The world of counterfeit magistrates competes in the world

Chapter 455 Gunpowder first appeared in the Central Plains
After discussing all matters, Lin Yifan officially appointed Cheng Yi as the governor of the Governor's Office, and chose a day to go to the Western Regions to serve.At the same time, recruitment notices were posted all over Hengshan to lure the people to move to the Western Regions.The original Chasha Kingdom was renamed Chasha County, which was temporarily managed by the Duhufu.

However, just as they were rejoicing at the triumphant return of the Western Expedition up and down Hengshan, the news from Yanzhou immediately made Lin Yifan and the others feel gloomy.

According to the news from the Yanzhou shadow guards, Cao Jun actually used gunpowder in the battle, captured Pingyang County City in one fell swoop, and wiped out as many as [-] Yanzhou troops.After this battle, the Yanzhou Army suffered heavy losses, and the entire Pingyang County was occupied. Now that the Cao Army has marched north, the Yanzhou Army was defeated, and all of them fled northward.

Upon hearing this news, Lin Yifan and the others were all in shock, thinking that there was something wrong with their own Qiaogong Bureau, so they quickly investigated it.However, after the investigation, no possibility of being leaked was found, so I couldn't help feeling very puzzled.

Lin Yifan immediately recruited Jia Shidao, who was in charge of gunpowder research, and asked, "Master Jia, besides you, who else in the world knows how to make gunpowder?"

"The gunpowder was discovered by accident when the poor Taoist was refining alchemy again. I'm afraid no one in this world will know about it except the poor Taoist." Jia Shidao stroked his long beard proudly.

"But now Cao Jun already has gunpowder, how should I say that?" Lin Yifan was furious when he heard this.

"This?" Jia Shidao rolled his eyes, "Perhaps there are internal thieves in this craftsman bureau?"

"Hmph, we have already investigated, and no one is suspected, except you." Lin Yifan snorted coldly.

"My lord, you have wronged the poor man." Jia Shidao waved his hands in horror, "The poor man has been living in a secluded place for the past few years, devoting himself to researching gunpowder, so there is no way he would sell gunpowder. What's more, leaking the formula of gunpowder, What good is it for the poor?"

Lin Yifan thought about it, and his doubts about him gradually dissipated.In the past few years, although he has been treated preferentially, people are always monitoring him, and it may not be so easy to leak it. "You don't need to worry too much, Daoist Jia. I'm not suspicious of you. It's just that this gunpowder is your secret. Who in the world can develop it?"

The two couldn't help but fell into deep thought, for a long time, Jia Shidao let out a soft "huh" and raised his head with a solemn look on his face.

"What's wrong with Taoist priest?" Lin Yifan frowned slightly and looked up at him.

"If there is anyone in this world who has seen the power of gunpowder, it is only my nephew Zhang Jidao." Jia Shidao said with a gloomy expression, changing his glib tongue from before.

"Zhang Jidao?"

"My lord, this Jidao is my disciple who looks at the sky and is the beloved disciple of Brother Pindao. This person has great ambitions, trying to unify the entire Tiandao Sect, and then infiltrate the court to achieve the **** system he has done." Jia Shidao explained, "However, my view of Chaotian is just a small school among the factions of Tiandao, and I don't care about his grand speeches. But since Pindao relied on alchemy to get lucky and become a guest on the emperor's seat At that time, he came uninvited and asked Pindao to take him in. Pindao thought of his brother's early death, and couldn't bear to refuse him, so he left him to preside over the Taoist temple in the capital. Occasionally, Pindao was on a business trip to study explosives and sent There was a loud noise. At that time, he was in the outhouse, heard it and rushed to inquire, but the poor Taoist did not dare to reveal it, so he dismissed him on the grounds that he had made a mistake in alchemy. He was not confused at the time, and left after a few words of comfort."

Lin Yifan couldn't help but become serious after hearing this, "That nephew of yours really has great ambitions, ****? Huh! Daoist Jia, since your nephew has no doubts, then this time he can control it." Out of gunpowder, do you have a formula left there?"

"Impossible, all the recipes are written in that booklet." Jia Shidao shook his head and denied, "This is the foundation for the poor to live and work. Even the nephew refused to tell him, so how dare he leave any traces?" .”

