It was night, the auditorium of the Academy of Military Sciences.

In the humble room, Zhen Youcai, Song Yingxing, Fang Yizhi and 30 Western academicians have gathered together, and more than a dozen outstanding students from Yangming University are also honored to attend the meeting, but they still serve as translators for 30 Western academicians.

Wang Pu first expressed his gratitude to everyone, and then the topic changed to the main topic.

"Everyone, the preparation of the Jiande Arsenal is very successful, Ben Hou is very satisfied with the work of the Academy of Military Sciences, here, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Empire and the people of the whole country to express his gratitude to you, of course, just verbal thanks are not enough, to get something practical, Ben Hou decided to reward everyone here, each of whom will be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver! Those who have made outstanding contributions will be rewarded with an additional 1,000 taels of silver! ”

After more than half a year of life, the thirty Western pagans of the Academy of Military Sciences have basically been able to understand the conversation, listening to Wang Pu's words, these pagans immediately cheered, they have been living in the Ming Dynasty for more than a year, of course they know the price level of the Ming Dynasty, and they know what the concept of five hundred taels of silver is!

Wang Pu is practical, these pagans are more practical, they left their hometown and came to the Ming Dynasty, originally to seek a better life, if the Ming Empire can't give them the life they yearn for, what else do they come for? Of course, they also love science, but they have to fill their stomachs before they go to scientific research.

"Besides......" Wang Pu said for a moment, and then threw a bombshell, "Ben Hou has decided to temporarily set up a heavy prize!" ”

Including Zhen Youcai, Song Yingxing and Fang Yizhi, everyone in the Academy of Military Sciences held their breath.

A smile appeared on the corner of Wang Pu's mouth, and then he said: "The amount of this heavy prize is as high as 500,000 taels!" ”

"Oh God!"

"Merciful Lord, this is not a dream, is it?"

"Five hundred thousand taels? Oh God, how much silver is that? ”

There was already a sound of inhalation in the crowd, for these pagans, 500,000 taels of silver is definitely an unimaginable astronomical amount, if according to the price level of the Ming Dynasty, you can almost buy 50,000 acres of fertile paddy fields, what is the concept of 50,000 acres, it is almost a small principality in the Western world.

If they could own such a large estate in Europe, they would be dukes.

In addition to Zhen Youcai, who still looked like an old god, even Song Yingxing and Fang Yizhi's eyes began to become eager, although they were usually not very interested in silver, but the amount of 500,000 taels was too huge, it was impossible to say that they were not tempted at all.

"Your Excellency, Honorable Governor, please speak quickly." One of the infidels couldn't help but get up and asked, "What exactly is it necessary to get this great reward?" ”

Wang Pu suddenly said in fluent English: "Whoever can build an industrial steam engine will get this huge reward!" ”

"Industrial steam engines!?" The pagan academician was confused, shook his head, and said, "What is that?" ”

The vast majority of the pagan academicians looked at each other, obviously they had never heard of the concept of the steam engine, and just when Wang Pu was disappointed, a pagan who was not good-looking suddenly stood up and asked softly: "Your Excellency the Governor, I have heard and seen the steam engine, but it is only a model, and I am afraid it cannot be used as an industrial power." ”

Finally someone knew about the steam engine, Wang Pu was overjoyed when he heard this: "What's your name?" ”

"My name is Stephen. Jack, Lord Governor. ”

"Jack, why not?" Wang Pudao, "Since you can make a model, of course, you can also make an industrial steam engine." ”

"Your Excellency the Governor." Stephen shook his head and said, "The steam engine is driven by high-temperature and high-pressure steam, and only steel can withstand high-pressure and high-pressure in this world, but with the existing processing methods, there is no way to carry out the necessary processing of steel components, with all due respect, industrial steam engines cannot be built." ”

Wang Pu asked rhetorically: "Is there really no way to carry out the necessary processing of steel components?" Jiande Arsenal has so many types of machine tools that can't be done at all? ”

Stephen began to hesitate when he heard this: "This ......"

Wang Pu stopped talking, walked to the blackboard on the front wall of the auditorium and drew a sketch of a horizontal steam engine with a chalk brush.

