Wear It with Space

The two blacksmiths in the Zhuangzi are usually good at hitting farm tools, but if it is a knife or spearhead, a better craftsman is needed.

Guan Shi looked down and thought: "A craftsman with good craftsmanship can be found at a high price, but the iron ore used for cast iron is okay in a small amount, but it is difficult to do if it is too much."

"Why do you say that?"

Guan Shi said: "The only iron ore near this area was left by the previous dynasty. Because it was within the Qiu family's sphere of influence, it has always been controlled by the Qiu family. It used to be better, as long as You can buy iron ore at a high price. But recently, I heard that Qiu’s family was busy recruiting soldiers in private, so much less iron ore flowed out of this iron ore."

Since the founding emperor of the previous dynasty ordered the suspension of official iron smelting and allowed private mining to be free, this dynasty also continued the old rules. Iron ore is mainly operated by the private sector. Therefore, since the iron ore is operated by the Qiu family, his family can naturally restrict trading.

This was not what Shen Ling noticed. The Qiu family was also busy recruiting troops. It seemed that someone in the Qiu family had thought of going with him. After all, in troubled times, these big families have to make plans early. But if you recruit troops and buy horses, if you go low, you can keep the whole family safe, but when you go high, does the Qiu family also have the intention of ruling the roost?

But at the moment, I don't care about these, and I still solve the problem of iron ore.

Shen Ling pondered for a while. Since there are iron ore left by the previous dynasty near this area, maybe this area is a densely iron ore area, and it is very possible to find another iron ore.

"From Qiu's family, you can get as much iron ore as you like. In addition, you can find some carpenters and make two hundred wooden guns first." Shen Ling dismissed Lu Guan and went to the place where the bandits practiced martial arts.

Although Lu Guan was reliable, it was nowhere near as reliable as these gangsters who had taken the blood oath. So she picked five gangsters with flexible hands and feet from them, asked them to bring iron sandstones, and search the surrounding area again to see if they could Whether to find an iron ore.

However, Shen Ling would not pin all his hopes on the five bandits. If they can't find the iron ore for a long time, wouldn't the two hundred family members be a weapon that hasn't taken advantage of it.

So Shen Ling decided that he should form a caravan and take a trip to Hanzhong, which is rich in iron ore nearby. The reason why Hanzhong was chosen is not only because it is relatively closer to Biezhuang than other iron-producing places, but also because there are salt mines near Hanzhong.

In the future, if Shen Ling wants to rule the roost based on other villages, he cannot do without the two things of salt and iron. Fortunately, iron, especially salt, is simply indispensable.

That's why Shen Ling planned to take a trip to Hanzhong when the current world is not too chaotic, and bring some salt and iron back.

Because the salt and iron matter is more important, Shen Ling thought carefully and decided to lead the caravan to set off, so that if there is a danger on the road, she can also use her cultivation base to help solve it.

As for the steward who left with her, Shen Ling thought about it, but steward Lu still had to stay to deal with the affairs of Biezhuang. The steward was getting older, so Shen Ling thought about it, but only thought of Ah Sheng as a candidate.

There are still too few management talents in Zhuangzi. Shen Ling feels that besides cultivating private soldiers, he should also recruit some literati, and at least he can help him with some affairs.

But these things can be done after she comes back from Hanzhong.

About the caravan, Shen Ling thought about everything. He specially selected 30 strong young men from the two hundred newly recruited families, plus five robbers with rough martial arts, and they were able to deal with ordinary bandits.

It's just that she didn't expect that when she proposed to start with the caravan, Qiu He, the butler and Lu Guan all raised objections. They all felt that Shen Ling, a weak woman, went to a place as far away as Hanzhong with the caravan, what if there was a mistake.

The last time I rushed from the county town to Biezhuang was to avoid disaster, but now leading the caravan to a place as far away as Hanzhong is an adventure.

Shen Ling tried his best to convince the three of them, but Qiu He was still worried and wanted to follow along. Shen Ling didn't agree. Qiu He is the real weak female stream. If she goes with her, it will definitely drag the caravan. Besides, she doesn't need a maid to serve at any time.

Before leaving, Shen Ling repeatedly urged the housekeeper and the road manager to patrol them day and night. Once any abnormalities were discovered, everyone should avoid the wall. I would rather discount some food and money, but also to keep everyone in other villages safe.

On the day before the departure, the two blacksmiths hired by the manager at a high price had thirty-five big swords. Some of the iron ore used in these big knives was bought at a high price from the Qiu family, and some were some rotten iron pieced together in the Zhuangzi. For this reason, an extra iron pot in the Zhuangzi was smashed for it. Collect the materials for thirty-five big knives.

After everything was ready, Shen Ling led the caravan and set off.

In order to go back quickly, and to prove that he would not drag everyone behind, Shen Ling did not choose to ride a carriage, but rode on the road like everyone else.

The 30 newly recruited family members couldn't help whispering when they learned that their owner would also go with them, but after seeing Shen Ling's neatly mounted horse raise the reins and set off, all the thoughts in his heart swallowed back.

