After Li Yan returned to the guerrilla yamen, he received a report that the cannon in Qixian County had been completed. So Li Yan didn't delay much, and after arranging the affairs, he set off for Qixian early the next morning.

As is customary, he inspected the situation in the counties along the way. So six days later, he arrived in Qi County.

He didn't even go home, he went directly to the artillery test site, and he got the news that the gun was being tested there. It was he who told Wang Renjie not to wait for him, if he had to wait for him to come before doing anything, it would not be able to do much to exhaust him to death.

After the last test firing of the three-inch gun, the artillery test site was expanded, tripling in length and increasing the width of the test site. There were not many fields that were expropriated, and there were not many fields here, and they were deliberately avoided when they arranged for displaced people. After all, this is a military place, and it can't be too close to the people, so as not to leak secrets. However, the expansion was too large, still occupied a little land, and gave reasonable compensation to the farmers.

When Li Yan arrived at the shooting range, he heard the sound of "boom" and "boom" in the distance, as well as the white smoke formed after the artillery was fired.

"Subordinates, see generals." Wang Renjie took the artillery crew that was being test-fired to give Li Yan a fist salute.

Li Yan waved his hand and said, "No courtesy, let's go to work." ”

"Subordinates obey." Everyone bowed down and clenched their fists again, and then returned to their respective positions to continue the test of the artillery.

In the past, they basically relied on experience to fire, and they also hit direct targets within the effective range. This time, with a more powerful three-inch gun, Li Yan hopes to be able to compile a firing table that can hit targets at a longer distance. Therefore, they have now abandoned the existing division of the imperial court into 90 degrees and divided into fifteen parts, each with six degrees, and changed to a more precise one degree per part, and within each degree they also subdivided five parts.

This sight was made by Master Huang and his carpentry workshop, and the front end was a wooden pier as thick as the muzzle, and there was a right-angled rod on the pier, and the far end of the straight rod was connected to a semi-arc-shaped measuring tool with a scale. At the right angle was tied a rope for lifting heavy objects, and the rope fell on a semi-arc scale, which was the elevation angle of the gun at this time.

This method allows the gun to be more accurate in elevation, instead of shooting at targets at longer distances based on experience. However, there are drawbacks, as the gunner is required to come to the muzzle when measuring the elevation angle, which can be dangerous if you encounter a close opponent. But soldiers are inherently dangerous professions, and they have nothing to complain about.

"How's the test going?" Li Yan asked Wang Renjie who stayed behind.

Wang Renjie clenched his fists and replied: "It's still going on." I haven't done it before, and I've encountered a lot of problems in the past few days, and it's just the beginning. ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "There must always be a first time." In the future, when you get used to new things, you won't be so anxious. ”

"The general is right, it's good to get used to it." Wang Renjie also said with a wry smile: "It took several days just to let them know the scale on the measuring tool. Moreover, the gunpowder workshop has come up with a new gunpowder formula, which is slightly more powerful than the original gunpowder, so these days are also a test of the new gunpowder. ”

"Oh?" Li Yan said happily: "Yes, they can make more powerful gunpowder, they still have a heart." ”

Then he asked, "How long will it take for you to compile a shooting meter here?" ”

"This," Wang Renjie said uncertainly, "maybe a month, maybe longer." ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "Don't worry, pay attention to safety and accuracy." With these nineteen cannons, you have to be careful and try not to lose more. ”

"The subordinates will be extra careful." Wang Renjie assured.

Li Yan immediately added: "Don't be so careful, you have to get all kinds of values." If there is a problem on the battlefield, I will only ask you."

"My subordinates understand," Wang Renjie put down the stone in his heart and replied easily. This time, we managed to raise copper and tin that could cast 35 cannons, but in the end only 19 of them could be used, and the other 16 were basically cracked in the barrels and became scrap, so they could only be used as raw materials and melted into new guns again.

Li Yan instructed: "You continue, I'll go to the cannon factory to have a look." ”

"Congratulations to the General."

Li Yan came to the artillery workshop, found Master Niu, and called Blacksmith Zhou over. Asked: "This time there is nearly half of the artillery scrap, has the reason been found?" ”

Master Niu said with a smile: "This success rate is already very high. This is still made of iron molds, there is no moisture, and the preheating can also be heated to a higher temperature, and the craftsmen are also conscientious, which has such a high success rate. If it is made by an ordinary workshop, the success rate of two or three achievements is already a master. ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "This is not a reason, we just want to continuously improve the success rate." What's the point of holding back? ”

Master Niu didn't say more. He still hasn't fully adapted to the rhythm of Li Yan's command, if he can have such a success rate in the original official workshop, it would be a miracle.

Blacksmith Zhou said: "It may be that when the gun is rotated, the knife is not sharp enough, which causes a little damage to the barrel. ”

Li Yan said: "Then you have to pay attention next time and try not to have this kind of situation." ”

"Well, my subordinates get it."

Li Yan thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be that there was a problem when it cooled down?" The cannon is thermally expanded and contracted, and if the surface of the cannon is cooled first, cracks may form. ”

"Thermal expansion and cold contraction?" Blacksmith Zhou and the others were puzzled and repeated.

Li Yan thought for a while, and instructed Blacksmith Zhou: "You go and get a wire ring, and there is also a lead bullet." If the wire ring is just right enough for buckshot to pass through, can it be made? ”

Blacksmith Zhou nodded, "No problem." We just got a little bit of wire, it's quite soft, and it should be fine. ”

Li Yan asked Blacksmith Zhou to prepare, and he said to Master Niu: "Master Niu, can we make a bigger artillery?" For example, four-inch caliber and five-inch caliber. ”

"It should work." Master Niu nodded and said, "Just enlarge all aspects of the artillery." But this has to be made and looked at again, and now everything is in vain. ”

Li Yan thought for a moment and said, "Now that the three-inch cannon has some experience, just let them do it." Now you can start preparing for a larger caliber of artillery as soon as possible. ”

"Okay, let's start trying as soon as possible." Master Niu nodded in agreement.

After waiting for a while, Blacksmith Zhou came over with something. Li Yan checked it, and it was indeed a very thin wire, just enough for lead bullets to pass through. He commanded, "Alright, heat up the lead shots." Don't make it melt, just heat it up until it turns red. ”

The craftsman next to him agreed, and heated it on the stove not far away. After a while, everyone came to the stove, Li Yan looked at the slightly reddened lead pellet, and ordered, "Okay, put the lead pellet on the wire ring again." ”

The craftsman did so, but this time the lead shot got stuck in the wire loop and did not fall into the sand basin below.

"See," Li Yan said: "After heating, the volume of the lead shot becomes larger, which is thermal expansion and cold contraction. It's the same with guns, if the outside cools down first, the outer barrel will be cracked by the inner barrel. So find a way to let the inside of the barrel cool down first. ”

"I see." Everyone nodded in realization.

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