Jiuxi

Chapter 899 897 [Changed World]

In late spring, the mountains of Baotai are lush and green, and the sight of green is refreshing.

A world hidden deep in the mountains presents a bustling scene, just like everything in spring, full of new vitality.

"Your Majesty, please try the gun."

Master carpenter Liao Jichang held a long pole in both hands and raised it respectfully in front of Lu Chen.

This pole is about two feet long, with a long tube made of fine iron inside and an integrally formed handguard outside; the inside is through and the bottom is closed; there is a curved pole on one side for the fire.

Lu Chen held the gun in his hand, and an indescribable complex emotion surged in his heart.

Memories of his past life came flooding back. As a professional soldier with a rich resume, Lu Chen was naturally proficient in firearms, but he had never used this antique that was only displayed in museums.

However, for today's era, this gun is like a spark in the long night.

The moment it comes out, history will undergo earth-shaking changes.

Liao Jichang, blacksmith Zhang Hua, and a large group of skilled craftsmen in various fields stood aside. Seeing Lu Chen standing there silently, they couldn't help but feel nervous and full of expectations.

On the other side, Lin Jie and Lin Xi could probably understand Lu Chen's mood at the moment.

After a long time, Lu Chen took a deep breath, raised the spear horizontally with his left hand, pointed it at the large wooden board standing about thirty feet in front of him, picked up the fire tinder with his right hand to light the fuse, then held the gun with both hands and calmly aimed at the board.

Everyone held their breath, their expressions solemn and dignified.

When the fuse burned to the end, there was a "bang" sound and a column of white smoke suddenly rose.

The sound was not earth-shattering, but it sounded so clear and pleasant to Lu Chen's ears.

After a while, two bodyguards brought over the wooden board which was about an inch thick, and everyone looked over with a little nervousness.

I saw a round hole the size of a fist in the middle of the wooden board, which was obviously the work of the bullet.

Lin Jie walked closer and said with emotion: "At a distance of thirty feet, it has such amazing power. In terms of killing power alone, it is not inferior to the three-stone hard bow."

Lu Chen held the spear in one hand and said with a smile: "Father-in-law, how many soldiers in the Seven Star Army can pull a three-stone hard bow?"

Lin Jie understood the meaning of the string and said calmly, "Less than 1,500 people."

“This is the biggest advantage of the musket.”

Lu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, and raised his tone slightly: "Any soldier with healthy limbs, even if he doesn't know martial arts and has weak physical fitness, can easily master this weapon after a period of training. Master Liao, you have done a great job, and this king will not forget your contribution."

Liao Jichang and the others were overjoyed, and quickly said modestly: "If it weren't for the prince's brilliant idea, I would never have been able to make such a weapon in my lifetime."

Lu Chen smiled and asked, "How many muskets have been made so far?"

Liao Jichang and Zhang Hua looked at each other, then said cautiously, "Your Highness, we have made a total of 563 qualified muskets so far. There are no problems with the bullets, fuses, and wooden stocks. It's just that the refined iron required for the inner tube of the gun is scarce, so we can't increase the production further."

Zhang Hua also said with guilt: "I have failed Your Majesty's high expectations. Please punish me!"

"You have made outstanding contributions, what crime have you committed?"

Lu Chen smiled and said calmly, "Of course I know how difficult it is to forge fine iron that meets the requirements. In fact, you have already handed in a surprising answer. I thought there were only one or two hundred muskets at most. Master Chen."

Another person in charge of the Dingzhou Governor's Office who was deeply trusted by Lu Chen, the Huaiyou Talent Chen Xun, bowed and said, "I am here."

Lu Chen said solemnly: "Make a list to record the merits of all the craftsmen, and I will reward them generously."

"Subordinate to obey!"

Chen Xun looked calm on the surface, but his mind was actually filled with thoughts.

This was his first time coming to this mysterious place, which meant that he had finally entered the core circle around Lu Chen.

