"What is this sound?" Liu Ruyi's expression changed, she stood up suddenly, and was about to rush out to investigate.
"Master Baihu, don't panic!"
The little father-in-law quickly grabbed Liu Ruyi's arm, quickly stopped in front of Liu Ruyi, and explained with a smile: "This is the coolies in the back mountain who are blasting rocks! It will be fine in a while! Lord Baihu, let's
Let’s talk about it first!”
His body was a little twitchy, and his face looked a bit flattering.
Liu Ruyi's heart moved, and she deliberately said with a straight face: "What? Father-in-law, you can't trust me? Although I, Liu, can't be said to be a hero, I am one of the top figures in Nanshan! What I say out loud will sound like a splash.
Water out! Father-in-law, can Liu still owe you money?"
After Liu Ruyi finished speaking, she slammed the table angrily, shocking the little father-in-law!
He said with a smile on his face, "Oh! Master Baihu! You, what a hero you are! Look at this slave's mouth, it really deserves a beating, it really deserves a beating!"
After he finished speaking, he pretended to pat his face lightly a few times.
Liu Ruyi hurriedly stopped his movements, put on a smile and said: "Eunuch, although I am doing the work of making gold, I have never seen how the gold is made! Eunuch, can you please show me a favor and take your brother to see it?"
?”
"This? This?" The young father-in-law was stunned. He never thought that Liu Ruyi would make such a request, and he didn't know how to answer it.
Liu Ruyi knew what he knew, smiled and took out a stack of one hundred taels of silver notes from his arms, pretended to count out five, and handed them to the little father-in-law, "Father-in-law, brother, I am also a real person, I don't know how to play.
It’s fake! Just treat these as fixed money. If my father-in-law can give me some insight, then..."
In this era, it doesn’t matter whether you are the emperor or the elder, the rich one is the boss!
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the small commodity economy was highly developed, and the concept of doing business had almost penetrated into the bones of the scholar-official class. The status and treatment of businessmen were even better than those of later generations!
The little father-in-law took the banknote, and his originally bitter face suddenly brightened, and he smiled and said: "Master Baihu, the mountain behind is very messy, I'm afraid it will stain your eyes!"
Liu Ruyi laughed loudly, "It doesn't matter! Liu just wants to see the world, and he won't really get ahead! Father-in-law, you can rest assured!"
"That's good, that's good!" The little father-in-law wiped the sweat from his forehead with lingering fear.
…………
The mine is located on the side and back of the village. After walking along the stream for a while, I saw a small artificially dug canal about ten meters wide and about a hundred meters long. There were dozens of people wearing clothes on both sides of the river.
Leather-armored sergeants stood on both sides, carefully monitoring the miners working in the river.
Gold sand needs to be refined and cleaned, and it relies heavily on water. This area has actually entered the core hinterland of the gold mine.
"Master Baihu, look! That's it, that's the mine! The coolies need to blow up the gap in the mine first, then take the ore out of the mountain, send it to the mill in front and smash it into fine sand, and finally put it into the river.
Wash it in the water, so you can get the gold sand!" The little father-in-law stood aside and explained to Liu Ruyi in detail.
"Oh! So that's it!" Liu Ruyi nodded as if she had suddenly realized something.
These processes are somewhat similar to those of later generations, but the specific links are very rough. However, with the current productivity level and technological means, this is already the most efficient mining method!
While he was talking, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" There were more than a dozen loud bangs in succession high in the mountains. Stones and sawdust flew across the sky, and dust and smoke filled the sky. Everyone around him couldn't help coughing, and Liu Ruyi also frowned,
Covered his mouth and nose.
"Master Baihu, it's such a mess here! Those coolies should be finished blowing up in a while. How about we go to the house to rest for a while and then come back after they're done?" the little father-in-law said with an apologetic smile.
Liu Ruyi snorted in her heart, 'What I came to see was the craftsmen blasting the mines. Otherwise, how could I have done so much with you, a little eunuch?'
"Father, it's okay! I've always liked watching the excitement since I was a child, and this scene is much more grand than those fireworks!" Liu Ruyi said with a smile.
"Haha!" The little father-in-law also showed a real smile on his face. He was already young. When he heard what Liu Ruyi said, he seemed to resonate in his heart and showed off: "Master Baihu, speaking of this, you
But I don’t understand! Fireworks and firecrackers are just gadgets, how can they be compared with this ‘Mountain Thunder’? Even though this ‘Mountain Thunder’ is small, this mountain is all exploded by this little thing.
