The generals hurriedly surrendered their orders, and as soon as they entered the camp, they saw a thin middle-aged man over forty years old, running towards the camp gate like flying, and shouted with joy at Chengzhang: "Cheng Jun Sima, Cheng Jun Sima, the villain has become, the villain has become ......."

Cheng Zhang was startled, and then he was overjoyed, and hurriedly rushed forward, grabbed the middle-aged man's hand, and asked, "It's done?" Is it really done? ”

Seeing the middle-aged man nodding again and again, Chengzhang happily pulled him away. After walking straight for a few steps, Cheng Zhang came back to his senses, patted his head and grabbed the middle-aged man again, and said: "The lord is here, you and I go to see the lord, this good news is just to inform the lord." ”

Under He Bai's gaze, the two came to the front, the middle-aged man shrank his shoulders obscenely, glanced at He Bai with an expression of respect and awe, and then bowed to the ground: "Villain Wang Dang, meet the lord." ”

He Bai stretched out his hand to pull it up, and asked with a smile: "You call Wang Dang, who is it in the artisan barracks?" What were you happy about before? ”

The middle-aged man thanked him again and again, bent over again, and said softly: "The villain is a carpenter master carpenter in the craftsman barracks, and half a year ago, he was ordered by Sima Cheng to develop a rhubarb crossbow. The villain was fortunate to live up to his life and finally tried to produce it. ”

He Bai was shocked when he heard this, the big rhubarb crossbow? This is a single crossbow with a rally of ten stones, which can only be pulled away by the strength of the body, also known as the waist crossbow, and the crossbow of six stones, and the arm crossbow of three stones, which belongs to the strongest strike firepower of the elite army of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Li Ling, a rebel general of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, once used 3,000 outnumbered soldiers to fight tens of thousands of elite cavalry of the Huns with a rhubarb crossbow, and killed and injured a large number of nearly half of the invincible Hun cavalry at that time. In the end, it was because of the exhaustion of arrows and the betrayal of traitors that the army was defeated and surrendered.

For this time in the era of cold weapons, the big yellow crossbow is tantamount to a nuclear missile. Even if it is Lu Bu, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and other invincible generals who are known as ten thousand enemies, I am afraid that they will not be able to block the arrow of the rhubarb crossbow.

He Bai looked at Cheng Zhang, and Cheng Zhang hurriedly bowed: "My subordinates have tasted the elite of the Northern Army commanded by General Huangfu Yizhen in the Yellow Turban Army, and their army carries five thousand yellow crossbows. At the time of the battle, the arrows fired by the 5,000 large yellow crossbows were like overwhelming the sky, and often a single arrow could pierce several people. Just after a rain of arrows, the Yellow Turban army suffered more than 10,000 casualties. After three waves of arrows, Guangzong's 200,000 Yellow Turban army was all defeated. A few days later, even the Yellow Turban army, which had resisted the city, was broken...... Since then, his subordinates have been trying to make this kind of rhubarb crossbow, and today fortunately they succeeded. ”

He Bai nodded and said to Wang Dang: "Let's go, go and see the big yellow crossbow you made." ”

Under Wang Dang's guidance, He Bai and the others came to Wang Dang's independent tent, only to see that there were crossbow materials and sawdust everywhere, and a young boy of more than ten years old was fiddling with a crossbow cart with a height of about one meter and two. The ballista arm was two meters long, the body was one and a half meters long, and the string was one and a half meters long, and it was supported by a bracket and four wheels with a diameter of a foot wide.

The ballista is nothing unusual for He Bai, all weapons more powerful than it have been used, not to mention that it is just a cold weapon. In He Bai's eyes, it was just like a handicraft, but the generals who came together were very curious, and kept looking up and down, left and right.

