Griffin Commander in the Late Ming Dynasty

Qi Zhuzi asked for leave. As an old man with ten years of experience, Qi Zhuzi still had some influence at the dock. In addition, the two apprentices were also capable of doing the job, so his leave was quickly approved. He hurried home, ignoring his wife's surprised look, rushed into the study, and took out an account book hidden in the secret cabinet behind the bookshelf.

The next thing is to spread all the contents of this account book.

The dog in the yard barked inexplicably and his wife screamed outside the door. Qi Zhuzi felt a little annoyed. How could he be so noisy when he was thinking about such an important matter? He had clearly told his family that no one was allowed to make any noise when he was in the study!

Qi Zhuzi opened the door in a hurry and wanted to scold them, but he never expected that when the door opened, there were three unfamiliar figures standing outside.

"I am here with the Imperial Guards. We suspect you are involved in the case of the imperial prisoner Wen Ren. Please come with us."

Capital

It snowed heavily yesterday. The snow dyed the earth white. The red palace walls and the white snow formed a unique picture.

There were several braziers burning in the room, making the whole room warm. The faint smell of incense wafted from the corner. A finger picked up a chess piece and slowly placed it on the chessboard.

"I heard that the salt merchant seemed to have an accident?"

"Well, on the way to the escort, they were intercepted and killed. The officer was knocked unconscious but not seriously injured, but Wen Ren was shot in the head by a musket and died instantly.

The player with the white pieces looked at the chessboard in thought while replying to the black player's words.

"Do you know who did it?"

"It's not clear yet. According to the officers, there were only three people who stopped them that day."

The white piece moves slowly.

"Are there any other clues?"

"No, the footprints were cleaned up completely. No musket balls were found at the scene, not even gunpowder. That group of people was very cautious."

"Well... muskets are not something you can find everywhere. It's not easy to take them out. If you are so impatient, you must not be one of us. Then you must be our opponent."

"But sir, who would do such a thing?"

"Haha, that's a lot. Greed can blind people. It's such a big business. If you don't know, who wouldn't want to get involved? The news of the salt merchant's arrest spread to the capital before. In order to suppress it, it took a lot of effort. The more you do, the more mistakes you make. Naturally, those people caught some clues."

The black piece fell again.

"Then... then sir, what should we do next?"

"Haha, don't worry. I thought about it when I issued the order. The salt merchant has something in his hand. If he wants to fight to the death, he has to consider the opponent he is facing. Not moving him is just a means to make him feel at ease. If you really think you can control us with that thing, you are wrong."

Wen Ren's desperate plan was destroyed before it even began to be implemented. As early as when the transfer order was issued, a secret order had already been sent to all the major Jinyiwei garrisons. The spies planted by Wen Ren on both sides of the canal were uprooted at a very fast speed. Qi Zhuzi, because he was located in the south of the Yangtze River, was the one who lagged behind relatively.

"Your Excellency is indeed a man of great foresight. I admire you."

"Don't flatter me. This is such a big thing. Everyone has lost their money and is very unhappy. Think of a way to reconnect this road."

"Yes"

"This time, don't look for such a disobedient dog."

"Yes"

"By the way, what do you think of that kid from the Wang family?"

The sudden change of topic caught the white chess player off guard. He thought for a moment and said

"He is a man of courage and scholarly spirit. He has little experience and is capable, but lacks the willpower to control himself. If we let him go, he may cause harm to our plan."

It’s better to get rid of young people like this as soon as possible.

"Hahaha, young people are full of energy, which is a good thing. This matter cannot be blamed on him. How about this? You arrange it and tell him that I want to invite Lord Wang to my home for a drink. We are all classmates, so what can't we talk about?"

"Yes, I obey your command."

Volume 110: Chapter Chapter : Stove

"Is what I want ready?"

Jiang Han was in the blacksmith's work area, asking the craftsmen questions.

"It's ready, boss, please take a look."

The craftsmen quickly led Jiang Han to the finished products they had made. These craftsmen were recruited by Jiang Han from a job posting in the city. These days, it is not easy to find a job, and having a stable job is even more rare. What's more, working under Jiang Han, the benefits and treatment are first-class.

Jiang Han: They are all set off by their peers.

