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Chapter 331 Salt Fields and Ships

Zhuojun County Chengfu.

Wei Zheng's family is eating.

In fact, Li Chongjiu now has six counties, and he spends more time in Yuyi Town than in Youzhou. Therefore, Li Chongjiu is just a nominal governor of Zhuojun County, and Wei Zheng is the veritable leader of Zhuojun County.

The top leader is inevitably busy with official duties, and Wei Zheng likes to take care of his subordinates' affairs, so it has become Wei Zheng's habit to correct official documents while eating.

There were four or five simple dishes on the table. Mrs. Wei knew Wei Zheng's habits, so she put a few dishes together in front of Wei Zheng.Because Wei Zheng was never picky about his food, he only ate the dish closest to him.

There was once a joke, an official asked Mrs. Wei, does Wei Juncheng only like to eat mutton?Mrs. Wei said: "How is this possible."

An official said: "At a prefect's banquet, I saw that Wei Juncheng didn't touch any other dishes, but he ate up all the mutton."
Mrs. Wei said with a smile: "It must be that the mutton is the closest to Wei Juncheng, so he ate it up."

Sure enough, at the second banquet, the official put a different dish in front of Wei Zheng, and he ate up that dish as well.

Since then, this matter has become a joke of Wei Zheng in the officialdom of Zhuojun.

Seeing Wei Zheng's way of eating, the family could only mix all kinds of dishes on a plate and put them in front of Wei Zheng.

"Report to Lord Cheng, the county Sima is here."

Wei Zheng nodded, put the half-eaten meal aside, and walked straight into the hall.Mrs. Wei hurriedly ordered to heat up the rice and eat it later.

Wei Zheng and Lu Chengqing met immediately, and Lu Chengqing said: "Your Excellency, Gao Kaidao General Zhang Jinshu ordered someone to report that they have killed Gao Kaidao, and now surrender to our county."

Wei Zheng listened to pinch his beard and said, "This is another county."

Lu Chengqing said: "It's good to surrender, but Zhang Jinshu begs Lord Shanggu to make him the Marquis of Yuyang and reward the soldiers with tens of millions of money."

Hearing this, Wei Zheng said, "Isn't that reasonable? The reward is free to be decided by Lord Shanggu. Isn't this an invitation to reward with kindness?"

Lu Chengqing said: "Yes, after hearing that Zhang Jinshu killed Gao Kaidao's family, he went on a killing spree in the city, beheaded Gao Kaidao's surrendered subordinates, and robbed his family."

Wei Zhengyan said: "This day is angry and resentful, I want to report this matter to Duke Gu."

Lu Chengqing said: "But after all, we relied on this person to take Yuyang County without bloodshed. If this person is punished, some people will say that we have betrayed our trust, and I am afraid that no one will return to us in the future."

Wei Zhengyan said: "Things have their own twists and turns, not just dedicating the city can make up for it. Where is Lord Shanggu now?"

Lu Chengqing said: "After capturing Lulong County, Lord Shanggu has already followed General Yuchi and led [-] cavalry to leave. Presumably it should be Beiping County."

"Well, isn't it in Lulong County?" Wei Zheng asked. Beiping County and Yuyang County are both lower counties, and there is only one county. Compared with Zhuo County and nine counties, it is of course incomparable.
Lu Chengqing said: "I don't seem to be here. I heard that Linming Mansion of Liangxiang County and Zhou Sicao, the Water Transport Department, went to inspect the shipping."

"Shipping?" Wei Zheng was taken aback.

Beiping County, Sancha River Estuary in Lulong County.

The reason why this place got its name is that it is the estuary of the three rivers of Haihe, Lushui and Weishui, which can lead directly to the canal.
Li Chongjiu, Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo stationed on the hill together.

The big river flows into the sea, and Li Chongjiu looks at the Bohai Bay in front of him. In ancient times, Bohai Sea was called Canghai, or Beihai, and it was later renamed because of Bohai County.This place is not far from the entrance of the Yellow River. The Yellow River diverts and enters the sea from Yanshan County, Bohai County. It is only seventy or eighty miles away from the mouth of the Sancha River.

Li Chongjiu is now at the mouth of the Sancha River, which is now Tianjin Port. Compared with today's port, the Sancha River Estuary is just a deserted small fishing village. There are only more than 2000 households in Beiping County. The lonely fishing boats felt desolate.

When Li Chongjiu entered the village on horseback, the small fishing village with only two or 300 people was frightened when he saw Li Chongjiu's large cavalry.

The fishermen who were spinning their nets didn't even have the courage to interrogate them, so they stopped their work one after another, and the village chief came immediately.

Li Chongjiu chatted with the village head for a few words, and learned that because the fishing village was too remote, almost no one came here, the news was blocked, and he didn't even know about the current chaos.The village chief thought that the reign name of Leshou when Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was still in use.

Seeing this, everyone shook their heads, knowing how closed this place is.After the fishermen learned of Li Chongjiu's identity, they were all surprised at the moment, and hurriedly asked about the outside world.

Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo looked at each other when they saw how desolate the place was.Lin Dangfeng said to Li Chongjiu: "Mr. Shanggu, if you want to set up a port for shipping, I'm afraid it will cost a lot."

Li Chongjiu said: "We went to Lulong County before, and saw that there was no war and little damage. The only shortcoming is that it is sparsely populated. We are here to attract refugees and claim to be tax-free for three years."

"But even if the tax is exempted, the place is barren, so how can it be used to attract refugees?" Zhou Bo couldn't help asking.

Li Chongjiu said: "Salt field, this wharf can set up a salt field here, and boil brine to make salt. I believe that the salt here will not be inferior to Yanshan County in Bohai County. At that time, I will allow you folks to sell salt."

