Bi Maokang has been living a good life recently.

As a person who has been cut down, he is already very satisfied to be able to return to officialdom.

The important thing is that the emperor asked him to serve as a member of Yu Hengqing's secretary. Although he is only a fifth-grade official, he is better than his professional counterpart.

The Ordnance Bureau under its jurisdiction happens to be responsible for manufacturing weapons, so there is no need to go to the War Bureau to conduct research now.

When Zhu Youzhen found him, he was tapping on an iron pipe.

"Lao Bi~ What are you studying?"

When Bi Maokang saw that the emperor was coming, he dropped his hammer and saluted.

"Your Majesty, the minister is making the barrel of the gun."

"You still need to make the barrel yourself?"

"The minister is going to make a new type of barrel, and the craftsmen don't know it right now."

"Oh? Show me what kind of barrel it is? ”

"I was very inspired by the books Your Majesty gave me last time, and I planned to try to see if I could make a gun that could be loaded from behind."

......

Zhu Youzhen really wanted to tell him, Lao Bi, your skill tree is off! Breech guns aren't easy to make! But he was afraid of dampening his enthusiasm. I had to change the topic and ask:

"How's the research on the self-generated firebolt? Will the craftsmen make it? ”

"It's basically all right, but the quality of the self-generated firebolts made is uneven, and it's very busy."

"What caused it?"

"The craftsmen are different in what they are good at. Some are good at ironworking, and some are good at carpentry. ”

"Why don't you use an assembly line for production?"

"Huh? What line? ”

"The assembly line is to put multiple parts of the firecracker atmosphere, assign each part to different people to do, and finally assemble them together. For example, if a person is good at making pipes, you ask him to only make pipes, and if he is good at making wooden supports, you let him make wooden supports. Unify the standard again, how thick and long the gun tube is, strict requirements, not a penny more. Isn't everything produced in this way qualified? "Zhu Youjian bought Sanfeng's vernier caliper, more than 2,000 handfuls. As long as it is done in strict accordance with the requirements, it is not difficult to make qualified products with the skills of the current craftsmen.

"Long live Your Majesty, to be able to think of such a subtle solution! The minister is like an initiation, and he suddenly awakens! ”

“......”

You've only been in Beijing for a few months, and you've learned badly, and you'll be a sycophant.

Anyway, the assembly line seems to have been around for a long time, right? You guy has thick eyebrows and big eyes, but you're also a jinshi, haven't you heard of it?

"How much silver taels does it cost to make a self-made firebolt?"

"The cost of a self-made fire gun is higher than that of a bird's gun, and a handful costs one or two or five dollars of silver."

"How many craftsmen are there in the Ordnance Bureau right now?"

"152."

"So little?" Zhu Youzhen was surprised.

In fact, the scale of the central ordnance manufacturing industry in the Ming Dynasty was constantly decreasing, and by this time, it had basically been completely replaced by the local weapons manufacturing bureaus. However, the manufacture of weapons by the local arms manufacturing bureaus had to be carried out under the close supervision of the imperial court. The development of local weapons represents, to a certain extent, the development of weapons in the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youzhen thought for a while and said to Bi Maokang:

"Let's first count what each craftsman is good at, and then report the missing number of people to me, and I will transfer people to you from the War Bureau!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Within two months, I want to see 4,000 self-generated fire guns, the quality must be good, if there is a mistake, I will ask you. In addition, the salary of the artisan household cannot be deducted, and it must be paid in full. ”

"Yes! Your Majesty! ”

After speaking, Zhu Youzhen left.

I went back and continued to devote myself to the great cause of translation. He had to make as many preparations as possible before Song Yingxing's arrival, and strive to capture his heart, so that he could abandon the impassable road of the imperial examination, devote himself to the study of science and technology, and contribute to the glory of the Ming Empire!

Song Yingxing didn't know that in the palace at this time, there was someone who was silently fighting for him.

February twenty-eighth

Today is the day of the release of the list, and he and his brother Song Yingsheng are standing under the list with their faces upturned looking for their names.

I didn't find it from the front to the back, and I still didn't find it after looking from the back to the front.

The two brothers stood there silently, listening to the constant cheers and sighs around them, and felt like ashes.

Back then, the brothers also had a brilliant time, one was third in the township test, and the other was sixth, causing a sensation in Fengxin, known as 'Fengxin Ersong'. But I don't know if this resounding title has spent all my luck, and the next one will try and fail.

No, it's hanging again. And it's the fifth time.

Twelve years! From the forty-fourth year of Wanli to the present! Take the test five times! Hang five times!

He thought of his heavenly ancestor Song Yuang, his great-ancestor Song Dijia, and his great-ancestor Song Jing.

I'm sorry, Shangshu ancestors, I've embarrassed you.

Song Yingxing and Song Yingsheng glanced at each other and silently withdrew from the crowd.

"But you didn't pass the test?"

A man asked, tugging at his sleeve.

Song Yingxing smiled bitterly and shook his head gloomily.

"Haha! That's good! That's good! ”

When Song Yingxing heard this, he was furious!

Are you fucking human? You still laugh if you didn't pass the exam? What a fart! Turn your head and go to punch the person who speaks.

But he looked at the clothes that the other party was wearing, and slowly lowered his raised fist.

Jinyiwei!

Even if it's an ordinary wrestler, it's not something that a down-and-out scholar from his family can mess with.

This brocade guard saw that Song Yingxing was a little angry, and said with a smile:

"Excuse me, brother, I'm a little out of shape. It's like this..."

As he spoke, he explained his intention.

This brocade guard is called Zhang Quanfu, and he is a small flag in the East Factory. After Wang Chengen received Zhu Youzhen's order, he quickly arranged it and ordered the Jinyi Guards of the East and West Factories to find this person named Song Yingxing together.

In the end, it is the East Factory's Fanzi who is skilled in business and has a high level of technology. Someone was the first to be found. When Zhang Quanfu reported to his superiors, the reply he got was: "Keep an eye on him!" Wait for him to leave and take him into the palace! ”

So the task of staring at him fell to Zhang Quanfu. In the past ten days, Zhang Quanfu has been miserable. Because this Song Juren is too capable of tossing. I am not idle all day long, running everywhere, going anywhere. Even a dung truck has to be followed to study and study, and he will not stop until he is outside the stable gate.

Finally came to the day of the release of the list, watching Song Yingxing walk out of the crowd dejectedly, Zhang Quanfu finally couldn't hold back the joy in his heart. Mission accomplished, relief!

Song Yingxing looked at the brocade guard in front of him with a strange face, Your Majesty wants to see me?

Do you want to see me if you fall off the list?

It can be seen that Zhang Quanfu's outfit and waist card don't look fake, and no one in the world dares to pretend to be Jinyiwei.

"Song Juren, let's go?"

"Let's go."

Song Yingxing followed Zhang Quanfu to Dongchang Hutong, waited inside for about a cup of tea, and another eunuch came out and said to Song Yingxing:

"Come with us."

followed the eunuch all the way to the gate of the Qianqing Palace, and after the guards searched him, he was led by Wang Chengen to Zhu Youzhen.

"Long live, the Song Yingxing you are looking for has arrived."

Zhu Youzhen, who was translating the textbook, raised his head suddenly, and came to Song Yingxing, who was about to salute, in surprise, bypassing the imperial case, and holding him up!

"Heavenly King Covers the Tiger!"