After gathering these craftsmen, the first task Jiang Han gave them was to make an iron furnace and a small mold.

The blueprint is extremely simple. You only need to confirm some details with the human figure to make it. Jiang Han grew up in his grandmother's house. He has fiddled with this kind of small honeycomb coal stove many times and is familiar with its structure. He can easily use it to guide an ordinary blacksmith.

A qualified stove is composed of a refractory tube, an insulating layer, a top cover, an air duct, a damper, a damper cover, and an outer shell. The outer shell is made of iron sheet, and another layer is made inside. It is covered with yellow mud and dried, and that is considered the insulating layer. The conditions are simple and there is not much time to find refractory materials. However, this method of pasting the stove with yellow mud seems to be quite common in Jiang Han's home. It was only in recent years that they began to use other materials, and this craft has gradually disappeared. A damper is opened under the stove, a grate is fixed on the top of the air duct, and a smoke outlet is added, and that's it.

Such a stove, equipped with honeycomb coal, can provide heat to the room very stably and continuously. It is also safe and clean. The smoke and carbon monoxide produced by combustion are all discharged through the chimney. In this way, people can close the door with peace of mind, cover it with a thick door curtain, and lock the heat firmly in the house, making the whole house warm. There is no need to shiver around the stove in the cold wind, turning over like a fish in a frying pan.

"Boss, look, we have made several different styles based on the drawings you gave us, and we're giving them to you to choose from. I have to say that you are really a scholar. This stove is really, really..."

The blacksmiths wanted to find some words to praise themselves, but the harm of being uncultured was fully demonstrated, and when the words came to their lips they couldn't utter any adjectives.

"Hahaha, no need, no need. The fact that you can do the job well is the greatest reward for me. I just came up with an idea, but you have to do the real work."

Jiang Han waved his hand and looked intently at the coal stove made by the blacksmiths.

I have to say that the craftsmen at this time were quite ingenious. Since this was the first task for the new boss and they were treated so well, they had not been able to start work before because the blacksmith workshop was not built. They had always felt guilty for taking the salary for nothing. Now that they could finally work, it could be said that everyone was working hard and was determined to do the job beautifully to live up to the boss's kindness.

Simple people still believe that a favor must be repaid and that they need to work hard to repay their masters. This is unlike later generations, who would show off whenever they can and think about how to be lazy and get away with it after taking the money.

Thanks to the hard work of a group of blacksmiths, the furnace they made is both practical and beautiful. There are embossed patterns on the outer wall, and the furnace edge is decorated with various patterns, which is very beautiful.

"good, very good, excellent!"

Jiang Han nodded: "Your craftsmanship is indeed extraordinary. I am very satisfied with this stove. It should be aesthetically pleasing. I wonder how practical it is?"

"Master, please look"

The blacksmiths had been well prepared. In order to be able to perfectly show their work to their boss, these craftsmen worked very hard. They had already built a furnace, covered it with yellow mud, and dried it in the sun for two days to completely dry the mud. Now, there were a few lumps of coal inside, burning red hot.

"How long has this been burning?"

"Go back to the boss. We have been burning for a whole day. We stopped firing and tested it. No deformation or cracks were found. We all agreed that it can be used for a lot of things."

"it is good!"

Oh, Jiang Han was so happy. After so long, he finally got the coal stove built before the New Year. He no longer had to sit in the house warming himself by the draught and feel like a grandson. As soon as he got home, he just wanted to lie on the kang and not do anything else.

"You have done a great job. I will prepare a bonus for you. Everyone who participates in the project will get a bonus. The bonus will be distributed later. But now, you still need to work harder. Now is the end of the year. Since everyone is familiar with the production method of this coal stove, we must also start preparing for the next step of mass production."

"Boss, although this thing is not difficult to make, many of the processes are quite complicated. If we want to mass produce it, I'm afraid we are not capable of it with just a few of us. But if we recruit apprentices now, we won't have enough time. We are really worried about this matter."

With the bonus, everyone was overjoyed. Having been a craftsman for most of their lives, they had only heard of losing their heads if they did not do a good job, but had never heard of being rewarded for doing a good job. This was really a pleasant surprise. Before they could get happy, they heard from the boss that they wanted to mass-produce, and the craftsmen began to have troubles again.

