Daming heir

Chapter 657 Jie Jin’s Railway

Why don't dad try it himself?

Such words made Zhu Biao's heart move.

He had read poetry and books since he was a child. In the opinion of the ministers in the court, there was no more suitable prince in the past dynasties.

But Zhu Biao still has his strictness and the fanaticism that he has to suppress because of the country and the country.

Zhu Biao didn't say anything in response, but he took the initiative to step forward honestly and walked behind the mortar that was as thick as his calf.

He first carefully observed this new type of artillery called a mortar.

The obvious difference from previous artillery is that the barrel of this mortar is thinner and shorter, and the muzzle points diagonally towards the sky at an unbelievable elevation angle.

In the middle of the gun barrel, there are two iron-cast support rods, which are inserted diagonally forward into the ground to provide stability and balance to the gun god.At the point where the bottom of the gun body touches the ground, there is a thick square piece of iron one foot wide.

This is the entire structure of the mortar.

Next to the mortar, there is a wooden box, which contains the mortar shells.

It is still different from the artillery shells of the past.

The shells of these mortars are oval in shape, with the front gradually becoming a rounded corner. Although the tail is not rounded, it shrinks in size and diameter from the middle of the shell downwards.

An officer and soldier of the artillery camp was holding a telescope and kept looking at the mountain in front of the cannon muzzle.

Every time I observe, I will carefully move the muzzle angle of the mortar and the left and right orientation of the gun body.

Finally, the officers and soldiers seemed to have finished all the preparations, so they stood aside and answered.

At this time, Zhu Yunxi stepped forward, took out a cannonball from the wooden box, and delivered it to the prince's father.

"This is the most advanced new type of artillery shell I have launched. The flint at the bottom and the bell in the barrel collide to generate a flame, ignite the gunpowder inside the shell, and finally explode at the point of impact, thus causing lethality."

Zhu Biao took the cannonball with both hands.

The heavy, cold feeling made him feel that this must be a big killer.

"It sounds very complicated. It's hard work for the Ministry of Works and the generals and supervisors to create this thing. The imperial court should reward you based on your merits."

The prince's words ignited the surrounding officials from the Ministry of Works and the supervisors.

Zhu Yunxi went on to explain: "It's just because the triggering device is not yet mature, so the yield is not too high, and in many cases the time when the shell explodes is different from the scheduled time.

When the triggering device is completely mature and the explosion time is completely controllable, we can develop what my son thinks is the most perfect firearm. "

Zhu Yunxi said these words, but he knew in his heart that it would take a long time to complete these two things.

Don't look at it as just a small initiating device and controlling the explosion time, it involves countless disciplines.

Without a sound chemical and industrial system, it would be difficult to complete Ming Dynasty's current industrial level.

Now, these new types of artillery shells have been created only by giving up part of their performance and relying on the ruthlessness of free money.

After all, when launching a cannonball, you only need to consider the stability of the cannonball itself and how to ignite the gunpowder inside the cannonball.

These are problems that can be solved now.

Zhu Biao's eyes were a little confused, which had touched upon his knowledge blind spot.

And he had no intention of delving into this subject.

There is too much knowledge in the world. As the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, I only need to learn how to select and employ people, and then I will be qualified.

So Zhu Biao asked: "How to use this cannon?"

"Father just needs to put the cannonball into the barrel and let it fall."

Zhu Yunxi said casually.

Regardless of accuracy, even a child can instantly master how to use a mortar to launch shells and attack the front.

Zhu Biao's eyes widened: "So simple?"

Zhu Yunxi nodded, and then said: "By the way, after father puts the cannonball into the barrel, he must immediately open his mouth and squat down."

"Nothing else?"

Zhu Biao still didn't understand.

Zhu Yunxi expressed his affirmation seriously.

After that, Zhu Biao held the cannonball with both hands and sent it to the top of the muzzle.

At this time, he still didn't let go of his hands, but looked sideways at his son.

Zhu Yunxi encouraged: "Father, just let go of your hands, open your mouth, and squat down."

Zhu Biao recited silently in his heart.

Release your hand.

open mouth.

Crouch down.

then.

Just hear a bang.

Zhu Biao, who was already squatting down with his mouth open and staring at the mountain in front of him, heard a huge roar in his ears.

Then his vision was completely obscured by a plume of smoke.

