Then, he took out a leather bag, and Dugujiu leaned over and saw Li Mu take out a handful of small lead pieces. These lead pieces were of different shapes and all had sharp edges. After these edges were sprayed out, they could scratch someone's skin.
Skin, and lead is a heavy metal. After scratches, the wounds will not heal easily, and in severe cases, septicemia may occur. Of course, if you don’t want to kill yourself, you can also use iron chips or even stones, as long as they do not exceed the weight.
On top of this layer of small lead bullets, Li Mu used a large lead bullet or boulder bullet slightly smaller than the muzzle to press the top. The loading process was completed.
"Fire the gun!"
Following Li Mu's shout, Dugujiu lit the twister, and immediately followed Li Mu's example and covered his ears.
With a bang, large and small bullets flew out together with a roar like thunder, scattering like awls in front of them. The farthest distance reached more than a hundred feet, which was longer than a bow and arrow.
Dugujiu looked at the scene in front of him in shock, and thought about whether he could escape if he was in this awl-shaped range. In the end, he came to the conclusion that it was impossible. Within this awl-shaped range
, the scattered lead bullets, even if they can't kill him, will definitely hurt him. Fighting for one's life on the battlefield, injuries will significantly reduce the combat effectiveness. If the two armies are in front of each other, and this cannon is fired, no matter how brave the cavalry is,
, can only be a miserable fate.
"Brother, with this sharp weapon, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty can be invincible!" Dugujiu said excitedly, but when he saw Li Mu's expression, he couldn't help but frown and said, "Brother, don't you want to dedicate this thing to His Majesty?"
Li Mu finished inspecting the barrel and said to Dugu Jiu: "Xiao Jiu, let me ask you, if I dedicate this thing to His Majesty, what will Your Majesty do?"
"This..." Dugujiu thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty should immediately conquer Goguryeo. After all, with this thing, victory in this battle is almost certain."
"Then what?" Li Mu looked at Dugu Jiu and said, "After defeating Goguryeo, will your Majesty call off the troops and call a truce?"
"Yes..." Dugujiu's tone became less certain.
Is Li Shimin a good emperor? Whether it is in the history that Li Mu is familiar with or in the history that has happened now, except for the Xuanwu Gate incident which is a stain in Li Shimin's life, the rest of the things all show that Li Shimin is
A good emperor.
When he was young, he conquered the world, won every battle, and was known as the Tiance General. After becoming the emperor, he worked all night long, took care of every detail, and treated the virtuous and corporal. Under his hands, the Tang Dynasty prospered, and the people's lives became better and better. He
With a mind as big as the sea, he could accommodate people like Wei Zheng and Wang Gui who had previously been against him. He was meritocratic, willing to hold imperial examinations, and accepted talented people from all over the world for use by the court. Compared with any emperor in history, Li Shimin can be praised as a wise man.
.
But don’t wise people have shortcomings? Li Shimin naturally has shortcomings. His shortcoming is that he cares too much about his reputation, he wants to expand the territory too much, and wants to complete what his predecessors have not completed. He wants to
Use this method to prove that you are worthy of the position of emperor.
If this great weapon was in Li Shimin's hands, all the hidden dangers that Li Shimin considered would be attacked. The Tang Dynasty's soldiers would be invincible... But, is this necessarily a good thing?
To fight a war, it is not enough to just have a big killing weapon. Soldiers, horses, food and grass all consume people's fat and money. However, once the war machine starts, you can't help it. It is easy to start, but you can't stop it.
So easy.
People's desires will also grow slowly, and the distance between the ignorant and the wise is often just a thought.
Dugujiu stopped talking. Li Mu smiled and patted him on the shoulder, saying: "You can have killing weapons, but you don't have to use them. I don't want Datang to become a nation that kills people. What I want more is that the surrounding nations will admire and admire them."
The culture of the Tang Dynasty has been actively integrated. Conquest is always just a last resort. No dynasty or country can be strong forever. But we have this thing that can protect us. Xue Yantuo and others want to cause trouble to the Tang Dynasty.
Possible things!"
Dugujiu nodded. Although he didn't quite understand it, he believed that Li Mu's judgment was not wrong.
After the brothers packed up and returned to Gu Yuan, it was already getting dark. Li Mu wanted to wash up and rest, but when the concierge came to report, someone had been waiting here all afternoon.
It's really uncommon for people to wait all afternoon. It's not that there are only a few people here, it's because Li Mu has a bad temper and everyone knows it. Just waiting at the door and thinking that you can see his face is basically an illusion.
