Chapter 219 True Confidence

The Shaanxi negotiations, which had been arguing, finally came to an end. Zhongchengbo officially took over the civilian and political affairs in Shaanxi, Gansu and northern Sichuan, and the troops stationed in various places were also changing defenses. The Guanning Army was retained as a military force independent of the army to die. The Guanning Army was originally supported by the people of Shaanxi, but it was still the case. However, the army to die once had to change hands, and another time limit was added - half a year.

Half a year later, Wu Sangui had to raise himself. As for how to raise him and how to raise him, all parties already knew very well. There was no other way except for naked force invasion.

At the same time, the army to die is actively forming the Zhenxi Front Army. As a relatively independent force, the Guanning Army has sent senior officers to discuss various matters and details with the army to die.

If the expansion of force in the past was only at the theoretical stage, it has now reached a stage of imminent detonation.

With Shaanxi as the base, all preparations are in full swing. For this expansion, the Guanning Army is more active than the dead army, because this is a major event that concerns personal survival issues...

The expansion of force was planned by Li Si and has been moving towards this goal. It has not yet truly surfaced until now.

External expansion. The most direct beneficiaries are business groups from all parties. Whether it is Hui merchants or Shanxi merchants, or scattered commercial forces from all over the country, they also show extremely high enthusiasm for the active expansion of the troops to die.

It is an indisputable fact that war itself can bring benefits, not to mention that there are many long-term interests, such as market expansion, extension of trade routes, etc. Because of geographical advantages, Shanxi merchants took advantage of the situation, and because they made some efforts in the Battle of Shaanxi, Shanxi merchants received more rewards and supported the war more.

Although the place where Yilibali has never been within the territory of the Ming Dynasty, these merchants are more familiar with these areas. They have also formed caravans countless times to enter this western place, and have a certain understanding of the local customs and customs and mountains, rivers and geography. These things will become Li Si's reference materials, which are likely to affect the overall planning and preparation.

Few people say anything bad about this kind of naked invasion, especially these commercial forces, which are too late to welcome. Among the people, Li Si introduced many reward policies, encouraging the people to go with the army and live in these places. The army to die will ensure their safety. There are also some rumors that as long as it passes, you can lead as many local barbarians and land on the city. No one can tell whether these things are true or false, but many discounts and favoritism are certain.

This is about the adventurous spirit of the people.

Many people are unwilling to leave their hometown to go to places that are thousands of miles away, which is said to be non-scattered. I heard that the place is a barren land, and it is useless to occupy it. People have to be guarded. As for those barbarians, they all have no appearance, so who would rather see these savages?

Those who are really interested in these colonial policies are not the kind people, but the scoundrels who are unsatisfied in the local area, or simply fugitives who come to hide their names from all over the country. A large part of them are the bandits who used to take advantage of the chaos. Now they can't become bandits. If they go to the west to take risks and get mixed up, they may have some more names...

Of course, some people are very disdainful of Zhongcheng Bo's external expansion, especially scholars.

In the territory controlled by the dead army, only voices of approval are allowed. Even if someone opposes this kind of expansion, he is just whispering and never dares to shout out. Jiangnan is different. What is the trend of Jiangnan Shilin? Even if there is no wind, it will cause three feet of waves. If there is nothing, you have to find out if there is nothing. First of all, Li Si is so powerful and wants to carry out a large-scale invasion and expansion. Is it still necessary to do the ancestral teachings that this dynasty does not seek? Is it still necessary to have the priesthood of the saint?

Emperor Yang of Sui conquers Goryeo, and finally ends up being ruined, causing disputes all over the world...

The expedition of the army has always been the most laborious thing that has caused the people to lose money and shake the country's fundamental stupidity. Emperor Yang of Sui conquers a tiny Goryeo that made the public resentment boil everywhere. Now Li Si is going to fight again, so there will definitely be no good results. Let's see the good end of his defeat and poverty...

Speaking of Goryeo, we always think of the current North Korea. Before we knew it, North Korea had returned to the territory of the Ming Dynasty and became a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty again. Not only did it produce some soldiers that were not enough to get stuck in the gaps and the Northern Army that went to the death to fight together, they jointly encircled and suppressed the old nests of the Tartars, but they also made a complaint to the court to apologize...

