Jiangnan East Road, Jinling, August of the first year of Xingqing in the Great Song Dynasty, early autumn, the sun is shining.

After nearly half a year of busyness, the joint efforts of thousands of craftsmen and people, the "Jiangnan Weapons Manufacturing Division" rose from the ground, towering on the isolated island of the river, and the smoke was billowing all day long, which was magnificent.

It manufactures both weapons and non-military equipment. This is a major feature of the Jinling Ordnance Manufacturing Division, which takes into account both military and civilian use, and also highlights the official launch of the Great Song Dynasty iron and steel manufacturing industry.

In the west of Jinling City, the newly built West Bank Wharf on Bailuzhou is on the verge of the Yangtze River, which is huge, full of ships coming and going from the south to the north, and various ore resources such as coal and iron are constantly sent ashore. Along the west bank of Bailuzhou, in the work sheds that are several miles long, large iron pots are lined up one after another, which is magnificent. There are several cauldrons in each shed, and the pots are filled with charcoal that has just been transported along the waterway of the Yangtze River.

The dense crowd of people, or workers are more suitable, take buckets, pour river water into the three pots in the shed, stir with shovels to clean the charcoal in the first pot, then move it into the second pot filled with water, wash it again, move it into the third pot again, three times in a row, and then clean it.

The coal, which has been washed three times, is dried on a flat concrete floor that stretches for miles on the shore, and after the washed coal is dried, it is scorched before it can be used to make iron.

Although the process may seem cumbersome, it is an important step in ensuring the quality of iron smelting.

As for the addition of limestone and other materials in iron smelting, and the addition of regenerative furnaces, these are all necessary production processes for iron smelting. In particular, the regenerative furnace has been added, which greatly reduces the loss of coke and greatly improves the quality of iron smelting.

In the north of Bailuzhou, the huge iron gate faces the Yangtze River, and the brand of "Jiangnan Weapons Manufacturing Division of the Great Song Dynasty" is eye-catching. The officers and soldiers who were guarding the gate made the idlers and others daunted and avoided from afar.

Under the billowing black smoke, the trucks entering and leaving the manufacturing department were endless, and iron ingots, coal coke, lime, etc. were verified by the guards and transported into the manufacturing department. Swords, honeycomb coal stoves, spatulas, pots, pots, kitchen knives, meat knives, ploughs, hoes, sickles, etc., were all transported out of it and transported to various routes of the Great Song Dynasty through the merchant ships of Jinling Wharf.

The sale of swords, despite the discussion and opposition of the government and the opposition, was carried out in the emperor's hand to cover the world.

Without it, the benefits are huge.

"Your Majesty, since the sale of swords and ironware to the people, half a year has made a profit of more than 300,000 guan for the imperial court, plus soap and other things, the total income has been 400,000 guan. Throughout the year, there will be millions of profits just along Jiangnan East Road. It can be compared with Quanzhou City. ”

boarded the north wharf of Bailuzhou, and Hu Mengyu, the general manager of Jiankang Mansion, who accompanied him, introduced Zhao Hong to Zhao Hong on the side, and his mood was also excited.

In less than a year, the benefits of the new policy are already visible to the naked eye.

The government is harmonious, all kinds of waste are thriving, and the thriving scene under his own rule is not inspiring.

"Jiankang Mansion is prosperous, and two of the three halls are in Jinling City, with a large foreign population, and Jinling is expensive for a while. In a few years, I'm afraid that the houses in Jinling City will be sky-high. ”

Wang Gang, the envoy of Jiangnan East Road, shook his head and sighed.

"Wang Xianggong, then you hurry up and buy a few houses, and as soon as you let go in a few years, you will definitely make a lot of money!"

Trainee Cao Youwan quipped, and his brother Cao Youwen glared fiercely, and Cao Youwan quickly shut up.

