The official in charge of the Longcheng Smelter is named Zheng Dajiang. Their family was born as a blacksmith and had lived in the Zhao Kingdom for generations. Later, because of the courtesy of King Zhao, he served as an official in charge of weapon manufacturing here.

Looking at today, if you want to become a powerful country in the world, the sharpness of armor and weapons is indispensable. Behind this, it is necessary to have the support of rich iron ore resources and superb craftsmanship. Although Zhao could not compare with the iron mountain copper mines of several other vassal states such as Wei and Qin, it was enough. And when it comes to the smelting level of craftsmen, it is also very good.

The Dragon City Smelter has been very busy lately. Master Zheng and all the smelters have been fighting for many days in a row, with little rest. Because of the resumption of war, they must ensure that they have built enough weapons such as bows, arrows, knives and guns so that the royal armament department has no worries.

And the reason why Master Zheng, who was born in a smelting family, is staring at here for a special reason, which is still in a state of secrecy. In order to complete the task personally assigned by King Zhao, he organized the most capable forces and had been sleepless for several days. Although there has been a lot of improvement over that secret weapon. However, in terms of flexible operation performance, I always feel that it is still too clumsy and laborious. Just when he was worried about this matter, he suddenly heard someone report that His Royal Highness the prince had come down. Zheng Dajiang was overjoyed in his heart and hurriedly greeted him in person.

Chu Jiangmian rarely came to this kind of place. As far as the eye can see, they are all Leng Sensen's weapon prototypes, which makes him very uncomfortable when he is used to the warm and fragrant environment of nephrite. And the white night and the departure from the city were a little excited. This is undoubtedly one of the most secret locations of the Zhao Kingdom. Chu Jiangmian was able to bring them in person, which was already enough to show his trust.

In the vast courtyards and storerooms, hundreds of smelting furnaces of various sizes were scorching and spitting iron weapon models. The craftsmen are sweating and turning them into murderous weapons. If you calculate it carefully, it will only take about a hundred years for the combat weapons on the battlefield to change from copper to iron. But this smelting technology has developed extremely well. Breathtaking.

"Your Royal Highness! But I'm looking forward to you. The crossbow machine has been improved according to the pattern you sent...... I'm about to find time to send someone to invite you to come and watch! ”

Master Zheng's tone was a little excited. Because he knows very well how powerful this weapon is that he has personally led to create. He was extremely convinced that after the test, once there was no problem, when it was equipped in large quantities in the army, it would be a very unfortunate thing for the enemies of Zhao State.

Chu Jiangmian didn't expect the progress of the smelting plant to be so fast. He couldn't help but feel some joy in his heart. Hurriedly ignored the others, and quickly followed Master Zheng to the innermost. At a glance at one of the weapons displays, he saw dozens of crossbow machines lying there with a faint metallic glow, apparently just created.

"Not bad! That's what it looks like...... Master craftsman, you have worked hard! ”

Chu Jiangmian picked up one casually and looked at it carefully, with a very satisfied expression on his face. Not long ago, he returned from Los Angeles. Immediately, he sent people to send several long crossbows obtained from the Wei people to the smelter. Anyone with the slightest discerning can immediately understand the significance of the appearance of such weapons for war. The people of Wei are so powerful, they can't help but be intimidating. Even King Zhao Chu Lie frowned after seeing Chu Jiangmian's demonstration in person. Wei Wushu's combat effectiveness is so strong that it is already famous all over the world. If you add this kind of crossbow that is more powerful than arrows, it will really be like a tiger with wings.

However, what Chu Jiangmian said afterwards made him feel at ease.

"Father don't have to worry. Although the Wei people have developed this kind of long crossbow, they have not been used in actual combat now. So it shouldn't have been vigorously manufactured. Although the long crossbow is powerful, it has a fatal drawback. That's too bulky! These long and heavy big guys, if Wei Wushu each carries one on his back, I am afraid that when he fights, he will be tired and exhausted, so he will still have the strength to fight. Hehe! I'm afraid that it is precisely with this in mind that the Wei people did not officially apply it to the battlefield on a large scale. ”

"What Mian'er said makes a lot of sense. Wei Wushu was famous for his foot combat, and this weapon was used at most for charging into battle, but it was difficult for him to become an ordinary personal equipment. So, is there a way for our cavalry of Zhao to use this kind of crossbow arrow? ”

King Chulie of Zhao is worthy of being a person with a high degree of strategic vision. He immediately saw the power of the crossbow arrows. If the cavalry of the Zhao State can really have a way to fight with crossbow arrows, when charging on the battlefield, what a huge lethality it is! Crossbow arrows are like rain, thousands of horses burst out, what army in the world can be this thunderbolt?