Of course, North Korea's comments and news were transferred through Beidu, and few people have paid attention to these details.

The loyal Bo has launched a large military service and fought in all directions to expand territory, which is like an arrow.

"Loyalty, you are already in the sun. Now you occupy the Yellow River and control the Yangtze River are already the capital of the king. But you also have to look at the people from all over the world. They work hard and just have the opportunity to survive, you will have to fight again..."

Yang Tinglin, who had just finished the negotiations, successfully returned to Beidu, or he came to meet Li Siyi. The first sentence of the meeting was that Li Si was good at governing the army and neglected to governing the people: "No need to say that the army is going to die. The world's most powerful army deserves it, but what have the people gained after doing such a big career? As soon as today is settled, China's fortune will continue. With your wisdom and mind, can't you see that it is time to recuperate? I don't believe it..."

Yang Tinglin didn't give Li Si a chance to interrupt, and he also had a little bit of a self-talk: "With your ability, you can use the fighting power of the dead army. I know that it is easy to defeat those barbaric countries, but what is the use of getting those barren lands? What is the use of controlling the people of other countries? If our race is not ours, the hearts of the dead will be different. If the army is not ours, the army of those who go to die will be strong for a hundred years? What about a hundred years later? When the army of those who go to die will be weak, those who go to alien countries will inevitably rise up and rebel. At that time, it will not be the blessing of our China..."

"Old Yang, if you don't treat me as an outsider, I won't treat you as an outsider." Li Si said in a very strong face and said in a rare solemn tone: "It's not the time to rest and recuperate. The world is about to change. We must lead the trend of this world before the drastic changes. It is not me, Li Si, who supports the death army, but millions of people. The Tartars were killed, but they did not get much benefit. Instead, they bear taxes three times that of Jiangnan. What I, Li Si, can do is just to let them have food and clothing. If it takes time, the people's livelihood in Jiangnan will definitely be far beyond my side, which is irrefutable. So I must keep attacking and never stop..."

Li Si told his heart's truth to his old comrade-in-arms Yang Tinglin: "Now that Western learning is gradually entering, we already know the world is so great. For the barbarians outside China, we must conquer them by force. The fundamental reason for expanding territory is to expand the living space of the nation, which is also to make plans for the future. If we can maintain our strength forever, it is of course the best. If we decline in a hundred years, there will be a chance to buffer. Therefore, we must conquer all the countries in the four directions and fight until they surrender. If we cannot put the territory and population into our pockets, we must smash it no matter what the price we pay. If we cannot use it for our sake, we will destroy it..."

"The small country and the small tribes cannot give them a chance to rise. While I, Li Si, are still awake, you must conquer them. Otherwise, you will destroy them in one fell swoop, and kill any nation that may threaten our tribe, regardless of whether it is an enemy. On the eve of the rise." To this old school official who once worked hard for the death army and now the armed leader of Jiangnan, Li Si lowered his voice and said something that made Yang Tinglin creepy: "What kind of nation in this world is this nation?

There are thousands of people? More than ten thousand people of powerful empires? While the army to die is still on the way up, kill all the nations. Only the Chinese clan will never have external troubles. There will never be any worries about the destruction of clans. At that time, the army to die can be used to cast weapons and plows into the warehouse. For this goal, I can pay any price, and I can sacrifice one generation and two generations. For this goal, the army to die can fight for another hundred years..."

After hearing this, Yang Tinglin felt cold and cold sweat on his forehead: the war that lasted for a hundred years was the long-term rise and fall of the nation. In order to achieve this goal, Li Si would definitely use any means and cost, and it was unimaginable what kind of sacrifice he would make.

From the moment Li Si said this, in addition to this nation itself, Li Si has already placed all the living people in this world in a hostile position.

"Expand the space and take all the materials from all directions for my use. Those who follow it remain, and those who go against it die." Li Si's words contained the sound of metal and iron. Although it was slow and low, it contained endless murderous aura: "I don't care what I will kill. It's not impossible to be able to make it possible that there is only my clan between heaven and earth..."

