Wu Laohan annihilated such a big move in Yunnan, and Xiao Mazi and Ao Bai were thousands of miles away in the capital, of course, it was impossible not to be unaware of it - at least the imperial court headed by Gan Wenkun and Lu Fatzi reported to them twice in three days, reporting Wu Laohan's brutal and greedy, violating laws and disciplines, committing crimes, embezzlement and bribery, bullying men and women, preying on the common people, poisoning living beings, supporting soldiers and self-respect, raising thieves and fattening themselves, smuggling and prohibitions, bullying the monarch and conspiring to usurp, and so on.

By the way, if you compare the details of the report and the clarity of the description, among these people, Lu Fatzi of Jingzhi County, Qujingzhi County, Daqing Dynasty is the most outstanding, not only detailed and truthful reports of Wu Sangui's various means and figures for secretly expanding the army and disguised expansion of the army, but also truthfully reported such as "The Inside Story of Pingxi Wangfu", "Yungui Blood Record", "Wu Sangui's Ambition", "Black Moon. Wuhua Mountain", "Fierce Beast Training Center - Pingxi Wangfu New Barracks Record" and so on and so on, flesh-and-blood conscience facts, illustrated and tearful accusations of Wu Sangui and his lackeys, also won the unanimous praise of the rulers of the Qing court.

In fact, for Xiao Mazi and other mite Qing rulers, it doesn't matter whether Wu Sangui is corrupt, lustful, greedy for money, and fish and meat - the more Wu Sangui is unpopular with the people, and the more he poisons the people of Yungui, the more relieved Xiao Mazi and other mite Qing rulers are! For Xiao Mazi and other mite Qing rulers, what really matters is whether Wu Sangui has the ambition to rebel and whether he has the strength to threaten Xiao Mazi's dominance. In this way, Wu Sangui's frantic expansion of armaments in Yungui in the ninth year of Kang Mazi made it difficult for the ruler of Xiao Mazi to sleep and eat, like a fish in his throat.

Of course, Xiao Mazi's military attainments are not as profound as those advocated by the mites - otherwise he would not have devoted all his country's strength to conquer Geldan three times, and finally made his family Geerdan immediately die comfortably on the woman's belly. But Xiao Mazi is definitely not ignorant of the military, at least Xiao Mazi knows very well that the war is fought with manpower, material and financial resources, and the ancestors of Xiao Mazi were able to overthrow the Ming Dynasty, completely because of the shit luck, rare natural disasters led to the uprising of the displaced people, and the Ming Dynasty was defeated from the inside, so that the ancestors of Xiao Mazi chose the result of a big bargain, and now it is not.

Since the entry of the mite Qing into the customs, the natural disasters on the Central Plains have been significantly reduced, the people's hearts have gradually settled, the population and economy have recovered rapidly, and the foundation of the mite Qing rule has been consolidated, showing a steaming scene, which is far from being comparable to the Ming Dynasty regime during the Chongzhen period. Yunnan and Guizhou under the semi-control of Wu Sangui are not only sparsely populated, but also well-known poor provinces from ancient times to the present, and have never been able to self-sufficiency in food and military salaries for a year.

More fortunately, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces have never been large horse-producing provinces, and the neighboring provinces of Sichuan and Tibet cannot produce many war horses, and at the same time, the surrounding areas of Yunnan and Guizhou are not suitable for cavalry to rush and fight, which is also destined to Wu Sangui can not follow the example of Xiao Mazi's ancestors, and use the advantage of cavalry to gradually weaken the strength of Mites, so Xiao Mazi has full confidence, believing that even if Wu Sangui develops armaments crazily, he will not be able to threaten his dominance by force. Even if he uses human life, money, food and materials, he can consume Wu Sangui to death - facts have proved that this is indeed the case.

