Chapter 346: The anomaly of the Second Highness

Master Sid's so-called surprise was not out of Lorist's surprise, and he refined a new type of steel, which he named Sid 303. Pen Fun Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info Lorist found that Master Sid was also increasingly showing signs of moving closer to Master Siroba, and was accustomed to naming newly discovered things after himself in order to live on them for eternity.

According to Master Sid's introduction, the elasticity of this Sid 303 steel is the best among all the steels at present, and it is most suitable for making spring and crossbow bow arms, and after testing, the chariot steel crossbow made of this steel can shoot farther, more powerful, and the longest distance can reach more than 400 meters......

Lorist found that Master Sid seemed looking forward to replacing the steel plate crossbow arms of all chariot crossbows with his newly invented spring steel, but Lorist rejected the suggestion. At present, the chariot steel crossbow equipped by the family armed forces can still dominate the coquettish, and other forces cannot copy the steel plate crossbow arm on the steel crossbow even if they get a few chariot steel crossbows, and the family does not need to spend a lot of money to update the chariot steel crossbow. But this kind of spring steel is still very good as a technical reserve.

After two years of experimentation, Master Sid finally tried to produce refractory bricks, and used them to make a refractory furnace that can calcine and refine pyrite from a high-temperature furnace, and this spring steel is a new product of this high-temperature refining furnace. After the dark iron was calcined into molten iron, Master Sid did countless experiments and added various types of metals to master the material ratio of this spring steel, which should be a kind of alloy steel.

However, Lorist did not understand steelmaking and ironmaking, and was not very interested in the various things that need to be paid attention to in the steelmaking process described by Master Sid. The only thing that makes him feel sorry is that there is no coal and oil in the world of Gelintya, I don't know if the forest wood resources are too rich or these two energy ores are not found, the Gelinthia people use firewood and charcoal for forging, and when the temperature is raised, they add fire crystal powder. It's just that although fire quartz powder can increase the high temperature, it can't last. This is probably the main reason why it is difficult to climb the tech tree on the continent of Galintia.

"Master Sid, I would like to ask if there is one thing I would like to ask if the crosssteel crossbow used by the hussars you made a few years ago has been improved to reduce the cost of manufacturing?"

An embarrassed expression appeared on Master Sid's face, and he hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, because the manufacturing cost of the Cross Steel Crossbow is too high and the craftsmanship is cumbersome, after the batch of orders you placed was canceled by the family, Master Falin and I didn't continue to study. I was busy building a high-temperature refractory refinery furnace to test new steel, and Master Falin was held back by a 20,000-piece order from his family, and we were all very busy......"

It takes two years to make a standard longbow, and all the wood used to make a longbow needs to go through several processes of soaking and drying, which is very troublesome. Lorist remembered that the list of standard longbows was intended for the longbowmen of the Guards battalion, but he understood the reluctance of Master Sid and Master Farin to invest in improving the crossbow. After all, Master Sid and Master Falin had already put a lot of effort into the Cross Steel Crossbow a few years ago, and there was no way to improve it before it was presented.

"I remember Master Sid, you said that the biggest reason for the high cost of this cross steel crossbow is the steel of the crossbow arm? The elasticity of the steel is unstable, so that only a very small number of qualified products can be selected in a batch to make the crossbow arm, and because it is not a large piece like a chariot steel crossbow arm, but a crossbow used by a single person, there will be a lot of waste when forging such a small crossbow arm, which makes the manufacturing cost of the cross steel crossbow remain high, isn't it?" Lorist asked.

"Yes, Your Highness. Master Sid nodded and admitted: "Because the refining furnace of steelmaking was extremely unstable at that time, the properties of the steel extracted from each furnace were different, even if the ratio of materials used was the same. In addition, these elastic steels can not be obtained by constant forging, like fine iron, we can forge into steel, but these steels will only lose their elasticity if they are forged for too long, so the crossbow arm steel suitable for making cross steel crossbows is very difficult to refine, which makes the manufacturing cost expensive. We refine ten furnaces to get one or two qualified elastic steel ......"

Loris nodded: "Since this is the reason, then now that there is this new spring steel, Master Sid, why didn't you think of using it on the cross steel crossbow? The formula of this Sid 303 steel has been fixed, the quality is stable, and the output is also large, so I think it should be possible to greatly reduce the cost of the cross steel crossbow." ”

Master Sid was stunned, and then he was ecstatic: "Yes, why didn't I think of this, I was so worried about the chariot steel crossbow that I forgot that the family had been looking for a long-range personal weapon that could replace the longbow. Your Highness, I'll go to Master Falin right now and improve the Cross Steel Crossbow again......"

