open sea

Chapter 566 The Iron Factory
As if passing through a watershed invisibly, after walking a hundred miles northeast of Gyeonggi, the fields on the road gradually thinned out, and the wide and branched official road finally left only one road heading north.

This road leads to Zunhua County, passing through a garrison of thousands of households, and then to the north is the foot of the Great Wall, and to the east is the Santun Camp, which was repaired by Qi Jiguang last year. Mu's first destination is Baiye City in Zunhua County, which is also called Zunhua Iron Works.

The Zunhua Iron Works was established in the Yongle period, and was initially located in Shapo Valley. During the Xuanzong period, it was moved to Songpeng Valley. In the Zhengtong period, both iron mines were mined out, and the iron households were moved to the current Baiye City during the Zhengtong period.The so-called Baiye City, which means wilderness, means smelting. It has always been the largest government-run iron factory in the Ming Dynasty.

The iron materials here were transported directly to the capital by the Banner Army sent by the Ministry of Industry for use by the Ordnance Bureau and Baoyuan Bureau.

However, in Chen Mu's impression, the iron tax paid by Zunhua Iron Works every year does not seem to be as much as that of Guangzhou Mansion.After all, it is privately run over there, and government-run here, with different business concepts, different supply and demand conditions, and different purposes for making iron.

"Jing Haibo?"

In Baiye City, Qi Jiguang was urging the iron smelter to serve him with all his heart, and suddenly heard a report from thousands of guards. Telling Qi Shuai not to pick him up without shame, it makes people feel that this person is so rude.

Qianhu's eyebrows were very unhappy. They, the flag soldiers at the foot of the Great Wall, respected Qi Jiguang very much. Hearing the words of the visitor who seemed to have no respect, naturally they must add fuel and vinegar. Unexpectedly, Qi Jiguang smiled and said: "That Qi I won’t go pick him up anymore, you bring a general flag and go to Haosheng to welcome him in.”

"What are you doing in a daze? The suburbs of the iron factory are exhausted. When you are worrying, it is a good thing that the God of Wealth comes over. He is Chen Erlang, Minister of Nanyang. Go!"

When Qi Jiguang heard Jing Haibo earlier, he had to react in his mind for a while before matching up with Chen Mu. The puzzled subordinate, Qi Zongbing showed a smug smile: "Qi knew that he would come, Beiyang is located in Tianjin, he If you want to build ships and armaments, you can’t do it without coming to Zunhua, it’s a yamen that can raise its own military expenses.”

On the surface, Qi Jiguang seems to be very envious of Chen Mu being able to raise military expenses by himself, but in his heart... he is really envious!
Chen Mu didn't enter Zunhua, but was surrounded by a group of flag troops, and rode into Baiye City on horseback.

Folk settlements have formed outside Baiye City, and the surrounding fields spread out in the shape of surrounding Baiye City. People say that it used to be forest land. Because the iron factory needed to cut down all the trees, the land was used for farming, and self-sufficiency in growing vegetables and food. However, if you want to buy daily necessities, you have to go to the market farther outside Zunhua County.

The city is not big, but it is very strong. The same defense system as the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty was used on the city. Hollow enemy towers were built at the four corners. The four turrets all used different construction methods for the soldiers to live in and store weapons.

There are two gates in the north and south outside the city, each with an interrogation guard gate, and two military and civilian villages, called Houzhuang and Dongzhuang.The city is divided into four parts. Except for the resident soldiers, they are all the residences of Luhu. There is a Jianwu Yamen on the East Street. Jun.

Although Baiye is small, his defense is as solid as gold.

The so-called fried iron man is a Taoist from the Ministry of Industry. At first, the Ministry of Industry directly sent a fifth-grade doctor to supervise, but now that the iron factory has declined, only ordinary Taoists are left here to act as a man.

"I came in a hurry, and I didn't get the communication in advance. I hope Qi Shuai is not to blame."

Regardless of the production volume, Baiye City looks much more formal than Foshan, where Tiehuluhuhu live together south of Wuling.

Knowing that Qi Jiguang was in the iron factory yamen, Chen Mu didn't dare to make people wait too long, and went directly to the yamen instead of going around the city.

On Qi Jiguang's site, he looked a little less mighty than at the beginning of the year. He wore a heart armor with mountain patterns, and his hair was scrupulously tied up with a hair scarf. It should be because Qi has lost his way, please come in quickly!"

Seeing Zhao Shizhen and Xu Zhenming following behind Chen Mu, Qi Jiguang nodded and said hello one after another. He didn't ignore it because of his inferior position, and said to Xu Zhenming specifically: "Mr. Xu from engineering, Tan Butang and Qi mentioned Mr. , because it is feasible.”

