The Ming Dynasty started with caution

"Order the craftsmen to copy this musket."

Song Jing saw at a glance the special features of this firearm.

The muskets used by the Shenji Camp were ignited with a matchlock. When it rained, the matchlock would be wetted by rain and would cause the musket to misfire.

And after the matchlock was ignited, the timing of firing could not be controlled.

It might have been fired before aiming.

"Firearms must have a device to ignite gunpowder, but this firearm doesn't have one...Is it a flint?"

Song Jing was surprised to find that there was a flint on the barrel for ignition.

He understood it in an instant.

"Well, flint can withstand wind and rain better than matchlock."

The so-called flintlock is to use flint to ignite gunpowder.

The flint will ignite when the trigger is pulled, and you can aim before shooting, giving the soldiers enough time to aim.

This is why the flintlock can improve the accuracy of the matchlock.

"This is the improvement I want to make. Pick up the goods in three days."

The French firearms scared Song Jing, and then he saw the improvement drawings made by Yan Chengjin, and he felt ashamed.

"Students must make it as soon as possible."

Immediately ordered the carpenters to carve the gun handles and the blacksmiths to make the gun barrels.

The flintlock gun has a little shortcoming. In this era, it cannot be mass-produced with molds and equipment. It needs to be carved out by craftsmen.

Yan Chengjin strode out of the workshop.

…

Three days later, in Fengtian Hall,

The retired emperor Hongzhi was watching the military affairs reported by Xianyang Hou Qiu Yue, asking for the supply of horses and equipment.

A little eunuch hurried in and reported: "Retired emperor, the French envoys asked for an audience, it seems... it seems that someone castrated them."

"What!"

The retired emperor Hongzhi frowned suddenly and stood up immediately. He couldn't read the memorial of Xianyang Hou any more.

"Who is so bold?"

"I don't know."

Xiao Jing fell to her knees and trembled.

Ovis and his party walked into the palace, their eyes were swollen, and the imperial doctors were helpless and could not take them back.

"We are also high-ranking officials in Portugal. We came all the way to the Ming Dynasty to pay homage, but we didn't expect the Ming Dynasty to treat guests like this." Ovis cried.

It is also difficult for Portuguese eunuchs to be officials, and they will be criticized by the church.

Xiao Jing's eyes moved slightly.

This Frenchman has only been in the Ming Dynasty for a few days, and he has learned the tone and accent of the Ming Dynasty. He is a smart and talented person.

Unfortunately, he met Zhu Houzhao.

The retired emperor Hongzhi's face darkened, and he was more concerned about who persecuted the French envoys and whether it had anything to do with Zhu Houzhao. He walked up to Ovis and said, "I will send someone to find out."

Xiao Jing understood and hurried out of the Fengtian Hall.

Soon, Zhu Houzhao came in and looked at Ovis with a strange expression, "Can you get out of bed?"

"It's him, it's him, it's him! I remember these eyes."

Ovis' pupils suddenly dilated, and he pointed at Zhu Houzhao tremblingly.

The other French saw clearly how the king cut the knife, and how skillfully he cut even the chicken skin.

The retired emperor Hongzhi looked at Zhu Houzhao and said angrily, "Did you really do it?"

"Retired emperor, the cabinet and the six ministries want to see you."

Hearing that the new emperor had used a knife on the envoy, Liu Jian and others hurried to Fengtian Hall. Feeling the murderous eyes of the retired emperor Hongzhi, they knew that it was the new emperor who did it.

The blueprints of the musket were still in the hands of the French.

The price of silk was also controlled by the French.

Raising the price of silk is a blessing for the country and the people. At this critical juncture, the new emperor castrated the French envoy.

"No matter what, we can't let people have no descendants." Liu Jian said.

He secretly blamed Zhu Houzhao for ruining the deal before it was done.

Zhu Houzhao thought again: "Old Gao said that the powder for the lanterns in the Qianqing Palace was made by the French, so the palace was burned.

If it is sold to the people, perhaps the whole capital will be set on fire.

Your son stopped me, why does your father blame you?"

"You mean Yan Chengjin? Ask him to come to Fengtian Hall." The voice of the retired emperor Hongzhi rose several degrees, which made Zhu Houzhao shudder.

This time he really got into trouble, I wonder if Old Gao can bear it.

The gentlemen were slightly moved.

If Yan Chengjin knew about this but did not dissuade him or report it, it was obvious that he agreed with the new emperor to do so.

Yan Chengjin came to Fengtian Hall, but he was not shocked.

"Did you ask the new emperor to do this?"

"I only said that the gunpowder was configured by the French. The new emperor is very smart. When I knew about this, it was too late."

Feeling the anger of the retired emperor, Zhu Houzhao blinked at Yan Chengjin.

Yan Chengjin fell into deep thought, and the next moment he said: "It doesn't matter if he is castrated. Liangxiang has copied the musket and made improvements."

The retired emperor Hongzhi did not feel sorry for the French, but just wanted the drawings of firearms.

"Really, Liangxiang has copied it?" I don't know which minister shouted excitedly.

The musket is much more useful than the matchlock gun. If it is installed in the coastal garrison, it can reduce the number of soldiers and enhance the ability to garrison.

Yan Chengjin nodded and said: "It's just outside the palace. The retired emperor and the gentlemen can go to the Meridian Gate."

Many officials present questioned Yan Chengjin.

Not only did he make it, but he also made improvements. Is Yan Chengjin also proficient in firearms?

Ovis' heart skipped a beat.

It took Portugal more than three years to develop the musket. He believed that the Ming Dynasty could copy it, but he did not believe that it could be improved.

There was no room for improvement in the musket.

The emperor and the officials came to the square courtyard of the Meridian Gate.

Fang Xue ordered people to bring the target and stood it eighty steps away, covered with light armor.

Xiao Jing came over with a brocade plate, on which there were two muskets, one with a red painted stock and the other with a willow unpainted stock.

Ovis could recognize that the red painted musket was the one he brought.

"This one is ours."

The emperor said lightly: "Try it."

Two targets on the left and right, two muskets fired.

Everyone thought it was over, but the Ming musket quickly fired two more shots in a row, with a short interval in between.

Everyone was shocked, auspicious?

The guards brought the target.

One target had a dent left by the iron bead, and one target was directly pierced by the iron bead.

The emperor Hongzhi's eyes lit up.

Ovis took a few steps back. Although he didn't want to admit it, he really improved it. "What did you add to this musket?"

The gentlemen also wanted to know.

Yan Chengjin's heart moved slightly, and he greased the barrel and steel ball, which greatly reduced the friction of the barrel.

The steel ball increased the power.

He didn't know who made the magazine, but Daming had no magazines before, and now there was an inverted magazine on the barrel.

But at this moment, how could he say it in front of the French.

Zhang Fuhua and he thought of the same thing: "Let's discuss this matter later."

"Yes, let's discuss the French first. We are not interested in the things brought by the envoys. We just want to discuss the price of silk."

The firearms dampened the spirit of the French, and the gentlemen suddenly became a little tough.

The scene in front of him surprised Ovis.

However, it was just right to use the price of silk to let Daming hand over the latest drawings.

"Daming's imitation technology is first-class, and we admire it. If you can hand over the drawings of this musket, this time back, I will definitely let the king raise the price of silk."