My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 258 Investigation Along the Way
Xu Chu was overjoyed and turned to shout into the fortified village, "Liu Zhengnan has arrived at my fortified village! Quickly inform my brother and the elders to come to the main hall to greet him."

Xu Chu then stepped aside and respectfully invited Liu Feng to go first.

Liu Feng laughed heartily and took Xu Chu's hand, saying, "Zhongkang, this is your home. You are the master, so you should lead the way for me."

Xu Chu was somewhat flattered and hurriedly led the way, explaining the situation inside the fortified village to Liu Feng as they walked.

As mentioned before, Xu Chu was never a reckless man; in fact, he had very high emotional intelligence and was quite clever.

Whether Xu Chu could become a famous general, Liu Feng didn't know, but as a security commander, Xu Chu's performance was simply amazing.

Although Liu Feng himself preferred Dian Wei, he had to admit that Xu Chu's talent was even greater than Dian Wei's.

The difference in quality can be seen from just two things.

When Cao Cao killed three virtuous men with a single cannon shot at Wancheng, Dian Wei, though he died for his lord and was extremely fierce, still managed to trap the widow Cao Cao. In the end, he was able to escape only because of the life of his eldest son.

During the Battle of Guandu, Xu Ta and others plotted to assassinate Cao Cao, specifically choosing the time when Xu Chu was resting at home to carry out their plan.

Xu Chu seemed to have divine assistance; he felt uneasy at home and immediately returned to Cao Cao's side. Otherwise, the widow Cao would have been in grave danger, and the outcome of the Battle of Guandu, and even the entire end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, would have been greatly changed.

This demonstrates Xu Chu's abilities.

Soon, Xu Chu's elder brother, Xu Ding, also came to greet them.

Xu Ding himself was a strong and brave man. Liu Feng could tell at a glance that his martial prowess was no less than that of Pan Zhang and Xu Sheng, and perhaps even greater.

But when he stood next to Xu Chu, he was immediately overshadowed. Although he didn't look like a child like Liu Feng, he still seemed to have his bravery taken away.

Xu Chu was a full half head taller than his elder brother Xu Ding, and was a size larger, which shows how exaggerated it was.

Xu Ding, courtesy name Bo'an.

This person doesn't seem to have much historical fame, but through some clues, we can know that Xu Ding was quite outstanding in commanding troops and in bravery. Moreover, like his brother Xu Chu, Xu Ding was also deeply trusted by the widow Cao, who regarded him as a confidant, and he rose to the rank of General Zhenwei, in charge of the Tiger Guard.

Then seven or eight more elders arrived, all of whom were elders of prominent clans in the fortified village.

All of Liu Feng's personal guards were housed in the fortified village, with their horses given fine feed and their men provided with wine and meat.

Liu Feng also allowed them to relax a bit, as Xu Chu would not harm him unless he had gone mad.

Soon, the banquet was ready. Although the ingredients were not of particularly high quality due to the rush, there was a full range of chicken, duck, fish and meat. They even slaughtered two fat cattle and sheep, as well as marinated game. It was truly a very thoughtful preparation.

Unfortunately, the cooking methods are too monotonous, consisting mainly of boiling and steaming. Roasting is reserved for the wealthy and powerful, and a family as powerful as the Xu family simply cannot master such advanced cooking techniques.

"Today, passing through this blessed land, I have heard that the Xu brothers are both fierce and virtuous men, and are able to gather their neighbors in times of chaos, unite to defend each other, and protect the territory and its people."

Liu Feng raised his wine cup and praised the Xu brothers, saying, "I have only been in Xuzhou for a short time, yet I have already heard of this matter and I greatly admire it. I only regret that I could not get to know you two in the past, and it is only today that I have the opportunity to meet you."

Xu Ding and Xu Chu were flattered and quickly raised their wine cups.

"I didn't expect Liu Zhengnan to know my brother as well?"

Even though Xu Ding was quite shrewd, he was so happy that he lost his composure.

Xu Chu looked at Liu Feng with gratitude, wishing he could immediately pledge allegiance to him and serve him wholeheartedly.

This stems from the vast difference in their social status.

Liu Feng's father was already a General of the Cavalry, the third most powerful man in the Han Dynasty after the Grand Marshal and the Grand General.

Even Liu Feng himself was a top-twenty General Who Conquers the South, and he did not get the title because of his father's influence, but because he earned it through his own hard work and by personally leading the army north to protect the emperor.

