Fenghou

By the late Northern Song Dynasty, the gunpowder formula was very close to the black powder of later generations, but the fineness and uniformity were not enough, so that the gunpowder did not burn fast enough to generate a large amount of gas instantly.

Many great inventions are often born at the most critical time. In the first year of Jingkang, Bianliang was surrounded by golden soldiers. At this most critical time, the iron shell fire thunder was finally successfully developed, and the sound spread hundreds of miles. The powder, of course, is a bit of an exaggeration, after all, it is black powder, and more than a dozen people around the explosion were killed and injured by the blasted iron pieces.

But even so, the Jin Bing was greatly deterred, and the Jin Bing retreated back to Hebei, and Li Gang's defense of Tokyo was a success.

Regrettably, in the second year when the Jin soldiers besieged the city, Li Gang was demoted, Tiao Dashen replaced Zhen Tianlei, and Bianliang City was destroyed.

But for some reason, none of the successfully researched iron-clad fire mines and technology was passed down. Maybe it was destroyed in the flames of war, or maybe the technology was not stable, and the success rate was too low. It also failed to create a thunderbolt.

Of course, there is another very important reason. The Kingdom of Jin doesn’t pay much attention to it. Jin soldiers don’t need this kind of iron-shelled thunder. This kind of iron-shelled thunder can only be used to attack or defend the city, and it is not very effective in the wilderness. , Jin Bing was invincible, killing the monarchs and ministers of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Wushu led an army of [-] to search the mountains and seas. Wherever he went, the soldiers and civilians in the cities all fled. If there is such a need for such inconvenient firearms, iron cavalry is enough.

When Sichuan and Shaanxi were attacked, the iron cavalry was useless, and the gold soldiers needed firearms. But at this time, the technology and craftsmen of making iron-shell fire mines had long since disappeared, and the technology returned to the starting point of ceramic fire mines and wooden barrel fire mines At most, Chen Qing improved it into a double-layer wooden barrel fire thunder.

The formula of black gunpowder has been developed long ago, [-]% of sulfur, [-]% of charcoal, [-]% of saltpeter, Chen Qing also knows this formula, but the reason why they can’t make iron-shelled fire mine is not the gunpowder formula, but the craftsmanship. One is gunpowder craft and the other is iron shell craft.

Not long after the gunpowder craft migrated from Ganquanbao to Chengji County, a breakthrough was made. The gunpowder had been ground finely and evenly enough, and they were paste together with egg white, and then crushed, so that it became a sesame seed. Pieces of gunpowder.

If you look at it with a magnifying glass, it is actually a honeycomb structure, and there are spaces between the very fine powder and the powder, which ensures that it burns quickly and fully.

Although there is no breakthrough in the iron shell technology, as long as the amount of gunpowder is large enough, it can also exert a powerful explosive effect, so the box-type gunpowder mine weighing [-] jin was invented.

It's a pity that the cost was too high, and the Song army only made ten such box-type gunpowder mines in the end, and it was impossible to make any more.

So when the steward said that the explosion just now was caused by iron shell fire and thunder, how could Chen Qing not be shocked.

"When was the Iron Shell Fire Thunder developed?" Chen Qing asked.

Xie Ying whispered: "The day before yesterday!"

Chen Qing was suddenly annoyed, why didn't he tell himself about such an important matter?

"Why didn't you report it?"

"Reporting to the county king, because it is still uncertain, only one of the ten iron-shelled fire mines exploded, and we dare not report hastily."

Chen Qing could accept this reason, and he asked again: "Have you found the cause of the explosion?"

Xie Ying sighed and said, "It should be that everyone is impatient and wants to make it as soon as possible. The three craftsmen on duty tonight experimented overnight. They mixed oil and iron powder, which accidentally caused an explosion."

"Just a thunder explosion has such a great power?"

"The one that exploded should be an iron dog."

