However, this kind of idea is just like thinking about it, it can't be realized at all, and it can't even be imitated, let alone that kind of precision rifle, Li Zicheng thought for a moment and decided to start with the most basic rifle, a more sophisticated rifle, can only wait for the craftsmen's skills to gradually mature, at that time, their own strength will also increase, enough to bear the huge expenditure of these firearms.

The most old-fashioned rifle has actual combat ability, and Li Zicheng immediately found the M1841.

This is a needle-shot gun, that is, a bullet fired with a firing needle, which belongs to the ancestor of breech guns, and even the bullets are paper shells.

However, the advantages of this gun are also obvious, first of all, the mechanical structure is simple, that is, the firing pin, the bolt, the firing needle barrel and the trigger, according to the current level of craftsmanship of the Ming Dynasty, there is no reason why it cannot be manufactured, although Xining is in a corner, if all the craftsmen are concentrated, Li Zicheng has enough confidence in the imagination and imitation of the Ming people.

The second is the ignition method, unlike the arquebus, which requires ignition, and it is difficult to fire normally in rainy and windy weather.

The most important thing is that it has a range of an astonishing eight hundred steps, even if the craftsmanship of the Ming Dynasty is flawed, if you fold it in half, four hundred steps, compared with the range of fifty steps of the Ming Dynasty's various heat weapons and the nomadic bows and arrows of up to sixty or seventy steps, it is already against the sky.

As for the bullets with paper shells, Li Zicheng also thought that if they were replaced with copper shells, the accuracy and range would definitely increase, but he did not have a large amount of red copper now, not only Xining, but also the entire Ming Dynasty's red copper was seriously insufficient, and it was basically circulated in the market as currency.

Although this rifle has a large number of shortcomings, such as insufficient air tightness, bullets are single-shot, and cannot be fired continuously, etc., Li Zicheng's current opponent is not a later power, but a nomad, at most plus the Ming Dynasty.

However, the M1841 and the Ming Dynasty's arquebus, two-eyed guns, three-eyed guns, bird guns, and even flintlock pistols that have not yet been installed are not on the same level, whether it is range, accuracy, or rate of fire, the two sides are several orders of magnitude apart.

The only question is, can the craftsmen make it?

Li Zicheng looked at an old craftsman, his hair was a little gray, but his eyes were still attentive, even if he didn't know if he could imitate it, but there was no frustration in his eyes, "What's your name?" ”

"Back to my lord, the grass people are called Fang Zhi!"

Fang Zhi ...... Imitation, good name, it seems that this matter has to be found by you," Li Zicheng smiled slightly, "How many firearms craftsmen are in the craftsman's workshop now?" ”

"Lord Hui, there are six people in total."

"Six people, it's still a little less, but it can start for the time being," Li Zicheng took out a stack of white paper from his arms, shook it gently, and completely unfolded it in front of Fang Zhi, "Look at it, what is this?" ”

Fang Zhi took it, and before he finished reading, his pupils dilated sharply, and he didn't even feel short of breathing, "My lord, this is ...... It's ......"

Li Zicheng laughed, "This is what Master Ben wants you to do, how about it, can you do it?" ”

"Grass People...... The grass people are really not sure! Fang Zhi's hands began to tremble, and the confidence in his eyes just now was completely gone, replaced by complete awe.

"It's okay, take your time, how can this adult's stuff be so easy to do?" Li Zicheng smiled faintly, "However, you can't do this kind of thing alone, you need everyone to work together, exchange experiences with each other, and think carefully before you can succeed, you are older, and you are responsible." ”

"Yes, sir!" Fang Zhi didn't know what to say for a while, so he just bent his legs and kowtowed to Li Zicheng.

"No need to be polite," Li Zicheng asked Fang Zhi to get up, "From today onwards, your remuneration will be doubled, and when the development is successful, there will be a heavy reward, but it is difficult for Lord Ben to say that it is in front." ”

"Your Excellency, please speak."

"It's simple, it's just two points," Li Zicheng turned his face and said in a deep voice: "First of all, secrecy, once it is leaked, not only you, but your whole family will suffer; Secondly, in the future, you will not run away from work, and this master will take care of you. ”

"The grass people obey!"

"Okay, from today onwards, the six of you will carefully figure out this drawing, and if you have a harvest, report to Lord Ben at any time, and Lord Ben will also reward you according to your progress."

Bidding farewell to Fang Zhi, Li Zicheng selected two craftsmen in their early thirties from the barbecue makers, followed back to the official office, and came to the small hall, where the soldiers had already brought a large amount of black charcoal for roasting and piled it up in a corner.

The thirty catties of liquor that Ren Erxi bought back were placed in a corner of the small hall, and the iron frame customized in the craftsman's workshop was also brought back by the pro-soldiers, everything was complete, only the east wind was owed, Li Zicheng estimated that the time was still early, and asked a pro-soldier to sit and wait for the copper kettle, and returned to the study by himself, spreading out a stack of white paper.

The process of distilling liquor is actually very simple, but the Ming Dynasty has not entered the era of knowledge explosion, and most of the people are illiterate, so there are few ideas for technological improvement.

The two copper kettles customized by Li Zicheng are the simplest equipment for making distilled spirits, one of which is called the kettle body, which is used for heating, and the other is called the retort body, which is the condenser, and the copper tube in the middle is equivalent to the conduit.