The only thing that worries Xiao Mazi is the issue of firearms, because Xiao Mazi himself is a lover of Western science and technology, and has been exposed to countless Western firearms that ordinary people can't touch, and knows that the only thing in this world that can threaten and neutralize the advantage of the Eight Banners Archery and Horse Riding and Archery is these dangerous gunpowder weapons. Xiao Mazi is even worried that once these gunpowder weapons are allowed to develop, they may even completely reverse the advantage of the Eight Banners' bow and arrow war horses, and even reverse the strategic balance of comprehensive strength - this is also the fundamental reason why Xiao Mazi and his descendants will stifle the development of China's gunpowder weapons at all costs.

It is precisely because of this that when he learned that Wu Sangui was frantically expanding his armaments and setting up a number of firearms battalions to desperately produce and research gunpowder weapons - this can be seen from Wu Sanguijun's frenzied purchase of saltpeter and sulfur, although Xiao Mazi was not shocked, he was also worried about it, and he was extremely concerned about the development of Wu Sanguijun's firearms. What makes Xiao Mazi angry is that although he has sent countless eyeliner to his side, and even bought Lin Tianqing, the old man of Pingxi Palace, the governor of Yunnan, but Wu Sanguijun's firearms development status is still unknown, and even whether Wu Sanguijun has cast the Hongyi cannon commonly used by the Qing army, Xiao Mazi doesn't know anything about it, causing Xiao Mazi to repeatedly issue orders to reprimand his henchman Gan Wenkun, who he has promoted, and also caused Gan Wenkun to write to Lu Fatzi for three days and two days to urge, was very dissatisfied with Lu Fatzi's behavior of occupying the pit and not excreting.

The hard work paid off, just when Xiao Mazi was almost desperate, on September 12 of the ninth year of Kang Mazi in the Qing Dynasty, Xiao Mazi received a report from Gan Wenkun, saying that he had obtained the real evidence that Wu Sangui had privately cast Hongyi cannons and various firearms, and also found some physical objects. Xiao Mazi was overjoyed immediately, and immediately sent an order to Gan Wenkun, ordering him to quickly transport the Wu Sangui military firearms to the capital, so that the capital's firearms craftsmen could analyze the development of Wu Sanguijun's firearms.

What made Xiao Mazi even more pleasantly surprised was that the loyal Gan Wenkun had already done so without his order, and on October 15, Gan Wenkun's brother Gan Wenjiong had personally escorted the various firearms of Wu Sangui's army that had been searched to arrive in the capital and presented them to Xiao Mazi. And Xiao Mazi did not hesitate, and on the same day, he sent all these weapons to the Longtan Artillery Factory in Zuo'anmen, and handed them over to the cannon casting craftsmen and Western technicians for research to analyze the firearms and equipment of Wu Sanguijun.

At noon the next day, just after lunch, Xiao Mazi immediately ordered the car to travel, and took many henchmen and lackeys to inspect the Longtan Artillery Factory. And when Xiao Mazi's mighty convoy arrived at the Longtan Artillery Factory, the officials in the Artillery Bureau had already knelt on the side of the road to greet them, but to Xiao Mazi's great surprise, many of the Aobai party's sworn friends such as Bamburshan, Sebende, Taibitu, Asiha and Ge Yanha were also kneeling on the side of the road to greet them. Xiao Mazi couldn't help but ask Ban Bushan curiously: "Scholar Ban Bushan, why are you here too?" ”

"Back to the emperor, the minions came with Ao Zhongtang." Bambur kowtowed and replied honestly: "Ao Zhongtang heard that Governor Gan brought the Hongyi cannon that Wu Sangui cast privately, and he brought the minions here after the dispersal of the dynasty, and now Ao Bai Zhongtang is listening to the report of the cannon casting craftsmen on the construction site. ”

"The old thing is finally worried about Wu Sangui's old thing." Xiao Mazi was overjoyed in his heart - if Ao Bai and Wu Sangui turned against each other, Xiao Mazi would be much easier, and he would have the opportunity to fish in troubled waters. Overjoyed, Xiao Mazi hurriedly beckoned everyone to calm down, and ordered Ban Bushan and others to step forward to lead the way, leading Suo Etu, Mingzhu, Xiong Cixu and Kong Sizhen and other henchmen into the artillery factory, and directly came to the construction site where Wu Sangui's artillery was parked.