"Absolutely! However, significant improvements are needed. On the way back from Los Angeles, I had already drawn a pattern with reference to the crossbows of the Wei State. I believe that with the current level of our Zhao country, we will definitely be able to do better. ”

Of course, Zhao Wang Chu Lie believed Chu Jiangmian's words. This son of his has repeatedly created surprises for him, but many outsiders don't know about it. After looking at the patterns and models he drew with his own hands, he hid the surprise in his heart. Just patted him on the shoulder and encouraged.

"Go ahead and do it! All your decisions will be unconditionally supported by the Father. I hope that while I am still alive, I can see this sharp weapon appear in my Zhao Kingdom with my own eyes! ”

In the firelight, I remembered the ardent expectation on my father's face. Chu Jiangmian clenched the crossbow arrow in his hand. After being improved to greatly reduce weight and size, they were fully adapted to the use of cavalry on horseback. If nothing else, it will soon be ready for mass production. However, what Master Zheng said afterwards interrupted his thoughts.

"Your Royal Highness the Prince, although this kind of crossbow arrow is powerful, after being improved according to the schema you draw, it has also been greatly different from the bulky crossbow machine of the Wei people. But if it is really applied to warfare, I am afraid it is still not as flexible as the use of bows and arrows! The prince still has to think more about the inconvenience of this. So as not to inflict losses on the army of our Zhao State. ”

"Master Craftsman, can you be more specific?"

"Prince, look, although the crossbow arrow has a long range, it is very lethal. But it has a drawback, that is, it is too difficult to load the crossbow arrows. Cavalrymen who charge with it on their horses are far less convenient than bows and arrows. We thought of several ways to improve it. But the effect is not great...... Alas! ”

As he spoke, Master Zheng personally took the crossbow machine to demonstrate. Sure enough, it takes a bit more effort than an ordinary bow and arrow. Chu Jiangmian patted his head, and hurriedly took the original pattern, and he improved it a few more times. It's only to blame myself for being in too much of a hurry when I came back in the past few days, and I didn't have time to think about it carefully, so that these smelting masters did more useless work. This made him feel a little ashamed in his heart.

"Master craftsman, here, here, here...... Let's do it again as I said. With the addition of two small pulleys at the end of the clasp, the bolt receiver can be designed with three, five, or even nine...... If you do it like this, it should be perfect. Hehe! ”

Master Zheng and the several famous smelting masters he had summoned at will, with Chu Jiangmian's guidance, thought about it for a while, and their hearts were already shocked. They looked at each other, and they both saw incredible shock in each other's gazes.

There is no doubt that it is absolutely feasible according to what Chu Jiangmian said! And the crossbow arrows that have been recreated are no longer comparable to the previous ones. Several shots at a time are easy, and the lethality to the enemy can be imagined. When everyone looked at Chu Jiangmian again, they were not only admired, but also added a little awe of mystery.

How could this young prince know this? It's incredible. Could it be that there are really people in this world who are born to know everything?

"Rest assured, Prince! We've been building it overnight, and we're going to make it in the quickest time! When the time comes, I will ask the prince to give him his own advice. ”

Zheng Dajiang suppressed the excitement in his heart and solemnly made a guarantee. He already had a premonition that maybe the most powerful battlefield killing weapon would be born in his hands! For those of them, this is undoubtedly the greatest honor.

Chu Jiangmian nodded. He put down the crossbow machine in his hand and said in an emotional tone: "Master Craftsman, you have all worked hard. On behalf of my father and the soldiers of the Zhao Kingdom, I would like to express my gratitude to you. If I can, I hope that tomorrow in the hunting grounds of the Nine Elements Mountain, I can see this new weapon you have created. I think...... Let my father shoot this first arrow with his own hands! ”

"What the prince said is exactly what everyone thinks! Rest assured. No matter what the price is paid tonight, we will definitely live up to our mission and deliver it to the king on time tomorrow...... Long live the King! Long live the soldiers of Zhao Guo! ”

Led by Master Zheng and all the thousands of craftsmen in the smelting place, they stopped their work together, fell to the ground, and wept in the direction of Jinxiang Palace. At the critical juncture, they, like all the people of Zhao State, were full of endless worries about King Zhao's body.

"Master Craftsman, there's one more thing I want to trouble you."

"Your Royal Highness the Prince, please speak, but if you have orders, you must do your best."

"Good! I wanted to tailor a weapon for both of them...... Bai Ye, Xiao Li, come over for a while. ”

Two men who were looking around at the various military equipment walked over. They looked around, except for swords, guns, swords, Changge, etc., but they didn't find any too special weapons. Especially when Murong left the city, these ordinary weapons always felt light and fluttering in his hands, and he was not happy.

"Xiaoli, don't look around. Let them make you a special toy! Hehe! ”

Chu Jiangmian smiled lightly, and casually began to draw another pattern. Everyone looked at it in disbelief, not understanding what the "toy" he was talking about.