When Xiao Yan was in Wuliangguan in the morning, Li Yuzhen was at the secret shooting range of the Imperial Technical Research Institute, inspecting the shooting of arquebuses.

After more than a dozen rounds of shooting, Li Yuzhen stood in the stands and frowned.

The institute was leading dozens of R&D officials and technicians to □□ the project, standing behind Li Yuzhen, when he heard the prince's unpleasant voice: "The loading is too slow, the rate of fire is too slow, the range is too close, and the armor-piercing strength is not enough...... There are a lot of shortcomings, and this is the result of what you are in a hurry to report? ”

The officials and technicians were sweating as they listened.

The person in charge of the □□ project is Jin Kewu, the vice president of the Zuo Yuan, with a slightly chubby figure, a large face, but a little rough and dark skin, and looks like a practical talent.......

His little eyes silently revealed meaning: But compared with before, it has really improved.

□□ body size has been greatly reduced, the weight has been reduced from twenty or thirty catties to the current fourteen catties, and you can hold it on your shoulder and shoot without the support of a fork on the ground, eliminating the need for positioning, installation, and aiming three steps, and reducing the loading time to ten seconds.

The piercing power is increased, and it can penetrate armor such as scale armor and mountain character armor within 30 zhang, but it cannot penetrate armor such as Mingguang armor. However, the military industry of the Tang Dynasty far surpasses that of foreign countries, and the elite armor of the four empires of Dashi, Euroton, Yanzhou, and Oghuz is only comparable to the second-class armor of the Tang Dynasty, but there are still some problems in dealing with the elite cavalry heavy armor of these countries.

Li Yuzhen said: "Not enough has been done. ”

The first thing to say was: "Yes." Your Highness, please, instruct. ”

A crowd listened with their heads down.

"The way gunpowder is loaded needs to change. Now it's still loading gunpowder and plugging lead bullets, and then stabbing it with a strip, can this not be reloaded slowly? Drag down the rate of fire? Loading and firing for almost forty seconds, the cavalry charged, how many shots could be fired? ”

Thanks to the development and invention of the pendulum clock by the Institute of Technology and Research, the timing has been accurate to the minute and second, and there is a pendulum clock standing in front of the stands.

"Can't you put gunpowder powder in iron bullets and lead bullets? Do you have to use gunpowder powder to fill lead bullets? -- To increase the rate of reloading and fire, it is necessary to find ways to do so. In addition, if the bullet can be sharpened at the front end and shot out at high speed, won't it increase the piercing force? There is also an arquebus ignition, what if it is foggy, rainy or snowy? Once lit, it is fireworks, how to hide it? Shoot a dozen shots and the smoke is filled, how to aim? This one needs to be improved. Think about the trigger of the crossbow machine, can you learn from it, use the method of percussion, knock out a spark in the barrel, ignite the powder chamber, and push the launch? …… To use more brains, the key is to dare to think, whimsical can be, do not solidify thinking. "Li Yuzhen's thinking is unlimited, there is nothing impossible, as for whether it will work or not, it is the business of the Technology Research Institute.

The officials and technicians listened with sweat and promises.

No one dares to say "this can't be".

The prince said, "If you dare to think, you can be whimsical."

What's more, the invention and creation of zào is like this, dare to think, let go of the thought, before the □□ comes out, who would have thought that an ordinary strong man who has not practiced martial arts can kill an armored soldier thirty zhang away with a single □□ after just one month of training? - The soldier is fake, but the armor is real, and when it comes to the battlefield, it is the enemy.

Li Yuzhen gave a stick and a sweet date, "However, there is progress compared to before, and the courtyard has to give credit." Yuanzheng hurriedly responded, and he was relieved, and Zuo Yuancheng was also relieved, thinking that the prince was still reasonable.

Li Yuzhen began to encourage again, "But we have to make persistent efforts!" Such a gun can't go to the battlefield, it's much worse than □□. You have to dare to think and dare to do it, and build a magic spear that all grandmasters must back down. ”

Everyone was greatly excited, and responded in unison: "No! ”

Near noon, Li Yuzhen left the shooting range, although he was not satisfied with the results of the arquebus, but the direction of the □□ was right: the training of gunners was much faster than that of crossbowmen and archers, and faster than that of infantry saber spearmen, and the cost was less, and in time, it would be possible to replace □□ knives and guns in large quantities. Of course, this depends on the R&D progress of the institute.

There is also a very important point, which is also the purpose of the emperor's emphasis on □□ research and development, that is, there must be a weapon that can allow ordinary people to compete with martial artists.

There are still many ordinary people in this world, not everyone has the qualifications to practice martial arts, and not everyone can practice martial arts successfully, martial artists are a minority after all, but this few martial artists, because they have strong individual strength, and strong strength is often accompanied by disobedience to control, disrupting the rule of law, and inevitably posing a threat to ordinary people; The strength of the warrior power will also threaten the rule of the country, which is not allowed by any emperor, and it is also a matter of maintaining social stability that the imperial court must consider.

