Chapter 52: Reaping

"This time I went west, the first place I passed by was the old Persian land. There is someone in Chang'an who can go with you." Li Longji looked at Chen Wanrong and said, "This person will help you."

Chen Wanrong was a little surprised and asked, "Master, who is it?"

"Hu Dake!" Li Longji blurted out.

Chen Wanrong remembered the scene when he met Hu Dake. This Persian had nothing extraordinary, so how could he say that he could help? Li Longji saw Chen Wanrong's confusion and smiled and said, "Hu Da is a descendant of Beilus!"

"The descendant of the Persian king?" Chen Wanrong had absolutely never expected Hu Dake to have such a origin, so he almost jumped up.

Li Longji nodded and said, "After Beilus' death, his family has been in Chang'an. Emperor Gaozong and Empress Zetian Shunsheng helped them restore the country several times, but they were not successful. This time, if you go to the Western Regions, you can arrange this matter by the way."

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian, in order to help the descendants of Beilus restore the country, they sent troops to prepare to enter Persia, but in the end they failed and did not set foot on the land of Persia at all.

Supporting a system close to the Tang Dynasty was of great benefit to the Tang Dynasty. Chen Wanrong said excitedly: "With Hu Dake, our march this time will be justified!"

The Persian Empire was a country with a long history. It had a long war with Greece as early as the Greek era. Later, wars with the Roman Emperor continued, and its territory was quite wide. It could be said to be an old empire. Although it was destroyed by the Great Food, its influence was still there. If Hu Dake went back, the Tang Dynasty's march would be legitimate and there would be too many benefits.

"If the name is not upright, the words will not go well. You must judge the situation and handle it flexibly!" Li Longji said something.

He was hinting that Chen Wanrong could not let Hu Dake escape from control. This is something that does not require any advice. If the situation cannot be controlled, wouldn’t the Tang Dynasty be a wedding dress for others? Chen Wanrong would not do such a loss-making business, nodded and said, “Prince, please rest assured, I understand!”

"The matter has been discussed almost. You go down and rest! Three days later, set off!" Li Longji waved his right hand.

Chen Wanrong stood up and left the palace. He did not rush home, but rushed to the military weapon prison. There were still many things waiting for him. He arrived at the military weapon prison. As soon as he entered the door, someone noticed him. Someone shouted in surprise: "General Chen is back! General Chen is back!"

The voice of "General Chen is back" soon spread throughout the military weapon surveillance, and people rushed in.

Ye Tianheng rushed over with a crutch, as if flying. He came close to him, threw the crutch, hugged Chen Wanrong, and patted Chen Wanrong on Chen Wanrong's back: "My friend, I miss me to death! I miss me to death!"

When Chen Wanrong saw that there were still tears in his eyes and no lies. This was the expression of true feelings. Chen Wanrong felt warm and said a joke: "Master, have you scolded me?"

"No! I just complained a few times!" Ye Tianheng said the truth: "After the Zhongshou Jiangcheng was lost, we blamed you for coming, and nothing else was said."

After being thrown away by Zhongshoucheng, the city was full of storms. The radical people even scolded Chen Wanrong for being a traitor, saying that he was a treacherous minister. They just complained that this was already good enough.

Chen Wanrong imagined how serious the situation was at that time, and joked: "Just complain a few times, didn't scold me?"

Ye Tianheng stomped his feet in a hurry. Kou Yibing ran over and replied on his behalf: "I really only complain a few times, and I didn't say anything else."

"That's not OK, you should believe me!" Chen Wanrong's naughty look made everyone laugh.

Sima Chengzhen, Liu Huaide, Monk, Liang Lingzan and others arrived one after another, surrounding Chen Wanrong in the middle and couldn't stop asking. Although the separation was not long this time, there were too many accidents, especially the loss of Zhongshoujiang City, which made them even more worried. Now that Chen Wanrong is back, he naturally needs to ask carefully.

"My friend, why do you want to throw away Zhongshoujiang City?" Although Chen Wanrong and the others reported this question, only a few people knew about it, and Ye Tianheng and the others did not know about it.

Chen Wanrong smiled and said, "You have to let me go back to the house and sit down and talk."

