The problem with the gun was solved, but the cannon was hit with a big problem. First of all, the most important point is that the raw materials are insufficient or even unqualified. As we all know, modern artillery giants are piled up with a large amount of steel, and a country's steel output even determines the strength of a country's comprehensive national strength to a certain extent. In the middle of the seventeenth century, most of the cannons of the Ming Dynasty were cast iron cannons and copper alloy cannons, the more powerful this kind of artillery was, the greater the weight, often hundreds or thousands, these are still some small cannons. Nowadays, the most powerful red-coated cannon in the Ming Dynasty even weighs thousands of catties, so if you want to cast a cannon, you need a lot of steel.

This is just on Liu Fan's soft underbelly, although Jiaozhou has the advantage of fishing and salt, and the location of the port is very superior, but there is no iron ore near him, to be precise, there is no high-quality large-scale iron-rich mine. Most of Shandong's iron ore mines are distributed in Zibo, Jinling, Laiwu and Jinan. If you want to cast cannons to build a military industry, you can only rely on buying. As a result, the cost increases, even Liu Fan can't afford it.

Now the only way is to make iron by himself, Liu Fan vaguely remembers that there was a small iron factory in his hometown before he crossed over, although it was abandoned later, but Liu Fan has also seen the general process of the steel factory. Knowing that steel and iron are not the same thing, thanks to the network of later generations, Liu Fan knew that the main production methods of steel in later generations were blast furnace ironmaking and open-hearth steelmaking. The blast furnace is good to say, the ancient Chinese began to use the original blast furnace from the Song Dynasty, and the open hearth did not appear in the West until the nineteenth century. With the current accumulation of technology, wanting to build an open hearth furnace is tantamount to a fool's dream. Now there is little difference between the East and the West in the production of steel, and the most advanced steelmaking methods are no longer in the West, but in the Ming Dynasty. Whether it is the previous "steel filling method" or the current "Suzhou Iron and Steel System", Daming's steel technology has always been at the top level in the world.

Although Liu Fan knows these knowledge of Daming, he can only say it! In the words of later generations, it is "a giant in theory, a dwarf in action!" "To rely on his little knowledge to build a blast furnace, an open-hearth furnace to make steel? I'm afraid that the Ming Dynasty will be dead by then! When the time comes to make steel for the Tartars? Liu Fan shook his head in fear, he had to ask for help from professionals for this matter.

"Senior brother! Do you know Sugang? Liu Fan asked Sun Yuanhua, who was directing the craftsmen to polish the three-eyed gun.

When Sun Yuanhua heard Liu Fan ask him, he stopped and replied, "What you are asking, who doesn't know the famous Su Gang?" Not only do I know but I've also seen it, why do you want to buy Sugang? Forget it! Although Sugang is good, but the price is high, its quality is hard and it is a good material to make weapons, and it is not good to cast cannons! There is no extensibility, and it is too easy to blow up. ”

"It's not! I didn't want to buy Sugan! I just want to build a blast furnace and make iron myself! Otherwise, the price of buying iron ingots alone is too high! Do you know how to build a blast furnace? Liu Fan asked

"Although I have seen Sugang's iron-making furnace, I can't build it! If you really want to make your own iron, you can only hire your own craftsmen! Sun Yuanhua thought for a while and continued: "That's it! I have a friend in Zunhua, and I wrote to him to find a few craftsmen who know how to build iron furnaces! ”

Liu Fan hugged Sun Yuanhua and smiled happily: "Senior brother, you are really my great fortune star!" Without you, I don't know what year of the monkey and the cannon will have to wait until the year of the monkey to make it! ”

Sun Yuanhua's face turned red, and he struggled to push Liu Fan away, "Go, go!" How can I stand up to your toss with such an old bone! Do you want my life? ”

"Poof! Senior brother is still shy! Aren't you a Catholic? The understanding of the West should be no stranger! It's just a hug! Come and hug again! Liu Fan smiled and opened his arms to Sun Yuanhua again!

Sun Yuanhua was shocked, hurriedly pushed Liu Fan away, walked away quickly, and said, "I'm busy!" I don't have time to fool around with you! Play it yourself! ”

Looking at Sun Yuanhua's somewhat embarrassed back, Liu Fan was in a good mood for a while, and he was also full of expectations for the future prospects of the arsenal!

Time flies, with the efforts of Liu Fan and Sun Yuanhua, the construction of the arsenal has finally begun to take shape, and now the arsenal is mainly divided into two parts, one part is the manufacture of cold weapons, which is mainly responsible for building spears and knives, as well as armor. Another part of the responsibility is the manufacture of firearms, and due to the limited technology and materials, only three-eyed guns and some three-pounder guns can be made. In order to strengthen the firepower, Liu Fan had no choice but to pick up the "big killer" of the Tiger Squat Cannon and start mass manufacturing, these two small field guns that are easy to carry.

By the middle of the month, Liu Fan's arsenal is expected to produce more than 500 three-eyed guns, 15 three-pounder army guns, and more than 30 tiger squat guns per month. This is also the result of Liu Fan's efforts to recruit a large number of craftsmen and purchase materials. In order to build this arsenal, Liu Fan invested nearly 200,000 taels of silver before and after. From nothing to the current scale, Liu Fan has also spent a lot of time and energy in it, and he has been soaking in the arsenal almost every day.

In order to improve the enthusiasm of craftsmen, Liu Fan also promulgated a variety of incentives. According to the method of later generations, the wages of craftsmen are directly linked to the quantity of production, and the wages are calculated according to the amount of production in the current month. For example, the fire rope and the whole strip used to make the three-eyed gun are all based on the piecework system. In addition, Liu Fan also encouraged the old craftsman to bring his apprentices, and each apprentice rewarded the master with ten taels of silver. Various incentives have greatly improved the enthusiasm of craftsmen, making craftsmen one of the hottest industries in Jiaozhou, and many Jiaozhou people hope to find an errand in the arsenal!

With the passage of time, the time for the New Year is getting closer and closer, Liu Fan and Sun Yuanhua can't stay in the arsenal every day, both of them have official positions, although they can be handed over to their subordinates on weekdays, but such a major event as the New Year still has to be presided over by himself.

On the eighteenth day of the lunar month, a heavy snow swept the entire Jiaozhou, covering the world with a piece of silver. The brazier was lit in the back hall of Liu's house, the red charcoal fire shone on the entire hall, driving away the cold of winter, Liu Fan was dressed in a dark color, sitting in front of the desk, there were a few small dishes on the case, a pot of wine was warm on the small red clay stove, Tian Shuying sat opposite Liu Fan, stroking the piano with her hands, the melodious sound of the piano rippled in the hall, Liu Fan leisurely listened to Shuying's piano and slowly tasted the wine.

Suddenly there were hurried footsteps outside the door, Liu Fan frowned secretly, a little unhappy in his heart, thinking about whether to go out to have a look, so as not to disturb Shuying's interest, and was hesitating when the door was pushed open, with a gust of wind and snow, Li Xiaohu walked into the hall and shouted, "My lord!" Oh no! Teacher Zhang is getting married! ”

"Bang" The wine glass fell to the ground, and Liu Fan exclaimed, "What!?" The sound of the piano stopped abruptly.