xymnovel Chapter 67 The Path to Prosperity
Chapter 67 The Path to Prosperity
"Li Shoujie, the eldest son of Li Jun, the military governor of Zhaoyi Army, has met with Grand Commandant Zhang, the Third Prince, and Young Master Wang. I am ashamed to have concealed my identity and associated with you two."
Faced with Zhang Mei's questioning, Li Shoujie actually admitted it directly. He didn't know that Wang Lu had already told Zhao Guangmei his true identity. In order not to make things difficult for Wang Lu, he even took the initiative to cover for him, but he felt a little guilty towards him.
Zhang Mei was also taken aback. Li Shoujie's identity was not hard to guess, but she did not expect him to admit it on his own initiative.
Instead, he asked bluntly, "Young Marshal, you concealed your identity and came to the capital ahead of schedule, presumably to spy on the court's strength and weaknesses. Why are you now taking the initiative to be frank?"
Li Shoujie: "I am ashamed, I am ashamed. My family did come here to spy on the court's strength and weaknesses. Actually, there is nothing wrong with admitting this. My father has been stationed in Luzhou for more than eight years."
More than eight years ago, even Emperor Shizong was only the crown prince. Leaving aside their seniority and status at the time, my father didn't even know the Emperor.
Therefore, after the emperor donned the yellow robe, although it was said that the people were won over, how could there be any talk of loyalty and righteousness between him and my father?
"It was only after we entered Kaifeng that we realized, even in just a few days, that the Great Song Dynasty is truly under the rule of a holy emperor, with the army and the people enjoying stable morale."
How could my father, with only the Zhaoyi Army, possibly be a match for them? What is there left to test them for?
"Not to mention, what we have seen and heard today has truly amazed us and broadened our horizons."
"The area east of the river naturally produces coal. Coal is found in the ground and mountains, just like soil, and in some places it's even cheaper than soil."
If this material can be used to smelt large quantities of iron, then the Zhaoyi Army, and even the other people in the Hedong region, will naturally have a better life.
"As for their profound theories on military business, they are truly astounding. Although somewhat unbelievable, looking at this method of smelting iron from coke, we genuinely believe it's the ability to turn lead into gold."
With such a wise ruler and virtuous ministers, this clearly indicates a prosperous and peaceful era for the world!
"Raising an army against the Song Dynasty is tantamount to courting death, and it will also bring misery to the entire Hedong region."
"Right now, the most urgent task for our Zhaoyi Army is to join the Third King and the Young Master in smelting iron, to find coal mines, hire people to mine them, and have the Third King and the Young Master lead us in doing business. That's the real business."
"Hedong has suffered terribly! These past years have been incredibly tough for Hedong."
Li Shoujie spoke these words sincerely and from the bottom of his heart. He truly wanted to be a loyal subject of the Song Dynasty and wanted Zhao Guangmei and Wang Lu to help him make money. By taking the initiative to admit this, he was also expressing his stance to Zhao Kuangyin.
Wang Lu believed that he spoke from the bottom of his heart, but when he thought of his father who had ruined his son, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"My lord, now that we've revealed our identities, I'll go to the palace to meet the emperor in a little while. As for the coal and alum I promised you, I've already sent word home."
The first batch of 50,000 catties of alum and 100,000 catties of coal should have already been transported out and loaded onto ships on the Zhang River. If all goes well, they should be able to reach Tongjifang downstream within five days.
"As we agreed before, you don't need to give me money, we can talk about it later. In the future, don't forget to let our Zhaoyi Army get involved in this business. Don't forget our Zhaoyi Army when it comes to military business."
Wang Lu, whether to comfort him or not, said, "When an army engages in commerce, it's impossible to avoid the Zhaoyi Army. Our Great Song Dynasty has always relied on Hedong for coal and Hebei for iron..."
The Zhaoyi Army of Luzhou and the Tianxiong Army of Daming Prefecture were indeed powerful vassal states, shouldering the frontline responsibility of resisting the Khitan.
