Chapter 259: The Wave of Fleeing People

"Your Highness, Wang Yanzhong and Zhou Yi have returned."

Zhao Xu was currently pondering how to deal with the drastic changes in Jinzhou and the Ma Family.

Feng'er walked in at this moment.

Regaining his focus, Zhao Xu nodded to signal for them to enter.

During this period, Zhou Yi and Wang Yanzhong had been in Jinzhou searching for craftsmen for the Armory.

From beginning to end, the number of craftsmen in the Armory had increased from over one thousand to more than six thousand now.

Moreover, these five thousand new craftsmen were all highly skilled, experienced artisans, carefully selected by the two of them.

It could be said that they were very attentive regarding the business of buying servants, and they had done quite well.

Otherwise, the Armory's manpower would have been stretched thin long ago.

Before long, Wang Yanzhong and Zhou Yi entered.

After bowing to Zhao Xu, Zhou Yi exchanged a glance with Wang Yanzhong and said, "Your Highness, Jinzhou is currently in great chaos, and Xiliang Cavalry are running rampant everywhere; the servant trade in Jinzhou can no longer continue."

Wang Yanzhong had always been a man of few words and simply nodded.

"The five hundred guards we brought out this time encountered the Xiliang Cavalry; after a bloody battle, only three hundred returned alive," Zhou Yi continued, his head involuntarily lowering.

To him, he had lost face for Yan Wang in this matter.

After all, Yan Wang had defeated the Northern Di twice, yet he himself had suffered a loss at the hands of the Xiliang.

Seeing the small scratches on the faces of Zhou Yi and Wang Yanzhong, Zhao Xu guessed they must have been caused by tree branches while fleeing.

He said, "You have worked hard. This is not your fault, and I will not blame you. Since the business in Jinzhou cannot be done, you should head south to other prefectures to search; even if you find fewer, safety is the priority. Rest in Yancheng for this period."

"Yes, Your Highness." Yan Wang's gentle tone warmed their hearts.

This was the reason they were willing to risk their lives for Yan Wang.

Yan Wang truly treated them as human beings, not as cattle or sheep to be driven.

"Your Highness, there is one more thing this subordinate believes should be reported to you." He had originally intended to take his leave of Yan Wang, but Wang Yanzhong nudged his arm, and he immediately remembered.

"What is it?" Zhao Xu asked.

"Because Jincheng was breached by the Xiliang, Jinzhou is currently filled with fleeing commoners, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The Ma Family, fearing the Xiliang would move south, forbade the ferries from carrying people. Because the Jin River blocks the path of these commoners heading south, they are currently heading toward Feihu Pass," Zhou Yi said.

Wang Yanzhong added, "It is just that according to these commoners, the Shengqin Army currently dispatched by the Xiliang is capturing commoners to be taken to Xiliang. If no one stops the Xiliang Shengqin Army, I fear these commoners will struggle to reach Feihu Pass."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu's spirit sharpened.

After the wars in Yanzhou, the already not-so-wealthy population had decreased further.

According to the situation reported to him by Liu Fu, the population registers of the various commanderies in Yanzhou had not been updated for many years.

The number of households recorded on them did not match reality at all.

Many commoners who had fled were still on the registers.

Judging from the statistics of this period, the population of Yanzhou was only about three million.

If one subtracts the able-bodied men who joined the army and those who were farming from this number, the able-bodied men who could be invested in handicrafts would be few and far between.

Not to mention that in future wars, civilian laborers would also need to be mobilized.

Within the borders of Yanzhou, soldiers could still carry a few days' worth of dry rations.

But if a slightly prolonged war were to be fought outside of Yanzhou, a massive transport line would have to be maintained.

This would consume enormous manpower.

Precisely because of this.

In ancient times, the population was considered a strategic resource.

Whether it was the Northern Di or the Xiliang, whenever they invaded, they would inevitably plunder the population.

This was the same logic as the Great Song wanting the warhorses of the Northern Di.

Therefore, facing these fleeing commoners in Jinzhou, it was impossible for Zhao Xu not to be tempted.

With this population, he could open up wasteland for farming and allow Yanzhou to produce more grain.