Huge air waves hit Zhu Biao at close range, making him wonder if he would become deaf, and his chest bulged.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Biao heard an explosion from the distant mountain, and countless pieces of gravel flew up and landed in the forest.

When the thick smoke in front of him dissipated, Zhu Biao felt his legs were a little weak. He stood up and looked up ahead.

From the mountains in the distance, a column of smoke rose.

The officers and soldiers of the artillery battalion next to him took one look and immediately puffed up their chests.

"Report, the prince fired a mortar, and the impact point deviated about ten steps to the left and rear, which is within the controllable range."

Zhu Biao blinked at his son.

Zhu Yunxi immediately smiled and said: "It didn't hit the target, but it was only ten steps off, which was within the allowed range. It was able to cause damage to the enemy. It is already very rare for my father to use a mortar for the first time."

Zhu Biao thought for a while, and it was a pity that he didn't hit the target.

But his son said that the first time he used it, it was within the allowed range, which made him quite happy.

"Try again?"

Zhu Biao volunteered this time to try the mortar again.

Zhu Yunxi naturally would not refuse, and immediately looked at the officers and soldiers on the side: "Re-adjust the shooting angle for His Royal Highness."

"Subordinates take orders!"

The officers and soldiers immediately stepped forward, and the muzzle moved slightly to the upper right.

This is the corrected shooting angle.

Soon the officers and soldiers completed their adjustments.

Zhu Biao no longer needed Zhu Yunxi to guide him. He had already held a shell and was waiting behind the mortar.

After the officers and soldiers retreated, he immediately stepped forward.

Zhu Biao held the cannonball with both hands, hanging above the muzzle, and the tail of the cannonball was stuck in the barrel.

Release your hand.

open mouth.

Crouch down.

Zhu Biao's movements became faster and more standard.

There was another roar and smoke rising.

Before the thick smoke dissipated, Zhu Biao stood up with wide eyes, moved to the side and looked at the mountains in the distance.

"Did I hit the target this time?"

The officers and soldiers over there took one look and immediately said loudly: "His Royal Highness fired a mortar. The first shot corrected the firing angle, and the second shot hit the target."

This is a data evaluation of Zhu Biao's gunnery.At this time, Zhu Yunxi shouted from the side: "The whole team is ordered to fire three rounds quickly based on the shooting angle of His Highness the Prince!"

Following Zhu Yunxi's order, the officers and soldiers of the entire artillery battalion on the shooting range immediately started moving.

Zhu Biao stared at the scene in front of him with his eyes widened.

I saw three officers and soldiers behind each mortar. One person was responsible for adjusting the angle of the barrel, one took out the shell, and the other placed the shell at the mouth of the barrel.

The artillery camp general held a small flag in his hand.

"The artillery camp is ordered to load and fire three rounds."

"One shot."

boom!
The entire shooting range was shaken once again.

"Second launch."

The air waves carried the dust flying.

The artillery battalion general waved the flag for the third time: "Three shots!"

When the first round of artillery shells hit the mountain in front, causing continuous explosive damage and destroying countless trees and rocks, the second round of artillery shells arrived immediately after.

When the second round of shells just exploded, the third round of shells had already been tightly replenished.

For a moment, the mountain in front of Zhu Biao seemed to be about to collapse.

Zhu Yunxi just smiled slightly, approached the prince's father, and said: "Not only this mortar, but all the artillery in the army need to correct the shooting angle when facing the enemy.

Once the correction is completed, it is time to start the official attack.

However, they generally fire in rounds. As for the three-shot rapid fire, they are only used to cause concentrated and intensive damage to the enemy.Otherwise, continuous rapid fire will only increase our army's ammunition consumption and increase the burden on the logistics and transportation battalions. "

Zhu Biao's eyes were opened today.

But he couldn't help but murmur in his heart, no wonder the old man had to leave the palace secretly from time to time.

It turns out that there are so many interesting and good things out there nowadays.

Zhu Biao looked excited and stared at his son in front of him: "My father is waiting for your good news in Yingtian."

After saying that, Zhu Biao reached out and patted Zhu Yunxi on the shoulder with encouragement.

Zhu Yunxi could only nod obediently.

He felt that after the prince's father saw the new artillery with his own eyes today and even tested it personally, if he said he was unwilling to go to the southwest, it was very likely that the prince's father would go to the battlefield with thousands of troops and these artillery.

sin sin.

Zhu Yunxi muttered twice silently in his heart, and looked at the prince's father quietly.