Although Yang Tinglin did not know whether the barbarians in the outside world were strong or weak, since Matteo Ricci, many foreign barbarians have come to China. People have already had a vague understanding of the outside world. Most of the barbarians were in an era of small countries and few people, and they were unlikely to be compared with Li Si, regardless of population or territory. It can be imagined that Li Si's external expansion must be full of bloody and cruel killing, and its essence is naked plunder and conquest.

"Although the army to die is strong, it will not be able to support such a war in the end." Yang Tinglin said with concern: "I also know your Li Si's methods, and I also know that your wisdom is like the sea. Those barbarians are definitely not your opponents. Even if you can continue to fight like this, what will happen in a hundred years? After your generation of yours and my generation will only leave you war..."

"The people who support the dead army are under high taxes and export their children to send me to the battlefield. I will definitely give them benefits." Li Si said in an irrefutable tone: "The benefits of plunder will be used first to let the people know the benefits of war. Only in this way can they support the war for a long time. In less than ten or twenty years, I can clean up the barbarian and small states around me to the point of being poor. In a short period of time, no matter what changes occur, they do not have the strength to counterattack, and there will be no major war..."

Yang Tinglin was in his heart, and he knew that Li Si would be able to do what he said. When he was curled up in the Knife Village and was trembling in his daily life for survival, who could have imagined that Li Si would achieve what he has today? With Li Si's current capital, it is not completely impossible to do anything shocking. But this idea is really... it is really crazy: "My Li Xiaodian, you are knocked out by the achievements in front of you..."

"Haha, my Lord Yang, this is not an accidental idea. When I was in the Daoba Village, I was preparing for this."

Shrinking in a village, in a daze, he had such a plan in his heart. I really don’t know whether Li Si was crazy or wise. Yang Tinglin smiled and said, “It’s your business whether you can do it or not. Is it a success or a crime to do it? It’s my opinion. No one can change your Li Si’s decisive thing. As an old friend who has been going on, I just want to know what your marriage is going on?”

"Marriage? The auspicious period of next month's 16th." Li Si smiled and said, "I have already sent a letter to Ezi."

Yang Tinglin knew that Li Si would say this: "The eldest princess..."

"I've told Your Highness a long time ago that I'll get the wedding together."

This kind of thing has actually had nothing to do with the court, but Yang Tinglin still wanted to ask about the details. After all, it is related to the face of the court. Many things are easy to say, but it sounds bad: "A man is a real man? Even if he has three wives and four concubines, I am still a wife and two concubines. However, the wife who is married now has died, and the remaining two concubines are inevitably going to have some housework... I know that the girl named Ezi is quite close to you and has a friendship with hardships, but the identity of your highness... After all, it is noble. It is not wrong for her to establish that girl named Ezi as a concubine after the wedding..."

"Haha, housework, this is also my housework. When I have discussed it with Your Highness a long time ago, my Lord Yang doesn't have to worry, right?" Li Si said in ambiguously: "Women will discuss things in the boudoir by themselves. Even if they are not going to handle the wedding at that time, the banquet will always be set up..."

Yang Tinglin also knew that Li Si would be polite, so he stretched out his hand and signaled that Li Si would not need to say anything: "I won't wait for your wedding, and I won't be able to get through then..."

A 400-liang ticket was found from his arms and stuffed it into Li Si's hand: "This is Yicheng I made up, but I have to say it first. This is not for you, and you don't need such a little bit. This is the money to add a dowry to the eldest princess. Don't be greedy for me. I can't go there with the eldest princess. As for the girl named Ezi, I have seen it, and I must not need such a little bit of money. You can find a way to make up her Yicheng, I really can't take it..."

Although Princess Changping was married, she was still half of his master Yang Tinglin, and she had a relationship from Beidu. Yang Tinglin naturally had to take care of her. Yang Tinglin had absolutely no personal character, and she would definitely not be able to find him if she was corruption and bribery. His official position and real power were not small, but his salary was very low. It might be difficult to raise such 400 taels of silver. Li Si must have married two wives at once, but Yang Tinglin specially sent Princess Changping to Princess Changping for money, but asked Li Si to pay out his own pocket to get some symbolic Yicheng for Ezi. The closeness and distantness here are already clear.

