My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 176 Raising Money to Smelt Iron
To be fair, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, the leaders of the Jiangdong faction in the original timeline, were both highly capable scholars. Zhang Hong was the founder of Sun Ce's Jiangdong faction and historically proposed the strategic framework for Jiangdong. It was precisely because of Zhang Hong's existence that Sun Ce's attitude towards Lu Su was very interesting.

He was very pleased that Lu Su had come to him and praised Lu Su as a talented young man, but at the same time he did not entrust Lu Su with any important responsibilities. Instead, he casually assigned Lu Su to a sinecure, which left Lu Su in a very difficult situation.

Although the specific reasons are not recorded in official history, it was certainly not for the purpose of cultivating talent for his younger brother. After all, Sun Ce was only in his early twenties at the time, and he did not know that he would die so young.

Liu Feng believed that it was likely because Lu Su's strategy was completely opposite to Zhang Hong's that Sun Ce was unable to give Lu Su a more important role.

Zhang Hong advocated first surrendering to Danyang, gathering troops in Wu and Kuai, advancing to Yangzhou, and then going upstream to annex Jingzhou and Xiangyang, thus gaining full control of the Yangtze River. With Jingzhou and Yangzhou as their base, they could either avenge their fathers and establish a regional power, or advance to restore the Han dynasty and achieve the hegemony of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin.

Zhang Hong's attitude was consistent with Zhang Zhao's; they were staunch supporters of the Han dynasty, believing that although the Han dynasty was in decline, it could still be restored.

What was Lu Su's attitude?

The Han dynasty cannot be restored; General, you should strive to establish a kingdom and dominate the land as soon as possible.

Moreover, Lu Su's strategic direction was always to head north to the Huai and Si Rivers, advance into the Xu and Yu provinces, and vie for control of the Central Plains.

Both in terms of strategic direction and values, this was completely opposite to Zhang Hong's, which made it impossible for Sun Ce to value him.

In fact, Eastern Wu ultimately wavered between the strategic directions of Zhang Hong and Lu Su, sometimes attacking Jingzhou and sometimes attacking Hefei.

Ultimately, the opportunity to capture Jingzhou by crossing the river in white robes was created by the internal strife within Liu Bei's Jingzhou group.

By this time, Zhang Hong had already passed away, which shows how profound the influence of his strategic planning was on Eastern Wu.

Compared to Zhang Hong, Zhang Zhao was more capable and could be considered a prime minister.

Not only was he skilled in both literature and martial arts, capable of leading troops on horseback and pacifying the people on foot, but even more impressively, he could reconcile conflicts between different factions and achieve cooperation among them.

After Sun Quan declared himself emperor, all his factions unanimously recommended Zhang Zhao as prime minister, which frightened Sun Quan. He resolutely refused and finally chose Gu Yong, one of the four great aristocratic families of Jiangdong, as prime minister.

Based on this alone, only three people in the entire Three Kingdoms period could achieve this: Xun Wenruo, the leader of Yingchuan, and Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of Shu Han.

Each of Wei, Shu, and Wu obtained one person who was able to establish their own kingdom; they truly deserved the title of "talented advisor to a king."

Interestingly, both Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao disliked Lu Su intensely and were at odds with him. Zhang Zhao even criticized Lu Su in public on several occasions, which was probably related to Lu Su's attitude towards the Han Dynasty.

After all, Lu Su and Zhang Hong were both from Guangling, while Zhang Zhao was from Pengcheng. Lu Su and Zhang Hong were from the same prefecture, and Lu Su and Zhang Zhao were from the same state. They should have had an unbreakable bond like fellow townsmen, and they were also serving Jiangdong together. They should have helped each other.

Zhang Zhao even went so far as to say, "Su is not humble enough and criticizes him quite a bit. Su is young and careless and cannot be used."

Many people think that Zhang Zhao was trying to undermine Zhou Yu, but the problem is that Sun Quan didn't actually trust Zhou Yu, so why would he need Zhang Zhao to provoke or attack him?

The attitude of the two Zhangs of Xuzhou actually represented the attitude of the upper-class gentry. They still had feelings for the Han Dynasty and hoped to revive the Eastern Han Dynasty and support the Han Dynasty.

However, Liu Feng didn't think it was a big problem, after all, Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao were loyal to the Han Dynasty, and he and his father also shared the surname Liu.

The one who restores the Han Dynasty doesn't necessarily have to be Liu Xie; it could also be Liu Bei.

Interestingly, Lu Su's strong recommendation of the two Zhangs today may not be appreciated by them in the future, and it remains to be seen whether Lu Su will regret his words.

