Steel Dynasty - Chapter 50

[Chapter 50 Workshop Area]

Qingzhou East Camp.

This is the barracks where the Qingzhou Army is stationed. Compared to the 3,000 soldiers in its heyday, there are only more than 300 soldiers stationed in the Qingzhou camp at this time.

There are many vacant barracks in the camp. In the past, these barracks were covered with cobwebs and dusty, but now these barracks have been cleaned up, recruitment notices have been posted, and there is an endless stream of soldiers coming to join during this time.

In another half month, new recruits are about to enter the camp. This recruitment will fill up all the barracks in the Qingzhou Camp, reaching the peak period of the Qingzhou Army.

The veterans are particularly excited about this, as if they have returned to the period before the barbarian invasion, especially the increase in soldiers will mean that they will be promoted.

However, before the new soldiers arrived, a group of people in ragged clothes entered the military camp in advance. After inquiring, they realized that these were slaves purchased by King Qi from various places.

The veterans didn’t have a good impression of King Qi before, but in the past two months, rumors about King Qi’s change of heart have spread among the public, which has gradually changed their views on King Qi.

“Your Highness, these slaves cannot live in the camp forever. The new recruits will be entering the camp soon. I don’t have any free space here.”

As soon as Xiao Ming arrived at the Qingzhou camp the next day, Lu Fei immediately complained to Xiao Ming.

“I don’t plan to let them live here forever. Before the new recruits enter the camp, I will definitely let them move out of here.” Xiao Ming put his hands into the armholes. Although the snow stopped, the weather was getting colder and colder.

Although the sunshine today was good and golden, Xiao Ming was still shivering from the cold.

“This… this is okay.” Lu Fei breathed a sigh of relief, and then asked: “Your Highness, why did you buy so many slaves? The palace doesn’t need so many servants.”

Xiao Ming frowned, no In response to Lu Fei’s question, he asked instead: “Do you think this barbarian tribe will attack Cangzhou this winter?”

“This general is not sure. Qingzhou was looted three years ago, and ten young and strong men were taken away.” Yu Wan has not recovered yet. It stands to reason that the barbarians should understand that there is no money to be made here,” Lu Fei said in a deep voice, “It’s just that the merchants from the grassland said that many cattle and sheep were frozen to death on the grassland this time. In particular, the Huyantuo tribe living in the north of Cangzhou suffered heavy losses, and I am afraid that they will jump over the wall in a hurry.”

Xiao Ming nodded, “If I remember correctly, the Huyantuo tribe can organize an army of 30,000 people. “

Yes, the whole tribe of barbarians is a soldier, except the old, weak, women and children.”

“This time they are because their cattle and sheep are frozen to death, so they will not be able to raise enough cattle and sheep to fill their stomachs in the coming year. “

We are preparing to plunder and reserve food again. If so, can we do business with them? After all, Qingzhou can no longer withstand the struggle. With 30,000 people attacking Cangzhou, even if we win miserably, it is not what I want. Xiao Ming groaned.

Lu Fei is upright, but he is not without brains. His new soldiers are not trained, and there are bandits in the six states from time to time. At this time, a bloody battle with the barbarians is simply adding insult to injury.

“The merchants in Cangzhou City usually buy cattle, sheep or furs from the barbarians and sell coal cakes and iron ore. But this year, a large number of cattle and sheep were frozen to death, and this business can no longer be done. After all, no one will buy and freeze to death.” Cattle and sheep.” Lu Fei shook his head, thinking that this method would not work.

“Really?”

Xiao Ming lowered his head and pondered. Regarding soap, a lot of soda ash has been prepared, but oil is relatively expensive. The Wang family is worried about this matter.

Now that a large number of barbarian cattle and sheep are freezing to death, wouldn’t it be a good opportunity to buy meat and oil? Moreover, Lu Fei said that the transaction of coal and iron ore would also involve the Wang family.

Dayu State has always prohibited the sale of coal and iron ore to barbarians, but there are always many smugglers.

Xiao Ming naturally didn’t like the barbarians, because the grassland empire was getting bigger and bigger, which was a huge threat to him and the Great Yu Kingdom, but he was helpless at this time.

Now he is definitely unable to defeat him. He can only accept some grievances in his heart to maintain a stable development environment. If he wants to resolve the crisis this time, he will probably have to let the Wang family come forward, because the Wang family has business dealings with the barbarians and will definitely have private contacts.

There was a suspicion in his mind, but Xiao Ming did not tell Lu Fei that the barbarians and the Chongqing Kingdom had a blood feud for generations, and this matter was disgraceful after all.

This time Xiao Ming came here mainly for slave matters. The nine hundred and fifty slaves were either too many or too few, but they were crucial to Xiao Ming because these people were enough for him to establish several workshops.

The Equipment Department is only a small place, and now it is increasingly unable to accommodate so many craftsmen and equipment. He has long been planning to build a workshop base similar to a modern industrial park.

He has already chosen a location, just on the lower reaches of the Tuojiang River in the south of the city. These slaves will be responsible for building the workshop buildings and will be assigned to work in each workshop.

At the same time, for safety reasons, Xiao Ming will turn the workshop area into a high-walled compound, and the Qingzhou Army will be responsible for guarding the workshop area to ensure the safety of the workshop.

Lu Fei had already gathered all the slaves together. Xiao Ming glanced at the scattered slaves. Most of them were in ragged clothes, with their hands and feet shackled, shivering in the cold wind.

As Liang Dahai said, most of these slaves are young men and women. According to slave standards, they are high-quality slaves.

After confirming the quality of the slaves, Xiao Ming said to Chen Wenlong who was following him: “These slaves will be handed over to you. I have given you the structure of the brick kiln. More than 900 people are enough for you. This winter, the equipment department will be handed over to Chen Wenlong. Qi, your task is to take these slaves to burn paper to make red bricks and cement, and build a factory in the workshop area. After the spring, the equipment manufactured by the Equipment Department will be transferred to the workshop. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness. “Chen Wenlong said.

Xiao Ming nodded and asked Lu Fei to cooperate with Chen Wenlong to escort the slaves to the workshop downstream of the Tuojiang River. The brick kiln was also in this area.

For this workshop construction, Xiao Ming does not plan to use the previous earth walls and wooden structures, but modern red bricks.

Burning paper red bricks is not a difficult technical task. Xiao Ming can simply teach Chen Longwen the knowledge of the kiln. After all, burning red bricks is similar to that of pottery.

And it does not need to be comparable to the quality of modern red bricks, as long as it is strong enough.

Secondly, this is cement. Chen Qi has long understood how to make cement. Both of these are rough jobs, and these slaves are enough.

To these slaves, Xiao Ming had no right to say anything about freedom, democracy, or human rights, because in this uncivilized and uncivilized age, there was no difference between this and nonsense.

In the hearts of these slaves, they themselves identify with their destiny and status. Instead of talking about these, it is better to improve their enthusiasm for work by improving the quality of life, and then slowly let them identify with this place.

(End of chapter)