With this population, he could provide himself with a sufficient source of soldiers.

With this population, he could provide himself with sufficient workers.

"This intelligence is very important. How can we let the Xiliang take the subjects of our Great Song?" Zhao Xu said.

When Jinzhou was still under the rule of the Imperial Court, he could not simply go and bring the people of Jinzhou into Yanzhou.

But now that Jinzhou had fallen to the Xiliang, his bringing the people of Jinzhou into Yanzhou was righteous and would protect the people of the Great Song.

Zhou Yi and Wang Yanzhong smiled.

They also could not bear to see these suffering commoners.

On their way back, they had brought some Jinzhou commoners with them.

"Someone, call Chang Wei here," Zhao Xu said, then looked at the two of them apologetically, "I am afraid I cannot let you rest again. You two are familiar with Jinzhou, so I am afraid I will need you to lead the way this time."

"If Your Highness can go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, these small tasks of ours are not worth mentioning," Wang Yanzhong said, cupping his hands.

He admired Yan Wang from the bottom of his heart; after all, Yan Wang deserved the greatest credit for the current situation in Yanzhou.

Moreover, Yan Wang provided everyone in Yanzhou with the opportunity to become an official.

He was currently having his own son study so that he could enter the Government Academy in the future.

He could not be like himself, just a head of an Agency.

Before long, Chang Wei arrived.

Zhao Xu explained the situation reported by the two.

He said, "Have Zhong Li and Chen Hu lead their cavalry to advance past Feihu Pass to help the Jinzhou commoners enter Yanzhou."

Hearing this, Chang Wei grinned broadly.

If it were up to his temperament, he would have long since ordered the troops to Jinzhou to compete with the Xiliang.

It was just that the overall situation was as it was; without the order of Yan Wang, he could not move a single soldier or horse on his own.

Now that Yan Wang had given him this order, the Wangfu Cavalry could enter Jinzhou.

Although this was not a formal declaration of war against Xiliang, it was equivalent to a preliminary warm-up.

"Very well, hehe, but in this way, I fear Your Highness will offend Xiliang," Chang Wei feigned a look of worry.

"Stop putting on an act; just go and get it done. Who has this Prince ever feared?" Zhao Xu glared at Chang Wei.

"Your Highness's words are truly inspiring," Chang Wei cupped his fists heavily, "Rest assured, Your Highness, this time the Shengqin Army of Xiliang will certainly return empty-handed."

Zhao Xu nodded, "Zhou Yi, you will accompany the Wangfu Cavalry to Flying Tiger Pass."

He then said to Wang Yanzhong, "This Prince will hand over all the merchant ships of the Yanzhou Trading Firm to you; you are to travel north along the Jin River and bring back as many commoners as you can carry."

The terrain of Yanzhou is long and narrow, far from south to north, but short from east to west.

Therefore, it takes less than two days from Fanyang Wharf to Jinzhou.

It would be entirely possible for him to launch a large-scale evacuation of the Jinzhou commoners.

"Yes, Your Highness," Zhou Yi and Wang Yanzhong replied in unison.

The three men departed.

Zhao Xu thought for a moment and went directly to the Armory Bureau.

During this period, his lessons had been proceeding normally, and the research and manufacturing of the Matchlock had not been delayed.

Now, the High Carbon Steel needed for cutting tools and the spring steel needed for firing mechanisms were both available.

Measuring tools needed for precision manufacturing, such as calipers, were also available.

The Flintlock should also formally enter the manufacturing process.

However, before that, there was one last thing he had to create.

This was the Hydraulic Drill.

Before the emergence of mechanical power, humanity relied mainly on human labor and animal power, and subsequently utilized water power to once again increase production efficiency.

Therefore, if one wants to realize the large-scale production of Flintlock barrels.

It is quite necessary to use the rotation of a water wheel in a river to drive a Drill Bit to perform drilling.

Upon arriving at the Armory Bureau, Zhao Xu only needed to hint at this matter to Wang Ying.

After all, water wheels are not advanced technology; they are very common in the agricultural irrigation of Da Song.

What the Armory Bureau needed to do was to combine the Drill Bit with the water wheel.