Chapter 21: The Abacus Asks the World

  Looking at the well-hung sign, Wu Ji couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement, his right hand clenched into a fist.

  "Arms manufacturing, arms manufacturing, it's all about guns! I finally have a munitions company!" Wu Ji shouted excitedly in his heart.

  In this era, the military company was absolutely a new plaything, and even the Song Dynasty's Military Equipment Bureau couldn't be compared with it. It must be known that the military equipment Wu Ji wanted to produce had modern colors and possessed a certain level of modern technological standards.

  As for nuclear bombs, aircraft, tanks and artillery, Wu Ji asked himself if he had the technical level to produce them. However, making some bombs was absolutely no problem. Bombs, for the Song Dynasty, were a brand new weapon, and even the most primitive bombs would have a broad prospect in the Song Dynasty and would be widely welcomed. If Wu Ji operated well, it might even change the fate of the Song Dynasty.

  The Song-Liao War lasted for over a hundred years, with the Song Dynasty always at a disadvantage. If the Song army were to be heavily equipped with bombs, their combat effectiveness would greatly increase, gaining the upper hand and defeating the Liao State is not impossible!

  The more Wu Ji thought about it, the more wonderful it seemed, and his eyes grew hotter with excitement, as if he couldn't wait to start making bombs.

  But just as the sign was hung up, the eight characters were still incomplete, and a bit more hard work was needed.

  However, it's always difficult at the beginning, Wu Ji hung up the sign and established the military supplies company. After that, everything else was easier to handle!

  "Boss, what's this 'military industry'?" Zhang Daniu tilted his head, looking puzzled, and asked.

  "This will be clear later. Let's do something else." Wu Ji knew that Zhang Daniu hadn't read many books, and it would be difficult to explain the meaning of "military industry" to him clearly, at least not without a lot of effort, so he changed the subject.

  "Ah! Master Dong, are you going to do carpentry?" Zhang Daniu suddenly remembered that Wu Ji had asked him if he knew how to do carpentry.

  "Yes!" Wu Ji nodded and said: "Master Zhang, help me with a piece of woodwork. Come on, let's go inside."

  Two men came into the inner room. Zhang Daniu fetched an axe and a saw, looked at Wu Ji and asked: "Master, what are you doing? What's going on?"

  "No! What I'm going to do is called an abacus!" Wu Ji knew that Zhang Daniu didn't know what an abacus was, so he explained: "An abacus isn't complicated, it's made up of a frame, some wooden rods, and round beads. It's like this!"

  While speaking, he gestured and explained in detail, drawing a rough diagram that looked similar to the real thing. Zhang Daniu understood quite a bit of it, but his big eyes were filled with confusion: "Master, what's the use of this thing?"

  "This is a calculation tool, more convenient than an abacus! With this thing, calculations become much easier!" Wu Ji briefly explained to Zhang Daniu.

  Niu Yang and his companion, relying on their seniority, made things difficult for Wu Ji. They made up so many account books, thinking that no matter what, Wu Ji would not be able to finish them within seven days. What they didn't know was that later generations had a calculating tool called an abacus, which wasn't complicated to make, and a carpenter could handle it.

  The calculation speed of the abacus is many times that of the counting rods. If the abacus were made, Wu Ji would have no trouble finishing those two stacks of accounts. Therefore, when the two were in a difficult situation, Wu Ji didn't even put it in his heart.

  For others, it may be a difficult task, but for Wu Ji, it's not difficult at all. After all, Wu Ji is good at abacus calculation.

  "Is it really useful for calculating and planning? Really?" Zhang Daniu was somewhat incredulous.

  The abacus was the primary calculating tool at that time, and before it was replaced by the abacus, it played an extremely important role. The ancients all knew this point. To say that the abacus is more convenient to use than the counting rods, Zhang Dainiu really can't believe it.

  "That's for sure!" Wu Ji had no doubt about this at all.

  At the moment, Wu Ji pointed to Zhang Daniu doing abacus. It has to be said that Zhang Daniu's woodworking skills are quite good, and the beads under his skilled hands have been made into perfect spheres, very smooth. Although the smoothness is not as high as that of a machine-made product, it is already very good for handmade work, Wu Ji was very impressed.

  Zhang Daniu worked hard without being lazy, constantly busy, sweat seeping out of his forehead, wiping it with his sleeve and continuing to work.

  Under his efforts, more and more abacuses were made, put together, a big pile.

  "Brother Jī, what's military industry?" Just then, Wu Jian's voice came from behind.

  Wu Ji turned his head and saw that Wu Jian's face was covered in sweat, panting slightly, but with a look of confusion. As soon as they met, he started asking questions.

  Yang Xiuxiu, who followed closely behind, was also a bit out of breath. Like Wu Jian, she had a bewildered expression on her face as she sized up Wu Jue, expecting an answer from him.

