Amid the rugged rocks in the back mountain, a sudden explosion occurred, and the sound continued to echo in the valley, orange flames flashed, smoke rose, and gravel splashed.

Several bushes around were instantly crushed. The innocent goat tied five or six steps away also screamed, and then panicked, but after two steps, he couldn't stand firmly. After struggling for a while, he fell to the ground. Blood flowed out, dyeing the dry land red.

Yan Shen followed the prince and came out from behind the stone more than ten meters away in amazement.

When I got closer, I saw a small bullet crater around the explosion point. There were white marks and even holes of several inches on the stone walls. The goat, which was tied four or five steps away from the explosion point, was dying at this time. The fragment made several holes on its body. One of them was deadly at the neck, and it must have broken the artery, and blood was already flowing all over the ground.

Blood flowed out of the goat's mouth, nose, and ears, obviously caused by the impact of the explosion.

Even though it was not the first time he saw him, Yan Shen was still shocked, his legs were trembling. He could almost imagine what would be a tragic situation if the thing exploded at his feet for a meeting, and he was afraid that he would not have a complete body.

What surprised him even more was that the thing was made of black powder he made!

The prince called it black gunpowder, and he finally understood that it was not until the prince repeatedly asked him to be careful when making it. This thing...

In the past few days, the prince asked the blacksmith to cast various strange semicircular iron shells with cast iron, and then added grooves to the mold to make various shells of different sizes and shapes, stuffed them into black gunpowder, and they were always used to blow stones and sheep in the back mountain.

He didn't understand what the prince wanted to try, but he only knew that this thing was like a bolt from the blue, which made him frightened.

.........

Lee Sing-cheol is trying out a suitable shell.

Compared with gun barrels, gun barrels, and grenade shells do not require high materials and are not difficult in casting technology. However, experience and knowledge are always accumulated bit by bit, and grenades are constantly improving and strengthening, making them more reasonable and powerful, and enhancing their lethality.

Don't underestimate these small and subtle improvements. This process lasted for hundreds of years, and he became the one who lived and enjoyed his own experiences by his ancestors.

The shell of the grenade is undoubtedly the most suitable iron, and it requires pig iron.

Pig iron is brittle and has low strength, and is easy to cast and break because there is no need for more complicated processes. Setting grooves outside the mold can cause the shell to start to break regularly against the grooves during explosion, forming high-speed flying fragments.

Generally speaking, people think that offensive representatives are powerful, but in fact it is not exactly the case.

Because offense often means requirements for mobility and other aspects, this will limit grenades in terms of size, weight, and power.

Defensive weapons often have fixed installations, which are relatively loosely restricted on volume, weight, power, and material consumption, but instead pay more attention to indicators in terms of power range.

The difference between offensive grenades and defensive grenades is in line with this rule.

Li Xingchu learned the concept and experience of the design of the US offensive grenade and designed this grooved shell. In addition, it was connected to a bamboo tube handle. Before good steel, precision leads could be made, but the cost was too high and the loss was not worth the cost.

Therefore, the method of ignition of the fuse is still used. The bamboo tube handle is used for waterproofing, making it easy to carry and ensures that the fuse can be ignited in rainy days.

It is more convenient to make a fuse rope. Soak ordinary cotton thread in oil, dry it, and then add gunpowder powder.

He has been experimenting with the fragmentation of shells of various shapes in the past few days, as well as the amount of charges that are most suitable. He found that the fragmentation of the elliptical shell is the most even.

During the explosion, the shell was blown and broken like a balloon, shattered along the groove into many fragments, with a killing radius of five or six meters, or even further away.

For offensive grenades, this power is already appropriate, which is the experience accumulated in later generations.

Because soldiers hang this kind of grenade around their waists, throw it out when attacking, and then move forward. If the power is too great, it will hinder the pursuit of the enemy and even accidentally hurt your own people.

Defensive grenades can be equipped with built-in fragments to increase the charge and expand the range of killing.

So far, he has set the drawings for both grenades after testing and can start production.

Yan Shen patted his chest with fear: "Criminal, this thing is like God's thunder. If you go to the battlefield, it's okay..."

Li Xingzhou laughed and patted his shoulder: "That's why I told you to be careful. Don't save me wine in the future. Alcohol evaporates quickly and has obvious cooling effects. Using wine is for the sake of safe production."

Yan Shen nodded in a slight understanding.

"But there are too many iron ore that have been in and out of the royal palace these days, and I don't know if anyone will tell me about it." Li Xingzhou said with some concern, then rolled up his sleeves: "Let's go, drag the sheep back and cook."

"Okay!" Yan Shen also happily rolled up his sleeves and came to help. Another advantage of the prince's experiment was that there were mutton eaten every day in the royal palace these days, and everyone was very happy...

The two of them held one side and walked towards the royal palace with the dead goat. Jingchao established a Salt and Iron Department to supervise the salt and iron industry. It is said that all salt and iron are owned by the state and cannot be produced by private individuals. But iron is not as good as salt. Iron is still allowed to be traded by the government among the people. After all, iron can not only be used as swords and weapons, but the amount cannot be large.

The Salt and Iron Department has subordinate units nationwide, and every subway ore and raw iron transaction must be recorded.

But because of various things, Li Xingzhou bought a large amount of iron ore in these Tianwang Mansions, which inevitably attracted attention.

But it must have been nothing big, and he didn't take it much.

......

"Bamboo sticks and straw shoes are lighter than horses, who is afraid...... A raincoat and rain will last forever"

"Looking back, I have always been bleak, and when I go back, there is no wind or rain or sunshine..." The emperor whispered in a low voice as he looked at the sloppy handwriting, and then said: "Although he is a crazy lyric, he is really brilliant and rare. I have never seen a few such good lyrics in my life."

"That's right, the prince is the grandson of His Majesty. He will receive the royal blessings no matter what, and is far beyond ordinary people. How can ordinary talents who are sought after by the world be able to compare with them?" Fu'an said quickly. He understood the best of what the emperor likes to hear.

If he was young, the emperor also liked to hear others boast about his achievements in civil and military affairs. But now, the emperor is no longer the young and young man who was once more young and energetic. He is even more restrained and deep, and he doesn't like ministers bragging about his horse.

He could probably hear the truth and falsehood of his words, and understood that many people were insincere.

On the contrary, as an old man, he likes to hear others say good things about his grandson even more.

Sure enough, when Fu'an said this, the emperor rarely smiled, and then ordered people to hang the words written by the prince when he was drunk on the south wall.

This is Your Majesty’s favorite treasure pavilion. It is hung with calligraphy and paintings of many masters of the previous dynasty and this dynasty, and there are many priceless antique treasures. However, the emperor hangs the prince’s words here, which shows his like.

The emperor looked at it again, and Fu'an followed him and served him carefully.

"The word is a good word, but it's too crazy after all, and it seems like I'm so amazing."

"This so-called teenagers are proud. Most of them are like this, full of energy and full of vitality. Wasn't His Majesty the same when he was young?" Fu'an smiled. This has almost become a habit for many years. He knew what the emperor liked to hear, and he could take it with him.

The emperor nodded: "Indeed, it's better to be young and frivolous, and you'll be more polished in the future."
Chapter completed!