The news that Brother Yelvxiu, the king of the South Branch of the Liao Kingdom, was defeated and returned from Fuxingguan quickly spread. Under the deliberate rendering of caring people. The news was also spread out of shape. Brother Yelvxiu led 150,000 elite troops for the first time, and later added another 150,000 troops. It turned out that Brother Yelvxiu led 300,000 elite troops to attack the Fuxing Pavilion, but was beaten by Yang Dezheng and fled, and returned in defeat.
The news spread to the Song Dynasty, and the people of the Song Dynasty were shocked. In the past, His Majesty Zhao Guangyi, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, led 300,000 elite troops to the north to attack the Liao Kingdom, but was killed by Brother Yelvxiu with 100,000 Liao soldiers, leaving behind his helmet and armor. A few years later, His Majesty Zhao Guangyi, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, led 400,000 elite troops to the north to attack the Liao Kingdom, but was killed by Brother Yelvxiu with 200,000 troops, leaving behind his armor.
Then Chai Rong, the founder of the Zhou Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, the emperor of the Song Dynasty, and Zhao Guangyi, the current emperor of the Song Dynasty. After forty years, the three of them went north to conquer the Liao Kingdom, but all failed. As the saying goes, there is no harm without comparison. In the past, those who could compare with Zhao Guangyi were Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin. All three of them are losers. So the eldest brother doesn't laugh at the second brother.
But now, Yang Dezheng actually defeated the Liao Kingdom's 300,000 elite soldiers with 70,000 troops, and they were still new soldiers. Another comparison. The difference appears. All of a sudden, the Yang family's status began to rise infinitely, while Zhao Heng's status began to decline. The people all said that the Yang family was good at fighting. As for the fact that the Yang family occupied Fengzhou and Shengzhou and became the local emperor, it also became a sign of bravery in the hearts of the people.
People don't understand politics. They only understand one thing, that is, whoever has the ability should eat meat. If you have the ability to take back the territory from the Liao people, it doesn't matter whether you hand it over to the court or keep it for yourself. Those are all heroes. Suddenly, many heroes rushed to the northwest to join Yang Dezheng.
at the same time. The news that Yang Dezheng defeated 300,000 Liao troops at Fuxing Pass also reached the Song Dynasty. After Zhao Heng and the civil and military officials received the news, their jaws dropped. It was hard for them to imagine how Yang Dezheng used 70,000 troops to repel Liao's 300,000 troops. They didn't want to believe it, but the news from many sources confirmed the matter.
For a time, the direction of the court began to turn one-sided. Some court officials who had originally clamored to wait until Gao Hu and Ding Wei suppressed the Fu family's rebellion before preparing to annihilate the Zhe Yang family began to speak favorably for the Yang family. They felt that since the Yang family could withstand the Liao Kingdom's 300,000 elite soldiers, they could also withstand the imperial court's 300,000 forbidden troops. Adding in the Zhe family, it would take four to five million soldiers and horses to win?
The imperial army of the Song Dynasty was mostly infantry. Moreover, four to five million soldiers and horses went out to fight, which was enough to cooperate with nearly two million civilians. So many people eat horse chews every day, but it is all money. Although the imperial court had recently received a sum of money seized from Dali by Cao Bin, it was still short of money. A huge country needs money in every aspect.
From the moment they saw the money, civil servants had already planned the money where it should be used. For example, the dams of the Yellow River need to be repaired, the channels of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal need to be dredged, etc. It was not worth it to sacrifice a large amount of money to conquer two generals who did not cause any losses to the Song Dynasty, but instead contributed to the reputation of the Song Dynasty.
At least in the eyes of the civil servants, the Zheyang family did not raise the flag of rebellion or proclaim themselves kings. Those are all Song ministers, so they can't be punished. The civil servants advocated appeasing the Zheyang family and relying on the strength of the Zheyang family to resist the Liao Kingdom. The generals all remained silent.
