Chapter 48 Planning
Just into February, the Guangyuefu produced its first batch of armor.
Su Qing personally inspected the finished products, and the craftsmen, including Dou, were not afraid of her inspection at all.
These things are all going to the battlefield, and they don't want anything to go wrong.
The weapons workshop was strictly managed, and the craftsmen and others were also very conscientious.
The weapons and equipment produced are of superior quality.
It is considered excellent within the entire Shunchang Kingdom.
“If other commanders see this batch of armor, they will definitely fight over it,” said Craftsman Dou. “Both the materials and the workmanship are top-notch.”
The more the craftsman praised him, the happier he became.
How could they not be happy when they can create such wonderful things?
I haven't had such a reliable boss in all these years.
Of course, the general is an exception.
Looking at the three hundred sets of armor of various colors, Su Qing said, "Keep forty sets, and send the rest to Yisong County so that Yan Xieshou can take a look."
Su Qing explained, "The armor that was spared will be sent to Jinling."
Craftsman Dou can understand.
After all, they had to give an explanation to the emperor.
But Prefect Su's next words left him completely dumbfounded.
"Ask other places if they need armor. If so, they can buy it from us."
ah?
Do you sell armor?
Fei Xiucai and the others who were following Su Qing were not surprised.
Wu Husi, in particular, nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: "Let's hurry up and earn some money."
No wonder Wu Husi was anxious.
Everyone knows that the government doesn't have much money to begin with.
The expenses of the government office were not too bad.
The garrison is a money-devouring beast.
The daily rations and pay are already more than enough.
The weapons and armor that will be supplied soon will be the biggest expense.
Craftsman Dou hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
In his view, weapons and armor are for fighting, not for making money.
If this is used to make money, wouldn't that be a distortion of its true purpose?
Su Qing didn't care about such thoughts.
Based on her understanding of the outside world, good armor and weapons would soon become hard currency.
Even if she doesn't want to, she can't deceive herself.
The first batch of armor was produced and then divided into two groups.
One way to Yisong County, and another to Jinling.
The armor delivered to Jinling can be considered an explanation to His Majesty.
Tell them that their Guangyuefu has obtained the rights to forge weapons and has actually done the work.
However, there is no news from Nanjing yet.
Yan Xieshou of Yisong County praised it highly and wished he could immediately get five thousand sets to equip his soldiers.
But the weapons workshop had just started making armor, so the output was definitely not that high.
Although Yan Xieshou was anxious, he knew he had to wait a little longer.
He just didn't expect that there were people even more anxious than him.
Several official documents suddenly arrived in Nanjing, where there had been no news for a long time.
These were all sent by the left and right commanders of the emperor's personal guards.
These two commanders have only one meaning.
We want to buy armor produced in Guangyuefu!
The more the better!
If weapons are produced, please send them to Jinling first!
This news immediately angered Yan Xieshou.
What's the meaning?
Armor produced in Guangyuefu.
Why send them to Jinling first?!
And their reasons are also quite valid.
They needed to protect the emperor, so the armor had to be of the highest quality.
The two commanders had no other choice.
The armor from other places is just really bad quality.
Back when we lived in Beijing, things were just bad.
Anyway, since no one is fighting, nobody cares.
But things are different now; they are all in Jinling, and they must be constantly on guard against the dangers around them.
The armor and weapons used are really not to be underestimated.
It's just that the entire Shunchang Kingdom was picking and choosing.
Only the armor newly delivered by Guangyuefu was up to standard.
For something as vital as this, you definitely need to choose the best.
The weapons workshop had barely produced its first batch of products when they were already pre-ordered.
It really gave everyone a lot of confidence.
The production of the next weapon was also put on the agenda.
Compared to armor, various weapons are more complex.
We also need to recruit more people.
Fortunately, this is the prefectural city, so there is no shortage of people. In addition, the prefectural school has recruited many talented people and found many experienced ones.
Listening to the sounds of blacksmithing in the weapons workshop, Su Qing knew that their weapons workshop was on the right track.
