Song Dynasty Iron Armored Army

Chapter 128 Set sail
In the early morning of the next day, after Chai Lin led the village soldiers out for morning exercises, under the protection of more than a dozen people from Chai Meng, he rushed to Haijia Village, one on two horses.Sixty miles is not far away, jogging all the way, and arrived at the iron mine before noon.

More than a dozen diwozi have been built, and the wood that was not shipped in earlier has also been stored.

Dozens of people are building the foundation on the iron mining site. The weather is too cold, and several bonfires are still lit.

"Master, there are cavalry coming from the northwest." The person in charge of observation shouted.

Zhang Han said: "Master Chai is here, it's all right."

"Master, how do you know it's Master Chai?" the observer asked.

"I usually ask you to read and write, but you just don't listen to it, and you don't see the flag flying. Can't you see the big firewood characters?" Zhang Han said.

As Zhang Han said, he put down his work and brought a few people to meet Chai Lin on the side of the road.

Chai Lin and the others stopped their horses and came over tens of meters away. Chai Lin said, "Brother-in-law, it's windy and cold here at the seaside. If you have to stop working, stop working. Don't catch the big guy with a cold."

Zhang Han said with a smile: "We fishermen are used to blowing the sea breeze every day. It's strange to miss it if we don't blow it for a day. They are tough guys who climb ice and lie on snow without getting sick. What are we afraid of? There are fifty houses and six large production rooms. The foundation has come out, and all the bluestone foundations are used, which are strong and durable. After the beginning of spring, construction can begin immediately."

Chai Lin came over and took a look. It was the same as the factory buildings, houses, and workshops in the blueprints. In the age without machinery, it all depended on picks, hoes, shovels, and iron brazing, sweat and hard work. is multiplied.

In the mine not far away, there are also dozens of people digging iron ore with sledgehammers and pickaxes. After the ore is dug out, it is beaten again, and the large pieces are beaten into small pieces, which eventually become egg-sized. Iron ore piled up.Mining is a typical labor-intensive industry that requires a lot of manpower.But wages are very low in this world nowadays, and a day with this kind of gravity is only [-] cents.

Chai Lin said: "Thank you brother-in-law. I heard from Uncle An that you went to Chaijiazhuang a few days ago and didn't say anything. I guessed that something must be wrong, so I came here to have a look."

Zhang Han said strangely: "Didn't you go to Mengzhou? Why did you come back so soon? You can't take it. It takes more than 2000 miles to go back and forth. It will take a month anyway."

"Brother-in-law doesn't know, I have magic skills." Chai Lin laughed.

Zhang Han said: "I can fly. You might go around and come back again. Why did you go to Mengzhou?" Zhang Han still didn't believe it. How could such a rare thing like divine movement be possible.

"What happened a few days ago? Is the salary insufficient?" Chailin asked.

Zhang Han said: "How is it possible? Last time you gave me 500 taels of wages, each person was 5000 Wen a day. Usually, there are a hundred or so men in total, and the wages are only more than two taels a day. How can I use it so quickly. It's like this, Nao Hailong on the opposite island did not know where he heard that we were going to open an iron mine. He came over and said that he wanted to collect a sum of money. He asked for 2000 taels to keep our cargo ship safe. You were not there at the time, and I discussed it with your sister. For a moment, we don’t have any navy forces to contend with them now, so we gave [-] taels to buy peace.”

"Oh, Naohailong, I have an impression that the Hailong Island to the east is four miles long and two miles wide. It's a big island, and the area is not small. It's a good place, a good place." Chailin said.

"Yes, they have more than a thousand people and dozens of centipede boats, monopolizing the business of dry and fresh seafood in more than a dozen nearby fishing villages." Zhang Han added.

Chai Lin said: "Brother-in-law did the right thing. When you are weak, you have to be patient, and you can't just be tyrannical. In the past few days, I have asked someone to send money to brother-in-law. I can't ask you to pay."

"It's okay, we two are with whom." Zhang Han was very polite.

Climbing up a small hill, Chai Lin asked Zhang Han, "What's the reputation of this troublesome Hailong? You won't make trouble after collecting the money, right?"

"It shouldn't be so. It's been several years since I looked up and looked down. Although it's a half-black business, it still has a bottom line, so it won't be too ugly." Zhang Han said.

Chai Lin nodded and said: "It's best not to make trouble, but we have to be prepared. Meng Zi, arrange a few elite brothers to stay in Haijia Village and observe Nao Hailong every day to see when they go ashore. From where to go ashore, look for the rules."

"Yes."

Beside the bonfire, Chai Lin and Zhang Han chatted for a while, and Chai Lin asked: "Brother-in-law, is there a fast boat in your village? I'm planning to go to Dengzhou."

"I fish in this village for a living. There are many fishing boats, but there is a centipede boat for the long-distance fast boat. The weather is very strong from the northwest, and it takes only one day and one night to get to Dengzhou. It's just that when I come back Trouble, to lower the sail, dozens of people row together, it is estimated that it will take two or three days to come back." Zhang Han said.

"Yes, it's fast enough. Then brother-in-law arrange it for me, and leave after lunch."

"That's OK, no problem. Let's go back to the village and I'll arrange it for you." Zhang Han said.

A group of people had lunch in Haijia Village and then came to the beach.

Simple wooden pier, the shore is still frozen.The so-called centipede clipper is just a slender boat, 20 meters long and more than three meters wide, with a raised bow, three masts and six sails, and thirty handles on both sides.

Although the boat is not big, the sailors used are much older, with one captain and thirty sailors.In addition to more than a dozen people including Chai Lin and Chai Meng, there are more than 40 people in total.

Sea navigation is more troublesome, and fresh water, grain, oil, meat, eggs, etc. have been prepared.

Zhang Han arranged the bow of the boat and said: "Master Chai must be taken care of along the way. They rarely take a boat, and they may not be used to it."

The boat's handle said: "Don't worry, the owner. Our cabin is enough. Mr. Chai and his subordinates are in the cabin, so the wind can't blow and the rain can't get drenched."

"Okay, let's go, pay attention to safety on the road, and drive along the coast."

"Don't worry, owner, we're off."

The sailor first steered the boat away from the port, and then the boat raised its head and shouted, "Set sail."

The huge sail was lowered, and the ship suddenly got a huge thrust, as if the accelerator was fully applied, and rushed towards the sea with a whoosh.

Chai Lin and Chai Meng looked at the bow for a while, and the hull moved forward against the waves.

Chai Meng said: "Hey, this speed is really fast, even faster than a carriage."

"That's natural. The wind is favorable today, and the northwest wind is blowing. Of course, the speed is fast. When we build the lucky boat next year, the speed will be even faster than this, and we can run without wind." Chailin said.

The captain of the boat next to him didn’t believe it, and said: “The lucky boat is huge. If there is no wind, it will be troublesome to rely on rowing. Hundreds of people can’t run fast together. Our centipede boat is light and fast, and 30 people rowing together is fast.”

Chai Lin didn't explain, and said with a smile: "You will know when the time comes. When the ship is built, you will have to recruit sailors from your village."

(End of this chapter)