Ming Zuo

Chapter 53 Weapons
After securing Liu Yuanqing, Zuo Menggeng reported the matter to Zhang Jimeng.

Zhang Jimeng didn't have many surprises, he just asked, "Is Liu Yuanqing reliable?"

Zuo Menggeng did not answer directly.

"Silver is more reliable."

Zhang Jimeng nodded and smiled: "This is better."

Yes, people who love money give them money. In fact, it is far better to deal with than those who are not greedy.

Zhang Jimeng asked with concern, "You want to reorganize the rear battalion, can you have troops?"

Zuo Menggeng nodded, thinking about it for a long time.

"The project on the pier will end sooner or later, so it's a hassle if so many refugees are not managed."

Zhang Jimeng touched his palm and laughed.

"Previously, Qu Ming's mansion was still complaining, saying that when the dock was completed, these refugees would become hidden dangers. If he knew of your plan, he would be overjoyed."

Zuo Menggeng had been eyeing these refugees for a long time.

At that time, what he thought was to find an opportunity to drag the refugees to sparsely populated places and hide them to train soldiers.

But Lu Xi was flat and didn't know where to choose for a while.

Now that he has become President Qian, it will be more convenient if he has a legitimate identity.

"These refugees were originally wandering without food, with yellow faces and thin muscles, and they could not be used for much use. During this period of time, they were working on the wharf. Good control."

After the completion of the Chaoguan Wharf, the displaced people will lose their jobs again.After having a full meal during this period, they must be worried about their future life.

Zuo Menggeng came forward to recruit troops, and these people would be happy to answer the call.

However, he came to find Zhang Jimeng not just to recruit troops.

"Uncle Zhang, it's not a problem to form an army in the back camp. The difficulty lies in the weapons, and we still need to find a way to solve it."

The current rear battalion has not only lost its people, but also its weapons and equipment.

Zhang Jimeng gave the green light here.

"In these days, the treasury has been counted, and the weapons of the Linqing Association are quite sufficient. If you need anything there, go back and check and report it."

Zuo Menggeng was not overjoyed, but hesitated to speak.

"What, what's wrong?"

Zuo Menggeng gritted his teeth and decided to give it a try.If it doesn't work, nothing will be lost.

"According to my little nephew, those bows, knives, and guns are not really useful. Regardless of the quality, even if they are good, they will not be of great use in the future. If you want to strengthen the army, you must have muskets and artillery."

Zhang Jimeng was stunned, then frowned.

"This is difficult. The Linqing Association is based on the system, and the firearms need to be deployed by the Ministry of War."

He added: "Furthermore, Ling Zun was originally the chief of the car battalion. It's not like you haven't seen firearms before. Why should you care so much?"

Zuo Menggeng argued: "Uncle, please think, bows and arrows have been used as far back as the pre-Qin era, and today, what is the difference between the range and power of the time? One step, strength can't penetrate armor. But today, it is common to kill a hundred steps away. I'm afraid that the power of firearms in the future will still have room."

Zhang Jimeng didn't see it that way.

"Even if the firearm can hit farther, the armor will be sharper. But the loading of firearms is cumbersome, and on the battlefield, there are only two shots. I read the report in the capital that the Liaodong armies used firearms, except for Folang. Except for the machine guns and the red-clothed cannons, the rest are full of complaints and do not want to use them."

About this, Zuo Menggeng can say too much.

"The fact that the Liaodong armies do not want to use firearms is not because firearms are not good. It is because there are too many tricks in them, which will bring disaster to the country and the people. The court distributed Liaodong muskets, and for those who are insane, there is only one of the two wrought irons left. This kind of musket cannot be used at all. , once the fire is fired, it will explode. If you don’t hurt the enemy, you will first hurt yourself, so that the soldiers abandon it, and would rather use a knife and a gun than a musket.”

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, corruption prevailed, and the military was the hardest hit area.

Eating empty wages, drinking soldiers' blood, and enslaving soldiers as domestic servants are common.Corruption in weapons and equipment is the most heinous.

When Zuo Menggeng was in Liaodong, he saw with his own eyes that the muskets received by the firearms business had a barrel as thin as a cicada's wings, as light as paper.

Experienced veterans weigh it in their hands and throw them away.

In the manufacture of muskets in the late Ming Dynasty, the barrels were rolled and forged.

The two red-hot wrought irons were rolled into a cylinder shape, and then beaten continuously, the outer layer wrapped the inner layer to become the barrel.

The reason why two wrought irons are used is to ensure the strength.

But the corrupt officials of the Bureau of Arms even secretly reduced the two wrought irons to one, and the barrels of the rolled and forged guns can even be cut off with a sharp sword.

Such weapons on the battlefield are simply cheating people.

It was the first time Zhang Jimeng knew about such a thing, and he was inexplicably shocked.

"Have the military and political corruption come to this point?"

Zuo Menggeng nodded lightly.

"So, the defeat of Liaodong was not due to lack of strategy, but due to internal corruption."

Zhang Jimeng sighed, his heart heavy.

