The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 256

May twelfth.

The artillery field in the west of the city was extremely heavily guarded that day, and Zhang Zhou accompanied Zhu Youtang to inspect the artillery field in person.

Zhang Mao, Zhu Hui and other dignitaries, as well as Ma Wensheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, also came with them. Wang Qiong, a doctor from the household department and lecturer of Yanwutang, gave an explanation on artillery to Zhu Youtang and others on behalf of Zhang Zhou and Yanwutang.

"...Your Majesty, this kind of cannon is the sub-cannon that has shown its supernatural power in Ningyuan, Liaoning. This is the cannon body. If you want to change the ammunition, you can directly remove the sub-cannon and replace it. The ignition is triggered by the fuse. burning..."

"All long-distance cannons can bloom. Specifically, they can be divided into two types: ground flowering and air flowering. They are also called shotguns and flowering bombs in the army."

"This kind is the heavy cannon that Zhang Shi talked about just looking for someone to cast!"

Because it was just an inspection, everyone, including the emperor and Ma Wensheng, just had a look at the appearance of the cannon. As for the power, we had to wait a while for a demonstration.

Zhu Youtang asked, "What is heavy artillery?"

Wang Qiong looked at Zhang Zhou, meaning that you invented it, and it would be better for you to explain it in detail.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Your Majesty, look at this kind of gun. The barrel is very thick and long, and the gun body is thick. The range can reach five or six miles."

"So far?" Before Zhu Youtang could say anything, Ma Wensheng frowned and questioned.

"In Mabutang, the general Shenwei cannon weighs three to four hundred catties, but this kind of heavy cannon weighs more than two thousand catties alone, and the shell can weigh more than 30 catties... five miles away, it has been built I built a temporary city wall for experimentation, why don't we check its power together later?"

Zhang Zhou still attaches great importance to this kind of heavy artillery.

It couldn't be made before because of the serious shortage of steel production, but as the Xishan Coal Mine began to produce coal, steelmaking has also made great progress, and the material is no longer the biggest limitation.

This kind of cannon is not only like the "Hongyi Cannon" that was popular in the wars of the late Ming Dynasty, but its structure is actually more similar to the "Armstrong Cannon". In terms of range, it is farther and more powerful than the Hongyi Cannon. Adding yellow gunpowder can also achieve the effect of falling to the ground and blooming.

……

……

The cannonball has begun.

All the monarchs and ministers went up to the viewing platform on the hillside, looking at the process of the artillery show below from an almost vertical angle.

Xiao Jing also handed the telescope to Zhu Youtang. Zhu Youtang held the telescope in one hand and pointed it out through the opening of the battlements with the other and asked, "Bingkuan, is that the city wall over there?"

Zhang Zhou said: "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Let's say it's five or six miles away." Zhu Youtang said with emotion.

Ma Wensheng originally thought that Zhang Zhou would fake some parameters such as distance, but after seeing the distant city wall himself, he found that he would not have any doubts in this regard.

Zhang Zhou handed a small flag to Zhu Youtang and said, "Your Majesty, you should order the firing of the first shot."

"it is good!"

Zhu Youtang was very happy. He had always been sick, and for the first time he felt like going to battle to kill the enemy himself. Then he raised a small flag and waved it around.

There is a signal bomb going up next to it.

The people in charge of performing the cannon below became Wang Qiong and Zhu Feng, and two of his "professionals" were needed to be in charge at the critical moment. As for the Baoguo Gong Zhu Hui and others, they were just standing on the viewing platform.

"boom!"

One shot was fired.

A dark cannonball drew a wonderful parabola, and accurately hit a temporary city wall about 13 meters high, 50 meters wide, and four or five meters thick five or six miles away.

The fire came first, but when the shells went down, black smoke rose with the fire, and the surrounding city walls were not blown down, but were blown up directly, and the surrounding bricks and dust flew up, and a small mushroom cloud rose. When the audience watching the ceremony were still amazed at the power of the heavy artillery, the sound of "rumbling" came.

The mountain and the ground seemed to be trembling.

Zhang Mao exclaimed beside him, "It's like thunder on the ground."

Everyone looked at old man Zhang.

I was thinking in my heart, what's the matter with you here?What about talent and learning?
Zhu Youtang was a little flustered in his heart, and then he supported the battlements, and then stood still. After calming down a little, he was full of surprises on Zhang Zhou's face: "Very good."

No need for too many evaluations.