While talking, he welcomed Chen Mu into the yamen, walked side by side and asked casually: "Qi heard that Shuai Chen is here to see if the iron factory can be used by the Beiyang yamen?"

"That's right. The Beiyang Yamen must have its own military bureau and shipyard. Although the Guangzhou Prefecture Military Bureau is powerful, it has not many craftsmen and limited production capacity. Today's leading government-run military bureau is Nanyang Wei Bureau and the Second Military Bureau. It is called Xuanfu, and the third is called Jingshi. The Jingshi is for the Jingying, and the Xuanfu is for the middle and southern seas and for the coast.”

"Let's not talk about Beiyang for the time being, the Dongyang military government can't just count on seventy or eighty guns in Nanyang that day." Chen Mu said, shaking his head, "The guards and soldiers in all provinces are waiting to change their clothes. We have to send hundreds of households to thousands of households in various places, and Chen wants to transfer armaments, so I'm afraid he won't be able to make it."

"Seven or eighty shots a day, bird guns?" Qi Jiguang blinked again and again, and asked again after quick calculations in his mind: "Can the Nanyang Military Bureau make so many weapons?"

While speaking, Chen Mu followed Qi Jiguang to the main hall of the yamen, nodded and said: "Nanyang Armament Bureau is guarding Foshan, and it can be sent over there by iron and ship. The surrounding rivers are dense, and it is almost impossible for a poor province to support that one. The Bureau of Military Weapons used more than 120 million catties of iron alone last year, and the iron used for bird guns is the bulk."

Hearing this amount, Qi Jiguang and Mr. Chao Tie, who was sitting with Yu Mo, looked at each other. Their faces were embarrassing and ecstatic. The embarrassing one was naturally Mr. Iron Smelter... Qi Jiguang just took the old account from decades ago with him today. He asked, in the past, the iron factory still had enough capacity to supply 70 catties of iron to the capital a year, but now the regular craftsmen with 20 catties a year are idle and unable to increase their production capacity.

The three sides of the east are also big players in the use of weapons, especially Qi Jiguang, who has an iron factory under his control, but the production capacity cannot be increased. What can he do?
The ecstasy on Qi Jiguang's face quickly disappeared, and he shook his head to Chen Mu and said, "I'm afraid we will disappoint Jing Haibo. The Zunhua Iron Works now has 980 troops, and there are more soldiers than slaves, and more slaves than craftsmen. In October By April, there were only 220 civilian craftsmen and military craftsmen, and now that the civilian husbands have been recruited and returned to their hometowns to farm, there are only 77 craftsmen in Baiye City."

"There are 25 iron-making furnaces and 56 casting furnaces in the city, most of which have been abandoned. Craftsmen and apprentices can be recruited anywhere, but the local mines are exhausted, and the government-owned forest farms have no wood to take. The private forest farms have to buy wood and hire wood. Porter, the local furnace owners are no longer profitable."

Chen Mu nodded slowly, he really hadn't thought about this situation.

He doesn't care about the lack of iron ore or firewood, he only cares about one thing——Chen Mu glanced at Chaotie Langjun, and then asked Qi Jiguang: "The artisans of Baiye City, how skilled are they? Can they make coke and be the top in the world?" ?”

When Qi Jiguang heard Chen Mu's question, the sorrow on his face faded away in a blink of an eye, and he turned his head to stare at Chao Tie Langjun, the meaning could not be more clear.

'The opportunity is given to you, let Qi take it! '

Jun Fu, the man who fried iron, stood up and cupped his fists and said with emotion: "The iron furnace in Baiye City is one foot and seven feet short, and the iron can produce two thousand catties a day; the taller one is two feet and three feet, and the iron can be produced three thousand catties a day! The mines and timber are all in place, and in its heyday it was easy to smelt 70 catties of iron every half a year! Not to mention coke, any coal yard in the capital can do it!"

"However..." As he spoke, he said in a low tone: "Then, it was a matter of the Jiajing year, and now there are few craftsmen, 20, 20 catties is not a problem!"

Chen Mu clapped his hands, he just loves to hear this, as long as you have the skills, everything else is easy, he cupped his hands to Qi Jiguang and said: "Don't worry, I will start prospecting when I get the manpower. Wood is not a problem."

Chen Erye is gearing up, intending to show our ancestors who believe in renewable and sustainable energy development our ability to violently mine!

Others don't know where the mines are or how many mines there are, but he does!
This is Beizhili!
　Good morning!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)