Cheng Zhang said: "You put a bracket and wheels on it. ”

Wang Dangbai said: "Yes, the villain thinks that this big rhubarb crossbow weighs more than fifty catties, and it is difficult for ordinary people to hold it up and shoot steadily, so the villain made a foot bracket for it." The villain also thought that its pulling force was as much as ten stones, even if it was opened with waist strength, it must be a strong man, so the villain made a reel for it to pull the quote. In the end, the villain wanted to haul the rhubarb crossbow on the carriage instead of it, and then take it out one by one when it was used, so why not make four wheels and let the soldiers push it. It saves time and effort, and can be used at any time. ”

He Bai listened and nodded again and again, the original rhubarb crossbow was not a ballista? That's right, if it's a ballista, it's inconvenient to use the waist to draw the bow. The real ballista also existed in the Han Dynasty, but it was a siege machine. Because the Han Dynasty did not have major civil strife for more than 100 years, and most of the enemies were ethnic minorities in the north, the siege equipment was inevitably forgotten. It wasn't until after the Battle of Guandu that all kinds of siege equipment were picked up and gradually increased.

He Bai picked up a three-foot-long wooden crossbow and asked, "After such modifications, how much tension does this bow have?" ”

Wang Dangbai said: "There are more than sixty percent less, only three stones, and the soldiers can easily open their crossbows in a stumbling way." ”

He Bai asked again: "I don't know what the range is?" ”

Wang Dangyao pointed to the back of the craftsman camp and said: "When the villain came to the lord, he tried to shoot ten arrows. It can reach a maximum of more than 700 steps, and can break through the iron armor within 300 steps. ”

After hearing this, the generals bowed happily and convincingly: "Congratulations to the lord, congratulations to the lord." If our army can prepare 500 rhubarb crossbows, it will definitely be invincible, and the lord will be able to make meritorious contributions more easily. ”

He Bai only smiled slightly when he heard this, but it was just about the same as a single rifle. Later history can prove that no matter how good a weapon is, it depends on who uses it. If a soldier does not practice, he will not practice, and no matter how good a weapon is, he will be defeated.

He Bai asked again: "Let me ask you, with the power of the craftsman's barracks, how many rhubarb crossbows can be made in October?" How much does it cost to get each one? ”

Wang Dang's face was gloomy when he heard this, and he thought for a long time, and finally sighed and said: "This crossbow is not easy to make, the process needs to be extremely fine, and the villain can only make one in four months, and it also consumes almost five or six materials. Because the arrows have no feathers, the iron arrows will lose their balance and roll after 300 steps. The production requirements of wooden arrow shafts are extremely high, and it is very difficult, and it is not easy to manufacture and use them in large quantities. The cost of making one machine is about 200,000 yuan, which is huge. At present, only the villain can make this crossbow, and the others are afraid that it will not be easy. ”

After hearing this, the generals were immediately disappointed, the power of this big yellow crossbow is strong, but it is also too expensive. Five hundred, then it will take 100 million dollars, and no one can make it even if there is money. With this spare time, it is better to summon an army of 10,000.

This king is also honest, and he does not lie to others, nor does he take care of everything. He Bai didn't pay attention to those short-sighted guys, the big yellow crossbow was used as a strategic weapon in this era, if he didn't have it, wouldn't it be bad.

He Bai only laughed and asked, "Chengzhang, when you ordered the king to make this big yellow crossbow, can you have words to reward you?" ”

Cheng Zhang bowed and said: "My subordinates have promised a reward of 200,000 yuan, and I will be promoted to a craftsman, and I will earn 300 stones of rice per year." ”

He Bai stroked his palms and laughed and said: "Okay, then I will reward the king as a reward of 200,000 yuan, and be promoted to a craftsman, and I will pay 300 stones of rice a year to show encouragement." In addition, there is still a shortage of a chief officer in the craftsman battalion, Wang Dang, the general will appoint you as the marquis of the craftsman battalion, are you willing? ”

The generals and Wang Dang looked at He Bai in surprise, the annual rice of 300 stones was already equivalent to the annual rice of the military candidate. I didn't expect He Bai to appoint Wang Dang as the marquis of the craftsman battalion, then even the status, Wang Dang is on par with Yu Hua, Cheng Qi, and Lu Ping, second only to Fu Xing, Cheng Zhang and Che Jing.