Even Ma Wensheng, who had accompanied Sheng Jia out of the city to watch the ceremony before, lost his temper at this time.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, the next step is to demonstrate the long-range cannon. But your majesty, compared to the heavy artillery, no matter how far the long-range cannon is, that's all."

"Hehe." Zhu Youtang smiled, "I won't give the order to fire, you come!"

Only then did Zhang Zhou pick up the command flag, and after circling a few times in the air, he gestured to fire.

……

……

The mother and child cannons were the most powerful weapon for winning the first battle in Ningyuan, but when the power of the heavy artillery was at the forefront, the three cannons fired shells, and after landing, they bloomed and burst into flames, and the scarecrows around them were in a mess...

The power is great.

But the pearls and jades were in front, and the people watching the ceremony felt a little dull.

Zhu Youtang was very excited to see it, his eyes glowed and said: "Is that a small long-range cannon that has such great power?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Majesty, the shells of long-distance artillery cover a large area, especially the shotgun shells, but their power is far inferior to that of heavy artillery. However, when the enemy invades the city with cavalry and infantry, it has an excellent blocking effect."

"What about the heavy artillery?" Ma Wensheng next to him questioned, "This kind of power will also pose a certain threat to our Daming Fortress."

He almost wanted to say that the Tatars don't like building fortresses very much. If you use such a powerful artillery to go to the battlefield, it will not be effective in defeating the enemy, but the enemy imitated it and used it to deal with the Daming Chengguan Fortress.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Ma Butang's question is good. The heavy artillery is so powerful that it can be used as a city fortress. It is impossible for every city in the Ming Dynasty to cast dozens or hundreds of these heavy artillery pieces, right? In this way, the defense of the Daming Pass City Expanding the range to five or six miles away, for the performance of the Daming cavalry, there will be a depth of advance and retreat, and the northern Diyi may find it difficult to approach our Daming city gate in the future!"

After all, Ma Wensheng understood soldiers, so he could only nod in agreement.

If it was like before, Ming’s artillery could only cover 200 meters outside the city, and they would send a big iron ball out without any coverage. In fact, it would be difficult for Ming’s cavalry to fight against the Tatar cavalry with their backs against the city wall.

It is impossible to "advance, attack, retreat, and defend".

However, if there were mother and child cannons, the cavalry would not have to hide in the city to find opportunities, but could go out of the city, and retreat immediately after attacking and harassing. The Tatars would not dare to go within two or three miles of the fortress.

If it is replaced with heavy artillery, the effect will be even better.

Unlike ordinary civil servants worried, this kind of heavy artillery has no effect on the Tatars, but only threatens the city gates of Ming Dynasty... Even Ma Wensheng seems to be able to see that it is not easy for the Tatars to imitate this kind of heavy artillery. It is not an ordinary craft. Ma Wensheng has seen a lot of cannons. How the two cannons are cast has not yet been figured out.

……

……

"It's no wonder the prince saw the cannon last time, and he told me how powerful it is. After seeing it myself, I also have a deep understanding." Zhu Youtang said with emotion.

It was only then that Ma Wensheng knew that the prince had seen the artillery show earlier than the emperor.

On the contrary, the understanding of Zhang Zhou's invention of artillery by Korean and Chinese officials is still on paper.

Ma Wensheng also sighed in his heart, with such artillery, and the Tatars didn't know it, how could they be undefeated?
"Okay, it's getting late, and it's time to go back to the city. I can't interrupt the errands of the yamen." Zhu Youtang said, "I've been out for a while, so I shouldn't delay any longer. British Duke, Ma Qing's family, Let's say goodbye."

What the emperor means is that we are neither coming together nor going back together, we are just saying goodbye here, whichever time you like to go back.

In name, I want to go back to the palace, but don't ask too much about where I'm going.

Zhang Zhou accompanied Zhu Youtang down the hillside. Before Luan could drive, Zhu Youtang asked, "Bingkuan, didn't you say you have arrangements for today? How?"

Zhu Youtang is not very willing to ask about the artillery now. It seems that he also feels that as long as Zhang Zhou is there, everything can be taken care of. , he is only responsible for listening to the results report.

save time and energy.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Your Majesty, you know that this is the arrangement of the Empress Dowager. I have to obey orders."

"Understood." Zhu Youtang was also laughing, "If it wasn't for the emperor's grandmother, I might not take it too seriously. Are you going to Qingyunhou Mansion or Changningbo Mansion?"

This sentence let Zhang Zhou know that, in fact, the Empress Dowager Zhou has become anxious recently, and some of her tone has been revealed to Zhu Youtang.