"Come here, send this ticket to Your Highness the Princess..." Li Si looked at Yang Tinglin and asked in a low voice: "Do you really don't plan to see Your Highness?"

"It's useless to see or not, it's better not to see." Yang Tinglin said: "I guess your highness won't suffer after your wedding..."

Naturally, if you marry Li Si, you will not endure hardship, but there is still a little later Yang Tinglin didn't say it. You will not endure hardship, but you will not enjoy happiness. The marriage between the two is a political marriage. Even if they get married, they will be strangers and they will definitely not be happy. Even if they meet Princess Changping, what else can they say? They are relatively speechless, so they just disappeared.

Regarding Li Si's desire to expand externally, Yang Tinglin still directly understood that it was the expansion of Li Si's desires. The most fundamental reason was the strength of the army to die. Li Si was not that simple. It was impossible for a super-large-scale foreign war to engage in a super-large-scale foreign war simply by relying on force. Even if you win, it would consume huge manpower and material resources. Foreign expansion and invasion were the goals that Li Si had already planned. It was definitely not just because of his military reliance on the agenda. What was more important was that Li Si believed that he had the capital to do this.

Li Si's confidence comes from the combat effectiveness of the Death Army and the formation of the new firearms Army. Another thing that is not very obvious is from the root of the Death Army and the inside of the base deep in the mountains.

A lathe was born in the true sense.

The importance of this thing cannot be overemphasized. Although industrial changes cannot be achieved in a short period of time, and the workshops cannot be elevated to the real industrial level, as long as this thing is born, the real industrial change can be seen.

The lathe has been available for a long time, but it was just a water bed used for polishing, and it was still very primitive. Even if it was driven by hydraulic power, it still couldn't explain anything. At most it was an improvement of the tool and not a landmark technological change.

A water bed or a few other similar things appear is nothing in itself. Many craftsmen have been together for so many years, and sooner or later, they will bring about technological improvements. When all the craftsmen's wisdom is gathered together, it should be a breakthrough from quantitative change to qualitative change.

Because steel smelting technology has long been conquered, the tool improvement followed. After the appearance of the polished water bed, drilling stools, cutting stools, pulling stools, riveting stools, and riveting stools appeared one after another, and were quickly promoted.

The names of these things are diverse, and many even have a "strong rural atmosphere", but their essence is the mother of industry: the lathe.

The tools for making tools began to be applied. Although they were still very simple, they also represented the end of the purely manual era, and the productivity burst out was unimaginable.

The lack of top technical talents can be compensated by the craftsmen's numerical advantages. After thousands or thousands of failures, even if there is still no technological change, there will be experience accumulation. After this accumulation reaches a certain level, real technological innovation will naturally appear. The lack of high-end technical theoretical guidance is much simpler. Zhongsheng Bo himself is such a genius. The "Collection of Hundreds of Works" he personally compiled is a ready-made theoretical guidance.

The birth and application of the water lifter made Li Si ecstatic.

This simple water lifter is a closed iron tube. It uses several layers of leather as sealing material. Adding a lever can lift the water up to three meters high. It is very convenient to get water, and smelting steel and iron can save a lot of labor. This thing seems simple, but in fact it contains very technical content. Although no one can understand the principle of "air pressure", this does not hinder practical value.

This thing is not a great object, you can get it out with a little point, but behind this thing is a huge shadow that can change the world - a steam engine.

There are some principles and technologies, and this simple water lifter and steam engine have many similarities. Needless to mention the mysterious theory of air pressure, metal sealing technology itself is enough to make technological innovation go further and make the practical application of steam engines a possibility.

The steam engine is not new, and it is not invented by the foreign devils named Watt (it is an improvement). Not to mention the Ming Dynasty, even in the Southern Song Dynasty, there were children's toys with copper pots and puppets. At that time, it was only limited to toys. It was still very difficult to truly apply it to production. However, the water lifting machine has taken the first step in the application of the steam engine...

Speaking of water lifters, there is a big joke.

