The most arrogant in history

Chapter 344 Zhang Bi returns.

Ye Kun also laughed and adjourned the meeting.

In the afternoon and evening, Ye Kun met with representatives of the elders and village heads, as well as merchants from all over the country living in Chengdu, and promoted brown sugar and gave away a pound of sweet treats.

In this way, Ye Kun's advertisement spread among officials, merchants from all over the place, and ordinary people.

Ye Kun had almost finished processing a thousand kilograms of brown sugar.

Fortunately, the production line was stable and the second batch of brown sugar was delivered quickly.

Ye Kun then distributed it to the leaders of various units and the heads of factories and mines, and also sent a batch to Hanzhong and Chengdu, so that everyone could benefit.

Merchants from all over the country were the most sensitive. They paid deposits in advance and pre-ordered red sugar from Yizhou. Their business was booming.

Ye Kun instructed Wu Qiong:

"We want to be strong, and we also need to fight trade wars and economic wars. You should send orders to all counties and prefectures to pay more copper coins when they pay taxes and commercial taxes. Tell merchants from all directions to bring more copper coins. Buying goods from Yizhou with copper coins will be given priority!"

In Ye Kun's eyes, copper coins are not currency, but strategic materials used to make cannons!

So Ye Kun desperately spent his gold, silver, silk and jewelry in exchange for copper coins, which were used to cast cannons and various pulleys, bearings and other parts.

Ye Kun only persisted in this measure for a few years, so there was a mountain of copper coins in the treasury.

Wu Qiong smiled and said, "My Lord, there are already too many copper coins in our treasury. Calculated by weight, it is more than a million kilograms."

"The more the merrier!"

Ye Kun nodded and said, "Weigh the incomplete copper coins and send them all to the arsenal to make another batch of artillery. Also, tell merchants from all over the country that they can also use lead and tin in exchange for our goods."

Today's musket bullets are all made of lead-tin alloy.

A lot of reserves are also needed.

Wu Qiong nodded and did it immediately.

Ye Kun also went to the arsenal in person to check the production and inventory situation.

The latest muskets are of higher quality and more stable.

Ye Kun took the generals of the Shenji Camp to conduct experiments and found that the performance of the guns was greatly improved.

Both range and accuracy have improved.

Ye Kun was very happy and encouraged the research institute of the Arsenal:

"The current muskets are still too heavy. We need to research towards lighter models. In addition, we need to research the technology of continuous firing. We can design an automatic magazine like a crossbow, so that after firing one round, the second round will be automatically loaded.

I hope that within a year, everyone can overcome the portability issue of the musket and turn it into an individual weapon.

Within three years, we will develop a multi-shot rifle that can fire five rounds in a row! "

Ye Kun also knew that with the current level of industry, it was too difficult to achieve continuous firing of muskets.

So we first set up the project and set a three-year deadline.

Ye Kun was very familiar with the structure of the automatic rifle. He spent two days drawing blueprints, explaining the functions of each component and the principles of the rifle, and asked the researchers to start developing it.

The musket bullets that Ye Kun used were the style from the First World War period.

Use a paper tube as a powder magazine and wrap the bullet in the front.

The paper tubes are soaked in butter and lard, making them waterproof and moisture-proof. When using them, pinch off the pointed tip at the back of the paper tube to expose the gunpowder, and then use flint to ignite it.

After the production and war preparation work came to an end, Ye Kun took officials such as Zhuge Feng to Qingcheng Mountain to pay a visit to the great Taoist priest Zhang Mi.

Since the loss of Hanzhong, Zhang Mi moved from Hanzhong to Qingcheng Mountain and became an idle person.

However, he is the leader of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect, the inheritor of Taoism, and has many followers.

I brag to my apprentices and attend classes every day, and my life is pretty good.

When Zhang Bi learned that Ye Kun was coming, he was shocked and thought that Ye Kun was going to deal with him.

