Early the next morning, Li Yan went to the test shooting range with Master Niu, and Li Zhong and Master Mu had already arrived.

Li Yan greeted everyone and introduced Master Niu to everyone first.

"Master Mu," Li Yan said, "This Master Niu is a veteran of cannon making, and you will have to cooperate with each other in the future." ”

Master Mu nodded and said, "It's long overdue for someone who knows how to come, it's all based on our half-bottle of water, I don't know how much time and materials will be wasted." ”

After that, he said to Master Niu: "In the future, you will be responsible for the affairs in the cannon workshop, and I will give you a hand." ”

Master Niu hurriedly arched his hand and said, "You're welcome, I'm here to be a master." Let's work together to make a good artillery. ”

Li Yan also said with a smile: "Master Mu, don't be careful, Master Niu is the technical guide, and you are also the director of the artillery workshop." However, we can't rest on our laurels, there are better methods and technologies, and we still need to use them. Don't worry about the material time, our goal is to make a powerful, lightweight and durable cannon. ”

"General, I really want to make Xian, after all, Master Niu has made cannons before and is more experienced than me." Master Mu hurriedly explained.

Li Yan smiled and waved his hand, and said firmly: "Don't talk about this, you can still be this supervisor with peace of mind." You do the day-to-day operations, and the technical aspects are the ones that you communicate with each other, and that's it. ”

Master Mu couldn't say anything more. He didn't care about this supervisor, he was just doing it reluctantly, and since Li Yan still let him be the director, he had nothing to shirk.

Li Yan said: "Let's go, let's take a look at the cannon first." ”

Everyone came to the two cannons that were already mounted on the gun carriage. In fact, others have already seen it, but Li Yan and Master Niu haven't seen it.

Li Yan looked at Huang Chengcheng's cannon body, the front was thin and the back was thick, and the position of the gun muzzle was slightly thicker, which made people feel comfortable to look at. He said to Master Niu, "Master Niu, come and see, how about it?" ”

Master Niu looked at the two cannons and said in surprise: "It's a little like the Hongyi cannon, but it's a little smaller." ”

After that, he put his hand into the muzzle, carefully touched the inner wall of the muzzle, and then nodded: "Well, it's not bad, the inner wall is quite smooth." ”

He took the rifle brush in the hand of a gunner, stretched it inside and tried it, and said, "It should be the same thickness, and it is also straight." ”

Then he looked around twice with the cannon, and frowned: "Isn't it a little thin?" ”

Li Yan explained: "It should be possible, the Frankie cannon we use is not as thick as this." ”

Blacksmith Zhou brought over a long iron clip with a piece of red-hot charcoal on it.

And Master Niu waved his hand and said, "Forget it, don't look at it, you have already seen it, you shouldn't see the problem." Let's launch it. ”

Li Yan also nodded and said, "Okay, let's all retreat and start loading and testing." Whether it can be done or not depends on this. ”

Wang Renjie immediately stepped forward and ordered: "Prepare to load." ”

"Wait a minute," Li Yan stopped the gunner and ordered: "Test with the maximum charge, don't use the small medicine bag at this time, it's okay, I will blow up the chamber during the battle." ”

Wang Renjie replied: "This cannon and the Frankie cannon we use are both three inches, and the medicine bag used is 10% more than the maximum amount of the Frankie gun." If there is no problem, slowly test the amount and range of the projectile. ”

Li Yan was satisfied, and then retreated behind the earthen wall in the distance with everyone.

The loader put the silk powder bag into the muzzle, and the other loader used the ram to push the powder bag all the way through. The third loader put the shell in, and the pusher continued to push the shell to the end. A torchbearer reached through the fire door with a thin wire, punctured the powder pack a few times, and then extended a long lead in. The second igniter lit the fuse with the fire rope on the arquebus. After that, all the gunners ran behind the earthen wall on the other side with their tools.

The lead "Boom" burned quickly, emitting a faint smoke. After the gunners had hidden behind the earthen wall in the distance, the fuse was lit near the fire door.

There was a "boom", and a puff of white smoke came out of the muzzle. A projectile was then seen flying in the air, heading towards the intended target area. But the shells had already flown over that area, and they were still flying. Until it hit the wall seven hundred paces away, and with a bang, the wall was knocked down into a large hole.

"Hiss~" Everyone gasped. They did not expect that this cannon would have such a long range. The shells were always flying in the air, and they flew directly out of a distance of more than 700 steps without bouncing on the ground, and they could also collapse the thick brick wall at once, and the power can be imagined.

Li Yan immediately ordered: "Send someone outside to see if anyone is injured." ”

Immediately his horsemen rode out of the gate.

Li Yan and the others all came to the area around the cannon, admiring and admiring the cannon.

"Not bad, not bad." Li Zhong said with satisfaction: "If you look at it this way, the maximum range should be eight hundred steps." How can grapeshotter bombs hit 300 steps. If there were ten of these cannons in front, even the cavalry would not be able to rush through. ”

Li Yan touched the tail of the cannon and found that it was a little hot. Shaking his head, he said: "The reloading speed is not as fast as the Frankie cannon, if you fire two guns in a group and take turns, it may be better." ”

"That's a lot of artillery." Li Zhong frowned and said.

Li Yan looked down and found that the fire door was not vertical, but drilled diagonally in the direction of the muzzle. He asked in surprise, "Who thought of this fire gate?" ”

Blacksmith Zhou arched his hand and said, "It's me, so there may be less air leakage." ”

"That's right, you're doing the right thing!" Li Yan praised: "In the future, artillery will use this technology." The gunpowder pushes the projectile forward, and less gas will leak back than the vertical one. So you will be given ten taels of gold, and then your food will be increased by ten percent. ”

"No, no." Blacksmith Zhou hurriedly waved his hand and said, "It's just a small idea, and I suddenly thought of it, it's not worth anything." ”

Li Yan waved his hand and said firmly: "You don't want it, it doesn't mean that others don't want it." Every progress requires a myriad of new ideas, and as long as the idea is appropriate, it must be rewarded. In the future, it will become a rule, and all those who have made outstanding technical contributions will be rewarded according to the size of their contributions. You must also take this reward and set a good example for future generations. ”

Blacksmith Zhou said with a smile: "There are so many more things to say, then I will be disrespectful." ”

Everyone smiled and congratulated Blacksmith Zhou. The second cannon then began to fire test, but it moved back more than a hundred paces, and two tall layers of dirt were piled up on the wall.

With a "bang", the projectile flew out and landed in less than three hundred steps. Everyone knows that this cannon is useless, and it is not right to listen to the sound.

Li Yan looked at the artillery that was still bubbling with white gas with regret, although it was not cracked, but there was indeed a leak.

Master Niu said with a smile: "It's already very good, the two cannons have become one, and the level is already quite high." ”

Li Yan thought about it, so he thanked Master Mu and Blacksmith Zhou: "Thank you for your hard work these days, and give everyone an extra month's salary." ”

"General Xie's reward." The craftsmen present were happy and thanked loudly.

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