Before he could get excited or happy about it, he was deeply shocked by the secrets hidden here.

Liao Jichang and others were filled with joy. Lu Chen had always been generous and would even take care of and support their family members' children. This time, he would definitely give them a generous reward.

Lu Chen stepped forward and said, "Let's go and take a look at the next weapon."

The group continued forward and came to the edge of a flat open space.

There were many dummies placed in the middle of the open space, and no one was within ten feet around.

After receiving Liao Jichang's signal, several craftsmen immediately went to make arrangements.

"Everyone, come here."

Lu Chen walked behind a barrier, and Lin Jie, Lin Xi and others followed him.

After a while, several loud noises were heard out of nowhere, and the earth seemed to tremble.

In the center of the open space, the dummies had been blown to pieces, with dust and smoke flying everywhere.

Lin Xi couldn't hide his shock and said, "Is the power of the land mine so strong now?"

Lu Chen smiled without saying anything. Liao Jichang beside him quickly explained, "Princess, the earth mine was the first weapon that the prince decided to research. And because the requirements for various raw materials for earth mines are not as high as those for muskets, we have indeed made some progress in the past two years. Now we have made various types of earth mines, including tripwire mines, incendiary mines, and trigger mines. The power has increased by at least two levels compared to the original earth mines."

Lin Xi nodded and said, "I see. Thank you for your hard work."

A simple word of consolation made all the craftsmen grateful, as if it was more important than Lu Chen's promise.

Don't ever think that these skilled craftsmen are ignorant of the ways of the world. Just look at Lu Chen's genuinely satisfied smile at this moment and you will know that their flattery is very accurate.

Lin Jie smiled knowingly, and then said: "Although earth mines are powerful, they are not as convenient as muskets." Although he was the number one on the Jianghu Martial Arts List, Lin Jie was not averse to these new weapons. On the contrary, in his spare time, he would ask Liao Jichang and others to study them. Therefore, he was very clear about the advantages and disadvantages of muskets and earth mines.

Earth mines must be buried underground, so the need arises as to how to lure the enemy into the minefield. At the same time, there is also a key issue - once the enemy is bombed after entering the minefield, they will definitely turn around and retreat unless they have a problem with their brains. It is impossible for them to continue to charge forward knowing that there are unknown dangers ahead.

In short, landmines can certainly be effective in small-scale battles in specific areas, but in the face of hundreds of thousands of Jing troops marching southward, it is difficult to change the overall course of the war.

Lu Chen said calmly: "Earth mines are clumsy, but as long as they are placed in the right place, they can put great psychological pressure on the enemy. In fact, seriously speaking, the production of muskets is low and earth mines are inconvenient to carry. It is undoubtedly a fantasy to rely on them to defeat hundreds of thousands of Jing troops. However, war is a long and complicated process. Any small advantage can be accumulated and eventually become our army's chance of victory."

Lin Jie nodded and said, "The secret of using the weapon lies in one's mind. You have already grasped the true meaning of using the weapon."

In today's world, there are very few people who dare to comment on Lu Chen in person. Although Lin Jie has no experience in leading troops in battle, he is not only Lin Xi's father, but also Lu Chen's martial arts master, so he is naturally qualified.

"Father-in-law, you are too kind."

Lu Chen smiled and asked Liao Jichang, "Is the artillery ready?"

Liao Jichang, who was always calm, said excitedly: "Your Highness, we are ready."

Lin Xi couldn't help but feel curious.

Lu Chen nodded and said, "Then pull it out and try it."

Liao Jichang quickly agreed, then ran to the front himself, accompanied by several burly craftsmen, and carried out a thick pipe from a row of sturdy workshops.

This thick tube is about three feet long and nearly four inches thick. It has seven iron hoops from beginning to end. The inner diameter is about two inches and weighs nearly forty kilograms.