"Yes, yes, please, please, please!" Ye Tianheng grabbed Chen Wanrong's arm and enthusiastically welcomed Chen Wanrong into the house. Guan Yibing was busy bringing a cup of tea.

Chen Wanrong was a little thirsty, so he didn't hesitate to take it and started drinking. Everyone found a seat to sit down, stared at Chen Wanrong, and waited for his answer. After drinking tea, Chen Wanrong said: "There is no way to throw it away in Zhongshoujiang City. Mochu's army is north of Yinshan, so he will not go south. In order to mobilize him to go south, we can only do so."

"The idea is good, but I'm too brave. Let me guess, this must be your idea. No one has the courage except you." Ye Tianheng was so happy that he looked like a child.

Chen Wanrong nodded and changed the topic: "Master Ye, have you been lazy after I left for this time?"

This is a joke. Ye Tianheng grabbed Chen Wanrong's arm without saying a word and said, "My friend, are you lazy? You will know if you go with us and have a look. Let's go and have a look!"

Kou Yibing hurriedly grabbed Ye Tianheng and said, "Brother Ye, General Chen is joking, don't take it seriously."

Ye Tianheng said with a smile on his face: "Who took it seriously? I'm joking too."

Liu Huaide then introduced in detail: "General Chen, we have made considerable progress during this period and have made great progress in all aspects. There are two aspects that have made the greatest progress, one is chemical industry and the other is mechanical manufacturing. Chemical industry is from Taoist priest, and from Master Liang to machinery, they know best."

"Actually, I know it too." Ye Tianheng was in a good mood and shouted, which made everyone laugh.

Sima Chengzhen and Liang Lingzan shook their eyes and said first: "My friend, the progress of chemical engineering is beyond our expectations. The method you mentioned is really useful. Once we make the equipment, will sulfuric acid be produced?"

"You all made sulfuric acid?" Chen Wanrong was a little surprised: "When I left, the equipment was not ready yet, and I still had to install and debug, so quickly?"

Sima Chengzhen, who has always been calm and inaction, couldn't help but brag: "My friend, don't you see who is doing this, I'm sorry. I don't have the ability to say goodbye, but I still have some magical methods."

"Haha!" Everyone laughed loudly, and no one expected that he would brag.

Sima Chengzhen stroked his beard and smiled, "We are rushing around for a long time. It's not very easy to make equipment? My friend, this debugging is not a problem at all, and it's successful after a try. The sulfuric acid is simpler than we imagined."

This is a craft designed by Chen Wanrong based on the actual situation of the Tang Dynasty, and the difficulty is naturally much smaller.

Chen Wanrong was also happy and said with a smile: "It's good to make it! It's good to make it!"

Sima Chengzhen continued: "After the sulfuric acid is made, we originally planned to extract Artemisia annua. The emperor said that Artemisia annua will not mature after a while, so we should do other things first. It is best to make copper sulfate to prevent the diseases and pests of crops. This is not spring, the season for crop sowing is here, and pests are coming soon, so we have to prepare early."

Sulfuric acid is widely used and can be used to make fertilizers. However, the amount of fertilizer is too large, and the current output of sulfuric acid cannot meet the requirements at all. It is better to concentrate on making pesticides. Chen Wanrong had to accept Li Longji's vision, and secretly praised him and asked, "How are you doing?"

No one answered, everyone laughed and was very happy. It was necessary to know that this laughter was the best answer, and they must have done a good job.

Sure enough, Sima Chengzhen said happily: "Speaking of this, the difficulty of sulfuric acid is much greater than that of copper sulfate. Copper sulfate is easy to make. Just bake the copper until it turns black and put it into the sulfuric acid, and there will be copper sulfate."

"There are samples here, look." Ye Tianheng stood up excitedly, took a cane and brought a box in front of Chen Wanrong, and said proudly: "My friend, look. What we make is no worse than what you do!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and some people nodded without hesitation.

Chen Wanrong pointed at Ye Tianheng and opened the box with a smile. He saw a piece of blue copper sulfate placed in the box. He was very beautiful in his hand. This reminded Chen Wanrong of the incident of picking up the alum with Zheng Qing, and his heart felt warm.

