This blacksmith shop is not big, only a few feet square. One master, two apprentices. This master is the owner of this shop, and I heard that the weapons of the defenders of Tongxian County are generally built in this shop.

The master was an old man, about sixty years old, but bare-chested, and his muscles were no worse than those of a strong man of twenty-three.

The old master came to the table, picked up a teapot with his dirty hands, took a sip of tea, and then picked up Hu Ye's drawing and looked at it carefully.

At first, his eyes were still full of confidence, and there was nothing else he could build a weapon that he couldn't build. But the more he looked, the more surprised he became, because he found that he had never built this thing before.

If you want to talk about firearms, he has built a lot, and he made dozens of them in the Yuan Dynasty. But the thing on this drawing is not a fire gun at all. No matter how short the firecracker is, it is three or four feet, but the thing on the drawing is less than a foot long.

Moreover, the structure of the firebolt is very simple, that is, to make an iron cylinder and leave a small hole for igniting gunpowder, which is very simple to build. But just looking at the overall structure, this thing is not much different from the firecracker, it is also a small iron cylinder, and there is also a small hole. But the structure behind the iron cylinder is very complicated, there are spring plates, and there are transmission devices, and the old master frowned.

Before he knew it, the master's tea had been drunk, and the drawings had been in his hand for almost a stick of incense. Hu Ye couldn't help but be a little worried, this flintlock pistol should not have come out yet, even in Europe, the most advanced thing now is only the arquebus, isn't it that this master can't make it?

"Master, can you make this thing?" Hu Ye asked in a low voice.

"Dare to ask Childe, this thing is the same as a firecracker, it uses gunpowder?"

The old master called an apprentice to make tea, and then continued to ask Hu Ye.

"Yes, this thing also uses gunpowder, which is the same principle as firecrackers. However, the ignition behind it is more convenient. Hu Ye replied calmly.

"That being the case, Childe should find someone else, even if this thing can be made by a little old man, he doesn't dare to make it for Childe." The master returned the drawings to Hu Ye, and then got up to continue striking iron.

"Master, what do you mean by this? If you can make it, why not make it? This should not be the words of an old blacksmith. Hu Ye stood up and asked.

"Don't you know that firearms are forbidden in the army, and it is strictly forbidden for the people to make them. As craftsmen, we can only make firearms for the army, and if we make firearms privately. It's going to be killed. The old master turned around and said to Hu Ye very strictly.

Hu Ye was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect the Ming Dynasty to be so strict in controlling firearms, "That is to say, without the permission of the army, you can't make this kind of thing?" ”

"Yes, so no matter how sophisticated this thing is, and how it's itchy for the little old man, he doesn't dare to build it privately, otherwise the little old man's family will have to get in." The old master turned away. Pick up the hammer and get ready to start beating again.

"Lao Wang, have you made anything?"

At this time, a middle-aged man suddenly walked into the blacksmith shop. Said slowly.

The old master put down the hammer he had just picked up again, and said very respectfully in front of the middle-aged man, "Lord Liu, why did you come in person." ”

"His Royal Highness King Yan has an order. Can I not come in person? The middle-aged man surnamed Liu sat down opposite Hu Ye, and then took the hot tea he had just brought up and drank it.

Hu Ye was stunned, it was Zhu Di again. How can there be his shadow at any time.

"Lord Liu, the three firecrackers customized by His Highness last time are almost completed, and they will be delivered to your Excellency tomorrow." The old master spoke.

After listening to the master's words, the middle-aged man put down the teapot, suddenly picked up the drawings on the table, and looked at them carefully.

"Young Master Hu Ye, you designed this thing?" After the middle-aged man saw it, he asked Hu Ye with some surprise.

Hu Ye was even more confused when he heard this, he didn't seem to know this person, how could he know his name.

"You're ......."

