Daming: I help my wife be the empress

Chapter 172 Iron Mold Cannon, Undercurrent in Chengdu

After leaving the fire gun station, Zhu Yuxi came to the artillery station again.

The gray-haired old man came out with several minor officials to greet and salute.

"See Prison Country."

"Flat body."

After the ceremony, Auntie Zhu asked directly: "How is the progress of the project of trial-manufacturing Hongyi cannons using the iron mold casting method?"

This old man is the director of the Artillery Institute. He was originally an experienced craftsman named Han Fu.

Although he has met Aimee Zhu several times, he still looks quite nervous at this moment.

Hearing this, he said, "Go back...to report to the prison country, it's done."

Aunt Zhu was delighted to hear this, and asked, "Is there any finished Hongyi cannon that was trial-manufactured by the iron mold method in the institute? Take me to have a look."

"Yes."

The iron mold casting method was passed on to the cannon casting craftsmen in the army when Zhu Yuxi visited the Military Weapons Bureau for the second time in July.

But at that time, in order to deal with Zhang Xianzhong's army, the craftsmen who cast the cannon first realized the iron mold casting of the tiger crouching cannon, and then quickly cast a batch of tiger crouching cannons within ten days.

When Zhang Xianzhong besieged Chengdu, there were as many as hundreds of tiger crouching cannons cast by iron molds.

This allowed dozens of cannons to be placed on one city wall.

If the clay mold casting method used by the Ming Dynasty was used in the past, it would take a month to mold the clay molds, and the clay molds were only used once, and they would have to be remade next time. It would take at least one or two months to cast a batch of artillery pieces. time.

However, even if the post-production processing time is included in the iron mold casting method, it will not exceed ten days.

Historically, the iron mold casting method was invented by Gong Zhenlin, a supervisor of the Qing Dynasty, in 1841. Although it is easy to use, it also had some shortcomings at first.

But since Hao Guangming found the method of iron mold casting and taught Zhu Wei, he naturally taught the methods of solving and perfecting various small problems.

The Artillery Institute that obtained the specific casting method is actually only responsible for realizing the method.

Before defeating Zhang Xianzhong, the cannon-casting craftsmen had been working hard to make tiger squatting cannons, so the trial production of the Hongyi cannon was delayed until after the war.

At this stage, although the Hongyi cannon is not easy to take to the field, it is a defensive weapon when placed on the city walls and passes.

According to Aimee Zhu's previous predictions with Li Yan, Hong Niangzi and others, the Dashun army will find out about Ma Ke and Li Yutian's return to the Ming Dynasty, as well as the situation in Sichuan, at the latest in November.

If it had been earlier, it might have been discovered by now.

At that time, the Dashun Army will inevitably divide a part to attack Sichuan.

Although there is no longer a shortage of major generals under Zhu Yuxi, but if a batch of Hongyi cannons can be built as soon as possible, it will be easier to defend.

It will even be more beneficial to Zhu Yuxi's pursuit of the remnants of the Dashun Army next year.

When they arrived at the Artillery Station, Zhu Yuxi successively inspected the Hongyi cannons of three calibers that Han Fu and others had trial-built.

Auntie Zhu had studied the Hongyi cannon and the casting method with iron molds together with Hao Guangming, so she could tell whether the cannon was cast successfully or not.

After reading it, she couldn't help nodding with satisfaction.

Compared with the clay mold casting method, the iron mold casting method has multiple castings. Compared with the clay mold casting method, it not only has lower cost and less man-hours, but also because the iron mold does not contain water like the clay mold, the air holes in the casting gun are also reduced a lot.

In addition, the inside and outside of the iron mold cast gun are smoother, which reduces the workload of subsequent cleaning of the surface and boring and milling of the gun bore.

These three Hongyi cannons, which were trial-built by the artillery, have a sense of metal beauty...
After leaving the artillery station, Aimee Zhu came to the firearms factory again.

It is said to be a factory, but it is actually a workshop for making firecrackers in the original Armament Bureau.

When Aimee Zhu first arrived today, she handed over a box of drill bits to the firearms factory, and let the craftsmen replace the original drill bits to test their processing efficiency on gun barrels.

An hour had passed by now, and she was about to come to ask if the test had yielded results.

The director of the firearms factory was a former clerk in the Ordnance Bureau, and he was very good in life and work.

After he brought a deacon from the factory to salute Zhu Yuxi, when Zhu Yuyu asked about the drill bit, he said with joy on his face: "The drill bit given by Jian Guo is really a treasure, not only the drilling speed has doubled compared to before A lot, and there is no obvious wear and tear after half an hour.