When they arrived at the construction site, the Ao Bai and Mu Lima brothers were really surrounded by a group of soldiers, and they were talking to a group of craftsmen next to the two artillery. And although Xiao Mazi was angry in his heart, he didn't dare to turn his face with Ao Bai because of his grandmother's strict order, but just said with a smile: "Ao Zhongtang is exempt, Mu Junmen is exempt, Ao Zhongtang, you just came here to personally inspect the Hongyi cannon cast by Wu Sangui privately, but did you find anything?" ”

"Back to the emperor, the emperor said that these two cannons were cast by Wu Sangui privately, I don't know if there is any evidence?" Ao Bai asked coldly: "How did the old minister hear about it?" Gan Wenkun found these two Hongyi cannons on the road from Qujing to Kunming? Wu Sangui also defended himself and said that these two Hongyi cannons were also old things left by the former Ming Dynasty? ”

"The old things left behind by the former Ming?" Looking at the two brand-new Hongyi cannons painted with tung paint and still glowing blue, Xiao Mazi smiled dumbly and said: "Ao Zhongtang has good eyesight, these two Hongyi cannons do look like old things left by the former Ming Dynasty." ”

"The emperor doesn't need to be cynical." Ao Bai retorted coldly: "If Wu Sangui argues that these two Hongyi cannons are properly maintained and refurbished with paint, so they look like they are newly cast, who can point out that he is lying and deceiving the king?" ”

Xiao Mazi was speechless - if Wu Sangui was so cheating and insisting that these two artillery pieces were newly refurbished Hongyi cannons, Xiao Mazi really couldn't refute it. In desperation, Xiao Mazi had to change the topic and asked, "Ao Zhongtang, what do you think of the craftsmanship of these two Hongyi cannons?" The power can be compared to the Hongyi cannon cast by our Longtan Artillery Factory and Jiangnan Artillery Casting Bureau? ”

"Your Majesty, please ask these craftsmen directly, the old minister is not proficient in these things." Ao Bai pointed to a few craftsmen kneeling next to him very unceremoniously, and was too lazy to answer Xiao Mazi's question directly - Ao Bai didn't need to be polite to Xiao Mazi, if it weren't for Xiaozhuang's bitter begging and Ao Bai to remember the old relationship, as early as last year, Ao Bai had already kicked this little Mazi who dared to beat himself and his family's idea from the dragon chair, and changed Shunzhi's seventh son Longxi as the emperor.

"Damn, one day I'm going to cut you old thief with a thousand knives and put Ling Chi to death!" The hot face was pasted on Aobai's cold ass one after another, and Xiao Mazi's chest became more and more angry, but his face did not show the slightest displeasure, he just smiled affectionately at Aobai, and then turned to the craftsmen and asked, "A few of you, it's been a day since you studied these two Hongyi cannons, what is the result?" ”

"Your Majesty, the casting level of these two Hongyi cannons is very poor." The leader of the craftsmen who came out to answer was more bold, and said: "It's not Xiaomin's boasting, the Hongyi cannon cast by Xiaomin's son is much better than these two Hongyi cannons." The minordinaries agreed that the two Hongyi cannons were most likely cast by craftsmen who were beginners in cannon casting. ”

"Oh, how so?" Xiao Mazi asked with great joy.

