dressed as a scholar

Fang Yu went together when Sheng Jia returned to the palace to renew his post, and there will be someone who will be able to accompany him this morning, and it is a beautiful thing to say.

The people in the household department learned that Sheng Jia was Fang Yu's old friend and fellow villager. Although they were busy, they still showed face to the minister of the Ministry of Industry, and soon led Sheng Jia to complete the formalities and get hired quickly.

Sheng Jia's side is safe, and things are complicated at the end of the year, and Fang Yu also handles his department's affairs properly.

He was promoted to the left servant of the Ministry of Industry at the end of the year, and he had some unpleasant pasts with the Shangshu, but the old Shangshu saw that Fang Yu had both virtue and talent, and because the Ministry of Industry held his head up in front of the Sixth Ministry, he took care of himself. Putting the past behind, Fang Yu asked warmly, very enthusiastically.

Fang Yu never pretended to be lofty, insisting on keeping the past firmly in his mind, and it would be easier to handle affairs in harmony with the immediate leadership.

In the past, when he was a doctor, he only had to manage road construction matters, but now as a minister, he has to take charge of the entire Ministry of Industry.He went to Changping Mansion first. The concrete road going south was only built to Changping. It was expected to be completed in the middle of the twelfth lunar month, but the road was built quickly, and it was repaired to Changping ahead of schedule. Now it is only late winter. That is to say, it took ten or twenty days for the construction to enter the city.

Fang Yu wanted to move the construction team to the northwest and build towards the West Linguan. Seeing that the snow is not too heavy now, he can speed up the repairs. The roads dry slowly in winter, and the construction progress is not as fast as Xiaqiu's.In order to give some encouragement to the corvee workers and the common people who were building the road, and to overcome difficulties, Fang Yu intentionally added some wages.

After Cement Road was in charge, he handed over all matters to Yuan Ruiyan, whom he trusted, and they were all people brought out by him, who understood and assured, and worked efficiently.

After returning from Changping Mansion, Fang Yu went to see the emperor to report the progress of the road construction.

"Okay, I'll feel better about consolidating the frontier defense by starting construction to the northwest earlier. Zhao'an's invite An Zhezi has returned, and now it's been more than half a year since he left, but the war in the northwest has not made any progress."

Emperor Chongming put down the notebook and sighed slightly: "I don't blame him for this matter. The elite cavalry of the barbarian enemies in the northwest are really difficult to deal with. When they surrendered to the Central Plains in the past, they paid tribute to many good horses in the army. Now Being able to stay undefeated is no matter how hard you try. It’s just that if things go on like this, it’s not a solution.”

The old emperor received a letter from Chu Jingfei, and Fang Yu also received a letter from Chu Jingfei. He probably said that the situation in the Northwest was not optimistic and that the cavalry was difficult to fight. Instead, he praised him and said that he was very good at building official roads. Well, let the emperor go to the northwest to build again, and then the war will have more help.

The transportation is convenient, and the war must be more convenient. Whether it is sending troops or escorting grain and grass, it can save a lot of time spent on the road, but this road cannot be repaired all at once. It's strange to go to the northwest. He is also worried when talking about the war, but he has to comfort the old man's heart.

"The sixth master is brave. Your Majesty has to relax a bit. When the food and grass are abundant and the treasury is full, you can also send more soldiers, horses, food and grass to the northwest. Are you afraid that you will not be able to drive the barbarians out of the northwest?"

The old emperor said: "When you are free, you can go to the military depot of the Ministry of Industry and pick out a batch of elite soldiers and sharp weapons to send there while the official road in the northwest is being built. Although there is also an arsenal in the northwest, it is reported in the booklet that war weapons consume a lot , the people in the Northwest are already lonely, and the supply of construction is insufficient, so the imperial court has to help."

Fang Yu replied: "Weichen will definitely supervise and complete the matter as soon as possible."

The emperor nodded: "Go, it's time for the prince to pay his respects."

When Fang Yu came out, he happened to meet the prince coming in. He gave a slight salute. The prince looked a little stupid, but his temper was better than the others. He has not become a part of the prince's party. Your lord often speaks ill of him in front of the prince, but when the prince sees him, he is not as cold as the upright fourth master. This is the benefit of his cowardly personality.

