"Your Majesty wants to develop firearms?"
Wang Chengen was shocked and subconsciously spoke out.
Chongzhen was also a little surprised by Wang Chengen's reaction, and asked curiously: "Do you know these three people?"
Wang Chengen whispered: "Your Majesty, I know this."
Since Chongzhen ascended the throne, he has been Chongzhen's personal lieutenant, especially after being awakened by Fang Zhenghua. Although he can't say all the resumes of the fourth-rank and above officials in the Ming Dynasty, he can at least know some of the great deeds of these people.
"Your Majesty, these three people all have one characteristic in common, which is their in-depth study of firearms.
Especially Sun Yuanhua. I heard that during the Battle of Ningyuan, he deployed 11 cannons in Ningyuan City, seriously injuring Nurhachi and then died of illness.
It can be said that Sun Yuanhua contributed a lot to the great victory of Ningyuan. Facts have also proved that building forts and making artillery is the best strategy to resist the slaves.
It's a pity that Wei Zhongxian forced him to resign and return to his hometown. "
"So, you think firearms have great potential?"
"Yes, I think there is much to be done."
Wang Chengen pondered for a moment: "Your Majesty, there is no doubt about the power of firearms. Their lethality is much greater than that of swords and arrows. They can attack from a long distance.
Although there are many types of firearms in Ming Dynasty, there is a common phenomenon, that is, slow loading, high explosion rate, and inability to use when it rains.
However, from the Taizu period to the present, there have been more and more types of firearms and their power has become more and more powerful. Many of the disadvantages when they were developed at that time have been gradually improved over time.
Therefore, the current problems with firearms may one day be improved, and firearms will definitely be the most important part of the war. "
"Since you admire firearms so much, let's go and see the power of the Hongyi cannon. We'll drive up to Deshengmen and notify the British public to dispatch the gunners from the Shenji Battalion to Deshengmen on standby."
"This slave accepts the order!"
Wang Chengen quickly made arrangements.
The last time Chongzhen went to Deshengmen to watch the execution of the eunuchs, he saw several red barbarian cannons on the city wall.
Since you want to develop firearms, you must first understand the Ming Dynasty's firearms. Hearsay can only affect your judgment.
After waiting for half an hour, Li Ruolian rushed to Dongnuan Pavilion in person, and with two Jinyi guards from a hundred households, they all walked straight to Deshengmen in light clothes.
Although they were told to keep a low profile, after leaving the palace, there were already many soldiers from the Five Cities Patrol Division patrolling on the way to Deshengmen.
After even Fang Zhenghua heard about it, he put down his work and guarded him.
When we arrived at the Deshengmen Gate Tower, we happened to meet the British Duke who came in a hurry with the gunners of the Shenji Battalion.
"British Lord, I heard that this kind of cannon killed Nurhachi in the Ningyuan victory. I want to see it. You can demonstrate it for me!"
"I accept the decree!"
Although the British Duke didn't know which move Chongzhen was playing, he still asked the gunner to prepare.
After a while, Chongzhen saw the Ming Dynasty's magical weapon.
The barrel of the cannon is 3 meters long and the caliber is as thick as a child's calf. The barrel of the cannon has 6 hoops, the tail is shaped like a hat, and there are balls on the top.
Chongzhen stepped forward and touched the cannon, feeling the coldness on the barrel and feeling a little emotional.
"let's start!"
Chongzhen took a few steps back, and several gunners came forward carrying several small boxes.
The gunpowder is mixed on site, compacted in the barrel with a pestle, and solid bullets are put in.
Watching this process, the corners of Chongzhen's mouth twitched slightly. He was really afraid that the friction would cause sparks and then explode.
Although these steps may seem simple, they are extremely difficult to operate and require the gunner to have extensive experience. If the gunpowder is compacted, it will burn slowly, and if it is loosened, the impact will be insufficient.