The mere fact that such a talented young man would befriend the Xu brothers would elevate their reputation significantly. Those powerful clans who previously looked down on them would immediately change their tune and pledge allegiance to them.

No wonder the Hui brothers were so excited.

Afterwards, Liu Feng extended his regards to the other elders.

However, everyone present was discerning and could clearly see that Liu Feng's amiable treatment of them was entirely out of consideration for the Xu brothers.

This made the Xu brothers, whose face had been greatly enhanced, even more grateful to Liu Feng.

"Bo'an, Zhongkang, this is a time of great contention, a time when heroes emerge in great numbers. Those with ability can achieve great things and become famous throughout the world."

As the banquet drew to a close, Liu Feng finally extended an olive branch to the Xu brothers, whom he had long desired to recruit.

“Your brothers are both brave and resourceful warriors. On horseback, they can fight and kill enemies, and on foot, they can pacify the region. They are talents fit for the state and county. Why don’t you think about serving the emperor and making meritorious contributions to be ennobled and your wives and children be granted titles and honors?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Ding and Xu Chu were overjoyed and quickly rose from their seats to kneel and say, “Zheng Nan’s words resonate deeply with us. It’s not that we don’t want to serve our country, but that we have no way to do so. We brothers also made some contributions during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, but they were taken away by others. The prefectures and counties are unaware of our contributions and have repeatedly reprimanded us. We are full of grievances, but have nowhere to express them.”

“Scholars suffer at the hands of eunuchs, and brave men are defeated by local officials; this is the evil that has led to the decline of our dynasty.”

Liu Feng sighed deeply, then said to the Xu brothers, "If you brothers are willing to stay by my side, would you be willing to follow me?"

The Xu brothers were overjoyed and quickly agreed.

After the banquet, the Xu brothers naturally joined Liu Feng's forces, offering up all the people, land, wealth, grain, and weapons in their fortified village as a token of their loyalty.

Of course, Liu Feng could not accept everything. He accepted a small portion of the wealth, food, and military equipment. After confirming that these people would be registered as commoners and that the land would be reasonably distributed, the task was completed.

As for the brothers Xu Ding and Xu Chu, they would select two thousand elite troops from the fortified village to accompany Liu Feng on his southward campaign.

Liu Feng was quite generous, first giving the Xu family the position of county magistrate, and then having all the other clans in the fortified village share one county magistrate and two registrars, provided that the selected people could pass the assessment.

Liu Feng was extremely generous to the Xu brothers, directly granting Xu Ding the military rank of Colonel and Xu Chu the position of Commander of a Separate Division, commanding Liu Feng's personal guards, which shows his trust in them.

The following day, Xu Ding stayed in Xujiawu to select elite troops and organize them into a school, before heading east to Tancheng to join them. Xu Chu, on the other hand, took up his post immediately, commanding Liu Feng's personal guards and protecting them.

"Bo'an, I'll be waiting for you in Tancheng."

Before parting, Liu Feng held Xu Ding's hand and earnestly gave him some instructions.

Xu Ding was very excited: "Please rest assured, my lord, I will live up to your expectations and arrive in Tancheng on time to meet you."

"good!"

After saying goodbye, Liu Feng led Xu Chu and two hundred knights on their continued journey eastward.

When passing through Xiang County, Liu Feng made a special trip into the city to visit Chen Gui.

Chen Gui was also very warm towards Liu Feng, just like a loving father to his grandson.

Liu Bei's investment has become a crucial factor in the Chen family's resurgence.

Liu Feng treated Chen Gui with great respect, and Chen Gui was also very close to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng expressed considerable concern about Chen Deng's health.

Finally, Liu Feng invited Chen Gui to visit Tancheng some time later.

Judging by the timeline, Chen Deng should have accumulated quite a few worms in his body, and the time for him to fall ill is approaching.

After Liu Feng returns to Tancheng this time, he must have Hua Tuo make preparations so as not to delay the time for saving Chen Deng.

Originally, in Pei State, only the four counties in its northern part respected the Prime Minister.

However, when news came that Liu Bei had been appointed General of the Cavalry and ordered to oversee the affairs of the three provinces of Xu, Yu, and Yang, the situation in Pei State changed drastically.

The three counties south of Xiang County—Zhi County, Zhuyi County, and Fuli County—have begun sending people to pay homage to Chen Gui, bringing with them last year's money, grain, and wealth. Although the amount is less than in a normal year, this is still unprecedented.

