After three rounds of drinking, Zhao Xingde muttered: "Brother Xie is good at saltpeter refining and gunpowder, have you ever known that there is a kind of medicine powder that will catch fire or even explode once hit?" He knew that the bullets and shells of later generations were all about to explode, but he didn't know what was used to make a primer. I hope that Gao Changxing will do saltpeter gunpowder business for several generations, and maybe he has a unique secret recipe for this.

Xie Ximin thought for a moment and shook his head: "I have never seen this kind of medicinal powder. Seeing Zhao Xingde's eyes slightly darkened, he asked, "What is the use of this thing?" It's so easy to explode, I'm afraid it's inconvenient to carry. Zhao Xingde sighed, and Chun Yu Yue explained on his behalf: "If there is this kind of powder mentioned by Mr. Zhao, it is an ignition effect, and it only needs to be fired with a handle, so that the firearm can be fired instantaneously, and you are not afraid of the cavalry inducing the firearm to fire." ”

"I see." Xie Ximin sighed, "Brother Xingzhi is still clever, if he really makes this kind of medicinal powder, I am afraid that the usefulness of the fire gun will increase more than ten times." "I thought that if the use of the firearm was increased tenfold, what a piece of fat this saltpeter trade would be. He smacked his lips and used a knife to cut off large pieces of roast meat and threw them into his mouth.

All three of them are experts in firearms and are well aware of the defects in the firearms they use today. The fire can't go far, and there is always some time for the lead to burn. As long as the cavalry lures the firecrackers to light the fuse in advance, and then gallops away, and then makes a comeback after the firecrackers have sounded, it is indeed very effective in avoiding casualties. The speed of the cavalry was extremely fast, and for the officer who commanded the musketeers, within thirty or fifty paces, he would be caught in a trap if he opened fire, and if he did not fire, the cavalry would suddenly be killed in front of him, and it was really impossible to prevent it. In contrast, although the crossbowman does not necessarily open the bow quickly, the release of the arrow is instantaneous, and the cavalry cannot risk his own life to induce the crossbowman to release the arrow. This is the Achilles' heel of the firebolt against the cavalry. Because of this, both the General's Mansion and the Protectorate did not agree to replace the bow and crossbow with firearms in the infantry army, but only agreed to promote firearms in the regimental training army.

Hearing Xie Ximin's admiration, Chun Yuyue also nodded with deep sympathy, but Zhao Xingde shook his head disappretently, he took out an old book with a yellowed cover from his arms, handed it to Xie Ximin, and asked with a suspicious face: "Has Brother Xie read this book?" Xie Ximin took it, only looked at the three words "Elemental Theory" on the cover, and said with a smile: "This is a strange book that has been circulated hundreds of years ago, but it is too difficult, and there are very few people who practice it, but there are many delusional people who want to refer to this elemental theory to refine gold, but it has no effect, and then it gradually disappears." Chun Yuyue also leaned over to take a look, and sighed: "A certain family also read these strange books when they were young, and this ethereal elemental theory was forgotten after only reading it." That 'Law of Mechanics' is the real wonder book, and after reading it, it will be of great benefit to the craftsmen to build the mechanism. He took the old book from Xie Ximin's hand, and he didn't turn it over, so he gave it to Zhao Xingde and kindly reminded, "I heard that in order to refine gold and silver, many people lost their family property. If it hadn't been for the fact that it seemed to be a set of other real strange books, it would have been banned and destroyed long ago. ”

Zhao Xingde said in a deep voice: "If what this book says is true, it will be very useful for us to improve gunpowder. If there are no appropriate raw materials and experimental means to verify it, there is no proof of what is said in the elemental theory, so Zhao Xingde first said that "if" is true. The people of Xia attach great importance to practicality, and often scoff at useless things. The gravitational attraction of all things was already mentioned in the laws of mechanics, and except for a few eccentrics in the academy, no one was interested in the slightest, but it did not prevent the craftsmen from making all kinds of mechanisms with reference to the laws of mechanics. Thinking of this, Zhao Xingde said in a deep voice: "If you can't use this book to make money, you may not be able to make other useful things, such as more powerful gunpowder?" Or even explosives that are ten times more powerful than they are now? ”

Seeing Chun Yuyue and Xie Ximin's suspicious faces, Zhao Xingde shook his head in his heart and continued to persuade: "The other strange books are all very useful, how can it be that this 'Elemental Theory' is the only one that is vain and ethereal? There must be an article in this. In my opinion, this is a nine-story platform, starting from the earth, the higher the pagoda, the bigger the foundation must be. Gunpowder has been around for hundreds of years, and the method of refining ordinary saltpeter is not a secret decision. If we want to make better gunpowder, we should first identify the various raw materials involved in the gunpowder recipe according to the theory of the elements, and study their properties, which is the basis for broadening it, and then explore the know-how of the separation and integration of various elements, and improve the recipe and refining method. Just like building a pagoda, as long as the physical properties are distinguished, the two layers of the elements are divided and combined, the two layers of pedestals are built wide and reliable, and then the new gunpowder is trial-produced, I think there are at least six or seven points of certainty. He hesitated slightly, then lowered his voice and said, "Brother Xie, although the risk of developing a new type of gunpowder is great, the profit will be greater after the fact. The prescription and manufacturing method are so difficult to obtain, and they are not as clear as the organs and utensils, not to mention other firms, and the Ordnance Department can't imitate them. At that time, we don't even need to charge apprentice money, and once we succeed, we can easily control the market, and there is no difference between gold and silver alchemy. ”