Wang Pu pointed to the sketch and explained: "Look, this is the working principle of the steam engine, the mechanism is not complicated, the principle is also very simple, the biggest difficulty is the airtight surname, that is, the processing of the cylinder block, just now Academician Jack said that the steel components cannot be processed by the existing processing means, but Ben Hou does not think so, don't forget how the barrel of the invincible general cannon is processed." ”

"Boring machine!" Stephen suddenly shouted, "Got it, use a boring machine!" ”

Wang Pu smiled and said, "Jack, have you thought about how to process the steel components of the steam engine?" ”

"I thought of it." Stephen said excitedly, "Please give me half a month...... Oh no, please give me a week, Your Excellency the Governor, I can build a small horizontal steam engine in a week. ”

Seeing Stephen's excited and inexplicable appearance, the rest of the pagan academicians couldn't help but be disappointed, it seems that the huge reward of 500,000 taels of silver has nothing to do with them, Wang Pu couldn't help but smile in his eyes, of course he wouldn't let the development of the steam engine become Stephen's business alone, the development of the steam engine is a major event of the entire Academy of Military Sciences, and everyone has to work hard!

Wang Pulang said: "Now I announce the establishment of a steam engine research group, headed by Dean Zhen Youcai, Dean Song Yingxing and Fang Yizhi as deputy leaders, and Stephen. Jack served as the head of the technical team, and the rest of the academicians also had to participate, and the development of the steam engine was a major event that required everyone's joint efforts, of course...... If the development is successful, the huge reward of 500,000 taels of silver will also be shared by everyone. ”

"Oh......"

"Yay......"

"God ......"

All the infidels began to cheer.

■■■

When Wang Pu personally presided over the development of the steam engine in Jiande, the war situation in Huguang was evolving in a direction that was not conducive to the Ming court, due to Li Dingguo's surprise attack, coupled with the fact that He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang, did not understand military affairs and was careless, which eventually led to the fall of Xiangyang, and He Tengjiao himself became a prisoner of the Great Western Army.

On the morning of the next day, when Zheng Chenggong, Li Chengdong, and Liu Konghe arrived with the three main musket battalions of the Central Army, the battle flags of the Great Western Army and Li Dingguo were already flying at the head of Xiangyang City.

It's a pity to say that if the Central Army also made a rapid march, the three musket battalions would definitely be able to rush to Xiangyang before Li Dingguo, but because He Tengjiao said that the thieves were still two hundred miles away, the Central Army only marched at a normal marching speed, and this time it was more than ten hours later than Li Dingguo's Great Western Army.

Seeing the Daxi military flag fluttering at the head of the city, Zheng Chenggong, Li Chengdong and Liu Konghe were taken aback, they didn't know the reality of the city, and thought that the brigade of thieves had attacked Xiangyang, and the three of them invariably ordered to form a formation on the north bank of the Han River, and then gathered together for the first time to discuss countermeasures, and at the same time sent someone to report the emergency to Liu Ru is know.

In front of the Central Army, Zheng Chenggong, Li Chengdong, Liu Konghe, and more than a dozen deputy generals had already gathered together.

According to the latest regulations, the battalion officer of the Central Army is the rank of chief soldier, the sentry officer is the rank of deputy general, the captain of the brigade is the rank of general, the squadron leader is the rank of a thousand households, the squad leader is the rank of a hundred households, and the ordinary soldiers below the squad leader are divided into five grades: one-year soldiers, two-year soldiers, three-year soldiers, and even five-year soldiers.

When they met, Liu Konghe, who was in a hurry, shouted loudly: "His grandmother's, what does the security team in Xiangyang City do?" How did He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang, be? Xiangyang City is such a strong city, and the thieves can occupy it in one night? How was this battle fought? ”

Li Chengdong's grim gaze shrank back from the head of Xiangyang City, rubbed his hands and said, "I'm afraid that this battle won't be fought much." ”

"Hmm." Zheng Chenggong nodded heavily and said, "What Brother Chengdong said is very true, and the younger brother also feels that Xiangyang City is not like a big battle, and the thieves have a good chance of a successful sneak attack." ”

"Sneak attack?" Liu Konghe said in a condensed voice, "There are nearly 100,000 thieves, how can so many people hide their tracks, and how can they sneak attack?" ”

Li Chengdong said: "The sneak attack on Xiangyang must be just a small group of thieves, and the thieves are only afraid that they are still bluffing hundreds of miles away to divert the eyes of the local security team. ”

Liu Konghe said in a deep voice: "That is to say...... There are not many thieves in Xiangyang City, and the brigade of thieves is still a hundred miles away? ”

