The Wicked One Can Be Difficult

When Zhu Yuanzhang unified the world, he attached great importance to the development of firearms. However, the proportion of firearms in the Ming army at that time was relatively low, with 100 people, equipped with ten musketeers, twenty knives, thirty archers and forty spearmen. At that time, the proportion of hot and cold weapons was one to nine. [】

Of course, the power of firearms at that time was smaller than that now, and they did not have the advantage over cold weapons in many occasions. This is the main reason for limiting the general power of cold weapons in the Ming army. It is different from the Qing Dynasty's ideology that deliberately boycotted them out of purely ignorance.

Zhu Di was a familiar military person. During the Jingnan Battle, he suffered from firearms such as muskets and landmines many times, especially when facing his three guards of Duoyan, the shock of the firearms was much stronger than that of crossbows.

This bloody lesson made him realize that if this weapon is developed well and used properly, it would be a rare weapon. Therefore, when he ascended the throne, he decided to establish a special firearm unit: Shenji Camp.

Unlike other armies, the bows, crossbows, spears, shields and swords used by other armies are all traditional cold weapons. The Shenji Camp will mainly focus on firearms. The technological content of firearms is naturally much higher than that of traditional cold weapons, which requires higher requirements for firearm craftsmen. No one can make excellent firearms and are a team of excellent firearms that can be mass-produced. Then building a firearm battalion has become an empty talk.

According to Zhu Di's plan for Shenji Camp, Shenji Camp specializes in guns and cannons, and needs to be equipped with various long-range firearms, single-soldier firearms and siege firearms, and must adapt to the combat needs of various terrain.

Of course, firearm troops generally do not undertake combat tasks independently. They need to cooperate with cavalry and cold weapon infantry. However, with the sharpness and ferocity of firearms, they can achieve the effect of taking the lead in war, so that their side can win victory at the minimum cost.

After the firearm craftsman was handed over to the Jinyiwei Nan Zhenfu Department, various firearms have been selected and firearms that are most suitable for equipping special firearm troops according to their performance. At the same time, their quality has been improved to a certain extent and their power has been increased.

The Shenji Camp is gradually equipping firearms and participating in drills. During the practical drills, they have also reported many problems that need to be solved by firearm craftsmen. The manufacturing of firearms involves many industries. Although all firearm craftsmen are under the jurisdiction of the Jinyiwei, they still need the cooperation of the Military Art Bureau, the Crafts Bureau and the Works Department. What Liu Yujue came to negotiate with Mr. Huang was the matter that needed help from the Works Department to solve.

While drinking tea, Xia Xun listened carefully. From the conversation between Liu Yujue and Huang Shilang, he found that the craftsmen at that time also knew how to invent new weapons and how to improve the accuracy, range and power of firearms. Moreover, they improved them based on existing basic conditions. In this regard, he could not provide any useful suggestions.

He went to a police academy, not a terrorist training school. He just used guns to be wise, able to use and maintain, and did not understand how to make guns and gunpowder. Just like we can use computers, we may not necessarily make computers.

In terms of black gunpowder ratio, craftsmen have tried various proportional formulas and know which gunpowder ratio can produce greater effectiveness. However, limited to the weapon materials at that time, the most powerful one is not necessarily the most suitable one. If the gunpowder is so powerful that it will explode as soon as it is used, then it is a waste.

Xia Xun didn't understand the smelting and casting techniques. Of course, if the craftsmen really wanted to make them, they wouldn't be able to create weapons with greater power and longer range than those of ordinary firearms at that time. The problem is that there are too few weapons created in this way, which is like a sword and a sword. The biggest problem is the quality of steel.

With the craftsmanship level at that time, it was not easy to extract a piece of refined steel. It was impossible to mass produce, so in comparison, it was a sword and sword. By the same token, it was meaningless to collect a large amount of manpower and material resources to create one or two exquisite weapons that could not be popularized for a long time.

However, when Liu Yujue and Mr. Huang mentioned the issue of the fire rate of weapons, Xia Xun suddenly thought of the flintlock rifle. Of course, this thing also requires improvements in various process technologies, but it mainly lies in creativity and the technical content is not very high. With the current craftsmanship level, it can be realized if it is developed, so he came up with this idea.

When it comes to flint and anvil, it is not difficult to understand for Huang Shilang, who is skilled in making. He thought Xia Xun's proposal was very creative, so he hurriedly wrote down the proposal. The specific development had to be achieved by craftsmen, and this was not in a hurry.

Then, Xia Xun mentioned three-stage strikes. Undoubtedly, this is the easiest way to solve the problem that the firearm is recharged and filled with bullets for a long time every time it is fired. Moreover, there is no technical difficulty. It is just a method or a skill.

