Sui Dynasty: I, Yang Guang, am both scrupulous and stable

Chapter 163 Kaihe

Early the next morning, Magu, wearing official uniform, followed Yuan Xiaoju to Yang Guang.

"His Royal Highness King Jin, this is Magu. He is the river envoy of Luoyang City. He is in charge of the rivers in Luoyang. He has always been prudent in doing things, neither arrogant nor impetuous. He is also familiar with the rivers near Luoyang City. He will be with you next. Let me share your worries.”

Magu, who was wearing official uniform, had a slender figure and a handsome face. He was an extremely handsome man, but he had a bookish air all over his body. He was a handsome Chinese guy in the traditional sense.

Yang Guang looked at the man in front of him carefully. This was a talent in the true sense, but how could this good young man come up with a contraband name?

"Wei Chen Magu has met His Highness the King of Jin."

Yang Guang complimented casually: "With such a talented person, if he can be promoted by Genzuka Zai, his ability must be extraordinary."

"I am a humble minister with little ability. Thanks to the great love of the tomb master, I am very grateful to be able to serve His Highness the King of Jin."

Yang Guang really needed the cooperation of local officials, and since he was the local river envoy, he was in charge of the right things, so he used them first.

"Today the King of Japan is going to see the river transportation situation. Please ask the river envoy to help lead the way and introduce him."

"Your Highness, you can just call me Magu."

Magu then took Yang Guang to various ports in Luoyang. Business along the Luo River was busy and the river was extremely lively. Magu knew this place very well and gave Yang Guang a detailed introduction to every place he visited. , Yang Guang is quite satisfied with him.

Finally arrived at the selected shipyard location.

"Magu, this is the shipyard location chosen by me. What do you think?"

"The location is excellent. Yesterday, Wei Chen heard Motsuka Zai say that what you were going to build was a huge shipyard. Wei Chen couldn't imagine this. He could only imagine what an ordinary shipbuilding shop would look like. Wei Chen will take you to see it first. Look at the ships now.”

Magu then took Yang Guang to the shipbuilding workshop. This shipbuilding workshop was also on the Luo River, but a nearly one-mile canal was dug to connect it to the Luo River, instead of being completely adjacent to the river.

The facilities in the workshop are actually very simple, and a wooden boat about ten meters long is being built.

Magu asked someone to call the shopkeeper of the workshop here. When the shopkeeper saw Magu, he looked obviously frightened and restrained himself.

"Zhang Dabao, this is His Highness the current King of Jin."

"Grass...Grass people, I've met...I've met His Highness."

Zhang Dabao, who didn't know how to salute, almost knelt down but was stopped by Li Feng.

Yang Guang asked him to follow him, visited the ship being built, and asked: "Who is this ship being built for?"

"This is the merchant ship that the Liang family shop wants."

Yang Guang asked again: "How big is the largest ship you have ever built?"

"It is about six feet long, more than one foot wide, and the cabin is one and a half feet deep."

It's about 18 meters long and three meters wide.

Yang Guang looked at the ship in front of him carefully. The hull of the ship was made of three sections of wood. The ship was slender, with a slightly narrow head and tail. The cross-section of the bottom transverse plate was arc-shaped, except for the bottom, which was made of whole wood. Outside, the two sides, the cabin board and the canopy cover are all nailed with iron nails.

Although the tools of this era were backward, the shipbuilding technology and the craftsmen's attentiveness made the ships being built in front of them fit perfectly and neatly.

Such a ship should be very strong if no accidents such as collisions occur.

However, this kind of boat can only travel in slightly flat water areas, and is equipped with sails and oars. This is its power system.

The steam engine has not yet been developed, so it is very difficult to get power. In history, when Yang Guang went to Yangzhou, he relied on the people on the shore to work as trackers to pull the dragon boats.

If Yang Guang wanted to build a shipyard, he naturally had to start thinking of ways to build a steam engine.

Boiling water can make human progress.

Before the development of the steam engine only ordinary ships could be built.

After a quick glance at the shipyard, Yang Guang planned to take it down so that these craftsmen could be used.

"Master Zhang."

Suddenly his name was called by the King of Jin. Zhang Dabao was agitated and immediately replied: "The common people are here."

"Your shipbuilding skills are excellent. I will build a large shipyard by the canal later. You can also build ships there." Zhang Dabao was a little embarrassed. Magu immediately looked sternly and said: "Zhang Dabao, this is At the invitation of His Highness the King of Jin, you can eat and drink at the imperial court’s shipyard without worrying about it, so it’s a compliment for you.”

"No, no, that's not what the common people meant. They just agreed to ship other people's ships. They have to be delivered first. When the work is completed, His Highness will appreciate it. Naturally, our group will be willing to build ships for His Highness."

Yang Guang nodded: "Well, keep your word in everything you do. You can continue building the ship. It will take some time for the shipyard to be built anyway, so there is no rush."

"Thank you, Your Highness King Jin."

Zhang Dabao thanked him, but glanced at Magu, as if he had something to say but did not dare to say it.

