"Brother Sun, are you actually in the yamen today?" In the face of Sun Chuanting's ridicule, Lu Xiangsheng was inexplicably surprised, and he didn't blame him for being like this, anyone who came to the customs many times in a row and got the answer that he had not returned, he would regard this unexpected encounter as a surprise. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

"Haha, look at what you said, where am I not in the yamen?" Sun Chuanting laughed. Lu Xiangsheng's knowledge and opinions are very to his taste, and after the two came to Shanghai County together, they often exchanged government affairs, and the relationship can be said to be incomparable.

"I've been here more than ten times, and I haven't met you." Lu Xiangsheng also said with a smile, although he doesn't come to the port every time he inspects, he has never met Sun Chuanting here every time he comes, and today is the first time.

"It's just that I'm not there. Now the surrounding terrain and water ripples are almost explored, and I won't be so busy in the future. Sun Chuanting explained that compared with the administrative officer of the county order, he, the director of the customs office, can be regarded as an administrative officer, and naturally has to do specific things. Now that the customs is located in Shanghai Port, and is part-time in the management of the port, it is natural to make a detailed investigation of the surrounding sea conditions and understand clearly their own jurisdiction, where there are reefs, where there are rapids.

Sun Chuanting went to sea by boat every day, with non-stop observation and records, and it took several months to finally figure out the general situation.

The reason why Zhu Xieyuan, the governor of Sichuan, was able to ascend to the sky in one step and stand out among the many second-class officials in the world is because he has made real achievements. All the lucky ones who were promoted at the first month of this year's court meeting were all over the dragon.

As an aspiring young man, after probably figuring out the emperor's routine, he naturally has to work hard in this direction, Sun Chuanting is like this, and Lu Xiangsheng is like this. The reason why Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng fell in love was naturally because the other party also realized this, but no one could understand his subordinates or the other party's subordinates, but they were very puzzled that their boss was so diligent.

If the situation is changing drastically today, His Majesty is also the hero, as a person with a heart, he naturally has to start from the grassroots. Lu Xiangsheng also quietly understood this, so he agreed with Sun Chuanting's actions very much, and praised him, "Brother Sun's efforts will definitely reach the heavens." ”

Sun Chuanting smiled, there were no words, smart people don't need to speak thoroughly, just a little.

Just when the two looked at each other and smiled, quite tacitly understanding, on the vast sea in the distance, between the shadowy island figures, some white dots suddenly appeared, and a white shadow, and if you look closely, it turned out to be some seagulls. Sun Chuanting happened to be facing the direction of the sea at this time, and he naturally noticed this situation as soon as it appeared.

"This is a seagull? A ship is coming? Which white one is a sail? After months of running around the sea, Sun Chuanting was no stranger to the habits of seagulls, and these sea spirits loved to gather around human ships and dance.

"Seagulls? Got a boat? Lu Xiangsheng looked at Sun Chuanting, who was stunned, and suddenly turned around, looking excitedly at the ship that had already revealed half of his body.

Under the gaze of the two men, the rather lonely, soft-sailed Galen ship cleaved the waves, moving along the route planned by the lighthouse on the reef and the buoy on the sea.

"Yes, I'm still a skilled hand!" Sun Chuanting praised. The other party's light and skillful movements made Sun Chuanting think more. The Ming Dynasty has forbidden the sea for a long time, and it has long been no longer the grand occasion of the Yongle period, and the port construction is also extremely backward, and everything in Tianjin Port is different from groping.

The construction of the port of Shanghai consulted a large number of Western missionaries to do the design, and the planning was quite scientific and reasonable, and the white man's hundreds of years of navigation technology are reflected here. Looking at the very familiar appearance of the other party, Sun Chuanting could immediately conclude that this was a foreign ship.

You must know that after the completion of the port of Shanghai, although there were not many ships docked, the navy's transport fleet and the merchant ships of the Tiangong firm still came and went, and every time they entered the port, it was a mess and the port needed to send ships to tow them. Judging from this, this Western legend is definitely not the Ming Dynasty.