"Back to the emperor, please allow Xiaomin to get up and go to the cannon to point out to the emperor one by one." The leader of the craftsmen pleaded. After getting Xiao Mazi's permission, the leader of the craftsman kowtowed again, then got up and walked to the cannon, pointed to the flaws on the cannon and explained: "Your Majesty, please see, there are many honeycomb sand holes on the body of this cannon, which is caused by the failure of the casting clay mold to be completely dried, and it is also a common mistake made by beginners who learn to cast artillery." Such artillery looks majestic, but once the cannon is fired, it is very easy to explode, resulting in the destruction of the cannon and the death of people, if it is replaced in our Longtan Artillery Factory, even if such a cannon is cast, it will definitely have to be recast, and it cannot be sent to the army for use. ”

"Also, this kind of artillery has a fatal drawback, that is, the iron is not pure, the wrought iron is not pure enough, and it is mixed with pig iron and iron juice, so it is easier to blow up. In addition, these two cannons are too heavy, we weighed them with boats, the weight of these two Hongyi cannons is more than 1,500 catties, but the muzzle is relatively small, and it can only be loaded with six catties of solid iron shells. ”

"In addition, there are also a little problems with the illumination of these two Hongyi cannons, some of them are high, although the process error is not very serious, but in this way, it is difficult for the gunner to adjust the crosshair, and the shells fired will definitely not be very accurate."

The leader of the craftsman said, Xiao Mazi nodded, although his face was silent, but his heart was already happy, and his heart said that you Wu Sangui was pitted by that barbarian named Sun Dianying, and after spending so much silver, the Hongyi cannon made is equivalent to a semi-waste product, but it's okay, if your artillery is like this, then I can be completely relieved. Overjoyed, Xiao Mazi noticed the other firearms Gan Wenkun had found, and asked again, "What about such firearms?" Is there anything to remark? ”

"Back to the emperor, these firearms can only be said to be usable, and compared with the firearms we produce here, they are still a little worse." Another leader of craftsmen stood up and picked up the firearms that Gan Wenkun searched one by one and explained, "Your Majesty, please see, this solid cannonball weighs only six catties, and the power of hitting it is not enough. ”

"This fire dragon water, although it is more than half a kilogram of gunpowder than the first energy saving of the fire dragon water we made, but the fuse is too short, the gunpowder of the first section has not been burned, and the lead of the second section has been burned out, and the gunpowder of the first section is wasted when it is shot out of the dragon's mouth. In addition, this dragon's mouth is too big, and after the second section of the rocket is launched, it is not easy to control the accuracy, and the waste is still very large. Also, on the first cylinder of this fire dragon out of the water, I don't know how there are twelve mouths, probably for the purpose of installing dragon wing dragon claws, although it looks good, but it actually has no effect, but increases the weight and process difficulty. ”

"Where's the musket?" Xiao Mazi, who was basically relieved, pointed to the musket mold again.

"Huh." Several firearms craftsmen present laughed, and one craftsman said: "Your Majesty, this is a musket mold that we have not used for a long time, and the best way to cast the barrel of a musket now is to use wrought iron sheets, like a firecracker, and then add an iron hoop - this kind of mold-cast musket is heavy and easy to explode, and it takes too long, and the small people have long since used it." ”

"Oh, I see." Xiao Mazi suddenly realized, and at the same time was overjoyed, nodded and said, "Very good, then I can be completely relieved." ”

"What if we can build the same Hongyi cannon as Qianming?" Ao Bai suddenly opened his mouth and sneered: "The most important thing on the battlefield is to be skilled in martial arts, bow and horse riding and shooting, crooked ways like firearms, and KitKat silver skills, if it really works, then our Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty still have a chance to enter the customs?" ”

After that, Ao Bai bowed his hand again and said: "Your Majesty, the old minister is a little uncomfortable, so he will retire first." Then Ao Bai didn't wait for Xiao Mazi to reply, and directly led Mu Lima and Bamburshan and other cronies out of the construction site in a big way, leaving Xiao Mazi in the same place and secretly cursing Ao Bai to die early.