"Wait, Master Sid, there's one more thing. Lorist stopped Master Sid, who was about to run away: "You and Master Farin have a discussion, if the elasticity of this steel is really as outstanding as you say, you can try to forge it into a riding bow, which can shoot on a horse, and compare it with the longbow with excellent performance." The Family Hunter Legion has been reconstituted and is in need of a weapon that can be fired on a warhorse without being inferior to a longbow. ”

"Your Highness, I understand, we will definitely try to produce the weapons that the family needs as soon as possible, and we will die in the service of the family!" Master Sid suddenly became fanatical.

Looking at the background of Master Sid's departure, Lorist patted his forehead with a headache. To put it mildly, now he wonders if the family's technology tree is a little crooked, Lorlist's ideal individual long-range weapon musket has not been willing to be studied, Master Sid They are going further and further on the evil path of the bow and crossbow, and even the steel that is researched and refined is the elastic steel suitable for forging steel crossbows, and they are unwilling to spend energy on the study of muskets......

Today, the Norton family's chariot steel crossbow has been at the forefront of long-range weapons, and its sharpness is unmatched. This is indeed the work of Master Sid, but they have now gotten into the horns, and they are all studying how to improve the bow and crossbow to shoot farther and more fiercely. Although Lorist provided drawings and drawings of the construction of the muskets, none of these masters seemed to have the intention of delving into them. Perhaps Lorist should consider whether to re-establish a research center dedicated to the development of muskets, but it is difficult to find such a candidate......

After leaving the Darkiron Refinery, Lorist made his last visit to Ironforge, the family's weapons production center in the Blade Mountains. For example, Master Sid forged weapons and armor and transported them here, and then polished and inlaid them to make them the standard equipment used by the family's armed forces. It is a large-scale armaments production base with 3,000 employees, and is responsible for the production and assembly of armaments for the family's allies, as well as equipment for the family's allies and for export.

Baron Camorra, the head of Ironforge, was already waiting here, and the most important armament task of Ironforge was to produce 60,000 sets of standard light cavalry armor needed for the Chasseur to redress. This batch of standard light cavalry armor is the latest design of Master Sid, who has been redesigned and improved by taking the advice of the Legionnaires, and dyeing the original black gray and black according to Lorlist's orders.

Baron Camorra was in charge of logistics and support throughout the war during the Iberian Kingdom Raiders last year, and was particularly praised by Lorist for his outstanding mission. Although the war is now extinguished, because Winston Province and Southern Province are building a large number of various types of armament defense facilities, the mission of Baron Camorra's logistics director is not over, but it is not very tense. Baron Camorra appointed a deputy to preside over the city of Windbrie, while he himself ran back to Ironforge to meet Lorlist's inspection.

It was already August 7 after returning to the Rock Castle after the inspection of Ironforge Castle, and Lorist went to the Houshan Cultivation Ground to see Schward and returned to the study, and found that Shi Fatzi had brought a large stack of documents and sat on the sofa waiting for him. The more important things this time were about the military budget for the reorganized North Sea Fleet and the reorganized Cavalry Hunting Legion, and there was a letter from Roaring Bear City, which Princess Celivia wrote to Lorlist, saying that she liked the scenery of Cherry Blossom Ridge Manor that Lorist had given her, and that she would not be back to Rock Castle for a few days because there were several areas that needed to be rectified.

"Have you sent all the stickers?" asked Lorist as she reviewed the papers.

In Gelintya, aristocratic weddings are basically sent to relatives and friends half a year in advance. Especially like Lorlist, who is the Grand Duke of the Northlands and the head of the Norton family, his big wedding must not only be notified to all the lower lords of the family, but even all the noble families of the Antinuc Kingdom. It is not a question of whether the relationship is close or not, but the face of a nobleman. Fortunately, a few years ago, His Second Highness had almost cleansed the entire noble class of the Antinac Kingdom, and the remaining nobles had little to talk to, so Lorist didn't need to deal with those nobles he didn't know at all, which he was very satisfied with.

The wedding to Princess Celivia was to be held in November, and it was already a haste to send a messenger to deliver the invitation at the end of June and the beginning of July. In the continent of Galintea, there are some noble families with deep backgrounds, and it is often necessary to give guests a year's notice in advance. This is because the continent is too big and the distance is long, and secondly, the guests also need time to prepare gifts for the newlyweds. However, Lorist was not so troublesome, the Norton family's power was only in the northeast of the former Crescent Empire, and further away was the nobles who also belonged to the Andinac Kingdom.

"It's basically delivered. However, only a very small number of nobles in the imperial capital of the kingdom said that they would come to congratulate in person, and basically those nobles who had recently been promoted by His Royal Highness were all shirking their official duties and could not be present, but they said that they would send gifts to congratulate His Highness on his wedding. Fat Shi replied.

