"I want to give them the thickest armor."

"I want to equip them with the sharpest knives."

The ministers present were stunned at first, and then everyone's faces showed shock.

After a long time passed, Xu Shiji said slowly with a solemn face: "A million people's armor, a million people's sword, this is good, this is good..."

Next to him, Li Jing subconsciously said, "This will cost ten years of Tang Dynasty treasury money."

Even if all the money from the Tang Dynasty's treasury were spent, I'm afraid it would still be a drop in the bucket on this matter.

Suddenly, he saw several people popping up in the hall. The first one was Cheng Yaojin, who looked worried and said hurriedly: "Brother Gu, you must not do this nonsense. It's okay to talk about this matter, but you must not do it. Really do it.”

Zhang Liang also spoke urgently, and said in an extremely sincere tone: "Yes, Brother Gu, this matter is too scary. Looking at any dynasty throughout the ages, there has never been a saying about equipping small pawns with armor. Even company leaders Level one also does not provide armor."

Duan Zhixuan stood up immediately and said: "Not to mention the first-level team leader, even the first-level team leader is not enough. The soldiers in the army who can wear armor must be at least the rank of captain. However, even the first-level captain is not enough. It depends on what kind of captain he is, such as the captain of Peirong and the captain of Ren Yong. The official position is only equivalent to the ninth rank of the civilian official. This level is not qualified to be equipped with armor. At most, they are given a breast shield to wear with a rope. Hanging him by his neck, just like that, is already an over-the-top treatment."

He paused for a moment, then continued: "The level in the army that can be equipped with armor is at least from the eighth grade. They are Yuqing Xiaowei and Xuanjie Xiaowei, both of which are from the eighth grade. The quality is low, and armor rationing will begin according to regulations!"

"In addition, there are four kinds of school captains: Sa Hui, Zhi Guo, Zhen Wei, and Zhao Wu. They are one level higher than the previous two. This is the real armor, but it is just armor..."

Duan Zhixuan looked at Gu Tianya as he spoke, and suddenly asked with deep meaning: "Brother Gu, do you know why I said it was just armor?"

He seemed to be asking Gu Tianya, but he didn't wait for Gu Tianya's answer and said directly: "Because the armor assigned to the first-level captain is not iron armor at all, but low-grade leather armor tanned with cowhide. Occasionally, some will be added to important parts. Iron piece, this is considered a treatment that only eighth-grade generals can enjoy."

At this time, Li Xiaogong, the prince of Hejian County, spoke slowly and said with a bitter tone: "It's not that we are cruel, but because we are too poor. Brother-in-law Gu, maybe you don't know how much a pair of armor costs, so I will find An official from an armor-making family will tell you about it, so that you can intuitively understand how valuable a piece of armor is."

Li Xiaogong stopped as he spoke, looked at someone among the ministers, stretched out his hand to wave, and said with a bitter smile: "Clan Chief Zheng, your Zheng family in Xingyang is known as the best in armor making. Why don't I invite you to come out and talk about a pair of armors?" What’s the cost?”

The minister simply walked out without hesitation and explained directly: "There are four major categories of armor used in war. The lowest grade is rattan armor, which is made from old vines in the mountains. The cost of this armor is The lowest, but its price is still scary. First, you need to select pliable old vines, boil them in a large pot, then store them in a cool place, and then take them out after three or four months..."

"Only for this step, you need to be careful. Once the old vines are not dried well enough, there will be a problem of insufficient toughness. They must be removed and thrown away. They are defective raw materials..."

"The next step is to soak the dried old vines in tung oil. Let's not worry about the soaking time for half a year. Let's just talk about the tung oil used in each pair of vine armor. Lord Gu, do you know how much it is?

Is it? Each pair consumes two kilograms of oil...and how much does two kilograms of tung oil cost? Even if we purchase in large quantities like Zheng's in Xingyang, it costs 500 yuan. In other words, a pair

The cost of the oil alone for the Vine Armor alone is five hundred coins."

"After the old vines have been soaked in tung oil, it requires skillful women to weave them into armor. This step is the least expensive step and is nothing more than giving the women some wages."

"However, even if the cost is the lowest, you still have to pay at least more than a hundred cents. If it is less, no one is willing to do it because it is too time-consuming."

"For example, if the labor cost of weaving a pair of rattan armor is less than one hundred cents, then folk women would rather weave to make money than weave rattan armor. Lord Gu, you should know that the common people are the most clever group of people. Since those women have given

I have set a bottom line of one hundred cents, which means that the bottom line of wages for making Tengjia must be this much. If it is less, no one will do it."