Therefore, few people ask for trouble.
Today's cannon test was successful, and Li Mu was in a pretty good mood, so he took advantage of the time of washing his feet and asked the concierge to call the person over to see who he was and what happened.
When the people arrived, Li Mu continued to wash his feet without raising his head, and said, "Before I finish washing my feet, tell me what you have to say. You don't have much time, so pick out the important things."
"The villain Wang Tong is a doctor!"
"Um,"
Li Mu said 'hmm' and said, "If you have something to say, tell me!"
"Master Hou, I came here specifically to pay homage to Master Hou to give you a warning. If what I predict is correct, in less than half a month, a plague will be rampant in Luan County. Twenty thousand soldiers stationed outside Mingzhou Port
, can’t escape bad luck!”
"Huh?" Li Mu paused and finally looked up. The man in front of him was about five feet tall, with a short beard and awkward eyes. But other than his eyes, there was nothing special about him.
He looks like a charlatan, and he doesn't look like a smooth talker either.
After Li Mu looked at him, he said, "Your name is Wang Tong. Are you from the Langya Wang family?"
Wang Tong was also astute and heard the implication of Li Mu's words, and hurriedly said: "The villain came to warn me, it has nothing to do with the family. He really saw the problem, and he can't pretend that he didn't see it. After all, this matter involves tens of thousands of people."
.Moreover, once the plague spreads, I don’t know what kind of catastrophe will happen to the states and counties in the south of the Yangtze River. That’s why I’m here to remind you. If the Marquis doesn’t believe it, I’ll resign..."
"Wait a minute!" Li Mu wiped his feet, pointed to the seat next to him, and said: "Tell me carefully. If it makes sense, I will forgive you and reward you. But if you can't justify your explanation, I will
You will be punished, and no one can make excuses."
Wang Tong sat down, leaned forward, and said to Li Mu: "Master Marquis, although I was born in the Wang family of Langya, I have no ancestral property because I am not from the same family. For three generations, my ancestors have all practiced medicine for a living.
Recently, I have been practicing medicine in Luan County and have discovered many cases. The patients have coughs, chest pains, blood in their sputum, and are accompanied by fever, dysentery and other symptoms. I know that they are suffering from potbelly disease."
"Potty belly disease is not uncommon in Jiangnan. It occurs frequently. When the condition is mild, it is not difficult to treat. There are prescriptions, which can be divided into five categories: killing insects, vomiting, removing blood stasis, removing water, and strengthening. Even if the local people don't use it,
Doctors, they also have earthwork methods passed down from their own families. They are almost immortal, but if they are not noticed in the early stage or are misdiagnosed, and in the late stages of the disease, the stomach becomes swollen and bloated, it will be impossible for gods to save it."
"What caught the villain's attention this time is that this disease is not an isolated case, but occurs in four or five families in one village. The villain has not experienced it personally, but according to the notes written by the villain's father. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty visited before
When Jiangdu brought 100,000 craftsmen, the disease broke out among these 100,000 craftsmen, killing tens of thousands of people."
"The villain thought that the large-scale outbreak of this disease should be directly related to the lack of acclimatization and unclean water sources. So the villain thought of the 20,000 soldiers in Mingzhou and the 30,000 Turkic people who migrated there. The villain visited and resettled
In the village, no outbreak of the disease was found. However, when I walked to the camp of Luan County, I heard about the soldiers in the camp seeking medical treatment. Many soldiers had unbearable diarrhea and dysentery, and the number of people expanded from dozens to hundreds... If it happens again...
If this continues, once the epidemic breaks out, the situation may be unpredictable. Therefore, I came to report to the Marquis and ask the Marquis to pay attention to this matter."
Li Mu frowned slightly and said, "Didn't you go to see General Hou? What did he say?"
Wang Tong smiled bitterly and said: "Master Hou, I'm just a traveling doctor, how can I meet General Hou? Even if I came here to ask to see Master Hou, I was just trying my luck. I didn't expect to see Master Hou's face... Xiao
People just think about it and try their best. If I don’t come here, I will feel uneasy. Now that I have come, whether I see the Marquis or not, I have tried my best."
"Well..." Li Mu nodded and said: "You are very good and a good doctor. But I need to verify the situation you said. Well, you can rest here for a day and wait until I send someone to ask for details.
, let’s make further calculations. If what you say is true, I will never be stingy with your rewards.”