After looking at the copper sulfate for a while, Chen Wanrong said with great affirmation: "It's indeed good. It seems that you don't need me anymore after you start your army! I'm very happy!"

"Are you happy?" Ye Tianheng was a little surprised.

The monk who had never spoken said, "Master Ye, General Chen has a broad mind. He wishes everyone is a master!"

Ye Tianheng understood and said with a thumb up: "My friend's mind is admirable!" He blinked his eyes and said: "My friend, we have used this thing. I found two pieces of land outside the city, sprayed with copper sulfate and lime liquid. The crops were growing well and green. The useless piece was gnawed by the insects, it was not the same, it was not the same." He shook his head, looking regretful.

The matter is definitely not as serious as he said, but with comparison, this is not serious and it becomes extremely serious, and it is impossible to be regretful.

"Your actions are quite fast!" Chen Wanrong commented.

"That depends on who it is?" Sima Chengzhen also boasted honestly and bluntly: "With me, there are still things I can't do?"

Everyone burst into laughter again.

It’s not Sima Chengzhen’s boast, but it’s because he is increasingly discovering the value of chemical engineering, which is more and more than a hundred times better than his alchemy. He has realized that as long as he learns chemical engineering well, the world will undergo earth-shaking changes.

After laughing, Sima Chengzhen continued: "The next thing we have to do is to increase the amount of sulfuric acid and make more sulfuric acid. Then, we will make fertilizers and medicines. We plan to expand twenty production lines within the year."

"Twenty points? Your ambitions are not small." Chen Wanrong was very surprised.

"Is it too much?" Liu Huaiqing took over the conversation: "The emperor's request is to build a hundred sulfuric acid production lines within two years. The emperor said that within two years, Guanzhong area will not only use copper sulfate, but also fertilizer. You said, can we not be busy doing it?"

Li Longji's ambition was too great. Chen Wanrong was a little dizzy and asked, "Your Majesty has gone to see it?"

Kou Yibing's voice was lowered and he said mysteriously: "I didn't tell you that it was the emperor's idea to ask us to try planting one piece. When the crops are well planted and grown, the emperor will be more active than anyone else when using copper sulfate. He goes there once a day, no matter whether it is windy or rainy, he will go and see what happened. You said, after the emperor knows the wonderful use of copper sulfate, can he not be anxious?"

Ye Tianheng took over the conversation and said, "The grain in Guanzhong has never been self-sufficient and has to be transported from other places. If Guanzhong can solve the problem of grain self-sufficiency, what does that mean? It will save a lot of manpower and material resources!"

Guanzhong is rich and has the foundation of "800 Miles of Qinchuan", but it still cannot meet the needs. Once there is a problem with the grain, the government and the country will shake. It is precisely in order to solve the grain problem that rivers and canals have to be repaired so that the grain can be transported to Chang'an smoothly.

Solving the problem of food self-sufficiency in Guanzhong has always been a major event for the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Now, there is finally a chance. Can Li Longji not be enthusiastic? Although he has not yet seen fertilizer, it is fascinating for him alone. It is reasonable to make up his mind to solve the fertilizer problem.

Chen Wanrong knew a lot about the national conditions of the Tang Dynasty, and Yu Li Longji's ambition was very much appreciated.

"Master Liang, it's your turn." Sima Chengzhen nodded at Liang Lingzan.

Liang Lingzan said with a little regret: "General Chen, our progress is not as smooth as the Taoist priest. The steam engine has not been built yet."

"Haven't been built yet?" Chen Wanrong was a little surprised. When Chen Wanrong left, the steam engine was almost ready. According to Chen Wanrong's idea, it should have been built now. It was so strange: "Have you encountered difficulties?"

Ye Tianheng replied on his behalf: "There is no difficulty, it's just that there is not enough manpower. The staff of the steam engine are always transferred to do other things and cannot concentrate on it. My friend, think about it, the emperor wants us to build a hundred sulfuric acid production lines, and this alone is enough for us to be busy. These equipment need Master Liang to do it. Who told him to have a machine tool?"