"After all these miscellaneous calculations, the cost of a pair of vine armor is basically clear. Old vines in the mountains are not valuable, but hiring people to cut them back requires money. Although our Xingyang Zheng family hires people to cut them in large quantities, but for

The cost of each pair of vine armor will definitely be shared evenly. According to so many years of experience, the cost of cutting vines is ten cents."

"Then there's boiling in hot water and drying in the shade. The cost of this step is basically labor. After evenly apportioning it, the more it's between fifteen and twenty cents, we'll calculate it as the lowest and make it fifteen cents.

"

"The next step is to soak tung oil. As mentioned before, two kilograms of oil are needed. The price of oil is about 500 yuan, but this step costs more than 500 yuan, because there is also manual labor, so this step including labor costs is about 500 yuan.

Fifty coins... Lord Gu may be curious, why is the labor for this step so expensive? The reason is simple, tung oil is poisonous. Whenever tung oil is soaked, craftsmen are often poisoned and have accidents. If the labor is not paid higher, the common people will

They definitely don’t want to do this job.”

"Finally, adding the one hundred cents for the preparation, the total cost of a pair of rattan armor is calculated. It takes nearly a year, and the expenditure is at least seven hundred cents. But Lord Gu, you should understand that our family is engaged in this business.

We have to make money, and although the cost of the rattan armor is 700 fen, we definitely can’t sell it for 700 fen.”

"If a pair of rattan armor cannot earn three to four hundred cents, it will be considered a loss for our efforts of more than a year."

"This also means that just being a rattan requires a lot of money."

Prince Hejian waited until the minister finished speaking, then sighed slowly and said: "This is only the lowest-end rattan armor, but the price is already as high as ever."

As he spoke, he looked at Gu Tianya and said inexplicably: "The second level of paper armor is at the back, which is made of straw paper layer by layer. Brother-in-law, please don't think that the paper armor is very low-end. In fact, it is

This thing is far tougher and more effective than rattan armor. Although it is made of straw paper, the process is very complicated and time-consuming. After wearing it, it can withstand 70% of the bows and arrows on the battlefield."

"It's a pity that this thing is so good, and the price is prohibitive. The price of a pair of paper armors starts at five guan."

As he spoke, Li Xiaogong looked at the official of the Zheng family in Xingyang, and said in a deep voice: "I'm right, am I right? Is the price of Zheng family's paper armor in Xingyang like this?"

The official nodded and said: "Although Wu Guan is very expensive, it is a preferential price because the Tang Dynasty military conducted a large-volume purchase last year. If it is usually purchased in small quantities, the minimum price cannot be less than five Guan."

Halfway through."

Li Xiaogong took a deep breath, turned his head and looked at Gu Tianya again, and said solemnly: "Brother-in-law, did you hear that? A pair of paper armor costs five guan."

After finishing speaking, Gu Tianya didn't wait for him to speak, and continued: "In addition to rattan and leather armor, there are also leather armor and iron armor, but the price of those two kinds of armor is higher. There is no need to let the guys from the Zheng family in Xingyang fight with you.

Explain in detail."

Gu Tianya nodded slowly and said solemnly: "I know, I understand, for example, the raw material for a pair of leather armor must be at least half a cowhide. Regardless of the manufacturing process and labor costs, the cost of cowhide alone is not

Less than three or four strings. If you add up all the miscellaneous items, the total price of a pair of leather armor is probably at least ten strings."

Meng heard that the official of the Zheng family in Xingyang smiled coldly and said: "Ten guan? That's not even enough to cost. To tell you the truth, a pair of leather armor costs at least fifteen guan. This is only the cost of our production, not

The cost of selling to the military. I have said before that the aristocratic family is in this business to make money. Especially the higher the cost of armor, the higher the profit that needs to be earned, otherwise it will not be consistent with the investment, and it will not be suitable for our aristocratic family.

It’s a burden to say the least.”

The man paused for a moment, then continued: "Last year, the purchase price of the Tang Dynasty military's leather armor was twenty guan. Lord Gu, don't blame us for making a lot of money. The profit of five guan is

It is the bottom line of this industry. If the profit is lower than Wu Guan, do you believe that no one will want to make leather armor?"

Gu Tianya nodded slowly again and said more solemnly: "I believe it. Because this matter involves the risk tolerance of investment and income."

Li Xiaogong struck while the iron was hot and then said: "So leather armor can only be equipped by those at the rank of captain. As for the highest-end iron armor, that thing is beyond the imagination of ordinary soldiers. Back then, your second brother wanted to

The creation of the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry almost emptied the entire fortune of the Tiance Mansion. Although he finally announced that he had obtained the Iron Cavalry, everyone knew that he had not succeeded at all. In fact, only a thousand people owned the so-called three thousand Iron Cavalry.

