Become a feudal king from today

"Speaking of these pirates, they should indeed be surrendered. I wonder if Mr. Liang knows about a giant pirate named Wufeng Island Master?" Zhao Xu asked.

After discussing business, he remembered this and asked suddenly.

"Lu Zheng, I naturally know that the Liang family has suffered a lot in his hands. The money paid to him every year for buying roads is hundreds of thousands taels." Liang Feng sighed.

Zhao Xu asked in confusion: "It's just that the Liang family has such a big family business, why are they afraid of a pirate?"

"Your Highness doesn't know. This Lu Zheng is not just a pirate. He is backed by Japan, France and other forces. Moreover, 30% of his fleet is equipped with artillery. He is said to be a pirate. In fact, they are just their minions." Liang Feng said: "Your Highness, the Liang family will also suffer at sea these years."

While talking, he looked at Zhao Xu's expression.

I hope to scare Zhao Xu and make him retreat and not get involved in sea trade.

As for what he said, it was naturally half-truth and half-false.

Then he asked: "Why did Your Highness suddenly ask about this person?"

"You are dissatisfied with Mr. Liang. Just two days ago, Jinghai County in Yan County was attacked by a group of pirates. They claimed to be Lu Zheng's people."

"It's really disgusting, they dare to provoke His Highness." Liang Feng slapped his thigh and said angrily.

Zhao Xu wanted to find some clues on Liang Feng's face.

But nothing was found.

To him, this attack was as full of doubts as the Ma family's affairs.

Tell him directly that someone is deliberately messing with him, and that the Liang family is the most suspect.

Not seeing anything strange, Zhao Xu was a little disappointed. He said, "It's getting late. Mr. Liang, do you want to stay at the palace for dinner?"

Liang Feng waved his hands hurriedly. He had been very stressed since he met King Yan.

King Yan tested him several times, and he could tell.

If someone accidentally got drunk by King Yan and said something he shouldn't have said, it would be hard for him to explain it to him when he got back.

So he said: "I am here this time for business reasons. I will soon go to Qizhou with the Liang family merchants, and I will not stay here with your highness."

Zhao Xu smiled secretly.

He found that no one from the hostile forces seemed willing to stay in Yancheng for a long time.

But this is normal. If I go to the Liang family's home state, I won't want to stay for a day longer.

Thinking of this, he pretended to stay several times, but Liang Feng always resisted and said goodbye.

Watching Liang Feng's carriage go away, Zhao Xu saw a familiar person walking towards him in the sunshine.

Smiling, he waited in front of the palace.

The man arrived and saluted him, "Your Highness, I'm back."

This person is not someone else, but Yang He.

"How was this trip to the capital?" Zhao Xu asked.

Yang He chuckled twice, "The palace's new products have almost driven the dignitaries in the capital crazy. Now everyone is chasing them. From now on, the palace will be able to earn at least 520,000 more silver per month."

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction and asked Yang He to tell him the process of the exhibition.

He smiled when he learned that Zhao Heng had helped him in this matter.

It seems that his sugar-coated bullets worked.

"Fifty-two thousand is enough to build two warships, and this year it will be twenty-four." Zhao Xu said.

The palace's income has increased again, and with the addition of these five hundred thousand taels, the monthly profit will reach three million taels in the future.

Now coupled with the profits brought by artillery, the financial problems of the four northern counties have been solved.

But this is just the beginning, not the end.

He still has a lot of new merchandise to come out.

In terms of business, his goal is very simple, which is to defeat one country from the four northern counties and become a veritable commercial overlord of Dasong.

Then use the accumulated capital to realize the industrial revolution in the four northern counties and catch up with the Age of Discovery.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Xu said to Yang He: "There is one more thing I want to leave to you. The armed caravan will be put on the agenda. From now on, the trading house will secretly recruit troops, train guards and crew, and wait for the warship to be launched. Let’s open up a maritime trade route so that domestic trade routes will not be cut off and get into trouble in the future. You and Zhou Yi will cooperate with each other on this matter.”

"Yes, Your Highness, leave this matter to your subordinates." Yang He said yes.

He had been looking forward to this for a long time, and it finally officially started.

After chatting some more, Yang He left.

The next day.

Zhao Xu still gave lectures in the morning and supervised the making of flintlock guns in the afternoon.

"Your Highness, this is the barrel that was just drilled out." Wang Ying handed Zhao Xu a barrel with a smooth inner wall.

Holding it in front of his eyes, Zhao Xu looked inside the tube.

Although the inner wall cannot be said to be as smooth as a mirror, the wall of the tube is quite flat, and the resistance encountered by bullets passing through here will be much smaller.

Unlike the captured arquebus, the inner wall has slight undulations.

And because he uses medium carbon steel pipes.

His flintlock will be able to hold more gunpowder, plus granulated gunpowder.

He is confident that the flintlock gun made by the Bingzhangsi will definitely be the pinnacle of flintlock guns as soon as it is born.

"Yes, let's make three hundred of them first and give them to Nanda Camp for training." Zhao Xu ordered.

The barrel and firing problems are solved. The next problem is to have the carpenter make the stock and assemble it.

At the same time, the most important thing is to expand production.

Wang Ying said yes and went to work again.

At this moment, a guard came in and said: "Your Highness, the cavalry has come to report that General Bai has wiped out all the pirates in Jinghai County and captured more than ten people alive. He has sent people to Yancheng and is expected to arrive tomorrow. ”

Zhao Xu was excited when he heard this.

Xu Lie said: "These pirates are really arrogant. They burned the ships and still dared to stay in Jinghai County."

"They probably really think that their matchlock guns are invincible." Zhao Xu sneered several times.

At noon the next day, sure enough, a group of royal soldiers arrived escorting thirteen pirates.

These thirteen pirates had bruises on their noses and swollen faces. They were obviously interrogated by the soldiers of the royal palace.

A school captain stepped forward and said: "Your Highness, General Bai has interrogated these pirates. They are indeed Lu Zheng's people."

"I have no grudge against your island owner, so why would he attack my shipbuilding department?" Zhao Xu said sharply.

The pirate didn't say anything, then the captain drew his sword.

Seeing this, a pirate actually said anxiously: "We really don't know. The island owner asked us to do this, so we did it and asked King Yan to spare our lives."

Zhao Xu frowned.

It seems that the pirates really don't know anything.

He said to the captain: "The pirate who spoke just now cut off his ears and asked him to go back. Kill the others, put up wooden stakes, and hang their bodies on the coast of Jinghai County!"

"Yes, Your Highness." The captain responded.

He turned to the pirate, and with a flash of the knife in his hand, the pirate lay on the ground, the air rolling in, and blood flowing from his ears.

Zhao Xu said: "Go back and tell your island owner that the king has recorded this in the account book. The blood debt he owes the four northern counties will be repaid with his blood."

Hai Ke covered his ears and shivered.

It wasn't until the captain shouted "Go away" that the pirates quickly ran away.

The captain escorted the other gray-faced pirates back to Jinghai County.

There he will be put to death.