Zhao Lei was very satisfied with the achievements of the Zhou case, praised Ding Du for his words, and turned to ask about Zeng Gongliang's recent situation in the Military Apparatus Institute.

Hearing Zhao Lei's inquiry, Zeng Gongliang pondered for a while and said in a deep voice: "Report to Master! The recent situation of the Military Weapons Institute is similar to the case of the helmet. The number of craftsmen has increased a lot, and the production of various siege and defense weapons has increased greatly, but the officials are already controlling the production of these weapons."

"Oh! Why should we control the production of these weapons?" Zhao Lei asked Zeng Gongliang with a calm expression.

"The Rocket Vehicles and Arms Institute is being produced closely. Now, 207 have been produced, and the production of grenades and landmines is nearly 3,000. With the increase of skilled craftsmen, the daily output continues to rise. The new artillery researched by the Military Vehicles Institute is expected to be put into production soon. Once these things are put into use, neither old artillery (catstone cart) nor crossbow carts are as powerful as new weapons. Things that are destined to be eliminated are already destined to be eliminated. The officials feel that it is not worth continuing to produce, so they control the output of these things!" Zeng Gongliang bowed to Zhao Lei and said.

Zeng Gongliang is the official who has the most confidentiality in the logistics yamen of the New Army. Zhao Lei's various ideas from later generations were tested by him. Whether it is the old-fashioned musket designed by Zhao Lei or the backward cannon weighing hundreds of kilograms, the design drawings and principles of these things were handed over to Zeng Gongliang, and Zeng Gongliang asked Zeng Gongliang to organize craftsmen to experiment.

However, the results of the experiment disappointed Zhao Lei. Because the purity of the black gunpowder just now was not enough, the power of the storm was not as powerful as that of the bow and arrow. Although it had been made, it was sealed in a warehouse. The Military Arts Institute has been improving its capabilities, but lacked enough precipitation knowledge, and it was difficult to make a breakthrough for the moment.

The artillery is different. Black gunpowder with insufficient purity can be replaced by quantity in artillery. Although it cannot be made by the flowering ammunition weapon for a while, the power of solid iron shells is much more powerful than the stone shells of stone casting cars in the Song Dynasty. However, the cannons are too consuming iron ore and only four cannons are created for the time being, and they are all general cannons weighing thousands of pounds. In addition to defense, they cannot be used in field battles. A lot of improvement is also needed.

"Thank you for your hard work. From now on, the affairs of the Military Weapons Institute will be followed by Mr. Zeng's ideas. There is no need to worry too much. Remember, everything in the Military Weapons Institute does not have the imperial edict of the official. No one can touch it except the new army!" Zhao Lei once again reminded the importance of keeping the new weapons in the Military Weapons Institute confidentiality.

With Zeng Gongliang nodding seriously, Zhao Lei smiled with satisfaction and asked Xue Xiang, who was a stranger in the officialdom and liked the economics, and said, "Mr. Xue. How is the Iron Case recently?"

"Everything is normal. The production of gold, silver, copper and iron land has been steadily rising. Now the shortage of money in the imperial court has been reduced. The large mines under the guidance of the adults are very rich in various mineral resources, which can meet the requirements of the Ministry of Revenue, Military Equipment and the Armory Case. In addition, the profits of carbonite continue to rise. Last month, the silver sent by various prefectures and counties reached 2.8 million taels. Now the north and south of the Song Dynasty have known the convenience of carbonite. Even countries such as the Xixia and Liao Kingdom have also begun to use carbonite. The subordinate officials expect that the profit of carbonite can reach 3 million taels in two months, and it can definitely double in winter to reach 6 million taels." Xue Xiang replied happily when he heard Zhao Lei's words. He was not very willing to return to Bianjing from Chengdu, but shortly after taking over the iron case, he fell in love with this job and dealt with merchants from all over the Song Dynasty. He handed over millions of taels of silver every month. This is exactly what Xue Xiang yearned for!

"I look at the accounts of the iron case. It seems that there are several places where the supply of carbohydrates has decreased in recent months. Has anyone mined the carbohydrates privately?" Zhao Lei picked up an account from the table next to him and asked Xue Xiang carefully.

"Report to the Lord, the officials have received news that some prefectures and counties have secretly mined quarries, but the officials have reported these matters to the Imperial Envoy. The Imperial Envoy has sent an Imperial Envoy to investigate the matter, and there will be news soon." Xue Xiang bowed to Zhao Lei in a deep voice and said.

"Yes! The issue of carbonite is related to the country and country of the Song Dynasty. We must pay attention to it. No matter who mines carbonite privately, we must crack down on it severely. This trend must not increase. Otherwise, the interests of the Song Dynasty will be taken away by those who have no laws. I will report to the officials and punish these people who knowingly commit crimes." Zhao Lei slapped the table next to him with a heavy hand and said to Xue Xiang in a deep voice.

After taking stock of the three yamen affairs of the New Army Logistics, Zhao Lei happily asked Han Qi, Yang Zun, Gao Zunping and Shi Yuanchun about the training of the New Army.

After several months of training, the new army trained by Zhao Lei has begun to have an elite appearance. Although it is not as good as the powerful soldiers on the northern border, it is more than enough to find a porter for the garbage army in the south. In addition, the soldiers of the new army are recruited from the north with very good physical fitness and brave people, so the combat effectiveness of the new army has been improved. If the new weapons in the military weapon station are equipped, it can be said to be the first army of the Song Dynasty. At least Zhao Lei knows that the new army equipped with new weapons can definitely eat any elite first army of the Song Dynasty.

...

