Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 271
"Then why did Qi Yuanjing's subordinates use bird guns? People under his command are not afraid of suicide and self-mutilation?"

Faced with Gao Gong's question, Gao Wushi laughed.

Gao Gong frowned, and scolded: "Why are you laughing, my words are funny?" His face was already a little unhappy.

At this time, Gao Wushi restrained his smile, but still had a weird smile on his face, and asked: "Sanbo, it is your old Zhangquan now, you always think about it, in the article about Qi Nantang's impeachment, the Which point is mentioned the most? Or, which points?"

"Huh?" Gao Gong rolled his eyes slowly, thinking, "If I remember correctly, he was impeached the most for corruption and money."

Gao Wushi shrugged his shoulders and said, "Is there any evidence for these two items... Oh, I mean, has there been any evidence?"

"Is there any real evidence..." Gao Gong continued to frown, and said: "Most of the greedy ink is rumored, but because Qi Yuanjing's family is not rich, so far there is no real evidence; but for the fee, there is no need for any evidence at all: he Whether it was in the southern army in the past few years or in the northern army in the past few years, the army under his supervision had spent far more than the quota, so he couldn't get away with this one."

"Look, why are Qi Nantang's subordinates not afraid of using firearms? Isn't that the answer?" Gao Wushi raised his eyebrows: "He is willing to spend money."

Now Gao Gong understood the meaning of Gao Pragmatism, and asked: "You mean, the silver quota for making weapons in the Ministry of War is too low, so it can't make qualified firearms, but once you are willing to spend money, you can make them." As he spoke, he shook his head and denied it, saying: "No, the Ministry of War's manufacturing prices, costs, labor and other aspects are well documented and calculated in detail. The cabinet has received a reply from the Ministry of War. The numbers above should be correct."

Gao Wushi smiled wryly and said, "Uncle, you can't regard all the officials who handle the manufacturing, inspection, warehouse management, distribution, etc. as yourself... Let me just say this. Is it possible that the management officials at all levels have to allocate part of it? In this case, when it finally falls to the factories of the ministries, yamen, and guards, how much is the cost of the machinery left? Can the remaining part have the original cost? How much of the rated number?"

It's not that Gao Gong didn't know that there must be greed in it, but he really didn't expect the extent of greed to reach this point. He gritted his teeth and remained silent for a while before asking: "So what you mean is that Qi Yuanjing's so-called fee money is actually just making up for it. The normal needs of making machinery? But every time Zhang Taiyue came forward to protect him, the reason he said was, "Qi was born in the army, and he was not familiar with the economy. His department was a little extravagant and wasteful, but his department worked hard, and his command was appropriate. Auntie What's the point of using it? Zhang Taiyue is Qi Yuanjing's backer, even he doesn't know?"

Gao Wushi knew that Gao Gong's train of thought was the same as that of his previous history, and he regarded Zhang Juzheng as a gentleman too much, so he had to smile wryly: "Qi Nantang'an dares to lie to him? It's just Mr. Taiyue... how should I put it, I I thought that even if he knew the inside story, he would not be able to tell it, because it would offend almost all officials in the entire ordnance interest chain."

When he said this, his heart suddenly moved, and he added: "Unless he has already become the chief assistant, otherwise he will not offend people like this."

Gao Wushi's words contained a lot of hidden content. Gao Gong was silent for a while, then sighed, and said, "Although I am not the chief assistant today, I dare not not offend others... It's just that I am worried that even if I offend someone, It’s not easy to do this either.”

Gao Wushi knew that Gao Gong's words were not referring to the problem of Qi Jiguang's ordnance manufacturing, but the problem of the entire military system of the Ming Dynasty, so of course it would be difficult to handle.After all, not every general can be like Qi Jiguang, who is capable of asking for money and even more capable of fighting.

In case some other generals asked for more money, and the ordnance manufacturing was still in a mess, and the war was still in a mess, wouldn't the extra money spent by the court be in vain?

"So this is not a problem of a certain person, but a problem of the system. There is something wrong with the ordnance manufacturing and distribution system of my Ming Dynasty." Gao Wushi finally steered the topic to the direction he wanted to lead, and said seriously: "Sanbo, you Thinking, Qi Nantang himself is not greedy for ink, but he is always slandered by people for being corrupt. Why? How many people did he offend when he supervised and manufactured a piece of ordnance here? Taking more money from the imperial court, but abruptly taking back the part of the greedy ink from the officials at all levels to use in ordnance manufacturing, I am afraid that he will even have his family's ancestral graves dug up!"

Of course Gao Gong could figure out the reason behind this, so after Gao Yushi pointed it out directly, his face was so gloomy that it almost dripped water.

Gao Yushi still refused to give up, and hit the rails while it was hot: "So, my nephew now has a point of view, that is, the court can conduct an experiment, select a few people or families who are interested and have financial resources to operate private ordnance manufacturing, and allow them to produce ordnance. And if the ordnance they produce is proven to be of higher quality than those produced by the government-run ordnance factory at the same price, then the imperial court will directly purchase what they produce!"

Gao Gong was taken aback: "Private workshops make ordnance? You mean firearms?"

Of course it refers to firearms, because Daming can't help folk swords, swords, bows and crossbows.

So Gao Yushi nodded very positively, without the slightest intention of joking.

Gao Gong took a deep breath, shook his head and said: "Your idea is too dangerous. Firearms are the most important weapons of the country. It is too inappropriate to hand them over to private production. If something goes wrong, big trouble will happen. No, no. !"

How could Gao Wushi give up, and said, "Third Uncle, I thought you were overthinking what the Tai Ah said."

"Why did I worry too much?" Gao Gong said solemnly: "This firearm is nothing compared to a sword, gun, sword and halberd. Although I have never held a soldier, I know that with a little training, I can fight! After this private firearms factory obtained the manufacturing power, it secretly hoarded it, and he would be able to arm a large army in a short time! When something goes wrong, will you be responsible or I will be responsible? Which of us can afford it?"

Gao Wushi smiled wryly and said: "Sanbo, according to this theory, a private maker of spears can also arm a spearman, and a private maker of bows and crossbows can also arm a crossbowman. Has something like this happened? In the final analysis, as long as the concurrent management is in place, there will be no troubles."

When he said this, he paused for a while, and added: "What's more, how can the value of this firearm be compared with ordinary swords? He secretly hoarded it? How much money can he secretly hoard a firearm that is enough to arm an army?" ?”

"This..." Gao Gong was at a loss for words for a moment. Of course, he also knew that the price of firearms was far lower than that of swords, guns, swords and halberds, but "firearms are the most important weapons of the country" is after all their inherent concept, and it is difficult to reverse it immediately, so Still refused to express his opinion easily.

Gao Yushi saw it, and added another size: "Besides, it's useless for him to stockpile only firearms. Without gunpowder, isn't this firearm just a fire stick? However, we may not be able to estimate the firearms he made, but he bought them. How much gunpowder has been put in, if Jinyiwei and Dongchang can't find out about this thing, these two yamen should simply cancel it, and what's left to eat!"

(End of this chapter)