Reborn as a tyrant in the Ming Dynasty

"Does the Qing family think it's too weird?"

Zhu Youxiao smiled and looked at Jiao Xu, who had a strange expression.

"Yes...a little bit."

Jiao Xu's Adam's apple squirmed, he held the file in his hand, and frowned slightly: "Although I don't know much about gunpowder, I have never heard or seen anyone adding sugar to gunpowder."

"The Qing family has never heard of it or seen it, but that doesn't mean it's not feasible."

Zhu Youxiao said: "When gunpowder was originally developed, it was accidentally tinkered with by alchemists who wanted to refine elixirs and explore immortality."

"But in fact, there is probably no immortality in this world. It would be strange if there really was one. But the gunpowder that was accidentally tinkered with has become a rare item."

"This gunpowder plus sugar can lower the ignition point of the gunpowder, improve the stability of the gunpowder, and enhance the power of the gunpowder depending on the mixing ratio. However, the specific ratio needs to be explored by the Arms Bureau."

"I will arrange manpower to study it after I return."

Jiao Xu bowed his head slightly and said: "If this novel formula is really useful, the improved gunpowder produced in the future can be used as the primer of the percussion flintlock gun, and the range and power will be improved."

"It depends on the Arms Bureau's future plans."

Zhu Youxiao smiled slightly and said: "I think what the Arms Bureau needs to do is not only the existing clear things, but also establishing new standards."

"I'll take gunpowder as an example. Can the gunpowder that the Qing family thinks is suitable for firecrackers really meet the needs of artillery? Whether it's a firecracker or an artillery piece, the prerequisite for ensuring range and power is that the gunpowder is strong enough. In this way, Only when it is fully burned by fire can it burst out with enough energy."

"Have the Qing family done any comparison before? They are the same gunpowder, one is in powder form and the other is in granular form. These two different forms of gunpowder are shot with the same gun. Which one shoots farther? The latter shoots farther?”

This time Jiao Xu's expression changed.

He had never tried an experiment like this before. In Jiao Xu's understanding, the range and power of firecrackers, including artillery, were certainly related to gunpowder, but they were limited to large quantities and small quantities. Therefore, if you want to improve the range and power of the Fire Cannon, you should focus more on the Fire Cannon itself.

After all, the amount of gunpowder added is too much. If the quality of the gun barrel and the gun barrel is not good, it will easily lead to the risk of explosion. Therefore, Jiao Xu pays more attention to the quality of the iron materials needed to make the gun barrel and gun barrel... …

But what Zhu Youxiao mentioned is like opening up a new path under the inherent thinking, and there are many directions to choose from.

"I have allocated so much money directly from internal funds to the Armament Bureau, not only because I want you to produce all kinds of firearms, ordnance, etc. to meet the imperial court's various supplies of military supplies."

Zhu Youxiao continued: "I also hope that the Arms Bureau can explore a new way, just like medicinal materials, which are carefully classified, which medicinal materials should be used to treat what diseases, and how to neutralize their medicinal properties. If there is a missing medicinal material, can it be replaced with other medicinal materials?"

"As the world often says, firearms are a broad term. Can they be subdivided into categories such as firearms, artillery, and gunpowder products? And under these broad categories, can they be further refined? These are These are all things the Arms Bureau will do in the future.”

specialization.

Standardization.

Mass production.

This is Zhu Youxiao's expectation for the Arms Bureau. He hopes that the Arms Bureau in the future can grow into the bright pearl of the Ming Dynasty's military industry and be able to define this industry in detail. The supporting industries closely related to it must also strictly follow the new standards and make corresponding innovations.

Ming Dynasty's current scientific and technological fields and cultural fields are actually no worse than those of other countries at the same time. In some fields, they are even far ahead.

Such as astronomy.

It's just that due to the influence of Confucianism, too many of the above-mentioned fields are in a situation of being looked down upon. Everything is inferior but reading is good. This has long been ingrained in the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, Zhu Youxiao must make changes. If this ideology cannot be reversed, then even if he can reverse the fate of the Ming Dynasty, he will not be able to change the final trend.

"The Arms Bureau cannot restrict itself. You have to dare to think and act, and don't be afraid of how much money it costs. I still say the same thing. As long as the Arms Bureau can come up with emerging products that satisfy me, money is not a problem!"

Seeing that Jiao Xu was silent, Zhu Youxiao directly stated what he thought.

"Your Majesty, if this is really the case, I need more like-minded people." After hearing this, Jiao Xu tried to calm down his inner emotions and bowed solemnly.

"Although I can maintain what the Arms Bureau is doing now by myself, it is difficult for me to do what His Majesty said if we want to divide it in such detail."

"There will be."

Zhu Youxiao expressed comfort and said: "The Qing family will have to work harder during this period. When talents like Xu Guangqi and Song Yingxing arrive in the capital, I will send them to help reduce the burden on the Qing family. However, the Qing family must also pay attention. If you want To have more like-minded people working together with the Qing family, we still need to cultivate more talents."

"For example, the craftsmen's apprentices under the jurisdiction of the Arms Bureau can completely impart knowledge to them, let them receive enlightenment education, and learn more words, and then train them according to the fields they are proficient in. Even if there is one talent among a hundred people, this is It’s something worth doing.”

Yes!

Jiao Xu was a little excited when he heard this. He had never thought about this before. This was not because Jiao Xu wanted to hold on to the power in his hands, but in fact it was a fixed thinking influence.

Speaking of which, talents like Jiao Xu and Song Yingxing were all scholars. However, they read very miscellaneous books and did not make any big breakthroughs in the imperial examinations, which made them obsessed with the field of scientific research. However, this was not the case in the Ming Dynasty. In mainstream thinking, this is unacceptable.

Not to mention Jiao Xu and Song Yingxing, in order to learn more new knowledge, they had frequent contact with Western missionaries, and some even believed in sects, which was unacceptable to many scholar-bureaucrats.

It's just that in Zhu Youxiao's view, as long as the great voyage is not suspended, the collision of Eastern and Western cultural ideas is inevitable.

Rather than passively accepting, it is better to open your mind and take the initiative to contact.

Assimilate the useful things, isolate the useless things, take the essence and discard the dross. Isn't this the broadmindedness that the civilization nurtured by China should have?

"Be bold to try, be bold to explore, and don't be bound by temporary failures. The truth can only be discovered through practice."

Zhu Youxiao said: "I have high expectations for the Arms Bureau. I hope that the Qing family will not disappoint me. As long as the Arms Bureau can make a big breakthrough, I will never be stingy with rewards. Even if it is a title, I will be able to do it." Rewarded by imperial decree!"

Professional matters should be left to professionals. Zhu Youxiao's position was very clear, that is to tell Jiao Xu and the others the general direction of their knowledge, so that they can explore and study without distraction. As for the time spent during this period, Money and food, that’s not what they have to consider!

Since Ming Dynasty has talents in this field and the direction that should be pointed out has been pointed out, Zhu Youxiao does not believe that emerging products with epoch-making significance cannot be created in Ming Dynasty!