scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 114

(PS: September [-]st, I wish all my friends a happy new moon. By the way, please ask for the monthly ticket and recommendation ticket for September.)
Coke is finally made from bituminous coal through drying, pyrolysis, melting, bonding, solidification, shrinkage and other stages. It has the characteristics of firmness, low impurity, low ash, and high combustion value. necessity.

Qujing is adjacent to Liupanshui, the current coal capital in the south of the Yangtze River. Pingyi County is also very rich in coal resources. Many coal beds are relatively easy to mine, and the coal is of good quality and low in sulfur content. It is the top grade for coking and iron making.

After the Pingxi Prince's Mansion came forward to get a batch of high-quality coal from Pingyi, Fatty Lu personally guided the craftsmen to build two coking brick kilns by the local method on the banks of the Niulan River under Nule Peak, and the cleaned and removed coal Put it into an open-air kiln, ignite it from the side wall, let the heat generated by the coal itself burn to heat the coal, pyrolyze it and melt it, and bond it into coke. Coke of exceptional quality.

Of course, this kind of local method of coking is very polluting, and choking black smoke is emitted all the time during the combustion period, and the waste of coal is huge, the amount of coke produced is small, and the work efficiency is low.However, due to the current technical conditions and the urgency of the situation, Fatty Lu couldn't care less.

When the local coking kiln was expanded to ten, the first batch of high-quality wrought iron and a small amount of fried steel made from coke were also released.

When the local coking kiln was expanded to twenty, the first batch of caustic soda was successfully mass-produced.For craftsmen, this kind of white caustic soda is a troublesome thing. If you get it on your body carelessly, it will burn your skin, and you have to wash it with vinegar water quickly; but for the wolf-hearted Fatty Lu, this thing is extremely rare. The good stuff - soaking cotton in the solution of this thing can degrease the cotton, and then soaking the absorbent cotton in nitric acid will become the notorious nitrocellulose explosive.

If the nitrocellulose is melted in nitroglycerin at a ratio of one to nine, it becomes an even more notorious fried glue.If Fatty Lu had a more vicious heart, and added some camphor to the fried gum and nitroglycerin, it would be an even more notorious smokeless gunpowder. ——But these two things consume too much precious and dangerous nitroglycerin, so Fatty Lu only made a small number of samples, and gave up his plan to manufacture a large number of them, focusing on Sanhao brand gunpowder and Sanhao brand nitrocellulose development and application.

In addition, caustic soda is added to the flowering shell, and it becomes a simple chemical bomb, which emits poisonous gas when it explodes and burns.

When the local coking kiln was expanded to [-], the same notorious thunder mercury, also known as mercury nitrate, was successfully trial-produced, and the world's first detonator was made, which successfully detonated the nitroglycerin that can only be used in the past. Miyoshi brand gunpowder and Miyoshi brand nitrocellulose can only be detonated.Five days later, Wu Sangui's absolute confidant, Wu Guogui, was transferred to the Nule Peak camp in Qujing, and the Youzhen garrison of the Pingxi Palace was also readjusted under Wu Sangui's order, adding [-] troops to guard the Nule Peak camp, so as to prevent them from defending the Nule Peak construction site. It is difficult for a fly to fly to Nule Peak.

When the indigenous method of coking kilns was expanded to [-], it was still notorious. Gan Wenkun, the hardcore traitor and the new governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, arrived in Guizhou. Before the huge entourage arrived in Guiyang, where the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou was located, Governor Gan’s urgent official document had already arrived. It was sent to Qujing, and it was sent to Fatty Lu, the magistrate of Qujing County, and asked Fatty Lu to arrive in Guiyang within five days to attend the inauguration ceremony of Governor Gan.

"Rush to Guiyang before June [-] to attend his inauguration ceremony?" Sitting on the grass in the Nule Peak Workshop, looking through the official documents sent by Gan Wenkun with his face covered in dust, Lu Fatty black The chubby face that had lost a lot of weight showed some serious expressions, and asked Chen Dou and Zhu Fangdan who had transferred the official document: "How is the magistrate's yamen? Has Zhang Gaomo received such an official document?"

