Cutting over the end of the Ming Dynasty: a dog-leg knife at the beginning

Chapter 433 Second Entry to Beijing

Gun cotton is a good thing. It is simple to make and has great power. After the explosion, there is very little residue, so it is easy to keep the inside of the chamber clean. It is an ideal propellant.However, dry gun cotton is very dangerous, a little spark will explode, so it must be kept slightly damp, or treated with methanol-ether mixture to reduce its sensitivity, otherwise it will definitely kill people.Unfortunately, the output of nitric acid is too low. Yang Menglong tried his best to eat milk. The money he spent was enough to pile up a mountain of silver. He could only produce [-] to [-] tons of nitric acid at most in a month. Even if all the nitric acid is used to make guncotton, it won't make much, and it will only be a few tons if it is exhausted. What use can it be?If it is used as a rocket propellant, dozens of rocket launchers will be hit in all directions with a single salvo.But if it is used as musket propellant, this output is completely sufficient, and it is no problem to supply at least a few thousand musketeers.

After Yang Menglong left, Lu Xiangsheng also made a batch of gun cotton according to the method he taught, and then soaked in the shooting range to supervise the experiment... The results of the experiment made him overjoyed: using gun cotton as propellant, the range of the flintlock gun The increase is more than half. Due to the power of the propellant, the muzzle velocity given to the projectile is naturally greater. The bullet can easily be fired more than 1000 meters away. An ordinary soldier uses it to shoot at a chest target 120 meters away. Ten rounds of bullets have at least Eight rounds can hit the target!This also means that the mode of queuing and shooting has undergone a subversive change. The enemy army is still 80 meters away, and the musketeers of the Tianxiong Army can inflict huge damage on the enemy army with fierce volleys of guns. When the enemy army approaches [-] meters At that time, they will be greeted with precise shooting, and they will fall down in pieces every time they take a step forward.Not to mention, gun cotton has another great feature: it does not produce smoke when it deflagrates, so the musketeer does not have to worry about being covered by the smoke from the muzzle of the gun, as long as the barrel is not hot enough to detonate the propellant. At this point, they can keep shooting until the enemy's corpses are all over the battlefield.

Lu Xiangsheng was overjoyed, and immediately ordered to try to produce nitric acid. At the same time, he stopped the production of muskets and focused on the production of flintlock guns.

Due to the more complex craftsmanship of flintlock guns and the relatively high requirements for machining accuracy, the military factory of the Tianxiong Army spent a lot of effort and could only produce [-] to [-] pieces a month, which is still a lot of use. The result of hydraulic machinery and assembly line operations.However, this kind of output is enough to be proud of most arsenals in this era.

After staying on the Daoming Dao Cang government for a day, Yang Menglong was on the road again.He had an extra toy in his hand: a flintlock with an incomplete rifling.The flintlock has quietly risen in Europe and will become the mainstream equipment of the European army in the next 20 years, but the rifled flintlock is the only one in the shit of scorpions.Its appearance reminded him: You can no longer be obsessed with the power of the crossbow array, and you must work harder in musket research!He is not interested in taking a group of crossbowmen to shoot at the enemy armed with flintlocks, to verify whether the Chinese crossbows are stronger or the western flintlocks are stronger!
After hurrying for more than half a month, I finally arrived in the capital.Li Yan and Hong Niangzi were somewhat excited, the capital city, the capital of the empire, it is an honor to visit here.But the scrawny beggars begging around on the streets of Beijing and the timid children with grass bones on their heads standing on the side of the street and waiting for buyers with their mothers made these two feel heavy. The red lady couldn't help saying: "Those officials What are they doing for food, so many people have been displaced, so they just pretend they didn’t see it?”

Cao Huachun smiled wryly: "This year is over. General Yang captured Dengzhou and seized the property collected by the rebels and handed it over to the treasury. The emperor finally has some money in his hands. From time to time, he can use some money from his internal funds to help the hungry people. , so not many people died of starvation, but last year, several cartloads of dead bodies had to be pulled out of the city every day."

The red lady said mockingly: "According to this, we still have to be grateful to the emperor?"

Li Yan frowned and did not speak.Yang Menglong said: "I said aunt, let's accumulate some virtue in your mouth. The emperor is also powerless. The treasury is starving to death. What will he use to resettle the refugees?"

The red lady had a bad look on her face: "He has repeatedly paid more and more money, forcing many people's families to be ruined. It's almost a bone drain, and you still have the nerve to call them poor? Well, I believe you are not boasting, little brat. The treasury is indeed very poor. So, where is the money? Where did the tax collected go?"

Yang Menglong rolled his eyes: "If you ask me, I'll ask whom!"

Cao Huachun glanced at Madam Hong, wondering whether he should mobilize people from Dongchang to arrest this woman who had never paid attention to the emperor... But he finally gave up such an idea. Who would let him? She is Yang Menglong's good friend, and Yang Menglong is his great god of wealth?It's not worth offending Yang Menglong for such a trivial matter.He said: "Master Yang, you go to the post house to stay first, and our family will go to the palace to report to the Holy Majesty, and the Holy Majesty will summon you soon."

