Chapter 90 Resource Map

Funing Hall, the meeting room.

Zhang Zeduan, a famous painter in the Northern Song Dynasty, was captured by Zhao Huan and forced to do hard labor to help him draw a special map. The map did not mark cities, but various resources.

Coal mines, copper mines, iron mines, gold mines, silver mines, etc.

Later generations always say that China has a vast territory, a large population, and a large total amount of resources, but the per capita possession is small. This problem did not exist in the Northern Song Dynasty because the population at that time was less than one twelfth of that in later generations.

In terms of coal resources, Shaanxi Province alone has 370 billion tons of coal. Coal mines are mainly distributed in the Ordos Basin and its fold zones, mainly including the following five major coalfields: the Northern Shaanxi Jurassic Coalfield, the Northern Shaanxi Carboniferous-Permian Coalfield, the Northern Shaanxi Triassic Coalfield, the Weibei Carboniferous-Permian Coalfield, and the Huanglong Jurassic Coalfield.

Even so, Shaanxi Province is only ranked fourth in China. Inner Mongolia, which ranks second, has 1 trillion tons of coal, and Shanxi Province, which ranks first, has 1.6 trillion tons of coal.

Especially in Shaanxi Province, the coal resources are not only abundant but also concentrated, and the varieties are complete, including thermal coal, coking coal, and anthracite.

After marking the coal mines, let’s talk about the iron mines. There are a large number of iron mines in Handan and Xingtai in Hebei, Lingqiu, Wutai, Lanxian in Shanxi, Huoqiu in Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Fujian. Among them, Hebei and Shanxi are closer to Bianliang.

Of course, the names are different in different places, and many of them are not within the control of the Song Dynasty, but there is no need to rush, you can start with the ones closest to you.

Zhao Huan spread the map on the table, and then called someone to call Yue Fei and other brothers.

"Notify the Shangshi Bureau and have a whole table of food and wine brought. There's no need for Zhou Chunfu to come. Just make sure it's large portions with plenty of meat. These are all big eaters."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

"I heard you're still painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival? It's already finished, so why are you working on it again?"

"There's no limit to skill. The city of Bianliang is constantly changing, and the people's mental states are also different. Although the name remains the same, this time I'm painting the people's unity and fearlessness of sacrifice during the resistance against the Jin. It's completely different from the leisurely and bustling atmosphere of the past."

"Oh, then how many Along the River During the Qingming Festival paintings have you painted? From what you said, it should be quite a lot."

"Not too many, probably around 800 or so."

"Over 800 pieces? Are all of them of the same standard?"

"How is that possible? I've been making progress all the time. My skills have at least doubled compared to before."

"Oh my god, so many paintings, how much would they fetch if auctioned? I'm afraid the value of one person's paintings could buy a small country." Zhao Huan was surprised.

"How about I teach you some new painting techniques?"

Zhang Zeduan looked at Zhao Huan with strange eyes, and his meaning was clearly that you are not your father, and you can't even draw a simple map. What qualifications do you have to teach me painting, especially the new painting method.

Who are you looking down on for my bad temper? I am not good at hands-on work, but after all, I have learned music, chess, calligraphy and painting under the guidance of the old man.

"How about we make a bet?"

Zhang Zeduan looked at Zhao Huan and shook his head firmly: "Don't gamble. Nine out of ten times you'll lose."

Damn it, you really don’t play by the rules. You lose nine times out of ten when you gamble. Why don’t you just go to heaven?

"No, I must teach you today. Even though you are the disciple of the emperor, and you grew up with me, I can't stand this grievance. If you don't learn, I will send you to mine in Hainan."

You can be a human being...

Zhao Huan took the brush and drew a cube on the paper in a few strokes, then handed it to Zhang Zeduan.

"What do you think of this?"

Zhang Zeduan took it and looked at it, and was stunned.

There is nothing commendable about the painting skills, but the cube appears vividly on the paper, as if it were a real cube placed on the paper. Zhang Zeduan couldn't help but touch it with his hand.

“How is this done?”

"Do you want to learn?"

"I do!" Zhang Zeduan nodded decisively.

"You should apologize to me, I see disbelief and admiration in your eyes."

"...Your Majesty is wise and almighty."

"Ha ha ha ha"

"So, my paintings are called stereoscopic paintings. If you want to learn stereoscopic painting, you must first clarify a few concepts. You need to know what the front, side, and back are... you need to know what light and shadow are, and what naked-eye 3D is... There's a lot to learn about these aspects!"

Zhang Zeduan nodded like a chick eating rice. Light and shadow sounded like a very learned subject. In the process of continuous painting, Zhang Zeduan had some experience in this regard, but he didn't grasp the key points. What Zhao Huan said today made him feel as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Try painting an egg first. Start with something simple. Try painting it 500 times. Pay attention to the differences in light and shadow."

Zhao Huan did not want Zhang Zeduan to imitate Leonardo da Vinci painting an egg. He just wanted to suppress the great painter's temper, as he was still too proud in his heart.

Once your temperament is solidified, you can become my assistant, draw mechanical drawings and design drawings, and then train a large number of apprentices, which will definitely be useful in the future.

Zhao Huan also planned to invent the steam engine later. With such good conditions in the Song Dynasty and knowing the principle, it would be a bit shameful if he couldn't invent the steam engine. He wanted to start the industrial revolution in the Song Dynasty, and then use strong ships and powerful guns to knock open the door of European countries, and then sell cigarettes and beer and establish the Song Dynasty version of the British Empire.

"Your Majesty, Brother Yue Fei has arrived."

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