Zhao Lei was very depressed. The new army had just achieved its combat effectiveness. He was about to pull 25,000 troops around to train, but he drew his sword and looked around and found that there was no enemy around him. If he wanted to give the new army combat experience, he might have to go to the northern border to provoke war. However, neither the government nor the court would agree to this kind of thing.

Although the military commander's tent and the world map depicted by Zhao Lei based on his memory is very irregular, the countries around the Song Dynasty are at least depicted on it, and Europe, America, Africa and other majors are also depicted on it. It can be said that it is the first time that appeared in history, and it appeared hundreds of years earlier than Magellan's global map.

Xixia, Liao Kingdom, Tufan, Dali, Goryeo, Japan, Nan'an Li Dynasty, Boni, Ma Yi! Zhao Lei looked at the countries adjacent to the Song Dynasty on the world map, and after choosing, he could not find a place to send troops. Thinking about the foreign policy of the Song Dynasty to conquer people with virtue, Zhao Lei couldn't help but sigh.

"Mr. Han! Can a large number of horse thieves exist in the territory of the Song Dynasty?" Unable to find practical training for foreign enemies, they can only find internal ghosts to train. Zhao Lei attacked the bandits and horse thieves in the Song Dynasty and asked Han Qi beside him in a deep voice.

"After the collapse of the Xiao family in Hebei, there were no large-scale bandits and horse thieves in the Song Dynasty. Even if there were small teams in groups of three or three, it had no meaning in training for the new army." Han Qi also knew that Zhao Lei's plan to find an opponent to train the new army. He pondered for a moment, but he could not expect that there were large-scale horse thieves and bandits there, so he could only shake his head and say.

It is so difficult to find an opponent. No wonder the army of the Song and Liao Kingdoms has become corrupt so quickly, and the Xixia has risen so quickly. New recruits who have never experienced wars are the opponents of the Xixia army of the hundreds of battles. Zhao Lei, who was inspiring to the world map.

"I have met Lord Zhao, Lord Han!" Ding Du walked into the new army commander's tent. Seeing Zhao Lei and Han Qi, he bowed his hand and said in a deep voice.

"Why is Lord Ding here?" Zhao Lei looked at Ding Du in confusion and asked. Ding Du rarely comes to the tent and spends most of his time in the workshop of the Zhou Case, so when Zhao Lei saw Ding Du, he knew something had happened.

Hearing Zhao Lei's inquiry, Ding Du said with a wry smile: "Lord Zhao doesn't have to bother to find a practical opponent for the new army. The official issued an order that Lord Zhao will lead the new army and 25,000 military workers to repair Baiqu and Zhengguoqu."

"Repair the river and canals! Why do you need a new army to go?" Zhao Lei asked in even more confusion.

"Report to Lord Zhao! In the imperial guards near Bianjing, except for the six armies, four guards and 250,000 imperial guards, the other troops went to Hebei to repair the old Yellow River. Now Bianjing can mobilize only the new army." Han Qi was very concerned about the matter in Bianjing. When he heard Zhao Lei's words, he immediately replied.

Hearing Han Qi's words, Zhao Lei suddenly realized that the six and four guards near Bianjing were specialized in guarding Bianjing and the royal family. Since its establishment, he has only followed Zhenzong to fight once, and then made a Song-Liao alliance agreement, which was the last protective umbrella of Bianjing. Apart from the national war, he would not leave Bianjing at any time. Now Bianjing is left with the new army and the six and four guards. Of course, if something happens, the new army will take action.

"Original official Zheng Guoqu knows, but where is Baiqu?" Zhao Lei thought about it for a long time, but he couldn't remember what Baiqu was. He asked Ding Du beside him in confusion.

"The Baiqu connects the Zhengguo Canal, which is located in the 800-mile Qinchuan in Guanzhong. It is an artificial irrigation canal that connects Jingshui and Weishui built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. It was dug in the second year of Taishi according to the suggestion of Bai Gong, the official of Zhaozhong, so it is called Baiqu. It is also known as Zhengbaiqu, which connects Jingshui and Luoshui built in the late Warring States Period in the north.

The Baiqu starts from Gukou, leads the Jing River to flow southeast, passes through Chiyang, Liyang, goes east to Xiabang, and flows into the Wei River in the south.

Baiqu and Zhengguo Canal were 500 miles long and irrigated more than 100,000 hectares of grain fields. However, after the Eastern Han Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, Zhengguo Canal and Baiqu gradually abolished, which reduced the grain production in the Guanzhong plain a lot. Therefore, the official issued an order to restore Baiqu and Zhengguo Canal and increase the grain production in Guanzhong." Ding Du talked freely and told all his understanding of Baiqu and Zhengguo Canal.

"Baiqu and Zhengguo Canal irrigated more than 100,000 hectares of fertile land during the Western Han Dynasty, but by the Yonghui period of the Tang Dynasty, it could only irrigate more than 20,000 hectares of land. By the Song Dynasty, it was even weakened. All the benefits of irrigation were destroyed, and only 6,000 hectares of land could be irrigated. Some time ago, the official agreed to the Prime Minister Wang's opinion to restore the old path of the Yellow River. Another prime minister, Lord Lü, was not willing to be rewarded by Lord Wang. All the suggestions for restoring Baiqu and Zhengguo Canal were also beneficial to the country and the people. Where can the official disagree with it!" Han Qi and Ding Du finished speaking, he added to Zhao Lei.

It seems that the new army cannot find a practical opponent in combat, but has the task of training. Repairing the river canal is also a meaningful training! But what effect does it have on the new army! Zhao Lei sighed in his heart.
Chapter completed!