As for the counties in the west, such as Qiao County, they were even more proactive, not only sending taxes and grain, but even their magistrates and heads came to Xiang County to pay their respects to Chen Gui. Only the counties in the south of Pei State, such as Longkang, were too close to Jiujiang and were the gateway to Shouchun, so they were occupied by Yuan Shu early on. Even the magistrates were officials appointed by Yuan Shu, so naturally they would not bow down to Chen Gui.

However, in the next phase, the main targets of the Xuzhou army are precisely these counties and towns, and it is believed that Chen Gui will soon be able to exercise full power as prime minister.

After bidding farewell to Chen Gui, Liu Feng continued eastward and arrived in Pengcheng a few days later.

At this time, only Mi Zhu remained in Pengcheng, while Lu Su was still in Suiyang.

Since Liu Feng was passing by, he should at least go and meet his future brother-in-law.

Mi Zhu was overjoyed to see Liu Feng.

These past few days, he's been in an exceptionally good mood, deeply admiring his father's vision and courage.

He kept saying he valued Liu Bei's potential, but when it came to the crucial moment, he was still not as decisive as his own father.

Now, not only is his family making a fortune, but he is also making rapid progress in politics. Both brothers are now holding the rank of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure), and their father is favored by the young master and entrusted with important responsibilities.

Just as Liu Bei was being promoted to General of the Cavalry, the young master was also appointed by the court as General Who Conquers the South.

Mi Zhu was overjoyed, feeling that everything was going smoothly. The only thing that made him a little uneasy was that the young master had not yet brought his younger sister back to the manor.

As long as Liu Feng and Mi Yue were not married, Mi Zhu would always feel uneasy.

When Liu Feng passed by, Mi Zhu naturally hosted a banquet to entertain him.

During the banquet, Mi Zhu secretly hinted at something, and Liu Feng wanted to laugh at the sight of Mi Zhu's hesitant and cautious demeanor.

However, the issue of wedding procession does indeed need to be taken seriously.

The situation is currently very favorable, and he doesn't want any misunderstandings or unexpected situations to arise because of the timing of his marriage.

So, before leaving, Liu Feng gave Mi Zhu a frank answer: he would definitely bring a bride next year.

Hearing that it would be next year, Mi Zhu was a little disappointed, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that even if it were next year, the young master would only be fourteen years old, and he was secretly delighted.

When Liu Feng left Pengcheng, Mi Zhu sent him many more gifts.

Because there were so many things, enough to fill four or five carts, Liu Feng didn't want these gifts to slow down his journey, so he simply left everything in Pengcheng and asked his brother-in-law to pack it up and send it to Tancheng when he had time.

Liu Feng's third stop was Xiapi, which was also the most important point on his return journey.

However, Liu Feng's main purpose in coming here this time was not to visit Cao Bao, the chancellor of Xiapi and his prospective father-in-law, but to see the construction work of the ironworks in Xiapi.

Liu Feng initially assigned this task to Liu Gan and other young men from Liu'er Camp, putting them in charge of managing a group of blacksmiths and blast furnace craftsmen.

At the same time, Liu Feng also put forward many ideas, such as hot air furnaces, and asked them to put them into practice and improve them.

Melting iron ore requires extremely high temperatures, which are not only difficult to reach but also very easy to cool down.

The most typical problem is that combustion requires a lot of oxygen. Even when air at room temperature is poured into the iron furnace in summer, the temperature inside will drop significantly, thus affecting the quality of the steel.

A hot air furnace is a good solution to this problem. Its main idea is to preheat the air and then inject the heated air into the furnace. In this way, not only will the problem in the furnace not be reduced, but it may even increase it instead.

Maintaining a consistently high temperature inside the furnace over a long period can undoubtedly greatly improve the efficiency and quality of ironmaking.

Liu Feng compiled many similar tips and tricks, and handed them all over to Liu Gan and his team to put into practice. Once they were confirmed to be feasible, they were immediately put into use.

Since last winter, Xiapi has been recruiting refugees to mine and build blast furnaces.

Furthermore, a steady stream of ores and coal were transported from Pengcheng, Pei State, and even Lu State, along with the coke ovens outside Xiapi City, providing the ironworks with ample raw materials.

Although the ironworks in Xiapi Kingdom had only just begun operation, their output had already increased dramatically, far surpassing that of the ironworks in Qu County. Even their quality was far superior, truly achieving both speed and quality.

