Iron Dynasty

Jin Ping Mei finally ended with Aster running out of the main hall with a blushing face.

Of course, Xiao Ming didn't talk about Jin Ping Mei for the sake of feudal etiquette.

In fact, Xiao Ming is not in a hurry to change things like feudal etiquette. The deep-rooted things can only be boiled frogs in warm water and take your time.

And the Renaissance in his eyes is not just a simple theater, and it is deliberately unable to bring about the results he expected.

His sudden interest in starting a theater is also to increase the entertainment projects in Qingzhou and increase the income of the government office, which is also a part of urban construction.

Of course, he couldn't say this purposely, because arty people would definitely poke his spine and despise him.

In his opinion, drama can help him spread some ideas in and among the people, but the foundation of the Renaissance is still in Bowen College, in education.

As long as the students of Bowen College accept his knowledge, the Renaissance is half completed, because the Renaissance in the West is only reflected in high-level talents, from top to bottom.

Therefore, for Xiao Ming, drama is just a small card in his governance of fiefs. The three most important issues now are commercial construction, popular education and military construction.

Leaving the troupe's affairs to Ziwan to handle, Xiao Ming threw himself into another weapon of war after the artillery - the flintlock gun.

According to his knowledge, the first tubular metal firearm appeared in Europe in the 1430s. At this time, the musket was called the musket, which was later the matchlock musket. The history of Europe continues until the sixteenth century.

At this time, also in the 16th century, the matchlock guns of this period were introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in the 22nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, there has always been controversy over the origin of bird guns in the Ming Dynasty. One is the theory that the bird gun was created by itself, the other is the theory that it was imported from Japan, and the other is the theory that it was directly imported from the West.

But anyway, since the sixteenth century, the world has basically entered the age of firearms, and in the mid-seventeenth century, flintlocks have become mainstream.

As for the question of why the Great Yu Kingdom did not come into contact with muskets, Xiao Ming has always wondered. According to the normal trajectory, the Great Yu Kingdom should at least have had contact with muskets and artillery.

But the fact is that this concept does not seem to be found in the Dayu Kingdom. The only reason he can find is that the Dayu Kingdom does not pay much attention to the ocean, and the coastal waters of the Dayu Kingdom have now become a place where Japanese pirates are rampant, which further prevents the exchanges with the outside world of the Dayu Kingdom. .

In addition, Chang'an belongs to the inland, if you come into contact with foreigners, it is also the first to come into contact with the kings of Wei and Chu.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ming frowned.

But in any case, he can't wait now. After the normalization of artillery production, the production of this flintlock gun must be put on the schedule, and there is not much time left for him.

One is to deal with the possible invasion of the Japanese state three years later, and the other, he plans to expel the barbarians in Youzhou before the Japanese invasion, and drive the barbarians out of Shanhaiguan, so that he can avoid being attacked by the enemy at that time. , while also giving the Musketeers real-world experience.

Just thinking about it, Aster, who ran out shyly just now, came back, Your Highness, Liang Dahai is back.

He's back? Let him in. Xiao Ming said excitedly.

When the winter just entered last year, he sent Liang Dahai to the grassland to buy slaves, and now he doesn't know how the harvest will be?

After a while, Liang Dahai, wearing a purple round-neck robe, walked in, Your Highness, the lower official is back.

How is the harvest going to the grassland this time? Xiao Ming asked with a smile.

Liang Dahai said: As Your Highness expected, many cattle and sheep died from freezing on the grasslands this year. In order not to starve this year, many tribes have secretly traded slaves with us. In the past few months, the lower officials have I bought 12,000 strong slaves on the grassland, and I ask Your Highness to review it.

No, it's very good. Now this king is short of manpower. Xiao Ming pondered for a while, You hand over these slaves to Qian Dafu immediately.

Then he continued: Liang Dahai, you also know that Qingzhou's population statistics are out, this king is really short of labor, and the business of buying slaves on the grassland cannot stop, and you have to open up another way to buy slaves, such as going to Dengzhou. States buy slaves from pirates.

Buy slaves from pirates! Liang Dahai rolled his eyes and said with a smile, Your Highness, this is also a solution, but these pirates need real money to deal with, and they are not like barbarians. Can you send it off?

Money is being used everywhere in Qingzhou now, but this king has no money for you. Xiao Ming said with a smile.

Liang Dahai showed a bitter look, Your Highness, aren't you making things difficult for Xiaguan? In the past, Xiaguan had a lot of experience in dealing with pirates, and these desperados are not so easy to deceive.

Don't worry, this king doesn't give you things. Well, it's not too early today, you go back first, and tomorrow this king will give you the things to buy slaves.

Liang Dahai hesitated for a while, but nodded.

The next day, Xiao Ming directly informed Liang Dahai to go to the glass workshop. In the workshop, Xiao Ming pointed to a large wooden box and said to Liang Dahai, Here, this is the capital that this king gave you to buy slaves.

Looking at the big wooden box on the ground, Liang Dahai walked over. When he opened the wooden box, he was dumbfounded, Your Highness, this...this...is too precious.

At this time, the wooden box is full of glass balls. This kind of glass ball is the simplest kind of green glass ball. Xiao Ming used this kind of glass ball when he was a child.

Grabbing a handful of glass balls, the glass balls rubbed in his hands to make a pleasant sound. Xiao Ming smiled and said, It is precisely because it is precious that I asked you to exchange it for slaves. There is no problem with using this.

Xiao Ming naturally knew the value of glass. If he mastered the glass craftsmanship, this box of glass beads was not worth one hundred taels of silver.

But now glass is a real luxury in the Great Yu Kingdom. He believes that those Japanese pirates wandering overseas have not even seen this kind of glass ball, and those pirates who hold this kind of glass ball will definitely be a treasure.

No...no...problem. Liang Dahai stammered, this box of glass beads was a huge fortune.

Xiao Ming continued: Be flexible with your head. Not only can these glass beads be exchanged for slaves, but if you can exchange some gold, silver, etc. with these pirates, this king will want them.

Liang Dahai had also dealt with pirates when he was selling slaves before. He knew that these glass balls would definitely drive the pirates crazy, he took a deep breath and said, Your Highness, don't worry, the lower official must take this box of glass. Replace it with something equivalent.

Xiao Ming nodded slightly. In the past, the West used a few glass balls in exchange for large tracts of land from the Indians.