In less than a month, the walls around Zhenjiang Fort have begun to take shape, which is a good thing for everyone.
However, the weather has also begun to get colder, which means that once the heavy snow falls, the construction period will be delayed, and the city wall may not be able to be built this winter.
Therefore, people who are rushing to work are working almost day and night. At night, if you stand on a high place and look down, there are fires everywhere. This kind of large-scale construction work, let alone ordinary people and workers, is the officers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town.
, haven’t seen it for a long time.
Everyone seemed to feel an urgent atmosphere, and in the meeting hall of Zhenjiang Fort, this urgent atmosphere reached its peak.
Jiang Wan sat on the handsome chair in the middle, silent, with no smile on his face. Gao Sheng, who was beside him, was talking.
Those who are qualified to enter this meeting hall, in addition to the generals from the Eighth Battalion of Dongjiang Town, are also Mei Xiaofei from the Fourth Navy Regiment, Fan Zhen from the fleet, and others. Even Tang Ruowang, who is basically faceless, has come.
Tieshan City rushed over.
This is the largest military discussion since Jiang Wan took office in Dongjiang Town.
"According to the situation in previous years, once October is over, it may snow at any time. By then, we can continue the construction of the city wall, but the progress will definitely be far behind. If we maintain the current progress, we will have to start the preliminary work before February next year as scheduled by the commander-in-chief.
If it is completed, the food and money required will probably exceed the estimated amount by 40%!"
Jiang Wan didn't speak. Gao Sheng looked at the people around him and sat down slowly.
"The fleet has now established a long-term trading point in Pyongyang. However, after half a year of trade, Pyongyang and even the entire Pingan Road can no longer digest all the fleet's goods, and the Cui family and the Li family have transferred our
The exclusive sale of goods to Busan and Nagasaki actually intercepts most of our profits. The fleet wants to open a second route, a route directly from Daming to Nagasaki, but the risk has also increased a lot!"
Fan Zhen stood up: "There are two new ships joining the fleet at the beginning of the year. My preliminary suggestion is that these two new ships be equipped with cannons produced by Tieshan, and select loyal and reliable people as crew members. These two ships will be
The escort mission of the fleet will be the main task, and the transportation mission will be supplemented. Please make your decision, Commander-in-Chief!"
"In addition, this year's fleet's incoming and outgoing accounts, as of this month, have made a total profit of more than 374,000 taels of silver. According to the commander's instructions, in addition to the fleet's own remaining balance of 100,000 taels as principal, in the second half of the year
The 150,000 silver that should be turned over has been escorted to Zhenjiang Fort!"
The eyes of almost everyone in the hall lit up. Although they knew that the handsome fleet could make money, no one expected it to be so profitable. A net profit of 150,000 taels can be made in half a year. This is simply worse than robbery.
Hurry!
Especially the old people in Dongjiang Town, their eyes almost glowed green. Ever since Dongjiang Town was founded, Dongjiang Town has never been so wealthy.
"So few?" Jiang Wan said slowly, "Dongjiang Town has more than 30,000 soldiers and horses, and 150,000 can only be used as military pay, which is far from enough!"
The light in everyone's eyes suddenly dimmed a lot.
"But..." Jiang Wan's voice rose: "With the efforts of the trading company, Tieshan City sold a hundred three-pound cannons and made a profit of more than 200,000 taels. In addition to leaving 100,000 taels for Tieshan, another 100,000 taels were allocated.
Two for each battalion! Each battalion’s general will allocate it by himself!”
"Thank you, Marshal!"
Everyone said in unison, their eyes couldn't help but show excitement, especially Hu Ben and Hu Wei, two battalions who had been staying on the island and had done nothing. They did not expect such benefits, and they were also part of it. Camp Commander Hu Wei
Yao Chunxiang's face was almost beaming with joy.
"The cannons and muskets needed by the fleet will be allocated by Tieshan City after the new ships are in place!" Jiang Wan said slowly: "As for the manpower required, the Haojing'ao branch of Sihai Commercial Bank will allocate it!"
He looked at Fan Zhen: "You'd better contact the Haojing'ao branch. If you plan to open a new route, listen to their opinions!"
"Yes, I understand!" Fan Zhen nodded calmly and sat down.
In his heart, he didn't want to show that he was so calm. The fact that he could attend such a meeting and report the matter to Jiang Wan in front of everyone showed that he had completely entered Jiang Wan's influence and gained enough trust.
And his father Fan Yongdou has been working hard for this goal. In other words, Jiang Wan and his power will no longer be a knife hanging over the head of the Fan family, but have become the protector of the Fan family.
.
"Mr. Tang, how is the development of the six-pound cannon?" When no one spoke, Jiang Wan took the initiative and said, "The military has been waiting for a more powerful cannon for a long time!"
"I think if you give me another two or three months, I should be able to make it!" Tang Ruowang didn't realize the significance of this occasion to him, and said calmly: "Now I have made a few, just a few samples.
Cannons and mass production are two completely different things. Only when I can produce at least five to eight six-pound cannons in a month can I dare to tell the commander that I have already done this!"
"Keep working hard!" Jiang Wan nodded: "Mr. Zhao appreciates you very much. Now one of you is mainly developing firearms, and the other is mainly developing cannons. The firearms manufactured from Tieshan City have supported Dongjiang Town.
The soldiers of this army are looking forward to you!"
"That's my honor!" Tang Ruowang nodded reservedly and sat down.
He is very satisfied with the current situation. In Tieshan City, the small church he hoped for has been built long ago, and he has also developed more than 20 loyal followers of the Lord, although most of these believers are mercenary groups and Koreans.
However, there were also several apprentice craftsmen who came from the Ming Dynasty.
Such achievements are far better than those of his colleagues who entered the Ming Dynasty to preach before him. At least, the believers he developed believed in the Lord because they felt the glory of the Lord, while the believers developed by his former colleagues were those who had no other way out.
For the hungry people to survive.
The quality of believers varies greatly.
He believes that this situation will get better and better, and even more believers and more churches will appear in Tieshan City.
Jiang Wan's eyes slowly turned and finally fell on Zu Zehong, the newly appointed general of the cavalry battalion. It was obvious that he had not adapted to the atmosphere here. He was sitting among several generals, looking at him intently, although he was very serious.
But there is always something out of place.
When Jiang Wan saw him, he knew it was time to speak for himself.
"Our cavalry battalion is now serving as the cavalry scout for the whole town. Since last month, the scouts have repeatedly discovered traces of Tartar scouts less than a hundred miles away from Liaoyang. At the same time, scouts from the Liaoyang defenders have also been discovered!
"
"As of this month, within fifty miles of Liaoyang, there are basically no traces of the Liaoyang defenders' scouts. This means that either Liaoyang City has shrunk the scouts' reconnaissance range, or that outside this range, Liaoyang's scouts are all gone.
They have been destroyed by the Tartar scouts!"
His face became serious: "Based on past experience, this is a signal that the Tartars are about to launch a massive attack on Liaoyang!"