"Hey, I forgot to introduce, my name is Liu Qiang, a thrifty thing in Yanshan Dongwei. The last time I saw Hu Ye's son in the camp of King Yan, the son's courage at that time was very admirable. Liu Qiang said with a smile.

"Liu Qiang? Who are you? Thinking of Liu Sheng, and thinking about Huo Gong again, presumably this Liu Qiang must have something to do with Liu Sheng.

"Liu Shengnai is the next big brother."

"I see." Hu Ye suddenly realized, it seems that Zhu Di asked Liu Sheng to be the hundred households of the Soldiers and Horses, but it is only a superficial thing, and secretly he must have been letting him train the firearms troops, otherwise he would not have sent Liu Sheng's younger brother to supervise the construction of firearms.

"His Royal Highness King Feiyan is already ......," Hu Ye asked Liu Qiang in a low voice.

"Yes, Your Highness now has a small team of about twenty people, which is being secretly trained by my eldest brother, and all the firearms are made by this master Wang." Liu Qiang did not hide it from Hu Ye, he knew that Hu Ye was already Zhu Di's confidant, and he was more trusted by Zhu Di than himself.

Hu Ye sighed, this Zhu Di really judged the situation, knew that the future firearms would definitely shine, and now he was preparing to form a firearms team. It is estimated that he still doesn't know that his knowledge in this area is much better than his firearms experts, and he doesn't even tell himself about it.

"Young Master Hu Ye, I see that your design is very exquisite, and it is indeed a superior work. But I don't know what to use for ignition? Liu Qiang pointed to the flintlock pistol on the drawing and asked Hu Ye curiously.

"Could it be that Lord Liu has never heard of flint? After the violent collision, sparks will flash, just ......" Hu Ye just wanted to continue, but was stopped by Liu Qiang.

Then Liu Qiang glanced at Master Wang, and Master Wang drove his two apprentices out, and there were only five people left in the shop.

"Young Master Hu Ye, do you mean that a gun like yours doesn't need to be ignited with a fuse at all, and it can be used in wet weather? And you can do it all by one person? Liu Qiang suddenly picked up the drawings and asked Hu Ye excitedly.

Just now, when Hu Ye said the flintlock, he had already roughly guessed how the flintlock pistol was used, so this kind of thing could not be known to outsiders.

"Yes, this thing can be carried around, it is more convenient to reload, the speed is much faster than that of the firecracker, and the accuracy is much better." Hu Ye said a little profoundly.

"Lao Wang, can you make such a thing?" Liu Qiang asked Master Wang very strictly.

"Yes is yes. But ......," Master Wang replied with some confusion.

"From now on, you don't need to make a firebolt anymore, and you can make this flintlock pistol with all your might. Also, give your two apprentices a gag order, if this kind of thing leaks out, you know the consequences. Liu Qiang said fiercely to Master Wang.

"Lord Liu, rest assured, since Xiao Lao'er has received the favor of His Highness, he will naturally do his best to do things for His Highness."

"Alright, you go get busy. We must make one tomorrow. ”

"Little old man, let's go to work."

Master Wang took the drawings and went to call back his two apprentices, there were too many devices, and he would definitely not be able to keep busy alone.

"Haha, I used to hear that Hu Ye's son was a fairy child, but now that I see it, it really deserves its reputation." Walking out of the blacksmith shop, Liu Qiang said to Hu Ye.

"Lord Liu has won the award, I just learned a little bit of the master's skin." Hu Ye replied modestly.

"Childe is too modest. His Royal Highness King Yan is full of praise for you. ”

"By the way, Lord Liu, why did His Highness send you here?"

"Supervising the construction of firecrackers is one of them, and the other is that Tongxian is a heavy land for food. There are a lot of refugees here, and we must take strict precautions, so I will be sent to Tong County to assist the defenders and the county commander here. Liu Qiang replied truthfully.

"The soldiers defending the city are Liu-sama's subordinates?" Hu Ye suddenly sounded the essence of the soldier's eyes. couldn't help but ask about Liu Qiang.

