A few days later, Wangjiazhuang 100 official halls.

"What! Adults aren't there? ”

Tan Xiaoda, the director of the Firearms Supervision Department, and Xu Le, the director of the Bingjia Supervision Department, were dumbfounded, looked at Xu Ming, the chief flag officer in front of them, and hurriedly asked about Liu Yan's whereabouts.

Xu Ming spread his hands and said: "My lord went out early yesterday morning with a banner of Miao Zongqi and Gaoyun Mountain, I don't know where I went." ”

"Head-headed Gaoyun Mountain?"

Tan Xiaoda asked, "Who is that?" ”

Xu Ming smiled and took a selfie on his chest and said, "It was a talent I found among the homeless, and the adults were full of praise after seeing it." No, I took Gao Yunshan to find a mine. ”

Tan Xiaoda and Xu Le glanced at each other, the two of them came together today to report to Liu Yanyu.

At present, whether it is the firearms supervision department or the armor supervision department, the iron materials needed are no longer available.

Previously, the iron materials needed by the 100 households in Wangjiazhuang were purchased in large quantities from the Qianqian Households Office in Xiahezhai and the Guzhen Inspection Division.

Zhang Hailin, the defense officer, and Song Gongming, the inspector, turned a blind eye to this, after all, both of them attached great importance to Liu Yan, the former had to rely on Liu Yan's force, and he was also exempted from the crime because of Liu Yan's military exploits, and the latter had deep interests with Liu Yan, and they had to rely on Liu Yan to make a fortune, so the two naturally would not do anything to Liu Yan.

However, the production of refined iron around the Qianhu Institute in Xiahezhai is limited, even if Liu Yan also purchased some iron materials from other places in Lingshanwei through Shangjia, he still can't buy enough refined iron, after all, the military production of the Baihu Institute in Wangjiazhuang is too large.

Today, Tan Xiaoda and Xu Le came to ask Liu Yan for instructions on the shortage of iron, if there is not enough iron supply, the production of flint bird guns and armor will be limited.

It's better to say that the number of flintlocks created now can basically meet the needs. But the armor is not good, and now the armor rate of each post is more than forty percent, less than fifty percent, although it is already very high in the Ming army at this time, and even higher than the Beijing camp and the elite of the nine sides of the Beijing Division, but it still does not meet Liu Yan's requirements.

So Tan Xiaoda asked, "What kind of mine are you looking for, my lord?" ”

"Iron ore, my lord took the inlaid head Gao Yunshan to find the iron ore."

Tan Xiaoda and Xu Le were immediately overjoyed, but then the two of them started to worry again, now that there is a shortage of iron, temporary prospecting and mining, when will they be able to supply enough iron?

Xu Le was relatively more optimistic, and said to Tan Xiaoda, who couldn't help sighing: "Okay, maybe the vision of adults is longer than ours, although it takes a long time and a lot of investment to mine an iron mine, and it may not even be possible to find the location of the iron ore, but once this matter is done, the problem of iron materials for us to build troops will be solved." ”

Tan Xiaoda nodded and said, "I hope so." ”

Xu Le said: "I think we should go back first and discuss whether we can improve the yield in order to save some iron, or find a way to buy some more from elsewhere, and think of a way, how about it?" ”

Tan Xiao nodded and said, "What Master Xu said is very true, let's go back." ”

After speaking, the two said goodbye to Xu Ming.

The words are divided into two ends, one for each table.

Just when Tan Xiaoda and Xu Le were trying to solve the problem of insufficient iron, Liu Yan had already brought the banner army of Gao Yunshan, the chief flag officer Miao Shao, and the small flag officer Lu Ying to the area of Tiepu Mountain.

"My lord, please see, the mountains over there are the remnants of Tiepu Mountain, the mountain range stretches from north to south for more than ten miles, the mountains are gentle, the trees on the mountains are not dense, most of them are composed of rocks, and most of the subordinates think that there will be mineral deposits."

Liu Yan nodded with a smile and said, "I have already said it, this time I came out to look for iron ore, you are the person in charge, where to go and what to do, you have the final say." Since there may be mineral deposits in the mountains ahead, let's go there. ”

Liu Yan's words made Gao Yunshan a little overwhelmed, but looking at Liu Yan's trusting eyes, a surge of excitement surged in his heart, so he clenched his fists and said: "Since the adults trust the little old man so much, then please move, let's go to the mountains to find it." ”

"Okay, let's go!"

An hour later, Liu Yan and the others came to the mountain, which was a gentle slope, and in front of them was a not too steep peak, surrounded by scattered vegetation, and there were many mountain rocks dotted among them. Not far to the left of the crowd, a very clear stream meanders and flows south.

Liu Yan observed the scene here, and saw that although there was not much vegetation here, it was hidden enough, it was at the end of a valley, if it weren't for the inlaid Gaoyun Mountain while observing the mountain topography and looking for mineral veins, everyone really couldn't find here.

"Will there be iron ore here?"

Liu Yan subconsciously asked, but Gao Yunshan did not answer, but quickly ran to the other side, where there was a relatively undulating slope, and some rocks were exposed from the soil, showing a gray-brown color.

I saw Gao Yunshan take out a strange-looking hammer from the burden on his body, and then took out a chisel with a thick bottom and a sharp head, and hit it a rock.

Seeing this, Liu Yan led everyone to follow, and looked around Gao Yunshan like this, not daring to say a word, for fear of disturbing Gao Yunshan, who was concentrating on chiseling the rocks.

