Under the leadership of Hou Yuangao, Su Hao came to a shack. In a corner of the shack, a three-meter-long cannon was extremely conspicuous. In addition, there were more than a dozen bowl-mouth cannons, squatting tiger cannons, etc.

It's a small cannon, but judging from the rust stains, these things are probably not young, at least no younger than his grandfather. Whether they can be used or not is one thing.

"Qianhu, this is the Hongyi Cannon."

Hou Yuangao said in a deep voice: "The power of this kind of artillery is not small. If it falls into the crowd, it can kill at least dozens of people. However, this kind of artillery can also easily explode."

Hearing the explosion, Su Hao said with a serious expression: "The manufacture of any Hongyi cannon must be strictly supervised, and cutting corners must not be allowed. Every cannon must be signed. If there are any mistakes, we will investigate them to the end."

Having been in Jinyiwei for so long, he also has a deep understanding of the Ming Dynasty's army. In fact, the Ming Dynasty popularized firearms during the Yongle period. The powerful firearms troops made the men on the grassland become good at singing and dancing.

It's a pity that no matter how good the firearms are, they can't help but be greedy. Since Yongle, the world has been peaceful and there have been no wars. The manufacture of firearms has become a hot commodity in the eyes of countless people. Making a qualified fire gun costs at least two taels of silver, and one shot

The crude ones cost only half a tael of silver, let alone artillery. The profits are huge enough to tempt many people.

The result of shoddy workmanship is that the probability of exploding the chamber is higher than the success of shooting. Every time you fire a shot, you are on the verge of death.

It's just that before Tumu Fort, the generals had not lost power. As generals, they also knew that firecrackers and artillery were very useful. In addition, the officialdom had not been completely destroyed, and the crudely made firearms were still limited.

But after Tumu Fortress, civilian officials took power, and the official system had collapsed. Those civilians were not familiar with military affairs, so they didn't care about the functions of firecrackers and artillery. Those who could cut corners were reduced again and again, directly reducing the powerful firearms troops.

It has returned to the cold weapon era.

If it weren't for this, Nurhaci would definitely be very skilled in dance moves now, and his dance posture would definitely be very moving. Unfortunately, there is no if in the world.

"Your subordinates must strictly control the situation."

After hearing Su Hao's words, Hou Yuangao responded quickly.

"Um."

After nodding, Su Hao then asked: "How much reserve of gunpowder materials do you have?"

Hou Yuangao replied: "It's eight thousand catties."

"Remember to store them separately to avoid accidents."

Su Hao nodded. In the past two or three years, he had already asked people to buy raw materials for gunpowder. Just to avoid attracting attention, he had always bought them secretly. Otherwise, he would have gotten 30,000 to 50,000 kilograms of gunpowder.

Pediatrics.

However, these eight thousand kilograms of gunpowder are enough to defend the city. He is not going to make firecrackers now. Bows and arrows are more suitable for defending the city than firecrackers, and now all the craftsmen who can make firecrackers have been transferred to him to make them.

For artillery, there is no time to make firecrackers. It is simply used to fire artillery and make primitive grenades. Eight thousand kilograms of gunpowder can be used for a long time.

Besides, the people he arranged outside are also continuing to purchase raw materials for gunpowder, so it should be possible for a few years.

It's a pity that the power of current gunpowder is still too small. Even if the explosion of a hundred kilograms of gunpowder has a large range, it is not as powerful as a thunderbolt fire bomb. It is still somewhat useful for third-rate warriors...

If you deal with a second-rate warrior, the opponent can completely escape the explosion range before the explosion. At the speed of a second-rate warrior, it can still be done not to mention ten meters in one step, but four or five meters. Only like the thunderbolt fire bomb, it explodes instantly when it touches it. There is no

Any delay can kill a second-rate warrior.

However, it is good for cleaning up ordinary soldiers on the battlefield. With the strength of the armored paper man, it can carry a bomb of one to two hundred kilograms much faster than ordinary people, and it can definitely cause a lot of damage.