That being the case, how did this Jidao master the formula of gunpowder?
Just when Lin Yifan was puzzled, Jia Shidao seemed to have thought of something, and his face changed, "My lord, it's too bad, although Pindao never disclosed the formula, but in order to refine gunpowder, he combined the ingredients of the formula with the ingredients of alchemy. Together, let him be responsible for the purchase. It is very likely that my nephew slowly analyzed the gunpowder formula through these materials."

Lin Yifan thought about it for a while, and it was really possible.Immediately said with a serious face: "Master Jia, the matter has come to this point, the formula of gunpowder may no longer be kept secret."

"Ah, this, what should I do?" Jia Shidao panicked suddenly. If the secret of gunpowder cannot be kept, then wouldn't he be worthless?

"So, Daoist Jia has to work hard." A gleam flashed in Lin Yifan's eyes, "If the gunpowder formula can't be kept, then we can develop a more powerful gunpowder. As long as our gunpowder is always ahead of others, even if this gunpowder formula Leaking out will not change our advantage."

"But this gunpowder is so easy to study." Jia Shidao smiled bitterly, "Pindao has been here for several years, but he has not been able to break through the yellow gunpowder you mentioned. But I can assure you that we have developed The gunpowder produced is definitely the most powerful gunpowder in the world, and what my nephew is currently developing is just the basic gunpowder from before."

"Hasn't it been developed yet?" Lin Yifan frowned slightly, disappointed in his heart.In fact, he didn't know that the method of making this yellow gunpowder had long been beyond the understanding of this world.He only vaguely knew that there was yellow powder after black powder, so he tried to ask Jia Shidao to conduct research to see if it could be produced. "This matter should continue, and there is no need to be too anxious now. But you must not take it lightly. The method of making gunpowder is too simple. Once it is known, it is difficult to guarantee that no one will come from behind."

"Yes, yes, what your lord said is right." Jia Shidao quickly nodded and bowed, and assured him, "Pindao will definitely study hard, and he will never disappoint your lord."

"Okay, you go down first." Lin Yifan nodded and waved him back.

After Jia Shidao withdrew, Lin Yifan summoned Han Santie and asked him about the development progress of the artillery.Now gunpowder can no longer be counted on, so we have to work hard on the use of gunpowder.

"My lord, now that iron smelting technology has made a major breakthrough, casting cannons is not difficult. However, it takes half a month to polish a cannon, and the output has not been able to increase. Moreover, because the hardness of the cannon body is too brittle, it is often marked more than a dozen times. There will be cracks, and it has to be scrapped. The loss outweighs the gain. We, Qiaogong Bureau, have been studying this problem, but we haven't found a solution yet."

"Oh, we need to step up the development of this matter, and we don't have much time." Lin Yifan sighed slightly. He only knew superficially about artillery, and he couldn't start to solve it now. "By the way, what about the development of the musket? How is it going?"

"This, my lord, there are still many technical obstacles in the musket you mentioned, and we are stepping up our research." Han Santie said with a guilty conscience, sweating slightly on his forehead.

"This matter is not in a hurry, Mr. Han, don't worry about it." Lin Yifan waved his hand and said with a smile, "Now let's cast a batch of cannons for the defense of each pass. There are also marching cannons, we must pay attention to miniaturization, which is convenient and easy bring."

"My lord, don't worry, the largest marching artillery we have developed today is no more than five hundred catties, and can be dragged by a carriage. The smallest is only thirty catties, and can be carried by a single person. However, these marching artillery are really powerful. It is not as good as the city defense cannon, and the highest range is only more than 300 meters. As for the single-person artillery, the range is not even as good as the bow and arrow." Han Song pouted slightly, very dissatisfied with the effect.

"That's about it." Lin Yifan was not dissatisfied with this. After all, artillery is a new thing, and it was not long before it was born. It is already very good to reach this level. "Master Han, I hope that within the next year, the military factory will set up city defense cannons on all of our passes, and each army will be able to equip at least one Shenji Battalion."

"This? My lord, artillery not only costs iron, but also costs at least a thousand taels of silver to cast a cannon and shells, and in the process, there is a [-]% scrap rate. This is equivalent to casting a cannon, which is equivalent to The price of the two doors." Han Santie said in a dilemma, "My lord, are you sure you want to cast so many?"

"I know this, but this matter cannot be delayed." Lin Yifan nodded without hesitation, and said firmly.

"Since this is the case, the subordinates must do their best to complete the task." Seeing the seriousness of the adults, Han Santie immediately accepted the order.

(End of this chapter)