Chapter 260: Marriage (I)
The Qing court was full of normal expressions of human nature, and the officials who submitted memorials all accused Ortai and Yue Zhongqi of being afraid of the enemy, as if they could win.
Hong Zhou certainly did not like to see the memorials from Ortai and Yue Zhongqi. However, after seeing the memorials from General Basai and the commander-in-chief of the Qing army in the south, he already understood what kind of opponent he was facing.
After several major opponents finished shouting, Hong Zhou temporarily suppressed the situation with a single word "Enough". Facing the court officials who didn't know what to say, Hong Zhou talked about other issues.
Finally, the court was dismissed, and Hong Zhou immediately ordered the guards to prepare, and soon he got into the carriage of the Fourteenth Uncle. Unlike his murdered brother Hongli, Hong Zhou was a very casual person, and he got along better and better with his Fourteenth Uncle these days.
"Uncle Fourteen, do you still think that Ortai and Yue Zhongqi can fight?"
The fourteenth old man picked up the key points and said, "Yes. Your Majesty, don't listen to what those people say. What they care about is actually the grain transport. If the grain transport is interrupted, these people will have a hard time."
Hearing this, Hong Zhou was a little hesitant, "Fourteenth Uncle, some people say that it would be better to dig the Xiaoqing River and the Yellow River to irrigate Shandong. That's how Shunzhi won the dynasty."
"Your Majesty, I have never done anything like this, so I really don't know." The Fourteenth Elder immediately told Hong Zhou why he was not suitable to lead such an operation. After a pause, he added, "It is already April. If we want to dig a river to irrigate Shandong, we have to do it quickly."
The uncle and nephew talked like this, and soon arrived at the Thirteenth Old Man's house. When they arrived at the Thirteenth Old Man's bedroom, they saw that the Thirteenth Old Man was sitting on the head of the bed, with a large table next to him, on which were many official documents.
Hong Zhou hurried forward and said, "Uncle Thirteen, you are not well yet, so don't tire yourself out. Official business can be done at any time, your health is what's important."
Old Thirteen wanted to get out of bed to pay his respects, but was held down by Hong Zhou. Old Thirteen also knew Hong Zhou's temper, so he said, "Your Majesty, I am worried that Huo Chong will cut off the canal. I don't know what the officials in the court will say."
Hong Zhou shook his head helplessly, "They are still putting all the blame on Ortai and Yue Zhongqi. It's as if Ortai and Yue Zhongqi would win if they really fought a decisive battle with Huo Chong."
Old Thirteen had known that this would happen, so he didn't say anything more. He thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I discovered something else. Huo Chong must have brought sulfur from somewhere else."
Hong Zhou couldn't help but blink several times before he could barely understand what Old Thirteen was saying, but he had no idea why he said that.
The Thirteenth Brother took out something and handed it to Hong Zhou, who put it on the table and read it with the Fourteenth Brother. It described the sulfur production in Shandong and how much gunpowder could be made from sulfur.
After reading it, Hong Zhou still had doubts in his heart, "Uncle Thirteen, I understand this a little better. But Huo Chong only has 40,000 men. It doesn't mean that they can't supply the troops."
Thirteenth Elder hurriedly shook his head, "Your Majesty, there is a part that is not written above. We have fought against Huo Chong so many times, and every time someone said that Huo Chong's firearms fired very quickly. The government army fired one round, and Huo Chong's side could fire four or five rounds. It is said that there are 20,000 troops, and the amount of gunpowder used is equivalent to that of 100,000 troops. He has 40,000 troops, so the amount of gunpowder used must be that of 200,000 troops. Where in Shandong can we find so much sulfur!"
The Qing imperial family was indeed very hardworking in education. Kangxi himself received Western mathematics education. When he was young, the Thirteenth Prince studied mathematics with Yongzheng. Although Hong Zhou did not understand calculus, simple arithmetic was not a problem. A little mental calculation showed that what the Thirteenth Prince said was correct.
Now Hong Zhou and Lao Shisi both looked serious. Lao Shisi thought about it and then told them the place where sulfur was produced in the Qing Dynasty.
The three people at the top of the Qing Dynasty were thinking about where Huo Chong got so much sulfur, but they didn't expect Japan. Huo Chong's fleet arrived at Edo Port, the largest sulfur trading place in the current Han regime. With the help of steam paddle wheels, the ship easily entered the berth and dropped anchor.
After all, they had been trading directly with China for thousands of years, so the Edo regime easily accepted Huo Chong's trade line. A large number of small boats had already approached here, and the crane of the Han fleet also turned the beam to transfer boxes of maltose foods to the small boats. Trade representative Feng Yukuan got on the boat and went ashore.
Someone here immediately picked up Feng Yukuan and entered a large building. At least for the Tokugawa shogunate era, this building was not small. There was a whole piece of land within the wall that was about 100 by 100 meters. At this time, some buildings had been built on the land, many of which were warehouses.
Japanese employees pulling carts were already lined up waiting. As long as Feng Yukuan gave the order, they would go to the nearby port to pull the goods back for trade transactions with the shogunate.
