"What?" Wang Xi was stunned for a moment, his wrinkled face full of exploration.
"Raise the gun——"
Zhu Yixi said word by word: "It is similar to the big iron cannon of the Japanese country."
"Japan's big iron cannon?"
Wang Xi looked thoughtful.
The so-called big iron cannon is the heavy matchlock gun used by the Japanese during the Wanli period to fight against Japan and save Korea.
Later, it was called Otsutsuki in the Edo period.
For example, ordinary matchlock guns, such as the Ming Dynasty's bird gun, are at most about one and two meters in length, but the length of Japan's large iron cannons reaches two meters or even three meters.
Due to its large caliber and long barrel, it is like a small artillery piece and can easily penetrate armor, and its range reaches an exaggerated 300 steps (500 meters).
The limited range of a flintlock musket was fifty to one hundred paces.
Therefore, carrying a gun has many advantages. Not only is its power several times that of a musket, it has a long range and can break armor. The most important thing is that it is convenient. It weighs about thirty pounds and can be operated by two people.
"It's one foot long and can be carried by several people. It's equivalent to an enlarged version of a musket."
Zhu Yixi's eyebrows were filled with joy, and she was quite proud of her inspiration.
Historically, the gun was used by the Hunan Army until the Xinchou Eight Kingdoms invaded China. Among other things, Zuo Zongtang used it to regain Xinjiang, and Feng Zicai used it to defeat the French army.
There is no doubt that for a long time, the power of raising a gun has been obvious to all.
"Let me try!"
Wang Xi frowned slightly, and began to calculate in his mind. After a while, he immediately relaxed: "In this way, lengthening the barrel of the gun can indeed increase the power."
"It's just that it's not as convenient to operate as a flintlock gun. After all, it's too long and too heavy."
"Just two people."
Zhu Yixi smiled and said: "Besides, if there is a shelf in front, one person can control it."
Raising the gun is equivalent to a moving mortar, which is much stronger than the squatting tiger gun.
Wang Xi nodded, took out the charcoal, and started drawing on the wooden board.
The flint striker is the same as the flintlock gun, except that more gunpowder is used.
"Then let's make a batch first and try the effect."
Zhu Yixi smiled.
Immediately, the two chatted about the armor again.
Not surprisingly, both of them preferred the Manchu cotton armor.
There is no other reason. Iron armor is too useless, cumbersome and bulky. It is not as effective as cotton armor in resisting firearms.
What Zhu Yixi values more is that during the Little Ice Age in the late Ming Dynasty, the thermal insulation effect of cotton was stronger than that of iron armor.
Moreover, cotton armor is a new armor compounded with iron armor. The cotton is compressed, a layer of iron armor is added between the two layers, and then fixed with copper nails.
In fact, the cotton acts as a buffer on the outside, and the iron sheet inside is still the main body of defense.
Therefore, cotton armor is only slightly inferior to cold weapons.
"According to the manufacturing method, the cotton armor uses seven kilograms of cotton material, plus iron sheets, copper nails, goggles, helmets, etc. Even if labor is included, the cost of each set is only two taels of silver."
“It’s so cheap.”
Zhu Yixi was inexplicably surprised.
You know, in Xi'an, you can't buy a set of armor without twenty or thirty taels.
"Shaanxi lacks water and cannot support cotton production, but Hanzhong is more suitable. The general's use of cotton armor can be described as extremely thoughtful."
Wang Xi nodded slightly and said with emotion.
"Just do it!"
Zhu Yixi said excitedly: "Let's make five thousand pieces first. I want our army's armor coverage rate to reach 50%."
Ten thousand taels went out like this, and Wang Xi could not help but marvel:
"General, where did you get so much money?"
"Don't worry, everyone donated voluntarily."
Zhu Yixi had a smile on her face.
Not to mention anything else, the protection fee on the road is 100,000 taels, the King of Qin's 500,000 taels, plus the Hanzhong Mansion's 120,000 taels.
Today, he holds nearly 700,000 taels in his hands, which is more money than Emperor Chongzhen's treasury.
Therefore, only by plundering the poor for a few dollars can the wealthy gentry become truly wealthy.
…
And here, with the inaction of Jiang Quan, the prefect of Hanzhong, the intimidation of the military, and the threat of Li Zicheng, the seven counties and one state of Hanzhong had to cooperate.
Then, the prefect's Yamen sent out invitations to the gentry of Hanzhong Prefecture to discuss how to resist the intruders.
For a time, public opinion was in an uproar.
Now, not only the well-informed upper-class people knew about it, but even the people at the bottom also knew something about it.
It's no longer enough to describe the feeling of panic.
That's all. The prefect's Yamen also secretly revealed that the thieves had set up a payment department to go from house to house to steal money and force donations, which aroused public outrage.
In less than five days, almost all the prominent people from all counties in Hanzhong Prefecture arrived in Nanzheng.
For the sake of their future and family property, they had to think carefully and began to seriously consider allegiance to the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, at the end of October in the 16th year of Chongzhen, a loyalty meeting with a scale of 300 people was officially held.
"Everyone, since Magistrate Jiang is ill, I will preside over this discussion."
In order to highlight the importance of this meeting, it was specially arranged in the lobby of Wuhou's tomb.
Of course, only twenty or thirty people were qualified to enter, while the rest were waiting outside the door to listen.
Zhao Shu put on his long robe and held a feather fan, quite a bit like Prime Minister Zhuge.
"If so, Zhao Shenjun is not only the staff of Governor Sun, but also Zhu Guerji's military advisor. We are all ears."
The hall was full of colorful clothes. A middle-aged man with a wide face, droopy ears, and a big belly, who looked like Maitreya Buddha, stood up and said generously.
His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant. In just a few words, he revealed Zhao Shu's background. Obviously, this was a light warning:
We understand everything, don't go too far.
"General, this is a big businessman from Shaanxi, a branch of the He family in Weinan, and the head of the He family in Hanzhong, He Yiyi, who is engaged in selling salt."
Zhu Yixi sat down in the back hall and observed every move outside through the gap.
On the side, the Zhao sisters were serving, and a shopkeeper from the Zhao family introduced him casually.
"Private salt?" Zhu Yixi was slightly excited.
"In Xixiang County, there is Yanchang Pass, where salt merchants from Sichuan, Shaanxi and Hubei gather, and the imperial court sets up an inspection department..."
The shopkeeper was startled and trembled.
"Understood!"
Zhu Yixi nodded. It turns out that it is the junction of three provinces. No wonder there are so many private salt shops and rich people.
He family, I remember.
Front hall.
Zhao Shu didn't take these words seriously, but smiled and said:
"What He Yuanwai said is true. Governor Sun died for his country, bandits wreaked havoc in Guanzhong, and the wealthy family was listed. It can be said that the people are in dire straits!"
"That's right, thieves are thieves, and dogs can't change their ways of eating shit."
"If you kill us like fat pigs, you won't be afraid of breaking a few big teeth?"
The people sitting here are all wealthy people, or have the backing of the gentry, and this sentence has touched their hearts.
Who can bear to have their homes ransacked?
Comparing one aspect to another, Ming Dynasty is better.
When He Tong saw this, he looked worried, snorted coldly, and his voice calmed down instantly.
Zhao Shu narrowed his eyes. This old boy is really a good businessman and has great prestige!
"For the sake of the Ming Dynasty and Hanzhong, General Zhu fought to the death to resist the intruders. But as everyone knows, there are too few troops now and the soldiers are short of food and clothing. How can they withstand the hundreds of thousands of intruders?"