Yang Menglong said: "Then there is Mr. Lao!"

Cao Huachun said: "I don't dare to take it. We are all doing things for the emperor..." He looked at the red lady and said seriously: "This little lady, listen to us, this capital is different from other places, you'd better control it. Your own mouth, or beware of misfortune coming out of your mouth!"

The red lady snorted, "What can you do with me?"

Cao Huachun said: "This is the end of our family's words. As for whether you can listen to it or not, it's up to you. I hope you don't make it difficult for General Yang." to the palace.Yang Menglong also took people to live in the post house. After driving for more than ten days, he was so tired that he wanted to sleep for three days and three nights, and he would kill anyone who dared to wake him up.

Cao Huachun entered the palace, took a good bath, rested, and adjusted to the best condition to meet Chongzhen.When Chongzhen finally found time to summon him, it was already midnight.Under the candlelight, this very young emperor who showed his old age early was tirelessly dealing with things that could never be finished. He had to worry about all the big and small things in the entire empire. Almost boiled dry.After Cao Huachun came in, he just looked up, then lowered his head to look at the memorial, and asked calmly, "Are you back?"

Cao Huachun said respectfully: "If you go back to the Long Live Lord, the slaves are back."

Chongzhen quickly replied in an official document: "This time I went to Nanyang, what did I see?"

Cao Huachun said: "All industries are flourishing, the government is well-organized and the people are harmonious. It is hardly in the same world as Daming."

Chongzhen stopped writing and raised his head: "Huh? How should I say it?"

Cao Huachun said: "Although the bandits are active in the area of ​​Funiu Mountain, although the rebels of King Qin have captured Xiangfan, which is only a short distance from Nanyang, Nanyang is still stable and prosperous. The refugees who used to make a living can survive there. Less than one beggar." After thinking for a while, he added: "The same is true for the three daimyo prefectures."

Chongzhen sighed: "Yang Menglong, Lu Xiangsheng... in the entire Ming Dynasty, I'm afraid they are the only ones who can give Lian a little peace of mind. How is my new army?"

Cao Huachun said: "The two new armies, Tianxiong Army and Heluo Army, are full of energy and fighting spirit. With the order of Long Live God, they will fight with all three armies, and they will die without hesitation. With such elites in hand, the mere bandits , Jian slave, it's not worth mentioning!"

Chongzhen smiled bitterly and continued to read the memorial: "Cao Banban, I wish I were as optimistic as you said... These two new armies are indeed very capable of fighting and very obedient. They will fight wherever they are told, but I I don't dare to use them easily... or rather, I don't know how to use them! Now there are rebellions everywhere, and the Jiannu are watching covetously outside the pass. I only have so many armies and only so many generals that I can use. I am really afraid that they will suffer too much loss in any battle, and then there will be no troops available when I need them most. Those courtiers have always opposed the use of these two new armies, saying that they are too murderous. , it’s okay to use it to suppress slaves, but if it’s used to suppress rogue bandits, I’m afraid it will be counterproductive.” He put down the pen, held his head in his hands and leaned back, closed his eyes and murmured to himself: “I know, what they said is all lies. I can smell their disgusting selfishness ten miles away. They are just afraid. They are afraid that these two new armies will continue to grow and threaten their status. In order to ensure that their status is not threatened, they will not hesitate to do anything. Sacrificing the whole country... But I know they have selfish intentions, but I can't do anything about them... So tired..."

Cao Huachun looked at the exhausted emperor, his nose was sore, he knelt on the ground and bowed deeply, and said: "Long Live Lord, don't be so troubled, General Yang will definitely find a solution!"

Chongzhen still smiled wryly: "What can he do?"

Cao Huachun said loudly: "Nanyang and Ruzhou are both barren lands, where the poor and the people are stubborn, but he has a way to turn these two places into a paradise on earth in just three years. What else can he not do? In fact, Long Live There is no need to think about it so much, just order the Tianxiong army to leave Taihang, and the Heluo new army will go south to Xiangfan. Within two months, the bandits will be wiped out..."

Chongzhen said: "It would be great if it was so easy... Cao Banban, you go and make arrangements. Tomorrow night, I will host a banquet in the Imperial Garden to receive this Ming Kou Junhou." He smiled, "Although that stupid boy is impulsive, , and his speech is a bit vulgar, but his innocence is still intact, talking to him will make me feel a little more relaxed."

Cao Huachun kowtowed and said, "Your maid obeys the order!"

Chongzhen said: "You have driven so many days, you are tired enough, go down and rest." He picked up a memorial and opened it. What on earth do these censors want to do? Do they have to overthrow all those who can do something for me before they are willing to stop!" Throwing the memorial far away with a snap, his chest heaved slightly, obviously out of anger It's hard work.

Cold sweat broke out on Cao Huachun's forehead, and he didn't dare to breathe, so he retreated slowly.As far as he knew, several boxes of such memorials had been piled up, all of which were for the impeachment of Yang Menglong, but what kind of excuse did the censor find to impeach Yang Menglong this time?

(End of this chapter)