When he got out of the Longtan Cannon Factory and got into the sedan car, Bambulshan came to the side of Aobai, and said in a low voice: "Zhongtang, is your attitude towards the emperor too much today?" Anyway, he is also the emperor on our face. ”

"Seeing his idiot look, the old man became angry!" Ao Bai couldn't bear it anymore, and he also lowered his voice and said, "Did you notice just now?" When I heard that Wu Sangui's firearms were not as good as ours, I immediately laughed and narrowed my eyes, just as stupid as Sony's old idiot! ”

"What? Zhongtang, do you suspect that there is a problem with these firearms? Bamburshan asked in surprise.

"Who is Wu Sangui?" Ao Bai snorted coldly: "I have long heard that he has very strict regulations on weapon casting, after the arrow and armor are made, the arrow must be used to shoot the armor, the armor is pierced to punish the armor, and the arrow is bent to punish the arrowmaker, only the arrow is not bent into the arrow, and the arrow is trapped in the armor and the armor is not penetrated, it is considered to be qualified together!" That barbarian named Sun Dianying used such a firearm to pit him, Wu Sangui had already cut him down, can he wait until now? ”

"So? This is likely to be Wu Sangui's trick? Bamburshan was surprised and said, "Then do you want to say hello to the emperor?" ”

"Not yet." Ao Bai sneered and said: "The current situation, the stronger Wu Sangui is, the more beneficial it is to us, the more Xiao Mazi will dare not touch us, and he can deter Annan Burma by the way, and there can also warn Guangxi Sun Yanling and Guangdong Shang Kexi, who are not in harmony with the old man, not to come nonsense." When this little pockmark sincerely softened to the old man, knowing that the old man was the indispensable pillar of the Qing Dynasty, it would not be too late for the old man to personally clean up Wu Sangui. ”

"But there's no way to go on like this." Bamble was embarrassed and said: "Although the Empress Dowager has sincerely surrendered to us, this emperor still keeps making small moves behind his back, and if this goes on for a long time, in case you are a little negligent in the middle hall, ............." ”

Ao Bai was silent, and only after a while did he say: "Anyway, the old man is also an important minister of the former emperor Tuogu, and he will be punished if he doesn't teach, what face does the old man have to meet the first emperor?" The old man only gave him a chance, if he still wanted to be unfavorable to the old man, then the old man could also do it justifiably. ”

"Zhongtang, your hard work and loyalty, the emperor can understand half of it." Bambur sighed, knowing that the biggest weakness of Aobai is that he misses the old too much, and he is worried about the kindness of Huang Taiji and Shunzhi back then, as well as Xiaozhuang's life-saving grace to Aobai under Dolgon's knife back then, so he endured Xiao Mazi again and again, even if he knew that Xiao Mazi hated him to the core, he was still looking forward to Xiao Mazi one day being able to turn back to the shore and understand his loyalty to him.

"Also, send someone to bring a message to Wu Sangui." Ao Bai instructed again: "Tell him that everything should be done in moderation, and this year I will ignore his small actions because Yunnan and Guizhou have been weakened too much in previous years, and if this happens again next year, the old man will not be polite." ”

"Xia Guan understands." Bamble kindly agreed, and then got into the sedan chair with Aobai and left the Longtan Artillery Factory together.

………………

In the afternoon of the same day, after sending Xiao Mazi back to the Forbidden City, when he arrived at a place where there were no outsiders, Xiao Mazi's new favorite Xiong Cixu said to Kong Sizhen worriedly: "Si Gege, something is wrong today, with Wu Sangui's old annihilation giant slippery, how can it be possible to invest so much silver in mass manufacturing for these shoddy firearms?" Wu Sangui has so much silver that there is no place to put it? ”

"Do you suspect that this is Wu Sangui's trick?" Kong Sizhen asked suspiciously: "I'm worried that Wu Sangui deliberately let Gan Wenkun seize these firearms, and then borrowed Gan Wenkun's hand to deceive the emperor?" ”

"As long as it is related to Lu Yifeng, I suspect it!" Xiong Cilu said categorically: "Last night, I was also present when the emperor summoned Gan Wenkun's brother Gan Wenjiong overnight, and Gan Wenjiong reported that Gan Wenkun had received the news provided by Lu Yifeng, so he suddenly robbed this batch of firearms!" Sigege, please think about it, this Lu Yifeng has such a good intention to help Gan Wenkun get the real evidence of Wu Sangui's secret cannon casting? ”

"Then why don't you report to the emperor immediately?" Kong Sizhen asked in surprise.