It's just that this can only be done on the battlefield. After all, he can't carry hundreds or even thousands of kilograms of gunpowder wherever he goes, and he doesn't have any space spells or magic weapons such as Sumerana Meson or Qiankun Bag, and he doesn't have them either.

It is rare to deal with a large number of ordinary people. Now he still has forty or fifty thunderbolts and fire bombs on his body. When it comes time to use them, these thunderbolts are more effective than gunpowder.

Zichuan, Huanshan.

In the middle of the mountain forest late at night, a bustling street suddenly appeared, with countless red and white lanterns hanging high in the sky.

Hanging up, it lights up the entire street and fills the street with a weird atmosphere.

There are people coming and going on the street, including men and women, old and young, nuns and monks, and Taoist priests and nuns, but most of them are dressed strangely. The only thing in common is that these people have a kind of fear that strangers should not approach them.

They smell bad, and most of them look bad.

Street stalls are set up on both sides of the street, but they are different from ordinary market stalls. The goods on these stalls are all kinds of strange, including blood-stained copper coins, charred wood, gloomy iron nails, strange insects...

What's more, there was even a painted red coffin!

Two Taoist priests, an old man and a young man, wearing Taoist robes, walked slowly down the street. The young Taoist priest was next to the old Taoist priest, looking at the stalls on both sides of the street. The young Taoist priest couldn't help but muttered: "Master, why have these people made the street look like this?"

It’s spooky and sinister at first glance.”

Although the young Taoist priest's voice was very low, there were no ordinary people who could come to such a place. The next moment, hundreds of people around him looked at the young Taoist priest at the same time, and the atmosphere instantly solidified, taking on an eerie and terrifying aura.

Seeing this, the old Taoist priest frowned and took a step forward. His aura spread out and a golden pattern appeared on the Taoist robe.

Seeing this pattern, everyone's expressions changed, and then they looked back dissatisfied.

Tianshi Mansion!

Although they were dissatisfied with the young Taoist priest's words, the golden lines represented that the two came from the Tianshi Mansion, and they did not have a life-or-death feud, and they did not want to provoke anyone from the Tianshi Mansion.

Seeing that everyone had withdrawn their gazes, the old Taoist priest turned around and angrily said, "If you dare to talk nonsense again, don't even think about going out with me again!"

"Master, my disciple doesn't dare anymore!"

The young Taoist priest said quickly, with a concerned expression still on his face. He really felt the breath of death just now. If his master hadn't been there, he had a hunch that his end would definitely not be much better.

In an attic not far away, two middle-aged men wearing long robes looked at them from a distance.

If there is a circle of left-dao sorcerers in the circle, they will definitely be able to recognize the identities of these two people, Dong Shichang, the leader of the Meishan Dharma Lineage, and Xie Bing, the leader of the Yinshan Sect.

"Tianshi Mansion!"….

Seeing the old Taoist priest scare away hundreds of people just by showing his identity, Dong Shichang coldly snorted: "What a great name!"

"There's nothing we can do about it. Who makes them legitimate and recognized by the imperial court?"

Xie Bing shook his head. The strength of these small sects was completely inadequate in front of Longhu Mountain.

Hearing Xie Bing's words, Dong Shichang could only sigh. Although the Meishan lineage did have some reputation in the Meishan area, compared to Taoism, a sect that was recognized by the imperial court and had followers all over the Ming Dynasty, the Meishan lineage was not famous at all.

After a moment of silence, Dong Shichang said: "Brother Xie, I heard that the Jinan Guards Qianhu rebelled and took over Jinan Prefecture, have you heard about it?"

"Of course I don't know about such a big thing."

Xie Bing asked doubtfully: "It's just that this matter has nothing to do with us, right?"

Zuodao sorcerers have always stayed away from the court, and no matter how big the trouble was in the court, they could not be implicated.