After Master Zhongsheng Bo heard about this thing, he awarded a reward and named it by the craftsman. This is an amazing honor. When future generations use this thing, they can remember the inventor. Only a great craft like Lu Ban has such an honor. Who can stop thinking about it?

But that's the matter.

Like many new inventions, this new water lifter is also collective wisdom. It is not created by one person. If you don’t use the name of whom, you will definitely have a dispute. You even make a fuss about this matter. In the end, you simply don’t use anyone’s name and just named it by the loyal Bo.

In this way, this new water lifter becomes the "Li Si Machine".

This is how things are handled, but in actual operations, there are many inconveniences. For example, "Press Li Si Ji down and press hard." "Prepare Li Si Ji and scrape his lower back" words many times every day.

Although these craftsmen do not believe in those things that are gods and ghosts, they are not good to say. Just take a step back, Li Si is the savior of everyone. Even if he is not worshipped like a god, he is not a good oral character for all day long. It is awkward to listen to it.

For the reason why he was a venerable person, the matter of naming the water lifter with Li Si was implemented for a few days, so he gave up. He simply took out the simplest and most direct name: the long neck machine.

This new water lifting machine is thin and long, and is called a long neck machine. It is simple and clear. There are neither such disputes nor miscellaneous taboos. Instead, it was implemented quickly.

On the high furnace, several water lifters relayed each other and easily sent a large amount of cooling water up. Master Zhaoyao, who was standing on the top floor, saw a figure in a blue shirt from a distance, and shouted with a smile: "Ezi, why are you running around? How is the dowry? "

The marriage of the handsome man is a festive event in itself, especially the bride is still a girl who lives with everyone day and night, which makes everyone feel an inexplicable glow on their faces.

No matter what, Ezi and I have been together for several years. After all, everyone is considered Ezi's family. Now that the Grand Marshal is going to marry Ezi, everyone is happy, right?

This girl, Ezi, is a poor girl, not the kind of daughter who has never seen the wind and waves. She is also strong and does this and that all day long. She bows her head and looks up. She has a sweet mouth and knows the truth. The uncle and aunt shout.

Carrying half a basket of green peaches, some fresh fruits such as apricots, Ezi smiled and said, "I just picked it from the mountain and haven't washed it yet, so just eat it."

Several workers threw the peach apricots into the furnace and shared the food for everyone. They also took a few of them, wiped them with their sleeves, and nibbled them out loud. While eating, they said, "I said, "I'm talking about Ezi, why don't you want to get a dowry? If you still have any problems, hurry up and buy them..."

The news of getting married has been circulating for a long time. From the bottom of my heart, Ezi also likes that everyone knows her happy events. During these days, countless people ask the same questions countless times every day, and some sisters are joking.

Ezi doesn't act shy about this kind of thing. She is not a great daughter. Everyone can't cook anymore. She does something hesitantly: "Hehe, the uncles can't eat my fruit for nothing. My clothes cabinet is very rustic. I want to wrap a few copper corners and rivet it. After the uncles get out of work, they will help me get it neat..."

"A small matter, let alone a few copper slots, you just need a full steel cabinet, and we can also make it. Do you want a full steel one...haha..."

Ezi smiled and said, "It's all steel? I think it's too heavy. If it's made of all gold, as long as everyone dares to give it to me, I will dare to ask..."

Amid the laughter of people, the older craftsman laughed and said, "What is the real gold? Our handsome man is rich all over the world. Even if he wants the moon in the sky, the handsome man can pick it for you..."

"That's not the case. That princess is so majestic. The coach is still talking about our Ezi..."

It was a foregone conclusion that Princess Changping and the Fourth Uncle got married. This Ezi had known for a long time. The Fourth Uncle had already sent news that it was said that it was the wedding that the princess's marriage was also held together.

This greatly satisfyed Ezi's little vanity. What happened to the emperor's son (daughter)? The fourth uncle wanted to marry me Ezi. As for the princess, I just took it a little bit.

A young worker smiled and cheered: "Sister Ezi, you can't call me the fourth uncle and the fourth uncle in the future. If you become a kiss, you have to call me... what... you have to call me my husband..."

Ezi was so tender that she grabbed a green apricot and threw it over: "What's the matter with you? Hehe..."
To be continued...