In April of the first year of Chongzhen, there were still various transactions and compromises around the reverse case in Beijing, and all kinds of immortals brought silver to Beijing for activities, especially a group of people who were beaten during the Apocalypse, competing for the fat left by the eunuchs.

Chen Xin waited until Song Wenxian brought the second batch of goods, and there were more than 20 military craftsmen and civilian craftsmen from Tianjin brought by Tang Zuoxiang on the ship.

After waiting for the goods, Chen Xin was not in a hurry to go to sea, until Sun Guozhen sent people to urge continuously, and he set off in mid-April. Before leaving, he personally paid the recruits a monthly salary, once again established his authority, talked to the prominent soldiers among the recruits, and appointed a group of commanders.

Chen Xin did not arrange civil affairs affairs, but he still had to worry about the affairs of the workshop, Tang Zuoxiang had just arrived for a day, and was recruited by Chen Xin to the official office of the workshop.

Chen Xin, Liu Minyou, Tang Zuoxiang and Shi Pingli, the original captain of the firearms, gathered around a square table, their heads were about to come together, looking at the graphics in a book on the table.

Tang Zuoxiang was illiterate, Chen Xin read the text on the picture to him, Tang Zuo looked at the picture for a long time before saying: "My lord, this combination machine is one more yin machine than the bird gun, after pulling the board hook, the yin and yang two machines move together, this picture says that the yang is angry, and the yin opens the door." It is the head of the Yang machine control (the title of the snake rod in the Ming Dynasty), and the Yin machine opens the fire door, so that you can save a step to open the fire door when you put it. ”

Shi Pingli was also watching, he was now the flag general of a firearms flag team, and he interjected: "The wind in the north is strong, and we are often blown away when we train, and this fire door is open for a shorter time, and the medicine is not easy to be blown away by the wind and rain." ”

Chen Xin nodded in agreement, he specially called the captain of the firearms team, just to let them consider from the perspective of use, the primer of the bird gun is different from the granular gunpowder, and it is now in powder form, so it can't be put into a bamboo tube with the propellant, and it is packed in a separate primer pot, because the weight is very light, it is easy to be blown away when the wind is strong, he asked Tang Zuoxiang: "If you want to make a combination of guns, how many changes have been made to the shape of the parts used now?" What's the difficulty? ”

"The gun bed needs to be changed, the iron bar is turned back to be changed, and a yin machine must be added, and nothing else has been modified. I didn't think about this difficulty for a while. ”

Liu Minyou couldn't see that he couldn't say that he was the leader of the workshop after all, and he had to put forward the difficulties first, so as not to blame Tang Zuoxiang when Chen Xin arrived, "The difficulty should be the shape of the linkage yin and yang machine and the connector, to make the faucet fall at the moment of opening the fire door cover, the fire door cover is opened early, the primer may be blown away by the wind, and the fire rope must be blocked later, this is all determined by the shape and fixed position, and it needs to be repeatedly trial-produced, and the error of the production should also be controlled, Mr. Tang, you had better use the wood chip to debug the shape first, which is easy to prune." After the sample is made, I have to look at it first, and the cost must be calculated. ”

Chen Xin added: "We also need to see if it is suitable for mass production. ”

Tang Zuoxiang hurriedly responded, he couldn't write, so Liu Minyou helped write it in a record book.

After pulling the plate hook, the yin and yang machines are linked, and there is one less process of opening the fire door, but on the battlefield, one step can be saved to reduce the possibility of a mistake, and a second can be saved to save a few more lives. Chen Xin thought of this and said to Tang Zuoxiang: "From then on, we will all make the ignition mechanism according to this artifact spectrum, and is this barrel the same as our original bird gun?" ”

"Lord Hui, it's roughly the same, the pipe on this picture is three feet three inches (1 meter) long, which is about the same as our original one. It's just that the gun bed is slightly longer. ”

Shi Pingli also knew some words now, and said to Chen Xin: "My lord, this combination machine with gun bed is five feet long, and the villain builds our new bird gun is also slightly longer, keep the fire door away from his face, so as not to be afraid of smoke and fire when the soldiers are released." There is also the steel blade at the end of this Lu Mi gun bed that can be used as a horse chopping knife, and it seems that it can also be wanted. ”

The fireworks that burst out in front of him did have a psychological impact on the soldiers, many people shot with their eyes closed, Chen Xin turned his head and asked Tang Zuoxiang: "Mr. Tang, can it be slightly longer?" ”

Tang Zuoxiang took the picture and looked at it and said: "It can be lengthened a little and move the fire door forward a little, but the steel blade at the end of the bed is not necessary, our rifle butt is designed by an adult, and when it is put on the shoulder, this steel blade will not hurt yourself." ”

Chen Xin gave up this plan when he heard this, after all, he had never seen such an application.