Because Privy Councilor Cao Bin chose to remain silent on this matter in order to avoid suspicion. So they also chose to remain silent. In his heart, Zhao Heng still wanted to attack the Zheyang family. How can you allow others to sleep soundly if you make a bed? The existence of the Zheyang family for one day was a provocation to his majesty.
Zhao Heng quarreled with the civil servants in the court hall for a whole day, and finally the two parties broke up unhappy. After Zhao Heng returned to the harem, he started a new round of beatings. Wang Jin waited on the side quietly. Holding a memorial, Chen Lin silently entered Zhao Heng's bedroom and placed it on Zhao Heng's dragon case.
Although Zhao Heng was venting his anger, he saw Chen Lin entering the dormitory. "Is this a report about Fuxing Pass? Bring it over and let me have a look." Chen Lin picked up the report and put it in Zhao Guangyi's hand.
Zhao Heng opened the report with a look of resentment. After just one glance, his pupils shrank and he took a breath of cold air and said: "That little beast of the Yang family has a kind of power that can wipe out 60,000 Liao troops in an instant. ?Is this true? Or are the people below you exaggerating the abilities of that little beast from the Yang family?"
Chen Lin stood aside with a bow and said solemnly: "It is indeed true. I also know the seriousness of this matter, so after receiving the report from the people below, I sent someone to investigate the matter thoroughly. Moreover, Someone was sent to get some soil from Fuxingguan. After inspection by the master craftsmen who were in charge of the supervision, it was suspected to be gunpowder. The slave had also tried it with gunpowder from the cannon factory in the capital, but it didn't have much power.
Therefore, the slave guessed that Yang Dezheng should be in control of a strange kind of gunpowder, which was extremely lethal. According to investigation, when this kind of gunpowder explodes, the effect is like an earth dragon turning over. Can instantly engulf all enemies around it. "Zhao Heng had a sullen face and held the report tightly, "No wonder that little beast dares to go against me so blatantly. It turns out that he has such a magical weapon in his hand. "
Zhao Heng held the report and walked around the bedroom with his hands behind his back. This is Zhao Heng's unique performance when he is meditating on his strategy. Zhao Heng walked in the dormitory for a full half an hour before he said, "If he really has such a magical weapon, I really can't deal with him for the time being."
"Bang!" "What a hateful little beast." Zhao Heng slapped the dragon case, cursed in a low voice, and then ordered Chen Lin, saying: "Hurry up and send someone from the Appeasement Department to find out this thing for me. .You must try your best to help me get this thing.
As long as this magical weapon is in my hands. I can easily establish a feat that is a hundred times more magnificent than that of Emperor Qin and Emperor Wu of Han. At that time, who else dares to say anything wrong about me behind my back? "Chen Lin lowered her head and said solemnly: "I understand. "
The next day. Early morning.
Zhao Heng changed his attitude towards the Zheyang family yesterday and half-heartedly agreed to the request to appease the Zheyang family. Zhao Heng promoted Zhe Yuxun's title and official position, and recognized the Zhe family's right to rule Linzhou. The founding Duke of Zhe Yuxun was promoted to the title of Founding Duke, and at the same time, among his many titles, he added the title of Linzhou Town Governor.
The edict for the Yang family is much more interesting. Yang Yanzhao was promoted to the rank of military envoy of Daizhou, a powerful general of the fifth rank. Yang Dezheng, on the other hand, was promoted to Dai Guogong, ranking first grade. At the same time, he was given the title of Kaifu Yitong Sansi, and served as the chief military officer of Feng, Sheng, and Dai prefectures. In Zhao Heng's canonization, Yang Dezheng, a little traitor, was promoted high, but Yang Yanzhao was suppressed low.
Zhao Heng wanted to use this method to disgust the Yang family and his son, and at the same time sow discord between them. Some courtiers questioned in court whether it was too much to enshrine the Yang family in this way? As a result, everyone was ignored. Because the court officials knew very well that the canonization of the Zheyang family was all in vain.
