Siheyuan: Returning from studying abroad, with extraordinary understanding

"Lao Ning, take a look at this recipe, do you think it's possible?"

Wang Wenxin was holding a recipe with a strange look on his face.

"What formula?"

Ning Haisheng came over to take a look and found that it was the formula for gunpowder and smoke bombs.

But the next second, he was stunned!

"Hmm? Raw materials, fertilizers, sugar? Is that possible?"

"Fertilizers contain elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which can indeed be burned, but what's the matter with adding sugar?"

"I don't understand either! That's why I'm asking you!" Wang Wenxin is not a chemistry major, and looking at this strange formula, he doesn't know the principle behind it.

"Look below, it says to heat it, so that the ammonia in the fertilizer will evaporate when heated."

"Ammonia is a toxic gas. We can't do this. No matter what, this formula won't work."

Ning Haisheng shook his head.

"No, Lao Ning, look carefully at the raw materials above. They say compound fertilizer, not ammonia fertilizer!"

"Do you know that if this formula is true, then we will still be short of gunpowder?"

"Look, these blueprints show that the shells all use the gunpowder with this formula."

"If not, conventional gunpowder would not be able to make these shells."

Wang Wenxin took out drawings of simplified rocket launchers, mortars, smoke bombs, rocket launchers, etc., which indicated the use of this formula of gunpowder to make artillery shells.

"Don't worry, Lao Wang. Here is another gunpowder formula. It is a conventional formula. According to the above method, we can make stronger explosives."

Ning Haisheng took out a piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Hmm? And there's a recipe?"

Wang Wenxin took it and looked at it, then shook his head and said:

"Lao Ning, no, we don't have some of the chemical reagents here. It's very expensive to produce them, and it's not cost-effective to use them on artillery shells."

"Indeed, but if there is no such gunpowder, we can only use the original gunpowder."

"However, the power may be smaller. If I could meet the designer of these shells, I'm sure he would have a way to solve it."

Ning Haisheng was a little disappointed. If the arsenal could produce so many shells in large quantities, the battlefield on the front line would soon achieve an overwhelming victory.

"Lao Ning, we are still too greedy. With so many blueprints, it is also a huge fortune. We should be satisfied."

"It's not too late to research and develop later. Don't think about achieving success overnight!"

After feeling depressed, Wang Wenxin cheered up again.

"Yes!" Ning Haisheng suddenly realized, "I am greedy. These drawings have helped us a lot. What else do we want?"

The two stopped discussing the formula and focused their attention on the last few drawings.

Ten minutes later, the two finally finished watching.

"Director, we have completed the appraisal!"

"What's the result?" Lu Changfu and Chen Lijun asked anxiously. Although they were directors of the arsenal, they were not firearms experts.

Looking at these drawings, he did recognize some of them, but he was not sure whether they were true.

Wang Wenxin and Ning Haisheng looked at each other, and then Ning Haisheng said:

"Except for one uncertain formula, the other drawings are all real!"

"Really? Is it all true?" Lu Changfu shouted.

"Yes! We can guarantee it!"

"Great!"

Chen Lijun also shouted.

Several people shouted excitedly, attracting Ma Zhengyang's attention.

He walked over and asked:

"What's going on? Is the appraisal completed?"

"Yes! It has been identified. Except for one formula that cannot be confirmed, the rest are all true!"

Hearing this, Ma Zhengyang suddenly became excited, his heart was churning, and his breathing became rapid.

It's all true!

So many drawings, all real!

If all the weapons were produced, the front line wouldn't be so difficult, and fighting for positions wouldn't cost lives!

"Good good!"

Ma Zhengyang said three good words in a row, "Hurry up and classify the drawings, and then copy the drawings that your own arsenal can produce, and the copper-clad steel bullet technology. These originals must be submitted to the central government. The mayor and I have already discussed it!"

"Yes!"

The four responded immediately.

"I have asked people to prepare the things!" Zhu Changhui also came in front of the crowd and spoke.

“Thank you, Mayor.”

Ning Haisheng and others thanked him at the same time.

Zhu Changhui nodded and said:

"Go and do your business."

"Wait, you said there was a formula you were unsure of. That's the formula. I can tell you about it."

At this time, Lin Changqing stopped them.

"This is it!" Ning Haisheng was in a very good mood at the moment and did not make things difficult for Lin Changqing or question him because of his young age.

What's more, this information was sent by Lin Changqing.

"This is the raw material!" Lin Changqing took it and looked at it, and he knew what was going on.

They don't have much knowledge of chemistry, so they can't determine whether it is true or not.

"This compound fertilizer contains potassium permanganate. When potassium permanganate is mixed with oxides, it will produce a violent reaction when burned. This reaction is comparable to that of ordinary gunpowder."

"And white sugar is an oxide. If the two are mixed in a certain proportion, melted and then cooled, a stable solid fuel can be obtained." (Note: This is all nonsense, don't experiment randomly!!!)

"This fuel can be used as smoke bombs or rocket propellants. If you don't believe it, you can verify it through experiments."

After listening to Lin Changqing's explanation, Ning Haisheng and Wang Wenxin suddenly understood.

"So that's how it is! I understand!"

"Great! This kind of fuel is very cheap and can be mass-produced. Then, we can make more artillery shells!"

The two of them looked so excited that Ma Zhengyang, Zhu Changhui and others were a little confused.

It's just a formula for gunpowder, is it necessary to get so excited?

"Engineer Ning, Engineer Wang, what's wrong with this formula? Is it important?"

Ma Zhengyang asked doubtfully.

"Important, very important!" Wang Wenxin said, "Minister Ma, let me tell you this, if we use this formula to produce artillery shells, our cost will be very low."

"It used to cost ten dollars to produce a mortar shell. With this formula, the cost can be reduced by at least three dollars!"

"If we mass produce it, it's possible to reduce it by half! We can produce one more shell for the same price. Do you think it's important?"

Ma Zhengyang was shocked. The price could be reduced to half. The same price but double the profit. Who wouldn’t be shocked?

"Great! This is really great! With a recipe like this, we can definitely pacify the South quickly!"

"This formula must be kept secret! There can't be any leaks!"

"Yes!"

Ning Haisheng and Wang Wenxin went to copy the blueprints, the two factory directors copied the copper-clad steel bullet technology, and Ma Zhengyang, Zhu Changhui and Lin Changqing returned to their original positions.

Lin Changqing had just sat down when Ma Zhengyang stood up again.