The emperor took his monarchs and ministers out of the city, and Zhang Zhou also left the city. However, he went on a different journey from the emperors and ministers who went to the Temple of Heaven and Earth and other places to pray for rain, because he wanted to go out of the city to test the cannon.
Along with him, in addition to Yang Peng, the eunuch sent by Dongchang, there were also Jinyiwei commander Qianshi, Beizhen Fusi Town Fu envoy Guo Ang, as well as several people from the Jinyiwei hundred Sun Shangqi and the Ministry of Industry.
"Mr. Zhang."
Before the group could reach the city gate, Xiao Jing's carriage also arrived.
Xiao Jing got off the carriage and looked at Zhang Zhou with a smile.
"Didn't Eunuch Xiao go to pray for rain with Your Majesty? How could he appear here?" Zhang Zhou looked at Xiao Jing curiously.
Although there is a missing character in your name, is it appropriate for you, Xiao Jing, as the owner of Dongchang Factory, not to pray for rain?
"Haha." Xiao Jing smiled, "Our family specially accompanied Mr. Zhang out of the city today, and it was also ordered by His Majesty. By the way, our family also found someone to greet Tang Yin and tell him that there is actually a noble person behind him to help him.
, he also said that he would come to thank you and admit defeat to you."
"Yeah?"
Zhang Zhou didn't think it was important to discuss winning or losing with Tang Yin at this time.
He has too many things to do recently, so Tang Yin can't wait to relax.
Xiao Jing accompanied Zhang Zhou for a while and said with a smile: "He knows that being able to become your disciple is a great good thing. How can he not realize it?"
"Haha, now I have to consider whether to accept this junior brother."
Zhang Zhou said, looking at the bustling crowd: "There are a lot of people today."
Xiao Jing smiled and narrowed his eyes and said: "Sir, didn't you say so? Today I need to make more noise in the crowd. Now not only the people in the capital, but also the people in the entire Shuntian Prefecture know that His Majesty wants to pray for rain.
"
Zhang Zhou turned around and looked at Xiao Jing.
I thought to myself, no wonder you, an old boy, didn't go to the rain praying site. Are you ordered to observe public sentiment?
You said you want to go out of the city with me to test cannons? Just by the way, right?
"Eunuch Xiao, do you have any plans to change your name recently?" Zhang Zhou asked.
Xiao Jing was surprised and said: "What do you mean, Mr. Zhang?"
Zhang Zhou said: "I think the word Tengfei, which means "Tengfei", is more suitable for you. It may also be helpful in today's prayer for rain."
"Really?" Xiao Jing smiled bitterly.
Where does this go?
"Yanxiao. Okay, let's go back to the carriage. We'll talk about it when we get to the place?"
"you……"
Xiao Jing originally wanted to say, we are traveling together, and on the way I happened to tell my family what is so special about this new cannon, why not give me a chance to have a private interview?
…
…
Zhang Zhou was about to join the court as a civil servant, so he began to gradually avoid contact with internal officials.
Especially private conversations, peers, etc...
For nothing else but his own reputation, he avoided it as much as possible, although he knew that many times it might be unavoidable. Why would the emperor just let these internal officials come to greet him and communicate with him when he was fine?
The group of people left the city in great force.
This time I did not go to the south of the city, but to the north of the city.
Zhang Zhou wanted to test the cannon. If he was with the emperor, others would think that he had some evil intentions.
After finally getting off the carriage, the Governor's Mansion also sent people to bring the cannon, and the British Duke Zhang Mao and his grandson Zhang Lun appeared next to the cannon.
"Mr. British? Why are you... here? Aren't you supposed to be in the south of the city?"
Zhang Zhou frowned and looked at Zhang Mao.
What does this have to do with you, Old Man Zhang? At this moment, the monarchs and ministers are praying for rain, and your British Duke, as the leader of the Ming Dynasty's ministers, actually came to the north of the city?