"No." Chen Dou and Zhu Fangdan shook their heads together, and Zhu Fangdan said happily, "Boss, this is a good thing. The new governor named you to participate in his inauguration ceremony, which proves that the new governor attaches great importance to you. In Guizhou, no one dares to provoke you."

"I don't want such a good thing." Fatty Lu shook his head and said with a solemn face: "For me, the more low-key the better, the less people notice me, the more time I have to do other things. It's a big deal, and now the new governor is targeting me before he officially takes office, which is not a good sign."

"Boss, this is something that can't be helped or avoided." Zhu Fangdan said with a wry smile: "The combined annual tax in Yunnan and Guizhou is only about 30 taels of silver. Less than a year after you took office in Qujing, a single county in Qujing County is Earning more than [-] taels of silver, no matter which governor comes to Yunnan and Guizhou to take office, he dare not look at you high?"

"A tree is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it." Chen Dou's words were still very concise, "Your Excellency is amazingly talented, and half of the civil affairs and military affairs of Qujing Mansion are all in the hands of Your Excellency. In the eyes of the new governor, Your Excellency's status I'm afraid it has already surpassed the general magistrates, and even surpassed the vassals and masters in Yunnan and Guizhou."

"These are still trivial matters, and that's not what I'm most worried about." Fatty Lu shook his head, frowning and said, "What I'm most worried about is the relocation of the Yunnan-Guizhou governor's office. Back to Qujing, this time the new governor wants me to go to Guiyang, if he is looking for me to discuss this issue and plans to move the yamen back to Qujing, then we will be in big trouble."

"The yamen of the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou moved back to Qujing?!" Zhu Fangdan was taken aback, and said, "If that's the case, then our troubles will be really big. There are three yamens in Qujing, and ours is the smallest. There are bosses everywhere when we go out, so how can we do things?"

"My lord, then you have to be careful this time, and you must be careful." Chen Dou reminded.

Although Chen Dou didn't remind Fatty Lu to take proper measures, Fatty Lu still understood what he meant. When he arrived in Guiyang this time, he had to show his loyalty to Gan Wenkun, but not too much, and recruited Gan Wenkun, a troublesome mother-in-law, to Qujing.Especially when Gan Wenkun expressed his intention to relocate the governor's office, he had to be extremely careful. He could neither oppose fiercely to arouse Gan Wenkun's suspicion, nor blindly cater to his superiors. He really invited Gan Wenkun, a die-hard traitor, to Qujing.Otherwise, all the previous efforts of Fatty Lu, including the Nule Peak camp that has begun to bear fruit, will be in vain.

"Let's go back and talk about it first." Fatty Lu shook his head, patted the dust on his body and stood up, and said, "I'll go and say hello to General Wu Guogui first, arrange the work for the next few days, and prepare in the evening. Let's go to Guiyang."

Zhu Fangdan and Chen Dou agreed together, and followed the disgraced Fatty Lu to the Nule Peak. After seeing Wu Guogui, Lu Fatty first explained to Wu Guogui the reason why he left Qujing, and then told Wu Guogui that on the day he left Qujing Here, the gunpowder camp of the Nule Peak camp can fully produce nitrocellulose gunpowder which is relatively safe, simple in technology and still amazing in power, and can train skilled technicians casually so that the production of this new type of gunpowder can be further expanded in the future. Other jobs can be done. When he came back, Wu Guogui of course agreed.

After bidding farewell to Wu Guogui and leaving the big tent, Chen Dou waited obediently outside the big tent door, but Zhu Fangdan disappeared. Fatty Lu was wondering, but Zhu Fangdan's familiar voice and words came from a distance, "This Miss, let me introduce myself, Zhu Fangdan, known as a miracle doctor, I see your complexion, it seems that you have hidden illness..."

