Chapter 357: Population for Artillery

It was almost summer, and the weather was hot. Read М

Zhao Xu wore a thin long gown and held a paper fan in his hand.

While fanning himself, Zhao Xu looked at Ma Han, who looked anxious.

He smiled gently and said, "Don't worry, it's not that I won't sell it to you, but you should pay me the reward you promised me."

He didn't help Ma Han out of friendship. After all, the two of them had more contact after the turmoil in the Ma family.

Besides, Ma Han was the head of the Ma family after all, and the first thing to consider was the interests of the Ma family.

And because of the existence of the old system of the Ma family, Ma Han couldn't do whatever he wanted. The two families just had similar interests temporarily and came together.

So, they still had to settle the accounts between them.

Business is business, and your Ma family has to pay.

After all, maybe the two families will turn against each other because of interests in the future.

"I haven't forgotten." Ma Han shook his head. He made a promise to King Yan last time.

"I understand your difficulties, so I don't want your silver, so I convert it into people." Zhao Xu said thoughtfully.

According to Chang Wei, there are nearly one million people in Dasong who have fled from Qinzhou and Yongzhou to Sizhou.

The influx of so many people who have lost their land is a disaster for Sizhou.

Ma Yuan and Ma Han discussed and led these one million people to Jinzhou, and prepared to ask the court for relief.

But these one million people are simply fat in his eyes.

How could he let them flow into Jinzhou under his nose.

"One million people, Your Highness?" Ma Han asked. The last time the King of Yan asked him was the population.

Zhao Xu nodded, "To be honest, whether it is artillery or muskets, a large number of craftsmen are needed to participate in the research and development. The number of households in the four northern counties is already sparse due to the chaos of the Yuan family. The king is short of people, so naturally the more the better."

"That's what I want." Ma Han said happily.

At present, these one million people are a heavy burden for Sizhou.

After all, Sizhou can't afford to support so many people who suddenly increase.

Even if his uncle relieved his worries and proposed to introduce the population to Jinzhou.

But Jinzhou had been corrupted in the war, and there were problems with its own food. How could it support a million people?

Although he could ask the court for relief, he knew the officialdom of Dasong very well.

However, how much food could the court allocate? These grains were exploited from the capital to Jinzhou, and there would not be much left in the end.

The lives of the people would still be miserable.

Letting the people go to Yanzhou is undoubtedly a choice that benefits the people.

And the Ma family seems to have nothing else to attract the King of Yan.

Zhao Xu said, "In addition to the people, this king also wants the craftsmen of your Ma family. Each craftsman will be charged thirty taels of silver. These craftsmen can be exchanged for artillery, and the people are just the payment for borrowing soldiers."

Ma Han thought to himself that the King of Yan was indeed a master who would not suffer losses.

At the same time, he silently calculated in his mind that at 30 taels per craftsman, he could at least gather 100,000 craftsmen of all kinds, which was 3 million taels, enough to buy hundreds of cannons.

"I understand, Your Highness, please rest assured that these people and craftsmen will arrive in Yanzhou smoothly." Ma Han said firmly.

Since the Ma family now has the support of King Yan, he, as the head of the Ma family, must be more straightforward.

Otherwise, if they lose the trust of King Yan again, they will have nothing.

Reclaiming Qinzhou and Yongzhou will also be a dream.

"Frankly." Zhao Xu was overjoyed when he heard this.

In this way, the population of the four northern counties will reach more than 2.5 million.

In the history of Dasong, the peak period of Yanzhou's population is also unmatched.

In addition, according to the news sent by the commander of Feihu Pass, his policy of treating prisoners of war with his son in Jinzhou has shown results.

Compared with his leniency, the cruel treatment of prisoners returned by the Xiliang people after the war spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred.

During this period, a large number of Song people in Xiliang fled to the four northern counties.

He believed that the population of the four counties would exceed three million in a short time.

And these population dividends would greatly benefit the handicrafts of the four counties.

As for the problem of feeding these people with food, he was not very worried now.

Because the four counties were harvesting in summer.

He had ordered Liu Fu to set up public grain purchasing points in each county.

The government office would pay for the surplus grain directly from the people and store it.

Add to that the grain bought from Jiangnan, it would be enough.

"How about I provide you with 200 artillery pieces?" Zhao Xu said to Ma Han again with excitement.

"Two hundred artillery pieces are more than enough to defend the Qin Pass, but I also want your highness's muskets, and I hope your highness can send generals to teach." When Ma Han made this request, he felt a little bit weak in his heart.

He felt that he was asking for too much.

Zhao Xu smiled.

In this battle, Ma Han saw the power of the flintlock with his own eyes.

It was normal for him to have this idea.

But he would not sell the flintlock at the moment.

But he could sell the matchlock gun.

Although the Shenjiying in the capital had this thing, he was very confident that the one he made would definitely be of superior quality.

So he said: "I can provide you with a matchlock gun, but it will be slightly different from mine, and you have to pay for it with silver. One is thirty taels of silver, but I only sell it to you for twenty taels."

From Wang Ying, he learned that the current cost of the Bingzhang Division to make a cannon for export is five hundred taels.

The cost of a flintlock gun is eight taels. If it is a matchlock gun, the cost will be lower, and it is estimated that five taels will be enough.

He does not think this price is high. After all, it is not an arms trade without huge profits.

Ma Han felt a little pain when he heard the thirty taels, but the King of Yan reduced the price by ten taels. He was delighted and agreed, "Thank you for your grace, Your Highness. I will take 20,000 for the time being."

"Okay, I will ask the Armory to make one for you in two days. If you are satisfied, I will order the Armory to make 20,000 for you." Zhao Xu said.

Although Ma Han agreed, he was still a little nervous when he thought of the King of Yan's words that this kind of musket was different from the one used by the King of Yan's soldiers.

While nodding, he said, "But can I see how powerful this musket is first?"

"Of course, there is no problem." Zhao Xu expected Ma Han to ask this question.

If he doesn't even know how to look at the goods when buying things, Ma Han will really be useless.

"In a few days, I will be afraid to send someone to Sizhou to test it for you in person." Zhao Xu said.

Ma Han was relieved now. After all, his trip to Yancheng was not in vain.

"Thank you, Your Highness. In that case, I will return to Sizhou and lead the people to Yan." Ma Han bowed to Zhao Xu, said goodbye and left.

Ma Han's figure disappeared, and Zhao Xu was slightly proud.

Selling firearms to the Ma family has two benefits for him.

First, with firearms, the Ma family can better guard the Qin Pass and maintain stability in the northwest.

The second is a trap in the arms trade.

If they use his firearms, the Ma family will become dependent on him.

If you want to stab him in the back, you have to weigh the consequences of being cut off from the supply of firearms.

After all, artillery and muskets will continue to be damaged in war.

If they are not replenished, they will be exhausted sooner or later.