Five hundred and fiftieth chapters soldiers besiege Luoyang
Guo Song laughed and said: "This kind of short-velvet white folded fabric is inconvenient to weave. After transporting it to the Central Plains, the cost is higher than silk. The rich and powerful want to buy some of them. But now that the Central Plains is in war, not many people want to buy it. But this
If Baidiezi is planted in large quantities, the problem of winter clothing for ordinary people and soldiers will be solved."
Keeping warm during the winter has always been a problem that troubles the common people. Rich people can use cotton, that is, kapok, to fill their bedding. They can also use duck down, goose down, or even cashmere. However, due to the low output and high price, ordinary people cannot afford it, so they can only use it.
I try my best to add more clothes to my body, and I have to wear five or six pieces of clothes once I go out.
But once cotton was planted in large quantities, very high-quality and cheap fillers became available, and cotton-padded clothes came out. They were light in weight and breathable. Soldiers could even make sleeping bags, which solved a major marching problem.
Boss Lin's face was filled with frustration. No one was buying the white folded cloth. Doesn't that mean there was no hope for him?
Guo Songxiao asked: "Does Mr. Lin know how to grow this kind of cotton?"
"cotton?"
Dongzhu Lin was stunned for a moment, "Shijun, are you talking about Bai Diezi?"
"It doesn't sound good to call me Bai Diazi. It's better to call me cotton."
Boss Lin nodded repeatedly, "It sounds nice to call cotton. I know how to grow it. I have been doing it for more than 20 years."
"Next year I plan to arrange for the army to plant a large amount of cotton in Xizhou. I will ask you to be a master and teach them to grow cotton. Of course, your efforts will not be in vain. As long as the planting is successful, I will pay you three hundred guan, how about it?"
Boss Lin was overjoyed. Three hundred guan a year would be 25 guan a month. He nodded repeatedly, "I do!"
"In addition, I will buy all the three hundred acres of cotton you planted this year, and I will teach you a good way to remove cotton seeds."
Guo Song asked him to get paper and pen, and Guo Song drew him a picture of a cotton gin and said with a smile: "The principle is very simple. It is to use a log roller to press the cotton seeds and squeeze out the cotton seeds. This is easier than peeling it off by hand."
There’s more, it’s simple and quick, you can think about it yourself.”
Dr. Lin has been dealing with cotton for decades, how could he not know about it? He knew it right away. He slapped his forehead heavily and said, "Why didn't I think of this method?"
This kind of cotton gin appeared in the Song Dynasty and was also the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people. The principle is very simple. As long as you understand it, it can be popularized immediately.
Guo Song immediately bought all the cotton cloth in his inventory at the price of 2 guan per piece. There were hundreds of pieces. Cotton cloth actually had many advantages. Guo Song planned to give it to his family, and at the same time, it could be regarded as helping Lin.
The proprietor overcame the difficulties, allowing him to devote himself to inventing the cotton gin.
Zhao Wei smiled bitterly and said: "I thought you wanted to promote white folding cloth, but I didn't expect that in the end you were interested in this...cotton."
Guo Song shook his head and said: "It is not easy to promote cotton cloth. First of all, it is stuck in planting. Hemp has been grown and spun for thousands of years. Both planting and weaving are very mature. Suddenly everyone is asked to grow cotton and weave cloth. It is difficult for ordinary people.
Accept that without decades or hundreds of years of promotion, silk and linen will not be easily replaced.
But using cotton to keep warm is different. Everyone knows that cotton on the market is a good thing, but it is too expensive and ordinary people cannot afford it. Once the same cotton appears, it is cheap and good, it will definitely be popular, and people will be willing to grow it.
After it has been planted for a long time, people will start to use it to weave cloth. This is called curve promotion."
Mulberry and hemp have been cultivated for thousands of years, making it very difficult for people to change their living habits. If Zhu Yuanzhang had not forcibly promoted cotton, the formation of cotton cloth would have been delayed for hundreds of years.
Of course, the most important reason is that the quality of cotton itself is not good. It was not until the emergence of high-quality long-staple cotton that cotton became completely popular.
Guo Song's trip to Gaochang was not in vain. At least he discovered cotton planting areas, laying the foundation for large-scale cotton planting tomorrow, and also solved the problem of smelting pig iron.
When Guo Song returned to the county government, the county magistrate Cheng Ruxiao reported: "The humble post has made an agreement with the smelters, and most of them are willing to accept the terms of the envoy to go back. They said that as soon as three months' wages are paid, they will immediately
Just leave."
Guo Song nodded, "I will arrange for someone to bring the money. You have to explain it clearly to them. It's okay not to go. Just don't take the money. But if you still refuse to go after taking the money, you will bear the consequences at your own risk. I don't want this to happen."
things happen.”
Cheng Ruxiao had cold sweat on his forehead and kept saying: "I will make it clear to them in my humble position, and I will never allow them to not leave after receiving the money."
Guo Song immediately went to the military camp to express condolences to the troops stationed in Xizhou, and then returned to Tingzhou.
.......
In Luoyang, 200,000 troops of the Western Tang Dynasty came to the city. Since the surrender of Wang Xiaotian, the chief general of Xiaoguan, Zhu Si's army easily captured Guozhou and Shaanzhou. Zhu Si immediately sent people to Ruzhou, Zhengzhou and Huaizhou to attack these states.