To be honest, this coal stove looks simple, but it actually tortured them for many days. Everyone worked non-stop and finally made three or two of them. Not only the stove, but also the chimney, which was made of such a thin iron sheet, was a delicate work. How could they mass-produce it with such efficiency?

“You guys…”

Jiang Han looked at the blacksmiths' troubled faces and understood how the three coal stoves were made. This was a common problem among ancient craftsmen. When making objects, they often made them as a whole. The things made in this way were seamless and seemed to be made by nature, with no visible traces of splicing. However, in this way, the technical content was improved, but the output was also reduced.

"My blacksmith workshop is specially designed for mass production. Since it is troublesome to make one piece at a time, we can split these furnaces into various small parts and produce them separately. In this way, you can produce the outer shell, you can produce the furnace wall, and you can produce the grate. You can hire more workers for each. In this way, the furnace technology will not be leaked, and the output will be increased at the same time. After the work is done, just put them together. There is no need for such surprises on the outer wall, as long as it is simple and strong. If it doesn't work, just use a mold to print the pattern on it."

"The iron chimney is easy to deal with. The waterwheel workshop by the river is almost ready. I will arrange for a hydraulic press machine to be placed there, and you can send someone to deal with the chimney there."

What Jiang Han said is a very simple assembly line process in later generations, but many things are like this. Those who are difficult cannot do it, and those who can do it are not difficult. Without this concept, you will never think of this point even if you want to die.

"Great, great! This way, the speed can be more than three times faster!"

Some craftsmen quickly figured out the secret and couldn't help but applaud in admiration.

"It's not three times, it's more than ten times! If you follow this method, you can make ten parts a day, and the rest just need simple assembly."

"The boss is truly a genius. He can come up with such a method."

"Okay, stop flattering me. Move these three furnaces to my house first. I'll trouble you to make a batch of furnaces as soon as possible and distribute them to the village so that everyone can have a warm year. Someone will contact you about the bonus. You guys go ahead and do your work. I'll go check on the coal situation."

"Farewell, Master!"

Volume 111: Chapter Chapter : Going South

Compared with coal stoves, honeycomb coal has lower technical content. Basically, the coal is crushed into powder and then mixed with yellow mud in a certain proportion.

The ratio of yellow mud and coal powder is about one to one. Add almost twice the amount of water and stir. Use a mold to press it into shape and dry it in the sun to form it.

Yellow mud can stabilize heat, and the special structure of honeycomb coal can ensure that the whole thing is fully in contact with oxygen and burns completely, generating more heat for a longer period of time. The burnt soil can also be reused, which is pure natural and pollution-free. How great.

The most important thing is that it saves coal. One portion of coal can be ground into powder to make two portions of honeycomb coal, and the effect is even better. This wave, this wave is created out of nothing!

The combination of anthracite stove and honeycomb coal is Jiang Han's next main product. As the Little Ice Age continues, people are craving for food and warmth. How could a stove that can ventilate and disperse poisonous gases without opening the door, and coal that can burn for most of the day and provide continuous heat with just two pieces, not be a big hit?

Now, we have to find a way to sell this thing.

Jiang Han was groping for his next move, constantly thinking about how to make this thing known to people. The Ming Dynasty was different from later generations. There were no advertising leaflets, offline promotions, or online exposure. There was not even a newspaper. It all depended on shouting. That's why there is a saying that even good wine needs no bush. Once you leave this alley, no one will know about your stuff.

If you want to make this thing known to others, the easiest way is to use the celebrity effect, that is, to make it popular among the circles of dignitaries first. With the endorsement of the dignitaries, the trust of the people below in the product will also increase. After all, how much money can ordinary people have in their pockets? When buying large pieces of furniture like this, you still have to think twice and think about the cost performance.

So how can we make this thing popular among the circles of dignitaries?

Jiang Han naturally thought of his good friend, Comrade Xiao Wang. Jiang Han couldn't see where Comrade Xiao Wang came from. He had a close relationship with the local officials, almost like a father and son. He almost obeyed everything he said. This person's backstage was very strong. If he could catch Comrade Xiao Wang and fleece him, and use his relationship to bring this furnace into their circle, then would he still worry about not having a market? This group of dignitaries were all rich, and a determined proletarian fighter like Jiang Han would slaughter them hard.

