Ma Chaoren did not hesitate and said bluntly: "I will not ask about the grudges between you and Zhang Han, nor do I have the intention to help anyone. However, I do not want to participate in it. I just want to write poetry and edit books in my spare time, so that I can do the rest of my life."

Ma Chaoren is still in his prime, so "spend the rest of his life" is of course nonsense, but the attitude of not intervening in this matter is also very obvious from the language, and there is almost no room for negotiation.

The two scholars were stunned, they did not expect such a result.

"You can discuss local affairs." Ma Chaoren said again: "My grain is a matter of time. If Zhang Han doesn't raise the price after a long time, of course, the higher the price will be, and the boss Fan can rest assured. However, I may not sell it to the Fan family. The grain is a shortage of goods, and I can also take it off by myself. This matter is not yet finalized, so I can't give you a definite answer."

"Okay, Senior Ma said this, we can't bother you." Guan Zhaotong blinked and stood up and said, "I hope Senior Ma promises a thousand gold."

"Of course." Ma Chaoren said coldly: "I have probably never done anything treason in my life."

...

Ma Chaoren was upset when he sent off two scholars surnamed Guan. Although today's affairs were not considered offensive, his own interests were also lost. Of course, he did not make this decision for Xinyi, but he just felt that the battle between Zhang Han and Fan Yong and Han Qi had just begun. He had promised to cooperate with Zhang Han in public. Now that the winner is still not decided, he hurriedly chose the side to take the team. Not only did he seem like a villain, but he also had no substantial benefits.

However, if Zhang Han really loses, his losses will be really huge.

In the evening, Ma Chaoren was waiting for the meal in the mansion to start. At this time, a long-time man came over to report that someone sent by Zhang Han was asking for a visit.

At this moment, Zhang Han also sent someone. Ma Chaoren felt it was a coincidence. He didn't think much about it and asked Changsui to take the person to the study.

The person who came was a man of medium size, under thirty years old, with a smile on his face, a gray robe that looked very neatly, and a cowhide belt around his waist was very tight, showing a very good figure.

"I'm here Jiang Kui, I'm the guard next to my elders." Jiang Kui clasped his fists and said, "Today I'm going to talk about Guanzhuang."

Ma Chaoren said: "I already know the matter of Guanzhuang. It was wrong for my tenant farmers. I plan to go there and scold them."

Jiang Kui said: "The tenant farmer and the landlord are just a tenant relationship. How could my elders make it so difficult for Mr. Ma to do such a thing? We can handle it ourselves. It is because this matter is afraid of hurting Mr. Ma's face, so we specifically asked him to come down and explain the reason to Mr. Ma."

"Nothing happened." Ma Chaoren said: "There is a great intention."

He felt a little strange and disappointed. Zhang Han only cared about his emotions at this moment. If this is the case, Ma Chaoren would have to consider his previous decision.

"In addition," Jiang Kui continued: "We asked Ma Dongzhu, if we were willing to invest, he could ask someone to build a few main canals in Guanzhuang, and the water could be diverted by Ma Dongzhu's tenant, and it would be used after a while."

Most of the land of the Ma family is concentrated in Guanzhuang area. If the canal canal canals be inducted into the water, it is certain that the output will increase. However, Zhang Han stated in advance that he would charge a fee, which made Ma Chaoren hesitant... He felt that it might not be worth it.

Ma Chaoren said, "I can't decide this for the time being, I'll talk about it later."

Jiang Kui smiled and said, "We also said that Master Ma was afraid that he would not be able to decide this for the time being. He said that this matter is not urgent, and he will talk about it in half a year."

Ma Chaoren heard Jiang Kui's words that he had strong confidence in Zhang Han's decision, but he

(This chapter is not finished, please turn the page) I don’t think that repairing some water conservancy can solve the major problem of grain. Besides, everyone’s grain mainly depends on buying. Shanxi is not enough, which is Henan. The arable land in Shanxi province was only 2.8 million mu at the beginning of the country. Of course, it is far more than that. But compared with Henan, a neighboring province, in the central region, buying grain is much better than farming by oneself.

"Since Ma Dongzhu has no grudges," Jiang Kui stood up and said goodbye: "I'll go back and report."

"Yes." Ma Chaoren felt a little confused inside. Zhang Han called this person to show kindness, but in Ma Chaoren's opinion, there was nothing practical. He hadn't seen any other meaning yet. He felt that the storm was gradually rising and he was extremely nervous.

"By the way." Jiang Kui said last: "This morning, Ma Dongzhu said that there was no treason in his life. After hearing this, my elders praised him. He said that if everyone in the world pays attention to faith and righteousness as Ma Dongzhu, I am afraid that everything will be easier to do."

Ma Chaoren was timid and had nothing to say for a moment. After Jiang Kui went out, he suddenly pushed open the window and stretched out his head to look out.

Everything was as usual around. Several servants were cleaning outside the second door. Through the Yuedong Gate, they saw a few guardians sitting on benches and laughing. There were several servants in the inner house doing needlework under the eaves. There was no movement in each room inside.

There are more than a dozen people entering the Ma family mansion, with about 30 slaves, and there are less than forty people in their own family, and there are not many guests who come and go every day.

Ma Chaoren felt half cold in his body. He sat dejectedly in the chair, knowing that his decision to be temporarily out of the matter was still correct.

...

"Wen Lan, the experiment on Lingqiu has been successful."

In a blink of an eye, it was mid-September in the 48th year of Wanli. The weather was already very cold in the morning and evening. Just as dawn broke out, a horse rode a horse from outside and entered the camp. First, he arrived at Sun Jingting's house. Then Sun Jingting was wearing only a single dress and barely tied his belt on his head, and trotted all the way to Zhang Han's residence.