The Bohai Bay, from Yuyang County to Yanshan County, Bohai County, is now the largest sea salt area in China, the Changlu Salt Area.Today, the largest salt area is actually only developed in Yanshan County in Bohai County.

The so-called Yanshan County, in addition to being the mouth of the Yellow River, was originally named Wudi County. In the 18th year of Emperor Kaihuang, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty set up a salt official here, boiled the sea into salt, and changed its name to Yanshan County. Yanshan refers to the salt of this place. Pile up.In Yanshan County, after the sea salt is processed, it is directly transported by water from the Yellow River, into the Yongji Canal, and directly transported to Dongdu.

Hearing what Li Chongjiu said, Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo all nodded. If it is true that the salt production is not inferior to Yanshan County, then for profitable businessmen, they will try to open salt farms.What is most lacking on the grassland is salt and iron. If a salt farm can be set up here, and the salt boats can be transported along the Yongji Canal to Ji County, and then transported to Yuyi Town by land, it will be another source of income for businessmen. .

Zhou Bo and Lin Dangfeng were all thoughtful after hearing this, thinking of the benefits, they all said at once: "Let's go back immediately and discuss with the salt merchants in Zhuojun County to jointly set up a salt farm here. "

Li Chongjiu said with a smile: "I don't need a cent, but you have to help me build a navy port here. In the future, I will set up a navy commander's mansion here, and my Youzhou navy will also be stationed here."

Zhou Bo and Lin Dangfeng listened to Li Chongjiu and handed over the salt business to their merchants in exchange for a dock. They thought that this business is very profitable. After all, the dock is only for a while, but the operation of the salt farm is a lifetime of money. .

However, Zhou Bo still said: "Mr. Shanggu, although I don't know how to fight, I know a thing or two about naval forces. The key to water warfare lies in the size of the boat, the strength of the bow and crossbow, and the strength of the crossbow. Attack it with the current. The mouth of the Sancha River is downstream. In the future, the enemy's navy will pass through the canal and cut off the passage between Zhuo County and Beiping County. If the navy wants to return westward, a battle is inevitable. At that time, go upstream. , I’m afraid it’s not good for the battle.”

Hearing what Zhou Bo said, Li Chongjiu couldn't help but nodded, and said: "This statement is very reasonable, but our navy is not using it on rivers, but on this North Sea."

"maritime?"

Li Chongjiu said: "Yes, I want to set up a large dock here. In the future, I will build a fleet composed of giant ships from Wanshi Hongge to conquer Goguryeo, Bohai Sea, and Donglai."
Listening to Li Chongjiu's words, Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo were all stunned.

"Ten Thousand Stone Ship?"

The ancients had a proverb that water does not carry ten thousand stones. The ancients believed that the heaviest of a boat was no more than eight or nine thousand stones. If it weighed more than ten thousand stones, the boat would sink if it sailed on the water.
So Wanshi is a limit and a standard.

Zhou Bo and Lin Dangfeng certainly didn't believe it. Li Chongjiu's statement that a ship with a thousand stones can float on the sea may be an exaggeration.

Lin Dangfeng immediately dissuaded him and said: "We businessmen often say that it is better to buy a ship than to build a ship, and it is better to rent a ship than to buy a ship. It takes a long time to build a sea-going ship. The ten thousand stone ship you mentioned may not be accurate for ten years."

Li Chongjiu said: "That's right, but it's inconvenient for me to build a navy. If I can, I might take the ship from Donglai County."

Donglai County was the naval base of the Sui Dynasty.
Speaking of the Great Sui Navy, it is also famous. Back then, Yang Suping and Chen built more than ten five-toothed ships, which went down the river.And now Yu Wenhua and Chen Leng, the general of Zuo Wuwei who stayed in Jiangdu to guard, once led the navy to cross the sea and expedition to Ryukyu, and captured thousands of people back.

Later, this Sui navy was handed over to Lai Hu'er, who was born in the Jiangnan gentry.When Daye conquered Goguryeo in the seventh year, Lai Hu'er led the Sui navy and sailed from Donglai to cross the Bohai Sea. According to historical records, the Sui Dynasty navy sailed for thousands of miles. Floating on the sea, they entered Pishui and landed on the Nakdong River. Pyongyang.

In the tenth year of Daye, when Goguryeo was conquered for the third time, Lai Huer led the navy, sailed from Donglai, landed on the Liaodong Peninsula, and attacked Beisha City.

Now Lai Hu'er was killed by Yu Wenhuaji during Jiangdu's change, but this elite navy of the Sui Dynasty was still stationed in Donglai County, with thousands of large ships capable of crossing the sea.

Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo didn't know how to control Li Chongjiu. The ships of Donglai County didn't know. After all, Bohai County was separated on land.But since Li Chongjiu intends to set up a salt field and a Navy Commander's Mansion on this seashore, as Li Chongjiu's subordinates, they must go all out to help Li Chongjiu complete this matter.

The three of them are still discussing in detail, but for Li Chongjiu, who is now in his infancy, there is still a lot that is lacking.

At this time, a fast horse came galloping from the hillside, and reported to Li Chongjiu: "Report to Lord Shanggu, Wei Juncheng came to report, Zhang Jinshu of Yuyang County killed Gao Kaidao, and is willing to surrender the county to us. This is Wei Juncheng's request." letter."

Lin Dangfeng and Zhou Bo congratulated Li Chongjiu at the same time, saying: "Congratulations to Lord Shanggu. After taking Beiping County, he also got Yuyang County. In this way, the six counties of Youzhou are all under our control."

Li Chongjiu nodded with a smile, and said: "Not busy, let's see what Wei Zhengxin said first."

Li Chongjiu opened the letter and read it, but after reading it, the brows on his forehead were frowned.

(End of this chapter)