"Big sentence, the surname Zhu is out of the city!"

"Keep up."

"Yan Liu followed."

Li Daochong has become more and more anxious these days, he has been cut off from two ways of wealth, and he can only rely on taxes to make money in the future.

Increasing the taxes on merchants may be able to find a way.

Increasing taxes on peasants is a pipe dream, at least not this year. In the years of the catastrophe, he engaged in wanton expropriation and extortion, purely because he thought that his life was too long, and there was still too much defense at the top, and he would definitely stop this kind of behavior.

He is also looking forward to Cai You's transfer, it is okay to transfer Zhu Ming away, and it is okay to transfer himself.

But I didn't think about it, Cai You didn't adjust any of them!

Zhu Ming led people out of the city on horseback, and gradually came to the dock, Shi Yuangong and Deng Chun had been waiting for a long time.

The task he arranged was to ask Shi Yuangong to bring back 20 households, about 100 people. If you recruit some more, you can gather more than 100 people, which is the standard number of people in the Song Dynasty iron smelting field.

But there were two or three hundred people standing in front of them!

Most of them were dressed in tatters, but there were a few who did not seem to be poor, and even thirty or forty of them were still armed.

"Taishou is here." Shi Yuangong smiled.

More than ten people immediately surrendered, and the rest also followed suit: "The grass people meet Zhu Taishou!" ”

Zhu Ming smiled and clenched his fists, the more he looked at it, the more surprised he became, some guys actually had words tattooed on their faces. How can this be an iron smelter?

Shi Yuangong introduced: "Xianggong, this is Tu Shen, who built a furnace to smelt iron. Later, he broke his family and became a thief, and he was also a good man, and he had more than ten brothers under his command. ”

"Welcome." Zhu Ming smiled, but his heart became more and more confused.

Tu Shen is not very tall in Shandong, but his upper body is extremely burly, and his arms are almost as thick as ordinary people's thighs. He also carried two iron bones with him, and this kind of war hammer was an armor-piercing weapon.

But Shi Yuangong recruited iron smelters, how can it be like recruiting a criminal gang?

Shi Yuangong said again: "This is called Zhang Jin, and he is also a good man, and he has seven or eight brothers under his command. ”

Zhang Jin is much more decent, just an ordinary strong man with a knife hanging from his waist.

introduced several people one after another, and Zhu Ming communicated with Yan Yuese. Then they set aside a place in the suburbs, and let them rest for the time being, and then take a boat to the mine tomorrow.

Zhu Ming called Shi Yuangong aside alone and asked, "How many people did you bring back?" ”

Shi Yuangong replied: "Forty-nine households, counting the old and young women and children, a total of two hundred and fifty-seven people. ”

Zhu Ming was surprised: "How can you be so much? ”

Shi Yuangong did not answer directly, but said: "The iron smelting business in Xuzhou is more complicated than we imagined. ”

"Tell me about it." Zhu Ming said.

Shi Yuangong said: "During the Zhenzong period, Hebei was often harassed by the Liao State, and the imperial court was worried that the Liao people would get to make weapons, so they strictly forbade the pig iron of Liguo, Laiwu and other prisoners to be trafficked in Hebei. However, daily ironware can still be transported north, so in Xuzhou, many new blacksmith shops have been opened, and pig iron will be made into hoes, iron pots, and iron plows to be transported north. ”

"During the Yuanfeng period, a new law was implemented, and iron tools had to be cast by the government, so even kitchen knives, hoes and other things could only be made and sold to the people by the government. The blacksmith shops in Xuzhou were either taken over by the government or went bankrupt. This ban was lifted during the reign of Genyu, and even the ban on pig iron was lifted. ”

"In the early years of Daguan, the private trade in pig iron was again banned. All the iron smelted by private individuals had to be sold to the government, which in turn sold it to the foundry. As a result, smuggling is difficult to prohibit in the government, and it is difficult to enforce government decrees. ”

"In the early years of Zhenghe, the ban was reiterated, and all the iron smelters were sold to the officials, and the government was then sold to the foundries. Except for the daily ironware, which can be bought and sold privately, the rest are not allowed to be sold privately. This time, the execution was extremely strict, especially the Li Guojian and Laiwu Prison, and those who caught the prohibition were immediately stabbed and assigned to the army. ”

After listening to this, Zhu Ming was a little speechless.