"A five-hundred-pound box-type fire mine is called a rhinoceros, a one-hundred-pound box-type fire mine is called a black pig, a thirty-pound powder barrel is called a wild dog, and a five-pound powder barrel is called a hedgehog. The iron shell fire mine they developed is Iron Dog and Iron Hedgehog."

Chen Qing got off his horse, and accompanied by several officials, walked into the gate of the firearms station...

The explosion site of the firearms station is in the warehouse. There are dozens of warehouses behind the firearms station, all of which are built with green bricks. Each warehouse is very strong. It is a waste warehouse, full of failed firearms, ready to be dismantled and taken out of gunpowder.

At this time, the entire waste warehouse collapsed, leaving only ruins and ruins. Dozens of craftsmen were cleaning up. The soldiers and craftsmen who died in the explosion were being carried aside and wrapped in mats.

There was also a craftsman sitting on the ground with a white cloth wrapped around his head, and the commander of the internal guard, Han Zhengfu, was questioning him.

"Is that an eyewitness?" Chen Qing glanced at the injured craftsman and asked.

"Exactly, he is the only survivor."

At this time, Han Zhengfu, the commander of the inner guard, stepped forward to pay respects, and Chen Qing asked, "Did you ask clearly? What's going on?"

"I have already asked clearly. It should be that the lantern was accidentally damaged, which caused the fire. When everyone was fighting the fire, a large gunpowder barrel suddenly exploded."

These craftsmen have a good sense of secrecy. Except for themselves, even the internal guards are unwilling to reveal the real reason.

At this time, Xie Ying brought Chen Qing to a warehouse. He pointed to several fire thunders on the shelf and said, "This is the iron fire thunder, five iron hedgehogs, and one iron dog."

Chen Qing stepped forward and patted a few iron bumps that looked like pumpkins, and then asked, "Can all of these be used?"

Xie Ying smiled bitterly and said, "I don't know, but it's more likely that it won't explode."

"How is the sealing problem solved?"

"The iron shell is cast in one piece with molten iron. The key lies in the mold, so that the iron shell is neither thick nor thin, and the thickness is very uniform. The mold is very difficult, and then a hole the size of a little finger is left, and the gunpowder is poured from this small hole. Go in, and finally insert a small wooden tube into the hole, and the wooden tube is wrapped with a matchlock.

Just now a craftsman came up with an idea. Since the fire mine that failed the test would suddenly explode, maybe the problem with the formula and the iron shell is not a big problem, but the small wooden tube is not suitable for the iron shell fire mine, which will cause a lot of heat to be ejected directly from the matchlock. , the possibility of this reason is very high, we must abandon the idea of ​​wooden shell fire mine, and reconsider the new method. "

"Is there a backup method?" Chen Qing asked.

Xie Ying shook her head, "Not yet!"

"Let me give you a plan. There are snails in the fields, the kind that circles around. When casting, the small mouth is made into a snail shape, so that the hot gas will not be sprayed out so quickly. The combustion is completed in an instant, and a large amount of gas expands. In fact, what we want is to buy that little time, before the heat leaks out, the iron shell explodes, right?"

The snail plan mentioned by Chen Qing is basically impossible and too difficult, but Xie Ying understands the principle, that is, the entrance is made a little more complicated, so that the gas does not rush out so quickly and buys a little time.

Xie Ying thought for a while and said, "We can try it, it's just that it will be a little troublesome when filling the gunpowder, but as long as it succeeds, it doesn't matter if it's a little troublesome."

Chapter 8 Sudden Disease

It takes time to redesign, make molds, and cast. They probably won't be able to finish this year, and the craftsmen have expressed their opinions that they will try to finish it before the Shangyuan Festival next year. Chen Qing encouraged them before returning to the mansion.

Time flies to the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, and that night is an auspicious day, and Chen Qing accepts Zhao Yingluo as his concubine.