"The matter is implicated in Gan Wenkun, can I report it casually?" Xiong Cilu asked rhetorically: "We have no evidence to prove that Lu Yifeng deceived the monarch, this book was played rashly, not only could not make the emperor believe it, but also offended Gan Wenkun immediately, do I dare?" ”

Kong Sizhen frowned, thought about it carefully, and found that Xiong Cixu really had to throw rat bogeys - these firearms were seized by Gan Wenkun, and it was also one thing that Gan Wenkun had done recently that made Xiao Mazi the most satisfied, hard work is high, if Xiong Cixu questioned it at this time and erased Gan Wenkun's credit, he would immediately offend Gan Wenkun to his grandmother's house, and once the high-ranking and powerful Gan Wenkun made a fuss, Xiong Cixu would have to go around without eating.

"I've even been wondering if the Sun Dianying that Gan Wenkun reported to the emperor is really someone?" Xiong Ci said in a yin yin: "Lu Fatzi is proficient in Western studies, this is a well-known thing in the government and the opposition, if Wu Sangui suddenly succeeds in casting Western artillery, the first person to be suspected is him Lu Fatzi." And the appearance of this Sun Dianying is impartial, which happens to cover up all suspicions for Lu Fatzi, there will be such a coincidence in the world? Will there be so many people who are proficient in Western studies? ”

"Although the words are reasonable, this fat man Lu is too good at acting." Kong Sizhen said in embarrassment: "So much so that now, not only the emperor and the Empress Dowager Lafayette trust him, but Gan Wenkun also relies on him as a confidant when he arrives in Yungui, and we have no evidence, how can we persuade the emperor and the Empress Dowager to agree with our analysis?" ”

"It was difficult before, but now we have an opportunity." Xiong Cixu's voice became more and more cold, "Si Gege, do you remember, Lu Yifeng's position as the magistrate of Qujing County, the three-year term will expire in two or three months, if we can transfer Lu Yifeng out of Yungui and force him to stay away from Wu Sangui, then won't everything be revealed?" ”

"Will the emperor agree?" Kong Sizhen said worriedly: "The emperor gave the Qujing Green Camp to Lu Fatzi's cousin, which is equivalent to entrusting Yungui's throat to Lu Fatzi, in this case, will the emperor agree to transfer Lu Yifeng out of Yungui and let the previous arrangement be wasted?" ”

"The emperor probably won't agree." Xiong Ci said with a smile: "But I believe that the emperor will not mind testing Lu Yifeng's loyalty again to see if Lu Yifeng is worthy of further entrustment?" Does it have anything to do with those Hongyi cannons cast by Wu Sangui? ”

Kong Sizhen's eyes lit up, and after thinking for a while, Kong Sizhen suddenly threw a wave at Xiong Cixu, stretched out his hand and pinched Xiong Cixu's handsome face, and said with a smile: "You, bad, really bad." ”

(Note: Wu Sangui's method of making arrows and testing armor is recorded in "Ping Wu Lu".) The historical data also records that after knowing that Wu Sangui's weapons were so sophisticated, Xiao Mazi was also uneasy, and deliberately sent his henchman Wu Dan to Kunming to reward bows and arrows to spy on the true combat effectiveness of Wu Sangui's army, and Wu Sangui used Hu Guozhu's strategy to deliberately select old and weak soldiers to form an army, so that Wu Dan could inspect the parade at will, and successfully deceived Xiao Mazi - Xiao Mazi is definitely not as powerful as the mite will boast in terms of strategy, and Wu Sangui is not as stupid as the mite is belittled. ）

(To be continued)