Zhang Han had already gotten up and was having breakfast.

In front of him were millet porridge, a few dishes of pickles, a few meat buns, and a dish of eggs.

If you spend the New Year at a farmer, you may not have to eat this breakfast. For Zhang Han, it is already extremely frugal.

Sun Jingting came in panting, raised the letter in his hand and said to Zhang Han: "The double-chamber melting method has been completed!"

"Oh?" Zhang Han pushed the dishes, and didn't even bother to eat. He immediately stood up and answered the letter to read.

The current method of casting pig iron into fine iron is to cast a single room, place carbonite on the bottom and pig iron on the top, and then blow the air and heat it. Once the temperature reaches, the pig iron will soften, and then forge the fine iron.

The methods of steelmaking are similar, but the temperature needs to be higher and the technology is more difficult.

With the quality of China's iron ore, pig iron has many impurities and poor iron quality. A large amount of impurities seeps in the process of refining fine iron, which makes the iron brittle and easy to break.

The reason why Fujian iron is expensive is mainly because it uses wood, and charcoal is used in the north. The impurity content of the two is different, and the quality is of course very different.

At this time, quite a few weapons were made of ordinary cooked iron, with poor quality. The weapons made of high-quality fine iron are expensive and cannot be used by ordinary soldiers.

"Hu Laoliu's method is very clever..." Sun Jingting said excitedly.

Recently, the business war with Yusheng and Fan Family Trading Company has been very fierce, and both sides have gradually begun to do their best. In Tianchengwei, many merchants who originally cooperated with Zhang Han have chosen to stand on the side of the Fan Family because there is a conflict of interest between the two sides.

In Lingqiu, because of Han Qi, many iron merchants who entered the chamber of commerce also began to start to have the first rat end.

Sun Jingting recognized

(This chapter is not finished, please turn the page) The key is profit. If the pig iron industry makes breakthrough progress, even if there is no northern smuggling route, the profit will be very considerable.

What’s important is that this new technology was developed by Lingqiu and Yusheng Iron Field, and Zhang Han’s initiative has become much stronger.

"Dongshan will definitely stand on your side..." Sun Jingting said at the end: "Whether it is pricing, procurement, or export, you have the final say."

Sun Jingting has been at Lizhuang recently, and he is half of his subordinates and half of his friend. He is also the leader of the Dongshan Association in the future. However, the Dongshan Association is much looser than Zhang Hanjian’s Iron Industry Chamber of Commerce. Needless to say, which side has a stronger centripetal force. Now Sun Jingting has regarded himself as half of the person who is with Yusheng, and even has vaguely included the Dongshan Association.

"This matter needs to be planned..."

Zhang Han felt that the form of Lingqiu was much better than that of Tianchengwei or even Xinpingbao.

There are still fundamental differences.

On the one hand, there is a loose relationship between business alliances and partners. When encountering twists and turns, it is easy to have strange intentions, especially when it involves business, land, official power, etc., and changes are more likely to occur.

There is also a chamber of commerce in Lingqiu, but they must be much closer together, because the connection between the iron field must be closer and more united.

On the one hand, it is traditional and strong, and on the other hand, it is weak and suppressed. The mine iron farm has always been the target of being suppressed by the government. It has low profits and high risks. The miners have joined together, and the iron farm owners are not traditional gentry. Under various reasons, the iron farm has always been around.

There were several large-scale miners rebelled in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, almost one person advocated righteousness, and thousands of people followed, not only ordinary miners, but also more capitals joined in it.

With the power of Dongshanhui and his own, Zhang Han planned to truly integrate the power of Lingqiu.

"No matter what, Dongshanhui will definitely follow and retreat with Yusheng." Sun Jingting thought for a while and nodded in promises after hearing Zhang Han's plan.

"Don't write a ticket first, either." Zhang Han smiled and said, "Your uncle hasn't agreed yet."

"There is only one thing that can be difficult for my uncle." Sun Jingting glanced at Zhang Han with a look of a joke.

"Ah..." Zhang Han also had a headache.

This time I went to Lingqiu, there was no reason not to see Yu Niang, and I had to see Sun Anle. How should I deal with myself at that time?

Zhang Han did not go back during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so he was avoiding these troubles. If Chang made a marriage appointment after he went back, how could he explain to the Sun family?

Zhang Han had mentioned Yu Niang to Chang several times, but of course he did not dare to speak out. Chang also pretended to be confused after hearing this.

This is not surprising. Zhang Han praised again. After all, Yu Niang never called Chang in person, and the girl who dared to sneak out was still too wild in the hearts of the older generation.

Chang Ning is different, knows the roots and the bottom, and has no choice but to choose from.

Even Zhang Han himself admitted that compared to Yu Niang, Chang Ning was his virtuous supporter.

But the grace of saving Yu Niang on the grassland and the affection in her eyes are also hard to let go of.

Zhang Han believes that he is not a soft-hearted person, but this kind of thing makes him make a decision, but it is still too embarrassing.

"Xiao Zheng..." Zhang Han bowed to the ground: "Don't look like a damn fellow Taoist who is not dead. I want to think of a solution for me. Don't make everyone too embarrassed!"

Sun Jingting laughed and scolded: "No one can ask for help like this. Without saying a few good words, I will start scolding you first."

"Brother Xiaozheng saves me."

Zhang Han had no moral integrity in this matter, so he simply pulled Sun Jingting's cuffs.

(End of this chapter)
Chapter completed!