Li Yan and Blacksmith Zhou came to the blacksmith workshop and asked, "There are hollow shells with prefabricated fragments, how are you experimenting?" ”

"It's still being made," Blacksmith Zhou replied, "Actually, if it's for the Tiger Squat Cannon, the shell case is a little thinner, but if it's for the three-inch cannon, the shell needs to be stronger." Otherwise, a little fire, the shell will break before it is discharged. ”

Li Yan thinks that this hollow bullet is also very good for use in cannons. Kill the enemy with the shell itself, and then explode again, and the lethality is considerable. However, the pressure of the cannon when firing is not small, so the requirements for the shell case are still very high. The key is that the ** inside must be sufficient, to be able to explode the shell, and to be able to have enough lethality, which is a high requirement.

"Keep working hard," Li Yan said, "There are also firecrackers and chain mail, and the output must also keep up." Now that the army is expanding, there is a shortage of all kinds of equipment, so you have to step up. If there are not enough people, recruit more. ”

"Okay, the humble post will definitely let the output come up, and it will not delay the affairs of the troops." Blacksmith Zhou clenched his fists and said.

Li Yan instructed: "Quality must be guaranteed. ”

"Don't worry, Childe, I understand. If the quality is poor, you can't get out of my workshop. Blacksmith Zhou confidently assured.

Li Yan left the blacksmith workshop and went to the gunpowder workshop again. This time, the Gunpowder Workshop can increase the power of gunpowder again, and it needs to be rewarded.

He said to Ma Chaodong and the others: "Yes, the power of gunpowder has been increased a bit. ”

Ma Chaodong arched his hand and said, "It's just a little more powerful." ”

"It's good at all," Li Yan said with a smile: "As long as our cannon fights even seven or eight steps more than the enemy, it is still an advantage." Your level has been raised by one level, and it is a thousand totals. The relevant documents will be reissued subsequently. ”

Ma Chaodong, Wang Renhui, and Wang Renli all knelt down half-kneeling, hugged their fists and said, "My subordinates have thanked the general." ”

Li Yan raised his hand and said, "Get up." Then he asked, "What happened to the lead of the hollow shell?" ”

Although the hollow iron bullet with prefabricated fragments has not yet been finalized, the lead is also being tested at the same time.

Wang Renhui replied: "The humble post is still researching, this hollow bomb, I can't be sure where it is going to explode, where it landed for the first time?" Or is it the time to finally stop? So this time is not easy to control. There is also the issue of ignition rate, which is not easy to make the lead as good as possible every time. ”

"If it's time to explode, you'll see if you can do that. You put the lead in the soft plug, and then you control the length of the lead by the length of the cork rod. Li Yan made a suggestion.

Wang Renhui nodded and said, "This method is not bad, give it a try." ”

Li Yan then went to the barracks in the city, where Li Zhong was waiting for him.

"Visited the workshop?" Li Zhong said with a smile: "I know that when you come back, you will go to those workshops first." ”

Li Yan sat down and took a sip of hot tea before saying, "Well, I've seen it." It's not bad everywhere, but we don't have enough cotton this year, let's see if we can buy a batch from outside, otherwise the troops' winter clothes may not be enough. ”

"Okay, I'll send a letter to Li Dong and ask him to buy some there." Li Zhong nodded in agreement. After that, he hesitated and said, "There is something I don't know whether to say or not." ”

Li Yan asked suspiciously, "What's the matter?" ”

"Wang Dejiang, their family opened a weaving mill." Li Zhong said cautiously: "It is said that the scale is not small, and they are ready to grow their own cotton on their own land." ”

Li Yan frowned and thought for a while, and instructed Sun Sifu: "You go and find Wang Dejiang." ”

"Please, or take it?" Sun Sifu didn't know what Li Yan meant, so he asked.

Li Yan scolded: "He didn't make a mistake, what to take?!" ”

"My subordinates understand!" Sun Sifu hurriedly clenched his fists and went to invite someone.

At this time, Li Yan asked, "The Wang family, have you come here to ask for help?" ”

"That's not the way." Li Zhong shook his head and said: "I'm just worried, more than ten children in their family are in our army, Renjie, Renhui, Renli, and Renfu are all important positions." If it is in the future, will their family's influence be too great? ”

"Whether the influence is big or not, then we have to decide!" Li Yan said: "The combination of power and money can indeed produce a wealthy family. However, as long as we can set the rules and enforce them well, there will be no big impact. No matter how high his position is, he must follow the rules of doing business when he trades. Moreover, a family cannot be allowed to control a certain industry, there must be competition, there must be checks and balances. Otherwise, there will be a situation where the wealthy families are rich and the court has no money. ”

"It's easier said than done." Li Zhong shook his head and said: "People are selfish, and they use the power in their hands to seek some personal gains, and they can't control it." ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's right, if this is a top-down tube, it's really not easy to manage." There's no rush for this, let's figure it out. ”

Li Zhong nodded, and then asked, "When will we resume using the silver coin?" Nearly 20,000 catties of copper were used for casting this time, and the artillery will continue to be cast in the future, and the copper consumed will only be more. ”

"Not at least in the next year or two," Li Yan also thought about this problem, and said: "Let's not talk about natural disasters, even if there is a drought next year, the locusts will no longer come, and the thieves will come." Food is still the most scarce thing, and if you use money, the price of goods will be high, which will make life more difficult for the people. If we bring down prices, the difference between internal and external prices is too great, and we will have to put more energy into controlling smuggling, and the gains outweigh the losses. ”

Li Zhong sighed helplessly, waved his hand and said, "These things are too complicated, I haven't figured it out, or you should think about it more." ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "One person is short, let's discuss more, it's better than me covering my head alone." ”

At this time, Sun Sifu came to report that Wang Dejiang had been invited.

"Villain Wang Dejiang, meet the two generals." After Wang Dejiang came in, he knelt down to Li Yan and Li Zhong.

Li Yan asked Wang Dejiang to get up, and then asked, "I heard that you are going to build a weaving workshop?" ”

"That's right," Wang Dejiang nodded: "Didn't the general call on those big families to come out to make workshops, but I saw that they didn't move, so I came out first to take the lead." My Wang family has received great favor from the general, and now that they have some savings, they naturally want to share the general's worries. ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "Well, it's okay for you to take the lead." However, I will not give you any exemption from the taxes that should be paid. Also, if you grow cotton in your own fields, I will still have to collect grain from you here. Now that food is in short supply, your land is planned to grow food, you know what I mean? ”

"Don't worry, the villain will let some of them continue to grow food." Wang Dejiang nodded and said, "After all, there are many people in our clan, and it is not enough to rely on the children's income." As for taxes, please rest assured, even if the villain is blinded by lard and greedy, it can't delay the children's future. ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "It's good that you understand." You do it boldly, but you have to abide by the rules, and I will naturally give it to you. ”

"The words of the general, the villain will take it to heart, and he will also teach his children and grandchildren, so that they can follow the general closely and not exceed the law."

...