After a night of love, the two were latex like paint, and Zhao Yingluo dedicated her whole body and mind to Chen Qing, officially becoming Chen Qing's fifth woman.

After entering December, the New Year is approaching day by day, especially after the [-]th of the twelfth lunar month, the atmosphere of the New Year is even stronger.

Chen Qing also specially took out a batch of gunpowder to make tens of thousands of firecrackers, which flowed into the people, and the sound of bang and bang explosions could be heard everywhere in Jingzhao City.

Every household is marinating bacon, pounding rice cakes, and brewing Tusu wine. Dozens of poles have also been erected in Chen Qing's mansion, which means that the heights are high, and the poles are full of colorful auspicious objects.

A fiery red charcoal basin was burning in the study, and the room was as warm as spring, which made Zhao Yingluo's pretty face blush and charming.

She was holding a paintbrush in her hand, and she was painting a portrait of her husband. Zhao Yingluo had been taught by a famous artist, and her painting skills were extremely high.

"I said don't move! How can I draw like this?"

Chen Qing was no longer in his seat, he ran behind Zhao Yingluo, sniffed her neck, put his arms around her waist and said with a smile, "I said your master didn't teach you the essence of painting, you still don't know how to draw. "

"What is Xinhua?" Zhao Yingluo bit her lip, she felt that her husband's hands had begun to be dishonest.

"Heart painting means that my portrait is in your heart. You don't need to look at me to draw a picture that is superb, with both spirit and form."

"It has to be very familiar."

"Yeah! You are not familiar enough with me, especially the characteristics of the body, so we need to communicate a lot..."

Zhao Yingluo grabbed his hand and said in a trembling voice, "Officer, it's daytime, and the family rules don't allow it."

Chen Qing just likes to do some unspeakable things in the study, which will give him the pleasure of having an affair.

He smiled and said: "Family rules are meant to be broken by others, otherwise why make family rules?"

At first, Zhao Yingluo still couldn't let it go, but with the deepening of development, she finally tasted the sweet taste of intercourse, let her know the taste, and indulged in it fascinatedly. Chen Qing flirted a little, and she Then he couldn't hold back anymore, and gave her husband a wink, Chen Qing immediately understood, and immediately embraced her to the back room.

After some time, the two came out from the back room. Chen Qing sat in his arms with her arms around her, and said with a smile, "I guess your legs are weak, so take a rest first."

Zhao Yingluo was delicate and weak, she raised her head and kissed her husband's chin with a smile, "Eldest sister said you like to do bad things in the study, do you have the feeling of having an affair?"

Chen Qing chuckled, and changed the subject, "Yingluo, who is the master who taught you painting?"

"It's the chief painter of the palace, Zhang Zeduan."

Chen Qing clapped his hands and laughed, "I happen to have one of his masterpieces here."

"Masterwork?"

Zhao Yingluo's pretty eyes lit up, "Isn't it "A Picture of Rising the River during the Qingming Festival"?"

"You guessed it right!"

Zhao Yingluo cheered and jumped up from Chen Qing, "Where is it?"

"Wait!" Chen Qing went upstairs and took down a wooden tube after a while. The wooden tube was made of nanmu to prevent insects from eating it.

Chen Qing went downstairs, but unexpectedly discovered that his wife Lu Xiu and Zhao Qiaoyun had arrived at some time, and Zhao Yingluo was standing aside, with a shy expression and a flushed face.

"Hey! Why are you here?" Chen Qing walked down and asked with a smile.

Lu Xiu smiled and said: "I heard that Yingluo is painting a portrait of her husband, so we came here to take a look. It's been half an hour, and it seems that I haven't started painting yet!"

Chen Qing didn't change his face, and said with a smile: "Her hands are frozen, and she can't feel it. Let her warm up before writing."

Zhao Qiaoyun was extremely clever, and immediately checked the topic, "What painting is the official holding?"

"I just got it yesterday, for your appreciation."