"Why is this old boy here again?" Fatty Lu was angry and funny, and wondered why there were women in the camp of Nule Peak. When he turned his head to take a closer look—Fatty Lu also ran over like a chicken blood .

"Miss Xiaotu, I haven't seen you for a long time. Are you okay?" Fatty Lu rushed to Xiaotu Wu, bowed and saluted, and asked with a smile on his face, "Miss Wu, when will you arrive?" Qujing? Why don’t you go to sit at Xia’s house? Zhuo Jing has been thinking about you, and I miss you very much.”

It can't be blamed on Fatty Lu and Zhu Fangdan who are anxious to look at Brother Zhu. They haven't seen each other for more than a year. The childishness of Wu Xiaotu, the Eight-faced Avalokitesvara, has faded a lot, and he has become more and more charming, alluring, and any man will be moved when he sees it, let alone early Fatty Lu, who had a bad intention for Wu Xiaotu, and Zhu Fangdan, a well-known pervert doctor.

"Puchi." Seeing Fatty Lu running towards him covered in dust, Wu Xiaotu, who was being pestered by Zhu Fangdan so shyly, couldn't help but puchi smiled, showing a smile more beautiful than flowers, and replied with a charming smile: "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for your concern. I have been fine all along, and I just arrived in Qujing yesterday. This time my father will be staying in Qujing, and I will be with him here for a long time. When I am free, I will definitely visit Mrs. Lu."

"Why wait for later?" Fatty Lu stretched out his fat hand impatiently, and said hypocritically, "Let's go, I happen to be going back to Qujing City too, let's go back together, your sister-in-law has added a little nephew to you, and you just go and meet him .”

"Boss, I discovered this girl first." Zhu Fangdan protested in a low voice, then pushed Fatty Lu with his body, stretched out his claws, and said with a smile on his face: "Oh, so the girl is the daughter of General Wu Guogui, who is famous in Yunnan. Eight-faced Avalokitesvara, Ms. Wu, that Xiaosheng wants to feel your pulse even more. I see that you have a green energy hidden between your brows, and your tongue is white. It seems that you have a deficiency-cold syndrome. ...."

"I'm afraid there is something?!" At this time, there was a thunderclap and thunder roar behind Fatty Lu and Zhu Fangdan, which made Fatty Lu and Zhu Fangdan tremble. When they looked back together in fear, they saw Wu Xiaotu's father, Wu Guogui. His face was livid, he had already stood behind us at some point, with the handle of the knife on his waist still in his hand, he gritted his teeth and shouted: "You two, what are you going to do to my little Tu?"

"No... nothing." Fatty Lu and Zhu Fangdan waved their hands together and said in unison: "General Wu misunderstood, what did we not do?"

"It's nothing, get the hell out! Stay away from my little cat!" Wu Guogui roared with a knife in his hand, the fierce expression on his face was enough to scare ten or eight Fatty Lu to death—this can't be blamed for Wu Guogui's pettiness and sensitivity, the key is Fatty Lu And Zhu Fangdan's reputation in this area is too bad. Needless to say, Zhu Fangdan's famous doctor of perverts is notorious. When Fatty Lu went to Guangzhou, he abducted Xiao Gege from the Pingnan Palace, which caused a sensation in several provinces in Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian. People, can Wu Guogui rest assured that his beautiful daughter will be with them?

"I, let's go." Fatty Lu and Zhu Fangdan were forced by Wu Guogui's momentum, and fled in embarrassment with their heads in their arms.Wu Xiaotu, on the other hand, had a good heart and couldn't bear his father's domineering behavior. He shouted at Fatty Lu's back: "Master Lu, please take care of Sister Wanyi, and tell her casually. I'll go see her when I'm fully settled here."

"Don't go! Xiaotu, stay away from these two bastards! They are not good people, you know? Come on, go back to the tent, and I will tell you something!"