"Mr. Zijing is absolutely right."

Liu Feng did not decline, but solemnly assured him: "Sir, please rest assured, I will do my best to persuade my father to change course and recruit the two Zhangs again."

Lu Su was very pleased to receive Liu Feng's assurance.

Then, Lu Su said, “Young lord, the world is in chaos, with war raging everywhere. Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Yuan Shu, Gongsun Zan, and others are all fighting each other for power and profit. Your Majesty is benevolent and compassionate, and pays attention to the people’s livelihood. I believe we should continue to gather refugees and vigorously develop agricultural settlements. In this way, while they are fighting each other, the people will be displaced and have nowhere to live, their population will decrease day by day, and their output will become increasingly scarce. Meanwhile, we can gather refugees, provide them with a place to live, register them as citizens, and collect taxes.”

"In three to five years, they will surely become increasingly dilapidated and weak, while our Xuzhou will be well-equipped with soldiers and food. At that time, our lord will relieve the people and punish the guilty, leading 100,000 armored soldiers westward, and we will be able to sweep across the world. We can restore the Han dynasty and pacify the people."

Liu Feng keenly noticed Lu Su's choice of words, and a look of delight appeared on his face. He stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your teachings, sir. I am deeply grateful and will never forget them."

Lu Su rose from his seat and returned the bow: "Young Master treats me with such courtesy, how could I not repay you with my life?"

After the two returned to their seats, Liu Feng got down to business: "Mr. Zijing, I have obtained a secret method that can increase the output of the Iron Camp, but the initial investment is huge. I would like to ask if you are interested in joining the camp."

Lu Su was taken aback; increasing iron production in the camp would be no easy task.

First, we must increase the production of iron ore. Without raw materials, no matter how many skilled craftsmen there are, it's like a skilled cook trying to cook without rice. This is of utmost importance.

The most common and effective method now is to increase the number of miners and provide them with more iron tools.

Of course, finding better quality and easier-to-mine open-pit mines is also an option, but such an option is rare and hard to come by.

Secondly, it is necessary to increase the number of blast furnaces so that iron ore can be smelted into qualified iron ingots in a timely manner.

Finally, there are the blacksmiths. This step is also very important. If there aren't enough blacksmiths or their skills aren't good enough, no matter how many iron ingots there are, they won't be able to be forged into weapons, armor, and tools in time.

In fact, Liu Feng has the best solutions for all three of these aspects.

The latter two are not major problems; one is simply to promote the steel-filling method.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the methods of frying steel, refining steel, and water-cooling steel had already been invented. The level of technology was quite good, and it was fully capable of laying the foundation for the advanced steel-making method. Moreover, Liu Feng still remembered the simple construction method of the piston blower from the Ming Dynasty. He could ask craftsmen to restore it, which would greatly reduce manpower consumption and improve efficiency.

As for crafting artisans, one approach is to increase the number of artisans, and another is to work on the existing assembly line. The mainstream iron armor in the late Eastern Han Dynasty was lamellar armor, composed of many plates, which was actually very suitable for trying assembly line production methods.

The only truly difficult point is the first one, which is increasing iron ore production.

There was a solution, but Liu Feng was very hesitant.

It's important to know that in ancient times, the most difficult part of mining was the actual mining process.

Even if you know there are minerals underground, it's difficult to mine them by going through layers of rock.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, people could only use the most primitive method of setting fire to the mountains to break up the rocks and then mine the ore.

The explosion in human steel production didn't occur until after 1700, after which gunpowder was introduced into mining operations.

Liu Feng hesitated for a long time about whether to bring out the black powder, this powerful weapon. After much deliberation, he decided to save it for later.

Because black powder has virtually no technical barriers and is extremely easy to leak.

He ultimately chose to hire more refugees to increase ore production.

"I want to build an ironworks camp in Xiapi. If it is built here, iron ore and coal from Pei, Lu, Pengcheng, Guangling and even Qu County can be transported to Xiapi by waterway, making transportation very convenient. Moreover, Xiapi itself has a large amount of iron ore, and its location is in the heart of Xuzhou, so it is very safe."

"Currently, we plan to build two blast furnaces and four coke ovens for coking."

Liu Bei calculated that the iron ore resources in Qu County were not abundant, but enough to power a blast furnace at full capacity.

The ironworks in Xiapi were responsible for supplying iron ore from at least Xiapi itself, Lu State, and Pengcheng, and could also receive surplus iron ore from Pei State. Xiapi, Pengcheng, and Pei State were all famous for their iron ore production, with output far exceeding that of Qu County.

This would provide the foundation for building two blast furnaces.

