Cao Yuan's arrival was just a small matter to Lin Ziran, and its importance could not even be ranked in the top ten.
The basic training of the troops, the training of officers, the recruitment of prisoners of war, the improvement of new tactics, and the ongoing escort of supplies northward and many other military affairs, no matter what, is more important than the mere arrival of Cao Yuan.
Even if military affairs are put aside, the many affairs of Qingshan Petroleum Company, such as the continued expansion of the refinery, the survey and drilling of oil wells, and the sales of kerosene are also very important.
After asking Luo Mazi to arrange for Cao Yuan to be placed under house arrest, Lin Ziran forgot about him.
So when Cao Yuan was looking at the blue sky and white clouds through the window in the governor's mansion, Lin Ziran was meeting with Zhou Li from Hongxiang Trading Company.
Currently, Hongxiang Trading Company, represented by Zhou Li, is Lin Ziran's most important strategic partner.
The term "strategic partner" is not just a boast, but a real one.
At present, Lin Ziran still purchases various military supplies in large quantities through Hongxiang Trading Company. At the same time, Hongxiang Trading Company is also the largest channel for Qingshan Petroleum Company's external sales of kerosene.
At present, Qingshan Petroleum Company provides Hongxiang Trading Company with about 300 barrels of kerosene every month. Just these 300 barrels of kerosene are worth 18,000 yuan.
And a lot of this money was used to purchase various military supplies from Hongxiang Trading Company.
During this period, Lin Ziran received a large amount of military supplies, and Hongxiang Trading Company made a lot of money. It could earn at least several thousand yuan in net profit from Lin Ziran every month.
This is talking about net profit, nothing else!
In the face of Lin Ziran, a big customer, Hongxiang Trading Company paid great attention to it. It not only solved the transportation problem of Sanyang Ferry for Lin Ziran, but also provided some help as much as possible in other aspects.
Even Zhou Li, the manager of the Sanyang branch of Hongxiang Commercial Bank, recently went to Qingshan Town whenever he had something to do.
No, this time he personally escorted a batch of military supplies purchased by Lin Ziran to Qingshan Oil Company.
"Mr. Lin, look at these two field cannons, but our company transported them directly from Zhoucheng!" Zhou Li patted one of the five-pound field cannons and continued: "This thing is just from the Nanhai Machinery Bureau.
The finalized new product is not something I, Zhou, am bragging about, even our Luo An Army is not equipped with this new artillery now!"
After hearing what Zhou Li said, Lin Ziran became interested.
I stepped forward and took a closer look, but I couldn't see any clues. The two five-pound field cannons in front of me were really different from the four five-pound field cannons before.
Although the barrels are all front-loading smoothbore guns made of bronze, the gun frame is made of iron, and the caliber is also 90 mm, the barrel is a bit longer.
But it seems that's all. Although the barrel is a little longer than the old cannon, it's only a little longer, so the impact won't be too big.
Zhou Li said: "This cannon is similar to the previous cannon, but look at how thick it is and how well-made it is!"
"And the most important thing is that when this gun was cast, a new process was used, which allows the bronze barrel to withstand higher chamber pressure, and the barrel is smoother and can be fired more accurately!"
"Let the old gunner shoot this cannon. I dare not say if it is far away, but it means where it will be fired within a thousand meters!"
"I have seen with my own eyes that the test gunner of the Machinery Bureau hit the predetermined house target with one shot from a distance of one thousand meters!"
Zhou Li's boast made Lin Ziran interested.
He also knew something about the smoothbore cannons of this era. Basically, all the vassals used similar smoothbore cannons. Although the caliber and barrel may be different, they were all smoothbore cannons.
As for field artillery, the best and most common artillery is still made of bronze. Although it is a bit heavier, it is durable and can withstand higher chamber pressure, so it is better in terms of accuracy and range.
The only problem is that they are more expensive and generally heavier.
However, any feudal town with some money on hand would try their best to equip bronze smoothbore cannons.
Because even though it is a bit more expensive and heavier, it has a long range, high accuracy, and longer service life. Overall, the price/performance ratio is quite high.
As for the cast-iron smoothbore cannons, there are also many in various places in Daheng, but they are generally large-caliber artillery, especially those large-caliber naval guns weighing tens of kilograms. They are almost all cast-iron cannons, and have short-barreled mortars.
These cannons are generally made of iron.
But as for field artillery, there are relatively few, because although iron-cast artillery is cheap, its performance is far inferior to the bronze artillery of the same era.
The artillery company under Lin Ziran currently has four five-pound field guns, which are also bronze artillery.
But even these five-pound bronze cannons cannot hit houses within one thousand meters as Zhou Li said. It is very good to be able to hit houses within six to seven hundred meters.
The five-pound field cannon in front of me is also a bronze smoothbore artillery. No matter how scary it is, it is not much better.
However, Zhou Li seemed to want to make good friends with Lin Ziran, and immediately smiled and said: "Why don't you give it a try? Don't worry, the cost of the test cannon will be ours, and it will be regarded as inspection!"
When he heard that there was no money, Lin Ziran naturally said: "Then give it a try!"
This ammunition is very expensive, and Lin Ziran will not try it randomly if nothing happens. The five-pound grenade he purchased from Hongxiang Trading Company uses a metal disc fuse commonly used in modern times, and each one costs more than ten kilograms.
Yuan.
Even if you use solid shells, the propellant is very expensive!
In order to test the gun, Lin Ziran specially called the high-definition talent over.
This man was originally an old artillery commander in the Guang'an Army, and had fired countless cannons.
After becoming a prisoner of war, he was persuaded by Luo Mazi to surrender. Now he was awarded the title of sergeant by Lin Ziran and served as an artillery instructor in the Qingshan patrol camp. These days, he is teaching a group of new gunners how to operate artillery.
This person's artillery skills can be seen for miles around. He dares to say that he is second. I guess no one dares to say that he is second.
The high-definition sergeant seemed to be in good spirits now, and he did not seem to give in as he did a few days ago, but he often showed an expression of unwillingness.
However, after eating, drinking and sleeping well for several days, this man seemed to have let go of the past. Anyway, Lin Ziran also heard that this man was an old bachelor. His family had long been killed in the war, so he could only eat it by himself.
The kind that feeds the whole family without starving, and makes oneself comfortable.
After he arrived, Lin Ziran said: "Lao Gao, come and try this gun!"
Gao Qingcai said: "I humbly obey my orders!"
After saying this, Gao Qing stepped forward and reached out to touch, not the surface of the cannon, but the inside of the barrel.
After touching it, Gao Qing became interested. He was an old artilleryman. Looking at it and touching it, he felt that this gun was different from the original one. The barrel was thicker and the inside was smoother. Judging from these two points alone,