May twelfth.
The artillery practice range in the west of the city was extremely heavily guarded that day. Zhang Zhou accompanied Zhu Youtang to personally inspect the artillery practice.
Zhang Mao, Zhu Hui and other nobles, as well as Ma Wensheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, also came with them. Wang Qiong, a doctor from the Ministry of Household Affairs and a lecturer at Yanwu Hall, gave an artillery explanation to Zhu Youtang and others on behalf of Zhang Zhou and Yanwu Hall.
"...Your Majesty, this kind of cannon is the sub-cannon that has shown great power in Ningyuan, Liaodong. Here is the gun body. If you want to change the ammunition, you can directly remove the sub-cannon and replace it. The ignition is led by a fuse. Burn..."
"All long-range guns can bloom. Specifically, they can be divided into two types: ground blooming and aerial blooming. They are also called shotguns and blooming shells in the military."
"This is the heavy cannon that Zhang Shidao just found someone to forge!"
Because it was just an inspection, everyone, including the emperor and Ma Wensheng, only wanted to see how the gun looked like. As for its power, it would be demonstrated later.
Zhu Youtang asked: "What is heavy artillery?"
Wang Qiong looked at Zhang Zhou, meaning you invented it, it would be better for you to explain it in detail. I am just copying a cat and imitating a tiger without getting the essence.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Your Majesty, look at this kind of cannon. The barrel is very thick and long, the body is heavy, and the range can reach five or six miles."
"So far?" Before Zhu Youtang could say anything, Ma Wensheng frowned and questioned.
"Mabutang, the average Shenwei cannon weighs three to four hundred kilograms, and this kind of heavy cannon has a body weight of more than two thousand kilograms, and the shells can weigh more than thirty kilograms... Five miles away, there are already A temporary city wall has been built for testing, why don't we check its power together later?"
Zhang Zhou still attaches great importance to this kind of heavy artillery.
It couldn't be made before because there was a serious shortage of steel production, but as Xishan Coal Mine began to produce coal and steelmaking made great progress, materials were no longer the biggest limitation.
This kind of cannon is similar to the "Red Yi Cannon" that became popular in the wars of the late Ming Dynasty. In fact, its structure is more similar to the "Armstrong Cannon". In terms of range, it is farther and more powerful than the Red Yi Cannon. It is mainly used Adding yellow gunpowder can also achieve the effect of blooming on the ground.
…
…
The artillery show began.
All the monarchs and ministers went up to the viewing platform on the hillside, and watched the artillery performance below from an almost vertical angle.
The telescope was also handed to Zhu Youtang by Xiao Jing. Zhu Youtang held the telescope in one hand and pointed it through the aperture of the battlement with the other hand and asked: "Bingkuan, is that the city wall over there?"
Zhang Zhou said: "Yes, Your Majesty."
"It's at least five or six miles away." Zhu Youtang sighed with emotion.
Ma Wensheng originally thought that Zhang Zhou would make some lies about distance and other parameters, but after he personally looked at the distant city wall, he found that there was no such doubt.
Zhang Zhou handed a small flag to Zhu Youtang and said: "Your Majesty, it is up to you to order the firing of this first shot."
"good!"
Zhu Youtang was very happy. He had always been sick. For the first time, he felt like going into battle to kill the enemy in person. Then he raised a small flag and waved it.
A signal flare was immediately launched next to it.
The people responsible for the artillery performance below have become Wang Qiong and Zhu Feng. They need two "professionals" to take charge at critical times. As for Baoguo Gong Zhu Hui and others, they are only standing on the viewing platform now.
"boom!"
A shot was fired.
A black cannonball drew a wonderful parabola and accurately hit a temporary city wall about 13 meters high, 50 meters wide, and 45 meters thick five or six miles away.
The fire came first, but when the shells went down, black smoke rose up along with the fire. The surrounding city walls were not blown down, but directly blown away. Bricks and dust flew around, and a small mushroom cloud rose up. When the people watching the ceremony were still surprised by the power of this heavy artillery, the sound of "rumbling" came.
The mountaintops and the ground seemed to be shaking.
Zhang Mao stood by and exclaimed: "It's like thunder rising from the ground."
Everyone looked at Old Man Zhang.
I'm thinking, what's wrong with you here? What about Biaocai Xue?
Zhu Youtang was a little panicked, then he supported the battlements and stood still. After calming down a little, he looked at Zhang Zhou with a face full of surprise: "Very good."
No need for too much evaluation.
Even Ma Wensheng, who had previously accompanied the Holy Master out of the city to watch the artillery demonstration, had lost his temper at this time.
Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, the next step is to demonstrate the long-range cannon. But your Majesty, compared to the heavy artillery, no matter how far this long-range cannon is, it can only go so far."
"Haha." Zhu Youtang smiled, "I won't give the order to fire, you come!"
Zhang Zhou then picked up the command flag, circled it several times in the air, and then made a gesture of firing.
…
…
Numerous cannons were the biggest weapon used to win the previous battle in Ningyuan, but with the power of the heavy artillery in front, the three cannons fired out shells. After they landed, there were flowers and flames, and the scarecrows around were in a mess...
It's very powerful.
But with Zhuyu in front, everyone watching the ceremony found it a bit boring.
Zhu Youtang was very excited when he saw it, his eyes were shining and he said: "Is that a small long-range cannon so powerful?"
Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, long-range artillery shells cover a larger area, especially shotgun shells, but their power is far inferior to heavy artillery. However, when the enemy attacks the city with cavalry, infantry, etc., it has an excellent blocking effect."
"What about the heavy artillery?" Ma Wensheng next to him questioned, "Such power will also pose a certain threat to our Ming Dynasty Fortress."
He almost wanted to say that the Tatars didn't like to build forts very much. If you use such powerful artillery on the battlefield, it will not be effective in defeating the enemy. However, the enemy copied it and used it to deal with the Ming Dynasty Chengguan Fortress.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Ma Butang asked well. Heavy artillery is so powerful that it can be used as a city fortress. It is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to cast dozens or hundreds of these heavy artillery pieces in every city, right? In this way, the defense of the Ming Dynasty Guan City will be reduced." The range is expanded to five or six miles away, and the Ming cavalry has the depth to advance and retreat. The northern Diyi are afraid that it will be difficult to approach our Ming city gate in the future!"
Ma Wensheng knew military skills after all, so he could only nod in agreement.
If like before, the Ming Dynasty's artillery could only cover a range of 200 meters outside the city, and they would still send out big iron balls without much coverage. It would be difficult for the Ming Dynasty's cavalry to fight the Tatar cavalry with their backs against the city wall.
It is impossible to "advance, attack, retreat and defend".
But if there are multiple cannons, the cavalry no longer need to huddle in the city to look for opportunities, but can go out of the city. After attacking and harassing, they will immediately retreat. The Tatars will not easily dare to get within two or three miles of the city fortress.
If you replace it with heavy artillery, the effect will be even better.
Unlike what ordinary civil servants feared, this kind of heavy artillery had no effect on the Tatars and only posed a threat to the city gates of the Ming Dynasty... Even Ma Wensheng seemed to see that it was not easy for the Tatars to imitate this kind of heavy artillery. It was not possible with ordinary craftsmanship. Ma Wensheng had seen a lot of artillery. He still didn't understand how the two cannons were cast.
…
…
"No wonder the prince came to watch the artillery performance last time and told me when he went back that it was extremely powerful. I also understood it after seeing it myself." Zhu Youtang sighed with emotion.
Only then did Ma Wensheng realize that the prince had come to see the artillery show earlier than the emperor.
On the contrary, the knowledge of the civil servants of the DPRK and China about Zhang Zhou's invention of artillery remained on paper.
Ma Wensheng also sighed in his heart, with such artillery and the Tatars not knowing anything about it, how could they not be defeated?
"Okay, it's getting late, and it's time to return to the city. I can't disturb the errands of various government offices." Zhu Youtang said, "I have been out for a while, so I shouldn't waste any more time. Mr. Yingying and Ma Qing's family, Let’s say goodbye.”
What the emperor means is that we neither come together nor go back together, we just say goodbye here, and you can go back wherever you like.
I'm nominally going back to the palace, but don't ask about where exactly I'm going.
Zhang Zhou accompanied Zhu Youtang down the hillside. Before Luan could reach him, Zhu Youtang asked, "Bingkuan, didn't you say you have arrangements for today? How to arrange them?"
Zhu Youtang is reluctant to ask about the artillery now. It seems that he also feels that as long as Zhang Zhou is here, everything can be taken care of. He is only responsible for inspecting and accepting the results. He can even use the Tatars as actual combat acceptance. , he is only responsible for listening to the victory report.
save time and energy.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you know that this is the arrangement of the Empress Dowager. I have to obey orders."
"Understood." Zhu Youtang was also smiling, "If the imperial grandmother hadn't said it, I might not have taken it too seriously. Are you going to Qingyunhou's Mansion or Changning Bo's Mansion?"
This sentence let Zhang Zhou know that Queen Mother Zhou had actually become anxious recently, and some of her remarks had been revealed to Zhu Youtang.