"Business is coming." Sun Chuanting said excitedly, and then hurriedly ran towards the nearest turret position. Although the port staff he brought with him did not know why, they all ran away with their own leaders.

"Business?" Lu Xiangsheng is also a smart person, from Sun Chuanting's words, like a shark smelling blood, he quickly woke up and ran up excitedly. The left and right county officials, the left and right chief secretaries, and the heads of various departments in the other counties looked at each other, not understanding what made them excited, but in the end, they still followed, and they couldn't let their leaders go over alone, it would be too embarrassing.

The nearest shore defense artillery position was built on a high ground inside the harbor, which was originally a sloping area, but after the blasting left the highest one, which was reinforced with sand and gravel cement and became a position. The position is small, with only five bunker-like batteries and a tall watchtower.

The pillbox was divided into two levels, the first was a storage area for shells and a resting place for the garrison, and above it were cannons, of a coarse caliber, showing unparalleled power. Five batteries, all 36 pounds of red-coated cannons with a range of five kilometers. Although its firing range is the same as that of a twelve-pound cannon, it is terrifyingly more than four tons of tonnage, which is extremely unsuitable for the army and navy, and is therefore useful as a shore defense gun that does not need to be moved.

The top of the cannon was open and sheltered by tents, which was very easy to remove. With the current construction technology, it is not enough to build a fort with a protective layer like the future generations, so it can only be so exquisite.

When Sun Chuanting ran up with a large number of people behind him, the soldiers of the city defense army stationed here suddenly panicked, thinking that the rebels from somewhere wanted to seize the position. That's a big deal. With the range of the fort here, it is enough to cover the county town of Huating in the distance, oh no, it is the county seat of Shanghai.

Fortunately, the soldiers on the watchtower used binoculars to see that the person who came was the leader of the customs, and only then did they send a signal of safety.

"Report to the commander, the platoon commander of the third platoon of the Shanghai port artillery has come to report, please instruct!" The young, Mandarin-speaking Tusi veteran with a thick accent quickly ran over and stood up and saluted. Although he tried his best to do what was required in the code, his trembling arms and body made his movements distorted, and he even made a mistake in the report, without adding his own name.

As soon as Sun Chuanting gasped and climbed up the slope, he was stunned by the other party's movements, and it took him a long time to react that he had a certain leadership over the garrison of the port, and the battalion commander of the garrison here also had to obey his own orders, not to mention the platoon commander of an artillery position below.

"You give me the binoculars." Sun Chuanting was an eager Mandarin at the beginning, and his training in Guozijian was that this Mandarin was also one of the subjects, and it was very important. However, like the platoon commander from this Tusi, his Mandarin is not standard, with a strong Northern Shaanxi accent, which makes the young man who has just become the acting platoon commander stunned.

The main body of the city defense army in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces is the Tusi wolf clan brought out by Qin Liangyu from Sichuan, and he can become the acting platoon commander in the second year, which shows that this young man learns very hard and is flexible, although he didn't understand the other party's Mandarin too much, but when he thought of the foreign ships he just observed, he probably understood the other party's intention.

"Yes!"

He answered loudly, and slowly raised his hand, ready to take off the wooden binoculars hanging from his neck, but the other party thought he was too slow, and before he could hand it over, he snatched it away. But Sun Chuanting's action made the young platoon commander breathe a sigh of relief, which showed that he guessed correctly.

Sun Chuanting, who had snatched the telescope, naturally didn't expect that the other party's mind had changed so much in a short period of time, and after taking it, he hurriedly walked forward, leaning on the guardrail, holding the telescope and looking.

Suddenly, a magical effect was generated, and the distant scene was suddenly pulled closer to the front, and the ship was also extremely clear. The style of the ship was completely different from the Fu ship he had seen, and it seemed to be similar to the naval fleet under construction in the legendary Tianjin, Sun Chuanting carefully recalled the shipbuilding scene he saw when he glanced back at the port of Tianjin, and tried to compare it with the ship in front of him.

