Chief Armaments Master of the Ming Dynasty

The sound of footsteps outside the shack gradually increased, and the camp began to awaken.

Lin Fan forced himself to close his eyes and lay down on the haystack.

My body was extremely tired, but my mind was unusually clear.

He heard Han Jinhu's even snoring, heard Tian Ergou muttering something in his sleep, and heard the rustling sounds of Lao Geng and Shuanzhu turning over.

In the distance, they could also hear Li Zicheng's deep voice, discussing something with someone, but it was intermittent and indistinct.

The wind seeped in through the cracks in the shack, carrying the chill of the mountains and the faint scent of cooking fires.

Lin Fan wrapped his tattered cotton-padded coat tighter around himself, his fingers unconsciously touching his chest—there were no more gunpowder cakes there; they had all been taken.

But it's okay.

Sulfur, charcoal, nitrates—he can find these things anywhere.

Given the right conditions, he can make them "sound".

In this increasingly chaotic world, loud things are often more intimidating than silent weapons.

He opened his eyes in the darkness and looked at the faint morning light filtering through the roof of the shack.

He silently plotted in his mind—

What is the biggest weakness of Li Zicheng's army at present?

The weapons were inferior, armor was scarce, and firearms were almost nonexistent.

Sufficient provisions and pay, unstable territory, and mixed troop composition.

The pressure of government troops' encirclement and suppression, the numerous factions within the region, and the competition and alliances among various rebel armies outside...

Every problem is like a boulder blocking the way ahead.

And he, this "armsman" from another world, might become a tiny but indispensable lever to move these boulders.

Even if it's just a tiny bit.

---

At daybreak, Lin Fan was summoned to Li Zicheng's tent.

It was called a "tent," but it was really just an old felt cloth supported by a few wooden poles, which could barely shield it from the sun and rain.

Li Zicheng sat cross-legged on a rock, with a simple map spread out in front of him, covered with wavy lines and circles drawn with charcoal.

Several people were sitting nearby; judging from their attire and demeanor, they were probably leaders of the camp.

"Sit down," Li Zicheng said, pointing to a rock beside him.

Lin Fan sat down and glanced at the group of people.

He recognized the tall, thin soldier who had been standing behind Li Zicheng the previous night; he must have been his personal bodyguard.

There were also two people sitting down—

A burly man with a hideous scar on his face, wearing a worn-out suit of iron armor, looked at Lin Fan with a fierce gaze and obvious scrutiny and disdain.

Another middle-aged man with a goatee, thin and shrewd, wearing a gray cotton robe, was holding a twig in his hand and was drawing something on the ground, seemingly casually. He looked at Lin Fan with a hint of unfathomable amusement.

"This is Liu Zongmin, Chief Liu," Li Zicheng said, pointing to the scarred man.

Liu Zongmin.

Lin Fan was startled.

This name is legendary in the history of the late Ming Dynasty—one of the most valiant generals under Li Zicheng, a blacksmith by trade, brave and skilled in battle, who later formed his own army and was a pillar of Li Zicheng's forces.

"This is Gu Jun'en, Mr. Gu," Li Zicheng said, pointing to the goatee.

Gu Jun'en.

Another resounding name – Li Zicheng's strategist. Although his reputation in later generations is not as great as that of Li Yan, Song Xianze, and others, he was an important strategist in the early stages of Li Zicheng's rebellion.

Lin Fan stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Chief Liu and Mr. Gu."

Liu Zongmin snorted and didn't say anything, but looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on the hands covered in coal dust and rust.

Gu Jun'en was polite, nodding with a smile:

"Brother Lin, no need for such formalities. I heard you are skilled in iron smelting and quenching, and also in gunpowder making? I saw that knife last night, and it is indeed much better than the ones made by the craftsmen in our camp."

"Mr. Gu, you flatter me," Lin Fan said modestly. "These are just some simple, rustic methods, nothing fancy."

"Traditional methods are fine, as long as they work," Li Zicheng said calmly. "Master Lin, I called you here to ask you a few questions."

"Please ask, General."

"First, you said you know how to make gunpowder. Were those cakes we found last night the ones you brought from Wang Ziyong?" Li Zicheng asked.

"Yes." Lin Fan didn't hide anything. "The raw materials are sulfur and nitrates found in Huanglong Mountain. I purified and formulated them myself. There wasn't much. I used some on the way, and there are only a few pieces left."

"How powerful is it?" Gu Jun'en interjected.

Lin Fan thought for a moment and described it using the simplest possible words:

"If it is sealed in a bamboo tube or pottery jar, it will explode when ignited, and can injure people within three to five steps. If it is left open to burn, it can start a large fire. I used it to scare away the scouts of the government army back in Huanglong Mountain."

"Scare them away?" Liu Zongmin finally spoke, his tone skeptical. "With this little bit of stuff, you think you can scare away the government troops? Are you just bragging?"

Lin Fan did not argue, but calmly said, "If Chief Liu doesn't believe me, he can find some materials and I'll show you how."

Before Liu Zongmin could say anything more, Li Zicheng waved his hand.

"The second thing," he looked at Lin Fan, his gaze sharp, "You said you know how to smelt and quench iron. I ask you, if I gave you enough materials and manpower, could you make a batch of decent weapons for our camp? Not just patched-up ones, but proper swords, spears, and arrowheads."

This problem is more real and more urgent than gunpowder.

What the enemy camp lacks most right now is reliable weapons.

Lin Fan pondered for a moment, but did not answer immediately.

He was calculating rapidly in his mind: what kind of ore was needed, what kind of furnace was needed, how many people were needed, and how long it would take.

"Yes," he finally answered affirmatively, "but on a few conditions."

"explain."

"First, you need good iron. Ordinary pig iron has many impurities, making the knives and spears brittle and prone to breaking. It's best to use wrought iron, or repeatedly forged steel. If possible, you can try traditional steelmaking methods, although the output is low, the quality is good."

"Secondly, we need good craftsmen. I alone am not enough; I need helpers. Han Jinhu is a blacksmith with solid skills and can be the main craftsman. We also need a few assistants who are strong and willing to learn."

"Third, it takes time. Weapon manufacturing is not a task that can be accomplished in a day. From selecting materials and forging to quenching and polishing, every step must be done carefully. It cannot be rushed."

After listening, Li Zicheng remained silent for a moment.

Gu Jun'en scratched the ground a few times with a twig, then looked up and said:

"We can figure out the iron ore. Although we're poor, we've raided a few large estates and found some ironware and farm tools that we can melt down and use. As for craftsmen... we have a few blacksmiths in the camp, their skills are so-so, but they should be able to help out. As for time..." He looked at Li Zicheng.

Li Zicheng frowned slightly:

"Time waits for no one. The government troops won't give us much time. That old dog Du Wenhuan suffered a loss and will definitely seek revenge. We need to replenish our weapons as soon as possible to deal with the upcoming battles."

"Then we'll build as we go," Lin Fan said. "We can also find a place to set up temporary furnaces during the march. As long as we have raw materials, I can start working anytime."

Li Zicheng nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

"The third thing."

His tone suddenly changed, taking on a probing tone, "You came from Wang Ziyong, so you should know something about what's happening there. How is Wang Ziyong now? And what's the situation with Wang Jiayin?"