Everyone laughed comfortably, but Liang Lingzan couldn't help but shake his head, a little annoyed: "It's not that I'm not happy, it's really a matter of nothing. This manpower is always not enough. We trained batch after batch, but it's still not enough. One thing is done, and another one comes again. Just after a set of sulfuric acid production line was completed, the task of one hundred sets was completed. This alone will take several years to do it. Then the emperor issued an order to make more machine tools and make it easier to transport. I don't know where to transport it."

Chen Wanrong knew in his heart that he would definitely be brought to the Western Regions without thinking. If he wanted to use the resources of the Western Regions to solve the Tang army's equipment, it would be impossible without machine tools. Li Longji had planned everything for this Western Expedition, and Chen Wanrong had to accept his foresight.

"Master Liang, don't be upset. The more manpower you need, it means that the more prosperous the 'business' of our military weapon surveillance, you should be happy." Chen Wanrong comforted her playfully: "Master Liang, how many manpower you need? You said, I'll find a way for you."

Liang Lingzan shook his head in distress and said, "Let me find a way? Where can I find someone? For this matter, we found the emperor. The emperor said that we can't transfer people anymore. If the Imperial College is transferred again, it will not be the Imperial College."

Liu Huaide's excitement also faded a lot, and he shook his head and said, "General Chen, haven't told you yet. Since you left, the emperor issued an order and transferred two hundred people from the Imperial College to us, and a thousand people were drawn from the county hall. Our military weapon prison now has almost 10,000 people, so it's really impossible to transfer people."

Ye Tianheng sighed and said, "When it comes to this manpower, it really binds our hands and feet. If we want to solve it, we may have to wait until the University of Science and Technology trains those boys. This will take a long time, from at least seven or eight years to more than ten years, and we can't wait."

The Tang Dynasty had no reserves of scientific and technological talents, and the scale of military weapon surveillance suddenly expanded, and the personnel were suddenly nervous. Li Longji was very supportive of the expansion of military weapon surveillance, asking people to give people and money, but there must be a bottom line. After all, the Imperial College was also responsible for other tasks, and it was necessary to train officials for the Tang Dynasty and conduct academic research. It was impossible to transfer all of them. It was already very good to be able to transfer so many people.

The problem we are facing is very serious. If it cannot be solved, the good signs that have just appeared may still be in the womb. If you want to solve it, but where can we find people to find?

Cultivation takes time and cannot be completed without a few years of effort.

The monk and his party were a little tricked: "General Chen, you are in charge of military weapons. We have to find you. If you can't solve it, we won't follow it."

This was a joke, but it received everyone's response. Ye Tianheng slapped Chen Wanrong on the shoulder: "My friend, you have to help the old brother find some people. Even if you don't have any experienced skills, it's okay to find some smart boys, I can teach them."

"That's it!" Everyone agreed in unison.

Chen Wanrong looked at everyone without hesitation and said, "You are looking for me, it is more effective than looking for the emperor!"

But he was just a joke, but he was serious, and everyone was surprised. After a moment of silence, Sima Chengzhen took the lead and asked, "My friend, aren't you telling lies?"

"Can I tell lies about this?" Chen Wanrong asked back.

Everyone's interest suddenly became raised: "What's your idea? Tell me quickly, don't keep it."

"I'm about to say it, you're too anxious." Chen Wanrong saw their anxious look in his eyes, and was still happy, saying: "It's unlikely to pull out people from the Tang Dynasty. However, we can look further."

He lowered his voice and said, "What I told you now, you are not allowed to say it out."

Everyone nodded constantly: "I will definitely not say it out, I will definitely not say it out!"

Chen Wanrong believed him and continued, "I can only stay for three days when I come back this time. I originally wanted to accompany my wife, but it seems that I can only use it to help you do things."

"Three days? Why are there only three days?" The surprise in everyone's hearts cannot be described by the pen and mo.

Chen Wanrong said, "It's true, only three days. In three days, I will go to the Western Regions. This time, I will lead 200,000 troops to fight with Dashi."

"Isn't this a big fight with Dashi?" Everyone was even more surprised.

"But, what does this have to do with the manpower we need?" Kou Yibing was a little confused.
Chapter completed!