Before entering the warehouse, I could smell a pungent smell. When I opened the door of the warehouse, I saw that it was already full of sulfur ore. Then I went to the warehouse next to it, which was filled with copper ore.
A warehouse manager has already come over to deliver the list, "Mr. Feng, there is no mercury this time."
Feng Yukuan just hummed. Mercury was no longer needed at the moment. What was needed was sulfur. The formula for making gunpowder required a lot of things, the key ones were saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. Charcoal could be made anywhere, even the leftover scraps of coconut shells used to make buttons could be used.
Saltpeter is made by fermentation. Public toilets were built in cities and villages under the Han Dynasty, and a large amount of urine was collected to ferment saltpeter. With a population of over a million under the Han Dynasty, the supply of saltpeter was no problem.
What remains is sulfur, and Shandong is really short of sulfur.
"Mr. Feng." A voice called from behind.
Feng Yukuan turned around and saw that it was a new magistrate of the Tokugawa shogunate, Kato Takaichi, who was also a magistrate appointed by the shogunate specifically for the trade of the Han regime.
Looking down at the short and stocky man, he saw that he was dressed in a magistrate's uniform with a Japanese sword on his waist. Feng Yukuan said in very halting Japanese: "Mr. Kato, prepare to deliver the goods."
Kato Yingyi pointed to the side, and Feng Yukuan led the magistrate into a small compartment next to it. This hastily built compartment was decorated with Chinese furnishings, that is, a few chairs on the dirt floor. Kato Yingyi sat down, not used to it, and took out his Japanese sword and handed it to the subordinate standing beside him, and then said, "Mr. Feng, do you have rice for sale?"
Feng Yukuan didn't expect Kato Yingyi to ask such a question. He frowned and thought for a while before answering, "I didn't bring it this time."
"Please bring it next time, Mr. Feng."
"Why?"
"This is all Mr. Feng's fault!" Kato Yingyi immediately put the blame on Feng Yukuan.
"What do you mean it's my fault?" Feng Yukuan immediately retorted. It's not that Feng Yukuan has such a fierce temper, but that's how the Japanese do business. First they put the blame on the other party, and then they talk nonsense. Feng Yukuan understands this very well, and he knows that he must not indulge the bad habits of the Japanese.
"I ate your maltose. Pantothenic acid water!"
Feng Yukuan interrupted immediately, "Wait, tell me, how do you eat? How much do you eat every day!"
Under the pressure of Feng Yukuan, Kato Yingyi reluctantly told the story that in Japan, there are two meals a day, and each meal must contain maltose food which is cheaper than rice.
Feng Yukuan was both angry and amused, "It would be strange if you don't have sour taste in your mouth if you eat like this!"
Seeing that he couldn't trick Feng Yukuan, Kato Yingyi could only pretend that nothing had happened and said with a nonchalant look, "Next time, please send me rice for the trade."
Few people in Shandong grow rice, and most people eat noodles. Feng Yukuan didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, so he suggested: "Why don't you eat noodles?"
"Eat noodles? What do you mean?"
"Steamed buns. Big, snow-white steamed buns!" Feng Yukuan gestured.
Kato Ying thought about it and shook his head repeatedly, "No, no, no, let's just eat rice."
Feng Yukuan didn't want to embarrass himself, so he suggested, "How about this. I heard that these maltose of yours are for the local daimyo who come to Edo, right?"
"Yeah." Kato Ying nodded slightly.
"We will open a few canteens with you and let those people eat in the canteens. We will make noodles for you in the canteens. Once you learn how to do it, it will be easy."
"Feng Sang, I'm afraid I can't explain this to the general."
"So we were asked to open this cafeteria. You haven't even eaten there, so how do you know they won't like it?"
The two sides argued for a long time, and Feng Yukuan refused to give in. Finally, Kato Yingichi had to go back and report to the general.
After sending these people away, Feng Yukuan started to work. The so-called opening of a canteen was a suggestion made by Huo Chong a long time ago, and Feng Yukuan didn't understand it at first. But Huo Chong emphasized "cultivating the market". What he said did not sound unreasonable.
Feng Yukuan knew very well that the Japanese actually had no money, but he did not expect to suddenly have an opportunity.
The goods were delivered very quickly. Although the Japanese still had the bad habit of being picky, they still showed their eagerness in this quick delivery.
The Han regime was no different in its urgency, as sulfur was also an urgently needed material. This time, they bought more than 200,000 kilograms of it, which was finally enough for the troops to use for a while.
As soon as he finished, Kato Yingyi came to ask Feng Yukuan to treat him to a meal. Feng Yukuan immediately understood what he was thinking and immediately ordered the chef of the fleet to prepare a meal.
The first dish was naturally pickled vegetables, which were what Huo Chong had mentioned, pickled with lactobacillus.
Four appetizers were served, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, pickled cucumber, pickled radish, shredded rabbit meat, and beef slices.
Then came the main course, a bowl of hot ramen was served.
Kato Takaichi was considered to be a knowledgeable man in Japan, but as soon as he smelled the fragrant noodle soup, his mouth couldn't help but move and he began to swallow his saliva .
Feng Yukuan laughed in his heart, but he didn't expose it, "Mr. Kato, let's get started."