Five-foot combination gun, Zhao Shijiao's book wrote that the weight is seven and a half catties, one pound in the Ming Dynasty is 596 grams, that is, four and a half kilograms, about less than half of musket, the empty diameter is the same size as Lumi gun, Lumi gun uses four coins, three money, only a quarter of musket, Lumi gun is six feet to seven feet long, the gun tube is much longer than the machine gun, according to the gun pipe of the machine to hit the same ammunition, it is definitely not as strong as the Lumi gun, Chen Xin's plan is to use at least the first heavy lead bullet, smash the past more assured, At the same time, the barrel does not have to be too long, the loading speed will be faster, and if the barrel is used as a barrel, it should be able to meet this ammunition requirement.

According to Tang Zuoxiang, the two-layer barrel of the Lumi gun requires a huge special tool, two or three people high, this thing Chen Xin does not have at all, and he does not plan to make it, Lu Mi gun is transmitted from the Middle East, and it should also be transmitted to Europe, since Europe that uses the most muskets has not adopted this type, most of them have defects in performance or cost, construction period, etc., Chen Xin does not plan to take risks.

What he needs is a cheap killing tool that can be produced quickly in large quantities, and the cost of the bird gun he is making now is only more than two taels of silver, and the price is not expensive, but limited by the speed of drilling the barrel, according to Tang Zuoxiang, the falling steel used in the drill pipe is not excellent, and the loss is also very large, and the barrel may be overheated and deformed after drilling for a long time, and it must be drilled after it cools down before drilling, so Chen Xin does not want to increase other tool restrictions.

Tang Zuoxiang looked at Chen Xin for a long time and didn't speak for a long time, and asked cautiously: "My lord, what shape you set, the villain will be made according to what shape zuò." ”

Chen Xin glanced at him, "I'm not sure about the specifics, for now I still continue to make the original bird gun, the new musket that was tried last time is still heavier, you try it again, the bolt will be done according to the combination of the gun, try a few more, the barrel is three feet to four feet, add an inch to make a sample gun, the empty diameter is from five inches to seven inches, you arrange a special person to try it, do a good job for Shi Pingli to test, the weight of the gun can not exceed ten catties, the length of the bed is not more than five feet, at least 100 steps to be able to kill the non-armor target, 70 steps to break the armor, after the test and then select a few suitable ones, Each of the selected ones was made into a few for the firearms team to try out against bandits. If the new gun can be trial-produced and qualified, everyone who participates will receive a bonus. The total amount is set at 100 taels first, and then Mr. Liu will assess and distribute it, and the craftsman grade and monthly salary can also be increased according to merit. ”

Tang Zuoxiang's eyes lit up, if this shot was made, he would be able to build the house as much as possible, and the family would not have to be crowded in that small room.

Tang Zuoxiang saw that Lord Chen had paid more attention to firearms recently, and remembered something else, so he was about to grab some people over, and said to Chen Xin: "My lord, those women have all been taken to armor-piercing pieces by Wang Huzi, otherwise they will share some and help pack the ammunition." The ammunition he was talking about was a new oil-paper fixed load, and it was not a high-tech projectile, but it was a change from the original bamboo tube.

"Such a little bird soldier, let them do it themselves! Also, the gunpowder maker you brought, ask him to bring some people to adjust the formula, all new gun tests, we must use our own gunpowder, let Zhang Erhui help memorize the formula. ”

Tang Zuoxiang stole chickens and rice, no one arrived, and there were more new things, so he had to accept it and stop talking nonsense.

After Tang Zuoxiang and Shi Pingli left, Liu Minyou looked at Chen Xindao and said, "Do you really want to do your grand cause of fighting for hegemony?" Hundreds of muskets also had to be considered for mass production. ”

Chen Xin smiled: "It's just self-preservation." In the future, the farmers will also be armed, and see who else dares to beat people in this Weihaiwei. ”

Liu Minyou sat down and looked at the roof and sighed: "Now it's actually full, this place is also peaceful, let's go to Japan once a year, the money earned is enough, when you and Miss Zhao get married, I will also marry a wife in the future, this dungeon is getting better and better, the days of Ansheng, as soon as the Tartars come, we will go overseas, the United States can't go, Australia is always possible." ”

"Australia, IELTS is better."

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In April, Chen Xin went to sea to the five islands. Two cargo ships were loaded with more than 80,000 taels of silver, and there were more than 80 sailors on the two ships, one led by Wang Zugui and the other led by Scar.

