Shanghai Shipyard, a large office. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

This is an office reserved for Zhang Feng, even if Zhang Feng rarely comes here for business several times a year, but out of respect, this big office has been reserved for Zhang Feng, and someone is sent to clean it every day, and the office looks clean and tidy.

The usually closed office door is open today, and now, the vermilion door of the office is hidden, and there seems to be a voice talking inside, inside the office, it is Zhang Feng, as well as Tang Jianqing, Song Yingxing, and several technical backbones of the shipyard.

Today, Zhang Feng first went to see the Shanghai ironclad ship under renovation, and then entered this office to listen to Tang Jianqing and others' design of the new ironclad ship.

A few months ago, Zhang Feng gave Tang Jianqing and others the task of developing a new type of ironclad ship, and after several months of design, the plan has basically been finalized and is being reported to Zhang Feng.

On the desk, a large design drawing was spread out, on which was the general design of the new ironclad ship, and Tang Jianqing personally introduced the design of the ironclad ship to Zhang Feng.

The new ironclad ship still adopts an all-iron hull, reinforced steel structure, dome armor defense armor, and a single-chimney double-mast design. The displacement is 2,300 tons, the length of the ship is 79 meters, and the draft is 4.5 meters deep.

The bow of the ship is equipped with a twin gun, and the stern is equipped with a single 200 mm breech loading gun, all with gun shields; There is a 150 mm breech-loading gun with a gun shield on each side of the forward amidships; Four 70 mm breech guns in the bow and four on each side.

It is powered by 2 steam engines, 4 coal-fired boilers, twin-shaft propulsion, a maximum horsepower of 6,000 horsepower, a maximum speed of 15 knots, a maximum coal load of 500 tons, and a cruising range of 6,000 nautical miles per 10 knots.

The armor was an arched "dome", installed in the middle of the hull, with the middle part above the waterline and the sides sloping down below the waterline. The waterline belt is not armoured, and is only defended by coal cabinets. The thickness of the dome armor is from 50 to 100 mm, the armor of the conning tower is 100 mm, and the armor of the gun shield is 50 mm......

……

Tang Jianqing thought clearly and introduced in great detail, Zhang Feng listened very carefully, nodded from time to time, and pondered from time to time.

After Tang Jianqing's introduction was completed, Zhang Feng put forward a few suggestions for improvement, overall, Zhang Feng was more satisfied with the design of this new type of ironclad ship, at the same time, Zhang Feng was pleased that this new type of ironclad ship, at the beginning of the design Zhang Feng only put forward his own general idea, in the design process, basically did not interfere, did not think, in just a few months, Tang Jianqing and others have completed the design, and the design is not bad.

I remember that back then, when Zhang Feng invited Tang Jianqing to go out of the mountain, Tang Jianqing didn't even know what an ironclad ship was, and in just a few years, under his own influence, Tang Jianqing and others were able to independently complete the design of a new type of ironclad ship, and Zhang Feng was happy.

Zhang Feng nodded and said: "Old Tang, you have worked hard, this ironclad ship is well designed, I think we can arrange production and manufacturing, build one first, and the first ship will be called the 'Nanjing' ironclad ship." ”

The "012B" ironclad ship has a displacement of 1,800 tons and a main gun caliber of 150 mm, while the "012B" ironclad ship has a displacement of 2,300 tons and a main gun caliber of 200 mm, which is a big progress.

Obviously, Tang Jianqing and the others had already done their preparations, just waiting for Zhang Feng to make a decision, and when Zhang Feng said this, everyone was happy.

To be able to manufacture this new type of ironclad ship, for everyone, this is a huge affirmation, everyone is happy, and then, we discussed in detail the construction of the new ironclad ship, the construction of the ironclad ship started, and the construction of the first new ironclad ship started.

During this period of time, Zhang Feng was busy with the construction of railways, the production and manufacture of new ironclad ships, breech-loading guns, etc., while the north was not peaceful.

No, Zhang Feng stayed in Shanghai for a few days, watched the start of construction of the new ironclad ship, watched the construction of the artillery factory, inspected the Baoshan Iron and Steel Plant, etc., and then took the train back to Songjiang Mansion.

Now Zhang Feng has a lot of money and sufficient funds, and he has vigorously developed it, and even invested a sum of money to recruit tens of thousands of people to participate in the construction of the railway.

Zhang Feng planned to use another three or five months, with the labor of tens of thousands of people and tens of thousands of free coolies, to build and open the railway from Changzhou to Nanjing.

Guan Peng hurriedly walked into the general headquarters, in the hall, Zhang Feng was finished explaining Hu Zhi's construction of the railway, Hu Zhi was just about to leave, Guan Peng hurriedly walked in from outside.

"Commander-in-Chief, there's big news."

Zhang Feng nodded, and as soon as he saw Guan Peng like this, he knew that there must be major news, and it was estimated that it was news from the north.

Guan Peng said: "Commander-in-chief, Li Zicheng has already proclaimed himself emperor in Xi'an, established the 'Dashun' regime, and then divided his troops into two routes, known as one million, and marched to the capital. ”

After listening to the report, Zhang Feng stood up, Zhang Feng knew that the current Ming Dynasty, with Sun Chuanting dying a few months ago, had no available soldiers, and could no longer resist Li Zicheng's army, and it was estimated that the Ming Dynasty would fall within two or three months.