  "You've had a good harvest, haven't you?" Wu Ji glanced at the two of them, who looked slightly tired, and knew that they had bought a lot of raw materials.

  "Uh-huh!" Yang Xiuxiu nodded slightly.

  "Brother Jī, the goods are not many, but there's quite a lot of stock in the pharmacy. We bought a lot of saltpeter and sulfur. The charcoal hasn't been bought yet, if we buy more charcoal, we won't be able to carry it back." Wu Jian hurriedly explained the situation.

  Saltpeter and sulfur are medicines, so naturally they would be bought at a pharmacy. These two things were used in considerable quantities as medicinal ingredients at the time, so it's not surprising that there was a large stockpile.

  Wu Ji took a look, two big bags were full, dozens of kilograms, this would make many bombs. The raw materials were collected so quickly, this was a good start, Wu Ji was very happy.

  "Brother Qian, you haven't told me what the military industry is yet?" Wu Jian was a studious child and wouldn't give up until he understood it clearly.

  "Military industry, simply put, is the manufacture of weapons, such as knives, guns, bows and arrows." Wu Ji explained to them concisely.

  "Is the military industry just about making weapons?" Zhang Daniu had a slight realization, and immediately became worried, saying: "Master, this absolutely cannot be done! This is something that only the imperial court can do. If it's not approved by the imperial court, it's a serious crime! It'll lead to severe punishment!"

  He was more and more horrified as he spoke: "Before making peace with the Liao dog, we civilians practiced knife dance, gunplay, archery, fist fighting, and martial arts. The court even encouraged it at that time. If you were a military craftsman, the court not only didn't blame you but also encouraged the production of sharp weapons. Since making peace with the Liao dog, the court has forbidden civilians from making weapons. If caught, it's a capital offense punishable by beheading!"

  What he said was the "Treaty of Chanyuan". Before the Treaty of Chanyuan, the war between Song and Liao continued. The Song Dynasty could not defeat the Liao State, and it was impossible to maintain peace in the north. The people in the north lived in a state of panic, and they had to practice martial arts and archery skills for self-protection.

  As a result, the people of the north have become strong and martially inclined, with a culture of military prowess.

  Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, there were still wars between Song and Liao, but they were much better than before. Relatively speaking, Song and Liao entered a period of peaceful coexistence. Therefore, the Song Dynasty was worried that the northern people were fierce and difficult to control, so they began to strictly control the manufacture of weapons.

  He said this, Yang Xiuxiu and Wu Jian also became worried and very tense.

  "It doesn't matter!" Wu Ji smiled carelessly and said, "I make this kind of weapon, the Song Dynasty doesn't have it. It's not a bow, arrow, knife or gun. Even if the imperial court wants to severely punish me, it's impossible."

  Bombs were something that even the Song Dynasty had never heard of, and they weren't on the list of prohibited items. Even if the Song Dynasty didn't allow Wu Ji to produce them, there was no basis for it.

  "Really?" Zhang Daniu, being older and from the city, had more experience than Yang Xiu and Wu Jian. He immediately came up with an idea: "Boss, if you really want to do it, you can get in good with the escort troops. If you can do it under their name, then there's no risk at all! Boss, you don't know this yet, but the escort troops doing business is legitimate and justified. As long as it's profitable, they'll do it - whether it's buying and selling knives and guns, or trading bows and arrows, or even running brothels!"

  "Ah!" Wu Ji was extremely surprised and never thought that Song Jun would do such a thing.

  "It's true! It's true!" Zhang Daniu said very affirmatively.

  "If we can get the military to put their name on it, not only can we openly do arms deals, but also promote arms transactions. Bombs, after all, are sold to the military for the most profit. This matter requires finding an opportunity to build connections!" Wu Ji secretly made up his mind.

  Wu Jian and Yang Xiu Xiu understood what gunpowder was, feeling satisfied, Wu Ji arranged for them to refine saltpeter. Refining saltpeter was something Yang Xiu Xiu had done before, with her there, Wu Ji didn't need to worry, and could focus on his abacus.

  The abacus is almost done, just make some wooden sticks and a frame, and assemble them together. For Zhang Daniu, who is good at woodworking, it's not difficult. By the late hours of the night, the abacus was finally completed.

  "Clack!" Wu Ji held it in his hand, a familiar feeling surged up, and he couldn't help but feel a little excited. It had been years since he last used an abacus. With a flick of his right hand, the beads moved, producing a crisp sound.

  "One up one, two up two, three up three..." Wu Ji recited the abacus mnemonic, quickly manipulating the beads.

  "Tomorrow, I'll make you all open your eyes wide!" As he continued to abacus, Wu Ji became more and more skilled, and started yawning: "I'm sleepy, I'm sleepy! Master Zhang, let's take a break!"

  "Master, what do you want me to cast?" Wu Jie was already exhausted, his eyelids drooping, but Zhang Daniu was still full of energy.

  PS: Rushing to the top of the chart, seeking collection, recommendation and clicks!