Lord of the Desert

Chapter 257 Top Down
"Firearms do have their merits."

Zhuang Liren said.

"The power is huge, the cost of mass production is lower, and mortals can use it after a few days of practice..."

"But there are also many problems."

He handed the matchlock gun to Hong Fan, and pointed to the burning matchlock in the chuck.

"Take Zhanzhou as an example. Whenever the Hai Clan lands, it will inevitably create continuous rainy weather."

"Especially in key battles, there are heavy rains every time, and firearms are completely unable to use."

Hearing the word "concocted", Hong Fan's heart shuddered.

Even in previous lives, human beings have limited ability to intervene in the weather.

"It's better in Shengzhou, but it's still only a support."

Zhuang Liren continued.

"Have you ever seen a plague of locusts?"

He turned around and asked suddenly.

"I haven't seen it, but I've heard of it."

Hong Fan replied.

"I saw it a few times when I was younger."

Zhuang Liren recalled.

"In the western border of Shengzhou, when the insect agents cover up and kill them, they are like a plague of locusts. They are overwhelming, heartless and fearless, so they are called tides."

"It's meaningless to put something that you can only shoot once in half a day in your hand."

"Explosives and artillery are better, but the former is disposable, and the latter needs to be cooled and cleaned after firing. It can only fire six or seven rounds in half an hour-probably just cutting off the water with a knife is better than nothing."

"In the final analysis, whenever the swarm of insects comes to the city, it is still necessary to solve the problem with a heavy armored iron knife."

He sighed.

Hong Fan nodded silently.

At this moment, the matchlock gun in his hand was not far behind.

Complete mechanical aiming, granulated gunpowder, fixed paper shell, trigger firing...

Compared with the shotguns of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, they are already more sophisticated.

However, even in the last world, from the fifteenth century to the eighteenth century, cavalry was still the ruler of field warfare.

Although artillery was brilliant in the Napoleonic era, its role was more to destroy formations and morale.

In the Battle of Valmy during the French Revolution, a total of 10 people from the French and French sides fired 180 shells at each other. As a result, the French army suffered more than [-] casualties and the Prussian army suffered [-] casualties.

This is still the European artillery in [-].

In the face of an enemy whose morale will not collapse, the lethality of solid bullets is indeed limited.

"To be honest, firearms should be more useful in northern Xinjiang."

Zhuang Liren calmed down and turned the conversation.

"It's just that Zhenbeiwei has always acted on its own, so as long as the situation is not serious, the imperial court will never support ordnance."

"You may not know that the cement we ship to that side requires them to pay the full price."

He smiled.

"I just said it to the outside world."

"Internally, my human race descended from the ancestor dragon sky, and all dynasties and dynasties have established their country with martial arts."

"Firearms are not valued, the most important thing is that they have little effect on warriors."

Zhuang Liren retrieved the musket and stroked the straight barrel.

"This gun is handmade by a master craftsman, and it can be called a boutique."

"But even so, you can't talk about accuracy at a distance of [-] feet; whether you can hit it at a distance of [-] feet is not so much a matter of aiming, but rather a matter of precision."

"In addition, ammunition loading and activation are too troublesome."

"Forget it if you practice fire-attribute exercises."

"Could it be possible for another warrior to carry a fire bag with him, and light the matchlock before starting the fight?"

"Compared to martial arts, the restrictions on firearms are too great. In the final analysis, they are not as good as warriors."

Zhuang Liren made a natural conclusion.

Hong Fan did not refute.

Of course he knew the potential of thermal weapons.

But what Zhuang Liren said is still very likely to be right.

The martial arts in this world can really turn decay into magic.

Emperor Dou of Tianpeng Mountain broke the mountain with one palm.

Martial Saint Baili Corpse made a desert.

As for the source of all martial arts, Zulong is a visitor from outside the sky.

It must be known that before he traveled, the human beings in another world were far from capable of interstellar navigation.

As a man in the second life, Hong Fan is already a member of the warriors.

However, at this moment, many figures surged in his mind.

Not a martial saint, not a celestial being.

It is his mother "Ke'er" whose birth and death are unknown;
He is a warrior who has no qualifications to practice martial arts in Jinhai City, but shed his blood on the top of the city;
It was the fisher girl in Wang Mincai's case who had no name and surname, and no one gave her an account...

The way of martial arts, one person reaches the sky, self-sufficient.

This is the path of geniuses and dragon descendants.

Where is the path of mortals?

As Hong Fan is a Xingjun, there is no need to think about this question.

But after all, he had been a "mortal" all his life, so he had to think.

Hong Fan exhaled deeply.

"Mr. Zhuang, this gun is indeed not good in every way, but at least it will come in handy when facing the Snake Man."

"Why don't I use it in Liangzhou?"

he asked looking up.

"You can't say no."

Zhuang Liren replied.

"Zhanzhou has been tinkering with firearms for a long time, but to Quan Dahua, this is still a new thing."

He noticed the change in Hong Fan's mood and suppressed his smile.

"You are practical and understand the difficulties of doing things."