Chun Yuyue sighed on the side: "Yes, the pagoda should be built high, and the foundation must be wide, when the iron factory tried to use coal to make iron, it was a lot wrong, but after laying the foundation, it finally surpassed the other iron works." ”

The more Xie Ximin listened, the more his eyes lit up, and he nodded: "Brother Zhao has a good advice, if this new type of gunpowder is made, we can control the firearms market, what a good way to do it in Chang'an!" He paused, raised his glass and smiled: "Brother Chunyu, I didn't mean you." Chun Yu Iron Factory was originally a time-honored brand in Chang'an, and in recent years, the scale has become larger and larger, Chun Yu Yue has already been the head of the iron tin wood industry, he listened to Xie Ximin's words, shook his head and smiled: "Mo others are talking nonsense, Chang'an has so many senior masters, which round to get me Chun Yu Yue." Having said that, there was a hint of pride. He was a steady man, and if he hadn't been so sure that he had ascended to the top of the line, his words would not have been so revealed.

The three of them were drinking and laughing, and Li Ruoxue brought Zhao Zhuo and Zhao Yong two children up to visit. The two children were both five years old, and their little faces were red from the cold, and they paid their respects to the two uncles in advance. Xie Ximin and Chun Yuyue both prepared gifts. Xie Ximin gave Zhao Zhuo a pair of golden locks, gave Zhao Yong a delicate small bow and arrow, and a rhino horn to destroy. Zhao Yongdi put the destruction on his thumb, and it was still a little loose. Zhao Zhuo looked curiously from the side. However, when Chun Yuyue took out the gift, he immediately attracted the eyes of the two children.

It's a two-of-a-kind Karakuri plaything. One plaything is a monkey climbing a tree. It looks like a monkey hugging a tree trunk. In fact, the monkey was connected to the smooth trunk with a thin bandage, which was called a spring in later generations. With a gentle push of the wooden monkey, he climbed to the top of the tree one after the other, and then he climbed down by himself. The other plaything is a fairy stick, but this thin stick is even more magical, as long as the volley is empty, the monkey will fart and climb up the tree, and go down, and the monkey will climb down again. The mechanism is also simple, the monkey has a piece of iron in its brain, and a magnet is used for the end of the stick.

The two children's faces were so full of wonder that they forgot to say thank you, and immediately had a great time, letting the little monkey climb up and down busily.

Xie Ximin nodded and said, "This little child's thing is really extraordinary. No one could have imagined that it was actually made by Chunyu Iron Works, who made artillery. "There are a lot of such playthings, when Chunyu Iron Factory asked Gao Changxing to sell playthings, Xie Ximin was still a little strange, and later these things sold very well in Guanzhong, Shuzhong and Hezhong, and the bachelor's mansion also bought a batch, Gao Changxing made a lot of money, Xie Ximin was impressed.

When Zhao Zhuo heard this, he jumped up, held the immortal stick and asked in a tender voice: "Daddy, which is more powerful than the iron bucket cannon?" ”

Zhao Xingde touched her little head and said with a smile: "Of course it's a powerful immortal." Zhao Zhuo cheered and shouted, "Then I want to learn immortal arts!" I know how to do magic! Li Ruoxue glanced at Zhao Xingde angrily and funny, these unbelievable playthings were created by Zhao Xingde and Chun Yuyue.

Just as he was having fun, there was a chaotic sound of horses' hooves outside the courtyard, Zhao Xingde's expression was slightly abrupt, and he and Xie Ximin, as captains, exchanged glances at the same time.

Sure enough, as soon as the two of them stood up, there was a call from the sergeant of the Protector Mansion outside the door. It turned out that the Hebei army of the Song State was ambushed by the Liao army on the way back to Bianliang, and the bitter battle was invincible, and the Hebei camp deployed Wang Yan to martyr the country, and the governor and the Hebei economic strategy made Qin Hui captured, and the 70,000 army was almost wiped out. When the news spread, the Henan and Hebei troops were greatly depressed, and in order to prevent the Liao army from rushing to cross, Uncle Zhang destroyed the Liyangjin pontoon bridge overnight. However, there were still many boats on the shore of Hebei, and after the Liao army defeated the main force of the camp in Hebei, they had no worries about the future, and were collecting boats with all their might, and while crossing the river by boat, they were preparing to build a new pontoon bridge with the help of wooden stakes that had not been destroyed by the Song army. Bianliang is already in danger.

In the Protector's Mansion, the early captains were whispering.

Someone whispered: "I heard that Wu Baiyu led the troops to the battle." The other laughed and said, "Isn't that Qu Anton going to be angry?" "Qu Andong is Qu Duan, the general of the Anton Military Division, and Wu Baiyu refers to Wu Jie, the commander of the White Feather Army. Qu Duan is both civil and military, Wu Jie is brave and strategic, and the two can be called Guan Zhong Yuliang. It's just that one mountain can't tolerate two tigers, and these two people are not in harmony with each other, and they are also well known in the Protectorate Mansion. Someone hesitated: "It seems that the army is still preparing to go out of Hangu, and there is no need for the Anbei Military Division to go to Mobei to fight Xijing Road and attack Beijing?" ”

The ten captains around looked at it, and Yu Zangyun sneered: "Attacking Xijing Road, the Liao army returns to fight with us, and the Song State has taken a breath, what does it mean to our dynasty?" Is this something to be done with your sleeves rolled up? Only by sending a letter to Guguan will the battle between Liao and Song Dynasty become bigger and bigger, and the more ruthless the battle will be. Although the military strength of the Song State is weak, there are many people in the ground, and it can always drag on for three and a half years......" His voice became lower and lower, and the words behind him gradually became inaudible, and the faces of the dozen or so captains around him showed a look of sudden realization.