First of all, the people from the Zheyang family have never received any salary from the imperial court since they captured Linzhou, Shengzhou, and Fengzhou. Therefore, giving them official positions is just a false name, and they do not need to be paid at all. Secondly, even if the imperial court does not enshrine the Yang family, can it block their right to rule the five states?
The answer is, simply impossible. Even if the imperial court does not enshrine the Yang family. In the northwest, no one can stop me from doing whatever I have to do. The canonization by the imperial court is just for reputation. It is also a comfort.
When the imperial court frees up its hands, the Zheyang family will definitely be wiped out. The canonization of the Yang family was just a delaying tactic. Of course, both the courtiers and Zhao Heng had their thoughts in the canonization edict. That is, from beginning to end, there is no mention of the previously canonized Northern Jin Kingdom. This was the biggest foreshadowing left by Zhao Heng and Wen Chen in the canonization edict.
In other words, as long as the Zheyang family accepted the imperial edict. Then, Linzhou, Fengzhou, and Shengzhou can be regarded as the territory of the Song Dynasty in name. In the future, when the Song Dynasty wipes out the Zheyang family, it can legitimately take back these three places. The edict to seal the Yang family was drafted quickly.
When the dynasty was about to disperse, the edict came out. Just when all the officials were recommending candidates to read the edict. The letter was rushed for 800 miles and was sent to Chui Gong Hall.
After Zhao Heng looked at the mailbox with red feathers, he almost fainted. Is there another rebellion there? Under the spotlight, Zhao Heng quickly opened the mailbox and read the letter inside. Unexpectedly, no one rebelled again. However, the news reported inside was indeed a shocking thunderbolt.
Gao Lin died in the battle against Gusu...Gao Lin died? ! Gao Lin, the first general of the Song Dynasty military, died.
Zhao Heng immediately fell onto the dragon chair. Among the many generals of the Song Dynasty, Gao Lin was his most loyal supporter. Although Gao Lin usually likes to make some small moves secretly to eradicate some dissidents. However, Gao Lin's support for him has not changed. When he ascended the throne, if Gao Hu had not been there to comfort many generals, he might not have been able to secure his throne.
Now Gao Lin is dead. "How could this happen?" Zhao Heng slumped down on the dragon chair, looking up to the sky and murmuring. The ministers looked at Zhao Heng who had lost his composure and were a little confused. They all couldn't wait to take a look at the eight-hundred-mile express letter in Zhao Heng's hand. Zhao Heng sat paralyzed for a full quarter of an hour. After Wang Jien repeatedly reminded him, he sat up. He said in despair: "Change the edict regarding the canonization of the Yang family..."
Let’s talk about the matter in Fengzhou and transfer it to Youzhou.
Yang Peng's series of actions in Youzhou shocked the Queen Mother Xiao, indicating that Yang Peng had united with General Yang, and the Liao Kingdom was also in a panic. Yang Peng was not Yang Dezheng, and his methods were vicious. The Queen Mother Xiao is no longer Taking the Song Dynasty as an opponent, Yang Peng is now the main opponent of the Liao Kingdom. Because Yang Peng's military power was too powerful for the Liao Kingdom to contend with, Empress Dowager Xiao was also thinking of ways to deal with Yang Peng.
At this time, Yang Peng handed Youzhou over to Liu Zhiliang and came to Tianjing New City. Tianjing New City has Zhang Xiang and others in the military field, and the civil service has master Lin Qing'er and seven ministers.
Back in Tianjing New City, Yang Peng had nothing to do every day, so he was wondering if he could invent some new weapons to improve the combat effectiveness of the army.
To make new weapons, the most important thing is new gunpowder. If black powder is used, the current flintlock rifle is basically the limit of black powder weapons. There is no black powder firearm in history that is stronger than the flintlock rifle. Only by developing new gunpowder and distributing it can the power of guns and artillery be greatly improved.