Because of the limited conditions on the ship in this era, this small sailor has no military appearance at all, and it is still the same shirtless and casual as before, and Chen Xin basically does not make restrictions, as long as he is not fighting and playing with fire, he doesn't care much.

This time there was no last Shun lì, sailed for twenty days to reach the sea off the five islands, Chen Xin was not optimistic about the current combat strength of the two ships, did not go to the Nagasaki route to rob again, but bypassed the north of Jeju Island to the private port, along the way Scar and Wang Yong These old pirates played an important role, piloting the sail and stargazing, and they were all taught by their hands.

At the beginning of May, they arrived at the Li family private port and met Li Guozhu again. The handsome guy was still personable, but the tail beside him, the cool Shinyuemon was nowhere to be seen.

Chen Xin stepped on the dock and took a look at the surrounding scene, it was still similar to last year, and the scale of the private port town was a little larger.

Li Guozhu greeted Chen Xin, Song Wenxian and others, and saw that Song Wenxian and others were following Chen Xin, knowing that Chen Xin had become the new ship boss, and then looked at the sailors on the two ships, and smiled at Chen Xin: "Brother Chen hasn't seen him for a year, his spirit is still the same, and his subordinates are more powerful, which is gratifying." ”

Chen Xin returned the salute and replied: "Brother Li is the same, this Hong Kong is becoming more and more prosperous, and it is also gratifying. ”

The two laughed, Song Wenxian and Scar and others in the back also came up to see Li Guozhu, although Chen Xin wanted to know Xu Xinsu's situation, but everyone was not easy to speak before, followed Li Guozhu to the original house, and after the dinner, Li Guozhu took Chen Xin and Song Wenxian to the back, and sat down as the host and guest.

A maid cleared her hand and came up to make tea, Li Guozhu didn't let her be too cumbersome, and quickly waved the maid away, Song Wenxian reached out and took the teacup of Zisha, took a sip on the side of his mouth, closed his eyes comfortably, and sighed: "If you didn't come to Li Gongzi's place, how could you drink such a good big red robe." ”

Li Guozhu said: "Mr. Song carries love, this is just a daughter's big red robe, if Mr. Song likes it, bring some back then." ”。

Song Wenxian put down the teacup and thanked him, and said to Li Guozhu: "The north is not as good as the south of the Yangtze River, and a certain subordinate of Song really can't drink such good tea on weekdays, even if Brother Chen is now an official of a thousand households, he rarely drinks it on weekdays." ”

Li Guozhu raised his eyebrows, and congratulated Chen Xin: "It turns out that Brother Chen is already a thousand households, I don't know where it is?" ”

Chen Xin said a few words of humility and said Weihaiwei, but Li Guozhu also knew that here, Wendeng Sanwei, the easternmost part of the Shandong coast, asked Chen Xin: "Brother Chen does he have a private port?" ”

Chen Xin nodded and said: "There is a port, called Mazi Port, and there is a dungeon on the shore like Li Gongzi here. ”

Song Wenxian said from the side: "Chen Qianhu already has hundreds of soldiers at the moment, and the farmers are also hundreds. If Brother Li's ship wants to go north, it can dock there and keep it safe. ”

Chen Xin and Song Wenxian cooperated to show their strength, Li Guozhu is now a little impressed by Chen Xin, from one account room to a thousand households in a year, and there are two boats of people, and there are quite powerful between the actions of several pro-soldiers around him, which is completely different from the casualness of ordinary sailors, if there are really hundreds of soldiers, it is also a force that can be used in the future.

Li Guozhu decided to take Chen Xin as an important help, take a good look, say a few words of gossip, then turn to the topic, and said to the two: "Brother Chen, Mr. Song, the goods are still customary, I will eat them all, if Brother Chen has more ships in the future, I can buy three ships of goods every year, and I can't sell them if there are more." ”

Chen Xin listened and thanked him, as long as there are three ships a year, at least 100,000 taels of silver profits, plus the profits of the return trip, his annual income is very considerable, and he does not have to pay taxes, he only needs to take care of the Shangguan of Denglai, most of the officials along the coast of the Ming Dynasty have participated in the sea trade, and the profits of the sea trade are tens of millions of silver every year, but the imperial court basically does not get benefits.

Li Guozhu then asked, "Then this time the two of you will take the silver with you, or will you buy some goods?" ”

"Li Gongzi, we want to buy some copper."

Li Guozhu was not surprised, he thought about it and replied: "This copper material is not much, the shogunate has restricted the outflow of gold and copper in recent years, I can give you up to 20,000 catties, and only I can give so much near Nagasaki." ”

Chen Xin and Song Wenxian were disappointed at the same time: "So little! ”

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Note: Please refer to the relevant works for the graphics of the combined gun