"Officials of our court, as well as relatives and friends, are not allowed to get involved in these business transactions. Jinling City will also strictly prohibit relevant people and others from adding fuel to the fire, and violators will be severely punished. When the imperial court implemented a new policy in Jinling, it was necessary to eliminate maladministration, enrich the country and strengthen the army, not for people to speculate and exploit the void. ”

Zhao Hong said quietly, Wang Gang, Hu Mengyu and other ministers all obeyed orders.

"Your Majesty, the Department of Ownership will strictly investigate the resale of private houses, the sale of land, and so on. We will never allow such speculation to spread in Jinling and other places. ”

Wang Gang swore an oath, and then returned to the new policy.

"Your Majesty, the implementation of the new policy on Jiangnan East Road is going well, and it will be pushed a few more times next year. In three or four years, you can try the world. ”

Zhao Hong nodded. Wang Gang's words are exactly what he wants, and the benefits of industrialization are also obvious.

It seems that the annual income is only one million, which seems to be less than half of the income of Shi Miyuan's family, but the employment opportunities and social effects brought by this are immeasurable.

Just like the real estate industry in later generations, it has led to the development of many other industries, involving the employment of more than 100,000 people and hundreds of thousands of people.

Of course, the prosperity of industry on Jiangnan East Road cannot be confused with the real estate of later generations.

"Hu Mengyu, you have learned most of my tricks. Next year, the new policy on Jiangnan West Road will be implemented, and you may have to shoulder the burden again. ”

Zhao Hong patted Hu Mengyu's emaciated shoulder and stepped forward.

Jiangnan West Road, with a large population and backward economy, only an "iron man" like Hu Mengyu may be able to do it.

Hu Mengyu was stunned and hurriedly followed.

After just one year, he's going to rise again?

"Be careful! Don't break things! ”

On the dock, a dark-faced, black-haired man in Tsing Yi sweated profusely as he directed the coolies to load the ship, and his accent seemed to be a little strange.

"Ask. What is it? Where's it going? ”

Dong Songchen, dressed in civilian clothes, grabbed the black-faced man.

"You are ......"

"What are you talking about? This is the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, why don't you come forward to meet him? ”

Dong Songchen put up a shelf and inadvertently exposed his identity.

"Great Song Tianzi!"

The black-faced man was taken aback, he saw that Zhao Hong had an extraordinary bearing, the Great Song Dynasty official with wide robes and big sleeves beside him, and the students of the Lecture Hall behind him were all fierce and fierce, and hurriedly knelt down.

"The grass people occupy the city Li Shao, meet the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty!"

The posture alone is convincing.

"Be quiet, and don't let anyone know."

Zhao Hong glanced at Dong Songchen, who smiled and helped Li Shao up.

"Mr. Li, what are you buying here?"

Zhao Hong pointed to the goods that were being loaded. Obviously, this was transported from the Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Division.

I don't know, what do overseas businessmen buy when they come to the Jiangnan Weapons Manufacturing Division, civilian goods or weapons?

"Back to Your Majesty, these goods contain swords, spear heads, honeycomb coal stoves, iron pots, ploughs, etc. There is Da Yue in the north of the city, and there is Zhenla bullying in the southwest, and there is a lack of weapons. Therefore, the grass people transported rice to the Great Song Dynasty, and then bought these swords, iron pots, ploughs, and soaps and soaps to go back, I believe they can make a lot of money. ”

Li Shao said with a smile on his face, and his eyebrows fluttered.

can be called "sir" by the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and it is enough to blow it for ten years when he goes back.

"Mr. Li, you are very discerning."

Zhao Hong nodded and said loudly:

"Don't worry. These goods are cheap and cheap, and they are not less profitable than tea, silk and porcelain. You've chosen the right path, just wait to get rich. ”

Overseas trade, a few boxes of swords, a few boxes of soap can be exchanged for a shipload of grain, why not.