Zhang Feng asked in a deep voice: "Director Guan, is there any movement from the Tartars outside the Guan?" ”

Guan Peng said: "Commander-in-chief, the Tartars outside the pass are not at ease, not only hoarding heavy troops, but also hoarding a large amount of grain and grass, seeing that this posture is fully prepared to enter the customs, in addition, there are signs that there are contacts between Wu Sangui, the chief soldier of Shanhaiguan, and the Tartars, and it is estimated that Wu Sangui has fornicated with the Tartars." ”

Wu Sangui fornicated with the Tartars!

Zhang Feng frowned, and thought in his heart, if Wu Sangui fornicated with the Tartars and let the Tartars enter the customs, it is estimated that it may rewrite history, and it will not be good, and it will be the Tartars who will be the first to enter Beijing, not Li Zicheng.

It's hard to say.

So, Zhang Feng said: "Pay close attention to the movements of Tartar and Wu Sangui, and report to me as soon as there is any situation." ”

"Hmm." Guan Peng knew that the matter was important, and nodded solemnly.

………

Capital.

Li Zicheng proclaimed himself emperor, and the news that the army was divided into two ways to attack the capital has reached the capital, and the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are in chaos, and Chongzhen is naturally anxious, and he is busy mobilizing troops to resist.

But where there is any troop adjustment, busy with a lot, only mobilized tens of thousands of troops, with the university scholar Li Jiantai as the supervisor, out of Beijing to resist the Dashun army.

In order to boost morale, Chongzhen still held a "sending ceremony" and personally sent Li Jiantai and others out of Beijing. However, it is estimated that even Chongzhen himself does not believe that tens of thousands of people can resist the million-strong army of the Dashun army.

A few days later, Chongzhen also heard some news, the general soldiers of Shanhaiguan had a private communication with the Tartars, and this time, Chongzhen was in a hurry.

Shanhaiguan is the last barrier against the Tartars, if Wu Sangui takes refuge in the Tartars, the situation is serious, and the hundreds of thousands of Tartar troops can drive straight into Beijing within a few days.

Chongzhen issued several holy decrees in succession, asking Wu Sangui to enter Beijing to face the saint, but Wu Sangui shirked it for various reasons, that is, he did not leave Shanhaiguan, he did not come to the capital, and he did not see Chongzhen.

The Dashun army was like a bamboo, attacking the city and pulling out the village, marching towards the capital, all the way to the mountains, the prefectures, and the officials of the counties either surrendered or fled in despair, and basically no one organized resistance.

Li Zicheng's million-strong army successfully entered Shanxi, conquered Taiyuan soon after, and then marched towards the capital......

………

Songjiang Province, General Headquarters.

The situation in the north was continuously transmitted to Zhang Feng through Guan Peng's intelligence network, and all kinds of intelligence and news were summarized in the General Headquarters.

Backhall hall.

Zhang Feng, Meng Mingzhao, as well as Wang Chaoyong, Zhao Weibin, Zheng Chenggong and other senior generals, everyone discussed together, and the topic of discussion was naturally about a series of situations in the north.

Meng Mingzhao said: "Son, Li Zicheng marched towards the capital, and claimed to be a million, the Tartars hoarded hundreds of thousands of heavy soldiers, eyeing the tiger outside the pass, the two tigers competed, there must be an injury, I have a suggestion, we will not move, sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, and finally come out to clean up the mess." ”

Of course, to clean up the mess, you must have enough strength, now Zhang Feng has five infantry divisions in his hands, and the last of them is about to complete the redress, replacing it with a rear-loading musket, but even so, in the face of millions of troops, five infantry divisions are not enough.

Wang Chaoyong sighed with emotion: "Meng Lao, sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, I agree, but to come out in the end to clean up the mess, our five infantry divisions are not enough, at least ten infantry divisions or more, preferably twenty infantry divisions." ”

Zhang Feng nodded, this is the truth, Zhang Feng said slowly: "It seems that our first priority is to expand the five infantry divisions to ten infantry divisions, in addition, the three major arsenals are working at full capacity to produce and manufacture rear-loading muskets and copper-shelled bullets." ”

The last Edo War, which lasted more than ten days, killed and wounded more than 100,000 Japanese, the consumption of ammunition was naturally amazing, and all the copper-shelled bullets were almost exhausted.

First of all, the army was expanded again, from five infantry divisions to ten infantry divisions, and in addition, the major arsenals went all out to produce and manufacture rear-loading guns and copper-shelled bullets.

At this time, Zhang Feng secretly rejoiced, fortunately he had the foresight to build the Jinling Arsenal, which currently has three major arsenals, making every effort to produce and manufacture, at least nearly 10,000 rear-loading guns per month, and more than 100,000 copper-shelled bullets.

A few days later, a large number of recruitment announcements were posted, and recruitment began in the provinces of Quannan Zhili, Zhang Feng planned to expand the five infantry divisions to ten infantry divisions within a month, and then recruit training, actual combat training, and so on.

It is hoped that before the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the formation of ten infantry divisions can be completed, and it is best to complete a month of recruit training.

Time is pressing, Zhang Feng estimates that the fall of the Ming Dynasty is estimated to be only two or three months, and there is not a lot of time left for himself.

…………

Today's three watches, the first one is sent. (To be continued.) )