However, the Tang Dynasty can not ban martial arts - the truth is what Emperor Gaozong said: "Because of the fear of affecting the rule and the ban or abolition of martial arts is because of choking and waste food, martial arts is the spirit of the strong, struggle, hard work, tenacity, never yield, unremitting progress, this is also the spirit of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty is strong because of the martial arts, only because of the spirit of the martial arts, this is the backbone of the Tang Dynasty, can not fall." ”

However, the warrior must also have strong restraints, so Emperor Gaozong proposed: "The state must not only use force to control the military, but also use the martial artist to control the martial artist; It is also necessary to use technology to control the force, which is another important means to check and balance the martial arts. ”

Emperor Gojong's strategy of "using technology to control weapons" has been faithfully implemented by Emperor Sejong and later emperors, and the research and development of gunpowder and the establishment of artillery and □□ projects have been valued because of this strategy.

Li Yuzhen is a martial arts master, but she is the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, the future emperor, to stand at the height of the ruler of a country to see the problem, Gaozong proposed the direction is undoubtedly wise and correct, the Tang Dynasty military technology is developing so rapidly, on the one hand, it is the demand for a strong army, and on the other hand, it is from the pressure of martial arts.

Li Yuzhen looked up at the sky outside the mountain col, which was vast and far-reaching, and the blue sky stretched to the sky. She turned around and instructed the institute: "I am not going to the Machine Research Agency." ”

"Whoa." After returning to the city, the hospital immediately sent its subordinates to inform the Machine Research Department to prepare for the prince's inspection.

Li Yuzhen had lunch with her father in the Zichen Palace, and when she walked on the corridor of the hall after the meal, she told her father about the situation of inspecting the □□ and her thoughts.

“…… At present, there are too many defects and do not have much actual combat power, and the only two are desirable: first, the cost is low and the manufacturing is easy, especially gunpowder and lead bullet, which are cheaper than making arrows, and the production is much simpler; Second, recruits are quick to get started. However, our Datang has a deep national strength, and there is no shortage of military spending for making arrows, and it is not suitable to equip a large number of troops for the time being before the □□ can completely replace bows and arrows. ”

"It can be considered that each army should be equipped with a battalion first, and cooperate with the spearmen to fight in the army formation, covering each other in long-range fire and close combat." Li Yuzhen's military literacy is really profound, and when he watched the shooting of the three rows of test gunmen at the shooting range, he already saw the weaknesses of the arquebus, and made up for these weaknesses with the cooperation of the military formation.

The emperor nodded, "Whatever you think, just do it." ”

***

Li Yuzhen returned to the palace to meditate and pranayama for a while, and when he saw that the hour was already a moment, he prepared to go to the Machine Research Department.

When changing clothes, Guan Xia came in to report, "The princess's mansion came to report, Wei Zhonglang and He Zhonglang secretly followed Xiao Seventeen Lang Junchen out of the mansion and went to the immeasurable view of Puning Fang in the northwest city, and they had not returned to the house at noon. ”

Li Yuzhen's eyes froze.

Immeasurable? …… Scold.

Her eyes were radiant, and she commanded in a low voice: "After Wei and Chen come back, they will report back immediately." ”

After Xiao Yan left the palace, she stationed two Crane Guarding Cave True Realm Grandmasters in the Princess Mansion of Qin State, not only to protect the safety of the Princess Mansion and the eleventh aunt, but also to secretly escort Xiao Yan, but before the first lunar year was over, Xiao Yuezhi really left the mansion.

Who did she go to see when she went to Immeasurables?

…… Shen Zhiyuan.

It's not going to visit Michiyoko.

Li Yuzhen lowered his eyebrows slightly, always feeling that Xiao Yan was too attentive to Shen Qingyi.

There was a flash of lightning in his mind, and Li Yuzhen suddenly remembered that by the waterfall in the mountain behind Baiyun Temple, the trace of killing intent he felt was fleeting-it may have come from Shen Qingyi: But what is the motive?

This is what Li Yuzhen is puzzled by, and it is also the main reason why she has not been sure that the killing intent is from Shen Qingyi.

But what if you look for the reason from Xiao Yan's body?

If Shen Zhiyuan is ...... to Xiao Yuezhi

Li Yuzhen sneered in his heart, removed the cold color in his eyes, turned his face and told Guan Xia to go to Yiqiu Palace, and told Xiao Yuezhi, the master of the pavilion, to go to the immeasurable view. I'm not afraid of 10,000, I'm afraid of what if, in case I encounter the innate grandmaster of King Zheng and his party on the way back to the house, the pavilion master can also rescue in time.