"It's a bit like it, it really looks like a barbarian ship." Sun Chuanting tried hard to recall the information. It is rumored that His Majesty captured a Western ship in the early years, and then studied it deeply, obtained the technology of the other party, and then began to build this kind of Western ship on a large scale.

Suddenly, several figures flashed, Sun Chuanting hurriedly tracked the past, looked carefully, and suddenly, he who had seen a few missionaries could tell that this was indeed a Westerner, with different colors of hair and pale complexion, looking at the two Westerners dancing on the bow of the boat, the heat in Sun Chuanting's heart turned cold.

"We have to give them a dismissal, otherwise it will be difficult to carry out the following work." Slowly putting down the telescope in his hand, Sun Chuanting thought quietly for three or four seconds, and after thinking about the guidance procedures for foreign ships in the port, his face sank and he made a decision.

"Platoon commander, platoon commander!" Sun Chuanting greeted loudly, and at this time, Lu Xiangsheng also quickly ran over, curiously watching the other party's next moves. Lu Xiangsheng has been practicing martial arts all year round, and his physical strength is naturally not comparable to his subordinates, he has run to the top of the position, and the group of people are still working the stairs below.

"What does the chief command?" The young platoon leader ran over.

"I remember you were trained to guide this foreign ship, right?" Sun Chuanting asked. Although he had affirmation in his heart, it was better to ask.

"Yes, sir, when we find such a ship, we will first send a flag to the other party, tell them to slow down and stop the ship, and then send a ship from the port to guide it." The young platoon commander did not hesitate to say the method of disposal, and he looked a little dull in his proficiency, as if he had memorized it.

"What about this ship? Can you tell if it's a Ming ship? Seeing the other party's skillful appearance, Sun Chuanting suddenly became interested and continued to ask.

"Yes, this is very recognizable, there is no national flag on the other party's mast, but an unfamiliar flag, obviously not a Ming ship." The platoon commander replied as a matter of course, muttering in his heart, doesn't this Han commander know this?

"Flags?" When Sun Chuanting heard this word, he was in a trance, it seemed to be a very familiar word, but he just couldn't remember what it stood for.

"It's the sun and moon flag, with a sun and a moon on it, you see, sir, we have it here." After the platoon commander answered curiously, he pointed to the flag hanging above the iron pillar at the top of the watchtower.

"This is it." Sun Chuanting patted his head, and he remembered in vain.

"Hehe, forget for a while, forget for a while." He smiled awkwardly, and then added, "When did you send out the flag for the other party to stop the ship for inspection?" ”

"After the opponent enters the range of the shore defense artillery, that is, five kilometers." The young platoon commander was a little stunned, he didn't understand, why the other party was laughing, did he understand what the national flag was? I also understand, why don't I feel like laughing?

"Oh, now it's five kilometers." Sun Chuanting then asked, with the mistake of the national flag in front of him, he didn't believe what he had written down a little, and he had to confirm it.

This time, the platoon commander did not answer immediately, but squinted his eyes and stared at the ship carefully, his hand still gesturing in front of him, and after doing this for a while, he replied, "Now that it's five kilometers, I'll let the watchtower send a flag." ”

"Is it your only place that sends the flag?" Sun Chuanting asked.

"No, there are four other positions." The platoon commander replied, his legs trembled, but in the end he still did not move, the commander was in front of him, and all actions were under command.

"Then the other positions should have been discovered now, and the flags were issued, right?" Sun Chuanting was asking, his curious appearance made Lu Xiangsheng, who was watching next to him, look straight in his eyes, and ask Brother Sun, who is known for his erudition and both civil and military skills, when did he have so many questions, or ask a big soldier.

Well, the platoon commander is not a big-headed soldier, but he is not even a second lieutenant, in the eyes of Lu Xiangsheng, who is equivalent to a major from the sixth rank, he is a big-headed soldier.

"Not necessarily." This time, the platoon commander gave an unexpected answer.

"Not necessarily?" Sun Chuanting repeated.