However, although Yang Peng knew some chemical knowledge, there was no mineral classification in this era. If Yang Peng wanted to produce new gunpowder, he would be faced with minerals with various Chinese names. It would probably take Yang Peng a lifetime just to figure out what compounds these minerals actually are.
It is impossible for Yang Peng to develop a systematic chemistry by himself. Yang Peng thought for a while and decided to go to the Taoist priest Cao Shoudao. Cao Shoudao was good at alchemy and knew a lot of chemical knowledge. Cao Shoudao still lived in a small courtyard in the west of the city. When Li Zhi knocked on the door, a boy of thirteen or fourteen opened the door. The child with the horns on his head has grown up.
Yang Peng smiled and said: "Little Taoist, I'm looking for your master, Taoist Master Cao." The young man agreed, ran in quickly, and shouted: "Master, master! A high official is looking for you!" After a while, Cao Shoudao, wearing a robe, walked out. I haven't seen him in several years, and there are a few wrinkles on his face, but he is still in good spirits. Seeing Yang Peng, he quickly knelt down and shouted: "Cao Shoudao has met King Yan!"
Yang Peng helped Cao Shoudao up and said with a smile: "Taoist Master Cao, I'm here to disturb your Qing Xiu again!"
"It's what I asked for!" Yang Peng laughed loudly, walked into Cao Shoudao's yard, and said straight to the point: "Taoist Master, do you know about sulfuric acid and nitric acid?" Cao Shoudao was stunned and asked: "What is that? Poverty. I don’t know!”
Yang Peng explained: "Perhaps Taoist Master Cao knows it, but it's just called by a different name. The so-called sulfuric acid is an oil-like thing, but it is corrosive. If it comes into contact with paper or raw meat, it will corrode the things to black with just one touch. The so-called sulfuric acid Nitric acid is a type of water made from saltpeter, and if it comes into contact with things like wool, it can turn those fibers yellow."
Cao Shoudao pondered for a moment and said: "The King of Yan was talking about nitric acid, but I don't know about it. But the sulfuric acid that my uncle was talking about is somewhat similar to the green vitriol oil that I refined. This thing is so overbearing that even when it comes to iron, it will It can corrode and rob. This substance is a bit sticky, just like oil."
Yang Peng's eyes lit up and he said: "What the Taoist said is probably dilute sulfuric acid. Can the Taoist bring some for me to see?" Cao Shoudao said: "This thing is overbearing and difficult to store. I make it fresh when I need it." Yes. Since uncle wants it, I will burn some and show it to him."
Yang Peng nodded and said, "That's great!" Cao Shoudao nodded and went to tinker. He invited Yang Peng to the inner courtyard to watch him make green vitriol oil. He took out many bottles and jars: including a large crucible, a curved porcelain tube, a straight porcelain tube, two large porcelain jars with side openings, and a small porcelain jar with a bottom full of mesh holes.
He dug out some raw materials from several jars, which was green vitriol. There were many earth stoves built in the yard of Cao Shoudao's house. At this time, Cao Shoudao chose a stove kiln with an opening at the top, and its air outlet was separated from the top opening. Cao Shoudao placed the crucible inside, put in the alum material, covered the pot lid, sealed the edges with clay, inserted the curved porcelain tube into the top opening of the stove, put it on the tubular hole of the crucible lid, and sealed it with clay.
Insert the other end of the bent porcelain tube into the large porcelain vat. The cover of the porcelain vat should be sealed with clay. Connect the side holes of the two porcelain vats with a straight porcelain tube. Finally, put a small porcelain vat on top of the porcelain vat and seal the space between the vats with clay. After arranging all the things, Cao Shoudao finally started to light the crucible.
After burning for a while, when acid gas emerged from the sieve at the bottom of the small tank, Cao Shoudao poured well water into the small tank. After a while, bubbles appeared in the well water. Those bubbles were quite big when they were at the bottom, but they became smaller and smaller as they moved upward, gradually disappearing, apparently melting into the water.