The defenders of the three states could not withstand Zhu Si's silver bullet offensive, and they all changed their flags and declared their allegiance to the emperor of Chang'an.
Zhu Si then personally led an expedition of 200,000 troops to Luoyang, which was so overwhelming that all counties in Henan Prefecture opened their cities and surrendered. In just three days, the troops arrived at the gates of Luoyang.
At this time, there were only 6,000 Tang troops left in Luoyang City. Ge Shuyao, the envoy of the Eastern Capital Jiru Jiedu, refused to retreat. Ge Shuhan was the son of the general Ge Shuhan. Ge Shuhan was not safe in the late festival, which was criticized.
Shu Yao did not want to follow in his father's footsteps, so he said to the generals: "I have a sword given by the emperor. Those who dare to surrender, please test the power of my sword!"
'Boom! Boom! Boom!'
The sound of war drums shook the heaven and the earth, and an army of 200,000 people was overwhelming outside the city. Flags and spears stretched as far as the eye could see, making the heaven and earth change color.
Zhu Si immediately stood under the Qingluo umbrella, stared at the city gate for a long time and said: "Bring the people up!"
Not long after, an official in his thirties was brought in. He was the brother of Ge Shuxi and Ge Shuyao, the training envoys of the Shaanxi Province regiment.
Zhu Si pointed his sword at him and said: "Go and tell your brother that there are only 6,000 defenders in the city, but my army of 200,000 can easily crush them to pieces. But I pity the people and do not want to use swords on them. If your brother
If he is willing to be loyal to Chang'an, I will report to the Emperor of Tomorrow and make him a prince and prime minister. I will reward ten thousand households in the city. If he must be loyal to Chengdu, I will not force him to do so. I will limit him to withdraw from Luoyang from the south gate before noon tomorrow, otherwise I will
The army pressed forward, but none of the 6,000 Tang troops survived, and the people were in ruins. It was all his responsibility!"
Ge Shuxi was released to report the news, and Zhu Si immediately ordered, "The army will set up camp!"
Two hundred thousand troops immediately set up camp five miles away from Luoyang, surrounding most of Luoyang city.
Ge Shuxi was sitting in a wooden cage and was carried up to the top of the city. Some soldiers took him to see Ge Shu Yao. When Ge Shu Yao saw that his brother was coming, he frowned and said, "What are you doing here? Could it be that you also surrendered?"
Zhu Si, come as a lobbyist?"
Ge Shuxi said for a long time: "I don't want to be a hero. My wife and children are in Zhu Si's hands, so I have to come and tell him a message. Zhu Si said that he only gave you a chance because he pities the people in the city. Are you willing to be loyal to Chang'an?
If you, prince and prime minister, have thousands of households in the city, if you are unwilling to be loyal to Chang'an, you will not be forced to do so. You must evacuate your army from the south gate before noon tomorrow, and do not kidnap the people of Luoyang to be buried with you."
Ge Shu Yao drew his sword and said coldly: "Go and tell Zhu Si that I will not leave. I will fight him to the death. Let him see who among the men in the city will surrender to him?"
Ge Shuxi shook his head, "Although I can't sacrifice my life as generously as you, I also want to advise you. If you want a reputation for loyalty, you should lead your army out to fight Zhu Si and die on the battlefield, instead of letting the entire
The people of Luoyang City have been devastated by the war together with you, so let’s just say this, you can take care of yourself!”
After saying that, he cupped his hands and turned away.
Ge Shu Yao didn't say anything, silently watching his brother leave, and he himself fell into deep thought.
In the large tent of the Chinese army, Zhu Si was squinting his eyes to listen to the report of the marching commander Yao Xing.
"Li Bowen has made it clear that he is willing to surrender to the Taiwei. He will be responsible for guarding Jianchun Gate tonight. He will send a signal at the second watch to open the city gate to welcome the Taiwei to enter the city!"
Zhu Si snorted coldly, turned around and asked, "I'm not familiar with this Li Bowen. What does the military advisor think?"
Zhu Si's military advisor was called Liu Sigu. He turned out to be Yu Chaoen's chief adviser and a native of Ji County, Youzhou. After Yu Chaoen was executed, he fled back to his hometown to hide, but he was unwilling to be lonely. After two years of silence, he joined Zhu Si again.
, he once advised Zhu Si not to go to Beijing, but Zhu Si did not listen and insisted on going to Beijing to report on his duties. The military power was seized by his younger brother Zhu Tao. Liu Sigu also stayed in Youzhou and continued to serve Zhu Tao. Last year, the political coup succeeded.
, Zhu Si felt that there was a lack of people around him, and remembered that Liu Sigu had persuaded him not to go to Chang'an, so he wrote to Zhu Tao and asked Liu Sigu to come to Chang'an.
After Liu Sigu entered Beijing, he was named Jin Ziguanglu doctor, a bachelor, and became Zhu Si's chief adviser.
Liu Sigu stroked his brown goatee and smiled and said: "It's easy. Send a thousand soldiers to take over Jianchun Gate. If Li Bowen sincerely surrenders, he will definitely withdraw his troops. If he is a trick, then we will lose at most one person."
With thousands of soldiers, the Lieutenant certainly doesn’t have to take this risk.”
Zhu Si chuckled and said, "What the military advisor said makes sense!"