"As our Great Song Dynasty continues to produce more and more iron, the existing water and land transportation will definitely not be enough."
"Young Marshal, look, between Kaifeng, Luzhou, and Daming Prefecture, three wooden tracks can be laid, with concave wheels on them. Carts can be attached and pulled or pushed by horses or even by manpower."
"There are some uneven areas where wooden rails can't be laid, but we can lay iron rails directly. Iron smelting has become much easier for us now; we can afford to lay them."
"When the amount of iron produced increases in the future, it's not impossible to pave the entire railway track with iron rails."
"In this way, during peacetime, this railway can be used to transport coal from the east bank of the Yellow River and iron from the north bank; during wartime, it can be used to transport troops and supplies."
Once this railway is completed, coal and iron will flow in continuously, trade routes will be unimpeded, and reinforcements will arrive in a matter of days. Wouldn't that be a tremendous boon for the country and the people of Hebei and Hedong?
So it's a wooden railway like a horse-drawn train? In ancient society, there was no need to build railways with rails. There was so much cargo to carry, and wood was more than enough. Rails existed as early as the Qin Dynasty. The standardization of writing and the standardization of cart tracks refer to these rails.
Zhang Mei frowned and said, "Isn't this Qin Chi Road? Paving a road with wood is too difficult to maintain. Insects and rats will eat it, and it will rot in no time."
The Qin Dynasty was able to build highways because there was no shortage of good timber at the time, and because they maintained them by forcibly conscripting laborers. But even the best timber has rotted away. Now…”
This is because they've met someone knowledgeable. Zhang Mei, who came from a background as a lowly clerk in a chaotic era, is no pushover. He immediately saw the flaws in what he heard after just one listen.
To put it simply, the Qin Dynasty was able to build imperial highways because of its strong grassroots mobilization capabilities. Residents along the highways had a duty of corvée labor to maintain them.
With strict laws and severe punishments as a guarantee, any village that fails to properly maintain the road would have its entire village slaughtered.
This approach didn't work in the Han Dynasty, let alone the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty had the worst grassroots mobilization capacity among all dynasties. Even if there were good timber, it would rot and become unusable within three years of being laid down.
If it is maintained every year, how much money will the imperial court have to spend on this road?
"Grand Commandant, please take a look."
Wang Lu then took out a barrel of tar and a barrel of coal tar, saying, "These two barrels are byproducts of iron smelting from coking coal. This barrel of tar is inedible and very dirty, but it is an excellent wood preservative."
Simply soaking the wood in this solution will act as a preservative, preventing insects and rodents from gnawing on it and ensuring it won't rot over time. It doesn't require particularly meticulous maintenance; just repaint it with tar every two to three years.
As for this coal tar pitch, it is an excellent paving material. When laying tracks, in areas with soft ground, simply laying a base of gravel and then coating it with this tar pitch can create a hard roadbed, greatly reducing the amount of earthwork required for paving.
"With these two things, it will be no difficult task for our Great Song Dynasty to recreate the ancient roads of the Qin Dynasty."
The factory had already laid a tunnel for transporting materials from Tongji Wharf to the factory; it was less than two miles long, but the principle was the same, and it had been laid for more than two months without any obstruction.
"Such wondrous things exist?" Zhang Mei quickly picked up the tar and coal tar pitch to examine them. Of course, he couldn't figure them out either, but he still marveled at them.
"Are you and your son truly capable of turning stone into gold? Not only can you smelt iron from coal, but you can even forge a Qin Chi Road."
Li Shoujie, standing nearby, was even more captivated and excited.
If a highway could be built connecting Hedong with Kaifeng and Daming, allowing for the daily transport of coal and goods, and even troops during wartime, wouldn't the people of Hedong be living a much better life? This would be an earth-shattering event!
He quickly grabbed Wang Lu's arm: "Quick, take me to see that wooden track you mentioned. I need to see it before I go to see the Emperor. This is the track of a prosperous era! With this track, the world will be at peace!"