With a crisp sound, a rock was chiseled down, Gao Yunshan picked up the stone, observed it carefully for a while, and then looked up at Liu Yan with a happy face, lifted the stone, and said loudly: "My lord, please look, this is iron ore, this is iron ore!" ”

Liu Yanxi was overjoyed, and quickly stepped forward to take the stone, only to see that there was indeed an iron-brown existence in the stone, which should be due to the large iron content.

"What is the quality of this iron ore?"

This is Liu Yan's biggest concern, if the iron ore is not in good quality, or the smelting cost is large, the production is small, then there is no need to mine here.

Gao Yunshan said with a little excitement: "My lord, please see, this ore contains a large share of iron, and Xiao Lao estimates that a thousand catties of ore of this color can smelt more than four hundred catties of crude iron." ”

Liu Yan was very surprised, this place turned out to be an iron-rich mine, with an iron content of more than 40%, and this trip was worth it!

However, Liu Yan still asked cautiously: "Can you see the size of this iron mine?" ”

Gao Yunshan said and waited for a while, and then ran to the front with a few apprentices, slowly groping northward along the place where the ore had been chiseled just now, and Liu Yan and the others also followed.

Seeing that the exposed rocks on the surface were gradually introduced into the mountain and disappeared, Liu Yan was secretly anxious in his heart, knowing that the deeper the ore was buried, the more difficult it would be to mine.

In this way, after everyone walked north for half an hour, they came to the bottom of a mountain cliff, and before Gao Yunshan came back to report, Liu Yan and Miao Shao were already taken aback.

I saw that some ruins and broken walls could be vaguely seen on the cliff in front of me, which was the old nest of the bandits in Tiepu Mountain before, and the traces of the original fire can still be seen, and there are many dark dead trees around.

"I didn't expect to find this place!"

Liu Yan sighed for a while, but Gao Yunshan ran over at this time: "My lord, the direction of this iron mine extends all the way to this side, and where the cliff is underneath, it is the gathering place of iron ore. The distance we have traveled along the way is just a branch of the iron ore. ”

"So, this iron mine is huge?"

Gao Yunshan replied in the affirmative: "It's big! Xiao Lao estimates that this iron mine can mine at least 100,000 catties of crude iron! ”

"More than 100,000 catties?"

Although this figure does not shock Liu Yan, it can be regarded as a relatively considerable number, at least it can give the Firearms Supervision Office and the Armor Supervision Office a stable supply of iron.

"Good! The high inlay is now resting. ”

Gao Yunshan agreed and walked away, and Liu Yan immediately said to Miao Shao: "This is the will of heaven!" The ruins of the bandit camp on the cliff could have been used as a place for an ironworks and mines. ”

Miao Shao echoed: "My lord has thought it through, the ruins of the bandit camp are dangerous, and they are hidden enough, we can mine and smelt iron here, we can avoid a lot of trouble, and those officials from Qianhu and Lingshanwei can't find it here." ”

Liu Yan said with a smile: "After you go back, you immediately lead your troops to station here, and I will ask General Yue and Chief Zhao to recruit craftsmen to come over, and mobilize money and grain, and immediately build mines and smelters here." ”

Miao Shao looked at the barren surroundings and said with a wry smile: "Adults are too anxious, how can people live here?" ”

"With enough money and food, at most one month, the ruins of the bandit camp can be rebuilt, you can work hard here for a month, and you must ensure the safety here."

Liu Yan said with a smile: "Don't worry, you have a subsidy for this sentry soldier and a double salary every month, how about it?" ”

Miao Shao suddenly smiled, nodded and said, "My lord has an order, how dare my subordinates disobey." ”

"My lord, what about the high head?"

"Come over together, the matter of mining and iron-making will be presided over by Gao Yunshan. Don't look at Gao Yunshan's main business is inlay, but I have talked to him in detail, and this person is also a good hand at ironmaking. ”

Saying that, Liu Yan let everyone rest in place, sat under a big tree with Miao Shao, and continued: "Gao Yunshan is responsible for all the mining and ironmaking here, and the use of money and grain, and the allocation of manpower, are all up to him. You're just in charge of the safety here, and at the same time make sure that the craftsmen in the mines and smelters can't go out at will, I want this place to be isolated, you know? ”

Miao Shao naturally knew the stakes, and said: "Don't worry, my subordinates know how to do it." ”

"Hmm."

Liu Yan planned and said: "When you start to produce iron here, you will send a banner dun army to escort it back to Wangjiazhuang every month." ”

Miao Shao nodded and agreed.

Then Liu Yan beckoned Gao Yunshan and a few apprentices to come over and said, "I'm going to open a mine here, are you willing to stay?" ”

Gao Yunshan has been well received by Liu Yan in the past few days, and even came out to look for mines, Liu Yan also paid Gao Yunshan and his apprentices, so that Gao Yunshan and others were grateful.

At this time, in the face of Liu Yan's demand, where would Gao Yunshan refuse, and immediately said: "Driven by the adult's worries, Xiao Lao and these apprentices dare to disobey!" ”

"Good!"

Liu Yan immediately appointed Gao Yunshan as the head of the iron yard in Tiepu Mountain, pointing out that the iron yard is divided into two parts: the iron ore yard and the iron-making yard, and the production of all things is in charge of Gao Yunshan, and the safety here is in charge of Miao Shao, the chief flag officer.

"Your monthly salary, you calculate according to the level of the director, these apprentices of yours, report to me a few supervisors, and the rest of each person is three taels of silver per month, in my place, food and lodging are all-inclusive, how about it?" 33

"Good, good, good!"

This kind of treatment, for Gao Yunshan and the others, is already heavenly, and naturally a hundred agree.

"Don't worry, as long as this iron yard is built, the little old man will try his best to make iron and live up to the trust of adults!"

Some people died, but not completely......