Zhang Zhou said: "No, I'm just watching a play in the theater owned by Chief Ning Bo in the city. Just treat it as a way to change your mood after Your Majesty left the palace and watched the artillery show."
"Okay, you make the arrangements."
Zhu Youtang had no objection to going out of the palace to see the local customs and customs of the people.
Now the old lady was anxious for him to take a concubine, and he gradually accepted the idea of "let nature take its course" in his heart. Naturally, he calmed down and just followed Zhang Zhou's arrangement and treated it as if he was just out for fun.
…
…
Zhu Youtang and his party entered the city, and under the strict protection of Jin Yiwei, they arrived at Changning Bo Zhou Yu's "theater garden" in Huanghuafang in the east of the city.
“The place is not small.”
After Zhu Youtang entered the shop along the street, he found that there was a "special cave". A stage was set up in the courtyard surrounded by pavilions on all sides of the garden. The surrounding palace guards were fully guarded, and there was no other person waiting.
Zhang Zhou said: "Uncle Chang Ning used to run a chess club here for people to drink tea and have fun, but it was not managed well. Now it has just been renovated into a theater, and all the people invited are the Southern Opera Troupe from the south."
While talking, the monarch and his ministers, accompanied by Xiao Jing, Mou Bin and others, went up to the second floor and entered the box in the middle prepared for them.
From the window, you can directly see the scene on the stage downstairs.
Zhu Youtang asked: "What show?"
Zhang Zhou looked at Xiao Jing who was standing aside. Xiao Jing smiled and said, "I asked, it's "Farewell My Concubine". I checked the actors, musicians and so on."
"Um."
Zhu Youtang sat down and got ready to watch the show.
Before watching it, I couldn't forget to sigh: "If the emperor's grandmother just let me come out to watch the show, I would be relieved."
…
…
This play was naturally arranged by Zhang Zhou.
Zhang Zhou's intention is also very simple, which is to let Zhu Youtang try to contact "women" from different angles.
Listening to the opera is just a way to see if Zhu Youtang and the female actors call, and whether they will blend into the atmosphere on and off the stage. The actors, especially the female actors, are also carefully selected, and some are not Professional actors are beautiful but have little background.
This is in line with the needs of Queen Mother Zhou.
Empress Dowager Zhou's biggest taboo is for her relatives to mess up the government. If the Zhang family continues to be suppressed, and someone from the Li family or the Sun family comes out later, she will be stealing the chicken but losing the rice.
It would be best to only give birth to children to the emperor without asking about their origins, but you cannot just send women of unknown origin to the emperor casually, so you need to make a careful selection of people.
The Ming Emperor's concubines were different from previous dynasties. They basically did not engage in marriages. They all married women from small families. Many of the concubines were directly raised from the palace maids. The more famous ones in the past two generations It was Empress Dowager Ji, the biological mother of Concubine Wan Guifei and Zhu Youtang. In the Ming Dynasty, as long as they were the emperor's descendants, there was no distinction between high and low. Even the children of palace girls could still be crown princes and emperors, and there was no distinction between legitimate concubines.
On the stage, the performance was performed with the beating of gongs and drums.
A "Southern Opera" transformed by Zhang Zhou began to be staged.
Zhu Youtang is not a fan, and he doesn't have much interest in dramas, but as the play progresses, Zhu Youtang still likes to watch it.
It's because after Zhang Zhou's transformation, this play is no longer just a Nan opera with the same old-fashioned singing of Enen Yaya, but with the shadow of the later Peking Opera, the singing tune has become more and more harmonious, and the plot has become more " "Theatrical", the stage props, scenery, and costumes have all been transformed.
At least Zhu Youtang blended in and watched with relish.
Occasionally, Zhang Zhou would explain a few lines of the plot.
When it comes to watching a play, the first time you watch it is usually just to watch the excitement. Fans generally like to read a play over and over again, so that they can feel the fun of it.
Zhang Zhou obviously couldn't let the emperor watch a play many times, and he didn't intend to train Zhu Youtang into a drama enthusiast. His intention was very clear...to highlight the charm of the female actor, and to put more emphasis on the female actor's makeup and stage skills. Make some articles to make the emperor feel interested... but only to the point of being interested, and there is no way for the emperor to accept the person directly.
Another point is that Zhang Zhou should try his best to stay out of the situation.
Watching a play is watching a play.
If the audience is interested in the actor, it is also a chemical reaction. If someone has ulterior motives to blame, it should be the Queen Mother Zhou and the two brothers of the Zhou family. I, Zhang Zhou, am just a theatergoer and a "victim".
