Lord of the Desert

Chapter 457: Afterglow
The tenth day of June.

The drizzle that had lasted for several days stopped at midnight.

In the early morning, the roof tiles were still wet, and they cast a brilliant yellow glow when the morning sun passed by.

Hong Fan declined the visitors who were not important enough in advance. After practicing two rounds of foundation-building punches, he stayed in the study to review the new drawings and files sent by the loom project team.

He had pushed for the project of spinning and weaving machines a long time ago.

Hong Fan had thought about doing it himself earlier, but Dahua's technology in this area was already quite impressive - the large water-powered spinning wheel could use 32 spindles at the same time to spin more than 100 kilograms of hemp a day, and the giant spinning machine had more than 100,000 ear threads, and could spin top-quality fabrics with extremely fine and complex patterns - it was simply not something that a person who had just started learning could figure out in a short period of time.

Fortunately, although he didn't know much about the textile industry, he at least remembered the spring shuttle that was often mentioned in the Industrial Revolution. In addition, the conversion of power from human and water power to steam provided two reliable directions.

After two years and considerable investment of resources, the project finally bore fruit.

But when this blueprint was really placed in front of Hong Fan, he felt uneasy and hesitant as never before.

In the afternoon, Shen Hong jogged through the gate.

"Sir, there is a girl visiting us ahead."

He bent down to speak, with sweat on his neck, as if he was facing a formidable enemy.

"What kind of girl makes you so nervous?"

Hong Fan straightened up, looked at Shen Hong's bald head shining in the sun, and teased.

"She said her surname was Xiao, and she was wearing a veil. I only caught a glimpse of half her face, but she was no less beautiful than the daughter of the Shen family!"

Shen Hong replied in a low voice.

Hong Fan was stunned when he heard this. There was no girl in Xijing who was as pretty as Shen Tiexin.

He had some guesses in his mind, but he felt it was impossible.

Shen Hong swallowed his saliva and continued, "In addition, I noticed that the girl's sleeves were embroidered with dragon patterns using a hidden color technique. Although I couldn't recognize the breed of the three horses she rode, they scared Hongqi, who was strolling in the front yard, back to the stable before she even entered the house!"

Hong Fan was startled and quickly jumped up from the recliner to go and greet them in person. As expected, he saw the three people in disguise.

He was wearing a black scholar's suit and a red belt, and was looking at calligraphy and paintings in the front hall.

This is Zhou Wenyang

He was wearing an oversized straw raincoat, a linen head wrap, and a women's water-repellent cloak carefully folded in his hands. He stood in the corridor with his head almost touching the beam.

This is Huzhuang.

And the third person, with a white gauze hat hanging behind his head, standing in front of the endless royal blue summer in the garden, and casting a glance towards the back hall, who else could it be but Xiao Chu?

"Since its establishment, Asahi Prefecture has never received visitors of your stature. It is only fitting to say that this humble mansion has been honored."

Hong Fan sighed and led them into the hall, where they were seated as host and guest.

"I thought His Highness was still leading the army in Shengzhou."

"Yes, otherwise I would have sent you off anyway."

Xiao Chu placed the veil hat on the coffee table and tied up her long hair with the hair tie on her wrist.

After hearing the word "Ben Gong", the two smiled knowingly.

"In May, we spent 20 days clearing all the roads and towns in the Sanshan Basin so that the displaced people could return home earlier. More than 400,000 people were crowded in Erbai City, and many people's lives were no longer a good thing."

Xiao Chu recalled.

"But the swarm has dispersed. It will take a long time to wipe them out. Fortunately, without their leader, the soldier bugs are only as powerful as tigers. A few men with hammers and spears are enough to deal with them."

After chatting for a while, Hu Zhuang's mahogany chair collapsed, so Hong Fan made him a stone one on the spot.