Zhang Mao smiled and said: "I'm going to let my grandson Zhang Lun see more of him. I heard that Bingkuan was testing cannons today, so I brought him here specially. I asked for permission. By the way, Bingkuan, I heard that these cannons are lucky.
Leaving?"
"You all stand down first." Xiao Jing waved his hand, meaning that no one else should be here to listen.
The details of the Liaodong War were the top secrets of the Ming Dynasty.
Guo Ang and others came to the side first, but Zhang Mao had no intention of rejecting his grandson. He probably said that my grandson will also be a pillar of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Is there anything he can't let him listen to?
Zhang Zhoudao: "Yes, this kind of cannon was cast at the beginning of the year. The Wang Gong Factory cooperated with the research on casting. It was originally intended to be completed by February to be used in the First World War. However, due to the complicated casting process, by March
At the beginning of the month, only a dozen gates were cast, and this time Wang Qiong, a doctor from the Ministry of Revenue, personally escorted them to the twelve gates of Ningyuan for preparation for war."
"Bingkuan, you are really... knowledgeable and talented."
Zhang Mao didn't know how to describe Zhang Zhou's ability.
He is said to be an alchemist, but he is actually a man who is about to become a Jinshi. What's even worse is that he engages in these weird things.
Xiao Jing asked in confusion: "Mr. Zhang, why does this cannon... have such a big hole?"
The Ming Dynasty forged artillery.
However, due to the backward iron smelting technology of the Ming Dynasty, the artillery produced was heavy and ineffective. The quality of the iron was poor and the density distribution was uneven, which made it easy for the barrel to explode. In addition, due to air tightness and other reasons, this kind of artillery
Most of them are used for harassment at about 200 meters. Send a big iron ball out and hit people if they can, but can't knock them down.
What Zhang Zhou built was the "Folang Machine Cannon" that was imported from Europe after the middle of the Ming Dynasty, or it could be said that it was obtained from the Folangji pirates.
"This is the mother cannon." Zhang Zhou explained, "This is the mother cannon. There is no ammunition added to the mother cannon. The other side is the sub-cannon. After one firing, the sub-cannon can be disassembled and replaced immediately. In such a short time
It can fire four or five cannons at a time. In addition, this kind of combined cannon is not heavy and can even be moved by four or five people. It is more convenient to adjust the direction. It is a powerful weapon for conducting war raids."
Zhang Mao asked: "Bingkuan, as I know, this artillery is most important for airtightness. With such a big gap like yours, can the sub-cannon and the mother cannon be matched? Then... wouldn't it mean that it can't fire very far?"
"Try it." Zhang Zhou smiled.
Just kidding?
Zhang Zhou thought to himself, this is not an ordinary Fo Lang machine gun, it is an improved version, and the material is no longer the copper and iron used in this era, but steel.
A complete "steel gun".
Even the Folan cannon, which was made of poor material in history, had a range of only 500 meters, and even the Hongyi cannon, which later became popular in the wars of the late Ming Dynasty, had a range of only about 1,000 meters.
The range of my improved Folan machine gun is close to 800 meters.
As for the Hongyi cannon... I'm sorry, there isn't that much steel, and my coal mine hasn't produced the first shovelful of coal yet.
And for the time being, that kind of cannon is of little significance to the Ming Dynasty's frontier troops. Just use some lightweight cannons.
What bike do you want?
…
…
To the south of the city is the Temple of Heaven and Earth.
After the emperor and his ministers arrived, Zhu Houzhao followed his father, scratching his head from time to time, as if the prince's clothes made him uncomfortable.
"what is that?"
Zhu Houzhao looked at the things flying above his head and pointed.
Liu Jin quickly came over and reminded: "Your Highness, those are bees and they can sting people. Please be careful."
Zhu Houzhao said: "That's a bee? I'm wearing such colorful clothes. Does it think of my clothes as flowers? Haha."
While he was smiling, he noticed that his father was looking at him, and he quickly put away the smile on his face.
Keep acting serious.
the other side.
Qintian Supervisor Wu Hao has come to tell Zhu Youtang: "Your Majesty, we can begin."