The imperial court tossed back and forth like this, in addition to considering border security, it was more about harvesting leeks in waves.

Every time there is a ban, the government can harvest it. Then the ban will be lifted, and the iron smelting and foundry industries will be redeveloped, and when the development is almost complete, a ban will be issued for harvesting.

It's too shady, but it's not too far off.

The imperial court always wanted to go down in person and firmly control the iron smelting and foundry industry to make money.

At first, it was okay for more than ten years, but gradually it became out of shape. Instead of making money, state-owned institutions are losing money, and the quality of the iron they smelt has deteriorated. So it was announced that the ban would be lifted, and private merchants would be allowed to operate, and the imperial court would only be responsible for collecting taxes.

When the private iron smelting and casting industry flourished, the imperial court was red again, and felt that it could do it, so it was nationalized again.

Over and over again, over and over again.

Shi Yuangong continued: "At the beginning of the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, the Xuzhou iron smelting yard was state-owned. Gradually, corruption was rampant, and the people were allowed to buy and smelt iron. Thirty-six large iron merchants then sprung up, each of which was rich and wealthy. After the reign of Yuanyu, the ban was lifted, and small iron-smelting merchants and blacksmiths sprang up. ”

In the early years of Daguan, the ban was reiterated, and although the 36 big iron merchants were exploited, they did not break their bones, but cooperated with the government to oppress the small iron merchants. Those small iron dealers either went out of business, smuggled them, and often turned into bandits. ”

"In recent years, the anti-smuggling has been strengthened, and there have been more bankrupt fugitives, and groups of people have gathered to become thieves."

Zhu Ming turned his head to look at the iron smelters: "In other words, you recruited more than two hundred thieves to come over?" ”

"It's not all thieves, but also the families of the thieves." Shi Yuangong explained.

Isn't that the same thing?

Zhu Ming asked, "How did you get the thief's trust?" It was able to make them come all the way to the Golden State. ”

Shi Yuangong said: "Xuzhou is too guarded by Xu Churen, and he is quite fair in doing things. ”

"Xuzhou Taishou is very similar to me?" Zhu Ming came to be interested.

Shi Yuangong said: "If Xu Taishou is the prime minister, don't say that in this life, I will not think about rebellion in the next life." ”

Xu Churen is in his 60s this year and is an old minister.

When the order of Dong'an County in Yongzhou was first granted, the barbarians rebelled, and he went to Dong Village alone, and with some gentle intimidation methods, he asked the barbarian leader to withdraw his troops, and vowed never to rebel again.

When he was the magistrate of Jeju Jinxiang, he was recommended to Song Huizong.

Song Huizong asked how the harvest was, and Xu Churen replied that there was a locust drought. Song Huizong asked the thieves how they were, and Xu Churen replied that the thieves were swarming.

Both answers show that their political performance is not good.

Song Huizong was very happy when he heard this, thinking that this person would not deceive the king, so he was directly transferred to the court as an official.

Xu Churen was also proficient in arithmetic, which was also in line with Song Huizong's appetite.

Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty set up a school of arithmetic and followed Confucius as his ancestor. Xu Churen said that the Yellow Emperor should be the ancestor of the way of arithmetic.

Song Huizong can really trace back to the Yellow Emperor after careful investigation, and Taoism can also trace back to the Yellow Emperor. So Long Yan Dayue, in three or four years, Xu Churen was promoted to deputy prime minister.

At this time, Xu Churen went home after his mother's funeral, and he was no longer familiar with the emperor when he returned to the court. And because of the impeachment of Tong Guan, as the deputy prime minister, he was first demoted to the prefect, and then demoted to the local management of Taoist temples.

finally recalled the court, criticized Cai Jing's policy, and was thrown to Yangzhou to be a taishou.

went around and around and was transferred to Xuzhou last year.

Shi Yuangong said: "After Xu Taishou took office, he immediately ordered the exemption of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and openly broke with the Xuzhou general judgment. He also urged the trial of unjust cases, punished the state and county officials, and impeached the Pengcheng County Order for corruption and perversion of the law, and this county order was demoted to Hebei. ”

Zhu Mingwan said: "Sure enough, it is very similar to me, and the means are exactly the same." ”

Shi Yuangong said: "When I arrived in Xuzhou, Xu Taishou was recruiting village soldiers to suppress bandits. In the middle of October, dozens of thieves were arrested. I came to visit me with the Ministry of Engineering documents and persuaded him to cooperate with me. ”

"How?" Zhu Ming asked.