Zheng Chenggong said happily: "What do Brother Cheng Dong and Brother Kong He think?" ”

Liu Konghe and Li Chengdong exchanged glances with each other, and said in unison: "Take back Xiangyang before the brigade of thieves arrives!" ”

Zheng Chenggong said: "The little brother also thinks so, but there won't be too much time left for us, since the thieves have captured Xiangyang, then the brigade of thieves will definitely speed up the march, if the junior brother estimates that it is not bad, at the earliest this evening, at the latest tomorrow morning, the brigade of thieves should be killed." ”

Li Chengdong nodded and said, "In other words, the time left for us will not exceed twenty-four hours at most." ”

"Then we'll have to hurry." Liu Konghe said, "In case Xiangyang City is not defeated by then, but the brigade of thieves is killed in front of you, then the fun will be great." ”

■■■

At the head of Xiangyang City, Li Dingguo hurriedly climbed the city tower surrounded by several generals of the Great Western Army.

Standing on the city tower and looking out, it is obvious that the Ming army in the wilderness north of the city is different from any Ming army encountered in the past, in Li Dingguo's impression, the Ming official army has always been wearing battle robes, wearing shabby armor, but the Ming official army in front of him is all blue cotton coats, all blue big caps, and all black long riding boots.

And this guy in the hands of the Ming army is also a musket!

Everything is revealing a terrible fact, this Ming army in the wilderness north of the city is by no means an ordinary Ming army, but the legendary Ming Central Army!

Prior to this, Li Dingguo had never really seen the Central Army, let alone appreciated the military might of the Central Army, but Li Dingguo was no stranger to the Central Army.

Li Dingguo knew the three-stage shooting tactics of the Central Army, the close-range intensive bombardment of the Central Army's Longwang Artillery, and the terrifying lethality of the Central Army's artillery battalion, but it was a pity that there were no craftsmen in the Great Western Army, and Li Dingguo could not buy muskets and artillery from Macao, otherwise there might also be musket teams and artillery teams in the Great Western Army.

A general of the Great Western Army said in a solemn tone: "Major General, this doesn't seem to be an ordinary Ming official army. ”

Li Dingguo nodded solemnly and said, "That's right, this is the legendary Ming Central Army, Wang Pu's army!" ”

"Hiss......" The generals of the Great Western Army around Li Dingguo gasped when they heard this, and the general of the Great Western Army who spoke just now changed his face, and said in a deep voice, "This is the Central Army of the Ming Dynasty?" With less than 30,000 people, the Ming Central Army annihilated more than 200,000 Jiannu and Tartar soldiers? ”

In order to psychologically shock the thieves in Shaanxi and Sichuan, Wang Pu specially instructed the provinces to intensify propaganda efforts and exaggerate the results of the Battle of Jining.

"That's just a rumor." Li Dingguo said indifferently, "The Central Army of the Ming Dynasty may be very powerful, but it will never be so powerful that it can completely annihilate more than 200,000 Jiannu and Tatar coalition troops with only 30,000 people!" If Ben Shuai did not guess wrong, this should be a trick of the Ming court, trying to psychologically destroy the confidence of our Great Western Army. ”

A general of the Great Western Army said: "But no matter what, the battle of Jining was won by the Central Army of the Ming Dynasty." ”

Li Dingguo shrugged his sword eyebrows and said indifferently: "That's because these barbarians like Jiannu and Tartar don't understand our Han family's art of war, and they know that the Ming Central Army has sharp weapons, and they still have to forcibly fight a decisive battle with the Ming Central Army, how can they not be defeated?" ”

After saying this, Li Dingguo continued: "If this commander is the commander of more than 200,000 Jiannu and Tartar soldiers, he will never choose the battlefield in Jining!" ”

A general of the Great Western Army asked: "If you don't fight Jining, where should you fight?" ”

"Henan!" Li Dingguo said in a condensed voice, "The Ming Central Army has sharp weapons and very strong attack power, but it also has a very fatal weakness, that is, it relies heavily on logistics and supplies. ”

The generals of the Great Western Army were skeptical when they heard this, but if Wang Pu heard these words, he would be surprised, if Dolgon chose to attack Henan instead of Shandong, the final result might still be the same, but the price that the Ming Central Army would have to pay was probably unbearable.

(To be continued)