"I believe that agriculture should be emphasized, and commerce should be neither emphasized nor suppressed, and can be allowed to develop. If the people find it beneficial, they will naturally engage in business, and if they find it unprofitable, they will naturally return to the land. In addition, I request the king to open the door to merchants going to the Western Regions.
Road, allowing private businessmen to participate in order to prosper the Hexi Corridor. At the same time, we will send troops to eliminate banditry along the way and enhance our Qin State's control over the area." Lu Buwei said.
"What the Shaofu said is absolutely true. I will leave the commercial matters to the Shaofu. I will send troops to clear out the banditry in the Hexi Corridor." Qin Wangji felt that what Lu Buwei said was very reasonable.
The Hexi Corridor is home to various tribes such as Qiang people, Rong people, and Yuezhi survivors.
Even though the Qin State filled the Hexi Corridor by pardoning criminals, relocating merchants, and adopting son-in-laws, its control over the area was still very low.
If it were in the past, the impact would not be big, as long as it could provide war horses for Qin every year.
But now that the trade route is open, Qin must ensure the safety and stability of the Hexi Corridor.
"No." Lu Buwei said, cupping his hands.
"Leave the matter of eradicating banditry to Huan Jue." Qin Wangji looked around, and his eyes quickly fell on a young general.
This kind of thing does not require a veteran to take action, sending a young general is enough.
"The last general takes orders." Huan Jue took a step forward, cupped his fists and said.
"Your Majesty, Xiang Lihe of the Mo family wants to see you." At this time, a guard guarding the palace came from a distance and came on horseback. When he saw the frame of Qin Wangji's carriage, he quickly got off his horse and said with clasped fists.
"Xiang Lihe? Ask him to wait in the palace. I will be here soon." Qin Wangji said.
The Mohist Prime Minister Li Shi was a special group of beings in the Qin State. They only cared about inventions, creations, and technological innovations, but nothing else. Qin would provide everything they needed.
Likewise, everything produced belongs to the State of Qin.
Under normal circumstances, Xianglishi will not take the initiative to ask for an interview, but if he only asks for an interview, something big will happen.
"Is it made of paper? Or is it made of cement? It shouldn't be a bad thing." Qin Wangji had some random thoughts along the way.
It wasn't until I saw Mr. Xiangli's face full of glory and smile that he felt relieved and said jokingly: "Sir, what good things can you tell me?"
"Your Majesty, I am here to show you a sword."
Xianglihe is a middle-aged man with a hoarse voice, a short stature, thick and powerful limbs, a dark face, and extremely broad palms covered with yellowish-brown calluses.
Wearing a coarse cloth coat covered with patches, and wearing straw sandals made by himself, he looked extremely poor.
"Sword?" Qin Wangji was a little confused. Is a mere sword worthy of Xiang Lihe's personal trip?
However, Qin Wangji had great respect for the Mohist family. The strength of the Qin State was partly due to the Mohist family, so he decided to take a look first and then said, "Take it and show it to me."
Xianglihe looked at the guard next to him. When he just entered the palace, the sword was taken away by the guard on duty.
Seeing that King Qin Ji had agreed, the guards quickly walked outside the palace and took the sword over.
Qin Wangji took the sword, glanced at it twice, and then looked at Xianglihe with doubts on his face.
The sword is made of bronze, four feet and four inches long, and has no obvious difference from the Qin State's standard sword.
"Please, Your Majesty, bring me another sword and strike each other with the two swords," Xianglihe said.
"You two, come here." Qin Wangji threw his sword to a guard in front of him.
The guard took the sword, and another guard took out a long sword from his waist.
"Dang!" A spark flew out, and the two long swords collided fiercely, and one of the long swords broke into two pieces.
"Your Majesty, please take a look." Xianglihe pointed to the sword he had just given to Qin Wangji. Its surface was intact as before, without even a crack.
"How... was this done?" Qin Wangji stroked the sword and said in disbelief.
Qin's copper smelting technology has reached the point of perfection. Every step forward is difficult and dangerous. If you want to improve the quality of weapons, the best way is to make iron tools instead.
However, the lack of iron in the Qin State resulted in backward iron smelting technology, and it was unable to smoothly transition from bronze to iron like other countries in the Central Plains.
It was not until the Qin State occupied the Yiyang Iron Mine that it began to develop iron smelting. Even so, Qin State's iron smelting technology was very backward compared to other countries in the Central Plains.
But if bronze weapons can reach the level in the hands of Qin Wangji, let alone iron weapons, even weapons made of fine steel can crush them.
The slightest difference on the battlefield may affect life or death. Someone else's sword can withstand thirty collisions before breaking, but yours can withstand twenty-nine collisions, and you will be the one who dies.
This sword is no longer a slight improvement, but a qualitative leap.
The weapons equipped by the guards were already the most advanced weapons in the Qin State, and they were cut off in just one attack.
Qin Wangji even felt the presence of inner energy in the sword, which caused the sword's material to undergo earth-shaking changes, completely exceeding the limit that bronze could achieve.
"Your Majesty, I discovered a substance called chromium a few years ago (Qin is definitely not called this, but there is no need to change the name). It is extremely hard, but the quantity is too small, which is not enough to make weapons.
I wonder if plating a thin layer on the surface of the weapon would be effective."
"After several years of research and testing, Chen finally succeeded in plating chromium on weapons. Chen found that after chromium plating, the hardness, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and anti-rust effects of weapons are greatly improved."
"At the same time, the chromium film adheres to the bronze and has a barrier effect. After the internal air enters the weapon, it no longer escapes, but is sealed in the weapon, nourishing the weapon all the time and increasing the weapon's power."
"I named this technology Feng Ling."
It is well known that aura can significantly improve the performance of materials.
However, since these dead creatures do not have intelligence and cannot store spiritual energy, the improvement rate is very, very slow.
In addition to the weapons of extraordinary warriors, due to being held by warriors for a long time, their hardness, toughness, and ability to channel internal energy have been greatly improved, and their power is far beyond that of ordinary weapons.
The quality of other weapons, including those of Gang Yuan realm warriors, has been minimally improved compared to when they left the factory.
But it's different after chrome plating. The spiritual energy is sealed in the weapon, nourishing the weapon at all times and improving the performance of the weapon, first quantitatively, and then qualitatively.
"Can it be popularized?" Qin Wangji stroked the sword and said excitedly, his voice trembling.
"Your Majesty, it can be popularized, but the technology is not yet mature enough. I need time to study it," Xianglihe said.
"I would like to elevate you to the rank of Dashangzao. In addition, I hereby promise that as long as you can popularize the spirit sealing technology, I am willing to make you a marquis." Qin Wangji said in a deep voice.
This technology is worth trading for a marquis, and Xiang Lihe is just a craftsman, so there is no need to worry about whether he will be promoted or his achievements will surpass his master.