My Chinese ancestors

Chapter 452 Flood Rising

Today's Xia Kingdom stretches from the snowy plains of Youyan Mountain in the north, to the sea in the east, to the Seventy-Two Kingdoms of the Western Regions in the west, and to the south is the Yue Kingdom, which is most difficult to border with the tropical lush forests. After the unification of the six kingdoms, it has become the largest new empire in the east.

The six armies that once followed the emperor in his campaigns east and west, namely the Youyan, Qingzhou, Xiliang, Bingzhou, Yizhou, and Tang armies, had a group of older soldiers who had left in the past three years, and were replaced by their heirs. There is a gap in the upper body, filled with blood, but still full of strong will to fight.

Su Chen was riding on horseback, looking at the avenue of the craftsman's workshop. He was twenty-six years old this year. After returning to the Yue Kingdom, he shifted his focus back to the north. He has not relaxed his control of the army at all, and the craftsman in front of him The workshop continuously provided weapons and armor to the troops under his command. With a large amount of copper and iron blood transfusions from Yuezhou and a large supply of livestock from the Xirong grassland, there was never a shortage of leather armor and crossbows in the army.

Even at the foot of Youyan Mountain, there is a large forest farm, where a large number of fast-growing poplar trees are planted, which are used in soldiers' spears, bows, carriages, warships, etc.

Not counting the independent cavalry of Lu Bu, Ma Chao, Huo Qubing and others, almost all soldiers in the six armies have leather armor and leather boots. At the level of captains and captains, almost everyone has iron armor and helmets for protection, let alone generals. Having said that, all their previous armors have been replaced, and all are based on Tang Dynasty armors. In winter, Ming Dynasty cotton armors are used to keep warm, and secondly, their defensive properties are not low.

It can be said that Su Chen is using the power of the six states to support these six armies.

In the early spring of the sixth year of Yuanxing.

Just after noon, the sound of hammering and hammering in the craftsman's workshop never stopped.

Walking through the straight road of craftsmanship, you can see that the workshops on both sides are piled with iron blocks and swords. The bellows are blowing and blowing the furnaces. The blacksmiths and apprentices are bare-chested and forging with so much heat that the muscles on their arms are shaking.

"I'm not worried about weapons and armor anymore... I don't know how many of Liu Sheng's iron cannons can be placed on Huya, Qinglong and other warships."

Stopping in his steps, Su Chen looked at the busy scenes in the workshop. Because of his training in "Martial God Gang Qi", his figure was not inferior to that of the generals behind him. During the past few years of the expedition, he also grew a beard, even if he was standing Even if he didn't move there, just one glance would give him an aura of calmness and power.

Behind him, Xiang Yu has returned to his prime in his early thirties from his middle-aged appearance. These three years are probably the happiest time he has ever lived. Wherever he goes, the spring breeze blows on his face and he smiles constantly.

A few days ago, Su Chen heard that Concubine Yu was expecting a baby, and asked the eunuch in the palace to prepare some things needed for the baby and send them there.

Today, when he left the palace to inspect the craftsmen's workshops in the northern suburbs, the overlord of Western Chu took the initiative to follow him. There were some words that didn't need to be said explicitly, and everyone knew it. This was an expression of Xiang Yu's gratitude. After all, he was allowed to say a heartfelt message to Su Chen in person. The word 'thank' is quite difficult.

So express it directly with actions.

"Your Majesty is still worried about the sea ships. There are not enough ships to target the Japanese cruising on the sea."

Guan Yu opened his eyes slightly and interrupted at the right time, "Guan has been in Wuzhou for two years and knows the situation there very well. These Japanese are very cunning... But just now His Majesty said that they might come ashore, and Guan was also vaguely aware of it. , the beginning of spring this year, from the news sent by my son, it can be seen that the frequency of Japanese movements after the beginning of spring is more than half a year in previous years."

"We can't just endure it now." Regarding naval battles, cavalry generals like Lu Bu could only stare blankly. "When Zheng He's treasure ships are built, and the number of warships such as Huya and Qinglong increases, we can attack their islands in the East China Sea. Anyway, the location has been basically found out, and they will definitely not be able to escape.”

Su Chen listened to the discussion of the generals with a smile on his face. Everyone was on his own, and almost all the news was shared. Whether it was Xiang Yu, Lu Bu, or Guan Yu, what they told was the truth. These three In the past few years, Su Chen, in addition to building beacon towers along the coast, also dispatched Wuzhou navy to protect the offshore areas from Japanese harassment. At the same time, he also tried his best to build new ships. After all, Gu Chongwen had sold Soochow's ships to the Japanese. , if the warships are the same, there is no distinction between superior and inferior, and they will not be able to take advantage in naval battles.