"hold on."
Zhu Youtang looked anxiously at the sky.
Wu Hao said: "The auspicious time is about to pass."
Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "Wu Qing's family, do you have the final say about this auspicious time, or does God have the final say? Look at the weather now, does it look like it's going to rain?"
"Yes Yes."
While Wu Hao responded, he was thinking about it in his mind.
Is it going to rain?
Today, although the sky is not clear, there are only a few clouds, and it seems that the clouds are not increasing. Could it be that His Majesty's prayer for rain today is to see "immediate results"?
If one side is praying, it will rain on the other side?
Your Majesty, you are just fooled by lard, are you thinking too much?
…
…
Wu Hao came down from the altar and informed the ministers that they had to wait.
Liu Jian walked over and said, "Wu Jianzheng, why hasn't your Majesty started praying for rain yet?"
"This..." Wu Hao was very embarrassed to answer, "His Majesty said that we have to wait a little longer. There are some things that I am not very clear about. His Majesty may... have other arrangements. His holy will is unpredictable."
Xie Qian came over and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is not waiting for the sign of rain, is he?"
"ah?"
Wu Hao wanted to say, how did you, Mr. Xie Ge, know?
Xie Qian said: "The weather today is good, the wind is very light, and it is suitable for traveling, but it is not suitable for praying for rain."
"Ah……"
Wu Hao smiled bitterly.
Li Dongyang stopped Xie Qian from continuing to tease, and said with a serious face: "Yu Qiao, there are some things that I cannot say casually. Since His Majesty chose to pray for rain today, he has a purpose. Or maybe he is waiting for something."
Xie Qian still couldn't help it and said with a smile: "Did someone start it already behind the scenes?"
This time not only Li Dongyang, but also Liu Jian glared at him.
You thanked Yu Qiao so much.
When Wu Hao can't hear it, are you implying that Zhang Bingkuan is praying for rain behind you? His Majesty wants to wait until the prayers on the other side are almost complete before starting here?
Otherwise, why didn’t Zhang Bingkuan come?
…
…
North of the city.
The test site was in an open area.
Xiao Jing urged: "Mr. Zhang, let's hurry up, otherwise the rain may affect the gun test."
Zhang Zhou smiled and pointed at the sky: "It's still early to say it's going to rain today. It's sunny to cloudy, and the clouds haven't even risen yet."
"yes."
Xiao Jing also looked up at the sky.
Zhang Mao and others were also watching.
Today we said we were here to test cannons together, but in fact everyone seemed to be focused on the south of the city.
Xiao Jing leaned over and asked in a low voice: "Mr. Zhang, will the rain come down today?"
Zhang Zhou shrugged: "I'm not sure."
"Oh! It would be great to be able to come down. Your Majesty, you haven't slept well for several days because of today. Our family feels distressed just looking at it." Xiao Jing had a sad face, looking forward to it but also very nervous.
If it was cloudy early today, Xiao Jing wouldn't have to worry so much.
Zhang Zhou smiled and didn't explain anything.
It seems that the emperor knew that he was going to go into battle in person to show off, so he was still excited for several days?
I'm afraid that your excitement will be in vain.
His arrival brought a butterfly effect to history, and isn't the butterfly effect originally talking about "climate"? When a butterfly flaps its wings, a hurricane blows thousands of miles away?
It is difficult to say that the butterfly effect affects earthquakes, but it shouldn't be difficult to affect the weather, right?
As for you Xiao Jing...
Are you anxious to watch the test cannon, or are you anxious to go back and wait to observe the public opinion after it rains?
"Then let's fire the cannon right now. After we finish the fire, we can go home and have a good sleep." Zhang Zhou looked relaxed and relieved. He did not light the fire himself, but asked Jia Laoshui, who was driving the car, to do the firing.
Lao Jia is the most suitable person for this job.
Of course, just firing one cannon was not enough. If the clouds condensed later, he was prepared to carry the cannon and fire several more times along the perimeter of the capital.