A gap!"
Seeing that Liu Ruyi didn't quite believe it, he quickly winked at Qiu San, the leader of the Jinyi Guards next to him.
Qiu San immediately stepped forward and faced Liu Ruyi with an apologetic smile: "Master Baihu, the little father-in-law is right! Here and here, they are all gaps made by that little thing! Hey! Let me tell you, this thing,
Not to mention a small bump like this, even a big mountain like that over there, if you add dozens of them, you can still flatten the top of the mountain!"
Qiu Sanbi pointed at the section of the mine's fault and then pointed at a high mountain above, fearing that Liu Ruyi wouldn't understand.
"It's really amazing! Liu's eyes are really open today!" Liu Ruyi pretended to be surprised and praised, "Father-in-law, Brother Qiu, did these things come from above? Liu
There are a lot of rocks in that town, it would be great if we could get some of them, blast out some flat land, and build a garden!"
Liu Ruyi carefully probed.
Regarding the power of this gunpowder, Liu Ruyi was also a little surprised. He did not expect that in this era, something similar to the 'detonator explosive' of later generations could be seen. If these things were brought back to Caishi Town, they could be equipped with them.
Among the new soldiers, the feelings...
Hearing Liu Ruyi's words, the young father-in-law was startled and his face stiffened. He seemed a little angry that Liu Ruyi didn't know what was good or bad, but Qiu San who was standing by him gently poked his shoulder with his elbow.
The little father-in-law's face changed, and he forcibly turned back to his smiling face, and said with an unnatural smile: "Master Baihu, if anyone else asks this, I will definitely drive them out with a stick! However, if you ask, of course I will.
You know everything! These things are all good stuff from Beijing! In the past, these ores were dug by coolies with spades. With this thing, it can save ten times.
What a great effort!”
Liu Ruyi sneered in her heart, this little father-in-law is not very old, but he has quite a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Does he think he is a good man?
What kind of bird-feather 'mountain mine'? It's just what people in later generations would call a landslide (it's the same kind of earth mine made by ordinary people in the old movie Mine Wars). At most, it just adds a detonation device.
!
Although he was like a mirror in his heart, Liu Ruyi didn't want to show off his flaws and pretended to be a country bumpkin. He pretended to be surprised and said: "It turns out to be something from Beijing. No wonder, no wonder! Liu has really learned a lot. He has learned a lot!"
"
Seeing Liu Ruyi like this, the young father-in-law relaxed a little and his face became normal, but he was still a little worried and said cautiously: "Master Baihu, if it's like this, then..."
Liu Ruyi glanced at him and did not answer directly, but laughed and said: "Look at my memory, I almost forgot to mention important things! Father-in-law, brother Qiu San, you must have a lot of craftsmen here, right? Brother, I have a home.
We are building a garden? We still have a lot of manpower! Hey, there is no way! My mother and those unseemly women are just like this! Tell me, what is wrong with our beautiful scenery in the North? We must do it.
Building a Jiangnan garden like a bird's feather is really annoying! However, don't worry, you two, brothers can't treat you badly and make it difficult for you! Let's calculate it on a per-capita basis, and brothers will pay for it.
!”
The young father-in-law and Qiu San were both stunned. They looked at Liu Ruyi, who was as wealthy as a nouveau riche. Even if they were beaten to death, they would never have imagined that Liu Ruyi would actually make such a request?
The two of them wanted to take a look, but both were a little confused.
After a long while, Qiu San finally swallowed his saliva and said carefully: "Master Baihu, it doesn't matter if you take some heads from us! But, I don't know how the money is calculated?"
Liu Ruyi sneered in her heart, but she pretended to be proud and said: "Both of you are happy people, brothers, I can trust you! As long as the manpower is suitable, you two can do it!"
The two looked at each other and nodded slightly at the same time. After a moment, the little father-in-law said in a trembling voice: "Master Baihu, you are a happy man! We don't come here in vain! They are all strong men, twelve taels each.
how?"
"Oh?" Liu Ruyi frowned, as if he was a little surprised. However, he did not agree or disagree, but asked: "I wonder how many tins you two can give? I only want a craftsman, so don't take it.
Come here to fool Liu!"
When we talked about business matters, money was at stake, and everyone on both sides became a little serious.
The young father-in-law and Qiu San whispered for a moment, then smiled at Liu Ruyi and said: "Master Baihu, this servant is not short of food. It depends on you, Master Baihu, whether you can eat it!"