Iron armor, as for the so-called war horses also equipped with iron armor, that is purely to scare people. War horses are equipped with ridiculous iron armor. If you have the money, it is better to buy more armor for the soldiers."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly looked at Gu Tianya and said: "And you, you brat, now claim to have 150,000 soldiers, of which 30,000 are cavalry, and they are also black armor cavalry. How about your bragging?

, we have always had doubts in our hearts. What is the concept of 30,000 mysterious cavalry? This is almost a combat power that can sweep the entire world. If you really have so many cavalry, you may be able to defeat Goguryeo yourself.

Bar."

Gu Tianya looked stern and said angrily: "Brother Xiaogong guessed it right, I did brag about this matter."

Li Xiaogong snorted coldly and asked suddenly: "Tell us the truth, how many black armored cavalry does the Gu family have?"

Gu Tianya touched his nose awkwardly, lowered his head in embarrassment and said, "Only eight thousand."

He felt that there was a huge difference between the figures of eight thousand and thirty thousand, so he bowed his head in embarrassment. However, there was a gasp of air in the entire court hall, especially the military generals who all watched him beat him up.

Shivering.

It took a long time before Li Xiaogong gritted his teeth and said angrily: "You, bastard, you actually have eight thousand cavalry."

He was the commander-in-chief of the Tang Dynasty's military. How could he not know how much it cost to support a cavalry?

The cost price of a warrior's full-body armor alone is fifty guan. The armor for a war horse is even more expensive, costing more than 80 guan per pair. Therefore, one person and one rider will cost 130 guan. However, this is just for making armor.

cost price.

If it is purchased, the more expensive the armor, the higher the purchase price. For example, the price Xingyang Zheng sold to the military last year was

Zhao Ning suddenly raised her feet and stepped forward, holding the tiger cub and standing side by side with Gu Tianya. The eldest princess of the Tang Dynasty had a solemn face on her pretty face, and her eyes scanned the entire court hall.

Her voice was extremely solemn, and she showed her support, saying loudly: "My Tianya's wish is my Li Xiuning's wish."

Zhao Ning paused slowly when he said this, and then an inexplicable brilliance burst out in his eyes. It was a brilliance of determination, and it was also a brilliance of motherhood.

She suddenly took a step forward again, and for some reason suddenly changed the topic, as if it was a memory or a declaration, so the high-spirited voice of the eldest princess of the Tang Dynasty resounded throughout the entire court hall.

"In the seventeenth year of the Sui Dynasty, I, Li Xiuning, was protected by my family boy Ma Sanbao. I fought my way out of Chang'an and hid in the Qinling Mountains, which is known as the home of troubled times..."

"It lasted three months, and all I saw was fear. Everywhere I looked, I saw women and children going through life, with strategies in their ears, and young children crying. There were also countless elderly people, their bodies as thin as dry branches. Every morning when morning came,

When the time comes, you will find that many old people never open their eyes again!"

"There are also poor babies who bite their mothers' shriveled breasts, but they can't suck milk at all, so they die of hunger amidst weak cries."

"It was caused by the troubled times, and the people were suffering and miserable."

"So I, Li Xiuning, burst out with an ambition in my heart. I want to lead the people who are hiding in the mountains to avoid chaos to survive."

"In order to achieve this goal, I worked long and hard."

"But at that time, I was just a weak woman. Because I was born in a wealthy family and studied female disciplines since I was a child, my knowledge and experience could not help me find a way to protect the common people.

road."

"Fortunately, one day, God seemed to open his eyes. An old Taoist priest wearing Taoist robes appeared in front of me, carrying a basket on his back..."

"He said his name was Sun Simiao, and he was entrusted by an elder to bring me a message."

"That sentence is really only one sentence, and it can't even be regarded as one sentence, because it only has two words."

"what is it then?"

"field."

"Although it was only two words, it resounded in my mind like a yellow bell and a big Lu. It shocked me and woke me up, and helped me find my direction."

"At that moment, I suddenly realized that if you want to survive, you can't just hide in the mountains. Although the Qinling Mountains are thick, they cannot support the people. Mountains are places to hide from disasters, but they are not places to support people."

"Only large tracts of land can feed countless people."

"And in the war at that time, there was only one way to get land, and what was it? It was to fight one war after another."

"So I, Li Xiuning, issued a call to the people fleeing the war for the first time in the deep mountains. I will lead them to form an army, and I will lead them to break out of the Qinling Mountains."

"This is the original epitome of the Detachment of Women of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Xiuning's voice resounded throughout the entire court hall, but although the ministers present listened attentively, there was almost a feeling of confusion in their hearts.

They couldn't figure out why Princess Pingyang suddenly said these things.
Chapter completed!