He had already thought about it. He would use handmade stoves for these people, and add some words like "supreme" and "luxurious" to make them look as high-end and noble as possible. We, the dignitaries, buy things just for the sake of appearance! If you don't have enough money, it means you look down on me!

He shook his head and put those unrealistic fantasies aside. For now, he still had to increase the output of the coal furnace.

"Nothing to say, hiring people!"

While Jiang Han started recruiting again, he also swiped a summon in the system. He had just finished playing Landlord, so he had to give him one anyway. There was no other reason. He had the resources and could do whatever he wanted!

In Liaodong, heavy snow is falling at this moment.

During the Little Ice Age, the snow in Jiangnan was two feet thick, not to mention Liaodong. The temperature here is so high that even peeing can freeze a basket.

If you fall asleep in the cold wind, there is a risk of never waking up again.

In such weather, it is a big test for the soldiers to patrol the city walls and stand guard.

And in the wilderness dozens of miles away from them, a large army was marching slowly.

Reaching out to catch the falling snowflakes, the leader Eduoji had a worried look on his face.

"When will this weather end..."

"Doji, why are you so stunned? The commander wants us to speed up and cross the Yellow River as soon as possible. Once we get there, everything will be better."

A young general approached Eduoji from behind and patted him on the shoulder.

"Ah, nothing, I'm just worried about whether the people at home are safe in such a cold weather."

"Oh, isn't it? This damn weather is really unbearably cold. Even rabbits are rare this year. If it weren't for this, we wouldn't have to leave the country again so soon."

The young general sighed, and was obviously worried about the climate. "However, this also requires us to speed up our pace. Only if we grab more cattle and sheep, more food, and more slaves, can our families live better. They are all waiting for our triumphant return!"

"Haha, that's right, this time I have to rob him of everything!"

"Hahaha! That's right! We just want to kill the most Han dogs, steal the most money and food, and sleep with the most women."

The young general's loud shout ignited the enthusiasm of the soldiers marching around him. The soldiers shouted in response: "Hahahaha, that's right! Grab the most money and food!"

"I want to kill as many Han dogs as possible and take them all as my slaves!"

"That depends on your ability, kid!"

Listening to the soldiers' animated discussions behind them, Dorgon, who was in the center of the army, smiled slightly. The army's morale was high for this battle.

It would undoubtedly be difficult to conceal the whereabouts of such a large-scale march. Even if the heavy snow blocked the view, the long dragon slowly moving on the horizon was extremely eye-catching. The defenders who had been in the army for most of their lives naturally had no idea what it was. They had seen such a scene countless times.

Those are the Tartars marching!

"Quick! Quick! Give the alarm! The Tartars are heading south!"

"Hurry up, beacon fire!!"

There are many checkpoints in Liaodong, and these cities have little money. Not only would it be troublesome to fight against them, but they would also not be able to rob them of money. The Qing soldiers would often bypass these cities directly, which allowed the Liaodong soldiers guarding the cities to safely pass on messages to the rear. The two sides did not interfere with each other, and it would be a great honor for the court if someone could bend his bow and shoot him with two arrows.

As for going out of the city to fight the enemy? What is that? I don't know!

Everyone in the Liaodong Army, from officers to soldiers, had long lost the idea of ​​fighting the Qing army. The generals were only thinking about drinking the blood of their soldiers, and the soldiers were only thinking about how to survive the day. This is the Liaodong defense line, and it can stand there not because of how strong it is, but because the enemy really looks down on it.

The news of the Jiannu's southward march was quickly passed on through the streets and reached the capital, causing the officials who were originally immersed in the festive atmosphere and thinking of going home for the New Year to feel nervous. They knew that the emperor was going to get angry again, and when the emperor got angry, someone would be in trouble. They just hoped that it wouldn't be them.

"Now that the Jiannu are marching south, our Great Ming is in danger. The enemy army is coming with great force this time. Does any of you have a plan to repel the enemy?"

Chongzhen sat on the dragon throne, looking at the civil and military officials below.

The huge Xuan Zheng Hall was filled with complete silence.