"Does the Second Highness have any indications?"

"That's what weird I felt. Shi Fatzi frowned and said, "Our messenger did not see our Majesty the King, and he said that the invitation was received by the chief of the palace, and then told him to wait for news at the post house. In the evening, the steward sent a reply saying that His Majesty was too busy to attend the grand wedding of the Northlanders, but that he would send messengers to congratulate him on his behalf. When the messenger returned, I wondered, what is the idea of this second highness, and he will not even attend your wedding, and the situation in the kingdom is very calm, it seems that he is hiding, and he will not even summon our messenger, which is very rude......"

Lorist put down the document in his hand: "I don't know if you have heard of the situation, the Fort Business Alliance and the Central South Kingdom Alliance are at war, because Lenmerd was forcibly recruited to the front line, so it will take some time for the specific battle situation to come back." However, I am puzzled that His Royal Highness should know such news, but why is the imperial capital as calm as ever, and there is nothing abnormal? It stands to reason that His Majesty the King of ours should take advantage of the fire to rob, his ambition is to unify the territory of the former empire, and now the commercial alliance occupies several provinces of the empire, but the Second Highness has let go of such a good opportunity, I feel very strange. ”

"Hmm...... I haven't heard of it, but it has nothing to do with our family anyway. Shi Fatzi shook his head: "After all, our family is too far away from the Business Alliance, and it is normal for the news to be delayed, but the two legions of the Second Highness are holding each other on the border with the troops of the Business Alliance and its vassal forces, and he should have known the news a long time ago." According to what you say, this is indeed a good time to do it, but the Second Highness has not made any movement, which is really not normal. Hey, did you say that His Royal Highness is not in the imperial capital, so even the messenger we sent to deliver the invitation will not be summoned......"

Lorist was stunned for a moment, and the fat man's cranky thoughts seemed to open up a new idea for him, and he pulled down the bell rope, and Genorio came in from outside the study.

"Genolio, send someone to fetch Tagger at once. Lorist commanded.

Targer soon appeared in front of Lorlist.

"Tagger, you immediately send a letter to the eagle to ask all the intelligence investigators assigned in the imperial capital, and order them to find out how many days it has been since our majesty the king has not appeared in front of others? Who is currently in charge of the administrative and armament affairs of the kingdom? Is there any unusual situation in the royal palace?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I'll do it right away. ”

Three days later, Targer appeared in front of Lorlist.

"Your Highness, this is a report sent back by the intelligence investigators of the Imperial Capital, and they say that His Majesty the King has not appeared in front of outsiders for more than a year. According to the servants and maids in the palace, they have not seen His Majesty in person for a long time. However, it was confirmed that His Majesty had been staying in the innermost part of the palace, guarded by a thousand of his most loyal guards, and that idlers were not allowed to enter. Rumor has it that His Majesty has contracted a strange illness that has led to his seclusion. However, the palace steward and the three ministers of the kingdom can still go in to see him, and some of the signatures on the documents are in the king's own handwriting, and the style of handling affairs is still the same as he used to be, so the situation in the kingdom is still very stable, and people have forgotten how long it has been since they saw him......"

"Strange disease?" Lorist touched his chin: "Impossible, what strange disease can make His Second Highness, who is a golden three-star cultivator, fall, this is impossible." Could it be that he was assassinated or was he poisoned by something?"

Tagar thought for a moment and replied: "Your Highness, I don't think it's possible to be assassinated, otherwise the imperial capital would have been in chaos a long time ago." Poisoning is not an elephant, if it is really poisoned, the palace will definitely invite many pharmacists to go, just like when his father the third prince was assassinated and poisoned, the pharmacists of the entire imperial capital were invited to the palace. However, there is one thing that needs to be noted. It is His Royal Highness's cousin, Christia seems to have lost the trust of His Majesty the King, and has been relieved of her duties as the head of the guard, and is currently living at home......"

"Oh?" Lorist frowned, "Is this true?"

"It's true, but Miss Chrysya doesn't seem to want to explain it to us. But she said that before Her Royal Highness's wedding, she would bring her whole family to the Northland to attend the wedding. Tugger replied.

Lorist lowered his head and turned around twice, this was a bit strange, but it was certain that His Royal Highness had stayed in the palace for some reason. Forget it, don't worry about him first, there will always be a day when the truth will come out, and then you will naturally know what His Royal Highness is doing.

"Let's do this first, let people keep an eye on the palace, and report any abnormal situation in the imperial capital immediately. Lorist said.

"Yes, Your Highness. ”

...... (To be continued.) )