Chapter 57: Strategize the difficulties in artillery production

Theories can have geniuses who have an epiphany overnight. But in terms of technology, it is a meticulous job.

Zhou Mengchen calculated that the first batch of war chariots delivered to Zeng Xian were still more than a month away. What he did was nothing else, but to verify the iron mold casting method.

It has to be admitted that the iron mold casting cannon method is just a breakthrough in ideas and is used very mature technology. The iron mold casting method has actually been applied to many things, but it seems that it has forgotten that it can be used to cast cannons. Although the cannons have some small technical problems due to their own particularity. However, the Military Weapon Bureau of the Ministry of Works gathered the best craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty after all. Zhou Mengchen may not have much practical experience. But in theory, it can be considered a high-level view.

The combination of the two quickly solved this little trouble.

It took two or three days to create an iron mold and the first cannon was created.

Because Zhou Mengchen stared at this ball from beginning to end, up and down, just wanted to pile up more materials, without any attempt to cut corners. As a result, when the trial run, after bombarding eighty guns in a row, the gun body turned red, and a glass of water was poured on it. Before it fell, it would turn into water vapor and turn into white smoke.

Zhou Mengchen was sure that this was the limit of this cannon.

After all, if someone died, Zhou Mengchen was unwilling to suffer any more casualties. He would not force a destructive test.

It’s just that according to the experience of these craftsmen, the gun body is already like this. If you plug in the cannon bag, you will have at most five cannons, which will definitely spontaneously burn.

Zhou Mengchen said: "This school directly splashes water, create another school, and it will be like this, and it will cool down naturally. I want to see the difference."

The craftsmen immediately agreed to make guns that should be made, and test guns that should be tested.

Zhou Mengchen held his notebook. It was Li Yunzhen who bound it for him personally. He kept spinning around with a pencil on his finger. He thought to himself: "Without increasing the strength of the material, one hundred hairs are already the limit."

Zhou Mengchen walked to the vicinity of the iron smelting furnace. At this time, the iron smelting furnace was working, and the rolling iron was rolling in the furnace. Zhou Mengchen was sweating profusely for a while. But he did not realize it at all, and he thought it could be improved.

First, the bellows system is not enough and the wind power is not strong enough.

Second, there is no coal used, it is made of wood. In addition, the coal used by the Military Bureau does not seem to have been coking.

Third, this stove is too small.

Not much inefficiency can cause calorific value to be wasted.

How Zhou Mengchen improved without any experience. He could only pick out one problem and solve one problem. He approached the center of the problem and solved all the problems that he could see and solve.

Zhou Mengchen was confident that he could refine steel that fired 200 guns in a row. The only thing he didn't have confidence was whether he could get this done within one or two months.

Just as Zhou Mengchen was putting his mind on the cannon, Teng Xiang came and said to Zhou Mengchen: "My Lord Zhou, how long has it been since you entered the palace?"

Zhou Mengchen said, "It's not long?" Although he said this, he calculated in his heart that Yi Xiao hadn't entered the palace for a month.

I have to say that Zhou Mengchen's deep-rooted habit cannot be changed at all. Once he encounters some technical problems and concentrates on research, he will forget to eat and sleep. Put the rest aside. This is not just a person's sense of responsibility.

It is the joy that cannot be obtained elsewhere, nothing else. It is the solution to the problem, and the joy that moment is joy. This inner joy cannot be replaced by something else.

Tengxiang said, "It's been a month." Then he shook his head and said, "Someone has received the favor of His Majesty. I wish I could stay in the palace twenty-four hours a day. If you are so good, will your Majesty not summon you and you will not enter the palace?"

Zhou Mengchen said, "Isn't this busy?"

Tengxiang said: "You don't know the severity of the matter? Lord Zhou, your roots are in the palace. Once you make Your Majesty angry, you will have nothing here?"

Zhou Mengchen felt a little uncomfortable.