Not to mention Mr. Huang, even Liu Yujue understood this at once, and couldn't help but feel happy: "The Duke of the Kingdom is really a clever plan. The biggest problem raised by the Shenji Camp is that the speed of fire is too slow, so that the power of the firearm is greatly affected. The Duke of the Kingdom is extremely wonderful. If I report this method to the Lord and implement it in the Shenji Camp, it will solve this problem."

Xia Xun smiled and said, "This method is not what I thought, but General Mu Yingmu, the king of Yunqianning, was thought of. It is said that when General Mu conquers Yunnan, local local soldiers took elephants to be enemies with our soldiers. Compared with the giants like war elephants, they are not opponents. Firearms were originally weapons that war elephants were very afraid of, but once fired, the interval was too long. Under the pressure of the local soldiers, the war elephants could still rush in front of them, thus causing the firearm to lose its power. So General Mu came up with this method, and I just happened to hear it."

Speaking of this, he pondered for a moment and said, "Yujue, I... When you report this to the emperor, it is best to mention that tactics such as tactics, including various folk techniques, are sometimes developed. They either cherish themselves and refuse to show them to the public, or are limited by their identity and are inconvenient to implement them out of various concerns. For example, the use of the three-stage firearm invented by Prince Mu is limited to the officers and soldiers in Yunnan. Why?

If you are not in your position, you just don’t plan your politics! When doing things, people always like to think about where they stand. It’s not the matter they should be in charge. It’s better to have less than more things. Over time, many good things that have been thought of or created will be destroyed. The court should encourage such things and make innovations. Even if they are only applicable to one time and one place, they can be reported to the court and rewarded them. Once a certain rule is formed, I think... it will be of great use to the court."

Liu Yujue obeyed Xia Xunyan, and nodded frequently after hearing this, saying, "I understand, and when I see you, I will definitely submit a suggestion to the emperor."

Zheng Ci, the Minister of Works, heard from somewhere that Fu Guogong had arrived, so he hurried to Huang Shilang and invited Xia Xun to sit there. Xia Xun refused, so he had to let Liu Yujue and Huang Shilang continue to talk about them, and he left with Zheng Shangshu.

Liu Yujue and Huang Shilang said goodbye after completing the various materials and techniques provided by the Ministry of Works for firearms, they said goodbye. At this time, Xia Xun was still chatting with Zheng Shangshu. Seeing that the country was socializing fairly, Liu Yujue had to leave on his own.

He found a solution to the fire rate of fire from Xia Xun and solved the biggest problem facing the Shenji Camp, which has just been established. This matter needs to be reported to the emperor immediately. This is to be ordered by the emperor to do so. As the Jinyiwei Punishment envoy, he could not go directly to Shenji Camp to point fingers.

When Liu Yujue arrived in the palace, Qiu Fu was excited to come out of Jinshen Hall. Liu Yujue hurriedly avoided the side and bowed to him. Qiu Fu glanced at him and saw that he was a fourth-rank official, but he didn't recognize him. Before he could even take a look, he went out swayingly. He had submitted the action plan against the Japanese pirates to Zhu Di, and Zhu Diye had agreed.

With Zhu Di's character, he could not tolerate invasion and insults from others. When he was guarding Beiping, he was just a vassal king, so he would never let someone invade his power. When Xia Xun was in Qingzhou, the King of Qi was angry that the Ministry of Revenue used silver to reward the soldiers of Peking, but could not impose it on time to build a palace for him. Why did Zhu Di send troops that time?

Just because he was patrolling the camp and the border troops, he found a damaged carriage wheel. The standard was obviously human. So he suspected that people wanted to attack the border and attack Caogu again. He sent people to reconnaissance in advance, so he rushed north and took the initiative. After Chencheer captured the leader of the Hu chief Bolintemur alive, he chased the defeated soldiers for thousands of miles, and fought to the city of Urianhatu, which made Hala run into the desert and flee. Now the Japanese, who are even weaker than the Northern Yuan Dynasty, run to his territory from time to time to rob. How could he bear it?

Qiu Fu was his general. When he established the Six Armies in Xingzhou, Qiu Fu was the commander of the front army and was accustomed to fighting tough and fierce battles. This general had a lifetime of battles and was a very brave veteran. Zhu Di was of course trustworthy in his command ability. Qiu Fu was competent against the regular and powerful army of the Northern Yuan and the court. Zhu Di thought it was a terrible test against a group of pirates.

Therefore, he just hurriedly agreed to the plan formulated by Qiu Fu, asking Qiu Fu to fully handle the matter and to severely punish the Japanese, so that they could know the power of the Ming Dynasty. If they fully handle the matter, Zhu Neng was also excluded. Qiu Fu did not take a group of pirates seriously at all. Seeing that the great achievements were at their fingertips, he was naturally full of joy.

