When Zhuge Liannu's sample was presented to Liu Chan, Liu Chan thought there was something wrong with his ears or eyes.
In fact, because of his interest in later generations, he once checked what Zhuge Liannu looked like, and he also saw many replicas on the Internet.
There are many authoritative media and organizations vying to report on it, and the Zhuge Liannu they displayed are basically, without exception, lightweight hand crossbows with a built-in quiver that can hold ten arrows.
There is a lever handle at the back. Each time it is pulled down and raised, a crossbow arrow will be fired, and then a new arrow will fall down and continue.
Moreover, crossbows of this structure are constantly being excavated during the archaeological process.
So he always thought that Zhuge Liannu was like this.
However, Liu Chan did not know that the lever-type repeating crossbow was not the first one created by Zhuge Liang, but had already taken shape as early as the Warring States Period.
It's not that Zhuge Liang didn't know, but that kind of crossbow has a short range and low power.
The production process is complicated, but the result is that it can only kill unarmored targets, and even has difficulty penetrating leather armor.
The crossbow was originally designed for its armor-piercing performance, which put the cart before the horse, so it was not popular in the military.
Therefore, when Zhuge Liang wanted to improve the fire coverage of crossbows in Nanzhong, he didn't think about it for a while.
It wasn't until Liu Chan reminded him that he suddenly remembered the repeating crossbow he once had, so he began to try to improve the firing method and strive to increase its power.
But... it's not the thing in front of me.
So when Liu Chan saw the "Zhuge Yuanrong Crossbow" in front of him, he was immediately stunned.
"You mean...this thing is an 'improved repeating crossbow'?" Liu Chan turned around and pointed his thumb at the big guy pushing over behind him on a frame with wooden wheels.
The leading soldier was also confused. He bowed and said, "Prince, this is indeed a Liannu improved by Zhuge's military advisor. The military advisor specially ordered us to send it to the prince for a look."
On the frame, there was a crossbow with the same exquisite and complex structure, but it was much larger than Liu Chan imagined.
There are ten arrow slots on it, and the iron arrow part of the crossbow arrow is eight inches long. Behind the densely arranged crossbow arrows is a thick crossbow string that has been opened by a winch.
"Zhuge Military Advisor said that after this crossbow has been improved, it can fire ten arrows at a time, and the arrows can travel more than four hundred steps without exhaustion, breaking armor and killing the enemy. There is a rope connected to the tail of the crossbow arrows for retraction. "
Liu Chan: "..."
I thought Uncle Zhuge would bring a "machine gun", but instead he brought a "scattering harpoon cannon"...
Isn't this kind of ballistae with a rope tied to its tail just like the large harpoon cannons installed on whaling ships at sea? And it’s also a scattering version.
In fact, the so-called "continuous crossbow" at this time, the word "ligature" does not mean continuous hair, "lianzhe, even belonging" refers to the structure of the rope on the tail.
After Zhuge Liang improved it, the crossbow's power, range, attack area, and even carrying and transportation have been greatly improved. It can be regarded as the best among them, so it is named "Yuanrong".
The big guy in front of me is the Zhuge Liannu in history - Yuanrong Nu. In fact, it is the result of an improvement on the bed crossbow.
Rather than a continuous-fire individual infantry crossbow.
In addition, inspired by the structure of the "Lei Gong Cannon", this version of the Yuanrong Crossbow is more manpower-saving than the historical version, requiring only 3-4 ordinary soldiers to operate it.
"In order to make it easier to carry over the mountains, the military advisor designed a structure that can be easily disassembled and assembled. The soldiers can disassemble it and carry it, and then assemble it again before use. We have been specially ordered to give it to the prince for trial use and to check for its shortcomings."
Liu Chan asked again: "What about the individual infantry crossbow that Uncle Zhuge mentioned earlier that can fire continuously...?"
"The military division is still under development and has not yet been completed."
"I know, go ahead."
"Yes!" The soldiers clasped their fists and left.
The repeating crossbow that I thought would be able to see results soon encountered technical difficulties. Instead, this scattering type of high-power bed crossbow became the "Zhuge Yuanrong Crossbow".
Liu Chan, who didn't know the whole story, thought that his arrival had some impact on history and changed the outcome.
In short, according to how busy Uncle Zhuge is now, if the repeating crossbow really encounters technical difficulties, it is estimated that it will be out of business before Liu ascends the throne.
But since this big thing can be disassembled and carried like a thunder cannon, it has become possible to use it in field battles. It has different functions, but it is still a weapon in the military.
A few days later.
Liu Chan, who had ordered many straw men to be stabbed, said excitedly: "Let's go, let's take this guy out for a walk first and see how powerful it is."
Liu Chan ordered the reserve members of the Red Star Army who had no new equipment training tasks to go straight to the suburbs with this Zhuge Liannu, which was very different from what he had imagined.
"That's it."
Liu Chan found a flat, open place with no one in front of him to prepare for the test firing.
At this time, there was a group of more than a dozen people on the back mountain where Liu Chan often went. The two of them were sitting on the hillside drinking. The others were all fully armed soldiers, standing with their swords drawn.
These soldiers are not the guards of these two people. Instead, they are always on guard against them. If they show any signs of violence, they will kill them.
Naturally, these two are not high-level officials in Chengdu... Well, there is one person who can be considered a high-level official, but he just has no real power.
They were Yu Jin and Xu Huang.
Xiahou Shang got a piece of land, and happily went to work with the men tilling the fields and the women weaving. Since he settled down, he has rarely been seen.