After three rounds of rapid fire, the officers and soldiers had begun to clean the inner wall of the gun barrel.According to normal use, there is no need to clean up immediately after three rounds of rapid fire.

It's just that these mortars are now experimental products. In order to ensure further improvement, every detail needs to be fully completed.

At this time, Zhu Biao was walking around the mortars being cleaned by officers and soldiers with his hands behind his back.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Zhu Yunxi's mind.

Will the prince's father take the path of a madman?

……

No one knows whether Zhu Biao went crazy or not.

But Xie Jin really went crazy.

The plan for the Western Railway finally reached a unified opinion in the cabinet.

The opinion is to build a large western railway starting from Henan Prefecture in the east and ending at Hamiwei in the west, passing through Henan Prefecture, Xi'an Prefecture, Fengxiang Prefecture, Gongchang Prefecture, Lintao Prefecture, Gulangsuo, Liangzhouwei, Yongchangwei, Shandanwei, Ganzhou, Gaotaisuo, Zhenyisuo, Suzhou Guard, Chijin Mongolian Guard, and finally the Hami Guard places.

This is a long railway of nearly five thousand miles.

Based on the budgeted costs of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs, the converted comprehensive cost of this railway will be as high as 5000 million taels.

Ten thousand taels of silver a mile.

And that’s not counting the later train manufacturing and construction of various stations.

The budget plan worth tens of millions of taels was quickly passed by the court after the cabinet reached a unified opinion.

Then Xie Jin devoted himself wholeheartedly to the construction of his western railway.

People from the Ministry of Industry must be indispensable, and they must also contact the River Governor's Office through the Ministry of Industry to verify the section of the Yellow River from Henan Road to Shaanxi Road to confirm that the river will not interact with the railway.

Then the Ministry of Household Affairs established a Western Railway Department, which was responsible for accounting and reviewing all expenditures for the Western Railway construction.

In addition, the two newly established yamen, Daming Bank and Daming Commercial House, were also involved in the construction of the Western Railway.

Daming Bank, in conjunction with the Account Department, began to prepare for a brand new economic model.

namely the Western Railway Construction Bond.

The interest rate is naturally not as high as that of the private sector, but it is the first step that Ming Dynasty began to try to integrate finance and more efficiently coordinate the world's money.

The reason why Daming Company participated was entirely to gain exclusive control over the freight operations throughout the entire territory of the Western Railway after its completion.

to this end.

Because the end of the year is approaching, and the Ministry of Revenue is caught up in the work of year-end settlement and preparation of the court's fiscal budget for the next year, it is difficult for the Ministry of Household Affairs to allocate money for the construction of the Western Railway.

The Ming Dynasty Company invested a full 100 million taels of silver in the early stage, and was actually transferred from the Ming Dynasty Bank to the Western Railway Construction Project Department headed by Xie Jin.

Xie Jin was very moved.

A big wave.

Since the completion of the Western Railway, the exclusive rights to operate cargo transportation within 15 years have been given to the Ming Dynasty Company.

Everything is running towards the ideal state.

However, recently, Jie Jin has gone from smiling all day long to crying without tears.

Since the plan for the construction of the western railway was approved by the imperial court, the first problem was the lack of cooperation from local governments along the railway line.

The local government's reasons are very good.

The railway you built in Jiege Lao can't be twisted, right? It will inevitably require the expropriation of local land.

Although the court will compensate the people for this land.

But for the people who had lost their land, the local government still had to settle them down.

How to settle the people became a matter for the local government.

No one is happy with the unnecessary increase in political burden.

Secondly, according to Xie Jin's plan, grassland herdsmen were recruited to build the railway.

The purpose of this is to save money.

Can the wages of herdsmen be compared with those of requisitioned people from the Central Plains?

Obviously not.

In addition, Zhili Road has begun to implement corvee employment. Xie Jin is very clear that it will not be long before the entire world will fully implement corvee employment.

When the time comes to requisition the people, the wages alone will be a huge sum.

But the local government said it again.

You, Mr. Jiege, have expropriated our people’s land and you haven’t let them do the work.This is to turn the people of the entire northwest into homeless people with nothing to do.

It's just that the first two things are not too difficult to solve.

It's just a matter of increasing the budget.

But the first two things about living people are easy to solve, but the last thing about dead people.

What makes Jie Jin's scalp numb the most is that he still can't think of a way to solve it.

………………

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

(End of this chapter)