As a courtesy, Du Zhongxiao and Wang Kai followed the small yellow door and entered the Chongzheng Palace.

This is the third time Du Zhongxiao has been to this place, and everything is still the same. The first time I came here was when I was admitted to the Jinshi Exam, and everything was a mess. The second time, the atmosphere was too heavy, and I didn't even see what the emperor above looked like.

This time it was much easier, and Wang Kai stepped forward to salute and gave a seat.

In the face of not the monarch and the minister sitting and talking, the capital just asked the right question, that is, to practice it first. The questions asked by the emperor were roughly not the same as what Zai Zhi asked just now, and there were very few moments of impromptu play. That's what Zai Zhi didn't ask, whatever he asked just now, Du Zhongxiao and Wang Kai's answers must be the same as when they were in the capital. One set in front of the face and one behind the back, sue in front of the emperor, and this official will not have to be an official in the future.

At this time, the emperor Zhao Zhen was about forty years old, obese, and sat there with a solemn face.

As in Dutang, the first thing to ask was Tanglong Town. The situation of the Khitan attack, the final outcome, and the Khitan were agreed, where it will be a land of free trade in the future, what kind of free land it is.

Wang Kai talked about the war situation at that time, and Du Zhongxiao explained what free trade meant, just like in Dutang.

Zhao Zhen said: "If you want to sell sugar in Tanglong Town, I think it's a good thing to come to the market." It's just that the price of sugar is very expensive, and it is not enough to use it in this dynasty, so it is not easy to sell it to foreign countries. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Back to Your Majesty, it's just a high price." And sugar is squeezed from sugar cane. It can be sold for money, and sugarcane can be widely planted in Sichuan, Shu and Guangnan. According to Weichen, sugarcane is not difficult to grow, as long as the land is cultivated and more manpower is used. It is best to plant this kind of thing, such as a field job, organized by the government, recruiting manpower, and easy to profit. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "This thing is competing for land with grain, and I have planted too much, but I am afraid that there will be insufficient food." ”

Du Zhongxiao arched his hand: "Your Majesty, Sichuan and Shu are rich and have plenty of food, and there is nothing to move some land out to grow sugarcane." Wechen heard that the Quang Nam area is the most suitable for this thing. It is vast and sparsely populated, and there are barren fields everywhere, and if it is cultivated, I don't know how much sugar can be produced. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded: "There is a lot of land in Guangnan, but there is no manpower, and this matter can be discussed again." ”

Historically, the European colonies in the Americas started with sugar cane and made countless profits. The market for sugar is vast, and sugarcane cultivation is endlessly profitable. At this time, not to mention Lingnan, the two lakes have not yet been developed, and the area is vast and sparsely populated, and a large number of sugarcane plantations can be developed. It's just that the sugar market in the north hasn't opened yet, and Du Zhongxiao is not ready to talk about it. In the future, there will be opportunities to grow sugarcane in two large quantities.

Zhao Zhen was most concerned about muskets and artillery, and this kind of weapon change would profoundly affect the army, which was what the emperor was most concerned about.

"Yesterday's military exercise outside the city, listening to the minister's words, the artillery and muskets are extremely terrifying, and they will inevitably be sharp weapons in the army in the future. You made this thing, and tell me what is the most important thing, where the difficulty is, and how to use it in the future. ”

Du Zhongxiao arched his hand: "Back to Your Majesty, the most important thing about artillery and muskets is actually gunpowder." Although the imperial court made all gunpowder, the gunpowder produced could only emit smoke and fire, but could not explode or shoot projectiles, because the formula was different. The gunpowder that Weichen uses now is actually composed of three kinds, instead of as many as seven or eight commonly used now. Although there are only three of them, there are more and less, and the effect is greatly reduced. ”

Zhao Zhen pondered for a while, and then asked, "Which three?" ”

"Charcoal, sulfur, fire. These three things are sufficient, and the others are not only useless, but also harmful. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded and kept it in his heart. This should be in the hands of Yousi, and it is useless for the emperor to know about it, and it is impossible for him to instruct others to make gunpowder and firearms. There are also these three things in the current gunpowder, but the ratio is chaotic, so there is smoke and fire. Of course, gunpowder for different purposes will add other things, and there are seven or eight kinds of general formulas, and some are one or twenty kinds.

