Daming: I became Zhu Yuanzhang's eldest son

Zhu Yuanzhang scratched his head. He really didn't think about it, but it's not important. You can go to Zhu Tao's Zhuangzi to take a look again.

Zhu Tao said that there shouldn't be any major problems if this kind of Mauser can be mass-produced.

So he replied to Liu Bowen.

"Berwen, why don't you follow us to Tao'er's Zhuangzi to have a look, just in time for him to examine you and see how your illness is doing now."

Liu Bowen's public identity is the accountant of the Zhu family, and it is not a problem to follow Zhu Yuanzhang to Zhujiazhuang.

Moreover, he admired Zhu Tao's cooking skills very much. He hadn't improved the food in Zhujiazhuang for a long time, but he still missed it a little.

Since Zhu Yuanzhang said so, of course he fully agreed and replied immediately.

"Since that's the case, I'll go with the superior. I haven't seen the young master for a long time, and I really miss it."

The two came with horses and whips, and when they arrived at Zhujiazhuang, Zhu Tao was practicing Wuqinxi in the yard.

Seeing the two coming over, he hurriedly greeted them and said, "Father, Mr. Liu, please sit in the room when you are here, and we will talk after I finish playing this set of Wu Qinxi."

After a while, he came into the room, poured tea for the two of them himself, and said.

"Father, didn't you just leave my place not long ago, and now you are back, is there something wrong? I don't have new inventions coming out so soon."

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and said with a smile.

"We didn't say that we came here to ask for your new invention. Last time, I told the National Commerce Department for you about the Mauser gun. They decided to buy [-] pieces. I don't know when you will be able to make so many. "

Hearing this, Zhu Tao remembered that the last time he had agreed with Zhu Yuanzhang, he said that he would make some qualified Mauser guns through his own craftsmen, and hand them over to the State Commercial Department to transport them to the front line for His Royal Highness King Yan's Northern Expedition. .

But Zhu Tao never cared about these specific issues, so he asked Old Tang to ask.

"Old Tang, last time I arranged for you to make a batch of Mausers. How is the progress now? Tell my father about the specific situation."

Old Tang saluted and said.

"Master, the young master asked me to supervise the manufacture of Mausers a few days ago. I immediately found the brothers in Huaxiang Village and selected a group of skilled craftsmen. Now I have built more than 600 guns, and all of them have passed the inspection."

After thinking for a while, Old Tang continued: "Based on the current progress, give me another three or four days, and I estimate that I can make [-] pieces."

Zhu Tao was also very surprised that Old Tang had such good execution ability. According to this speed, Huaxiang Village could almost set up a small arsenal.

However, at this time he thought of another question, so he asked Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Father, last time when we talked about steamships and small Franglers, you asked me to sell them to the imperial court at the original price of 3000 taels of silver. Now you can't let me sell the Mausers at the original price. Well, our family is a businessman, we can’t just rely on patriotism and loyalty to eat.”

Thinking of this matter, Zhu Yuanzhang also scratched his head a little bit. It is true that he was somewhat wronged by this matter, and Tao'er should not let Tao'er suffer any more in this matter of the Mauser gun.

"Okay then, tell me a price. Dad will go and talk to the State Commerce Department. Basically, there will be no problem. Let's go with the price you said."

Zhu Tao thought about it carefully, and the cost of each Mauser was about ten taels of silver, but it would be good to sell it to the court for about 30 taels.

After hearing the quotation, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly felt a little bit pained, but he also knew the effect of this gun on the Ming army, so he no longer hesitated and made a final decision.

"No problem, you can produce on a large scale. After three days, we will have as much as you have. Later, I will coordinate with the State Commercial Department and ask them to send someone to pick it up."

After the business negotiation was over, he started to demonstrate his cooking skills, because Liu Bowen loves his homemade fish-flavored shredded pork, so Zhu Tao cooked for Mr. Liu himself.

However, at this moment, Wei Guogong Xu Da was discussing a matter with Hongdu Hou Lanyu.

"Tell me, how many people are appropriate to send there? I'm afraid it won't work if you go too few, but if you go too much, it's like beating wolves, and it will make the superiors more suspicious!"

Sapphire thought for a while, and he replied almost without thinking.

"I think it's better to send 150 people according to my original idea. As for how many you send, I don't know, just handle it according to your own thoughts."

Xu Da thought for a while. Naturally, Sapphire sent 150 people, and he was not far behind, so he naturally wanted to send no less than this number.

After the discussion, they came to the cabinet to check the house, and Xu Da said directly to Liu Bowen.

"Sincerely, I have something I want to tell you. Aren't you going to escort a batch of Mausers to the front line of the Northern Expedition recently? I want to send my own soldiers to send them there, and let them practice in front of the enemy by the way."

Liu Bowen smiled and answered Xu Da.

"Just before you came in, General Hongdu Hou Lanyu also came and made the same request. I think this is really a kindred spirit."

Xu Da knew that Liu Bowen was just making fun of himself, but now he was asking for something from others, so it was not easy to get angry.

"Master Liu was joking. This is just a coincidence. Besides, my soldiers are all from the Fifth Army Commander's Mansion. It is most appropriate for them to go to the front line."

Liu Bowen was not polite at all, he answered Xu Da directly.

"Xu Shuai, in fact, I have already reported this matter to the superior. The superior said that no matter which general wants his own soldiers to go to the front line, he will never stop him. Let alone you send 150 people, it is 500 people. It is also drafted in the same way, and reported to the Rites Supervisor for approval."

Seeing that the matter was over, Xu Da didn't want to talk to Liu Bowen any more, he said with a smile.

"In that case, thank you Master Liu for making this matter possible. I'll go back and arrange it first, and I'll treat you to a drink when I find time later."

After finishing speaking, he bowed his hand and immediately withdrew from the cabinet.

Looking at Xu Da's leaving back, Liu Bowen thought to himself.

"Even a trusted commander like Xu Da relies on placing his cronies in the army to ensure his status. It seems that the superior is indeed the leader of the unruly heroes. Everyone must leave a way out for themselves."

In fact, Liu Bowen had long thought that Xu Da and Lan Yu would each send more than 100 cronies there, but the meaning was actually very simple.

These people have about a [-]% chance of dying in battle, and a [-]% chance of being injured, but a [-]% chance of being able to make military exploits and be promoted and reused.Even if there is only a [-]% probability, there are more than a dozen people. These people have gained a firm foothold in the army, and they are also their trusted arms. This is what Xu Da and Lan Yu are thinking.