Although Shen Ling had previously ordered the bandits to teach these family members to ride horses, these family members used to be tenants and hardly even touched horses. Therefore, except for a few people who knew nothing about them, most of them rode cautiously and fearfully. Fell off the horse.

This situation didn't get better until they had been riding for two or three days, and the caravan's speed was also faster.

It was probably because the horses and carts were empty when they went, so there were very few tribulations along the way. Even if they did, they were repelled by five bandits and thirty family members. Those five bandits have experience in banditry and know which roads are troubled by banditry and which roads are safe and sound. With their escort, the caravan and his party went to Hanzhong smoothly.

After Shen Ling arrived in Hanzhong, he first replaced all the silver bills she carried with them with gold ingots. When she set out from the county city, she couldn't go out to the money house to exchange them. Now that she has the opportunity, Shen Ling will take all the silver bills. They were all replaced with gold ingots. After all, once war is about to happen, any silver bill is a piece of waste paper, and what people believe most is real money.

After Shen Ling exchanged all the silver bills into gold ingots, he asked Ah Sheng to find out which company controlled the largest iron ore in Hanzhong. As for the salt mines, such important things are naturally not privately owned, they are all in the hands of the government.

Asheng went out to inquire, and brought back a lot of information to Shen Ling.

At present, the largest iron ore mine near Hanzhong is in the hands of the local tycoon Zhang family, while the contemporary advocates Gu Tingren said that they do not know how to be motivated and indulge in wine, and there are more than a dozen rooms for concubines alone. One of the most favored is the seventh concubine, who has given birth to two sons for Zhang Gu and compares them to the mistress.

Therefore, the merchants who want to buy ore from Zhang's family now start with the seventh concubine, and the seventh aunt happened to have a maiden brother named Ma Quan, who was smooth and talkative, so the merchants turned to him. Deal with it.

Ah Sheng has already inquired about Na Ma Quan's personality and preferences, as long as he asks him to have a meal in the largest restaurant in Hanzhong, and he will help him with a lot of money.

On the other side of the salt mine, the salt lift, which is in charge of the production and sales of salt mines, is a difficult bone. He and the local Zhao family colluded with each other, and all the salt drew into the hands of the Zhao family, almost monopolizing the salt industry in Hanzhong. Ordinary merchants can't get a piece of salt at a high price, so Zhao's family is the only one in the salt industry.

"Then how did the Zhao family let the salt mention all the salt to him?" Shen Ling was more concerned about this issue.

Ah Sheng said: "It is said that the Zhao family gave a prostitute to Yan Tiju as a continuation of the string. After the prostitute came in, she gave birth to twin sons, and immediately compared the original match of the two daughters. Up."

Shen Ling nodded thoughtfully, and was silent for a while before instructing Asheng: "You can inquire for me again, and don't let go of any trivial things about the Zhao family and Yanti's family. Besides, Tie On the mine side, I will find someone to contact Na Maquan, you only need to inquire about the current situation of the two companies."

Although Ah Sheng was more capable, he was young, and I was afraid that he would be underestimated by the shrewd and capable people like Ma Quan, so Shen Ling planned to order a bandit to deal with Ma Quan. Since Ma Quan was shrewd, he would definitely be able to see the origin of the gangster, and he would be a little bit cautious in his heart, so naturally he didn't dare to fool them.

Things were indeed as expected by Shen Ling. The gangster sent by Shen Ling was the heaviest of the five. He was named Zhang Wu. He dressed up according to Shen Ling's intentions and got on the horse. Quan's home.

Although Zhang Wu dressed up as a businessman, he could tell that he was a bandit at first glance. Since his sister was favored, Ma Quan has come into contact with many people on weekdays, all kinds of people have seen it, and Zhang Wu is not the first bandit to come to him.

So he was a little polite and accepted Zhang Wu's invitation to go to the largest restaurant in Hanzhong.

During the dinner, Zhang Wu asked him to help get thousands of catties of iron ore, and promised him five hundred taels.

Thousands of kilograms of iron ore is considered a big customer, Ma Quan agreed with a thought. As for what Zhang Wu wanted these iron ore for, he wouldn't ask him, because he wanted to come to the left and just forge some weapons to rob the way.

After Zhang Wu obtained thousands of catties of iron ore through Ma Quan, Ah Sheng also brought back useful news to Shen Ling.

Yan Tiju’s old mother has recently been seriously ill, and she is posting notices everywhere offering a reward for the famous doctors to come to see the old lady.

After Shen Ling heard the news, he had an idea in his heart. In the previous world, she sometimes studied medicine in order to pass the time. Even more, in the previous world, I had consulted with the imperial physicians in the palace for some questions, and the level was much higher than before.

So the next day, Shen Ling dressed up as an old man and removed a notice posted in the city. Immediately there were a few families guarding nearby and politely invited her to Jia Dahua's house in Yantiju.

The old man dressed as Shen Ling looked immortal, and coupled with the outstanding temperament of the immortal cultivator himself, it was easy to win people's conviction.

So she went to the old lady's bedroom smoothly.