Originally, he still had some doubts about Hou Xun, Liu Zongzhou and others suggesting that they would fully support Zuo Menggeng.

Hearing the truth at this moment made him a little firmer.

"If that's the case, why don't you ask for a firearm?"

Zuo Menggeng smiled.

"My little nephew would never dare to use firearms made by the imperial court. But what if we could make firearms ourselves? If there is no corruption, if we use enough materials, then firearms are sharp weapons."

Zhang Jimeng just felt that he was a little fanciful, but after thinking about it carefully, he found that it was really possible.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the control of firearm casting was very strict, and non-weapon bureaus and staff bureaus were not allowed to cast them.

But later, especially after the Jiajing Dynasty, with the increase of troops in various places, the manufacture and transportation of firearms became a big problem.

First, the firearms manufactured in the capital were transported to various places because of the long journey, and the freight was expensive, which greatly increased the burden on the imperial court.

Second, the quality of the firearms made by the imperial court was so poor that the armies did not like to use them.

In view of the actual situation, the court gradually loosened the restrictions on the manufacture of firearms.Guards and government offices in various places can report to the imperial court for the establishment of weapons stations when there is a need.

The most famous Qi Jiajun, the firearms used are self-casting.

The court would not approve the application for the establishment of a weapon station in a land of peace like the Qing Dynasty.

However, due to the change of Chaoguan Wharf, the Linqing garrison suffered heavy losses, and reconstruction is imperative.

Furthermore, the number of people in Shandong and Jifu has increased, and it is imperative to use troops. Naturally, the need for weapons has also skyrocketed.

Declaring to the court at this time, coupled with the situation in the DPRK and China, it is really not difficult to get approval.

Zhang Jimeng figured this out, nodded silently, and was telling Zuo Menggeng that the matter was left to him.

However, for Zuo Menggeng's idea of ​​trusting firearms so much, he felt that it was better to wake up.

"Even if we make our own firearms, the quality is not bad. But the firearms are slow to launch, and may have miraculous effects against infantry, but when it comes to cavalry, it's hard to resist."

Zuo Menggeng smiled.

"Uncle doesn't know something, little nephew is thinking about a method today to increase the rate of fire of firearms."

"What did you say?"

Zhang Jimeng stood up suddenly and looked over in disbelief.

"Do you have a way to increase the rate of fire of firearms? Young people, don't be ashamed, this is no joke."

If you want to do something now, you must get the support of Zhang Jimeng.Zuo Menggeng had no choice but to take out something, although he was not sure whether Zhang Jimeng could understand it.

To pass the pen and paper, Zuo Menggeng only took a short time to draw the structure diagram of the flintlock gun on it.

"Uncle, please see, this gun does not use a match rope to ignite the medicine, but use flint to trigger it. In this way, the charging procedure is greatly simplified. In addition, without the match rope, the influence of rain and fog weather is also greatly reduced, and the application of firearms is greatly reduced. more convenient."

Zhang Jimeng was almost lying on the table, looking at Zuo Menggeng's sketches with all his attention, and then using his fingers to trace the figures little by little, the more he looked, the more excited he became.

"It's so...it's so...why didn't you think of it?"

Seeing that he had some demonic obstacles, Zuo Menggeng couldn't help being nervous.

"uncle……"

Zhang Jimeng came back to his senses, his face flushed and his breathing was even more rapid.

"The matter of weapons should be done quickly. Such sharp weapons must be produced as soon as possible."

Seeing that Zhang Jimeng finally gave his full support, Zuo Menggeng was overjoyed and decided to add more chips.

"Actually, this flintlock gun is nothing but a little nephew. My nephew still has some ideas. If it can be done, it can be achieved with a range of [-] steps and a reloading time three times faster."

Zhang Jimeng looked at him like a fairy, and his voice trembled even more.

"Really?"

Zuo Menggeng didn't promise, but said: "There are some key points. It will take some time for my little nephew to prepare. As long as it is successful, such firearms can be made."

Zhang Jimeng was actually very concerned about firearms, and hurriedly asked, "What do you need?"

Zuo Menggeng is also welcome.

"Craftsmen. Iron smelters and gunsmiths are all needed, and there must be suitable venues and tools."

Zhang Jimeng pondered for a while and said, "That's why weapons are indispensable."

He said to Zuo Menggeng: "I immediately wrote a memorial and handed it over. With the help of Duke Ruogu and others, it should be no problem for the court to approve it."

Zuo Menggeng was overjoyed and quickly thanked him. Since he went back to prepare for the post-camp affairs.

It was late at night, and Zhang Jimeng was still in a trance after writing the memorial.

After thinking about it, he took the paper again and wrote down like a note.

[My teacher Jun Jian, the student met a casting wizard in Linqing, his words...]

A cup of tea, the letter has been written.

Zhang Jimeng put it in an envelope, called his servant, and gave careful instructions.

"Send this letter to Shexian, and be sure to hand it over to the teacher in person. No loss is allowed."

The servant took the order, did not dare to delay, and went all night.

(End of this chapter)