Yu Jin often laughed and scolded this boy for focusing on sex over friends.
In the huge courtyard given to him by Liu Bei, only he and Xu Huang were left. Xu Huang didn't talk much, and Lao Yu felt really uncomfortable without someone to quarrel with.
Recently, they heard that Cao Pi had killed Emperor Xian and usurped the Han Dynasty's foundation. The two of them, feeling complicated, applied to go out of the city for an outing to relax.
Being in the hinterland of Bashu, Lao Liu was not worried about their ability to escape and readily agreed.
"Gongming, you are different from me. I think both the king and the prince value you. If you..." Yu Jin couldn't continue in the middle of his sentence.
It is really unkind to persuade others to betray their master and surrender even though he is a surrendered general.
It's just that the two of them were trapped in Bashu, and their personal relationship quickly warmed up due to the same illness. Seeing the place changing almost every day, to be honest, Lao Yu couldn't see the future more and more clearly.
But one thing is for sure. It is estimated that when they both die of old age, they will not be able to wait until the day when Cao Wei destroys Shu.
Not to mention the danger of Xiongguan Mountain, even if there wasn't, at this rate of development, the old Liu family across the land of Jingyi would be a headache for the Cao family in the long run.
As the personal relationship grew stronger, Yu Jin couldn't help but want to persuade Xu Huang that it was impossible for him to be reused, but Xu Huang was different.
Judging from the attitudes of Liu Bei and Liu Chan, if Xu Huang surrenders to Liu, he will definitely put them to good use. By then, Yu Jin's life will be better.
At least be free.
Xu Huang took a sip of wine and said: "..."
He was half-convinced that Cao Pi killed Emperor Xian, but based on his understanding of Cao Pi, it was not impossible.
When he surrendered to Cao Cao, it was Cao Cao's majestic talent and strategy that gave him hope that the world would soon be settled.
Although Cao Cao never promoted him like those generals from the Xiahou and Cao families, he was still highly used and his talents were not buried.
If he continues to advance like this, even if Liu Han is replaced, it can only be said to be God's will, and the great man's strength has been exhausted.
As a mortal, he should follow the will of heaven.
But that's not the case now.
The seemingly unstoppable rise of Lao Liu and Liu Chan, several almost impossible victories, and the rapid changes in Bashu made it difficult for him to see clearly what God's will was.
On the other hand, in Cao Wei, Cao Pi couldn't wait to usurp the Han Dynasty and proclaim himself emperor as soon as he inherited the throne, even before he could pacify the south.
Even if he didn't kill Emperor Xian, the appearance was really ugly.
Xu Huang's originally determined heart was a little shaken for the first time.
He was in a daze and did not answer Yu Jin. He knew what the other person had not finished saying, but he didn't know what to do now.
"Huh?" Xu Huang, who was in a daze, suddenly noticed a group of people coming down the mountain, "General Wen Ze, look... are they Liu or the prince's men?"
Yu Jin, who had transformed from a famous general to an old winemaker, rubbed his eyes and looked down the mountain with wide eyes: "My eyes are getting blurry and I can't see clearly."
Xu Huang rolled his eyes, who told you to hold the wine jar every day?
Although he was still far away, he recognized the dark horse boy in the crowd at a glance. He was definitely Liu Chan, his captor.
At this time, they are... inserting straw people?
It seems that they are still putting armor on those straw men. What is this?
Liu Chan directed the soldiers to arrange the straw men in battle formations. Most of the straw men were put on leather armor, and some even wore old-fashioned mysterious armor.
If Lao Liu sees it and shouts "Prodigal stuff" again, my son, Zaofu Qian, will not feel sorry for him.
However, in Liu Chan's opinion, it was just a few old-fashioned mysterious armors. If they were damaged, they would be sent to Pu Yuan to be remade. However, he must strive to truly test the power of this Yuanrong crossbow.
After the straw men were lined up, Liu Chan led his people to push the crossbow to a distance of about three hundred paces from the straw men's square. According to Uncle Zhuge, this should still be within the range.
If it can still have an armor-breaking effect at this distance, then using it in conjunction with Mo Dao crossbowmen during the Northern Expedition will definitely give Cao Wei's armored cavalry a big surprise.
"Prepare!"
Following Liu Chan's order, several strong soldiers operated the winch and began to unwind the string and insert the special crossbow arrows.
Xu Huang and Yu Jin stood up on the hillside. They were looking down the mountain: "What is that? It seems to be a ballista?"
Xu Huang nodded: "It's just that there seems to be something different. I can't see clearly from a distance. Did they just place several crossbow bolts in succession?"
"No way, you must have seen it wrong." Yu Jin curled his lips in disbelief.
Xu Huang didn't refute any more. Anyway, it looked like he was going to test-fire soon, and it would be clear by then.
At the foot of the mountain, Liu Chan saw that everything was ready. He raised his right hand high while riding on the horse, and then suddenly waved it down: "Let go!"
boom--!
The powerful force brought by the thick string even made the ballista itself tremble.
Ten large crossbow arrows like short javelins flew out rapidly, roaring and shooting at the armored straw man array.
Straws flew, leather armor pierced, and iron pieces flew...
The array of armored straw men that had been set up was blown to pieces in an instant...
Xu Huang's mouth was half open, and chills ran down his spine. The cold spring breeze blew through the cold sweat that made him shiver.
The wine cup in Yu Jin's hand fell and rolled down the hillside, but he didn't know it yet.
(End of chapter)