………………

Fleeing back to Qujing City with his head in his arms, he first went to Zhang Gaomo's place to ask for leave, and then greeted his original wife and new yellow-faced woman Shang Wanyi. Fatty Lu started to prepare the luggage and horses for Guiyang City, but it was here At that time, Chen Dou, who was usually so silent that he couldn't make a fart, took the initiative to find Fatty Lu again, and said to Fatty Lu straight to the point: "Master Lu, don't blame the officials for being wordy. I still have something to remind you."

"Master Chen was just joking. If you are talking too much, then there is no one in this world who does not chatter." Fatty Lu laughed, and hurriedly said, "Please sit down, Mr. Chen. If you have something to say, please speak up. The juniors are all ears."

"You don't need to sit down, I'll leave after I finish talking." Chen Dou shook his head, and then said in a deep voice: "Lord Lu, on the way back to Qujing City just now, Xiaguan has been analyzing the reason why Gan Wenkun asked you to go to Guiyang. In my opinion, Governor Gan's move is likely to come from the influence of some people in the court, apart from the fact that you are truly talented enough to make any superior dare not ignore you, my lord."

"Influence from some people in the imperial court? My lord, please explain in detail." In fact, Fatty Lu had long guessed that Gan Wenkun's move was a weasel's New Year's greetings to chickens—with no good intentions, but in order to test Chen Dou's true ability, he still pretended to be puzzled asked.

"It's very simple. If Governor Gan just appreciates your talent, it's enough to pass by Qujing and summon you several times when you go to Kunming to meet the prince as usual after taking office." Chen Dou said solemnly: "But Governor Gan didn't do that. Instead, he leapfrogged the order and said with great fanfare that you should go to Guiyang to attend his inauguration ceremony, what is his purpose?"

"Yeah? What's his purpose?" Fatty Lu still looked confused.

"Testing." Chen Dou said sharply: "Governor Gan wants to test you, sir. He wants to take this opportunity to see whether you are more loyal to the court or have more chances to the prince. If the imperial court is loyal, then he can use you boldly and use you to deal with the prince and avenge his personal revenge. But if he finds out that your lord is actually loyal to the lord, then I believe it will not take long, sir, your official hat It’s about to land, my lord, your painstaking efforts in Qujing for more than a year will come to naught.”

"So serious?!" Fatty Lu seemed taken aback, and said nervously, "I don't know him, Gan Wenkun. Why did he treat me like this? Why did he come to test me like this?"

"Master Lu, don't hide it from your officials." Chen Dou said calmly, "Before coming to Qujing, Jinwu General Hu Guozhu had already told me in secret that you were the eyeliner sent by the imperial court to Yunnan to monitor the prince, but in your heart It is for the prince, so you are just pretending to the court, but you are careful and shrewd, and successfully deceived the trust of the emperor and many important officials of the court, so the court entrusted you with a heavy responsibility, and even handed over the Qujing Green Camp to you. The most important thing is to strangle the prince's north and south throats at the critical moment, and buy the crucial reaction time for the court."

"Under such circumstances." Chen Dou said in a deep voice: "Before Governor Gan came to Yunnan and Guizhou to take office, it was impossible for the court, even the current emperor, not to tell Governor Gan to take you seriously and demand Governor Kimberly trusts and puts you in high esteem."

"Wait." Fatty Lu interrupted: "Master Chen, what you said seems to be a bit contradictory? Since there are people in the court, even the current emperor, who may have asked Governor Gan to reuse and trust me in advance, Then why does Governor Gan still test me? Could it be that Governor Gan doesn't even believe what the emperor says?"

"Because in the court, there are many people who believe in you, and some people doubt you." Chen Dou said slowly: "For example, the famous Kong Sizhen Sigege, according to General Jin Wu, she has always been suspicious of you, Lord Lu, I have always planned to get rid of you, my lord, and then hurry up, but now Si Gege is in the capital, and he is highly valued by the emperor-Governor Gan is going south to Yunnan and Guizhou to take office, wouldn't Si Gege blow the pillow wind in his ears, so that Gan Is the Governor careful about you?"