After Qiu Fu left, Zhu Di was almost the same time, and the memorials transferred from the cabinet were also approved, so he thought of going to the harem to rest. Zhu Di had a very serious rheumatism, which was caused by climbing ice and snow when he was young. It was better in the north because the air was dry and rarely occurred in winter. However, the humidity in the south of the Yangtze River was heavy, and it was particularly unbearable when it came to autumn and winter. The pain of heart-wrenching bones was extremely uncomfortable. Even if a charcoal furnace was placed in front of his knees, it could not be relieved.

But as soon as he stood up, Mu En came in to report that the Jinyiwei Nanfu had arrived. Beidu was monitoring the officials of the court for him. Nanfu controlled the firearms that he was most interested in. However, Zhu Di never delayed his visit to the two yamen.

"Well, the moisture is too heavy. My old cold legs will suffer when it comes to this time!"

"Hurry, get a few more firecrackers in!"

The queen ordered the little eunuch and helped Zhu Di to the bed, took off his wing crown, and a pair of dragon robe for him, and took off his boots. She let him lie half on the couch, put his feet on his thighs, and gently beat his legs, while saying pity: "You, you don't know how to cherish your body. There are seven Grand Secretary in the cabinet now. Just tell them to do ordinary things. Why bother with them yourself."

In front of his woman, Zhu Di did not have the majesty and solemnity of the Jinshi Palace. He leaned on the pillow very relaxedly, closed his eyes slightly, and said lazily: "I have already launched all the things that can be pushed out. Do you think I don't want to worry? But the country has just settled, and there are too many things in all aspects. Some things can affect the overall situation and can't let go..."

Zhu Di was moved and said this, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Empress Xu was also very distressed with her husband's haggard appearance. She couldn't let go of anything and took the whole story with one move. She suddenly thought of some rumors about the establishment of the crown prince in the imperial city recently. She was about to ask, but she swallowed it back when she was about to say something.

Although they are all their own sons, the establishment of a crown prince is a state affairs, and the husband is an idea-making person. As the lord of the harem, he cannot do anything to interfere in politics. However, the sons cannot ask about their affairs, but the sister's affairs are fine. So, while pounding her husband's legs, Empress Xu told Zhu Di about the thoughts her sister told her today.

Zhu Di leaned on the pillow, his hard bearded man sticking up at the sky, as if he was asleep, without saying a word. Empress Xu was a little angry, and pounded his leg with a little force, and said coquettishly: "I'm talking to you, have you heard?"

"Ah, I heard it!"

Zhu Di pointed at his leg: "It's just right so strong, just hit it like this."

Empress Xu said angrily and amusedly: "Then you should give me some advice!"

Zhu Di said in a daze: "What's the idea? She is willing to marry, so just marry!"

"What are you talking about!"

Queen Xu lowered her face and said, "Yang Xu is already married with two wives, how can my sister marry?"

"Then I won't marry you!"

"It's not okay if you don't marry. That girl has spoiled her. The last time Huizu..., the younger sister ran away from home. Could it be that she would do this?"

Zhu Di said helplessly: "Okay, okay, then let's get married!"

Empress Xu was really angry: "Have you heard from others? Yang Xu is already married with two wives, how can he get married?"

Zhu Di said with a bitter face: "It's you who wants to marry, it's you who doesn't marry, it's you who has nothing to do with me? Your Xu family's daughter is not my daughter. Why are I involved in this matter as my brother-in-law? My legs hurt, don't torture me."

Queen Xu asked tentatively: "Didn't I ask you to make an idea for me? Otherwise... you should come forward and ask Yang Xu to change his wife's wife's wife?"

"What? I don't care!"

Zhu Di twisted his butt and fell asleep in the bed: "It's your sister who got married. I'll let me do the offending things, but I won't do it!"

"Do you care?"

"in spite of!"

"Bang!" Empress Xu slapped Zhu Di on the butt, and Zhu Di hummed twice without looking back.

As soon as Empress Xu saw it, she started to thrust: "My parents died early, so she left such a little girl. Huizu made a mistake. Now she doesn't care about the matter, and she will grow old... You said that I am the eldest sister and don't worry about her, who will worry about her? You can bear this poor child without father or mother..."

When Empress Xu cried, Zhu Di stopped crying, she sat up and smiled helplessly, "It's done, don't cry anymore, I'll keep it, can't you?"

When Empress Xu heard this, she burst into tears and laughed: "Really?"

Zhu Di sighed and said, "Oh! Woman, it's so troublesome!"

At this time, the pitiful child who had no father or mother in Empress Xu's mouth had already walked into the Yang Mansion gate happily...