As more gas dissolves in the well water, that well water becomes more and more viscous. After burning for a while, Cao Shoudao looked at the heat, nodded and said, "It's almost done." He put out the fire under the crucible, carefully lifted the water tank out, and said, "King Yan, this is green vitriol oil. ."
Yang Peng looked at the jar of green vitriol oil and nodded. Cao Shoudao found a scrap iron stick from the house and stuck it into the green vitriol oil. After a while, tiny bubbles emerged from the iron rod little by little, and the colorless green vitriol oil turned into light green.
Yang Peng knew that this was a reaction between dilute sulfuric acid and iron, producing ferrous sulfate and hydrogen. Of course, this green vitriol oil also contains a large amount of sulfurous acid. However, sulfurous acid is not stable. As long as it is left standing for a period of time, sulfurous acid will be oxidized into sulfuric acid. With sulfuric acid, Yang Peng could make nitric acid. Li Zhi was happy and said, "Taoist Master Cao, how much money can you sell me for this set of technology?"
Cao Shoudao said: "Your Majesty, this set of things I have looks simple, but in fact it is very effective. Not an inch of green vitriol is wasted, and not a trace of green vitriol oil leaks out. This is a skill passed down by the master. If Uncle wants to Buy it, I’ll sell it to the prince at a price of one hundred taels.”
Yang Peng blinked and thought to himself that this Taoist priest really knows how to do business. In the past, mercury refining equipment was sold to me for 100 taels, but the green vitriol oil technology cost another 100 taels. Yang Peng licked his lips and counter-offered: "Taoist Master, this equipment looks far less complicated than Mercury's. How can it be sold for a hundred taels?"
Cao Shoudao stroked his beard and pondered, and then said for a long time: "Eighty taels! Eighty taels sold to uncle. No more, otherwise I will be sorry for my master." Yang Peng smiled, and killed several more with Cao Shoudao. The sentence price was only eighty taels, but Cao Shoudao refused to let it go. Speaking of which, Cao Shoudao helped Yang Peng solve the source of the sulfuric acid, and his credit was not small. Yang Peng had no choice but to pay eighty taels to the Taoist and buy his technology.
After Cao Shoudao got the money, he handed over the set of pots and pans to Yang Peng's personal guards. Everyone took Cao Shoudao back to the General Military Mansion. Cao Shoudao guided Yang Peng's personal guards in the backyard of the General Military Mansion, built a small earthen stove, and taught the personal guards how to use it and what to pay attention to.
Yang Peng stood aside and listened for a while, then realized that there were many tricks in it. There are several key points in how to heat the crucible. If you don't have anyone to guide you and figure it out on your own, it might take you several months and burn out countless raw materials and equipment to figure it out.
This eighty taels of silver is not too deceptive to say the least. Yang Peng's personal guards learned Cao Shoudao's technique and performed it several times on the spot. After confirming that they had mastered it, Cao Shoudao left the General Military Mansion with a fly whisk.
After getting dilute sulfuric acid, Yang Peng will start making concentrated sulfuric acid. Only by obtaining concentrated sulfuric acid can nitric acid be made. Making concentrated sulfuric acid from dilute sulfuric acid is quite difficult. Because sulfuric acid cannot be purified by simple distillation. To purify sulfuric acid through distillation, it must be distilled under reduced pressure. Vacuum distillation requires a vacuum pump or similar equipment, which is simply not available to Li Zhi now.
But Yang Peng had played with sulfuric acid before. At that time, the government controlled the concentration of sulfuric acid and did not allow stores to sell concentrated sulfuric acid. Only 70% of sulfuric acid was sold. At that time, Yang Peng studied many methods to purify sulfuric acid, and finally found the simplest and most feasible purification method, which was to electrolyze dilute sulfuric acid.