The same applies to the first batch of swords and spears.
One part was sent to Yan Xieshou, and the other part was sent to Jinling.
The soldiers were overjoyed to see the fine swords that had been made.
What do we rely on to win a war?
It's just weapons and logistics.
Prefect Su had thought of everything.
Even the emperor was thinking of having the Guangyue Bureau manufacture more weapons to send to his younger brother.
Upon hearing this, Su Qing immediately submitted a memorial.
The gist of the memorial is as follows.
They, the Guangyuefu, also wanted to increase production.
I'm just troubled by one thing.
I have no money.
We still owe money to the Ye and Hua families.
They were anxious too.
These two families were pressing her for an answer, so as the prefect, she had to avoid them.
The Ye and Hua families were completely baffled.
who?
Who's rushing you?!
Are they their families?!
That doesn't make sense.
Although the various materials cost them a lot of money.
However, it's normal for business dealings with government officials to drag on for three to five years; Guangyuefu only owed money for less than half a year.
They're really not in that rush.
Since Su Qing said so, neither of the two families would object.
Who knows what kind of tricks Prefect Su is up to this time?
As expected, they were right to remain silent.
Because Su Qing's latest memorial was almost complete, with just two words missing.
In summary...
Jinling!
Send me the money!
We have many weapons workshops, as everyone knows.
We just want to make more weapons and armor, which requires more materials and manpower.
Their Guangyuefu really can't afford it!
The commanders on both sides of Jinling wanted weapons.
The garrison commander in the outskirts of Beijing also wanted it.
The same applies to the troops stationed in Yisong County.
There are too many people, too few weapons, and too little money.
They wanted to protect the emperor, recapture the capital, and defend Yisong County.
There is only one way.
Send me the money!
Ye Shanming from Jiangnan no longer wanted to speak.
What should I do? This feeling is all too familiar.
That's how he was tricked out of his money.
No wonder she went to great lengths to build the weapons workshop.
So that's what they were waiting for.
As for whether there is any money in Nanjing?
This was not something Su Qing considered.
Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.
Even if they are poor over there, they still have the Xu family's property, as well as the property of many wealthy merchants in Jiangnan.
The old master of the Hua family couldn't help but laugh at home.
Prefect Su is indeed quite interesting.
Regardless of what the emperor thinks.
Anyway, his right and left officers were also urging him to send money to Guangyuefu.
They absolutely must get their hands on such excellent weapons and armor.
Many people suddenly realized that since Su Qing became the Guangyuefu, he not only did not pay taxes to the court, but also repeatedly embezzled from the court.
She's incredibly bold.
Unfortunately, the matter she chose was extremely important.
It's something you simply can't refuse.
Especially after seeing the quality of the weapons from Guangyuefu, the people around the emperor were inevitably tempted and insisted on buying a batch.
With safety at stake, the Emperor had no choice but to agree.
At the end of February, the Ministry of War allocated funds to Guangyue Prefecture to manufacture weapons.
Many people suddenly realized.
So, Prefect Su, this was the plan you've been having all along?
Qi, the palace official, wrote to her.
When asked if she had planned this all along, she replied...
Su Qing did not answer yes or no.
But after learning that the Emperor had confiscated the Xu family's property in Yangzhou, she couldn't help but be tempted.
The money of wealthy merchants in Jiangnan would only be used for eating, drinking, and having fun in Jinling; it would be better to use it for something worthwhile.
Moreover, through these interactions, she had come to understand the Emperor's thoughts.
He would do anything to get back to Beijing.
Even people in Nanjing thought the same way.
They were willing to spend some money to send these large Buddha statues back to the capital.
Knowing this makes many things much easier.
Having received the silver, Su Qing naturally did not repay the silver owed to the Hua and Ye families.
Instead, a portion of it was sent to Yisong County as provisions.
More often, they were actually used to make weapons and armor.
The entire weapons workshop is operating at full capacity, determined to produce as many weapons as possible.
The weapons workshop is operating well.