As for whether to build a few blast furnaces, Liu Feng has not yet made up his mind.

With the technology of traditional coking and piston blowers in hand, and having solved the problems of fuel and air supply, it is theoretically possible to build taller and larger blast furnaces, which would make ironmaking more efficient and save more materials.

The blast furnace owned by the Mi family in Qu County could produce 500 catties of iron per day. The largest blast furnace in the Eastern Han Dynasty, discovered later, was located in Wancheng and produced 2,000 catties of iron per day.

Therefore, Liu Feng planned to make two preparations. If the craftsmen felt that with the help of traditional coking methods and piston blowers, especially those driven by water, they could build larger and taller blast furnaces, then they would build larger and taller blast furnaces directly.

If the craftsmen felt unsure, Liu Feng planned to first build a blast furnace with a daily output of 2,000 catties to test the waters. If there were no problems, they would try to increase the output of the second furnace.

We'll discuss the specific amount of improvement later, after consulting with the master craftsmen.

"Based on the current preparations, the first phase alone requires raising thirty million coins and ten thousand bushels of grain. I intend to seek out Mr. Zijing, Mr. Zizhong, and Prefect Chen to pool the funds."

Liu Feng had about 20 million in cash on hand, thanks to his father who covered all the expenses for expanding the army. Of course, it was more convenient to use money raised from scratch. Lu Su looked surprised; he hadn't expected Liu Feng to go to such lengths, investing 30 million coins, which meant producing at least 2,000 catties of iron daily. And this was only the first phase—it was simply too extravagant.

Lu Su wasn't reluctant to part with the money, but rather worried that Liu Feng might stumble and fall because he was taking too big a step.

After a moment's hesitation, Lu Su gently advised, "Young Master, the blast furnace matter should not be rushed; we should proceed slowly."

“Mr. Zijing, I am fully aware of your kindness.”

Liu Feng replied solemnly, "However, you can rest assured, sir. In this matter, I will take the craftsman's words as the main guide and proceed with caution."

Hearing this, Lu Su's expression relaxed, but he still reminded him, "Young Master, in my opinion, we can start with a blast furnace that produces 500 catties a day. If that's not enough, we can build a few more. It's safer that way."

Lu Su's attitude was very conservative, and Liu Feng couldn't explain to him that, under the premise of ensuring safety, reliability and effectiveness, the bigger the blast furnace, the better, as it would not only produce pig iron more efficiently but also save on materials.

Lu Su meant well, and Liu Feng naturally wouldn't bite the hand that feeds him, failing to appreciate a kind heart.

"I will keep your words in mind, sir."

Finally, he reassured him, "Sir, don't you trust me?"

Lu Su smiled and shook his head. After a moment's thought, he said, "In that case, my Lu family can contribute eight million coins and three thousand shi of grain."

"Great!"

After praising him, Liu Feng silently calculated the result in his mind.

"Mr. Zijing, if that's the case, how about you get 15% of the shares? What do you think?"

Liu Feng contributed his technology as equity, holding 50% of the shares, while Lu Su's 8 million coins and 3,000 shi of grain represented roughly 15% of the shares.

Lu Su smiled and nodded: "That is very fair."

In truth, Lu Su didn't care about these shares at all; he simply assumed that Liu Feng had come to beg for alms.

When Zhou Yu came to borrow grain before, he was able to lend him three thousand shi without hesitation, let alone now that it is his lord's son, the future master, who is asking for help.

Forget about 15%, we can even do without giving out any shares.

What Lu Su lacked was never money or provisions, but rather the opportunity to display his talents and realize his lifelong ambitions.

He was willing to give up everything for such an opportunity, and Liu Bei and his son just happened to give him that opportunity.

Afterwards, Liu Feng chatted with Lu Su for a long time.

Lu Su has been serving as the Agricultural Commandant for half a year and has achieved excellent results. He will definitely be promoted next.

The best option would be to be transferred to a key position in the central government of the prefecture, with the best being one of the four most important positions. However, Lu Su himself felt that there was little hope for that.

Alternatively, one could be directly appointed as the magistrate of a large county, becoming a regional governor and ruling over a region.

If that doesn't work, one can transfer to the army, starting as a separate commander and leading a commander's division of a thousand men.

As for the remaining routes, they are either unsuitable for Lu Su or simply not appropriate.

Liu Feng asked directly, "Mr. Zijing, in your opinion, which position would you be interested in?"

Lu Su thought for a moment. He was an open-minded and unconventional person. He did not think Liu Feng was being impolite. Instead, he answered seriously, "If it is up to me, I would like to be transferred to another county magistrate position."

"Oh?"