"Yes." The platoon commander was also in the same mood as Lu Xiangsheng, and looked up at the other party strangely, better understanding why this commander had so many questions. However, he still patiently explained, "The coastline is unevenly distributed, the distance between the five batteries is different, and it is estimated by eyes and gestures, and the distance obtained is not the same, this all depends on the command and judgment of the position, so it is possible that other positions have issued flags now, or none of them have been issued." ”

"That's it!" Sun Chuanting suddenly realized.

"Sir, do you want to go and issue the flag now?" The platoon commander continued to ask, it was his duty to issue the flag to order the other party to stop the ship, and he had to fulfill his own duty.

Sun Chuanting did not answer immediately, but also squinted his eyes, looked at the Galen ship that did not slow down in the slightest, and then resolutely ordered, "No need to issue flags, just fire a warning gun to force them to stop." ”

"Huh?!" This order made your young platoon grow up, and the whole person was instantly at a loss.

"The flag is too slow, although our flag is consulted by the missionaries and formulated according to Western standards, but the other party may not abide by it, if it is an enemy, this back and forth, it will delay a lot of time, and it is likely that the other party will succeed in raiding the port." Sun Chuanting patiently explained, after all, it is a measure to change the system, and the executor must understand that there is not the slightest resistance in his heart.

"As the director of Shanghai Customs, this museum has the responsibility of managing the port, so it naturally has the right to change the port access system, since there are hidden dangers in it, it must be changed." Sun Chuanting said solemnly, "You know me, right?" He asked suddenly.

"Recognize. I've met the sir, and he's taught us lessons. The platoon commander was stunned for a moment, not understanding why the other party asked, but he still answered according to the truth.

"Then I have the right to change the system and order you to act cheaply." Sun Chuanting continued.

"Yes, not in the case of guilt." The platoon commander instinctively answered according to the order, and the commander's strange question had already made him a little dizzy.

"Is that now external or internal?" Sun Chuanting's face softened and became pleasant.

"Externally!" The platoon commander replied stunned.

"Then you don't hurry up and carry out the order!" Sun Chuanting's face suddenly changed, and he shouted loudly, his originally gentle face suddenly became fierce, and the platoon commander's heart jumped.

"Oh! Yes, yes, sir! The platoon commander hurriedly turned around, stumbled towards the fort to give an order, he ran with one shallow foot and one foot deep, and kept muttering in his heart, this Han commander is too powerful, why is it so scary, even more powerful than the general, it scared me to death.

As the platoon commander's order was conveyed, the five batteries moved in an instant, don't look at him being asked by Sun Chuanting, he looked stupid, but in front of his own subordinates, he was very powerful.

When he saw the swing of his whip, he turned around the regiment driven by the thirty men, five batteries, each with five or six people, those who removed the tents, those who carried the ammunition, and the breeches that cleaned the breeches.

Crunchy.

The sound of heavy mechanical hinges sounded, and under the whole cannon was a circular iron plate, and below was a rotating machine, and after the gunner at the top finished loading the ammunition, the soldiers on the lower floor turned the pulley and adjusted the orientation according to the orientation information transmitted from above

The gunner in charge of firing also kept observing and adjusting the elevation angle, and when he felt that it was about the same, he lit the flap and fired it. In the whole turret, the most technical content is actually not a cannon, that thing can be cast as long as the clay mold is made.

The real most technical content is still this huge turntable that can adjust the bearing, not to mention the weight of several tons, I don't know how much it can bear with countless gears and pulleys that reduce the load.

The whole process of adjustment seems tedious, but it is actually very fast, after all, their task is to be stationed here, and with regular training, even a pig can teach.

It took only about five or six minutes before and after, and the preparation was completed, and the first shot was fired, because the estimate was not very accurate, this time the lead bullet only fell in front of the ship, splashing a thick column of water, but the gunner was still very excited, this was a close miss, as long as it was adjusted, it could hit the opponent in the next three to five shells.

The roaring sound of cannons changed the atmosphere of the entire seaside in an instant, and the atmosphere froze and became extremely serious.