Iron Dynasty

The clanging of metals filled the military workshop. ??≥≈≤=

After learning about the production of artillery and musket, Xiao Ming told Song Changping and Chen Qi about the production tasks.

The production capacity of the military workshop has tripled, but it is far from enough for Xiao Ming. The reason is simple. His current capacity is too far behind the Western powers.

At this time in modern times, even the Dutch warships with a land area of ​​only 40,000 square kilometers had hundreds of them. In the previous Anglo-Herb wars, 8,000 artillery was used unilaterally at a time, and this was the beginning of the seventeenth century.

Now that it is the eighteenth century, the strength of these imperial navies can only be stronger.

Compared with this horrible figure, Xiao Ming's current power is very different, so now he is ready to vigorously expand the trade and continue to expand the number of shipyards, otherwise he wants to compete with these veteran empires for colonies in his lifetime.

So after experiencing the gloom of politics in Chang'an this time, he didn't want to waste his energy on intrigues in the court. Internal friction would only distract him and drag down the industrial and commercial exhibition in Qingzhou.

Furthermore, he now holds two pieces of land in Youzhou and Qingzhou, the land area is not less than the original British island at that time.

After all, the main British island at that time was only 240,000 square kilometers, he was just a little short, and there were still 150,000 square kilometers.

With such a land area, he has no demand for land for the time being. The remaining problem is to industrialize the land and make the people on the land rich.

While thinking, Xiao Ming went to the Chamber of Commerce.

Today, Pang Yukun is responsible for dividing the potatoes, and letting the states and counties enter the villages to promote the potatoes. To cooperate with this kind of propaganda, he needs the help of the chamber of commerce.

The common people are not stupid. They take something they have never seen before, and they will not go into planting it unless they find it can sell for money.

This requires the Chamber of Commerce to promote potatoes this time. In fact, to Xiao Ming, it doesn’t matter how much potatoes are sold this time, or how much money they sell. The important thing is that he should let the local people know that growing potatoes can make money. of.

Entering the Chamber of Commerce, a scent of potatoes came over. In the Chamber of Commerce, there are dozens of briquettes on top of an iron pot, and potatoes are boiling in water.

The merchants are eating boiled potatoes in front of the iron pan. This way of eating is also the most basic way of eating potatoes.

And in the Chamber of Commerce, one of them is frying potato shreds, and another is frying fries. After the merchant has eaten boiled potatoes, he will wait here.

When Xiao Ming entered the Chamber of Commerce, Li Kaiyuan immediately stepped forward, and the merchants immediately surrounded him, with a trace of expectation in his eyes.

"His Royal Highness, many businessmen have proposed to purchase potatoes because they think that the price is too expensive. I just discussed it with them. They think it's reasonable to buy potatoes for five taels of silver and one stone." Li Kaiyuan said.

"Five taels of silver?" Xiao Ming frowned, which was much lower than their expected price.

Nowadays, the price of a stone of rice is only fifty cents, which is already ten times the price of rice, which can be said to be very high.

After hesitating for a while, Xiao Ming said, "Five taels are five taels. Now the main thing is to sell potatoes for five taels with one stone. An acre of land is more than one hundred taels of silver. If this is the case, the people will be rich."

"Yes, all the officials who said this want to go home and grow potatoes." Li Kaiyuan said with joy.

Shaking his head, Xiao Ming said, "Don't be proud of it too soon. When the potato production comes up, the price of this potato will only continue to fall. It would be nice if it can be a little more expensive than rice."

Li Kaiyuan agreed.

With Xiao Ming's approval, Li Kaiyuan said to a group of merchants at this time: "His Royal Highness agreed, five or two and one stone. You can place an order now if you want to buy it."

As soon as these words came out, the businessmen immediately surrounded Li Kaiyuan and shouted.

"I buy twenty stones."

"Give me a hundred stones."

"Two thousand stones, I want to sell them to Chang'an."

"..."

The buying enthusiasm of the merchants was high, and Xiao Ming was satisfied.

The potatoes will slowly spread throughout the country. As the fact is, just as he predicted, the Chamber of Commerce prepares to turn these potatoes into actual profits after purchasing potatoes.

As a result, merchants selling potatoes to other places appeared on the dock. The East and West markets of Qingzhou responded the fastest, and potatoes appeared on the market soon.

The people who entered the city the next day were surprised when they saw the potatoes on the stall.

Yesterday the government office sent people to the countryside to promote potato planting, and many people were afraid to plant such unfamiliar things.

Land is the lifeblood of the common people, and a mistake in one season of food is enough to kill them, but when they asked about the price of potatoes, the expressions of the common people changed.

"Five two and one stone." A citizen exclaimed.

The vendor nodded and tried his best to sell, "There will be no fakes. I just bought this from the Chamber of Commerce. I have to make some money from selling it. It tastes very good. It tastes very good in this pot. , You taste."

The people's eyes rolled around. In the past two years, his family's food has been sold to the government office, and he can make about 15 or 6 silver a year.

Compared with the past, his family is a lot richer, and the five cents are not expensive, so he said: "Come two catties, take it back and let the people in my family taste it. I can't say I will plant an acre of potatoes next year. test."

The vendor immediately smiled. The potato's business is pretty good. From morning to now, he has sold three-stone potatoes. From this point of view, it is not a problem to sell these potatoes. Thinking of this, he thought about going again. The Chamber of Commerce purchases some. This time, the Qingzhou Chamber of Commerce provides limited potatoes. If it cannot be purchased in time, I am afraid that there will be none.

And just as the vendors thought, as the potatoes were sold, more and more businessmen came to buy them, and even many people came to buy potatoes and sell them in the village.

The merchants who usually walk the streets and alleys even blocked the Chamber of Commerce ~ www.ltnovel.com~ These people are not big vendors, they are all hawkers. Every time they buy one stone, two stones, but in Xiao Ming’s Under the sign, the Chamber of Commerce would be happy to sell potatoes to these small businesses.

There is no other reason, because these traveling merchants and ordinary people are all locals. Now Xiao Ming is supporting local businesses, and he must focus on supporting the ordinary people.

Moreover, these travel merchants and common people are all from the grassroots folks. They bring goods to move around in the fief, and they can also bring the most direct news to the Baixins.

Some big businessmen are unwilling to go, these travellers will also get involved. In this way, the news of Tudou can truly cover every corner of the fief.

Later, Li Kaiyuan handed over the sales of potatoes for one day to Xiao Ming. Generally speaking, the potatoes were sold for 2,000 shi on the first day, which is a good figure.

In the next few days, this ten thousand stone sales task is estimated to be completed soon, and fifty thousand taels of silver can be easily obtained.

(To be continued.)