“Young Master, with the current production and efficiency, in addition to meeting the demand for other iron farm tools and machinery, we can produce forty to fifty sets of iron armor every month, and there is still room for improvement.”

Liu Gan led Liu Feng to watch in the ironworks, where large quantities of iron ore were smelted into molten iron, then poured into molten iron ladles, and then used by the craftsmen.

Liu Gan's introduction carried a hint of self-praise, but in fact, he had done a very good job.

Liu Feng originally thought that the production of iron armor would probably be only three or four hundred sets this year, but now Liu Gan has actually increased the production by more than a quarter, and there is still room for further increase.

Liu Feng asked curiously, "How do I improve?"

Liu Gan explained, "Currently, there is a shortage of blacksmiths. After a large amount of molten iron is refined, there are not enough people to forge it, causing a lot of molten iron to cool into iron ingots. If we can increase the number of blacksmiths and mold makers, we can effectively improve the utilization rate of molten iron and thus increase production."

Liu Feng nodded and gave Liu Gan a suggestion: "First, you can continue to expand the recruitment of blacksmiths and mold makers, and offer them better compensation. Second, select calm, honest, and reliable young people from among the refugees to be apprentices, and try to increase the ironworks' production capacity as much as possible. Third, you can hire a group of people to assist the blacksmiths, allowing the blacksmiths to delegate simple, repetitive tasks to these assistants, while letting them focus on the key, difficult-to-master steps."

Since Liu Feng himself wasn't sure if these methods would work, he added at the end, "You can try these methods. Even if they don't work, consider it a trial-and-error cost."

Liu Gan immediately nodded and wrote down everything Liu Feng said.
"By the way, do another investigation and look for a blacksmith who can make vests. If you really can't find one, I'll send you a few vest samples. You can organize the craftsmen to recreate the technique and then mass-produce them. The quantity is tentatively set at one hundred sets."

Liu Feng suddenly remembered his dream of armored cavalry and the twenty sets of armor in Chen Guo's armory, and quickly discussed the matter with Liu Gan.

Liu Feng then instructed, "We will also build a horse farm in Xiapi later. After you produce the horse armor, you can go to the horse farm to test the horses."

Liu Gan quickly nodded in agreement.

"Also, how is the training of blacksmiths progressing?"

The main constraints on the production of armored vehicles are three major issues. The first is the raw material issue, including issues such as ore and coke, with mining and coking being the primary problems.

Good coke is essential to ensure that the temperature inside the blast furnace reaches the predetermined standard, and how to refine high-quality coke is itself a technical skill.

The second problem is manpower. Blast furnace craftsmen mainly build blast furnaces, so the shortage is not large, but the shortage of blacksmiths is extremely large, even restricting the entire production line.

Without enough blacksmiths, the molten iron can only be left to cool after it has been smelted.

However, craftsmen in this era passed their skills down from father to son and were reluctant to teach their techniques to outsiders.

Liu Gan hurriedly replied, "We have already persuaded a group of blacksmiths to be willing to pass on their skills, but they can only take on three or four apprentices at a time. Any more than that and they won't be able to take care of them. Moreover, even if these apprentices are very diligent and eager to learn, it will take them at least three to five years to become masters."

Liu Feng pondered for a moment and tentatively suggested, "It's still this problem. Do you think we could break the work down into sections, and let these apprentices master a part of the section first? In this way, they can effectively share the workload with the blacksmiths."

Liu Gan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Young Master, please rest assured, I will try it out later."

"good!"

Liu Feng nodded in satisfaction. He had previously thought that producing three or four hundred sets of armor per year would be acceptable.

But now, after taking a look around, Liu Feng couldn't help but try to find ways to further increase production, since time waits for no one.

Yuan Shao of Hebei had tens of thousands of suits of iron armor, and even hundreds of horse armors, making him a powerful and well-equipped army.

Although Xuzhou's military preparedness is currently superior to that of many other places, it is still slightly inferior to that of Hebei.

Liu Feng hopes that in the next few years, Xuzhou can produce as much armor as possible to narrow the gap with Hebei's weaponry.

After all, armor, as a powerful weapon, has an extremely strong deterrent effect on the battlefield.

Yuan Shao's Hebei troops were inferior to Cao Cao's Henan troops in terms of tactics, combat experience, and morale.

However, in any fair and square open battle, Cao Cao was no match for Yuan Shao, and was even beaten so badly that he could not leave his camp.

The key factors are the numerical advantage and the disparity in armor and weaponry.

(End of this chapter)