"Get up!"
Accompanied by a shout, under the watch of a group of soldiers, a slender log was slowly stood up from the ground, one end was supported by several people, and the other end was tied with a rope and was pulled by a dozen other people. .
Next to the log was a wooden frame several feet high. Someone stepped forward and measured the distance from the log to the wooden frame, and then said to a short and stocky martial artist in the crowd of spectators: "For the record, it's exactly twelve steps. "
The warrior known as the leader of the squad is Han Xun, the commander of the inner palace. This is already his third day of building cannons here. Now that the foot posts have been set up, all that remains is to fix the poles on the foot posts. And you're done. This is the last step in building the cannon, and it is also the step that requires the most caution and carefulness. Han Xun has fully focused on the towering tree.
After receiving the report, Han Xun nodded and said only three words: "Put him down."
Then there was another cry: "Down!"
The rope noose on the log was turned in the direction opposite to the wooden frame. The ropes in the hands of the soldiers slowly released, and the log gradually fell towards the wooden frame. Two people have already squatted on the wooden frame. The stoppers and clamping shafts have been installed on the frame beams, just waiting for the logs to be inserted into the shafts.
However, I don't know whether it was because the log was really heavy or because the soldiers loosened their grip too quickly. The log that was slowly falling towards the wooden frame suddenly tilted its direction and fell towards the edge of the wooden frame. Finally, it hit the ground with a thud and was lifted up. A big cloud of dust.
"A bunch of idiots!" Han Xun cursed loudly in anger. The soldiers hurriedly lifted the logs away, and the scene was a mess.
At this time, the deputy general next to him whispered: "The tip pole is too round and cannot be used. Should it be changed to a square log?"
Han Xun was a carpenter by trade. After thinking about it slightly, he realized that what the lieutenant said was reasonable, and then nodded: "Go and make two square logs and try again. It's still two feet and five feet."
The deputy general took the order and left. At this moment, the soldiers came over and reported to him: "There is a man coming outside. He claims to be an envoy of the national army and wants to see the squad leader."
Han Xun was in a depressed mood and waved his hand impatiently: "What do the commanders of the Fengguo Army want from me? Could it be that they are here to get married, so I sent them away quickly."
The soldier clasped his fists and left, but came back after a while: "That man insisted on seeing the squad leader... He said he was involved in artillery carriages and was willing to help the squad leader."
Han Xun was already troubled by the cannon-making issue, but he was surrounded by idiots. Hearing this, he was overjoyed and said, "Why don't you invite us here quickly?"
After a while, the soldiers brought in a young warrior. Han Xun was a little surprised when he saw the warrior's face on the horse. The soldier said that the seeker was involved in artillery carriages. He naturally thought that the visitor was a craftsman like himself, but he didn't expect that the warrior was so young... obviously he couldn't be from a poor background, otherwise if he hadn't Is it possible for me to be a commander at this age?
The martial artist approached. At first glance, he seemed to be no different from an ordinary soldier, but the fine scales on his body and the horse at his hip revealed that the owner on the horse was anything but ordinary.
While Han Xun was trying to figure out whose descendant the visitor would be, the young warrior had already dismounted and saluted him: "General Guo Xin, the commander of the national army, has met Han Dianzhi."
Han Xun was slightly surprised: "Guo Erlang from Privy Council Guo's family?"
Guo Xin was a little surprised by Han Xun's reaction, but he still nodded and replied: "He is the last general. Does Han Dianzhi know the last general?"
There was already some respect in Han Xun's eyes. Not long ago, the name of Guo Xin, the Tiger Shooter, had just spread throughout the army. He was also the son of the Privy Councilor and the eldest son of the emperor, and he was called "the pillar of my family"! Who dares to underestimate such a background?
Han Xun immediately said in a friendly tone: "Guo Lang's bravery has been spread throughout the world, how could I not know about it?"
Guo Xin: "I heard that Han Dianzhi was making a new artillery machine for the army, so I came here to have a look at this weapon."
Han Xun pointed to the wooden frame not far away with great satisfaction: "I have some experience with this kind of equipment, but it will take some time to make it."
Guo Xin looked in the direction directed by Han Xun and saw a tall four-story wooden frame standing there. The soldiers around him were dragging a wooden beam and trying to erect it. Guo Xin looked at the construction scene of the soldiers and imagined what the gun machine would look like after it was built. He felt that it was different from the riprap trucks in his memory.
When Han Xun saw that Guo Xin was silent, he introduced him: "This thing is called a double-shooting cannon. Each leg is two feet long. It can fire twenty-five kilograms of stones at eighty paces..." As he said this, he thought of Guo Xin again. Believing the purpose of coming here, he asked doubtfully: "Guo Lang can also build cannons?"
Guo Xin nodded, then shook his head: "I have seen artillery carriages in an ancient book, but they are quite different from those created by Han Dianzhi."
Han Xun asked: "I wonder what book it is?"
Naturally, Guo Xin couldn't say that he saw it in later generations, so he could only shake his head and said: "It has been a long time since I read the book, and I don't know where it was lost... but I still remember the general appearance."
Han Xun's disappointment was palpable when he heard this. At this moment, the deputy general came over and said: "Squad leader, the pole is up!"
The two looked at the gun machine together, and sure enough they saw the wooden beam just now placed on the wooden frame.
"It's done!" Han Xun had no time to pay attention to Guo Xin and rushed over to direct the soldiers to tie a bunch of ropes to the pole.
Guo Xin silently watched Han Xun and others fiddle with it. After a while, the gun seemed to be ready, but it looked a little strange to Guo Xin - because the short section of the pole was densely covered with countless thick ropes. It reminded him of a ponytail.
After a while, Han Xun couldn't wait to ask the soldiers to load stones on the gun machine and prepare for test firing. Then Guo Xin was surprised to see the soldiers around him running over in a hurry, everyone holding a rope. rope.
Guo Xin found the deputy general just now and asked puzzledly: "This gun machine needs so many people to pull it?"
The lieutenant general said doubtfully: "What else? This is just a two-shooter cannon. If it can be made with five or seven shoots, even one or two hundred people can pull it."
While talking, the artillery machine not far away had been loaded with stone bullets, and the soldiers cleared the space of a hundred steps in front of the artillery machine.
"One, two, get up!" With the shouts, dozens of soldiers pulled up the rope together, and then saw the tip and tail raised, and the stone bullets in the leather bag were also thrown out, hitting the ground heavily in front of them. .
Now Guo Xin saw clearly that at this time, the stone trebuchet was still using only human power to throw the stone bullets, relying on everyone to pull the tip together to throw the stone bullets. Guo Xinxin thought, one artillery machine requires so many people, and it can only fire eighty steps. The effect of attacking the city is also very limited. No wonder the army does not pay much attention to this thing.
Guo Xin felt that the gun machine was still in a relatively crude stage and had not undergone technical improvements, and the key to improvement should be what to use to replace manpower.
Although Guo Xin didn't understand the principles of machinery, he at least remembered the principle of levers. Looking at the soldiers not far away who were surrounding the gun machine and rejoicing at the success of the stone bullet launch, he had some ideas in his mind.