"Thank you, Lord Marquis." Wang Tong thanked him and followed the concierge down to the guest room to rest.
Li Mu knew Wang Tong's purpose of coming. In fact, it was not certain that Wang Tong would not be able to see Hou Junji, but there was a huge difference between meeting Hou Junji and meeting him. Although Hou Junji was the Minister of War,
General, but Hou Junji does not have the power to appoint and remove officials. But Li Mu is now the governor of Jiangnan and the governor of Jiangnan. He is also in charge of water transportation and has Shang Fang's sword in his hand. He has the power to appoint and remove officials. If the situation is true, he
This piece of news is equivalent to saving the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. Such merit cannot be denied. At least a seventh-grade official is indispensable. From a footman, he has transformed into an official. That's it. Fish leaping over the dragon gate.
Li Mu didn't mind Wang Tong's petty thoughts. He never hesitated to reward those who had merit. He also appreciated those who were capable.
As soon as Wang Tong mentioned the disease, Li Mu knew what it was. Judging from the disease he mentioned, the so-called potbelly disease should be schistosomiasis. In Li Mu's previous life, potbelly disease had become a common disease around the founding of the People's Republic of China.
It is one of the diseases with the highest fatality rate in the Yangtze River Basin. When Li Mu was in school, he had read relevant records in history textbooks. This disease is caused by schistosomiasis parasitizing the human body, so it is called schistosomiasis. Sir
After suffering from this disease, the body gradually loses weight, the spirit is not good, and there is no strength to work. As time goes by, water will grow in the stomach, which will become bloated day by day, so it is also called potbelly disease. If a child suffers from this disease,
, I don’t grow up much, I still look like a teenager when I am in my twenties, and I won’t have children even after I get married.
But as Wang Tong said, this disease is not a terminal disease that cannot be treated. If it is discovered early or preventive measures are taken, it is actually controllable. But the problem is that locals know how to prevent and treat it, but outsiders do not. Therefore,
The 20,000 soldiers who were transferred from Chang'an and the 30,000 Turkic households who migrated here became the people at risk for this disease.
Wang Tong is right. Schistosomiasis is indeed related to water sources. But he did not mention joints. To be precise, it is related to microorganisms in the water. Schistosomiasis traps will live in snails. If the water source is not clean,
, or if there are snails living, there is a high probability that there will be schistosomiasis larvae.
When people eat snails or drink water from water sources where snails exist, they may eat schistosomiasis larvae into their bodies. It is easy to prevent this disease. Because schistosomiasis is a single-host organism, the most direct way is
Just destroy the snails.
Alternatively, this problem can also be solved by getting water from a water source where no snails live. Schistosomiasis will occur in the camp, which is probably related to the living environment of the soldiers. There is no decent shelter, and there is no decent well for water. If
When fetching water from rivers and ditches, you can imagine that the presence of snails is inevitable.
Thinking of this, Li Mu felt a little guilty. The Mingzhou Port project was so big, so what happened one day earlier and one day later? First, allocate craftsmen to build the barracks and dig wells to draw water, so that the soldiers would not get sick.
Fortunately, the epidemic has not broken out yet and it is not too late.
Li Mu immediately asked Dugujiu to take people to the camp in person to verify whether what Wang Tong said was true. If it was true, he would ask Hou Jun to come over and discuss how to solve the problem in the future.
At the same time, he also sent someone to send a message to Gu Sizhi, asking him to prepare medicinal materials. Even if the situation this time was not that serious, preparing some medicinal materials would not go to waste. In the future, when the fleet goes to sea, medicinal materials must be always available.
In addition, he also sent a letter to the Ministry of Industry, asking Yu Wengui, who has now been promoted to the minister of the Ministry of Industry, to find a thousand craftsmen within a month to support the construction of Mingzhou Port no matter what he does.
When the craftsmen arrived, the first thing they did was to solve the problem of the barracks. The soldiers could no longer live in tents. These soldiers were not only left by Li Shimin to frighten the noble families in the south of the Yangtze River, they were also the foundation for Li Mu's development of the navy, and there was no room for loss.
After doing all this, it was already the end of the moon. Li Mu still couldn't sleep, and this incident reminded him. Although what he was doing seemed to be going smoothly, there were still some hidden dangers under the smooth surface. He could not move at a steady pace.
It's too fast, many basics can't keep up, and this kind of thing will happen.
After this incident is over, the promotion of hospitals in Jiangnan should be put on the agenda.