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"When the princess has time, he should come to the mansion to sit more often. The princess also knows that our assistant prince lived in Shandong since childhood and was favored by the emperor, so he was granted the title of Duke. In the capital, he had no old friends.

To be honest, Princess, you and our Duke met as early as Peking, and are old friends of our Yang family. Ziqi and I were originally the daughters of small families, and we had no contact with the female family members of the princes and ministers. We were usually very lonely and hoped that the princess would come and walk around more."

Thank you for your words. I would like to entertain a noble girl like Ming'er for being able to answer correctly. Ziqi is much worse in this regard.

Ming'er smiled slightly and said, "Sister is polite. It's true. When I was in Beijing, my sister and Ziqi recognized me. I should walk around often. In fact, my sister can also go to my place often. If you have free time, come. Ming'er has no contact with those daughters of the prime minister. Instead, she has similar temperaments with her two sisters and wants to get closer."

Ming'er said, and his eyes brought to the wooden horse in a corner of the flower hall. It was her toy when she was a child. Last time she came to Yang's mansion, she gave it to Siyang and Sixun. She just arrived at the mansion and found out that the two little girls had already returned to Shuangyu with her mother. Since they could not leave immediately after they came to the door, they would let her sit for tea.

"Big Trojan horse... If I gave birth to a baby, when he grew up, he would ride a Trojan horse and play there, right?"

Ming'er was thinking and in a trance, the wooden horse in the corner shook one after another. A hair combed on the wooden horse was sitting on it, wearing a red bellyband, and his arms and legs were white and fat like a piece of fat lotus root. He was riding on the wooden horse, making a "knock" laugh.

That look...it's the image of a big fat doll with a carp on the New Year painting.

"If I had a baby with him..., I would have been as handsome as him, as brave as him, as smart as me, as smart as me..." Ming'er was fascinated by her, and a sweet smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Thank you in my eyes, I secretly wondered. Why is this princess always distracted? Oh, by the way, I felt a little smell of alcohol on her body just now. Could it be that she was drunk?

Ming'er was thinking happily, smiled sweetly, and when she looked up, she saw Xie Xie looking at her curiously, her tender face became hot, as if she was thinking about it. She touched her cheek with guilt and asked, "What are sisters?"

"Oh, no, no, haha, please have tea for princess."

"Sister, please!"

Ming'er picked up the cup and signaled to Xie Xie. As soon as she put the teacup to her lips, Xiao Di stepped into the door happily: "Young Master is back!"

Ming'er's hand shook, and the tea was splashed slightly, but it didn't splash on the ground, but it wet her chin. Ming'er covered her sleeves and gently wiped the corners of her lips. Her heart jumped up in panic. She suddenly thought of a question for no reason: "What am I...what am I here today?"

※※

It was still the same quiet room. The weather gradually became colder. The man sitting there seemed to be a little thicker. His already wide and thick shoulders looked even stronger this time. When he sat there, he felt like he was standing in a stagnant place. His waist was always pulled out, and the dim light and his eyes were shining.

"Qiu Fu intends to conquer Japanese pirates? Humph! He has been in the northern border for a long time and thinks that fighting on the water is the same as land? The north is flat and there is a way of fighting on the north; the abyss and zodiacs of Yunnan and Guizhou have its own way of fighting on the mountain; as for water battles, the water battles on rivers and lakes, it is also very different from the water battles on the sea.

Chen Xuan is a governor who is good at water wars, but he is only good at fighting inland rivers. When he arrives at sea, it is considered half a sea outside the gate. And Qiu Fu... actually excluded Chen Xuan, he is too arrogant!"

Someone on the opposite side replied: "Master, according to the news received by the villain, it seems that because Chen Xuan repeatedly praised Yang Xu in front of Qiu Fu, Qiu Fu was very unhappy, so he abandoned Chen Xuan and ignored him."

The man sitting there smiled coldly and said, "Zheng Xiaobu did not sacrifice in vain. Finally, he buried a thorn between Yang Xu and Qiu Fu! However, using troops to the outside world is not a dispute between the court and the public and private sectors. He lost half of his losses. He did not know the enemy, did not know his friend, was arrogant and arrogant, and lost half of his losses.

Because the Japanese pirates were called pirates, did he really treat the Japanese as pirates who were not as good as the weather? Haha, if the Japanese pirates were so easy to deal with, it would not be his turn to fight. However, this is an opportunity for us. With Qiu Fu's characteristics of using troops, he always likes to take the initiative to fight, so if he wants to attack the Japanese pirates, he must take the initiative to fight. The only guards in the East China Sea are Taicang. The two guards in Guanhai have sea ships. Now we have to add a double island, so it is easy for us to do things!"

“Master said…”

"Yes, I really want to doze off, so someone sent me a pillow. Our arrangements in Donghai can be activated in advance."
To be continued...