"Not to mention technology, skilled workers, and raw materials."

"Just say how many craftsmen and businesses are involved in the manufacture of bows, crossbows and arrows below the state department?"

"That's second."

"The most important thing is that there is very little defensive pressure in Liangzhou."

"Before this spring, from Tongguang to Huaiye, it has been peaceful for many years."

"Especially Jin Hai, when Jing Shagong is still there, he can even turn around and sweep the marsh."

"Since everything is safe, Liangzhou Daying has no motivation to innovate."

Zhuang Liren spoke so carefully that he never tires of it.

"How could this be?"

Hong Fan only felt that the confusion accumulated for a long time since this year was suddenly surging.

"Isn't it credit for the fewer casualties in the border towns?"

"Who assigns credit? And to whom?"

Zhuang Liren shook his head and asked back.

"The foundation of Dahua's founding is that the top is not the bottom."

"In the world, there must be Zulong, and then there will be Dahua; after Dahua, there will be Wanmin."

"Since the benefits are at the bottom, what is the merit?"

The words are solemn.

Hong Fan froze in place.

He finally realized exactly where his mistake was.

For more than a year, many of his understandings of society have been based on the previous life, following the bottom-up logic-there are people first, then the country, and then the monarch.

However, Dahua really has a god.

The reason was not complicated, Hong Fan figured it out almost instantly.

So many questions have been answered.

Why are there so few frontier troops?

Why did Xiao's court defend the inside better than the outside?

The martial arts is prosperous, why do the warriors never talk about expanding the territory.

Because how much territory the human race occupies may not be in the hearts of the people, not in the national strength...

It's just the casual words of the gods.

It's easy to understand and logical.

But Hong Fan instinctively rejected it, causing a little pain in his heart.

The two walked back to the warehouse with their guns in hand.

Zhuang Liren is in the front and Hong Fan is in the back.

Silent all the way.

Gunpowder and lead bullets were locked back into wooden boxes respectively.

Finally, the matchlock gun.

At this time, Hong Fan finally couldn't help but speak.

"Mr. Zhuang, I want to make firearms."

"Please help me!"

He said.

The voice was extremely difficult, like furnace ashes, and also like sparks.

"Why is it so heavy?"

Zhuang Liren asked.

This was the first time he heard Hong Fan utter the word "beg".

"Tianhe has just started on the right track, isn't it too sudden?"

"No, I'm by no means hotheaded."

Hong Fan said solemnly like never before.

"I really don't know much about the specific manufacture of firearms, but this direction has been on my mind for a long time!"

"Take that matchlock gun as an example. I have some scattered ideas. Although it is not systematic, it can definitely be used as a reference."

"Then tell me."

Zhuang Liren smiled back and handed over the musket.

Hong Fan took it and collected himself.

"Like this matchlock."

he said, pulling the trigger.

"Ignition is troublesome, you have to constantly adjust the chuck, and you are afraid of water."

"Then can we replace the matchlock with flint and ignite it with the sparks produced by friction?"

Zhuang Liren got serious.

"Another example is the inaccuracy of lead bullets."

Hong Fan continued.

"Is it possible to make spiral rifling in the barrel to guide the spin of lead bullets and enhance ballistic stability-like a top?"

"And reloading."

"Now it is loaded from the front, so it is troublesome; if an iron bolt is added to the rear end of the barrel to make it foldable, will it be more convenient?"

He almost couldn't wait to pull the words out of his stomach.

When Zhuang Liren heard this, he understood that the other party was really not on a whim, but really valued firearms.

"I understand."

He was silent for a long time before replying.

"Hong Fan, your talent in knowledge and understanding is much higher than mine."

"But for this matter, you begged me for the first time."

"I have to help you."

Words with laughter, but also with helplessness.

"There is an order from the imperial court that the manufacture of firearms is prohibited among the people."

"In this way, you will form a five-fifth joint venture with the state department to open a new firm."

"Then I can find a way to transfer some master craftsmen and master craftsmen in charge of firearms manufacturing from Zhanzhou to set up a personal shelf."

Zhuang Liren made a promise.

Hong Fan couldn't suppress his joy, and bowed heavily.

"Don't rush to be happy, I have to say the ugly words first."

Zhuang Liren smiled wryly.

"First, the state department only provides technology but not money, and you have to pay the capital required for the operation of this firm."

"Second, don't ask me for help in the sales of firearms—whether it's the Liangzhou Daying, the Guards, or the City Defense Department, you have to find someone yourself."

Hong Fan agreed without hesitation.

This business has to be started from scratch, and there is not much initial capital required.

Tianhehang's remaining [-] per month is more than enough.

As for sales.

Jinhai City Defense Division has Hongcheng, and Shakou Guard has Hong Wei.

Liangzhou Daying now also has Liao Zhenghao, who served as a fourth-rank guerrilla general.

As long as the comprehensive performance of the musket is better than that of the crossbow, the soldiers will naturally make a choice.

And this was the least of Hong Fan's worries.

(End of this chapter)