In fact, the weight and length are not exaggerated. An adult man can move it. Liao Jichang brought so many people to move the rest of the accessories out.

Under the watchful eyes of Lu Chen and others, several craftsmen placed the iron pipe on the open ground and fixed the bottom with iron tripods, while Liao Jichang used iron claws to lift the head toward the front.

After making all the preparations, Liao Jichang said to Lu Chen and the others, "Your Majesty, Princess, Gang Leader Lin, please stay away."

Lu Chen understood and said thoughtfully, "Is the problem of the explosion still not solved?"

Liao Jichang said with a guilty look on his face, "Since receiving the secret letter from the prince, I and Brother Deng have been conducting repeated tests to continuously improve the accuracy of the cast iron of the cannon. It has become much more stable than it was at the beginning, but I am worried about what might happen in the event of an accident."

"Don't be too stressed, we just need to step back."

Lu Chen followed suit and led everyone to retreat more than ten feet.

Liao Jichang was seen personally loading medicine pellets and small marbles into the iron tube, and finally sealing it with a larger lead bullet.

Lin Xi was somewhat surprised to find that her husband looked nervous and focused at this moment, which was a rare situation.

Noticing Lin Xi's concerned look, Lu Chen whispered, "They had experienced dozens of failures before they were able to produce a qualified gun barrel."

Lin Xi said without hesitation: "It will definitely succeed this time."

Before he finished speaking, there was a loud roar of thunder from the front, and the sky and the earth changed color.

"It's done!"

Liao Jichang was so excited that his eyes almost filled with tears.

Dozens of skilled craftsmen cheered with joy.

Lu Chen let out a long sigh and strode forward.

The cannon was intact, but a row of wooden boards more than 20 feet away were riddled with holes.

The middle wooden board was completely shattered, and several craftsmen found the lead bullet more than ten feet away. There were small holes on the wooden boards on both sides, and there were some small marbles embedded in them without penetrating.

Lin Xi murmured: "Such a domineering power..."

Lin Jie also nodded and said, "This thing is more powerful than a musket."

Chen Xun, who was standing a little behind, felt a surge of emotion in his heart. At this moment, a scene seemed to appear before his eyes: the cavalry of the Jing army was rushing across the mountains and plains, and hundreds of artillery pieces of the Qi army were ready for battle.

Tongues of fire lit up, followed by countless bullets shooting out, pouring towards the high-speed charging cavalry like flowers scattered by a fairy.

Just thinking about it, Chen Xun was already trembling with excitement, and he looked towards Lu Chen with eyes full of awe, as if he was staring at a god.

"pity."

Unlike others who were excited for a long time, Lu Chen sighed softly after a brief moment of joy.

Liao Jichang and the craftsmen immediately quieted down after hearing this. Seeing this, Lin Xi asked, "What's wrong?"

Lu Chen said: "The craftsmanship of cannons is more complicated than that of muskets, and the requirements for materials are higher. Currently, only twelve cannons have been built. The speed may be faster in the future, but it still cannot form large-scale mass production."

"A thousand miles begins with a single step."

Lin Jie came over and patted his shoulder, saying with expectation and admiration: "Since ancient times, creating something from nothing has always been the most difficult hurdle, and you have successfully crossed it. This is the first step in creating the world. I dare not imagine what the world will be like in the future, but I am sure that Da Qi will regain its prosperity under your leadership, and it will definitely be the most powerful dynasty in history."

Everyone looked at Lu Chen eagerly.

Liao Jichang's heart moved, and he bowed and said, "Please give the cannon a name, Your Majesty!"

The others immediately followed suit: "Please give me a name, Your Majesty!"

Lu Chen looked around, feeling the spring breeze blowing across the mountains and fields. He couldn't help but feel a surge of lofty sentiments in his heart, and said proudly: "Since this cannon was born to defeat powerful enemies, it is called the Army-Breaking Cannon!"

(End of this chapter)