"In June, the three of us will head north. This was also in our plan. We need a lot of cement to rebuild Feiyan Pass and Tiewa Pass, so I plan to meet with Master Zhuang to supervise the construction tomorrow."

"I see."

Hong Fan pretended to be lost.

"I thought you three had come to see me out of consideration for our comradeship."

Zhou Wenyang smiled slightly.

If an ordinary person spoke so frivolously, he would just feel that it was a violation of hierarchy.

But Hong Fan is different after all.

"What you said is not true or false."

Xiao Chu smiled brightly and asked Hu Zhuang to take out a small box from his arms.

"These are five Donglian Zhenbao Pills. I sent a letter from Shenjing to transfer them here in early May."

"This pill requires the blood of the Iron-embryo Frog of the Heavy Mountains and the pearls of the Colorful Clams of the South China Sea to be refined. They are very expensive. Each pill can help an innate warrior replenish his true essence within three breaths. Since you have used it, you must know it. As for the reward from the court, you should wait a little longer."

She added.

Hong Fan nodded and memorized it silently. He felt that the last sentence was a bit deliberate, as if it was said especially for him.

Xiao Chu did not dwell on this matter.

"I am traveling north this time with a light vehicle, firstly to meet Duke Zhuang, and secondly to rush back to the capital to raise funds."

"Fundraising?"

According to Hong Fan's observation, Xiao Chu's financial resources were all top-notch, but he did not expect that he was short of money.

"It's not me who is short of money, it's the Shengyu Army."

Xiao Chu saw what he was thinking.

"Well, it's almost the same. The Shengyu Army is a special private army with no budget in the Ministry of War. In addition to the fact that my brother will allocate some military pay from the treasury at his discretion, most of the rest depends on donations from the places where the troops are stationed. This is actually my true value to the Shengyu Army. I have always been involved in commanding and fighting."

"The total number of Shengyu Army in the three regions is more than 30,000. The cavalry is very small. After deducting the annual gap from the treasury, it is 700,000 taels. Generally speaking, it is not difficult to make up for it."

"But our army suffered heavy casualties in the battle of Shengzhou this time. We need to provide relief and rebuild. The west of Shengzhou Valley is almost a blank land except for Erbai City - even Erbai City is in ruins - so we have a big gap and have to go back to Shenjing to find money." She used the word "find money", which was quite down-to-earth.

Hong Fan thought of the drawings he had read this morning.

A stack of white paper with black lines, between the lines hides countless wealth of a great era.

"Why, you want to donate?"

Seeing that he was hesitating, Xiao Chu thought that Hong Fan was willing to help, so he quickly poured him a cup of tea.

"After I entered Liangzhou, I did hear that you were a wealthy man, but since you were born in poverty and have only recently become rich, I feel embarrassed to ask for money from you. I'll tell you in advance that this will not bring you any benefits."

The corners of her mouth curved slightly, her face full of anticipation.

Hong Fan was silent for a while.

“It’s not a donation, but a collaboration.”

When he mentioned this, he couldn't help feeling uneasy.

"This is a matter of great benefit, and it cannot be accomplished by one person alone."

He lifted the teacup to his lips and emptied it bit by bit over dozens of seconds.

Whenever he mentioned textile machines, Hong Fan could not help but think of the bloody storm during the industrialization of the British Empire in the past - merchants and nobles, sheep eating people and cotton eating sheep, the ups and downs of the wool textile industry and the cotton textile industry, and the destructive dumping of the industrial society on the agricultural society...

Advanced productivity is both a rolling wheel and a cruel millstone.

Human society is so large and inert that a change that occupies only a page in history books can crush the lives of countless people.

Revolution is as dangerous as fire and as cold as ice.

What’s more, what we are going to get rid of now are the small pedal looms that every household has.

The wind blew through the endless summer flowers in the yard, and the petals trembled like precarious purple-blue bubbles in the sun.