He heard from a distance that the prince wanted to invite Liuxi team to perform or something. Fang Yu thought it was a birthday celebration.It is really lively for opera troupes to come to the palace to sing operas, especially for birthday banquets.He didn't listen much, and strode back to the Ministry of Industry.

When I arrived at the Ministry of Industry, I saw a group of petty officials moving things.

"What are they? Why is it so heavy?"

Seeing the little official struggling to move, Fang Yu also went to help.

"Reporting to my lord, these are the fireworks that were just sent to our Ministry of Industry. We need to put some in the New Year's Palace. In addition, there will be a lot of fireworks for birthdays after the new year. The Ministry of Industry has to rush to make these."

Fang Yu asked: "The fireworks production is also done by the Ministry of Industry?"

The little official knew that Fang Yu had not been in the Ministry of Industry for a long time, and that he had been busy building official roads before, and most of them went to the workshops in the east of the suburbs of Beijing. He must not know the specific matters of other departments, so he He explained: "The supply of fireworks in the palace is indeed managed by the Ministry of Industry. The workshop is in the imperial city, Wenxi Workshop."

"It's just right, you go to Wenxi Workshop with me, and I just want to go to see the military weapons."

"Yes."

The workshop department is actually quite big, but the workshops are a bit scattered, unlike the other departments of the six departments, it probably guards a classics hall, which is close to his office.The office of the Ministry of Industry is not big, but there are many workshops, some in the Forbidden City, some in the Imperial City, and some in the suburbs of Beijing. What's more, there are also workshops belonging to the government in some places, which manage iron mines and other imperial courts. industry production materials.

Wen Xi's workshop was built like an iron cage. Fang Yu walked in. There was a hole in the inside. There was a huge open-air courtyard where many iron ore were piled up.All the weapons in the army are made of iron produced step by step from these iron mines.

"Master Fang, how did you come here?"

The doctor in charge here is Qiu Ai, who was very enthusiastic when he saw Fang Yu.

"I came here to see how the production of the weapons sent to the northwest is going. Today, His Majesty asked, and it has to be manufactured earlier, so as not to worry too much."

Qiu Ai hurriedly led Fang Yu to the warehouse of the workshop, opened the warehouse, and there were mountains of weapons piled up in the warehouse. The common ones were spears, guns, broadswords, and some weapons specially aimed at Hercules, like what A sharp mace, and a hedgehog-like meteor hammer with dense spikes.

Fang Yu has never seen a bloody battlefield. The only time he fought with his body was the snow bandit he met when he came to the capital to rush for the exam. He is a scholar and a civil servant. He doesn't need to go to the battlefield. I can't help but feel the cruelty of war.

Looking at the meteor hammer is very strange, Ji Jin told him that he could swing the meteor hammer, he pulled up the iron chain to try it, but the two big balls seemed to be solid, so he didn't lift it up, The scene was a bit embarrassing for a while: "This hammer is made of real materials, and it is well made."

Qiu Ai said: "It must be real swords and guns. The war in the northwest is severe. How dare you send inferior weapons to the army? Wouldn't it make the soldiers feel chilled?"

Fang Yu nodded in agreement. There was an example of the Ministry of Industry embezzling military silver in the first dynasty. The money was used to build inferior weapons, which led to the defeat of soldiers in the war. The emperor Longyan was furious and punished many people. After that, Chongming The emperor was very strict with the management of the Ministry of Industry.If he hadn't entrusted the matter to Fang Yu who he trusted, he would have come to inspect in person.

He carefully checked and tested the sharpness of the weapon, and was relieved when he saw that there were no cut corners.This is not only a task assigned to him by the emperor, but the people he bought to assist him are still on the front line. If these things are not good, and there are some bad things about people, all his work will be in vain.

"I will come over to inspect this batch of military weapons when I have free time, and you have also carefully instructed the people who accept them to do their best. They will be sent to the northwest after the next year."

"Yes, the next official must do everything with his heart."

Fang Yu suddenly remembered: "By the way, the fireworks provided in the palace are also provided by Wenxi Workshop, let me have a look."

