of my experiment is to blow up the alchemy furnace. ”

"Fried alchemy furnace?" He Lianfang's expression became a little strange, "What kind of fetish are you?" ”

Zhao Yao rolled his eyes speechlessly, "I'm a serious alchemy furnace, not playing any game." "What is the second uncle's head thinking?

"Isn't it very simple to fry the alchemy furnace?" He Lianfang had seen the Taoist priest blow up the alchemy furnace when he was alchemy. In his opinion, it is a very common thing to blow up the alchemy furnace during alchemy. "Do you need to do experiments?"

"Second uncle, do you think it's easy to fry the alchemy furnace?"

"Isn't it simple, I've seen Taoist priests blow up alchemy furnaces."

"That's when they accidentally blew up the stove while they were alchemizing."

He Lianfang glanced at Zhao Yao obliquely, "Aren't you also alchemy now, what's the difference?" ”

"Of course it's different, the main purpose of those Taoist priests is alchemy, not to blow up the alchemy furnace. And my main purpose is to fry the stove, not alchemy. ”

He Lianfang felt that there was no difference between the two. He also thinks that Zhao Yao is doing useless work.

"You still directly find a Taoist priest and ask the Taoist priest to help you blow up the stove."

"Second uncle, you don't understand, you better go back first." Zhao Yao was too lazy to explain the test to He Lianfang again, and waited for him to succeed in the experiment.

"I really don't need to find you a Taoist priest?"

"No, I'm going to blow up the stove myself."

He Lianfang, who was pushed away, was very helpless. He decided to wait two more days. If Zhao Yao was still addicted to alchemy after the Shangyuan Festival, he would definitely stop him.

After sending He Lianfang away, Zhao Yao continued his experiments with the fried stove. On top of the previous ratio, increase the amount.

The ratio of black fire must be accurate, otherwise it is easy to get into trouble. In order to match accurately, Zhao Yao can only match a little bit. By noon, there had been quite a breakthrough in his experiments.

There was a loud bang in the stove, and the stove shook violently. The stove didn't explode, though.

At noon, Zheng Cheng and Zheng Qian came to find Zhao Yao.

Since the end of last year, Zheng Cheng has been arranged by Zhao Yao to be a firecracker, but it has not been successful. I came to Zhao Yao today because the fire gun was successful. However, because the black fire has not been made for the time being, the fire gun made has no ammunition.

At present, the fire gun made by Zheng Cheng cannot be regarded as a real fire gun, but a simple version of the fire gun. Wait for Zhao Yao to make the black fire, so that he can make the real fire.

Zhao Yao tried the "fake" fire gun that Zheng Cheng and they made. The ammunition for the fake firecracker is a small stick, or a small pebble.

Pulling the trigger, the small wooden stick in the fake firearm was launched and hit a tree a zhang away, Zhao Yao saw a small hole in the trunk of the tree, and smiled with satisfaction.

"That's it." Zhao Yao handed the simplified version of the fire gun in his hand to Zheng Cheng, "This is not a real fire gun, when I make the black fire, you can make a real fire gun." ”

Zheng Cheng asked, "Your Highness, how is your black fire doing?" ”

"Soon, I'm sure it'll be done in two days." The reason why Zhao Yao made his own black fire was mainly because the process of making black fire would be very dangerous, and it would be a minor injury or a serious death.

Zhao Yao looked at Zheng Qian on the side: "Is there something you came to me for?" ”

"Your Highness, last year you asked your ministers to count the fields and the number of people in the swamp mansion."

"Didn't you count it?" Zhao Yao asked suspiciously, "What's wrong?" ”

"There's no problem, the minister just wants to ask you, how to distribute the fields?" Zhao Yao asked the household department to count the population and land, one of the purposes is to make a good distribution this year. "Is it distributed according to the number of people, or is it distributed according to the number of households?"

Zhao Yao said: "Distribute according to the number of people. ”

Zheng Qian continued to ask, "Everyone? Is there no distinction between men and women, no distinction between ages? ”

"Not everybody." Zhao Yao walked back to the alchemy furnace, and while hurriedly writing down the ratio and reaction of Fang Cai, he said to Zheng Qian, "Men and women can only be allocated land when they are adults, and minors are not eligible to be allocated to fields for the time being. ”

Zheng Cheng squatted aside, carefully looking at the data recorded by Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao added sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter to the stove.

"Of course, only good citizens are entitled to land."

After adding the ingredients, Zhao Yao pulled Zheng Cheng and Zheng Qian away from the alchemy furnace. Maybe the alchemy furnace may explode later, but it's safer to stay away from it.

The trio stood behind a rockery. Zhao Yao stared at the alchemy furnace while continuing to say to Zheng Qian: "The poll tax is exempted, don't fight for the poll tax in the future." ”

When Zheng Qian heard this, he showed a look of surprise on his face: "Your Highness, the poll tax has existed since ancient times, and it has been collected since the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty. ”

"It's not that it's abolished, it's that the poll tax is incorporated into the field endowment." Zhao Yao said again, "All taxes will be exempted this year, and of course the grain handed over to the imperial court must not be less." Others are exempt. ”

"Your Highness, do you really want to get rid of them all?" Zheng Qian hesitated and said, "Lingnan has to pay taxes to the court every year, and you are all exempt, what will you give to the court?" ”

"I'm talking about the total exemption of the swamp province, not anywhere else." Zhao Yao said with a smile, "It's only a year of exemption for this year, and it will be restored tomorrow." However, taxes will be cut in half next year and the year after. ”

After Zheng Qian heard these words, he felt relieved.