The rest is just a matter of time.
Meanwhile, two dikes and a section of city wall within the prefecture have also been completed.
Because Su Qing sent people to supervise the process in various places, the expenses did not exceed the budget.
Many people say that Su Qing has managed the entire Guangyue Mansion so tightly that it's impossible to catch a whistle.
Needless to say, the Nanjiang County area was her base of operations.
In other places, many people were deployed during this period.
Cases like Cui Gangjie's are not uncommon.
Her subordinates were even more formidable; they practically had spies in every government office.
Now that the weapons workshop is tied to the Hua family, there's nothing more to say.
A female prefect whom no one had high hopes for.
They thought the female prefect was a scapegoat.
Over the course of more than half a year, he finally gained control of all the local areas and all the officials.
Some people even said something privately.
If the emperor had such control over the provinces, he wouldn't have ended up in Nanjing in Jiangnan.
I heard that the Yizhou army had been chasing them all the way, but they had already given up halfway because it was too late to continue.
But the royal family still ran very fast.
People didn't think about it carefully before, so that's fine.
Now, a year later, many people know the details.
They inevitably laughed at them.
Especially in the Jiangnan region.
Imperial power was originally in the capital, so everyone was more or less afraid of it.
After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder.
Now that the emperor is right beside me, I need to eat, drink, and relieve myself, and I also need gold and silver treasures.
As a result, the number of people who disrespected the emperor naturally increased.
This is also why the emperor and his entourage wanted to leave as soon as possible.
It's been almost a year now.
Why hasn't General Yan Zhengzhou captured the capital yet?
It can only be said that defending a city is easy, but attacking it is difficult.
The general of Yizhou was, after all, a military officer who had previously served under the Prince of Wuyong. Naturally, he was unlike the previous soldiers who were defending the city, who had no experience whatsoever.
Su Qing had heard that Yan Zhengzhou had fought several tough battles.
Not only that, the general of Yizhou also used the people of the capital as hostages.
In this situation, one is indeed constrained.
She also heard that the Emperor had given a direct order for Yan Zhengzhou to quickly retake the capital.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager were really eager to go back.
It's been a year, we really can't wait any longer.
With the speed increasing over there, Su Qing couldn't afford to be idle on her side.
Jiang Gongsi and his team, who had already completed the weapons workshop, had long since set off for Nanjiang County.
They made a brief stop in Nanjiang County and then went to Yisong County.
Apart from the prefect, who didn't know what they were doing?
The change occurred in mid-March.
Good news finally came from the capital.
A year has passed.
General Yan Zhengzhou finally captured the capital and killed the rebel leader.
The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and others.
We can go back to Beijing now!
This is good news for the capital.
Su Qing made even more moves.
The weapons and armor produced by the weapons workshop, which worked day and night, were delivered to Yan Xieshou in Yisong County without stopping.
Elsewhere, celebrations were taking place over the execution of the rebels in the capital, allowing the emperor to return.
Only in Yisong County was there a sense of unease, with frontline soldiers on high alert, keeping a close watch on Gaoqing Prefecture.
Yan Xieshou watched as the laborers sent by the prefect to build fortifications arrived, and then watched as Jiang Gongsi helped them continue repairing the city wall.
With weapons and equipment arriving one after another, I couldn't help but sigh deeply.
The entire court of civil and military officials was inferior to the female prefect.
She was more aware of the changing political situation than those who were eager to return to the capital.
Everything Prefect Su did was to guard against the rebels in Gaoqing Prefecture.
The rebels in the capital gave Prince Wuyong nearly a year to recuperate.
Who knows how much the other person has recovered over the past year?
The world's attention is now focused on the capital.
If something happens here, will people pay attention?
I'm afraid that's not necessarily true.
Even Prefect Su demanded the right to forge weapons and the money to manufacture them.
They must all be done in the name of the capital.
Forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore.
I still prefer the portal of Yisong County.
We must not let the rebels set foot in again.
Otherwise, how could we do justice to Prefect Su's painstaking planning?
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