Daming Military Empire

Chapter 642 Gunpowder experiment, accidents continue

Zhu Cijiong thought for a long time, and finally decided on the overall strategy of Ou Lu. He wrote a secret edict in his own hand, ordering the commander of Jin Yiwei, Xiao Jiuzheng, to take a group of experts to Ou Lu, hand them over to Zheng Chenggong, and stay to assist him in handling the next matters. People invited Bi Maokang, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, to discuss the issue of arms competition.

Bi Maokang, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, is not in a good mood recently, because accidents happened in the experiment of new gunpowder, not just once, but one after another. Several researchers have been injured, and the injuries are still serious. Some even There is a possibility of disability.

He blamed himself very much for this. The emperor asked him to be careful, careful, and careful at the beginning, but he was still careless. After this series of accidents, the researchers involved kept up with the execution ground every time they did experiments. Same, even everyone has written their wills!
Their desperate research spirit made him blame himself even more. How can they be foolproof?When gunpowder explodes, it doesn't recognize people, unless you don't touch it, as long as you blow it up, it's useless even if you wear armor, because the impact force can't be stopped at all.

This has been a headache for him recently. Hearing that the emperor summoned him, he thought that the emperor already knew that something happened in the gunpowder experiment. What should come will always come. He followed the eunuch who passed the order to the palace without fear. He took this responsibility. He has no opinion on how the emperor should punish him.

Qianqing Palace, a small meeting room, after the monarch and his ministers saw the ceremony, the two sat down without any barriers.

Seeing Bi Maokang's heroic sacrifice, Zhu Cijiong couldn't help asking curiously: "Menghou, what's wrong with you?"

Hearing this, Bi Maokang straightened his face, stood up and saluted and said, "I have found guilty, please punish me."

Zhu Cijiong is inexplicable. What kind of conviction and punishment? He came here to discuss with Bi Maokang to expand the production of super battleships and weapons and ammunition. It has nothing to do with crime or punishment.

He couldn't help raising his hand and said: "Meng Hou, sit down first, what's going on, what crime is not guilty, and whether it is punished or not?"

Now it's Bi Maokang's turn to be puzzled, the emperor didn't come to him for the gunpowder experiment, but since he has already spoken, he doesn't want to back down, the emperor will know about this sooner or later, instead of letting Jin Yiwei or Dongchang tell the emperor, It's better for him to say it himself.

Of course, the people in Jinyiwei and Dongchang have obtained the emperor's will, and they will never come to investigate them who are engaged in research and development.

But paper can't cover fire after all, and besides, Bi Maokang didn't want to hide from the emperor, he stood there directly, and said with deep self-reproach: "Your Majesty, damn the humble minister, something happened in the gunpowder experiment, and it happened more than once. There was an accident, and several researchers have been injured, and they were all seriously injured."

Zhu Cijiong was taken aback when he heard the words. It turned out that this was the case. The gunpowder experiment would cause accidents. He had expected this a long time ago. With the current level of technology, there is no way to make a protective device that can completely withstand the impact of explosives. This is a dangerous task. Zhu Cijiong didn't mean to blame Bi Maokang for the sex experiment.

He said earnestly: "Meng Hou, not all experiments are without danger, especially the gunpowder experiment. It will be a matter of time before something happens. You don't have to blame yourself too much. Try to let them be careful when they do experiments."

Bi Maokang did not expect the emperor to say this, he was moved: "Your Majesty, I am ashamed, those researchers are the hope of Ming Dynasty in the future, and now all of them have written their suicide notes, and they are desperately trying to get the new model When gunpowder is developed, even a humble official can't stop it!"

Hearing this, Zhu Cijiong nodded, and said solemnly: "The new type of gunpowder must be developed. Now that the military strength of the Habsburg Alliance is getting stronger and stronger, if Ming is stagnant, it will be caught up sooner or later. Even if there are casualties, we have to persevere. How about this? Anyone who is seriously injured in the experiment will be rewarded with 1 taels of silver, and anyone who is seriously injured and disabled in the experiment will be rewarded with 5 taels of silver. 10 taels of silver as a pension!"

Bi Maokang still couldn't bear it, after all, they were all excellent talents trained by the Ministry of Industry.

Seeing Bi Maokang's hesitant expression, Zhu Cijiong couldn't help persuading him: "Mr. Meng, please be patient. Frequent accidents prove that the experiment is not far from success. As long as there is a new type of gunpowder, Ming can gain overwhelming power on the battlefield." Their sacrifices can be exchanged for the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, and the peace of hundreds of millions of people of the Ming Dynasty. It is worth it!"

Hearing this, Bi Maokang nodded heavily and said, "I understand. Your Majesty, please rest assured. With the current progress, this year, we will be able to produce a new type of gunpowder that is ten times or even a hundred times more powerful than ordinary gunpowder!"

Hearing this, Zhu Cijiong nodded in relief and said: "Okay, Menghou, I look forward to your good news. Let's not talk about this for now. The top priority now is to increase the production of super battleships and weapons and ammunition. The anti-Habsburg alliance developed It's too fast, their manufacturing capacity has surpassed that of Ming Dynasty by a lot, we must increase investment to bring this disadvantage back."

Next, Zhu Cijiong and Bi Maokang finally made a specific plan to increase the production of super battleships and weapons and ammunition after lengthy negotiations.

First of all, Daming will renovate and expand the Nanda Construction Shipyard, and send skilled technicians to preside over it, striving to transform the Nanda Construction Shipyard into a super-large shipyard with an annual output of [-] super battleships within this year.

In the future, iron ore and timber from Southeast Asia and South Asia were directly transported to Nanda Construction Shipyard and processed into super battleships, while iron ore and timber from Central Plains, Liaodong, Monan, Mobei, Siberia and other places were transported to Dongda Construction Shipyard , The two shipyards are producing at the same time, striving to increase the annual output of super battleships to four hundred in one fell swoop.

Then, Ming Dynasty will send technicians to Spain and Portugal to assist them in building large shipyards, so that they will have the ability to produce a hundred super battleships a year.

Finally, Ming Dynasty will also provide relevant equipment and technical personnel to assist Spain and Portugal in increasing the production capacity of ammunition to meet the consumption of the European Ming Army and the Allied Forces.

Of course, these can only be implemented after Zheng Chenggong receives a secret decree and goes to negotiate with the kings of Portugal and Spain, and the two sides reach an agreement. However, Zhu Cijiong next set his sights on North America.

Most of the vast area of ​​North America fell into the hands of the United Kingdom in history. With the rich resources there, the United Kingdom finally achieved maritime hegemony.

In this life, Britain can no longer succeed. Taking advantage of the main force of the anti-Habsburg alliance being dragged near the European continent, Zhu Cijiong decided to send armed blessing ships from Dongying to detour to the North American continent, send the Ming Army Corps there, and send the anti-Habsburg alliance above All the great powers of the Boothsburg Alliance drove away, and then began to colonize directly, so that the British could not get a hair!
PS: I recommend the new book "Zhen Nan Ming" by the master of history again. I have read the latest chapter. It is really exciting and highly recommended.

(End of this chapter)