"First, this base must ensure that there are enough raw materials to deal with …"
"Second, this base must be conducive to defense. If it is attacked, the limited strength of the guard base must ensure that the base can persist until the arrival of reinforcements …"
"You may not know the current situation of the artisan camp, but even if the scale is expanded tenfold, the monthly firearms output will not change much. One of the most important reasons is that the raw material pig iron necessary for the production of firearms should be very insufficient …"
"Want to expand artisan camp must find enough raw materials …"
At this time, Wei Zheng spoke firmly and said, "Firearms are the lifeblood of our tiger and leopard army, and all kinds of pig iron and gunpowder needed to produce firearms are the lifeblood."
"In order to ensure the continuous development of the Tiger and Leopard Army, this lifeline must never be in the hands of others."
"So I intend to take this opportunity to set up a series of workshops such as mining, ironmaking, gunpowder production and firearms production, and set up a department to manage them."
Make an exception and come to this secret meeting. Wang Tiezhong, the general manager of the artisan camp, asked thoughtfully at Weizheng. "General, there is a department in the imperial court of Beijing that specializes in the production and distribution of ordnance, called the armory, which belongs to the Ministry of War. Is the general going to set up the same department?"
Weizheng didn’t hide anything, so he nodded and answered, "You said it was good enough to avert suspicion. I want to form this department, not called armory department, but directly called equipment department, and you, Wang Tiezhong, are the first director level of equipment department, equivalent to five thousand teachers of tiger and leopard army …"
"Psst …" After hearing Wei Zheng’s answer, Wang Tie gasped directly.
Not only the faces of Kelly Y Zhou and Wang Feng in Wang Tie, but also a look of unprecedented shock.
Because in their eyes, Wang Tiezhong is only a skilled craftsman even if he is valued by Wei Zheng again, but such a craftsman has not only become an official for the first time, but also a big official, which has to shock these people who have been poisoned by the idea of scholars, industry and commerce
Everyone stared at Wei Zheng and once again answered firmly, "You didn’t hear this equipment department director level wrong. If it is calculated according to the imperial court level, it will be plus four."
"One of the important reasons why I did this is to make people pay attention to these craftsmen and the equipment department."
"Anyone who wants to follow my footsteps must change your point of view. Craftsmen are no longer bullying inferior people, but have superb technical talents."
"It is with these talents that our Tiger and Leopard Army can be equipped with such good firearms. With these qualified firearms, our Tiger and Leopard Army can win one victory after another …"
"So we in the Tiger and Leopard Army should not only pay attention to those knowledge points, but also pay attention to those craftsmen with exquisite skills to encourage everyone to learn skills as craftsmen …"
At this time, a face of excitement, Wang Tiezhong suddenly knelt in front of Weizheng and sighed with emotion, "General Ying … Thank you for your understanding … Here, I kowtow to the general on behalf of all the craftsmen in Dachao. If there were no general, we craftsmen would still be alive and cold."
"Not only do you not have enough to eat, but you are bullied and looked down upon as inferior …"
Chapter two hundred and forty-three Wang Chengen shocked.
In the face of the truth in Wang Tie, Kelly Y Zhou and others also showed a thoughtful expression on their faces.
Wei Zheng stared at Kelly Y Zhou and first affirmed, "General Director Wang said it was right. If we can really improve the status of craftsmen and tigers and leopards in the army, I am sure that the hearts of craftsmen will definitely be on our side."
Weizheng nodded and didn’t stay on this topic.
After some meditation, he decisively ordered, "Since everyone agrees with this idea, I will talk about my decision."
"As far as I know, the Taihang Mountains in the southeast of Datong not only bury a lot of coal mines, but also a lot of iron ore, which is more than sulfur and saltpeter, plus the dangerous terrain of the Taihang Mountains. I can definitely say that this is definitely the best production place for our equipment company."
"So I’m going to transfer the artisan camp, that is, the equipment department’s future production area, to the depths of Taihang Mountain …"
"Of course, I said that the production site of this equipment division is not a simple firearms production site, but a comprehensive production base that includes iron ore, ironmaking, gunpowder, ammunition, grenades and artillery shells …"
"This production base needs to rely on our own strength to continuously produce all kinds of equipment and ammunition for the troops. In my expectation, the total number of this equipment division will be less than 200,000 if family members are added … equivalent to the size of a county town in our dynasty."