"Tell me the numbers!" Liu Ruyi said.
"More than a hundred!" said the little father-in-law.
"There are so many? This is more than a thousand taels! I can build another garden!" Liu Ruyi pretended to be frightened and stepped back a step.
When the young father-in-law saw that Liu Ruyi was thinking of quitting, he was very anxious and said hurriedly: "Master Baihu, this is really a real price! I and the third master are really short of money! Otherwise, I won't sell fifteen ounces! I'm here!
The craftsmen here are all highly skilled, and many of them have served the royal family. You can’t buy them anywhere else!”
"That's right!" Liu Ruyi nodded, "Then are all the family members of these people here? I also bought them together, which saves them from not working hard for me!"
"This?" The little father-in-law seemed a little embarrassed.
Craftsman households, like military households, are hereditary! Just like cutting leeks, after one harvest, there will be another crop, which will continue from generation to generation! The two of them made a good calculation and sold only the young men to Liu Ruyi.
But they left their families behind. In this way, these young men will miss their wives and children and will return to them sooner or later.
"Let's do this! Liu can't let the two brothers be in trouble. Except for the young men, for each household, I will add ten taels! That's twenty taels, including the person and his family, how about that?" Liu Ruyi said.
"This?" The little father-in-law looked at Qiu San as if asking for help.
Qiu San was also a little hard to decide. He looked at his little father-in-law, then at Liu Ruyi, and couldn't decide for a long time what to pay attention to!
Liu Ruyi pretended to be impatient and said: "You two, aren't you just pigs and dogs? You are both popular people around Eunuch Ding, what else can you do without these? If you hadn't seen that we are so close here, I would have directly
I'm going to find Eunuch Ding to ask for someone! I think it will be a lot easier for him to come here!"
After Liu Ruyi finished speaking, he turned around and left.
"Wait a minute!" The two of them were shocked and grabbed Liu Ruyi at the same time, one after the other.
The young father-in-law said with a smile: "Master Baihu, don't be so anxious? Let me and the third master think about it for a while!"
"Is this still useful? The total transaction is three thousand taels. I have already paid five hundred taels, and there are still two thousand five hundred taels left. If you two agree, you can take the banknote!" Liu Ruyi
After saying that, he impatiently took out a stack of one hundred taels of banknotes from his arms, counted out twenty-five, and placed them in front of the two of them.
The two of them subconsciously wanted to reach out and grab it, but Liu Ruyi gently pulled back, causing the two of them to miss.
"What's going on? Is it successful or not? Give me a certain answer!" | The person who pays is the uncle, and Liu Ruyi is full of uncle at this moment!
The two looked at each other again, and the little father-in-law squeezed out a few words through his teeth, "Master Baihu, this deal is done! We've done it!"
"Okay! This is right! Come on, take it! Keep it!" Liu Ruyi forcefully handed the banknote to the little father-in-law's hand, but it was only half of it.
The young father-in-law looked at Liu Ruyi in surprise, and Liu Ruyi said with a smile: "It's getting late, you two can help me count the manpower! I'm in a hurry to go down the mountain!"
"Come on! Don't wait! It's very fast. I'll go now!" Qiu San nodded respectfully and bowed to Liu Ruyi, then called on a dozen of his subordinates to run towards the mines and villages.
…………
Not long after, a team of several hundred people was gathered. They were dressed in tatters, some were old and some were young, but most of them were old and weak, but those in their prime had just survived working in the mines.
"Master Baihu, they are all here!" the young father-in-law said with a smile, but his eyes were fixed on the banknote in Liu Ruyi's hand.
Liu Ruyi laughed loudly and winked at Xiao Liuer and Huolang. The two understood and hurriedly led their soldiers towards the crowd.
"Here, take it!" Liu Ruyi proudly handed the remaining banknotes to the little father-in-law, "The accounts are clear, good brother! Father-in-law, I'm leaving! We'll see you later!"
The little father-in-law was also beaming, looking at Liu Ruyi as if he were a wealthy man, "Master Baihu, please go slowly! We will contact you again next time we have business!"
"Definitely!" Liu Ruyi responded without looking back, and strode down the mountain!
Perhaps, in their eyes, these craftsmen are worse than pigs and dogs! But to Liu Ruyi, these people are simply talents that even ten thousand taels of gold can't buy! At least more than half of these people work in the mines all year round.
Gunpowder experts are, at best, skilled craftsmen! With them, what does this mountain-opening mine mean? Isn’t it true that as much as you need, you can have as much as you need?