Zhang Zhoudao: "No, it's just watching a play in Chang Ningbo's theater garden in the city. Just treat it as His Majesty going out of the palace to see the performance of the cannon, and to adjust his mood in a different way."

"Okay, you arrange it."

Zhu Youtang had no resistance to going out of the palace to see the folk customs and customs.

Now the old lady is anxious to let him accept a concubine, and he has gradually accepted the idea of ​​"let it be" in his heart, so he naturally calms down, and just needs to follow Zhang Zhou's arrangement, as if he is out to play.

……

……

Zhu Youtang and his entourage entered the city, and under the strict protection of Jin Yiwei, they arrived at Changning Bo Zhouyu's "opera garden" in Huanghuafang in the east of the city.

"The place is not small."

After Zhu Youtang entered the shop along the street, he found that it was a "hidden cave". In the courtyard surrounded by pavilions on all sides of the garden, a stage was set up. The surrounding palace guards had fully guarded it, and there were no idlers.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Uncle Chang Ning used to run a chess club here for people to drink tea and have fun, but the management was not good. He just changed the opera garden, and all the people he invited were Southern opera troupes from the south."

While talking, the two monarchs and ministers, accompanied by Xiao Jing, Mou Bin and others, went up to the second floor and entered the central box prepared for them.

From the window, you can directly see the scene on the stage downstairs.

Zhu Youtang asked, "What play?"

Zhang Zhou looked at Xiao Jing who was on the side, Xiao Jing smiled and said: "I asked, it's "Farewell My Concubine", actors, musicians and so on have been interrogated."

"Ah."

Zhu Youtang sat down and prepared to watch the play.

Before watching, I did not forget to say with emotion: "If the emperor's grandmother just let me come out to watch the play, it would be less worrying."

……

……

This play was naturally arranged by Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhou's intention is also very simple, that is to let Zhu Youtang try to approach "women" from different angles.

Listening to the opera is just a way to see if Zhu Youtang calls the actresses and whether they will blend into the atmosphere on and off the stage. The actors, especially the actresses, are also carefully selected, and some of them are not Professional actors, they are pretty in themselves, but they have no background.

This is in line with the needs of the Empress Dowager Zhou.

The Empress Dowager Zhou's most taboo is the disorderly government of her relatives. If the Zhang family is left behind, and the Li family and the Sun family come out later, she will be stealing chickens and making money.

It is best to only give birth to the emperor, without asking about the origin, but you can't just send a woman of unknown origin to the emperor, you need to make a selection in the selection.

The concubines of the Ming emperor are different from those of the previous dynasties. They basically don’t engage in marriages. They all marry women from small families. Many of the concubines are directly raised from the palace maids. The recent two generations are more famous Even Concubine Wan Gui and Zhu Youtang's biological mother, Empress Dowager Ji, in Daming, as long as they are the sons of the emperor, there is no distinction of high or low.

On the stage, it was carried out with the beating of gongs and drums.

A "Southern Opera" transformed by Zhang Zhou began to be staged.

Zhu Youtang is not a fancier, and he doesn't have much interest in dramas, but as the play progresses, Zhu Youtang still likes to watch it.

The reason is that after Zhang Zhou's transformation, this play is no longer just a Southern opera with old-fashioned singing, but with the shadow of Peking Opera later, the singing tunes are even more harmonious, and the plot tends to be more "" "Dramatic", the stage props, setting, and service have all been transformed.

At least Zhu Youtang blended in and watched with relish.

Occasionally, Zhang Zhou explained the plot by the side.

For things like watching a play, the first time you watch it is usually just to watch the excitement. Fans generally like to read a play over and over again, so that they can feel the fun of it.

Zhang Zhou obviously couldn't get the emperor to watch a play many times, and he didn't intend to cultivate Zhu Youtang into a theater fanatic. His intention was very clear...to highlight the charm of female actors, and pay more attention to the makeup and stage skills of female actors. Make a little fuss to make the emperor feel interested... but only to the point of interest, there is no way for the emperor to accept people directly.

Another point is that Zhang Zhou should try his best to stay out of the matter.

Watching a play is watching a play.

If the audience is interested in the actor, it is also a chemical reaction. If someone has ulterior motives to blame, it should be the Queen Mother Zhou and the two brothers of the Zhou family. I, Zhang Zhou, am just a theatergoer and a "victim".

When "Yu Ji" came out.

Zhang Zhou also intentionally observed Zhu Youtang's reaction, and found that Zhu Youtang didn't show much interest, and he didn't even look at it a few times.