Shi Yuangong said: "Those thieves who have been caught, as long as they are willing to come to Jinzhou, can be acquitted." I also persuaded those thieves who had escaped the crime to recruit other thieves together, and with my incorruptible tongue, I said that more than 100 thieves would surrender. Most of these thieves were iron smelters and blacksmiths, and there were more than 200 people including their families. When he took them away, Xu Taishou also gave them a hundred coils. Xu Taishou said to me that the people were forced to live by thieves, and they hoped that Jinzhou could live and work in peace and contentment. ”

This guy said it lightly, and the process was certainly not easy.

Those thieves were forced by the government to make it difficult to live, so they gave up their status as good citizens. To persuade them to come to Jinzhou, they must first gain trust, not only Zhu Ming, but also Xu Churen.

Shi Yuangong uses the method of demon sect propagation!

He brought in some doctors, bought a lot of medicinal herbs, and went to visit the thieves' families. When he encountered a sick person, he immediately let Lang Medicine treat him, and he also claimed to be a sperm channel technique, and the burning talisman was mixed with the potion and drank together.

The thieves' families were given medical treatment, and the people in the vicinity were treated for free.

took the opportunity of seeing a doctor to begin to promote Zhu Ming's benevolence and righteousness, and blindly made up the story of Zhu Ming's wisdom and traitorous party.

After coming and going, he became familiar with the thieves' families, and gradually gained a popular reputation, and the nearby people called him "Shidao Man".

It was only at this time that he took out Xu Churen's official document, saying that as long as he went to Jinzhou with him, he could not only pardon his crimes, but also have no worries about food and clothing.

The family members secretly contacted and persuaded the thieves to turn themselves in.

Even the law-abiding and good people have two families on the road with Shi Yuangong.

Zhu Ming asked, "You don't have any gossipes to confuse the public, right?" ”

Shi Yuangong arched his hand: "Don't dare." ”

The next day, Zhu Ming personally took those guys and collected some small boats to go to the iron mine.

The residential area has been demarcated, but the houses have not been picked up, and even the ground has not been leveled, so the iron smelting households need to cut down trees and weeds to build their houses.

Zhu Ming asked, "Do any of you know how to farm?" ”

More than a dozen people stood up one after another, and the rest would not farm.

In such a case, there is no need to give land.

Zhu Ming said: "Give each person a hundred Wen, and then give some grain, cloth, and dishes, which is my gift to you." When you have built your house, you will start to build the ironworks, and the wages will certainly not be disadvantaged to you. As for the household registration, there will be a clerk to handle it later. ”

Tu Shen asked, "Is there a coal field nearby?" ”

Zhu Ming shook his head: "There is no charcoal field, only a charcoal field." ”

Tu Shen asked again: "Where is the iron mine?" ”

Zhu Ming summoned Su Zhixin, who was in charge of prospecting and building a charcoal farm: "You come and lead the way." ”

The iron ore had not yet been mined, and everyone came to a hill, and soon saw several iron caps.

Tu Shen probed each iron hat, his brows furrowed. He took more than a dozen brothers and immediately dug down with shovels.

The iron ore here is buried very shallowly, twenty or thirty meters underground. In some places, it can be picked up on the surface, or it will appear after digging three or four meters.

A few pieces were picked up from the ground and a few more were dug up in the ground.

Tu Shen first smashed the observation, then weighed it in his hand, and couldn't help shaking his head and said, "Taishou, the iron ore here is not usable. ”

"Reluctantly, there are only poor mines in Golden State." Zhu Ming was also helpless.

Xuzhou is a rare iron-rich ore in China.

Xuzhou's coal, which also has a low sulphur content, is quite rare in China.

Two excellent resources collided together, and Xuzhou naturally became an important iron-smelting base.

By the way, the Xuzhou coal mine was discovered by Su Shi. Su Shi made Xuzhou's iron smelting industry prosperous, and also fought floods, built embankments, and helped the people in Xuzhou.

For a long time, Su Shi was not called Su Dongpo, but was called "Su Xuzhou".

The people of Xuzhou mentioned Su Shi and affectionately called him Lao Taishou and Lao Zhizhou.

(End of chapter)