Zhou Mengchen's feeling about Jiajing has always been a relatively difficult boss. Yes, for some convenience in work and career, Zhou Mengchen had to bend down, but it does not mean that Zhou Mengchen was really willing to serve others like this. Especially in the Ministry of Works, he was more careful and comfortable to speak than in the palace.

However, although he was uncomfortable, he knew that Tengxiang was telling the truth.

Now his foundation is in the palace. Once the emperor doesn't like him, he will have nothing.

Zhou Mengchen said, "I know I'm wrong. I'll enter the palace tomorrow."

Fujixiang said, "No need to go tomorrow, let's go now?"

Zhou Mengchen said, "Your Majesty summoned me?"

Tengxiang said, "You fire fire every day in the city, and your Majesty has been annoyed. Call you to explain it carefully."

Zhou Mengchen then remembered that Beijing City was not big or small. The military weapons bureaus of the Ministry of Works were all in the city. Once the cannon was fired, it was not possible to hear it in the palace. This was still a small cannon. If it were to test the cannon, the emperor would probably jump.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Eunuch Teng wait, I'll change my clothes."

Tengxiang looked up and down at Zhou Mengchen's thin silk clothes, sweating profusely on them, and many places were pressed on her body. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "What kind of clothes are you changing? This one is the best."

Zhou Mengchen looked at his clothes and this work clothes. After all, Zhou Mengchen was in charge of technical work on the front line and his official robe was too bloated. In addition, it is now summer, Zhou Mengchen simply wore a piece of clothing, and it was even for the sake of the decent of officials. Otherwise, Zhou Mengchen would have worked shirtlessly.

It wouldn't be too rude to wear this outfit to meet the emperor.

Facts have proved that Zhou Mengchen still owe too much in terms of comprehension of people's hearts.

When Zhou Mengchen wore this outfit and came to Yuxi Palace with a sweat, the somewhat angry Emperor Jiajing smiled slightly when he saw Zhou Mengchen look like this, and said, "Zhou Mengchen, what are you doing?"

Zhou Mengchen knelt on the golden brick floor, feeling the chill coming from under him, and wished he could climb up and said, "Your Majesty, I am in charge of the work of the Ministry of Works. After hearing the summons of Your Majesty, I dare not be negligent. I rode my horse to the palace gate first and ran all the way. Therefore, I was rude and I would like to forgive you."

There are actually two things Jiajing was dissatisfied with Zhou Mengchen. The first thing was the rumbling sound of cannons these days. When the first fire was fired, he was startled Jiajing. He thought something had happened. If Lu Bing had not told him, it was a test of cannons. Jiajing thought someone was planning to be a illegitimate one.

The second point is that Zhou Mengchen actually devoted himself to fighting chariots and artillery.

Yes, under the auspices of Xia Yan, reconnaissance became the biggest thing in the 26th and 27th years of Jiajing. But for the emperor, the priority of this matter was never high. For the emperor, it was not so much a form of a border that allowed the Ming Dynasty to not launch a preemptive war. It was better to say that the emperor recognized Xia Yan's ability. It was a military action that Xia Yan endorsed by the emperor with his own credit.

What the emperor really cares about is always the way to immortality.

And during this period, it seems that all aspects of exploration of the way of immortality have encountered setbacks.

Yes, the blood transfusion was completed. But Xue had denied the following things, transplanting limbs and even internal organs. He didn't know if he could do it in the future, but he would definitely not be able to do it now.

And he was also very difficult to practice Taoist real methods.

There was nothing else. When Jiajing had not doubted it before, it was naturally what these Taoist priests said and believed in? But now after reading these Taoist scriptures, he suddenly developed countless doubts. The mercury poisonous thing was like a thorn inserted into Jiajing's heart.

He no longer believed in the traditional Taoist scriptures.

Since I don’t believe it anymore, many magical skills and Taoisms can’t be practiced anymore. Jiajing himself is very focused, and this is even more so at this moment.
Chapter completed!