The so-called electrolysis of dilute sulfuric acid actually means electrifying dilute sulfuric acid. When the sulfuric acid solution is electrified, the water in it will be electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen, while the sulfuric acid will be preserved. After being energized for a long time, dilute sulfuric acid will turn into highly concentrated concentrated sulfuric acid.
Yang Peng had made a simple generator before, and this time the generator came in handy. However, to decompose the water in dilute sulfuric acid, a larger power generator is required. Human power cannot achieve such power, and a steam engine is needed to drive the generator to rotate. This time Li Zhi made a larger copper coil. The copper wires were all insulated with a thick layer of tree paint, driven by a steam engine, and placed in two large magnets.
Yang Peng found several graphite crucibles used for steelmaking, and cut two pieces of graphite from them to make electrodes. Two electrodes were connected to the poles of the generator and placed in a dilute sulfuric acid solution. When the steam engine is started, the coil is driven by the steam engine to rotate at high speed in the magnetic field, generating electricity. The power of this steam engine is quite large, and the current it generates is not small. As soon as the two graphite electrodes were put into the dilute sulfuric acid solution, the solution seemed to boil, with large bubbles constantly emerging.
After half an hour, a large porcelain basin of dilute sulfuric acid was electrolyzed into half a basin of viscous liquid. Yang Peng took a small wooden stick and stuck it into the viscous liquid. The small wooden stick was corroded into charcoal in an instant. Obviously, this is the concentrated sulfuric acid Yang Peng needs.
The concentrated sulfuric acid is now ready. After the concentrated sulfuric acid has been prepared, it is necessary to use the concentrated sulfuric acid to make nitric acid before finally using the nitric acid to make new gunpowder. With sulfuric acid, making nitric acid is very simple. As long as saltpeter and concentrated sulfuric acid are put together and slightly heated, nitric acid gas can be obtained. By letting nitric acid gas pass through cold water, the nitric acid will dissolve into the water, gradually forming a highly concentrated nitric acid solution.
However, Yang Peng had never made nitric acid before, he only knew the principles and equations of the reaction. The first time I heated saltpeter and concentrated sulfuric acid in a sealed crucible, I got a pot of viscous liquid. Yang Peng was stunned at that time, secretly thinking that nitric acid should not be sticky.
As a result, the guard platoon leader named Zhang Yu who was working as a handyman for Yang Peng said: "My lord, I'm afraid the fire was too strong and the sulfuric acid was burned into water vapor. I'm afraid this sticky pot is still sulfuric acid."
Only then did Yang Peng realize that the sulfuric acid and saltpeter must have boiled due to the flames before they had time to react. Yang Peng didn't expect that the guard platoon leader who was working for him was so smart. He figured out what sulfuric acid was in such a short time and thought faster than himself.
"How do you know this is sulfuric acid? Do you know what sulfuric acid is?" The guard platoon leader said calmly: "Hasn't the prince been telling Taoist Master Cao about sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid? Sulfuric acid is this sticky green vitriol oil, and I understand it too Got it!"
Yang Peng looked at the smart guard platoon leader and secretly thought that Zhang Yu was so clever and could be put to great use. But it was not used in the preparation of this new type of gunpowder. Yang Peng was still planning to keep the preparation of this new type of gunpowder a secret. Zhang Yu was so smart that he could understand it from the sidelines, so Yang Peng couldn't keep it a secret.
Yang Peng waved his hand and said: "Zhang Yu, you go back to the barracks. You are not needed today. Call that Xiao Youke who is slow to turn his head and ask him to attack me." Zhang Yu was stunned, not knowing that the prince Why not let yourself do odd jobs. He also wanted to take the opportunity to get acquainted with the prince so that he could have greater opportunities to serve him in the future. Unexpectedly, the opportunity was lost all of a sudden. Did you say something wrong? Zhang Yu quickly agreed, walked down with some disappointment, and called another guard platoon leader over.
What happened after all, let’s see what happens next.