She changed into a prince's suit, and under the escort of the Ming Guard, she went out of the palace to the Technical Research Agency in Nancheng.

The Machinery Research Agency is a large department under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Technical Research Institute, mainly for mechanical and power research, and there are four sub-departments below: the first department is the basic equipment research, including gears, shafts, chassis, etc., turning, milling, grinding, drilling and boring and other processing machine tools, presses and casting machines for manufacturing and coinage, etc., and the second department is the research of agricultural equipment; The three departments are engineering workshops and equipment research, which are divided into military and civilian; The fourth agency is a power study. Li Yuzhen went to the Fourth Department.

There are various kinds of power research in the four departments, including the power of nature - the study of water power and wind power, the application research of the power of physics and chemistry - coal and fierce fire oil (oil), and the research of the Yandao instrument technique - the mechanism technique. The Yanshu masters restored and improved Zhuge Kongming's wooden oxen and flowing horses, which could transport military rations and materials in the mountains, and had been widely used in the army; Puppet traps were created, which could replace miners and engineers to do excavation work in dangerous areas, as well as night sentry traps, but these puppets were too expensive to be put into use, but they were made puppet puppets that could pour wine and dance, because they were novel and valuable, they could be used to show off, and they were sold to nobles and wealthy merchants, making a lot of money. The first thing Li Yuzhen went to was the Yanshu Workshop, and the purpose was to make puppet traps.

Of course, she wasn't interested in pouring wine and dancing machines, and she asked the Yanshi to create martial arts people.

"Your Highness, this ...... Hard. The leader of the Yanshi Ling said with a look of embarrassment, "Martial arts require spirituality, and the machine can only design designated movements. ”

"It's about specifying actions." Li Yuzhen said, and instructed the commander of the guards, Ling Hulin, to hand the three basic sword techniques, basic sword techniques, and basic fist techniques to the Yanshi Ling, and said to the Yanshi, "To be a knife, sword, and fist person, according to the standard movements of the moves, there can be no mistakes." ”

“…… Yes, Your Highness. "Although Yanshi Ling feels that this is not easy, the martial arts moves must be completely accurate, and the movements are smooth, but compared to being a martial arts organist, it is a hundred times more difficult, and it is also a challenge for the development of the organ.

Coming out of the Yanshu workshop, Li Yuzhen went to the hydraulic research workshop of the Fourth Department.

There is a project team that has been established for 20 years, and the research project is called steam power.

"Your Highness, please look."

The teacher in charge of this project was nervous and excited, leaned sideways, pointed to a huge boiler device in front of him, and introduced it succinctly: "This is an improved steam boiler, which uses the boiling of water to produce high-pressure steam, and uses guò gears, connecting rods, pistons and other devices to do reciprocating motion, and converts steam into power, which can replace animal power and hydraulic machines, and make machine tools and machines start." ”

Li Yuzhen said lightly: "Let's start." ”

The class order was promised, and the technician technician was ordered to start.

With the addition of coal burning, the huge high-temperature steam started the boiler, in the booming sound, the gear, connecting rod, piston device, reciprocating motion, transmission of kinetic energy, the other end of the connected drilling rig drill pipe high-speed rotation, drilling into the front has been prepared a zhang thick granite, drilling through only forty seconds, and the drill hole is smooth.

Li Yuzhen nodded slightly and said, "Not bad." ”

The class order and all the technicians were excited, and it was not easy to get the prince's praise.

Yuan Zheng said: "Your Highness, you can take another look at the pulling press." ”

Li Yuzhen said: "Yes." ”

A group of technicians and technicians were immediately busy disassembling and assembling, and in the process of preparation, the class order continued to state the project to Li Yuzhen, Li Yuzhen only listened, and did not express his opinion for the time being.

After about two quarters of an hour, the steam boiler and press were connected.

More than a dozen furnace workers struggled to add charcoal, and in the roar, the power of the steam boiler fell with a press weighing 1,000 catties, smashing the fixed 100-kilogram iron ingot into a discus and continuing to press it into a thin plate.

On the ground, Li Yuzhen raised his eyebrows, suddenly slapped a palm, and then applied another true qi barrier.

I heard a "boom", and the boiler exploded.

Fortunately, the furnace workers who added charcoal were shocked by Li Yuzhen's palm and fell out of more than ten zhang away, and when the boiler exploded, Li Yuzhen put a real gas barrier to resist the outward impact of the explosion shockwave, and no one was injured at the scene.

But everyone's faces were pale.

"Your Highness, the ministers are derelict in their duties!" The head of the courtyard, the class order, and the others all knelt down.

Everyone's hearts seemed to freeze like ice, and when they knocked, their hearts could shatter to the ground.

Li Yuzhen dusted his sleeves and said, "Well, it exploded." ”

Tears flowed in everyone's hearts.

This explosion was not only ineffective, but also guilty.

It's still a big sin to put the prince in danger!