……

Yu Wenkai returned to Daxing City and reported everything to the emperor. After the emperor saw the planning map, he was hesitant about the dam and frowned slightly: "Yu Wenkai, is this dam really feasible?"

"Wei Chen also heard His Highness say it for the first time a few days ago. Wei Chen can't guarantee it, but Wei Chen doesn't know why. I feel that there should be no problem with His Highness's words. If it can really be used, the canal will be smooth and can store water for boating and future use. Desilting could be simpler."

Yang Jian smiled happily: "You are very confident in Amo, and you are confident without any basis."

"It's strange to say that although Wei Chen finds it unbelievable or difficult, he still feels that His Highness can accomplish this."

"Then give it a try. I always think it should be possible."

"Wei Chen takes orders."

With the emperor's order, Yu Wenkai did not start immediately, but went to the workshop assigned by Yang Guang first.

Lu Ben now had many more workshops inexplicably opened under his command, and Yang Guang did whatever he asked. Moreover, Yang Guang asked them to make a lot of things during this period, saying that they would be used by Yu Wenkai, but Yu Wenkai did not arrive until today.

Leading Yu Wenkai to the warehouse of new tools, Yu Wenkai saw a wheel dump truck, which was used by civilians to transport soil, and a new type of shovel. Yu Wenkai tried it. Due to the improvement of smelting technology, the new type of shovel was lighter but On the contrary, the strength is better, and I also saw many small tools, all prepared for digging canals.

Lu Ben specially took Yu Wenkai to another warehouse, where a track was built. Because the manufacturing speed of metal could not keep up, the track was made of wood, with a car on it and a seesaw-like facility.

Lu Ben asked someone to demonstrate that if someone swings up and down on the track like this, the car can be driven, and the cargo bucket can be pulled behind it. It is much easier to pull people or goods.

This is built based on the handcart on the railway. There is no way to build a railway these days. The wooden track is much less effective, is easily damaged by wind and sun, and has poor load-bearing capacity, but it can improve some of the current transportation capacity. .

All these tools were manufactured by Yang Guang in order to save labor and improve efficiency as much as possible.

The less labor is used and the higher the efficiency is, the less likely it is for him to accumulate public resentment when doing these projects.

The Grand Canal must employ hundreds of thousands of people along the river. There is no doubt that without so many people, such a project cannot be completed in this era. What Yang Guang can do is not to use the people too hastily.

Moreover, manufacturing tools has some benefits. With the improvement of smelting ability, the tools in the implementation stage can be upgraded once. There is a huge market here, and Yang Guang can stimulate the innovation ability of the workshop and start his own. People in the workshop saw that improving tools can make money and stimulate their creative enthusiasm. It is definitely not possible to rely on his own ability alone.

Finally, Yu Wenkai came to the workshop where the gunpowder was stored.

Because gunpowder is dangerous, the emperor asked Yang Guang to set up the gunpowder workshop in a free area in the south of the city, and it was guarded to prevent gunpowder from being used casually.

The guard took Yu Wenkai in and introduced: "This is the explosive prepared by His Highness to dig the canal. The power of this thing is so powerful that I am scared just thinking about it. If I accidentally stand on the side and get blown up, it will be blown to pieces." .”

Seeing so many explosives, Yu Wenkai suddenly felt confident.

When encountering good ground, he would dig. When encountering hard stubble, he would blast first and then dig. This speed must be faster than he imagined, and he had already conceived the idea of ​​segmented excavation in his mind.

It turns out that the excavation of canals needs to control the depth more accurately in order to pass the water. However, because of the existence of the barrage dam, the depth control does not need to be so precise. It is okay if the controllable error range is larger, then it can be excavated in sections. , which will double the mining efficiency.

At the end of the day, just looking at these tools, Yu Wenkai's confidence doubled. He was like a general who is about to go to the battlefield. He saw the grain in his warehouse and saw his soldiers wearing uniforms. With brand new armor and newly forged weapons, I have never fought such a rich battle.

Yu Wenkai did not hesitate, and used the fastest time to explore the location where the construction was to begin. He prepared the civilians in the city and took them out.

The treatment given to the construction workers was the same as that of the previous construction of Daxing City. However, since there was no income for the construction of the canal, the money had to come from the national treasury. The emperor was unwilling at first, but after Yang Guang's repeated insistence, Yang Jian agreed. This requirement is widespread.

The civilian husbands were originally worried that once Daxing City was completed, their money-making jobs would be gone. Now that there is a project to build the Grand Canal, there will be no more opportunities to make money, especially for some young people who were appointed to manage the civilian husband teams. Leader, I am much happier making this money than going home to farm.

News of the canal's excavation spread in Daxing City. In Prince Jin's palace, Princess Jin was packing her things and preparing a carriage and escorts. However, it was not herself who was going out, but her maid Yuan Tiantian was sent into the carriage.

Xiao Menglan said earnestly: "When we get to Luoyang, we must take good care of His Highness."

(End of this chapter)