However, since the great drought in southern Sichuan, due to the lack of harvest in the fields and the epidemic of diseases in the countryside, the people are poor and sick, and most of them have left their hometowns to join relatives and friends, so the population of southern Sichuan has decreased sharply.

Who is going to make beautiful bronze ware this year!

As a result, there were fewer and fewer customers, and the source of income soon disappeared, but the price of food doubled, and the living standards of the three Tang brothers took a sharp turn.

In addition, the plague is rampant, but the government still does not care about the people's feelings, and expropriates violently, and life is already stretched and unsustainable.

A big family still needs to eat!

In order to find a way out, the three brothers decided to leave Luzhou and try their luck in Yunnan.

What I didn't expect was that the government in Yunnan was sincerely helpful to the people.

Even if they open a small workshop here, the government will provide financial support, which they never dreamed of.

So the three brothers decided to stay in Yunnan for a long time and said nothing and didn't leave.

After learning about the family history of the Tang brothers, Li Yi turned the topic to mining and copper smelting.

Li Yi asked tentatively: "Since the three of them are all great experts in mining and copper smelting, Ben Shuai would like to ask your brother to help him and assist the government in exploring and mining copper mines, so as to make up for Yunnan's financial expenditures and benefit the vast number of Li people." I don't know what the three of them think? ”

After saying this, Li Yi looked at the three Tang brothers eagerly, for fear that they would refuse directly.

Unexpectedly, the boss Tang Jingtian said without thinking: "Since the commander ordered it, how can the three of my brothers not do the work of dogs and horses." As long as we can share the worries of the marshal and seek benefits for the people of Yunnan, it is the unshirkable responsibility of our generation. ”

Li Yi was overjoyed when he heard this, and said happily: "Mr. Tang is indeed refreshing, Li Yi has thanked him in advance." I have heard that your brother has opened a coppersmithing workshop, and there must be a need for manpower in the business. ”

"In fact, there is no need to trouble too many people in this mining and copper smelting, as long as your brother has one or two on-site guidance, and in addition, it will not delay others to take care of the livelihood of the store."

After thinking for a while, Tang Jingtian nodded and said: "What the big marshal said is very true, this is fine, then let the third brother take care of it in the store, and I will go with the second brother, I don't know when this copper exploration will start?" ”

Li Yi hurriedly said: "Since we have all the manpower, I don't think it's too late, tomorrow morning, Ben Shuai will go with the two of you, as long as the location of the copper mine is found, other things will be much easier." ”

"Oh? Is the commander going to go in person? ”

Tang Jingtian showed a surprised expression on his face, probably feeling a little strange, does this kind of unpopular thing still need the supreme governor of Yunnan to go in person?

Besides, what can you do as a weak scholar to help!

Li Yi saw Tang Jingtian's doubts, and said with a slight smile: "Actually, it's not that Ben Shuai is good at this, but the location of this copper mine, and only Ben Shuai knows about it." ”

"Of course, although Ben Shuai knows the general location of the copper mine, he doesn't have any eyebrows on how to explore the specific location, so he has to rely on your brother or two."

When Tang Jingtian heard Li Yi say this, the puzzled expression on his face quickly turned to admiration.

He said angrily: "Since the marshal has finalized the date, my second brother and I will come over early tomorrow morning and wait for the marshal's call." ”

After saying this, he didn't say anything more, and immediately got up to say goodbye to Li Yi.

Li Yi nodded approvingly, for such a cheerful person, there is no need to deliberately keep them, but they have been sending their brothers outside the mansion gate before coming back.

As soon as he returned to the conference hall, Lian Jun whispered: "Dashuai, in my opinion, these three brothers are unusual!" ”

Li Yi nodded and said quite convincingly: "Yes! These three brothers must have been well-informed, and judging by their speech and demeanor, you can know that they are not ordinary people who bend their waists for five buckets of rice. I will rely on them more in the future! ”

Unexpectedly, Lian Jun shook his head and said indifferently: "Dashuai, what I'm talking about is not their behavior, but that the three of them are martial arts masters with excellent internal and external skills, and this is what I pay more attention to." ”

Li Yi was shocked and said, "What? Could it be that the three brothers not only know how to make bronze weapons, but also have amazing martial arts? ”

Lian Jun nodded silently, sighed and said: "The three brothers of the Tang family are definitely not ordinary craftsmen, these three people walk and sit between eagles and tigers, the posture is mighty, although they are stout and strong, but their bodies are as strong as a dragon. ”

"Ordinary people only think that they are physically strong, how do they know that they have an amazing art industry."

"And the three of them told the marshal about their family history, but they never mentioned that they had martial arts, plus the background of Sichuan and Shu, I think, we have to be on guard!"

Li Yi groaned slightly, and said movingly: "What's the matter if they have martial arts, I see that the three of their brothers are acting above board, not like they are brave and ruthless." ”

"If it is said that it is a spy of the Shu Kingdom, I will not believe it even more. You just need to pay a little attention in the future. ”

When Lian Jun heard this, he had to nod helplessly and agreed.

Early the next morning, when the sky was just dawning, Tang Jingtian and Tang Jingshi came to the Xuanfu Envoy's Mansion as promised to wait.

After Li Yi explained various affairs to Lin Yi and others, he took the thirty personal soldiers arranged by Lian Jun and Guo Zhun, and together with the two Tang brothers, a group of thirty-four horses went straight to Dongchuan County.

This time he went to Dongchuan to look for copper mines, in fact, Li Yi had no bottom in his heart.

Although he carried the 'Map of the Distribution of China's Mineral Deposits', Li Yi also knew that after all, a thousand years have passed, and the vicissitudes of life have changed beyond recognition, and the geographical location is more or less different from that of later generations.

The book says that near Tangdan, which is 28 kilometers northwest of Dongchuan County, is the largest copper mine in Dongchuan.

However, according to the map in hand in the hands of this era, there is no place name Tangdan at all, and the current Dongchuan County and the Dongchuan County in the 21st century are not the same place in terms of geographical location.

Just like Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, there is not only a gap of 100 miles between Chang'an County and later generations.

Moreover, this area is a dense mountainous and forested place, and there is no advanced positioning instrument, so it is difficult to distinguish the location, which adds considerable difficulty to determine the location of the copper mine.

Therefore, Li Yi could only explain the general location of the copper mine to the Tang brothers according to the trend of the mountains and rivers near the copper mine on the distribution map, and the others had to rely on manpower to find them.

After informing Qian Cong of Dongchuan County, he arranged a guide who was familiar with the local situation to show the way for the group, so that it would save time and effort to find it.

Originally, Qian Cong was going to follow him to look for it, but Li Yi categorically refused.

In any case, this search for copper mining is a bit of a suspicion of not doing a proper job, but it can't involve more people.

Li Yi inquired in detail about the trend and geography of the nearby mountains and rivers through the guide, and made a comparison in combination with the instructions on the mineral deposit distribution map.

The direction of the copper mine was roughly determined, and the group set off towards their destination.