When making, pour an appropriate amount of low-alcohol liquor into the kettle and heat it with charcoal fire, because the boiling point of alcohol is much lower than that of water, when this boiling point is reached, the alcohol will be the first to volatilize, and the copper pipe in the middle is the conduit, which leads the alcohol vapor into the copper kettle on the other side as the retort.

During the heating process, water vapor will inevitably enter the retort, and it doesn't matter, Li Zicheng is not trying to make pure alcohol, he is just increasing the alcohol content in the liquor.

The question is, there is no way to detect the alcohol content of baijiu, so how can you be sure that the baijiu has been purified to sufficient purity?

In the era when there is no machine, you can only rely on labor, that is, an excellent taster, but this not only depends on the level of the taster, but also depends on the state of the taster, once the taster has a lack of sleep, dull taste and other conditions, the degree and quality of the liquor will change.

Li Zicheng had an idea and decided to open his own distillery in the future and use his own liquor to purify, not only with a stable source material, but also according to the degree of the original liquor, to determine the various values of purification, and form a stable production process.

After closing his eyes and thinking for a moment, he felt that there were no obvious loopholes, so he leaned back in his chair and rested for a while.

"Your Excellency!"

Li Zicheng suddenly heard a familiar voice, looked up, but it was He Xiaomi, and exclaimed: "Xiaomi? What happened to you? ”

"My lord, it's been a moment since my subordinates came back, and I didn't dare to disturb when I saw that my lord was resting," He Mi knelt on the ground, "Now Erxi has brought back a copper kettle customized by the adult, and his subordinates are ......"

"Copper kettle? Is the copper kettle ready? Li Zicheng rolled over and got up, "Where are you now?" ”

"Back to my lord, the copper kettle has been transported to the small hall."

"Let's go, let's go to the small hall!" Li Zicheng took the lead in going out, leaving He Xiaomi behind.

In the small hall, there are indeed two copper kettles, connected with a copper pipe in the middle, made into the shape of a communicator, Xiao Er according to Li Zicheng's requirements, the height of the two copper kettles is different, and the copper pipes are also connected obliquely.

"Erxi, set up a fight."

According to Li Zicheng's words, Ren Erxi placed a copper kettle on an iron frame, and the other copper kettle was placed directly on the ground, and the copper kettle was stabilized with stones, and then two catties of liquor were poured into the copper kettle as the body of the kettle.

Under the iron frame, a charcoal brazier was erected, and after a while, a sound began to sound in the kettle.

He Xiaomi thought he wanted to warm the wine, "My lord, if you want to warm the wine, you don't have to be so troublesome, right?" ”

"Warm wine? Xiaomi, you'll know in a while," Li Zicheng smiled, turned back to the two craftsmen, and said, "You take a good look at it, don't miss a single detail." ”

"Yes, sir!"

The two craftsmen didn't know why, but just stared at the copper kettle.

Li Zicheng asked Ren Erxi to reduce the heat, keep the water in a good condition, and see that it was the turn of the Shen Shiyou, so he said to He Xiaomi: "Let's go back to eat first, you can send the dinner of the two craftsmen and eat it here." ”

"Yes, sir!"

Li Zicheng returned to the back office, Song Yulian was cooking, and when she saw Li Zicheng, she scratched the Liuhai on her cheek behind her ear, and said with a slight smile: "Are adults eating at home?" ”

"Well, I'm back, so naturally I'm eating at home."

Song Yulian's face flushed slightly, and she said apologetically: "My lord, the maid hasn't cooked yet, my lord waits, let Die'er accompany the adult for a while, and the meal will be ready immediately." ”

"Okay, you cook first, I'll go find Die'er, Die'er, this girl, why is it so quiet today, is there something uncomfortable?" Li Zicheng got up and wanted to go to the inner room.

"My lord, the butterflies are spoiled by you!" Song Yulian smiled lightly, but her hands were not idle, "This girl, she doesn't do anything all day, and she doesn't know what to do in the future!" ”

Li Zicheng hugged Song Yulian from behind and kissed her on the earlobe, "You don't have to worry about this, in the future, in the future, you will buy a few girls at home, and she doesn't have to do the rough work, it's you, just do a good job of the housekeeper." ”

"Adult......" Song Yulian's body trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but stop the work in her hand, in her mind, Die'er is just the maid of the adult, if she is happy to serve the adult, she will have a son and a half daughter in the future, and it would be good to be able to give a concubine, but now listen to the adult's meaning, although Die'er has not yet had a round house with the adult, but the identity of the concubine seems to have been decided, no wonder the adult pities Die'er in every way.

Although the adults have stayed in Die'er's room many times, they would rather put their internal fire on themselves, the half-aged, than touch Die'er too early, which is obviously the greatest love for Die'er, even more than her mother.

Although she has to endure humiliation and serve adults, she can endure anything for Die'er, and Die'er already knows it, and she has no objection to her serving adults.

However, she still hopes that the adults will have a round room with Die'er as soon as possible, and give Die'er an identity of a "concubine" as soon as possible, the bottom of a man's heart is a world of flowers, if she sees a more beautiful woman in the future, she may be less interested in Die'er, and she is a half-old, I'm afraid she can't speak.

Thinking of this, she put her hands on Li Zicheng's hands, and wanted to push them away, "Let Die'er serve the adults, the maid still has to cook!" ”