When "Yu Ji" appears.
Zhang Zhou also deliberately observed Zhu Youtang's reaction and found that Zhu Youtang didn't show much interest and didn't even look at it more.
Zhang Zhou was thinking in his mind.
Maybe it's better to have a "fairy match", or the emperor is more interested in the drama of fairies falling in love with mortals? Or are you more interested in the plot of fairies falling from the sky with their imposing robes fluttering?
The scene ended with Wu Jiang committing suicide.
Zhu Youtang and Zhang Zhou's movie viewing is also over, and the experience... is just that.
…
…
"Bingkuan, it's good." After watching the play, Zhu Youtang looked back and said to Zhang Zhou with a smile.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "I just want to complete the task assigned by the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty, what about that actor?"
"Haha." Zhu Youtang said, "Just after a few glances, do I want to accept her as my concubine? I understand that the royal grandmother has made so many arrangements, but I hope that the queen can do more for the royal family. Back then, The former emperor had many concubines, what was the result?"
Zhang Zhou nodded.
In addition to physical weakness, psychological resistance is also a big factor in the emperor's refusal to accept concubines.
The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was once a victim of court struggles, but Zhang Zhou felt that the emperor's behavior was a bit "overkill."
"His Majesty……"
The monarchs and ministers here are discussing the important matter of Long Si.
Mou Bin stood at the door, cupping his fists and saluting.
Zhu Youtang said: "What's the matter?"
Mou Bin looked embarrassed, but he looked at Zhang Zhou first. Zhang Zhou knew that nothing good was going on.
"An assassin was caught..." Mou Bin said.
"assassin?"
Not only Zhu Youtang was surprised, but Zhang Zhou also felt baffled.
Is it really on stage? I accompanied the emperor out of the palace to watch a play, and someone came to assassinate him?
Mou Bin was not sure how to explain it, but Xiao Jing came running all the way, panting: "Your Majesty... is a woman named Ning. She didn't inform her whereabouts, so she forced her way in, and even asked by name that she wanted to see... Mr. Zhang. "
Ning Tong.
Zhang Zhou almost wanted to hit someone.
This was not part of his plan, but it was probably understandable. Recently, Ning Tong and the Chen family's daughter had been completely separated. Ning Tong had wanted to discuss the bidding with him through Zhu Feng, but he had pushed it away because he had something to do.
He was really busy recently, but he didn't expect Ning Tong to come looking for him.
When Zhu Youtang heard that it was a woman who came to see Zhang Zhou, he smiled and asked, "Bingkuan, did you arrange this too?"
"No." Zhang Zhou answered directly, "It was purely an accident."
"Then bring the people up!"
Zhu Youtang heard that he was just an unarmed woman, so naturally he was not vigilant. Instead, he ordered the person to be brought up to show him.
…
…
Ning Tong was escorted upstairs. When she reached the door, she still said with disdain: "Are you so rude to guests?"
"hehe."
Before I saw the person, I heard his voice first.
Zhu Youtang couldn't help but laugh.
Zhu Youtang must have never seen a woman with such a personality.
Then Ning Tong was escorted into the room by the guards in casual clothes. She was still dressed in cloth and jing hairpin, but she looked elegant and refined. Zhang Zhou was also wondering in his mind, did women after divorce unconsciously emit a gaze that attracts the opposite sex?
Do you think someone is determined to enter the palace?
I really underestimate you.
"Kneel down!"
Jin Yiwei scolded.
Although Ning Tong saw that they were all soldiers, he was not afraid.
She was originally from a military family. She married into the Duke of Chengguo's palace before, and later she could see Jin Yiwei around Zhang Zhou every day.
Who has Miss Ning been afraid of?
"I'm just here to see Zhang Zhou. I have something to talk to him about!"
Ning Tong glared at Zhang Zhou. She might have been worried that Zhang Zhou was meeting some "big shot".
But she is not even afraid of Mrs. Cheng Guotai. The biggest person in the capital is only the Duke. Is it possible that there are still princes who can enter the capital?
She was not worried when she saw that Zhang Zhou and that man were just equals and friends. She expected that he was just a member of the governor's mansion with a few soldiers under his command.
"Mr. Zhang, should we fulfill our previous promise?" Ning Tong glared at Zhang Zhou.
Zhang Zhou covered his mouth with his hand and did not stand up. He leaned towards Zhu Youtang and explained, "I just reconciled with Zhijie, the former Mrs. Anbianhou."
"Ha ha."
Zhu Youtang was about to get angry and scold him, but this woman didn't understand the rules.
But after hearing the background of this woman, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but laugh.
(End of chapter)