"Your Majesty's words are extremely true! However, if Da Song can sell firearms to the outside world, it must sell better! ”

Li Shao echoed Zhao Hong, with a smirk on his face.

"Firearms?"

Zhao Hong looked at Li Shao and asked softly:

"Do you need firearms in the city?"

Don't say you need it, I'm afraid I've never seen it.

"Your Majesty, there are many pirates on the sea, but as long as the warships of the Great Song Dynasty appear, and a few cannons are smashed down, the pirates will be beaten to pieces and flee in a hurry. If His Majesty is willing to sell firearms to the Champa Kingdom, the grass people will be the first to buy them! ”

Li Shao's words made Zhao Hong stunned, and then suddenly realized.

It seems that the sea of the Great Song Dynasty is not very peaceful. But it can also be seen that the Great Song Sailor is active on the sea again.

It seems that Wu Qian's rectification and management of the navy has achieved initial results.

"Mr. Li, after your goods are loaded onto the ship, do you want to return to occupy the city?"

"Back to Your Majesty, the villain first transported it to Mingzhou, Zhejiang Province by river boat, and then transferred from Mingzhou to the sea boat back to Zhancheng. Now there is a Great Song sailor patrolling on the sea, and it will take about 20 days to arrive. ”

Li Shao's answer made Zhao Hong immediately have an idea in his heart.

If you can use Champa to deal with Da Viet (Vietnam) and Chenla (Burma), it seems to be in the interests of the Great Song Dynasty.

Da Yue Kingdom, the Great Song Dynasty will definitely recover this lost land of China in the future!

"Mr. Li, can you meet the King of Champ?"

Zhao Hong frowned slightly and asked directly.

Maybe on New Year's Day, Champa will send an envoy to the Great Song Dynasty to worship, but he doesn't want to wait that long.

Today's events are today, so why wait until a few months from now.

"Back... Your Majesty, the grass people should be... Of course! ”

Li Shao was secretly surprised, but his mouth trembled and immediately agreed.

He was just a small merchant selling grain in the city of Zhancheng, where could he find the king and the magnates. When the big merchants of Champa came to the Great Song Dynasty, they all sold porcelain, tea and silk, and only he ventured into the business of swords and soap.

However, this is clearly an opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn around.

"So, Mr. Li, I will repair a letter later, and you can go back and bring it to the king of Champ. The Great Song Dynasty was willing to go deeper with the city. The Great Song Dynasty was also willing to help Champa defend itself against foreign aggression, and both sides took what they needed, which would benefit both countries and their people. ”

Sure enough, Zhao Hong thought for a moment and said it directly.

The Great Song Dynasty wanted to colonize outward, and Champa was a suitable port of anchorage in the South Seas, and perhaps they could buy a piece of land there or lease a seaport as a base for colonization outward.

Liuqiu, Qiongzhou (Hainan Island), Zhancheng, and then occupy Singapore in later generations, the entire Silk Road and Nanyang will be alive.

"The grass people will bring your majesty's letter to the king of my dynasty!"

Li Shao knelt down again, and his heart was "pounding".

What a blessing from heaven!

In this way, he was able to catch up with the royal families of Champa and the Great Song Dynasty. Now, don't say that the sales of these goods don't have to worry, Feihuang Tengda is just around the corner.

A group of people left, and Hu Mengyu asked ignorantly:

"Your Majesty, firearms are the most important weapons of the country, and they should not be easily dealt with. Does Your Majesty really want to sell firearms to Champ? ”

"It's just that I sell firearms, recipes and technology, and it's all in the hands of my Da Song. Why should you worry? ”

Zhao Hongwan smiled and walked forward as he spoke.

"Besides, everything is not so easy, I haven't decided yet."

The location of the city is important, and opening up a new port is laborious and risky. When the Great Song Dynasty sailors went south, there must be a transit port.

Zhancheng Port is a good choice, and it is also a good opportunity for the expansion of the Great Song Dynasty.