That's why we have to wait three years.

"These three years have gone by so fast." Su Chen looked away and turned away from the workshop door. Just as he sighed, the sound of hurried horse hooves suddenly sounded in front of the craftsman's workshop.

Dian Wei and the excited neighing of the long-haired war elephant below him were heard outside. A moment later, Xu Chu galloped towards this side on horseback, shouting angrily: "Your Majesty, there is news from Feiyungang, General Gan A new thing from overseas.”

"Oh?" Su Chen's face no longer had the same excited expression as before, but he still called the generals around him to come over and have a look.

The fleet was formed two years ago and went to sea for the first time. It was led by Zheng He, an experienced eunuch, and the red-haired barbarian girl Elsa. Together with Zhou Yu, Lu Meng, Gan Ning and others, they traveled from north to south and then west. After sailing thousands of miles and finding many crops and spices from overseas, Dian Wei's horse was found from a snowfield further north.

After returning to Feiyungang, Dian Wei was so happy to see such a huge thing that he asked Su Chen for it for the first time.

Can you say no?

After all, Dian Wei has been with him for a long time, loyal and never leaving, and he had promised to find him a suitable mount. Everyone left the craftsman's workshop on the northern outskirts of the city and did not return directly to the city. Instead, they detoured dozens of miles around the city wall and came to the trading area on the eastern outskirts of the city. In order to facilitate shipping, Xun Yu set aside fifty miles in the eastern suburbs of the city in the plan. The local trade area is convenient for overseas goods and goods traveling from south to north to be sent and received here. This is done to facilitate management, to allow merchants to find cooperation more quickly, and to facilitate the evacuation of various goods.

When Su Chen and his party came here, the Embroidery Department had already come over to set up defenses and isolated many merchants, so when they came here, there were not many people around the trading area.

"What did General Gan find?"

When we arrived at the exclusive cargo distribution center of the government office, we saw more than a hundred boxes, including more than ten wooden boxes, which were carried over by the officials of the government office. They opened the lids of the boxes and respectfully retreated to the cordon of the guards of the Embroidery Department. Periphery.

Su Chen opened the covering cloth inside the box and saw the crops placed underneath. His eyes lit up and he couldn't help but grin.

"corn……"

Xiang Yu, Lu Bu, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun and others were a little confused. They reached out and took out one from the box to take a closer look. Lu Bu broke off a full pellet from it and put it into his mouth.

"It's a little dry...but also has a slight sweetness."

"After it's cooked, it tastes better."

Su Chen was in a good mood and immediately sent these things to the big farmer Wang Taiping, "Let him study it carefully and try to produce it in various states next year to see which state has the best planting effect."

The Wang Taiping he mentioned was the old farmer who discovered the new grain growing method. Now, grain growing has been promoted in six states in the fourth year of Yuanxing. The annual grain output is abundant. In the past three years, there has been almost no famine anywhere in the six states.

Naturally, Su Chen would not forget the contribution of this old farmer. When the current Da Nong Ling retired, he directly pushed this old farmer who did not know a few characters to the official position of the Da Nong Ling.

Naturally, there were voices of opposition to this matter, but Su Chen suppressed them forcefully and blocked everyone's speech with one sentence: "The job of the Great Farmer's Order is not to recite poems and compose poems, or to compare literary talents, but to be pragmatic! If you understand farming, you can make people Let the people eat food!”

What happened next, Wang Taiping was pushed to this position, also proved that Su Chen was not wrong about the person. The Wang family, young and old, were all simple people. They did not change because of sitting in the position of Da Nong Ling or because of Su Chen's protection. They are arrogant, but on the contrary, they are even more cautious about their industry. In the past two years, the crops imported from overseas have been grafted and improved by them, and they have gradually adapted to the local climate.

Let the common people have a few more dishes on their tables, and their lives will become better and better.

Su Chen watched these things being loaded into trucks and transported away. He had just led the generals to leave the trading area in the eastern suburbs. He had to deal with some government affairs when he returned to the palace. The affairs in the Western Regions had been fully delegated to Huo Qubing of the Political Affairs Department. But do the math.

The term of the champion marquis is about to expire, and it will be arranged that he and Su Dingfang continue to conquer the remaining countries in the northern part of the Western Region.

As for the East China Sea, Su Chen still chose to endure it.

hold on……

he thinks.

……

On the sea where Su Chen's thoughts extended, blue waves surged. On the vast sea, several large ships were coming towards the coastline. Soon, more than ten small boats were put down. They were fully loaded with short leather armors. Under the short armors, they wore clothes and trousers like ordinary people. He Shang, with a uniform bald hairstyle, and a thin curved knife on his waist.

Heading quickly towards the coastline ahead.

(End of this chapter)