Qiu Ai led Fang Yu to watch the fireworks in the warehouse next door: "His Majesty's birthday banquet in Kaichun, the second master came to set up a lot of fireworks, and there will be a fireworks display. Both ends of the workshop are busy. The Ministry of Industry went to ask the lord if he could send some more people to help, so that the people at this end can relax a little bit."

Fang Yu looked at the gunpowder placed in the dry utensils, and there was a strong smell of nitrate in the warehouse: "This matter is easy to handle, and I will send some people over with you later. Whether it is weapon manufacturing or birthday banquets, it is an important matter Son, handle these matters properly at the critical moment."

Seeing Fang Yu's agreement, Qiu Ai quickly thanked him.When Fang Yu turned around and was about to look at the raw materials of gunpowder and a series of materials, a young and short boy suddenly jumped in: "Uncle, come and have a look at the fireworks I made, which can blow up new patterns." Come."

The person ran in a hurry, bumped into Fang Yu who was walking outside, and scattered the fireworks in his arms all over the ground. Because he was a little thin, he didn't knock down Fang Yu, but was bounced back and fell down. on the ground.

"You bastard, you offended your lord recklessly!"

Qiu Ai broke out in a cold sweat, and immediately dragged the person who ran in to kneel on the ground to apologize to Fang Yu.

"Is it your nephew? Why is Zuo in the workshop?"

Fang Yu's temper has always been gentle, but how can such a young man of sixteen or seventeen be allowed to run around here in an important military building, Qiu Ai is too dereliction of duty.

Seeing Fang Yu's eyebrows frowned, Qiu Ai hurriedly pleaded guilty: "I hope you will forgive me, this is really the nephew of the lower official. I like to tinker with these gunpowder and firecrackers, and occasionally I stay here in the workshop to research and make them for birthday banquets. Fireworks."

"Military important place, how can it be child's play."

Fang Yu patted his robe, glanced at the scattered fireworks on the ground, and saw the young man kneeling on the ground trembling in trepidation with a disgraced face, he sighed slightly: "This is not an example. Get up."

"Thank you sir, thank you sir." The young man kowtowed twice, lowered his eyebrows and glanced at Qiu Ai at the side, seeing that his uncle also asked him to get up, he breathed a sigh of relief and carefully stood up.

"I just heard that a new trick has been made, go out and let it go and have a look."

"Yes." The boy quickly picked up the fireworks and followed Fang Yu out of the warehouse.

"The day is bright, but the effect is not as good as at night." The young man said to Fang Yu, "I can only see the difference simply."

With a bang, the fireworks lifted into the air, and exploded after reaching a certain height. Even in the daytime, the colorful colors of the fireworks can be seen when they explode, and then they exploded one after another in flower shapes. The fireworks of this era were created and Not too many, and the style is still very simple. In the past, it was mostly bright white light, but now it has more colors, which is very beautiful.

"This kid is really talented at such a young age."

Fang Yu looked away after the fireworks were set off: "What's your name?"

"Little man Cheng Xian."

Qiu Ai said: "This brat didn't like reading since he was a child. He didn't go to school after he learned to write. He went to the workshop every day to tinker with these things. His interest was more serious than reading and writing. There were many beatings and scolding at home. So, I simply ran to the uncle, Xiaguan, to hide. Xiaguan thought that it would be a good thing if he had a skill to make a living, and he didn't expect everyone to be successful in the imperial examination and become an official. There are princes and generals, but most of them are ordinary people."

"It's rare for Mr. Qiu to be open-minded this time. I value civility over martial arts, and workers who are stuck in the middle are not very popular. I think craftsmen are worthy of admiration. If you keep going, there is no way out. .”

Fang Yu looked at Cheng Xian with great interest, and said to Qiu Ai: "I see that the boy is cautious and quick-witted, so stay with me and do things in the future. If he is sensible, he can mix with him in the future official position."

Qiu Ai did not expect that his silly nephew would be blessed by misfortune. Who is Fang Yu? He is the second in command of the Ministry of Industry, a hot favorite of the imperial court, and a celebrity in front of the emperor. It is a blessing to be able to appreciate Cheng Xian now.

He quickly patted Cheng Xian: "Hurry up and thank Mr. Fang."

Fang Yu looked at the person with a smile, but he had his own thoughts in his heart.