"It makes sense. One ear hears all the good things about me, and the other ear hears all the bad things about me, so the governor can't help but be cautious and take a tentative attitude towards me." Fatty Lu was satisfied Nodding—although Chen Dou's analysis was a bit slower, it was almost the same as Fatty Lu's own analysis.

After nodding, Fatty Lu asked curiously again: "However, Master Chen, there is one thing that I am very surprised - as far as this junior knows, you have been serving as a food and rice secretary in the army of Xia Guoxiang General Xia before. It has not been reused. You came to Qujing to be my deputy this time. Why did General Jinwu tell you so many secrets? As the eldest son-in-law and number one think tank of the prince, General Jinwu doesn’t even have such a small city that keeps secrets, right? ?”

Chen Dou was silent, and said after a long while: "I guess, it should be the prince who asked him to tell me."

"Then why did the prince let you know so many things?" Fatty Lu asked again.

Chen Dou was silent for a longer time this time, and it took a long time before he turned his face and asked, "How do I know what the prince thinks? Maybe the prince took the wrong medicine."

"Is that true?" Fatty Lu laughed.

Chen Dou didn't answer, but just changed the subject and said, "Lord Lu, I've finished my words. If there's nothing else, I'll leave. I wish you a smooth journey in advance, and I won't see you off tomorrow." .”

"Master Chen, don't be in a hurry." Fatty Lu stopped Chen Dou, and said: "Master Chen, since you have analyzed the reason why Governor Gan asked me to go to Guiyang, then tell me, how should I deal with us? The new governor? How can I convince him that I am loyal to the court? How can I make him feel at ease with me, so that I won’t be in a hurry to move the governor’s office and come to Qujing to personally watch over the prince?”

"Lord Lu, those two-sided methods you used before can of course be used again." Chen Dou spoke very bluntly, and then said: "However, I think that instead of going around with our new governor, it is better to use it." A more direct method will immediately establish the impression of you as a loyal minister in Governor Gan's mind."

"Oh, what's the way?" Fatty Lu asked curiously.

"Take it back!" Chen Dou replied very simply, "Since Mr. Lu, you want to play the role of a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, then you simply stand on the position of a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty and take a skeptical attitude towards our new governor, questioning whether he is in harmony with the prince. Collusion, disloyalty to the court? You can even sue the emperor for a few tricks, accusing Governor Gan of colluding with the prince and betraying the Qing emperor and the Qing court! In this way, even if the emperor and Governor Gan don’t think you are Even a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty will die!"

"Wonderful! Absolutely!" Fatty Lu's eyes lit up—before this, Fatty Lu really didn't think of the trick of beating him upside down!At the same time, this trick is more direct and effective than the various tricks that Fatty Lu had conceived before!
Overwhelmed with surprise, Fatty Lu couldn't help laughing and said, "It's Mr. Chen's cleverness. This trick is really wonderful—if you want to be a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, you must first suspect that everyone else is a traitorous minister of the Qing Dynasty! Haha, Mr. Chen, in the future This junior really doesn't dare to offend you, otherwise, if you use these tricks casually, the subordinate officials will be overwhelmed and go away."

Chen Dou didn't laugh with Fatty Lu, instead his face became more gloomy. Fatty Lu also said that he had made too much of a joke, and quickly apologized: "Master Chen, this junior just made a harmless little joke, please don't care."

"This joke is not funny at all." Chen Dou's voice was unusually cold, "Also, I also learned the trick of beating back from others, not by myself."

After finishing speaking, Chen Dou turned around and left, leaving Fatty Lu's study without looking back, leaving Fatty Lu in the study with his head full of confusion, "Who is this Chen Dou? Why can't he stand up to jokes? Also, who did he learn this trick from others?"

(End of this chapter)