"Your Majesty, it's better to take a few steps back. This thing is in danger of exploding."
Li Ruolian stepped forward and persuaded in a low voice. Chongzhen nodded and retreated tens of meters to the side. In fact, he would retreat on his own initiative without him having to say anything.
As for the gunners, that's what they do. Their pay is much higher than that of ordinary soldiers, and they get a pension if they are killed by gunfire.
They are all gambling. If they don't blow up, they will make money. If they blow up, they will get a pension that is enough for their families.
"Your Majesty, the sound is a bit loud, please cover your ears."
After Zhang Weixian finished speaking, he looked at the gunner: "Let go!"
The fuse burned rapidly in the cold wind, with a loud bang, a tongue of flame spurted out from the mouth of the barrel, and a black shadow flew out and disappeared in an instant.
For a moment, Chongzhen saw dust scattered several miles away through his clairvoyance.
After a shell was fired, the gunner first tested the temperature of the barrel, and then began to fill it with water to cool it, extinguish the sparks, wipe it dry, correct the gun position, and load...
It took a quarter of an hour to fire three shells, which was almost as long as one shot and one stick of incense (five minutes).
"Let's go and see the power."
After Chongzhen finished speaking, he took the lead and walked towards the city. In just a quarter of an hour, everyone arrived at the place where the solid bullet landed.
On the frozen hard ground, I saw a large drop-shaped pit with a diameter of half a meter, and several smaller pits scattered dozens of meters along the direction of the large pit.
"Your Majesty, the lethality of the Hongyi cannon is that the lead bullets will bounce off the ground and kill the dense enemy."
"Um!"
Chongzhen nodded: "British Lord, the great victory at Ningyuan illustrates the power of firearms. The Beijing camp must train gunners diligently to prepare for emergencies."
"Go back to the palace!"
After returning to Dongnuan Pavilion, Chongzhen secretly thought that, as recorded, it was really not enough to use this thing against the cavalry.
Wang Chengen, who was waiting on her, said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I once had an idea. If you tell me, please don't laugh at me."
Chongzhen suddenly became interested: "Tell me about it!"
"Your Majesty, in May of the first year of Tianqi, four Western cannons purchased by Xu Guangqi from Haojing (Macau) were delivered to Beijing. They were test-fired outside the city at that time. They were much more powerful than the Ming army's original Fo Lang machine and other old-style cannons. ,
The slave girl was also there to see it, and then Ming Dynasty began to study this,
The slave girl was thinking at that time, the Hongyi cannon's solid shells, our own ten thousand enemies are large explosive and incendiary shells. If this solid shell is replaced by a small ten thousand enemy, will the power be even higher? "
Damn it...
Chongzhen stood up in shock and looked at Wang Chengen with astonishment in his eyes.
Wang Chengen looked at Chongzhen's eyes and panicked in his heart. He quickly said: "Your Majesty, this slave is just too wild. At that time, I had a whim. Now that I think about it, it's a bit ridiculous.
The Hongyi cannon was made by Hao Jing in Spain. Sun Yuanhua, Xu Guangqi, and Bi Maokang were all proficient in firearms. They didn't think so. It was impossible to think about it. "
Chongzhen didn't respond, and marveled in his heart.
He wanted to complain about Wang Chengen: Let alone you, the whole world was studying it, and it took more than a hundred years to solve it.
But now we are looking for Bi Maokang and the others just to study these things.
With these three leaders of science and technology in the late Ming Dynasty, let them find their brothers, friends and colleagues, and then pull out the Ordnance Bureau under the jurisdiction of Yu Heng, the Qing Li Department of the Ministry of Industry, and the Arms Bureau under the jurisdiction of the inner government, and independently Form a Ming Dynasty Industrial Division.
While researching, let them bring out some apprentices.
If you want money, give money, if you want people, give others. Anyone who dares to stop them will be killed.
If he couldn't get anything out with this kind of intensity, he would admit it.
