Chen Mu had a look of despair on his face: "Do you have any misunderstanding about the word "cause"?"
Wang Qiong blushed at Chen Mu's words: "No... no, the cannonballs can be fired, and both the accuracy and range are pretty good, but... the barrel exploded after just a few hits.
Already."
"oh?"
Chen Mu frowned slightly, and understood the problem: "Let's go and take a look first."
Chen Mu dedicated a piece of land on the bank of the Min River for the weapons manufacturing bureau, covering a hundred acres of land, just so that they could build cannons and other things.
Nowadays, many people from the private sector have been recruited to participate in the utensil-making game. These people have one thing in common, they are all blacksmiths and carpenters, and they are all young, the youngest is seventeen or eighteen years old, and the oldest is no more than thirty years old.
Under the tinkering of a group of young people, the first Tiger Crouching Cannon was indeed built, but as Wang Qiong said, the cannon fired less than five rounds before the barrel was blown open.
If everyone hadn't stayed far away, the death of a few people would have been minor.
"We have thought about thickening the barrel wall, but if that is the case, it means that the gun mount needs to be heavier to stabilize the center of gravity, but then the entire Tiger Crouching Cannon will be too heavy."
Chen Mu came to the cannon and circled around it. The caliber of the cannon was designed to be very large. The amount of ammunition from just one cannon was enough to kill an enemy five to six meters away. If the enemy troops pressed the enemy, the effect would be very significant.
But the problem is also at this point. The amount of ammunition carried is too much, and the gunpowder to be filled is also increased. The wall of the bullet is too thin and not strong enough, so it explodes directly.
"Lord Zhou Mu, I think if we don't reduce the size of the barrel and thicken the wall of the barrel, then it won't explode."
Chen Mu shook his head: "If that's the case, it's better to just use a firecracker. The size of the barrel will remain the same."
Wang Qiong asked doubtfully: "What should we do?"
"Just make the cartridge harder. I have a way to increase the hardness of the fine iron to another level. In this way, the cartridge will not explode."
Upon hearing this, Wang Qiong suddenly looked surprised: "Can the hardness be increased?"
Everyone knows that the steel-making method that shocked the country was the work of Zhou Mu. I thought that the refined iron was already at its peak, but who would have thought that it could still be improved!
"Follow me."
After saying that, Chen Mu took Wang Qiong to the steel-making kiln, and then took out a stone from a pile of ore raw materials.
"This is……"
"Someone, come and refine this thing."
The temperature inside the kiln was extremely high. Under the operation of a blacksmith, the ore was quickly refined into raw materials. After cooling with water, Chen Mu presented it to Wang Qiong.
"This is manganese."
Wang Qiong looked curious and asked: "What is manganese?"
"You can think of it as a special kind of iron. Next time you refine the refined iron needed for the gun barrel, if you mix it in, the hardness will increase several times. We can call it an alloy."
Wang Qiong listened with rapt attention, as if he had opened the door to a new world. Words like manganese steel alloy were almost unheard of before. He just felt that Mr. Zhou Mu knew too much.
At that moment, I couldn't help but start working according to the method Chen Mu said.
As for Chen Mu, now that he is the head of a state, mineral deposits are too easy to find. There is a small manganese mine just in the lower half of the Min River.
After thinking about it, not only these cannon barrels, but also the 10,000 secret soldiers should use manganese steel to make a set of armor and swords and guns.
No one knows what the future situation will be like. The Japanese will definitely plot against Long Xia. If one day the whole dynasty really becomes turbulent, it would be better than being helpless.
A few days later, in the early morning, more than 100,000 people helped, and nearly a hundred miles of land had been planted for most of it. It was rare for Chen Mu to sleep in.
But at the next moment, someone suddenly knocked on the door: "Master Zhou Mu! Wake up!"
Before Chen Mu could get up, Liu Si rubbed his eyes and stood up, lamenting: "The genius has just dawned, why is this little girl here again?"
During this period, Wang Qiong would come to see him at home every day, mostly asking questions about manganese steel. Chen Mu also told him everything he knew. He quite liked this little girl who had a strong thirst for knowledge.
But it's really too early today.
Chen Mu got dressed and opened the door to see Wang Qiong with a happy face.
"Lord Zhou Mu, the barrel is ready!"
This was expected by Chen Mu, but he was still dragged to the experimental site by Wang Qiong.
The Tiger Crouching Cannon has been built. Under Wang Qiong's command, as the fuse was ignited, a fire snake instantly ejected from the barrel.
A hundred meters ahead, there were nearly a hundred scarecrows, but in just an instant, most of them were annihilated by the spray of iron bullets.
The next moment, nearly a hundred people present jumped three feet high and cheered non-stop.
"No problem!"
"We made it!"
The barrel has been tested more than a dozen times and can withstand the huge explosion caused by the explosion of gunpowder.
Chen Mu was also very satisfied with this power. If there were dozens of squatting cannons guarding the city, it would be difficult for the surrounding nomads to cross the border even half an inch.
Seeing Wang Qiong cheering continuously, Chen Mu couldn't help but smile bitterly. She was a simple girl. He was just immersed in the joy of successfully building the cannon. If he saw this thing used to kill people, he wonders whether he would be so happy.
But now Chen Mu has decided to fully cast cannons and firearms in the future, and also give Wang Qiong a copy of the production drawings of flintlock guns, vigorously develop weapon production, and build a semi-modern army.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Nowadays, in the hundreds of miles of fields, there are green shoots that are half a leg tall.
Standing on the edge of the Minjiang River and looking around, you can see endless green fields. When the harvest comes in autumn, the food produced will be enough to meet the food needs of the people of Longxia.
Walking in the fields, Chen Mu also felt a great sense of accomplishment. At this point, he was really no longer interested in things like money and women.
"Remember, manure and water have been collected. When the seedlings have grown to this stage, weeding and watering must not be delayed."
Wang Zimo, who was following closely behind, nodded quickly: "These things have not been delayed."
At the beginning of Prince Mo's tenure as governor of the state, there were many rumors saying that it was wrong for a woman to be an official. However, as her excellent political abilities were demonstrated, no one said this anymore.
Many women are stronger than men, Wang Zimo is one example, and Wang Qiong is another example. The more he thought about it, the more Chen Mu felt that he needed to select these strong ladies who were buried among the people to shine.
"In two months, let's hold an imperial examination."
After hearing this, Wang Zimo frowned and said, "My husband, have you forgotten that there are only two imperial examinations in early spring and early autumn, and the time has not yet come."
Chen Mu waved his hand: "This is a special imperial examination. It is limited to Yizhou and is specially held for Yizhou women. If you are talented, you can also participate in government affairs."
Wang Zimo was shocked. Since ancient times, no one dared to mention the imperial examination for women. Looking at Chen Mu, he felt that this idea was too unbelievable.
"My husband's move will probably lead to criticism from Yizhou literati."
Chen Mu turned his head and glanced at her: "Don't you think you, the governor of the state, are not as good as a man?"
"I don't."
After a moment, Chen Mu just said slowly: "Who said women are inferior to men? Just go ahead and do it. Men and women are equal here, and I am responsible for all public opinions."
Chen Mu's words about equality between men and women made Wang Zimo stunned for a long time. She was considered an alien, but her heart was actually enslaved by thousands of years of thought.
Yes, men don’t have more noses than they do, so why can’t they be officials?