Fu Xing and Cheng Zhang were nothing, Yu Hua and Cheng Qi, who were originally dissatisfied with He Bai's appointment of a new son of a good family Che Jing as a military commander, and the thief who surrendered in defeat and surrendered Lu Ping was dissatisfied with a military marquis, immediately bowed and said:

"My lord, the king is just a craftsman, he just made a useless rhubarb crossbow, and the reward of 200,000 yuan and Lu rice is enough, so why bother to serve as a military marquis. We have not seen its ability, and the craftsmen of the craftsman battalion do not know its authority, so we are afraid that the king should take the position of military marquis, but I am afraid that everyone will not accept it. ”

He Bai shook his head and said: "My method of employing people, subjective ability, the capable are superior, the inferior are eliminated, there is no second language, and the talented can be minions; Inferior character, loyalty, simplicity, self-denial, selflessness and other benevolence and virtue can be confidants; Looking at the potential again, there are ambitions, hard work, humility, finesse, and those who are motivated can be the successors. The king should have the quality of my way of employing people, and besides, there is indeed a shortage of people under my command, so I use him. You don't need to say much, if not, you can abandon your job, and you can become a military marquis in the craftsman barracks. ”

Yu Hua and Cheng Qi glanced at each other, thought carefully, stuck out their tongues, and said no more. He Bai turned to Wang Dang again and asked, "Do you dare to accept my appointment to you?" ”

Wang Dang leaned over and bowed, "Villain...... No talent...... No virtue, only afraid of ...... Can't be a ...... The position of the marquis of the craftsman battalion. ”

He Bai said with a smile: "The artisan battalion does not need to fight and kill the enemy, but only manages craftsmen, develops weapons, makes equipment, and trains apprentices, so what's so difficult about it." You've made a rhubarb crossbow, and that's the great work. If I teach many more apprentices who can make big yellow crossbows, I will still have a reward, how about 10,000 yuan per person? ”

When everyone heard this, they were shocked, and they didn't need to charge into battle, but exchanged their lives for rewards; As long as you teach the disciples, you will have a reward of 10,000 dollars for each person in the church, and there is such a good thing?

Cheng Qi muttered to himself: "I knew that the lord valued craftsmen, so I also went home to find my father to strike iron." ”

I saw that Wang Dang's whole body trembled slightly, and he didn't know whether he was excited or scared, so he couldn't speak for a long time. On the contrary, the little boy on the side rolled his eyes and shouted: "Uncle, even if the man's husband dies, he should be calm and fearless, let alone just let you be an official, why don't you dare to respond?" If you don't, then I'll do it. ”

Hearing this, He Bai laughed and said, "You are a bold child." However, to be the chief officer of the craftsman battalion, what is needed is finesse and prudence, and boldness is in the end, your uncle is suitable, but you are not suitable. Wang Dang, let me ask you again, do you want to? If you don't, I'll find someone else. ”

Wang Dang asked hesitantly, "My lord...... I don't know how to arrange for other masters, such as blacksmiths? Is there also a church where a disciple who makes iron armor will be rewarded with money? ”

He Bai nodded and said: "This is natural, if everyone in the camp can make a big yellow crossbow and a good soldier, everyone will be rewarded, and those who give more apprentices will be rewarded." If the craftsmen in the army can develop excellent ordnance for me, especially the ordnance that can enhance the combat effectiveness of our army, I should reward the superior and inferior. In the future, I will also lay out some unknown weapons to fight, and if I can do it, I will also be rewarded. ”

Wang Dang breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him: "The villain is cowardly and has almost failed the love of the lord, and I ask the lord to forgive, and the villain is willing to serve as the marquis of the craftsman battalion." ”

He Bai smiled and nodded, patted the rhubarb crossbow again and said, "There are still a lot of things that can be improved in this crossbow, you have to think about it......"