The Strongest Lu Bu's Sweeping Thousands of Armies

Chapter 109 The Battle of Huainan Must Grasp the Rhythm

Arriving at the spot designated by Lü Bu, the civilian husband brandished a shovel and dug out a big hole in the flat ground.

It was already afternoon when Zang Ba arrived.

The passage didn't go deep enough, and it was getting dark.

Lu Bu's tent was not far from the mouth of the Xinkai Well.

Although the roadway support was solved, the light source was not. He tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.

Coal mines are no better than other places.

Going down the well with an open flame, once the gas gushes, the explosion is relatively light.

If a dust explosion is caused, not only will the entire mine be abolished, but an unknown number of lives will have to be paid for it.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, although few nobles took human lives seriously, Lu Bu knew very well that a decrease in population would definitely lead to local weakness.

To dominate the world, population is the most important resource.

Make a cold light source?
The Eastern Han Dynasty did not have such technology.

Use the night pearl?
Lu Bu never thought of this method.

Not to mention whether the night pearl can be found, even if it is found, how many pearls will be used in the entire mine?
All the coal excavated was sold, probably not enough to buy the night pearl.

Just thinking about what method to use, a small spot of light flew past his eyes.

firefly!
Lu Bu was overjoyed, and quickly shouted: "Come on!"

Zang Ba, who was patrolling with his guards, ran over quickly: "Hou Wen!"

"Have someone catch fireflies." Lu Bu said, "Put them in a bamboo cage, and they can be temporarily used for lighting underground!"

Zang Ba was confused and didn't understand why Lu Bu insisted on using fireflies for lighting.

Lu Bu also ordered: "The order is passed on, no one who enters the mine is allowed to light an open flame."

Although he didn't understand the reason, Zang Ba agreed.

That night, the guards caught many fireflies nearby.

The light emitted by one bug is very weak, but many bugs together are enough to illuminate a large area nearby.

Lu Bu was not too happy.

In summer, fireflies can be found in the wild, but in autumn, most of the fireflies hibernate or die.

At that time, there will no longer be a cold light source available for illumination.

We have to think of a way to solve the light source.

Fortunately, with Firefly, it can delay him for at least a month or two.

The mine is under construction, and the Xuzhou military camp is also under construction.

Countless people participated in it, and the military camp changed its appearance every day, and it seemed that it was not far from completion.

Lu Bu has been watching since the construction of the coal mine started.

The place he chose had a particularly shallow coal seam.

Shovel away the floating soil on the upper layer, and the coal is below.

With the extension of the passage, countless trucks of crushed coal were sent to the ground every day. Lu Bu had people select the gangue, add yellow mud, and briquette them to be transported to Pengcheng.

Chen Gong didn't stay with him for too long, and returned to Pengcheng after following him for two days.

The people who migrated to Pengcheng were sent to build villages outside the city one by one.

Seedlings have been planted on land that was once uncultivated.

Shops in the city are also open one by one.

Lu Bu rebuilt Pengcheng, and Zhang Shiping brought many merchants.

Chen Gong showed the usefulness of coal in front of them, and all the merchants were amazed.

At the beginning, Lu Bu asked people to develop toothpaste, and all merchants, including Zhang Shiping, were not optimistic about it.

Later, although the sale of nobles' back houses was opened up, and the profits were very rich, the audience was too small after all.

Coal is completely different.

It can replace firewood and charcoal and burn even longer than both.

The most terrible thing is that Chen Gong's quotation is actually lower than the price of firewood on the market.

The low price and long burning time make merchants eager to move.

Soon the first batch of coal sent to Xiapi was ordered.

The entrance of the mine extends down day by day, and Lu Bu is thinking about how to find a suitable light source to replace the fireflies every day.

Seeing that a month passed, he still couldn't find a way.

In the tent, there was a small bamboo cage on the table in front of Lu Bu.

In the bamboo cage, there is a small firefly flying around.

I have been staring at the fireflies for a long time, but there is no hint of him creating a cold light source.

"Report to Marquis Wen, Chen Gong sent someone to deliver a letter." The guard outside the account reported.

"Please come in," Lu Bu ordered.

The curtain was lifted, and the guard led a person in.

The person who came was wearing armor, he should be a soldier drawn by Chen Gong from the army.

The messenger held a bamboo tube in both hands and handed it to Lu Bu: "Mr. Chen ordered me to send a letter to Hou Wen, saying that there is something urgent. Please return to Pengcheng as soon as possible."

The guard took the bamboo tube and presented it to Lu Bu.

From the bamboo tube, Lu Bu took out a roll of silk with small characters written on it.

After opening and browsing, he told the messenger: "Go back and tell the official station first, just say that I will leave early tomorrow morning."

The messenger withdrew, and Lu Bu told the guards again: "Bring General Zang here."

It won't be long before Zang Ba arrives.

When he entered the account, he asked, "What orders does Marquis Wen have?"

"Look at this first." Lu Bu handed him the letter.

Zang Ba took the letter and read it: "Cao Cao sent someone again?"

"This letter can be said to be a mixed blessing." Lu Bu said: "The coal we sent back was sold out, which is enough to prove that the coal mines can feed the army. But the people sent by Cao Cao are urging us to send troops to attack Huainan."

Lu Bu stood up: "Liu Biao of Jingzhou has been eyeing Huainan for a long time, so he didn't do anything, but just waited and watched. If we attack Huainan, if we don't grasp the rhythm a little bit, it will lead to disaster."

Looking at Lu Bu, Zang Ba didn't say anything.

"Fighting too fast will cause Cao Cao to fear, he will send troops to Xuzhou sooner or later." Lu Bu said: "Fighting too slowly, once the Jingzhou army arrives, our army will be in a hard fight. Cao Cao really gave us a big problem."

He then asked Zang Ba: "Have you found any talents suitable for managing coal mines?"

"There are a few, but I haven't started yet, I'm afraid I can't take on the big responsibility."

"We can't stay here all the time." Lu Bu ordered: "Someone call them here, and I will explain some things. Let them take care of the coal mine first, and you accompany me back to Pengcheng."

Zang Ba ordered the guards to call those people.

The few people he selected were all kind and honest and could read a few words.

For people in the late Han Dynasty, coal mining was a completely new business.

People with greater ability are more obsessed with changing the status quo.

What Lu Bu needs now is precisely an honest person who follows the steps.

Only an honest person will be completely obedient and will implement what he explained.

Several people who were about to take over here came, and Lu Bu analyzed his knowledge of the coal mine one by one.

It wasn't until they fully understood that Lu Bu let them back down.

There was nothing to say that night, until it was dark, Lu Bu rushed to Pengcheng with Zang Ba and a team of guards.

Riding their horses and galloping, they arrived outside Pengcheng in less than half an hour.

Chen Gong, who had already received the news, ordered the city gates to be opened at dawn.

When Lu Bu and the others returned, the gates of the city were already open to welcome them.

After entering the city, they went straight to the government office, and before Lu Bu got off his horse, Chen Gong greeted him from inside: "Wen Hou is definitely back!"

(End of this chapter)