Liu Feng immediately became interested. He had originally thought that Lu Su would most likely choose the first option, or perhaps the third. But to his surprise, Lu Su chose what Liu Feng considered the least likely candidate: the position of county magistrate.

This piqued Liu Feng's curiosity about the county Lu Su wanted to go to, so he asked, "I wonder where Mr. Zijing intends to take up his post?"

Lu Su blinked and replied, "Xiapi County."

Liu Feng's face immediately fell. Did Lu Su not trust him and insist on going to Xiapi to keep an eye on him personally?
Seeing Liu Feng's ugly expression, Lu Su burst into laughter, and Liu Feng couldn't help but laugh as well.

That evening, Lu Su hosted a banquet for Liu Feng, and the two talked for a long time. Lu Su felt that Liu Feng's thoughts had expressed his own true feelings.

For a time, Lu Su even considered Liu Feng a close friend, someone even more compatible than Zhou Yu and Liu Ye.

The next day, Liu Feng visited Mi Zhu again.

When the iron smelting project was mentioned to Mi Zhu, the latter immediately waved his hand, indicating that Mi Zhu could take care of it.

In the past six months alone, the company has made a net profit of 47 million coins from frost sugar. Even if the Mi family only receives 20%, they can still get 9.4 million coins. Investing 10 million or 20 million coins is no big deal for them.

Moreover, unlike Lu Su, Mi Zhu had complete faith in Liu Feng, believing that the latter possessed the ability to turn stones into gold.

He was eager for Liu Feng to cooperate more with the Mi family, especially since the two families had already reached a marriage alliance and were now considered relatives.

As for the previous collaboration between Frost Sugar and Snow Salt, Mi Zhu had mentioned that the Mi family would bear the costs, but Liu Feng ultimately declined.

Liu Feng was thinking about long-term cooperation, and he still needed to give the Mi family some benefits; otherwise, it wouldn't be a sustainable solution.

Salt is one thing, but the cost of cane sugar accounts for almost a third of the cost of frosting.

After all, at that time, only Guangling in Xuzhou had a small amount of sugarcane, and most of the sugar source still relied on Jiaozhi. The sugar produced in Yangzhou was still not cheap to purchase.

The Mi family received 20%, the Cao family also received 20%, and Liu Feng earned 28.2 million in just six months from the sugar business, just one step away from 30 million.

This doesn't even include the profit from snow salt. Although the price of snow salt is not as high as that of frost sugar, its sales volume far exceeds that of the latter, and its profit may even be higher than that of frost sugar.

"Brother, there's no need for that. We should always leave some room for others."

Upon hearing Liu Feng call him "elder brother," Mi Zhu felt he could barely suppress a smile.

However, in order to maintain his calm and composed image, he still tried his best to do so: "Very well, what the young master says is very true. In that case, my Mi family will take over the remaining shares."

"In addition, because the area covered by snow salt is huge, the sales volume is higher than that of frosting sugar, so the return on investment is much slower than that of frosting sugar. However, it is conservatively estimated to be over 800 shi. Based on a profit of about 100,000 coins per shi, the young master's share should be at least 64 million coins."

"Adding the 37.6 million for the frosting sugar, these goods total 116 million, and are already on their way to Tancheng. They will be delivered to the young master's residence soon."

Mi Zhu was unaware that Liu Feng had also given Cao Bao 20%, so he calculated it as 80%.

That's true, though. At most, it'll just be a bit more troublesome for Liu Feng. When he returns to Guangling, he'll have to take a detour through Xiapi to deliver some money to his father-in-law.

After settling the accounts, Liu Feng suddenly asked, "Brother, you've been serving as the Prefect for several years now. Have you thought about what's to come?"

Mi Zhu was slightly taken aback, then realized what he meant.

Indeed, as Liu Feng said, after Zhao Yu and Wang Lang were promoted to prefects, Tao Qian placed Mi Zhu in the position of assistant prefect, and it has been three years since then.

Under normal circumstances, the term of office for a deputy governor usually lasts three to five years, depending mainly on the governor's career path.

Generally, after the prefect who recommended the deputy governor leaves office, the deputy governor's term will also expire. Otherwise, it would be awkward for the newly appointed prefect to recruit the deputy governor he prefers.

Liu Bei's succession as governor was a special case. His power base was unstable, and Mi Zhu was one of the two people who supported him the most, so naturally they would never want to replace him.

Liu Feng hadn't mentioned it, and Mi Zhu hadn't thought of it either. Now, reminded by the other party, Mi Zhu realized that he had indeed been in the position of Biejia for a while.

"If we follow your advice, young master, what should I do?"

(End of this chapter)