Dong Shichang said calmly: "That Qianhu learned from the lineage of papermakers."

"Brother Dong, do you intend to participate?"

Hearing this, Xie Bing's eyes changed. Although Dong Shichang didn't say it explicitly, the meaning behind his words was obvious.

"Left Taoist sorcerers are not recognized by the world. Now there is an uprising. If we can use the power of Conglong to make my Meishan lineage canonized and become orthodox, it is not impossible to take action."

Dong Shichang said calmly: "Brother Xie, your Yinshan sect is not popular with the world."

Hearing Dong Shichang's words, Xie Bing was also silent. The founder of the Yinshan lineage was Xie Wushang, a Taoist, and their Xie family was inherited from Xie Wushang.

Their founder, Xie Wushang, combined Maoshan Dharma, witchcraft, and some of the magics of Lushan, Pu'an and other sects to form Yinshan Dharma. However, although Xie Wushang is somewhat famous among Taoists, he is also known as Liuhusan.

Immortal, but the Yinshan lineage is not accepted by Taoism and can only become a branch of the heretical sect.

because

It is dedicated to the Dharma Master of Yinshan Mountain, the King of Ghost Power, and the Great Emperor Pangu. His Dharma is heavy on Yin. He uses command flags to mobilize troops and generals. He is good at transferring souls, exorcising souls, locking souls, etc. He practices ghost arts. People in the Yinshan lineage often fall.

He enters the evil way and harms the people, so he is not welcomed by orthodox Taoists.

"Although the skill of following the dragon is good, the probability of failure of that Qianhu is too high."

After thinking for a moment, Xie Bing sighed: "And he is still using the banner of the White Lotus Sect. Even if we join, we may not be taken seriously."

Over the past few hundred years, the White Lotus Sect has revolted countless times. These leftist sects have never participated in it. The main reason is because the White Lotus Sect is its own lineage. Even if the world really changes, they will not be granted the title.

The most likely way to become orthodox is to merge into the White Lotus Sect and become a branch of the White Lotus Sect.

"I have inquired, and that Qianhu just borrowed the name of the White Lotus Sect."

Dong Shichang said calmly: "His skitarii only believe in him as their master and do not believe in other gods, nor do they allow other White Lotus sect members to preach under his command."

"So, we also have a chance?"

Hearing this, Xie Bing was a little moved. The imperial court included all the Taoist methods, including the Taoist foundation building method. Although their Xie family's ancestor Xie Wushang was also a Taoist, Xie Wushang didn't know how to do it.

The foundation-building method of Taoism, therefore the inheritance of the Xie family is also flawed...

If there is a real chance to achieve the power of Conglong, even if he cannot be granted the title of orthodox, it is possible to obtain the foundation-building method of Taoism and fill the Xie family's inheritance. Even being recognized by Taoism and becoming a branch of Taoism is not a problem.

Impossible, after all, the Yinshan lineage and Taoism have long been related.

"I'm going to let a few of my disciples join that Qianhu's army first."

Dong Shichang said calmly: "If he really has the possibility of success, I will persuade the Meishan people to completely surrender to him."

Hearing Dong Shichang's words, Xie Bing raised his eyebrows. Although the Meishan lineage is only inherited in the Meishan area, it has been passed down for thousands of years. Now it is said that the Meishan lineage also has left-behind sorcerers at the master level of martial arts. If they all join, who

The absolute power of Qianhu has increased significantly.

What's more important is that with the influence of the Meishan lineage in the Meishan area, even if the Qianhu family cannot stay in Jinan, as long as they arrive in Meishan, they can definitely use the influence of the Meishan lineage to raise an army again.

"If that's the case, then I'll take this gamble with Brother Dong."

After a long time, Xie Bing made a decision in his mind. Leftist magicians have always been ostracized by the court, and most leftist magicians live in affluence, and few dare to cause trouble. Su Hao, as a descendant of the lineage of papermakers, can more easily accept them.

It's worth their gamble.
To be continued...