Zhu Daolin, Wu Jingxian, and Ye Liangchen finished lunch together, and came to the tea room behind the main hall together, spread out several design drawings that had been revised twice, and discussed the construction of Gushan Iron City while drinking tea.

Li Kuanji, the deputy of the Dongchang factory, who received the notice, rushed to the scene with two Jiupin officials who were proficient in city building, and saw that Wu Jingxian, the new eunuch of Nanjing Town, was present, and was so frightened that the three of them hurriedly bent down and saluted, greeting respectfully, and did not dare to raise their heads.

Wu Jingxian waved his hand and kindly instructed not to be restrained, Zhu Daolin went up to help the three of them up, warmly invited them to sit down, personally poured a cup of tea for everyone, and invited them to discuss the revised city building drawings together.

Zhu Daolin patiently answered the cautious questions of the two low-level officials, explaining in detail why the defensive fortresses at the four corners of the city wall were modified into hexagonal bastions protruding from the outer 12 zhang of the city wall.

In order to more intuitively illustrate that the defensive power of the fortress is far superior to that of the old-style fortress, Zhu Daolin took a white paper and pencil to draw all directions of the fortress's defense, and simulated the offensive and defensive operations according to the attack power of the Ming army, which soon let everyone see the superiority of the fortress.

After solving the problem of the fortress, Zhu Daolin went on to explain the reason why the three gunpowder workshops were located in the southeast, and introduced the manufacturing procedures, temperature, humidity, drying and storage and other technical requirements of the new granular gunpowder.

After the opinions were unified, Zhu Daolin asked Li Kuanji, the temporary governor of Gushan Iron City: "How is the purchase of masonry materials for the construction of the city and the recruitment of craftsmen and people?" ”

Li Kuanji replied respectfully: "The masonry materials have been shipped one after another, because it takes some time for the news to be transmitted, and it needs to be raised now, it will take about half a month for the merchants within a radius of three hundred miles to transport a large number of masonry and timber. ”

"There are only about 2,000 craftsmen at present. More than 6,000 people have been recruited, and directors at all levels are still recruiting qualified craftsmen in the east and south of the city, and it is estimated that it will take half a month to recruit all of them. ”

"According to your lordship's instructions, the existing craftsmen have begun to build 2,000 brick and tile artisan houses along the periphery of the southern foot of Beigu Mountain, as well as the barracks and school yards of the 1,200 garrisons in the West City Gate."

"The next step was to build a musket manufacturing plant and warehouse on the west side of Beigu Mountain. Three gunpowder workshops with 50 meters apart in the east, four large storage caves were dug on the mountain behind the three workshops at the same time, and then concentrated on the construction of four fortresses and three city gates in the east, south and west, and finally built the city wall connecting the city gate and the fortress. ”

Zhu Daolin nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, the thinking is very clear!" You wrote down the five rules I had set down on wooden boards and hung them out, and warned the stewards at all levels to be kind to the craftsmen and the people, to ensure that the three meals a day were sufficient and sufficient, and that the wages of 2 taels of silver per month should not be deducted. Don't have a problem with this, or I'll clean up one if I find one! ”

"Second, you go back and announce that if the project can be completed before mid-October, and the experience is qualified and can be put into use, I will personally give each steward a heavy reward of not less than 50 taels of silver! The 10 people with the greatest merit will receive my recommendation and additional rewards, and those who are willing to stay in the firearms factory and garrison thousands of households. You will be given an exceptional promotion! ”

"Thank you, sir!" Li Kuanji and the two Jiupin officials stood up excitedly and bent down to salute, took a stack of drawings sent by Zhu Daolin and said goodbye and left.

Ye Liangchen nodded silently. It is very recognized that Zhu Daolin has taken decisive measures to reward and punish heavily.

Wu Jingxian was very interested in Zhu Daolin's new gunpowder manufacturing technology: "Daolin, how many catties can you make per month by using the new method to make granular gunpowder?" ”

Zhu Daolin has never been accustomed to the industrial unit of measurement of the Ming Dynasty, and he has to use his brain to convert it before he can answer: "If the fire and nitrate are enough, only 500 skilled craftsmen can make 150,000 catties of granular gunpowder for artillery and 100,000 catties of new musket propellant every month." ”

Wu Jingxian and Ye Liangchen were taken aback. looked at Zhu Daolin in disbelief.

Zhu Daolin smiled secretly, the output he quoted was only the amount of gunpowder produced by Duan Deming's 85 old workers in his factory for one month, and it was the result of relying on manpower and donkeys without any electrical machinery and hydraulic machinery. Zhu Daolin did not believe that mobilizing 500 skilled craftsmen and 20 cows and horses to use the same production method was not as good as the 85 veteran workers and 5 donkeys in Duan Deming's factory.

Secondly. Zhu Daolin, the "nitrate field method" of the soil method for producing nitrate, has completely mastered the Nanjing area and the Huaibei area has always been a place rich in nitrate, just wait for the success of the three acres of experimental nitrate field of the big housekeeper Gu Ershu, and immediately promote it to villages and towns within a radius of several hundred miles, publish all the technical details of the nitrate field method, and purchase a large amount of nitrate at a price 20% higher than the market.

Wu Jingxian saw Zhu Daolin pouring himself tea with a smile, thought for a while and asked again: "What if I can't reach the output you said?" ”

Zhu Daolin smiled and said, "Uncle, do you dare to make a bet?" Starting from January next year, if my monthly output of gunpowder does not reach 250,000 catties, I will give you 10,000 taels of silver every month until I do it, if it reaches or exceeds 250,000 catties per month, how about you give me Zhang Xu's Songhe inkstone on your case? ”

Ye Liangchen on the side smiled for the first time, but Wu Jingxian hesitated, thinking about it and still reluctant: "What do you want my inkstone for?" ”

Zhu Daolin pointed at Ye Liangchen: "I guess Master Ye will like it." ”

Ye Liangchen was stunned, Wu Jingxian heard that it was given to Ye Liangchen, and immediately gritted his teeth and agreed: "Okay!" I'll take a gamble with you...... Brother Xian, you be a witness, haha! ”

Ye Liangchen felt interesting and immediately nodded in agreement.

Zhu Daolin continued to discuss the matter of the firearms factory: "It is right that the abandoned workshop from the south of Shishan to Yifengmen was sold to the Yan family, and the rice milled did not have so much soot and pungent smell, which was more beneficial to the people in the city. ”

"It's better to hand over the artillery casting to the Hushan Manor Iron Workshop Foundry Branch, I have asked Brother Monshan to build an additional casting plant, and the first batch of general cannons will be officially cast in mid-September."

"I have too many things at hand, and I can't keep myself busy, so you have to take care of it."

"No problem, this matter is much easier than building Gushan Iron City and Gunpowder Factory, craftsmen don't have to worry, when you need it, you say, I will transfer two thousand households from Fengyang and Xuzhou, this is a major matter of the Holy Edict, who dares to stop me from cleaning up."

Wu Jingxian was very concerned about the Nanjing Firearms Factory, and as long as the first batch of artillery was made and sent to the capital, his position would be more stable. (To be continued......)