"The new steam spinning wheel can operate 500 spindles at the same time. The production capacity of one is equivalent to that of dozens of current water-powered spinning wheels. Half of the technology is in my hands and the other half is in the Liangzhou Machinery Factory."

Hong Fan used all his strength to steady the tea bowl and finally spoke.

Who else but me can write history in this world?
Xiao Chu and the other two could sense the horror in his voice, but they were unable to comprehend his deeper feelings - even Zhou Wen, Yang Yu, and Hu Zhuang thought that Hong Fan was reluctant to have deep discussions in front of others, so they took the initiative to avoid him.

"Of course I trust you when it comes to business."

Xiao Chu carefully considered his words.

Dahua was a country founded on military power, and there was no saying "do not compete with the people for profit" or "members of the royal family cannot engage in business". It was just that many descendants of the Xiao family felt that business was a lowly occupation and they were unwilling to humiliate themselves.

But Xiao Chu knew that worldly affairs were difficult and did not care about these empty things.

"The problem is that I'm short of money, so how can I invest in a business? Or maybe I can get you a royal merchant title when I return to Shenjing, so that you can be exempted from some taxes."

she suggested.

Hong Fan immediately refused.

He makes money easily and is not the kind of person who only looks at the present; paying taxes, paying more taxes, is not a bad thing for him, but a good thing.

"I plan to cooperate with Bu Sheng on this matter. The first phase of the factory will be located in Hezhou. It was just decided in a letter at the end of last month."

Hong Fan said.

"If Your Highness does not mind, you can take 10% of the shares. After a few years, the Shengyu Army will no longer have to worry about the 700,000 taels that year."

He was talking about a win-win situation.

The scale of the textile industry is terrifying, and Zhuang Liren admits that he cannot defend it. If only Shen Moye and Zhu Zhanran from Liangzhou were there, they should be able to handle it. However, Hong Fan had limited trust in these two celestial beings, and knew that all eggs should not be put in one basket, so he found the Sage of Magic.

Now that he had the eldest princess' golden signboard and the Shengyu Army behind him, it couldn't be better.

"You talk big easily, but that's 700,000 taels. What if this weaving factory doesn't make money in three years?"

Xiao Chu asked deliberately.

She was not stupid and knew that taking shares for free with her status did not necessarily mean taking advantage of others.

"Then I will make up for any funds Your Highness lacks."

Hong Fan made a solemn vow.

"Okay, okay, then after three years, Sheng Yujun and I will rely on you to support our family!"

Xiao Chu was overjoyed, but after he said that, he realized that something was wrong and his cheeks turned slightly red.

After the important matters were settled, the four of them chatted over a cup of fine tea, ranging from the politics of the capital, the military affairs of the border, etc., to the turmoil in Liangzhou in the previous two years.

At 4 p.m., when the sun was setting, Hong Fan asked the group about their food and lodging. When he heard that they had not found any, he took the initiative to invite them to stay in his mansion.

Xiao Chu readily agreed.

The next hour was quite busy.

Hong Fan first sent someone to the Equipment Bureau to inform Zhuang Liren, and asked Xingshengtang to prepare a banquet and send it over early. Considering that the eldest princess did not bring a maid, he also arranged for Taohong to serve her.

It was already dusk when I finished all the chores.

Hong Fan walked up to the pavilion in the West Garden.

The noise of fireworks outside the palace surrounded them.

Over the courtyard wall, he could see that the blacksmith shop on the street in the distance was filled with fine steel swords and farm tools and was doing a booming business. Apprentices were hawking cheap steel nails outside.

The sunset is particularly warm, as if carrying the lingering warmth of the agricultural era.

PS: As for traditional fantasy, the core is definitely upgrading and fighting, and parts like social evolution are only briefly mentioned to serve as the general background.

Whether it is steelmaking or textiles, they are both extremely large and complex giant industries. I can't even understand the basics after reading the information for several hours, so please don't delve into it too deeply.

(End of this chapter)