Zhang Zhou was thinking about it.

Maybe it's better to have a "fairy match", or the emperor is more interested in the scene where fairies have love with mortals?Or is it more interesting to make the story of the fairy hanging from the sky with the coercive robe fluttering down from the sky?
With the end of Wujiang's self-defeating scene.

Zhu Youtang and Zhang Zhou's movie watching is also over, and the experience... that's all.

……

……

"Bingkuan, it's good." After watching the play, Zhu Youtang looked away and said something to Zhang Zhou with a smile.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "I'm only here to complete the task assigned by the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty to that actor?"

"Haha." Zhu Youtang said, "Just by looking at it a few times, will I accept her as a concubine? I understand that the imperial grandmother has painstakingly arranged so many things, but I hope that the queen can spread more branches and leaves for the royal family. Back then The former emperor had many concubines, what happened?"

Zhang Zhou nodded.

In addition to physical weakness, psychological resistance is also a big factor for the emperor not to accept concubines.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was once a victim of court struggles, but Zhang Zhou felt that the emperor's actions were a bit "overkill".

"His Majesty……"

Here the monarchs and ministers are discussing the important matter of the Dragon Heir.

Over there, Mu Bin stood at the door, clasped his fists and saluted.

Zhu Youtang asked, "What's the matter?"

Mu Bin looked embarrassed, but he looked at Zhang Zhou first, and Zhang Zhou knew that nothing good happened.

"Catch...an assassin." Mou Bin said.

"assassin?"

Not only Zhu Youtang was surprised, but even Zhang Zhou was baffled.

Is it really on stage?Accompanying the emperor out of the palace to watch a play, but someone came to assassinate him?

Mou Binzheng didn't know how to explain it, but it was Xiao Jing who trotted all the way over, breathless and said: "Your Majesty... is a woman named Ning, and she didn't report her background, so she wanted to force her way in, and even asked her name to see...Mr. Zhang. "

Ning Tong.

Zhang Zhou almost wanted to hit someone.

This is not in his plan, but it is probably understandable. Recently, Ning Tong and Chen's daughter have been completely left out. Before Ning Tong wanted to discuss the bidding with him through Zhu Feng, he was also shunned by his business.

He was really busy recently, but he didn't expect that Ning Tong would come to look for him.

When Zhu Youtang heard that it was the woman who came to look for Zhang Zhou, he asked with a smile, "Bingkuan, did you arrange this too?"

"No." Zhang Zhou replied directly, "It was purely accidental."

"Then bring the man up!"

Zhu Youtang heard that she was just an unarmed woman, so naturally she was not vigilant, and instead ordered someone to be brought up to show him.

……

……

Ning Tong was escorted upstairs like this, and when she reached the door, she said with disdain: "Are you guys so rude to the guests?"

"Ha ha."

If you haven't seen him, hear his voice first.

Zhu Youtang couldn't help laughing.

Zhu Youtang should have never seen such a woman with personality.

Afterwards, Ning Tong was escorted into the room by the guards in plain clothes. She was still dressed in plain clothes, but she looked elegant and refined. Zhang Zhou was also wondering if divorced women would unconsciously emit a gaze that attracts the opposite sex?

Could it be that you, Ning, are determined to enter the palace?
I really underestimated you.

"Your Majesty!"

Jin Yiwei scolded.

Although Ning Tong could see that they were all soldiers, she was not afraid.

She was originally from a military family, and she married into Cheng Guogong's mansion before, and later she could see Jin Yiwei every day beside Zhang Zhou.

Who was Miss Ning afraid of?
"I'm just looking for Zhang Zhou, I have something to talk to him about!"

Ning Tong stared at Zhang Zhou. She might have been worried that Zhang Zhou was meeting some "big shot".

But she is not even afraid of Cheng Guotai's wife, the largest capital is only the Duke of the country, so is it possible that there are still princes who can't enter the capital?

Seeing that Zhang Zhou and that person were just sitting on equal footing as if they were friends, she was even less worried, as she guessed that he was just a member of the governor's mansion with a few soldiers under him.

"Mr. Zhang, should we fulfill what we promised earlier?" Ning Tong glared at Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhou covered his mouth with his hands, and without getting up, he moved closer to Zhu Youtang and explained, "I just reconciled with Zhijie, the former Mrs. Anbianhou."

"Haha."

Zhu Youzhang was about to get angry and reprimanded, because some woman doesn't understand the rules here.

But after hearing the background of this woman, Zhu Youtang couldn't help laughing.

(End of this chapter)