Zhang Mingyi was very interested in all kinds of new firearms of the New Army.

He watched the test firing of the 2-kilogram god machine cannon, the 4-kilogram and 8-kilogram general cannons, and the 12-kilogram general cannon that had just been trial-produced.

At the urging of Zhang Mingyi, a full ten artillery pieces of various kinds fired more than 50 cannons at the mound that was used as a target, until the mound was completely blown into the sky.

"The bigger the cannon, the more powerful it is."

After finally completing the test firing, Zhang Mingyi shouted loudly into Xu Shiyang's ear.

"That's true."

Xu Shiyang's voice also unconsciously became louder.

There is no way, the sound of the artillery test firing just now shook the ears of the two of them very lightly, they hold their own identity, and it is difficult to block their ears, so the result can only be like this.

"Then why not make a bigger cannon?" Zhang Mingyi shouted and asked.

"Can't pull it!" Xu Shiyang replied: "12 catties (more than 15 pounds, close to 16 pounds) generals can't keep up with the speed of the infantry's attack!" We want to restore the Central Plains and smash the Yellow Dragon, and the artillery must advance with the infantry! ”

It was not that no one at the arsenal suggested that larger guns should be equipped, but each 4-pound gun required six horses (with towed gun carts and ammunition carts); 8 pounds of cannon had to be expanded to 12 horses; With only one 12-pound gun, it is already very difficult to use horse-drawn guns, and the front line plans to use oxen to pull the cannon.

It's a pull and a pull, but don't expect it to provide timely fire support for the infantry.

"The main purpose of the army is to attack!" Xu Shiyang shouted in Zhang Mingyi's ear: "Cointreau, who can only defend, is not enterprising!" ”

……

"Why is this cannon so big?"

In Jiangnan, Wen Jiefu, Wen Zhong, Bao Zheng, Weng Shuping, and several civil officials of the main battle faction, as well as Xu Shiliu, Xu Shisong and others, were on the verge of inspecting the cannons cast by the ordnance superintendent.

Seeing the first glance of the Ordnance Superintendent's cannon, Xu Shisong couldn't help but ask:

"How can you use such a big cannon?"

Xu Shiliu also sneered again and again, but he didn't say anything.

What the ordnance supervisor presented in front of everyone was a giant cannon with a light barrel that was more than half a person high.

It's a pity that this huge cannon was placed directly on the mound of earth, and there was no gun carriage at all.

As a general who has seen and even commanded the artillery of the New Army, Xu Shisong's first reaction when he saw this cannon was: Can this thing really work?

"Is a cannon bad?" Weng Shuping said proudly: "This official dares to assert that this cannon is the first giant cannon in the world, whether it is a Tartar or a ...... in the future Hehe, no other chaotic ministers and thieves can pose a threat to Jianghuai. ”

Xu Shiliu glanced at him, but didn't say anything.

The so-called rebellious ministers and thieves in Weng Shuping's mouth will naturally not be Fang La, who has gradually reached the end of his rope.

However, Xu Shisong still argued uprightly: "This kind of cannon can't accompany the infantry attack at all, it can only be used for defense, what's the use?" ”

When Xu Shisong was in Jiangbei, he often heard about Xu Shiyang's understanding of artillery - his younger brother paid special attention to the mobility of artillery and the training of artillery technology, but Xu Shiyang was not interested in super-heavy artillery, which could only be used as fortress guns.

Moreover, a cannon without a gun carriage cannot adjust the pitch angle at all, and in terms of accuracy, it must be very touching without looking at it.

However, it is a pity that many civil officials in Da Zhou are not very willing to follow Xu Shisong's advice.

Especially Weng Shuping, not only is he unwilling to listen to Xu Shisong's advice about the army, but he even has a tendency to treat all the Xu family members as enemies.

I don't know why he thinks that.

"General Xu." Weng Shu said proudly: "You only need to be responsible for leading the troops to fight, how to achieve a strong army, or we scholars are better at it." ”

Xu Shisong frowned, what does this mean? The general doesn't know what weapon he would like to get?

This is still looking down on military generals, right?

It's a pity that Wen Jiefu and Wen Zhong didn't say much.

Bao Zheng opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't argue for Xu Shisong - they are all civilian officials, and it is instinct to maintain the dignity of civilian officials in front of military generals.

Xu Shisong lowered his head in disappointment.

He also thought that he was more valued in Jiangnan.

……

December of the 14th year of Jianxing.

Xu Shiyang married Wen Yue, the youngest daughter of the prime minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, in Quancheng, and completed the last link of the marriage between the Wen and Xu families in the situation.

Subsequently, Xu Shiyang ordered the entire New Army to take turns to rest.

Take advantage of this opportunity to let the military and civilians of Qi Province have a good year.

According to Xu Shiyang's strategic plan, as soon as the spring of next year begins, Qi Province will launch a reactionary strategic counteroffensive against Liaodong.

By that time, the new army will probably have very little time to rest peacefully.

During the Chinese New Year, Xu Shiyang conducted a round of inspections of the brigades of the New Army, and he even ate Chinese New Year's Eve dinner with the soldiers left behind in the Dingyuan Brigade.

After the Chinese New Year, Xu Shiyang arranged for his new wife, Wen Yue, to take charge of several textile factories in Qi Province and to take over the work of women.

According to Xu Shiyang's request, Wen Yue will organize young women in Qi Province to sew warm clothes and shoes for the soldiers who are about to go to the front line in Liaodong.

For this reason, Xu Shiyang specially imported a large number of Tianzhu native cloth with good thickness from Tianzhu merchants.

Wen Yue didn't complain about her husband arranging a job for her that she needed to show up, but her maid complained a few times in private.

Mrs. Du Du and Mama Rong both persuaded Xu Shiyang not to let Wen Yue come out to work, after all, the Xu family is now the ...... of Qi Province, or the largest family in the entire Jiangbei.

Moreover, Wen Yue is also a beautiful lady from the Jiangnan Prime Minister's Mansion, and Qi Province really does not lack this person to work.

However, Xu Shiyang himself turned a deaf ear to this persuasion.

In his opinion, he constantly used various methods to half-force and half-lure the female dependents of the people of Qi Province to come out to work, and if his wife did not go out of the door, it would inevitably be easy for people to misunderstand.

……

After the end of the New Year's Festival, the disturbing Jianxing Year finally came to an end.

The situation in the East has changed dramatically.

In the south of the Yangtze River, the Great Zhou Dynasty officially entered the first year of the new Longdao.

At the same time, the imperial court had already made a good way to cross the river to the north and go to Tuntian in the Jianghuai region.

Jiangbei, Qi Province began to prepare for the first strategic counteroffensive of the Han people against the Tatars in more than a decade, and they nervously waited for the moment when the coast of eastern Liaodong would melt into ice.

However, before the opportunity to attack, a shocking news suddenly came: a coup d'état broke out in the Jurchen Tartars!

The exact circumstances are still unknown, but Han people, who fled from the Yanyun region, told Xu Shiyang that it seems that the sons of Jin Taizu used artillery to ambush the camp of the Great Khan of the Jin State, and that the Great Khan of the Tartar Dynasty was killed by artillery fire.

Subsequently, with the four sons of Jin Taizu, Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zongfu, and Wanyan Zongbi, the descendants of Wanyan Wu begging for purchase were completely cleansed.

The Jin State was ruled by Wanyan Zongfu as the new Great Khan, but the four Bo Jilie ruled together.