"I know."

"As for how to distribute according to the number of people, you and Wen Xiang will discuss it." Zhao Yao provided Zheng Qian with a general direction, and the specific details were to be drawn up by Zheng Qian, the head of the household department. If even the details have to be formulated by him, the king of Han, then what does he want the officials to do.

"Yes, Your Highness." Zheng Qian thought of the tribal fields and asked, "Your Highness, should the fields of each tribe also be distributed according to the number of people?" ”

"I remember that the toasts of each tribe owned quite a few fields, right?"

"Yes, at least more than a hundred acres of land."

Zhao Yao groped his chin and said thoughtfully: "It is also distributed according to the number of people." The extra land can be sold. ”

"Yes."

"In the future, the land will not be collected according to the number of people, but according to the number of acres." Whoever has more land will pay more taxes.

After Zheng Qian listened, his eyes became very bright, and his expression became very excited.

"Your Highness is wise, Your Highness is merciful!"

"After you have allocated the fields, you will distribute the grain seeds and farm tools." Zhao Yao solemnly explained, "The Swamp Mansion will be cultivated soon, you have to do these things quickly, and ensure that when it is time to cultivate, the common people will have fields to cultivate and seeds to plant." ”

Zheng Qian's heart sank, and he said with a serious expression: "Your Highness, rest assured, the ministers will definitely do this as soon as possible." ”

For Zheng Qian's work ability, Zhao Yao still trusts him very much.

"Then you go and get busy."

"Your Highness, the minister is leaving......" Before Zheng Qian's words were finished, he heard a loud noise, and then saw the alchemy furnace explode, startling him and Zheng Cheng.

Zhao Yao saw that the alchemy furnace had finally exploded, and his face was full of ecstasy. However, he did not rush forward to check. He's afraid he'll blow it up again. After a while, he walked over.

"Finally blew up."

Although Zheng Cheng didn't understand what there was to be happy about the alchemy furnace exploding, he knew that it should be a happy event for the alchemy furnace to explode when he saw Zhao Yao's face.

"Tongxi." Zhao Yao shouted loudly.

After a while, Tongxi appeared in front of Zhao Yao: "Your Highness, what's wrong?" ”

"Hurry up and get a big alchemy furnace, bigger than the previous one."

"Huh?" Tongxi looked at the fragments of the alchemy furnace on the ground, and asked with a face full of surprise and confusion, "Your Highness, didn't you blow up the alchemy furnace, why do you still need the alchemy furnace?" ”

"Of course it's going to keep exploding."

Tongxi: "Your Highness ......, are you addicted to frying the stove?"

"Go get me a bigger alchemy furnace." He's going to keep experimenting.

"Slave and maid, go now."

He Lianfang came over at this time. He was frightened by the loud noise. As soon as he arrived, he heard Zhao Yao ask Tongxi to find him a larger alchemy furnace.

"You're going to blow up the stove too?" He Lianfang looked at Zhao Yao strangely, "How many stoves are you going to fry?" ”

"A few more bombs will be about the same." Zhao Yao said with a smile on his face.

He Lianfang complained sharply: "What kind of hobby are you?" ”

Zhao Yao defended again: "This is an experiment, not a strange hobby. ”

He Lianfang was too lazy to take care of Zhao Yao, and left with a wheelchair.

Zhao Yao asked the others to clean up the scene and took Zheng Cheng to the study, while Zheng Qian went to find Wen Daoji. As for the fact that Wen Daoji was on vacation and was at home, he directly ignored it.

Zheng Cheng took the stack of paper handed to him by Zhao Yao, he looked down, and saw a pattern drawn on the paper, with the words "waterwheel" written on it, and looked at Zhao Yao with a pair of bright eyes and asked, "Your Highness, what is this?" ”

"Waterwheels, irrigation tools." Zhao Yao pointed to a stack of paper in Zheng Cheng's hand and said, "I have drawn three kinds of waterwheels, namely water turnover, ox turnover, and donkey turnover. ”

Zheng Cheng first looked at the drawings of these three kinds of waterwheels, and then his expression became very excited: "Your Highness, rest assured, the ministers will make the waterwheel as soon as possible." ”

"Just make it before you plant." The topography of Lingnan is complex, with high and low levels. Without waterwheels, many fields would not have been able to be irrigated. With the waterwheel, water can be watered both on high ground and on low ground.

"Yes, Your Highness." Zheng Cheng took the drawings of the waterwheel and hurriedly left the Han Palace, heading to the office of the Ministry of Industry.

Zhao Yao wrote down the ratio of the alchemy furnace that had just exploded, and then went out with the ingredients. He deliberately chose a place with trees to try the effect of detonation. The effect was ok, a few trees were blown up.

When Tongxi came to find Zhao Yao, he saw that his face was injured and bleeding, and he was so frightened that he screamed for the doctor. (End of chapter)