Lu Xiu's eyes lit up, and she said pleasantly, "Could it be the "Surfing the River During the Qingming Festival" that my husband mentioned last time?"

Chen Qing smiled and nodded, "As Madam wishes!"

Lu Xiu was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "This place is a bit too narrow, Yingluo, let's take it to Baocui Pavilion to appreciate it, by the way, Qiaoyun will invite Master here too."

The atmosphere in the room was not quite right, and Chen Qing wished they would leave quickly.

"Appreciate slowly!" He handed the wooden tube to Lu Xiu.

Lu Xiu took the wooden tube, gave him a blank look, and smiled at the two girls: "Let's go!"

Chen Qing chuckled and watched the three of them go away.

……

On the eve of the New Year's Eve, isn't Yin time coming? Chen Qing brought several wives and concubines and his son Chen Ji to Shuiyue Nunnery in the northeast corner. Last year, Chen Qing's son fell asleep on the road. Tonight he is in good spirits.

The head of the nunnery, Master Jingxin, waited in front of the door with six apprentices.

"Everything is ready, the king please come in!"

"Teacher is too troublesome!"

Chen Qing took his family into the apse to change clothes, then offered incense one by one, and then knelt down and worshiped three times.

The last one to offer incense was Yu Ying. Lu Xiu noticed that her complexion was not very good, so she asked in a low voice, "Ah Ying, are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Then burn the incense quickly, let's go back to rest early."

Yu Ying burned three sticks of incense, and when she knelt down to pay her respects, her body suddenly went limp, and she even fainted on the ground.

Everyone was shocked, Chen Qing quickly stepped forward to help her up, touched her breath, it was very weak.

"Quick! Quick! Quick! Does the teacher have any wine?"

Master Jingxin was too flustered and said: "There is no one in the nunnery, I will buy it now."

Yu Lian reacted very quickly, and immediately said: "Officer, it's on the altar."

Chen Qingyou didn't care anymore, he reached out and took down a bottle of shochu on the altar table, poured a few sips for Yu Ying, and then rubbed her chest and back with the wine.

After a while, Yu Ying's face became more rosy, and her breathing became better.

Only then did Chen Qing heave a sigh of relief, and said to Lu Xiu, "Let the housekeeper invite Dr. Liu!"

Doctor Liu is the female doctor who took care of Xue'er's pregnancy. She is also a full-time doctor in Chen Qing's residence.

"I just told the housekeeper to invite them."

Lu Xiu asked worriedly: "Husband, what's the matter with Ah Ying?"

Chen Qing sighed, "I don't know, but she was very dangerous just now, and she felt like she had lost too much blood on the battlefield. Let's go back first!"

Chen Qing took his cloak, wrapped Yu Ying up, got up and carried her and walked quickly to the carriage outside.

Lu Xiu was puzzled, she handed her son to the wet nurse, pulled Yu Lian aside, and asked in a low voice, "Tell me the truth, what's going on with Ah Ying?"

Yu Lian said regretfully, "I shouldn't have concealed it for her, Ah Ying had a miscarriage."

Lu Xiu was taken aback, "When did it happen?"

"Just yesterday, when we went skating at noon, she fell down and had a severe stomach pain and a lot of blood from her lower body. We were all terrified."

Lu Xiu was angry and annoyed, and said angrily, "Why didn't she tell me she was pregnant?"

"Ma'am, we didn't know at all, and Ah Ying didn't know either. This morning, I asked an old woman to find out that it was a miscarriage. She was so scared that she cried."

Lu Xiu held back her anger and asked again: "Ah Ying isn't messing around outside!"

"Madam, how is it possible?"

Lu Xiu was right when she thought about it, Yu Ying is an honest girl, she would not do anything to offend her husband, she probably didn't understand.

At this time, the carriage started, and Lu Xiu hurriedly pulled Yu Lian into the second carriage, and the two carriages drove towards the mansion quickly.

……