"No, they are Zhou Yi's people, and they are not controlled by me."

"That's good." Hu Ye said with a smile.

"What do you mean, Childe?" Liu Qiang asked curiously.

"Lady Liu will find out tonight. Maybe you'll catch a few big fish, but Lord Liu should be ready, your chance to make a meritorious contribution has come. Hu Ye smiled and took Lao Qian and Saren away, leaving Liu Qiang standing on the street in confusion.

"Tonight? Let me make meritorious service? I have already made a meritorious service by handing over the drawings of this flintlock pistol to His Highness, what more merit do I have to make? Liu Qiang looked at Hu Ye's back and couldn't figure it out.

But the more he couldn't figure it out, the more he believed Hu Ye in his heart, if he casually let a mortal like him see through, how could he be called an immortal disciple.

So Liu Qiang immediately rushed back to the house, called people, and was ready at any time. He has been in this county for a while, and he also knows a little about the officials here, and he also knows a little about what he is doing in secret. But these are extraordinary times, and there is no evidence, and he is helpless against them.

However, Hu Ye just said that he may catch a few big fish, maybe he is referring to the corrupt officials here.

"Young master, is that flintlock pistol you designed very powerful? I saw that Liu Qiang was very excited. On the way back to the inn, Lao Qian asked Hu Ye curiously.

"It's powerful, it's powerful, it's not powerful, it's just a bunch of broken copper and iron. If you can use it, I can easily solve it for you. I can't use it, it's just a thing in my hand. Hu Ye replied and stepped into the door of the inn.

"That's amazing!" Lao Qian didn't believe it, even if he stabbed his hands and chose any weapon for Hu Ye, he was sure that he would subdue Hu Ye within three moves.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Hu Ye didn't want to explain anything to Lao Qian, and when the flintlock pistol was made, Lao Qian would naturally know how powerful it was.

"This son, is there another woman in Tsing Yi who is traveling with you?"

As soon as Hu Ye stepped into the inn, Xiao Er walked up and asked.

"Yes, could it be that she's already back?" The woman in Tsing Yi is naturally Tsing Yi, and she must have said goodbye to her father.

"It's going to be back, but ......" Xiao Er showed a hint of embarrassment.

Hu Ye suddenly felt that something was wrong, something must have happened to Tsing Yi, "Hurry up, something happened!" ”

"Just now, the woman in Tsing Yi was taken away by several strong men as soon as she left the door of the passenger station." Xiao Er whispered to Hu Ye, for fear of being heard by others.

"Strong man? Who are they. Hu Ye was furious in his heart, what is going on in this county, before he entered the city, his mount was targeted. Now, as soon as he settled, someone made up his mind about his handmaiden.

"I don't think Childe is a local, so it's better not to cause trouble. Those strong men are the domestic slaves of the Zheng officials in the west of the city, and they usually like to do things that rob people's daughters, and Gongzi is not the first victim. Xiao Er said as low as he could.

"Robbing people's daughters? Doesn't the local prefectural order care? Hu Ye was very annoyed, this robbery was not abduction, wouldn't the county order know?

"Hey, it's an extraordinary time, there are so many refugees outside the city, it's too late for the county magistrate to have a headache, where will they care about the Zheng officials."

"Since the county order doesn't matter, I'll take care of it for him." Hu Ye hates this kind of person the most, in the year of the catastrophe, he did not do good deeds, but did something that hurt heaven and reason.

"Saren, you stay in the inn and don't go anywhere. Old Qian, follow me to the west of the city to ask for someone! Hu Ye snorted coldly, asked Xiao Er to take care of Saren, and took the old money and killed him in the west of the city.

Before the person who played the idea of Hongchen jumped out, someone first started the idea of Tsing Yi, and it seems that this county is really chaotic. Now that it's all messed up on your head, it's time to take care of it. (To be continued......)