Daming Crazy Emperor

Chapter 88 Armor Factory

The Armor Factory of the Ministry of Industry of Daming was built in the second year of Xuande.

This complete set of equipment includes armor, as well as iron gauntlet guns, Daguan knives, machetes, long swords, strong bows, etc. for generals, all of which are different from ordinary weapons used by ordinary soldiers, and their grades are different. The same, so the output of this armor factory is not high, and it can produce hundreds of sets of special equipment a year.

However, this armor factory is equipped with a lot of craftsmen. During the Orthodox Dynasty, according to the report of the head of the armor factory of the Ministry of Industry, the armor factory has more than [-] craftsmen of various colors, and the scale is more than ten times larger than that of the Wang Gong factory.

So many craftsmen, why can only make so much equipment every year?
In the sixth year of Longqing, Shenzong succeeded to the throne, and Zhang Juzheng was preparing for the implementation of the New Deal. After a thorough investigation by all parties, it was found that there were actually 590 military craftsmen in the armor factory. No pay!
During the Longqing period, Daming was in its prosperous age, and even so, one can imagine what the armor factory looks like at this moment.

Taichang walked into the armor factory and was really surprised by the size of the place. The Wang Gong factory only took up less than half a block, but the armor factory took up nearly half a block. It is the site of the armor factory!
This guy, it's not a problem to accommodate [-] people at the same time and start work at the same time!
However, there were not many people in it at the moment, so there was a banging sound from the sparse workshops.

He couldn't help asking: "How many craftsmen are there in this armor factory?"

Xu Guangqi sighed slightly: "In the tenth year of Wanli, there were still thousands of craftsmen here, but now there are only a hundred people left. Alas, when the mine supervisory tax envoy comes out, the materials from factories in the Ministry of Industry will be collected. It’s slowly broken, and there are not a few sets of equipment that can be built here in a year, so it’s useless to have so many people!”

Well, the scourge of the mine supervisor tax envoy is too great, and it affects the whole body!
Tai Chang also sighed slightly, and then followed Xu Guangqi into a workshop specialized in making armor pieces.

This is actually a blacksmithing workshop, but there are many blacksmithing furnaces in it, and there are several human-shaped wooden stakes and several sets of grinding equipment in the middle.

A dozen or so blacksmiths are constantly beating the small pieces of armor inside, and they will be thrown into the water to cool after they are almost beaten.

At this time, someone will take the nail piece out of the water and put it on a wooden stake to try it out. If it feels okay, then order the person next to the wooden stake to polish the nail piece smooth, and then put it on directly with the animal skin rope. , If it still doesn't work, I will explain it to the corresponding blacksmith, let it burn red in the charcoal fire, and continue to beat.

At first glance, the person who tested the nail piece was a very experienced craftsman, and the person who beat the nail piece was also quite skilled. Obviously, the craftsmen who were able to survive were all skilled craftsmen.

Originally, when the old craftsman who tried the armor saw Xu Guangqi walking in, he was going to ask everyone to stop their work and come to see Lord Shang Shu, but Xu Guangqi kept waving his hands and motioned them to continue, because he knew very well that the emperor wanted to What I saw was definitely not everyone kneeling on the ground, the emperor wanted to see how everyone made the armor.

Taichang didn't say a word, and went directly to the wooden stake to take a closer look.

It is obviously a pair of fish scale armor, because the parts that have been connected are really like fish scales.

I have to say that the craftsmanship of the craftsmen these days is really not that good. The armor pieces that are made are so beautiful, if you don't look closely, you will really think they are fish scales.

It is a pity that the speed of these craftsmen is too slow. He has been in for a while, but he has not seen any suitable fish scales.

It’s definitely not possible to build armor like this. [-] sets of armor and vests, unless [-] craftsmen are recruited, will definitely not be made within a few years.

Tai Chang turned his head again and began to observe their forging process.

To build armor this year is to burn small pieces of iron or pieces of armor with inappropriate sizes, and then beat them continuously with a special hammer.

He looked at it for a while, and then said to Xu Guangqi: "Let them burn the small iron blocks that make the armor pieces red until they are the softest, then take them out and hit them with a few hammers."

This is simple, Xu Guangqi gave a few random orders, and a blacksmith threw an iron block the size of a fingertip into the red charcoal fire, and then tugged the bellows next to it a few times.

A burst of flames spewed, and the small iron block turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye. After a while, the blacksmith stopped supplying air, picked up the clip, and carefully clipped the red-hot iron block out.

At this time, the iron block cannot be said to be as soft as tofu, but it is not much harder than the dough. The blacksmith just knocked a few times at will, and the iron block instantly turned into the appearance of fish scales.

This technique is really not very good, but unfortunately, this piece of armor must be beaten and tested constantly. If a few hammers can knock out a suitable piece of armor, then this ironsmith is not a craftsman. , but a machining center!
Taichang actually wanted to see how long it took for the iron to become red, and how soft it was after it was red.

After reading it, he patted Xu Guangqi on the shoulder and said, "Okay, let's find a study room and we can talk in detail."

Xu Guangqi heard the words and hurriedly walked out with him.

Taichang came outside and raised his hand to a Jinyi guard and said, "Go, call Liangfu."

What is the emperor doing here?

Xu Guangqi quickly brought Taichang to a study, respectfully invited Taichang to the throne, and then stood aside with a curious face.

Tai Chang smiled slightly, then took out a piece of white paper, picked up the brush and began to draw.

What he painted is very strange, a bit like a guillotine in the Western Middle Ages, but the middle of the guillotine is not a guillotine but a large square.

what is this?
The curious expression on Xu Guangqi's face became even stronger.

Taichang didn't explain, and said directly: "By the way, order someone to send a piece of Zhajia's armor."

This is also simple, Xu Guangqi went out to explain a few words, and soon someone sent a finger-sized piece of zhajiajia.

This thing is really like a shrunken book, a rectangular strip, thin, with holes on both sides, and the surface is smooth.

Taichang took a closer look at the nail piece, and then asked: "Simple zhajia as long as the size and thickness of the nail piece are the same, right?"

Xu Guangqi thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "No, the nails on the neck and armpits are different from this one."

That doesn't matter much.

Taichang nodded slightly, took another piece of white paper, pressed the nail plate on it, and then traced it with a fine brush.

After the drawing, he drew a box around the armor piece, and drew a small gap on each side, and then pointed to the drawn picture and asked, "If this is a piece of steel, engrave it in the middle. Is such a nail-shaped groove or protrusion okay?"

This is a bit difficult, but it is not a big problem, that is, it takes a little more time.

Xu Guangqi nodded without hesitation: "No problem, but it may take a few days to carve."

The so-called sharpening of knives is not a mistake in chopping wood, and it is not a problem to carve for a few days, as long as it can be carved out.

Taichang nodded slightly, then looked in the direction of the door without saying a word.

Obviously, the emperor is waiting for Wang Zheng.

At this time, even if Xu Guangqi was full of doubts, he could only endure it. He could not interrupt the emperor's thoughts at will.

(End of this chapter)