When they met, Zhang Mi took the initiative to say:

"I am honored to have the King of Hanzhong here. I am a free-spirited person, practicing Taoism in Mount Qingcheng, not concerned with worldly affairs. I wonder what advice the King of Hanzhong has for you?"

"I would like to invite you to come out of retirement, sir." Ye Kun clasped his fists and bowed.

"Please ask me to come out?"

Zhang Mi was very surprised and asked excitedly, "Does the King of Hanzhong want to return Hanzhong to me?"

After saying this, Zhang Bi also realized that it was unlikely.

Even if Ye Kun returns Hanzhong to him, what would it matter?

Hanzhong is now surrounded by Ye Kun's forces. If I go back to be the governor of Hanzhong, without military power, wouldn't I be just a small official?

"Hahaha, how can it be that simple?"

Ye Kun waved his hand and said with a smile: "In our Chinese country, Taoism and Confucianism are the most extensive and profound cultures, and they are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and all walks of life. Sir, you are a great heavenly master, and you should make some contribution to the spread of our Chinese culture."

Zhang Mi thought for a moment and said, "Does the King of Hanzhong want me to recruit more followers?"

"As for developing Taoist disciples, it depends on opportunity. I will not force you, nor will I restrict your development. I only have one requirement, that is, Taoist disciples must contribute to the people."

Ye Kun opened the map he brought with him, pointed and said:

"The world is big. In addition to Taoism in China, there are many other religions. Eight hundred years ago, the Western Sakya saint Jodala founded Bodhi, also known as Buddhism. Now, Bodhi has come to China. Two hundred years ago, there was a White Horse Temple in Luoyang.

But our Chinese sects and schools of thought have not spread to the West. Doesn't that mean we are inferior to others?"

There were not many temples in the Dading Kingdom at that time.

Because Bodhi Buddhism was introduced to China only two hundred years ago, it has not yet developed on a large scale.

Zhang Mi frowned: "What the King of Hanzhong means is..."

"It's simple. I hope that the culture of China can spread to the whole world."

Ye Kun looked at Zhang Mi and said seriously: "Our Chinese culture is no worse than that of the West. The West can come to our Chinese country to build temples, so why can't we go to the West to build Taoist temples?"

Zhang Mi was shocked: "The King of Hanzhong wants me to go to the Western Regions?"

Going to the Western Regions at this time is almost like exile!

"Teacher Zhang, you are too old to walk that far."

Ye Kun smiled and said, "What I mean is that you should send some outstanding disciples to lead delegations to visit various countries in the Western Regions to spread our Chinese culture and understand the customs of the world."

Zhang Bi breathed a sigh of relief: "That's no problem, I have tens of thousands of followers..."

Ye Kun spoke frankly and had a detailed discussion with Zhang Bi for three days.

Finally, an agreement was reached. Ye Kun and Zhang Mi jointly invested to build a total of 100 small Taoist temples in Yizhou and the four counties of Hexi to promote Taoist culture.

Then, the two sides jointly formed an embassy and, together with a large merchant group, traveled to various countries in the Western Regions.

Zhang Mi selected eighteen young disciples, known as the Eighteen Immortals, all of whom were well-educated and eloquent. They followed Ye Kun and received a month's training, learning astronomy, geography and medical knowledge. They would be sent to the Western Regions after the new year.

Zhang Mi also officially returned to work, traveling around Yizhou as the Taoist Grand Master, helping Ye Kun and doing some cultural publicity activities.

At the same time, Ye Kun also gave Zhang Bi the title of chief inspector of the newly built university and opened a Taoist lecture hall in the university.

Gongsun Erniang was very angry when she heard the news, and brought Ding Ding and Pang Jiasun Yi to find Ye Kun to settle the score:

"Brother, you have elevated Taoism and Confucianism to such a high level. How can we Mohists stand up to this?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "Junior sister, why are you angry? Our Mohist school advocates universal love and non-aggression, so why can't we also advocate universal love for other schools?"