There is no need to go on with the specific technical details, Zhao Zhen said: "How to make gunpowder, you can apply to the Privy Council and hand it over to gunpowder to make it." This thing is very accurate in proportion, but it is not too difficult, is it the key point of artillery muskets? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Actually, it's not true, as long as you know the formula, it's not difficult to make." The most important thing about artillery muskets is that they are still expensive. Let's start with artillery, such as Weichen, which is made small, and can also be forged with iron. If you want to make a cannon, it is difficult to remove the residue in the iron, so it is better to use a copper cannon. Copper is expensive, and if it is not a big country, I am afraid that it cannot afford it. Another musket, the barrel forging is not easy, the price is high, the same reason. The projectiles used are made of lead, and it is not easy to recover them after they are shot, and they all cost money. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Murderous weapons, where is there a cheap one." The knives and guns used in the army now are also expensive. Not to mention the fact that such as arrows, a branch of dozens of pennies, and hundreds of thousands of guns in World War I are not cheaper than muskets. No matter how expensive a musket is, it is not as expensive as a hard crossbow. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded, this is the truth. Muskets and artillery are expensive, but they are not much more expensive than the weapons used today. An arrow is 30 to 50 wen, which is more expensive than the lead shot used in a musket. Bronze guns are really expensive, but compared to similar bed crossbows, they are actually not that expensive. Thinking about it this way, it is not unacceptable for the military to use all firearms.

After thinking about it, Du Zhongxiao said: "The biggest thing about its practical musket and artillery is that fighting a war is different from using knives and guns before. If muskets and artillery are properly coordinated, they can be both far away and close combat, and many of the previous tactics are useless. Firearms can penetrate armor, and there will no longer be fierce generals with a small number of elite soldiers to rush to kill the enemy, and the grasp of fighters is more important. In the face of muskets and artillery arrays, the usefulness of cavalry has been greatly reduced, which is the most useful for our dynasty. Cavalry can't carry cannons when they run, and it is difficult to break through a military formation with cannons without cannons. ”

Speaking of this, Du Zhongxiao arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, artillery and muskets are new, how to use them in the army, Wei Chen can only think of so much." It is still necessary for the cardinal government to cooperate with the three yas, and let the officers and soldiers try little by little, so as to know how to use it best. ”

New weapons, new tactics, Du Zhongxiao is not a soldier, and his knowledge is not enough to depict the overall changes in the war.

Zhao Zhen nodded: "The cardinal mansion is playing, and I want to make muskets and artillery in Xiangzhou." You go back this time, draw detailed graphics, select craftsmen, and go to Xiangzhou to listen to them. The frontier of the Volcanic Army does not produce iron, and it is inconvenient to make muskets and fire bags. ”

Du Zhongxiao surrendered his hands and obeyed orders. Xiangzhou was the center of the iron smelting industry at this time, accounting for more than half of the country's output. In fact, the Privy Council considered letting Du Zhongxiao leave the Volcano Army and go to Xiangzhou to be in charge of casting guns and cannons. First, Zhongshu disagreed, and then the Volcano Army faced a new situation, everything was caused by Du Zhongxiao, and it was indeed inseparable, and finally gave up.

After asking Du Zhongxiao, Zhao Zhen asked Wang Kai about the war before the year, which was much more detailed than just now. Who participated in the war, how many people made meritorious contributions, the names of officials above the head, and even the family history of these people, can be asked clearly. After the war, what rewards these people received, how many people were promoted, and checked with Wang Kai one by one. Among them, a few were lucky, and Zhao Zhen asked for a promotion in person.

This is the practice of the Great Song Dynasty, Du Zhongxiao's affairs are mostly subject to the two governments, and the emperor will not interfere too much, and he will not ask much. The army was under the full authority of the emperor, including the promotion of middle and lower officials, and nothing happened. (I'm sick today, only one chapter, forgive me.) ）