Daming Yinghua

Chapter 155 Battle of Fushun ([-])
In the south of the Yangtze River around the spring equinox, peaches and plums are blooming, and the time is bright and beautiful.

Miao Shi, the old lady of the Gu family, accompanied by the maid Zhuxiang, came to Shoukuan School to deliver pastries to her husband and children.

The actual person in charge of the school, Mrs. Yao, the wife of the push official Mr. Huang, told Mrs. Miao with high spirits that twenty more boys and girls from poor families were admitted to school this spring.

Mrs. Miao nodded and said, "Ahzhu girl told Mr. Huang to ask Grandma Yao to come out of the house to be the master of this school. It was her good fortune. Grandma Yao really made this school flourish. That's fine. , you go to the academy to do your work, as long as I have Yuesheng to accompany me. My old lady is most comfortable to bask in the sun and listen to the chirping of the dolls."

Yao shi smiled and said goodbye.

She knew that the old lady of the Gu family was a very elegant person. After Zheng Haizhu introduced Wang Yuesheng last year, she came to listen to Wang Yuesheng play the piano a few times. And Wang Yuesheng hit it off pretty well.

In the warm and warm sun, Wang Yuesheng walked slowly across the flower path of the campus with Miao's support.

After boarding the small pavilion in Qingyuan, Mrs. Miao motioned her maid, Zhuxiang, to look around, and then said to Wang Yuesheng, "Let's talk."

Wang Yuesheng said: "Auntie, yesterday, when Mr. Li sent Miss Zheng and Mr. Sun off, they brought four Cantonese cannons and six gunners, two of them were Frankies. The Cantonese cannons were called eagle falcon guns. There are no big snake guns that weigh less than a thousand catties, and they are pulled to the pier by bullock carts and then pushed onto the boat. There are also some small fire guns that weigh more than a hundred catties."

Mr. Li and Mr. Sun mentioned by Wang Yuesheng were Xu Guangqi's disciples, Li Zhizao and Sun Yuanhua who advocated Western artillery technology, and were invited by Zheng Haizhu to Songjiang to take charge of the firearms workshop.

Miao Ruiyun's eyes flashed: "Your firearms workshop still can't make cannons, so you got people and cannons from the south so quickly?"

Wang Yuesheng lowered his eyes and said: "At the end of the first month, Mr. Huang came to talk to Mr. Sun and Li about something. Mr. Sun immediately asked me to pay 3000 taels of silver and went to Guangdong with Zheng Zhilong. Mr. Sun is the same as Xu Hanlin. They are all from the Society of Jesus, and it is said that they bought guns and hired people directly in Haojing.”

Miao Ruiyun thought for a while: "Well, I made a round trip every month and happened to meet Zheng girl. At the end of the first lunar month, Huang Zunsu should have received Zheng girl's letter. This girl didn't tell you their whereabouts afterwards, did she?"

Wang Yuesheng shook his head and said: "No, in the three days since she came back, she was in the government office on the first day, lit firearms with Mr. Sun and Zheng Zhilong on the second day, went to see Miss Han and the young master in the evening, and left on the third day. Tell me to take good care of the craftsmen and start the blast furnace quickly."

Miao Ruiyun said: "Then what do you think she is going to do?"

"Back to Auntie, Miss Zheng hurriedly set off without even having time to drink the young master's full moon wine. It must be because of the military situation. She transported goods to Liaodong at the end of the year. I think she is here to help the court fight the Tartars?"

Miao Ruiyun smiled: "She is really capable of making troubles. By the way, Yuesheng, you have dealt with the two masters Sun and Li for half a year. They haven't overstepped the rules, have they?"

Wang Yuesheng knew what the old lady meant, and shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, the two masters are gentlemen. They just treat me as Miss Zheng's accountant. Every time they come to me, they just ask for money to buy copper, iron and gunpowder. On weekdays The Firearms Workshop also gathers together with Mr. Lu and craftsmen to discuss firearms."

Miao Ruiyun sighed: "These are the good ministers of my Ming Dynasty, but look, how many people in the court hold money and power like this? Let alone, you can help Zheng girl to look after the firearms workshop. General Liu and I, Later, it will take a while to get her into the palace, and at that time, in Songjiang, she will still have to rely on you."

