weaving

Chapter 1181 Friend of the Enemy?

Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, looked at the hands of the pocket clock on the commander's desk and said, "It's midnight now."

"Father, it's a moment."

"That would be about a quarter past twenty-three."

"what?"

Zhang Maoju was stunned when he heard this. He didn't know what his father meant by "23:15". He didn't know how to respond for a moment. Fortunately, at this time, Chen Zhong, the commander of the Yanhe Camp, came into the tent and said, "General, we heard that there are some interesting things coming from the north road?"

"Nah. That's it."

Zhang Cheng raised his hand and pointed at the pocket clock on the commander's desk. Chen Zhong stepped forward quickly and looked at it carefully. He had been stationed around Yanhe Town since the last bandit suppression campaign in Henan Province. He had never returned to the north and had never participated in the Liaodong campaign, so he had no idea about the self-ringing clock and the pocket clock.

"What's the use of a ball like this?"

"Maoju, tell your uncle Chen Zhong about this 'ball'. What on earth is it?"

Zhang Maoju gave Chen Zhong a detailed explanation of the functions and uses of the pocket clock. Even Sun Shixiang, Hu Yiwen, Liu Chengzu and others, who already knew its uses, listened with great interest.

As the only one of Zhang Cheng's adopted sons who was interested in engineering, Zhang Maoju was naturally very familiar with the manufacturing process and usage of pocket clocks, so his explanation was both concise and easy to understand.

"Oh. A ball like this can tell us the time?"

After receiving a positive answer, Chen Zhong said: "In this way, when our army is on the march, we only need to bring such a ball to tell time. This is much more convenient and trouble-free than the incense clock."

Everyone nodded their heads upon hearing this, and praised the skilled craftsmen from the North Road Artisan Camp for coming up with such ingenious ideas and creating such useful things.

"Ah. There's still something missing!"

Everyone was brought back to reality by Earl Yongning's words, especially Chen Zhong, who looked even more bewildered. He asked in confusion, "Marshal, this pocket clock is so exquisite and convenient, why is it so lacking?"

Zhang Cheng pointed at the pocket clock on the desk and said to everyone, "The first is the error. This pocket clock will have an error of about a quarter of an hour every day, so it needs to be calibrated frequently, but this is not very fatal."

"The second is that it's too big..."

Chen Zhong interrupted blankly, "With a size like this, it's completely possible to use war horses to carry it and use it with the army. It's not a big problem, right?"

Zhang Cheng didn't blame Chen Zhong for interjecting. He just smiled and continued, "It's indeed a bit big. The weight should be reduced by at least half, so that it will be easier for a single soldier to carry."

"If they are to be carried by a single soldier, how many should be made to be enough?"

Zhang Cheng raised his hand and knocked Chen Zhong's big head hard, saying: "Carrying a weapon in person does not mean it is issued to a soldier!"

"Oh."

Chen Zhong scratched the place that was hurt by the hard knocks just now, and said with a smile: "Marshal, please continue... I... I am listening."

"Pocket clocks can now be distributed to the commanders of each camp and carried by the central army of each camp to tell the time for the commanders. This way, we can calibrate the daily marching time and set the specific time for each camp to attack the enemy. It is indeed much more convenient."

Zhang Cheng was talking about the use of the pocket clock, and then he changed the subject and said, "If this clock can be smaller, then we can distribute more to the soldiers in each camp. If there is a night patrol, each team can get one to use for timekeeping, and then return it to the soldiers after returning to the camp. Isn't it convenient?" Chen Zhong looked at the pocket clock on the commander's desk with an enlightened look, and said to himself, "Well, it should be at least half the size, and flatter, so that it can be put in the arms for storage."

Zhang Cheng also nodded and said to Zhang Maoju beside him: "Maoju, according to your uncle Chen Zhong's suggestion, we still need to continue to work on this pocket clock."

"Yes. Father."

Zhang Maoju had just agreed when Chen Zhong said, "Marshal, if this pocket clock is distributed to the artillery battalion, it will be more convenient to time the firing of the cannon, calculate the firing rate of each cannon, and calculate the firing time."

Chen Zhong's words surprised Zhang Cheng a little. Even Zhang Cheng did not expect that Chen Zhong could draw inferences from his example and think of such a crucial issue as distributing pocket clocks to artillerymen first.

"General, did I say something wrong?"

Chen Zhong was embarrassed by Zhang Cheng's gaze. He didn't know why Earl Yongning looked at him like that. Just as he was thinking about what he had said just now that was wrong...

Suddenly, Zhang Cheng said to him, "Not bad. Chen Zhong is good."

"Chen Zhong, you did a great job. You really didn't disappoint me."

Zhang Cheng didn't care what Chen Zhong's expression was, and he didn't need to explain at all, but he still had to give some encouragement: "You've thought about this very carefully. The pocket clock should really be distributed to the artillery first."

The matter of the pocket clock came to an end here. Zhang Cheng asked his adopted son Zhang Mingyuan to take Zhang Maoju down to rest first. The next day, Zhang Mingyuan would accompany him to the artillery headquarters of each battalion to distribute the pocket clock and teach him how to use and calibrate it.

This time, Zhang Maoju brought a total of six pocket-sized bells. The Weiyuan Camp artillery commander who was accompanying the battle stayed in Xuanfu, while the Suzaku Camp also followed the new governor Zhang Fuzhen to strengthen his prestige.

Therefore, only the artillery headquarters of the Tengshe, Qinglong, Baihu and Xuanwu battalions are with the main army. One of the six pocket bells is kept in the headquarters of Zhang Chengyongningbo, one is given to Chen Zhong of the Yanhe battalion, and the remaining four are just one for each of the Tengshe, Qinglong, Baihu and Xuanwu battalions.

…………

After everything was agreed upon, everyone in the tent took their leave and left. Only Sun Shixiang was kept by Zhang Cheng. At this moment, only the middle officer Zhang Chengfang was left in the tent serving.

"Mr. Sun, I suddenly remembered something and would like to ask you to steer the ship for me. What do you think?"

"Master, if you have anything to say, just tell me. There's no need to be polite with me."

"Benbo has been thinking about a question for some time."

"What is the problem that makes you worry day and night?"

"Old Sun, let me ask you, what is the biggest issue facing the Yongyi Army right now?"

Facing Zhang Cheng's question, Sun Shixiang replied without hesitation: "At present...of course, we must deal with the thieves Cao and Chuang."

"Yes. At present, our Yongyi Army should focus on defeating the two thieves Chuang and Cao. There is no problem with this goal."

Zhang Cheng nodded in agreement and continued, "So in order to achieve this goal, we must unite all the forces that can be united, including the enemies of our enemies and the friends of our enemies."

"The enemy of my enemy is easy to understand. But the friend of my enemy is also our enemy. How can we unite?"