The previous drill bit had to be scrapped after processing four or five barrels.As for the drill bit given by Jian Guo, it is estimated that it will be no problem to process dozens of gun barrels! "

"Very good." Auntie Zhu was also very happy when she heard the result of the experiment, and said, "I am also very satisfied with the flintlock guns at the fire gun factory, and have approved the finalization. When the order is issued later, your gun factory will do its best to manufacture flintlocks." Gun. Understand?"

"Understandable!"

The director of the factory was very happy to hear what Aimee Zhu said.

Because he has something to do, he can make meritorious deeds-now he works under the Supervisory Mansion, and no one will invade him if he makes meritorious deeds, and he will be rewarded even if he can't be promoted for his deeds.

He has more energy than before.

···
When Auntie Zhu visited the Military Weapons Bureau for several days and was busy improving the technology level of the Military Weapons Bureau's manufacturing of armaments, there was a slight undercurrent in the city of Chengdu.

The Huang family.

My ancestors were blacksmiths, but they got mixed up in the Yuan Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, they bought a lot of land and became landlords.

However, most of the Huang family's current income does not come from the land, but from the family's iron factory, iron workshop, and several privately opened iron mines.

Although the Huang family was rich, none of their close relatives was an official in the government, so it was only now that they learned that the Jian Guofu was going to investigate the iron mines and iron factories.

In the study, Huang Wendong, Huang Cong and his son sat facing each other, all frowning.

"Father, don't hesitate, send someone to the west mountain to inform." Huang Cong said anxiously.

"The army left the city yesterday, I'm afraid it's too late." Huang Wendong was worried.

Huang Cong said: "How can the speed of the army compare with our family's fast horses? And there are so many iron mines and iron factories in the mountains to the west, it may not be possible to find our family as soon as they come up."

Huang Wendong said: "It is said that there are many rebels and bandits outside the city of Chengdu, even if we are fast horses, we may not be able to pass safely.

In addition, even if the horse passed by quickly, what should the iron mines and iron factories over there do?

Judging from the news from the government office, the Jian Guo Mansion will investigate very strictly this time, and I am afraid that most of our family's iron mines and iron factories will not be able to keep it.

The most important thing is that the stewards over there can be withdrawn, but where are so many miners hiding?Once the matter is exposed, I'm afraid my Huang family will be destroyed. "

After hearing these words, Huang Cong frowned even tighter, got up and took two steps, and a stern look flashed in his eyes.

He lowered his voice and said: "Father, after this investigation, the family probably won't need those miners and iron slaves anymore.

Even if you need it in the future, just get another batch, it's worthless anyway.It's not as good as..."

At the end, Huang Cong wiped his neck with his palm.

Huang Wendong was surprised when he heard this, and couldn't help but said, "That's thousands of people."

"Father, are you confused?" Huang Cong couldn't help but stare, "It's because of their large number that we have to do this. You know, only dead people can't really keep secrets."

Huang Wendong thought about it, and felt that he really had to do what his son said, so he gritted his teeth and waved his hands: "Okay, just do what you said. Remember, don't leave any traces behind!"

At the end, Huang Wendong's expression turned serious.

Huang Cong said: "Don't worry, Dad, this is a matter of the lives of the whole family. I am going to do it myself, and I will never make a mistake."

Also that night, the Dong family in Chengdu was also discussing this matter.

Unlike the Huang family, the Dong family did not have mines, iron factories, or iron workshops in their property.

Dong Jiazu Shangyuan was the steward of the Shu Palace.

Later, taking advantage of his position, he helped the gentry and local tyrants in several counties in the west to hang mines and iron factories under the Shu Palace to avoid taxation.

Now, although two or three generations of the Huang family are no longer working in the Shu Palace, the family still has a juren, bought a lot of fertile land, and became a gentry.

But still relying on the connections of his ancestors, he provided convenience to local tyrants who opened mines and iron factories.

Naturally, the Dong family did this not because they were willing to help others, but because the local tyrants in these counties and descendants would honor the Dong family every year, and even gave the Dong family extraordinary preferential treatment in other businesses.

This income is the key to the Dong family becoming a rich gentry in Chengdu.

Otherwise, the Dong family is nothing more than an ordinary landlord based on the more than 1000 acres of fertile land.

In Dong's study.

Dong Wengui also frowned.

His two sons insisted on their own opinions.

The eldest son, Dong Jian, is a talented scholar. He is almost forty, but he has not yet been selected.

At this time, he persuaded: "Father, we can no longer contact there, it's best to pretend that we don't know about this matter."

(End of this chapter)