Wang Yuesheng said "yes" respectfully.

She felt a sense of relief in her heart.In the past six months, she felt that she was always in a happy state of mind, not just because she had left Fireworks and Willow Lane.

There are also many sisters in Qinhuai River who were redeemed by benefactors and married as concubines, but they still seem to be shrouded in lazy depression and vague panic.

They are still caged birds, it's just that the cage has been changed.

And she, Wang Yuesheng, is Miss Zheng's subordinate, like a general's deputy, and a participant in Princess Miao and Eunuch Liu's great cause, she is like a strategist in the Chinese army tent.

Wang Yuesheng became more and more fascinated by the feeling of being valued.

Her gaze left Miao Ruiyun's kind face and landed in the direction of the classroom in the neighboring courtyard.

There, the students were taking geometry class with Xu Hanlin's assistant.

This time Miss Zheng also took away two older female students and the little tailor Fan Polu, claiming to be her maids.

But Wang Yuesheng knew that Miss Zheng was not a pompous person who treated herself like a young mistress, and she didn't like being served by others, so she probably brought a few little girls to see the world.

Fan Polu has done dark armor, but the reason why the two female students were selected is a bit strange: geometry is a good subject.

……

"Miss Zheng, the girl you brought here has some skills."

Sun Yuanhua stood on the deck and said to Zheng Haizhu beside him.

What he admired was the two female students who learned how to calculate the elevation angle of the gun and the impact point of the shell after following the Cantonese gunners to calculate the elevation angle of the gun and the impact point of the shell.

Zheng Haizhu stayed with Sun Yuanhua for several days on the ship specially transferred by Zhang Quan, and felt that this famous figure in the history of the late Ming Dynasty really belonged to the ranks of technocrats. .

But Zheng Haizhu still humbly said that Sun Yuanhua's teacher Xu Guangqi translated "Original Geometry", which benefited the younger generations a lot.

Sun Yuanhua was very satisfied with this response.

The 38-year-old Juren is far from the period of high power in history.

He failed the Jinshi examination, so he studied under Xu Guangqi and devoted himself to Western learning. Although he is still unemployed today, he was able to engage in the research and development of his favorite firearms with like-minded Li Zhizao in his hometown of Songjiang last year through Xu Guangqi's help. The joy of wishing.

Unexpectedly, the court came to use him so soon.

Of course, it is inseparable from the recommendation of the young but impressive Zheng girl in front of me.

Kong Youde greeted the ship at the pier when it arrived at Lushun Port after crossing the Yellow Sea and Liao Sea.

Zheng Haizhu looked around cautiously.

Kong Youde said courteously: "Miss Zheng, don't worry, look at this port today, apart from our ship, there is no other family that has anchored in the port. The Lifu who came to transport the things are all relatives of our Mao family. General Mao has seen them one by one. .”

Zheng Haizhu then asked: "Mr. Wu and Mr. Qi are doing well?"

"There is an investigation and cooperation from the Ministry of War. Follow along. There are more than 1000 people, and all four ships have arrived. They arrived early, and they should be about to reach Liaoyang now."

Zheng Haizhu breathed a sigh of relief, nodded and said: "That's good. Quickly unload the goods. After loading the carriage, spread empty sacks and then cover with thatch. Even if we go to Gaizhouwei and Fuzhouwei, we will not go in for the night. Don't talk about these cannons with irrelevant people."

"Listen to the girls!"

Kong Youde hurriedly called the men of strength to unload the cannon, and then followed Zheng Haizhu to meet Sun Yuanhua.

Liaodong has also seen a bit of spring at this time, the grass slopes are turning green, and wild flowers of various colors are beginning to emerge.

Butterflies fly across the grass between flowers.

It is now March in the 46th year of Wanli. Sun Yuanhua and Kong Youde met in Liaodong, with a ship of firearms in the background.

And the Qi family army and Sichuan soldiers who were supposed to appear in Liaodong during the Hunhe Battle had also gathered in Liaoyang.

Zheng Haizhu bent down and carefully picked up a butterfly that had landed on a grass stalk.

She stared at its beautiful black and red wings, and loosened her fingers after a while.

The butterfly flew away safely.

(End of this chapter)