Hearing Wang Hongyu's words, the two of them seemed to be grasping at straws, turning around and kowtowing desperately: "Stay alive! I want to live!"
Knocking your head is like pounding garlic. If you had known this, why did you do it in the first place?
"Want to live? Then tell me in detail the process of adding iron cores when casting copper cannons."
Wang Hongyu did not intend to hide the technology of the iron-core copper body cannon. Huang Kezuan and Xu Guangqi were also the kind of powerful people who knew the technology well and would be discovered sooner or later without telling them.
"this......"
"What? Do you really don't want to live?"
The two of them did not hide anything and told everything in detail.
It turns out that in order to seek personal gain, they first cast the cannon core with wrought iron. After the core cooled, they wrapped the cannon core with a mold and cast a layer of bronze outside the core in the mold. This way, the work could be completed faster and the appearance was the same as other bronze cannons.
"The iron cannon itself can also be used. How are the two cannons you cast made of cast iron?"
Wang Hongyu's tone was very serious. How they answered this question would actually determine how he planned to treat them in the future.
"Sigh... Because when we were rushing to work, the mud film was not polished repeatedly when casting the cannon core. There are probably some cracks and gaps. The iron used is not expensive and good, so..."
"So, these two cannons cannot be used..."
The first one honestly told the casting situation, and the second one honestly admitted the results.
"Then if you work hard at casting, is there any way to make an iron-core copper-bodied cannon that can be used in actual combat?"
"Yes! With enough time and good materials, we can do it!"
"Yes! It can be made!"
The two vowed that they could make it.
Wang Hongyu made up his mind and gave Huang Kezuan and Xu Guangqi a wink. Looking at the two people, they looked very similar. They were probably brothers or relatives. It was not easy to go to sea and master this kind of technology. It would be too wasteful to kill them.
"You can be exempted from the death penalty, but the living crime is unforgivable! Just work as coolies in the army. Only by guerrillaing with the Sichuan Army and being here at the Commander-in-Chief Wang's side can you survive. Otherwise, you will be killed and passed on to the world!" Huang Kezuan, the Minister of Punishment, himself is not angry and has authority.
Showing anger now is even more terrifying.
The two were finally saved. They cried and kowtowed in emotion, swearing that they would never dare to do so again in the future.
Wang Hongyu asked: "What is your last name? Where are you from?"
The one with the more wrinkles on his face replied: "Our surname is Lu and we are from Fujian. I am older."
Another chimed in: "I'm senior."
"My name is Mr. Lu."
"My name is Uncle Lu Zi."
Okay~
After chatting for a while, the uncle and nephew of the Lu family were very friendly with each other and left behind to specialize in casting iron core and copper body cannons, which just gave Li Tiezhu, the servant, two men.
Li Tiezhu could also learn from the Lu family uncles and nephews and other artillery craftsmen, and let the gunsmiths explore and make artillery in this way.
In fact, the casting method of iron core copper body cannon is an invention in the late Ming Dynasty. Only in terms of the casting method, it is superior to Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands at the same time. If the workmanship can be achieved, it is very advanced in the world.
of.
Compared with the copper cannons widely used in Europe and the lighter Gustav "leather cannon", the iron-core copper-bodied cannon has the advantages of firepower, saving materials, and easy maneuverability. It relatively saves expensive copper and reduces the cost of the artillery.
At the same time, wrought iron has a higher melting point and better wear resistance, which increases the life of the artillery.
This technology has a significant impact on actual battlefields.
During the same period, before and in the early days of the Thirty Years' War in Europe, due to the heavy weight of bronze cannons, the size of the army became larger and larger, and the requirements for logistics and mobility increased. The proportion of artillery was even lower than the era when knights were ordered to add cannons 100 years ago.
It wasn't until Gustav, the Swedish king and military god, came up with the "leather cannon", a lightweight field gun mixed with bronze and leather, that the proportion increased again.
However, the proportion and type of artillery in the Ming and Qing Songjin Battles were extremely high. Hundreds of French artillery machines, large general artillery and 37 red cannons launched large-scale artillery battles, which was rarely achieved in Europe at the same time.
This more or less includes the reason why red cannons and general cannons in the late Ming Dynasty are iron-core copper-bodied cannons, which are relatively easy to maneuver.
Wang Hongyu had never thought that the iron-core copper-bodied cannon technology would be intercepted by accident after his own special training.
Not only that, but it also most likely solved the tragedy of the cannon exploding during the fierce battle in Shenyang City.
The balance of this battle against Nurhachi is gradually changing. I really don’t want the other side to occupy the two big cities of Shenyang and Liaoyang in Liaodong. If they are not allowed to occupy these two big cities, then the Ming army can still rely on them to gather in Liaodong. Local supply, otherwise sending people to Liaodong will require Liao wages, food, weapons, and supplies to be transported from within the customs...
That's a different kind of war.
However, there are two sides to the matter. Now a large number of southern soldiers and troops from the northwest and three sides have gathered, eating a lot of food from the people of Liaoyang and Shenyang. The high degree of local dissatisfaction with the guest soldiers is also an objective situation.
Nurhaci, Huang Taiji seems to be very good at using this...
There is a long road ahead, and Wang Hongyu knows that the current preparations are not enough, especially since he is not a match for guys like Nurhachi and Huang Taiji.
What special training will you do next?
Although I really want to learn martial arts from Zhang Shenwu, but now that I'm in the army, the most important thing is command, strategy, and tactics.
With firm determination, he came to Zhou Dunji's camp again.
When I arrived here, I saw Huang Kezuan, Xu Guangqi, Chen Ce, Tong Zhongkui, Qi Jin, Qin Liangyu, Zhang Shenwu and Zhou Dunji patrolling the armies.
Wang Hongyu clasped his fists and saluted, then walked behind the queue.
As the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Huang Kezuan's affairs were very, very heavy when there was a serious absence of officials in the late Wanli period. However, even so, he made a special trip to the Southern Army camp to deliver cannons and personnel. In fact, he was expressing his willingness to Do your best to support this strong army.
There were frequent party disputes in the court, with some people squeezing their heads to attack dissidents; some people stalking the wind, and swarming like vultures on the grassland to attack at the slightest sign of trouble; and some people were so ignorant that they just sat there and did nothing.
Huang Kezuan was completely different. He insisted on staying in the middle, being impartial, focused on doing things, and respecting generals and craftsmen. In the future, he would have the reputation of "not taking refuge when an official, not establishing a party when establishing a government, and doing things without caring about personal interests."
He stood up for these Confederate troops, and Yao Zongwen, Ma Wenqing and other monsters did not dare to cause trouble easily.
Perhaps there was a hint from Emperor Wanli that led to today's result, but among the current important ministers in the court, only Huang Kezuan was willing to put down his body and contact the warriors.
After his inspection, he said that he would try his best to allocate food, winter clothes, gunpowder, and weapons. Everyone knew that the finances of the imperial court were not easy, and it was very rare to have such support.
Huang Kezuan was about to return to the capital. He turned around and said to everyone: "I am waiting for you in the capital to report your success!" This chapter has been completed!