"I checked the map of Shanxi very carefully. Lingqiu County, which is located in the depths of Taihang Mountain, not only has a very rich iron ore and coal mine, but more importantly, although this Lingqiu is located in a mountainous area, the traffic is very convenient and suitable for establishing our equipment company’s production base …"
"In addition, although Lingqiu is a county town, there are less than 30,000 people who want us to move these 30,000 people out of Lingqiu or directly become craftsmen in the production base, so it will be more convenient for us to establish a production base in Lingqiu because the foundation of Lingqiu county is there …"
Speaking of which, Wei Zheng, regardless of whether several departments have reacted directly to Kelly Y Zhou, ordered, "Although Wang Tiezhong is responsible for this matter, you have to tie it up and manage it. After all, Wang Tiezhong has no experience in managing hundreds of thousands of people …"
Such a huge project is definitely not something that Wei Zheng wants to do.
When Kelly Y Zhou began to prepare for the establishment of the Equipment Division, history was really a confidant of Chongzhen and Wang Chengen, who was willing to die in Chongzhen, had secretly come to Datong House on behalf of Emperor Chongzhen.
Seeing that Wang Chengen, who had been sealed as a third-class "Wei Zheng" before him, didn’t show the slightest trust because he was the emperor’s confidant.
See before to meet their WeiZheng Wang Chengen hurriedly knelt to WeiZheng said, "sage Wang Chengen see uncle … I wish uncle can continue to prosper in the future …"
Wang Chengen, who was deeply trusted by the emperor, didn’t formally decide to turn his back on Emperor Chongzhen. The first thought in his heart was to make friends …
The Wang Chengen just kneel to WeiZheng will pick up in a hurry.
Then he said to Wang Chengen with a face of regrets, "Wang Gonggong, I dare not accept your gift … You are a red man in front of the emperor and even the emperor won’t let you salute. What’s worse, I am a little third-class …"
"If Wang Gonggong respects me and doesn’t treat me as an outsider, just call me Wei Zheng or Wei Xiong … don’t ask me to listen to the third-class uncle and be scared …"
Not only that, a silver ticket of 100 thousand taels was also quietly stuffed into Wang Chengen’s hand by Wei Zheng …
And with a smile on his face, he said, "Grandpa Wang, I heard that I paid you a visit to the court once. My butch army directly broke the family fortune and donated tens of thousands of taels of silver to the court. Today, whatever I say, I will return tens of thousands of taels of silver to Grandpa Wang, and I must not let Grandpa Wang suffer … so please accept these silver tickets …"
Wang Chengen did not refuse these rules of officialdom.
With a smile on his face, Wang Chengen replied with a smile, "Since the third-class uncle has high regard for the sage, he will ask the third-class uncle Wei Xiong to shout …"
"Wei Xiong, you should be very clear about my coming here this time … I came to Datong House to discuss the specific business of glass mirrors with you at the behest of the emperor … I wonder if Wei Xiong is ready …"
"Ready …" Weizheng affirmed with a smile.
Then he took Wang Chengen directly into Company commanders mansion and walked into a heavily guarded room.
Open the door of the house, and glass mirrors of different sizes have been neatly placed around the house.
Wang Chengen, the personal eunuch of Emperor Chongzhen, saw many glass mirrors, but it was definitely more than the average person. However, when he saw dozens of glasses in the room, he was shocked.
Because some of the glass in the room is really too big … even one side can’t be found in the Grand Palace.
You know, all these glasses in the palace are shipped from Europe, and the glass is very fragile, and the bigger it is, the easier it is to break, which reduces the risk of being transported to large glass-not small and medium-sized glass
At present, there are dozens of glass mirrors put out by Wei Zheng. In addition to Wang Chengen, there are still a few tall glasses. It is certain that if this glass is sent to the palace, it will definitely cause all the concubines in the palace to compete.
After some shock, Wang Chengen didn’t forget his visit.
After entering the room and taking a deep breath, he asked Wei Zheng, "Wei Xiong, are these glasses produced by you?" “
After being affirmed by Wei Zheng, Wang Chengen had an idea in his heart. At present, the business of Wei Zheng giving the emperor must be a very profitable business
Without hesitation, he continued to ask, "Can Brother Wei guarantee the quantity of these glass mirrors, especially these one-man tall glass mirrors? I am sure that these large glass mirrors will be plundered by all the dignitaries in Beijing if they are to be shipped to Beijing."
Wei Zheng nodded and answered, "There may be some problems for the time being, but after a long time, the quantity of goods can be guaranteed. The glass mirror is so large that it is produced to a very high level … the average person can bear it …"