As a Chinese, Xiao Fan has always adhered to a point of view.

That's all the fear, it all stems from the lack of firepower!

Firearms are the strongest means of attack that Xiao Fan can think of, as well as the biggest self-protection hole card.

According to Xiao Fan's observations, firearms had begun to sprout during this period.

Bamboo fireworks, someone has already made them.

The concept of gunpowder has not yet been proposed, but something similar to gunpowder already exists.

Of course, this is still very rudimentary and cannot be used as gunpowder for firearms.

Needs improvement.

The raw materials for firearms, as well as the tools needed to make them in bulk, are the most difficult.

Not every finished product is always different in precision.

Even because of this, Xiao Fan also sacrificed another thing.

"Here's for you."

Xiao Fan went into the study again and took out the box hidden under the bookshelf.

Open it in front of Jiang Xing.

"Calipers?" Jiang Xing actually recognized it.

Xiao Fan was surprised: "Do you know this?" ”

Jiang Xing said as a matter of course: "Blacksmiths and carpenters will use this thing. ”

Immediately, Xiao Fan was relieved.

Calipers have existed for a long time, but the original Xiao Fan didn't know and hadn't touched them.

And Jiang Xing, who was born as a blacksmith, knows this.

In Xiao Fan's world, the earliest calipers existed in the Han Dynasty, and it is reasonable that there are people in this world who can make them.

After all, the ancients were just ancient, not stupid.

"My caliper is more accurate, it's called a vernier caliper, I'll teach you how to use it......"

"Got it? In this way, the precision of machining can be greatly improved. ”

"Shhh Jiang Xing was shocked on the spot, "The master is really a genius!" ”

Xiao Fan waved his hand and said smugly: "Where is ......?"

It's a joy to be complimented.

"This matter should be kept secret."

Xiao Fan told again and again, and said solemnly: "Even Madame can't know, I will buy a small yard next door, and you will secretly go there to do experiments." ”

"What's the use of this? So cautious, sir? ”

Jiang Xing disagreed, he said: "Even if this is a secret weapon, the imperial court does not restrict its manufacture, as long as it is filed with the government and not manufactured in batches." ”

The Eastern Xia Dynasty was full of martial virtues.

There are chivalrous people in the people, and they can't help but use weapons to carry swords and do chivalrous deeds.

Of course, super-long weapons such as spears, horse lances, and halberds, as well as crossbows, are controlled weapons and are not allowed to be privately possessed by the people.

There is also armor, even the easiest to obtain wooden armor and cotton armor, which are not allowed to be privately hidden, and one can be punished with death.

Bows and arrows can be worn, but they cannot be brought into the city, and the bow cannot be wound when they enter the city.

Therefore, in Jiang Xing's opinion, although Xiao Fan's drawings are well drawn, they should not be a powerful weapon.

There's no need to keep it a secret.

Even Jiang Xing felt that it might just be a toy.

I've never seen such a short weapon, it's not as long as a short-bladed dagger, and there's nowhere to cut it, isn't it a toy?

"You just have to keep it a secret."

Xiao Fan didn't want to tell Jiang Xing what this thing was.

Even if Jiang Xing made a finished product, he wouldn't know what it was.

After all, firearms hadn't yet appeared, and no one could see that this thing had offensive power.

As for the key firing gunpowder, Xiao Fan will quietly test it by himself, and even Jiang Xing will not tell him.

For Jiang Xing, he will only know that he has made a toy.

……

In August, the autumn harvest is over.

This year, however, there was no sign of a bumper harvest as usual.

Not long ago, the after-effects of the war broke out at this moment, and finally came to the fore.

Due to the death of too many strong men, many fields are uncultivated, and the ability of women and children in the family is limited.

Some crops are also not growing well, and although the plague caused by the previous war has passed, the environmental impact of the piled up corpses and the smoke of gunpowder everywhere has not been eliminated.

The crops and fields are all willful, and they do not produce much food.

Lantai County Government Yanai.

Lin Xi looked at the bookcase, and the people below reported this year's autumn harvest table.

His eyes narrowed into a slit, and his hands clenched, helpless and annoyed.

"This year's harvest is less than 70% of last year's harvest per acre......

If this is the case, it will not be so moving, because the grain production in this year is already rich and poor year by year.

But this year is different, with a declining population leaving many fields uncultivated.

