When the soldiers came back, Li Yan counted them, and with the capture of the pursuit, they killed a total of thirty-two enemies, that is, at least a dozen enemies fled.

Li Yan asked the soldiers to clean up the battlefield, pack up everything they could use, and then leave quickly.

"Fourth brother, you can ride it." Li Mu led the white horse and said to Li Yan.

Li Yan was still sitting on the wheel, and said with a smile: "If you like, ride it, this white horse is for you." ”

"Then thank you Fourth Brother." Li Mu said happily, immediately mounted a white horse, flicked the whip, and galloped away.

After waiting for a while, Li Mu rode back and said excitedly: "Good horse, good horse." ”

They didn't encounter any accidents along the way, and they returned to Qilizhai smoothly. Li Yan asked people to unload the grain, and he took people and Zhou blacksmiths to send the iron back to the county seat together.

Now the city is full of homeless people, some of them building shacks along the city walls, others sleeping in the open on both sides of the streets. In the beginning, the wealthy squires in the city also set up porridge sheds, but as time went by, the porridge sheds were also gradually removed.

Now there is not much grain in the granary in the county, and there is no response to the relief applied to the imperial court, so the county has closed the city very early and no longer allows more displaced people to enter the city. The homeless people were only given a meal of porridge every day, so that they could barely survive, so the law and order in the city was in chaos, and the homeless people began to steal and rob in order to survive.

When Li Yan and the others entered the city, they saw that the soldiers and the arresters were patrolling along the streets to maintain law and order.

"Childe, should we make a crossbow machine or a three-eyed gun first?" After arriving at the blacksmith shop, Blacksmith Zhou asked. Now that I have 2,000 catties of iron, there is no shortage of other things, and I can make some things.

Li Yan thought for a moment and asked, "How far can the Three-Eyed Gun shoot?" What caliber is buckshot? ”

"It's simple, when I finish the core, I'll know it again. The mold of the projectile is made slightly smaller. As for the range, twenty steps should be able to break through heavy armor, and it should usually have a range of fifty steps. Blacksmith Zhou said lightly.

Li Yan frowned and asked, "Is it true that when you do this, there is no unified system and standard?" ”

"It's almost fine," Blacksmith Zhou said as a matter of course, "as long as the projectile can fit in." The money and grain supply given by the imperial court is only a little bit, and if it is carefully worked, it will be a loss. ”

"Now it's for me to do it, and I demand a uniform standard." Li Yan emphasized.

Blacksmith Zhou explained: "There is no problem, as long as the projectile can be loaded in, if you want to hit far, add an iron Trojan horse." It is a mat made of wood, the wood is easy to cut, and it can be made very similar to the mouth of the gun, and it is cushioned between gunpowder and projectiles, so it can hit far. ”

Li Yan thought for a moment and vetoed: "No! If the three-eyed gun doesn't talk about it, it will not be easy to reload. It would be too troublesome if the future firecracker was also in this way. Therefore, there must be a unified and strict standard, and the three-eyed gun is used to practice. ”

"Oh, my son-in-law," blacksmith Zhou begged, "I just know how to hit the three-eyed gun." The three-eyed gun is short, only one foot, and it is easy to get. The fire gun is too long, and the two layers of iron pipes are set together, so it is not easy to build. Besides, I've seen it, and I haven't done it myself. ”

Li Yan encouraged: "Then practice first!" You tell me what is missing, but there must be a unified standard. You can leave the receivers of the arrows and crossbows to your apprentices, and you should think carefully about how to get the firecrackers out. I'll get you a pattern of a caliper, and you can make one yourself so you can measure the size. ”

This caliper, he had seen in his dreams, and found it very useful, to measure diameter, depth, thickness, width, especially the measurement of holes, which was more convenient and accurate.

"Calipers, we have them." Blacksmith Zhou said, took out a ruler from his tool box, and said, "Let's use this to measure." Although this thing will be a little wrong every craftsman makes it, it still has no effect on the whole. ”

Li Yan looked at the two iron claws, and one iron claw was embedded in the hollow guide rail of the ruler, and there was a ring underneath to facilitate the adjustment of the iron claws. Moreover, the tail of the movable grasp is equal to the ruler body, and the tail will protrude when the active grasp is pulled, so that the depth can be measured.

He took the caliper and looked at it repeatedly for a while, nodded and said, "This thing is good, then I won't be ugly, just use this." But I think you can still make a new one, especially the scale above, to divide it more finely, preferably to the centimeter. The finer the division, the better the thing will be made. ”

Blacksmith Zhou said helplessly and unconfidently: "Okay, I'll try." But it takes time, not a moment. ”

"It's okay, you take your time." Li Yan relieved him of this pressure.

Blacksmith Zhou suddenly said: "There are so many homeless people outside, maybe there are blacksmiths." Shall we look for it? ”

Li Yan smiled and nodded: "This is a good idea, you can find it." As long as you find it useful, you stay. ”

"Childe, this is a lot of food." Blacksmith Zhou reminded. Now in the years of famine, there is no longer any money, but food, as long as there is food.

Li Yan said affirmatively: "I believed you." As long as you find it useful, I will feed him! However, when you go out, you have to bring guys and people, and safety is the most important thing. ”

"Okay! With your trust, we will definitely do things well for you! Blacksmith Zhou said movingly.

After Li Yan left the blacksmith shop, he returned to the grain store and was finally able to take a hot bath. In fact, bathing is secondary, and the main thing is to wash your hair. It is very troublesome to wash long hair once, but now there is a shortage of water, and it is washed once every half a month in Qilizhai. This is still mandatory, if they are not forced to wash, it is estimated that it is possible to wash it once every two or three months.

In order to prevent the emergence of infectious diseases in the village due to lice and fleas, he set this rule. But for himself, half a month still seems too long, so he often runs into the county town under the pretext of running into the county, and takes a shower by the way after finishing things, which is really comfortable.

Draped in damp long hair, Li Yan read the latest newspaper in the study. The Qing soldiers finally withdrew from the Great Wall, and the border towns and the troops that came to the aid of the Beijing Division began to report success, this report beheaded 1,000, and that reported 3,000, it seems that the combat effectiveness of the Ming army is still quite strong.

Li Yan shook his head and smiled, taking these words as a joke.

"Childe, it's not good, now the city gate has been closed and the city has been sealed!" Zhang Yi hurriedly ran in and reported loudly.