This means that the overall grain is far less than 30% less than last year.

The remaining seventy percent may have to be discounted by six or seven.

"Your Excellency...... Although the production is less, the population is also much smaller than in previous years, so there will be no shortage of food, right? Master Chang Kun comforted.

Lin Xi glanced at him fiercely.

Nearly half of the food production? It doesn't matter, the population has been reduced by almost half anyway!

What top hell jokes?

For his master, Lin Xi knows very well that he has a hand at playing with people's hearts, but he has no talent in the official affairs of the yamen.

Lin Xichang sighed and said, "This year, there has been no natural disaster nearby, and there is already a shortage of food, and it will definitely be even more difficult after winter." ”

"Nowadays, many families lack men, and the life of ordinary people will not be easy in the past two years." Chang Kun echoed.

"Then keep an eye on the neighborhood, once there are displaced people, we will build a porridge factory according to the system, and I hope not too many people will die this year."

"My lord is really sympathetic to the people......" Chang Kun complimented.

Lin Xi didn't accept this.

He knew that he didn't just do it because he was a parent.

What's more, this is near the capital, at the foot of the Son of Heaven, if there is a large-scale disaster, his county order will be over.

Not to mention, what else are you looking forward to ascending to the capital.

"Speaking of the porridge factory, my lord, I heard that on the banks of the Baishui River, there are already people laying porridge sheds." Chang Kun said.

Hearing this, Lin Xi nodded and smiled, and asked, "Which kind of good person is this year, who wants to earn fame, and started so early?" ”

Although some people have begun to cut back on food and clothing, there has been no rumor of any disaster.

At this time, the porridge shed began to be set up, which was purely famous.

But Lin Xi is not angry, there is nothing wrong with this, others earn fame, he can sit back and enjoy it, and the government can also provide less food for disaster relief.

Win-win.

No, if you add the victims, it's a win-win-win.

Oh yes, and the imperial court, it's a win-win-win.

Everyone had a good time, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Charity is like a gentleman who is a man, regardless of his deeds, and there are no good people in the world.

"Forehead ......"

Chang Kun thought for a while, and suddenly said: "I remember, my lord, I heard that it was the porridge shed set up by Xiao's house, and that Zhang Zongbao was hanging around with his family." ”

"Xiao Zhai?"

Lin Ximingwu: "Is it Brother Xiao?" ”

"Report ......"

At this time, a small official came running from outside the door.

Chang Kun stepped aside, separated from Lin Xi by some distance, in front of the people below, he still wanted to maintain his master's demeanor.

Can't be so flattering.

"Come in, what's the matter?"

The little official said: "The family of the Xiao Mansion came to the yamen, saying that they had set up a porridge shed in the Baishui River, and hoped that the yamen would give them support and send them to maintain order as usual." ”

"Oh?"

"Got it, you go down."

Lin Xi said: "I will send someone." ”

"Yes, sir."

The clerk stepped back.

Chang Kun smiled: "My lord, what a coincidence, I came here just as I was talking." ”

"Brother Xiao is really discerning, and he sees that there will be a disaster this year, and now he has begun to set up a porridge shed...... It's just that he has just started out, can he withstand such attrition? ”

Don't underestimate the porridge shed.

At the end of the day, it costs less than a dozen taels, which is still the loss of a porridge shed.

And with the increasing number of victims, a porridge shack is definitely not enough, and since you want to be famous, you can't give up halfway.

Before the imperial court reacted and began disaster relief, this part of the loss had to be borne by Xiao Zhai.

"What do you mean?" Chang Kun knows Lin Xi best, as a staff master, he can not understand government affairs, but he is very good at human sophistication and guarding against other people's secret arrows.

"Since someone has already set up a porridge shack, the government naturally can't lag behind, so let's set it up."

Lin Xi said: "But be cautious and careful, beware of those rotten people who eat and drink, and punish them severely once they are discovered!" ”

has been a county magistrate for many years, the most down-to-earth official, and also the smallest official, Lin Xi is very close to the people.

I will better understand what it means to be human.

Many people are usually good, but once they have a advantage to take advantage of, they become bad people.

"But my lord, if you don't have such an early precedent and start setting up a porridge shed now, will it be said that you are selling your reputation and deliberately buying people's hearts?" Chang Kun said cautiously.

Lin Xi said disdainfully: "This time is different from the past!" ”