Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 327
As the emperor, Zhao Zhen knew better than most of the courtiers what the meaning of iron shell fire and thunder was?
The Firearms Bureau of the Song Dynasty has been developing iron-shelled fire mines for decades, but it has not been manufactured. It can be said that if the iron-shelled fire mines could be manufactured ten years earlier, the ending of the Song-Xia War would be completely different.

Zhao Zhen also saw this sentence in Fan Ning's work report, and he immediately used ink to erase this sentence in the work report in the hands of all Xiang Guo, and stopped Cheng Lin from asking about it.

This is the first absolute secret of the Great Song Dynasty, and it must not be spread out and fall into the hands of the Liao Kingdom or the Xixia people.

Zhao Zhen couldn't wait, and asked to go to the Firearms Bureau to test the mine early the next morning. He wanted to see the power of the iron shell fire mine with his own eyes.

This time Fan Ning specially brought back three iron-clad fire mines, but the craftsman who made the fire mines did not bring back any of them. This is also Fan Ning's prudence. Iron-shell fire mines are sharp weapons that can change the rules of war, and they must not be taken lightly. come out.

Historically, at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the iron shell fire thunder was finally created, but it was the Jurchens who carried forward the iron shell fire thunder.

History is so cruel. If iron-clad fire and thunder could be created in the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, then the tragic experience at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty would probably be avoided.

At dawn the next day, Fan Ning took Zhu Yuanfeng's carriage with two entourages to the Firearms Department outside the North City.

The firearms department is located in the imperial city, and outside the city is a firearms manufacturing workshop and testing ground. It covers an area of ​​about 500 acres, and there are about [-] firearms craftsmen. It is surrounded by high walls and a sentry tower is built. A thousand soldiers are stationed here. , The security is very strict.

Fan Ning and two followers each carried a heavy wooden box to the gate. Eight soldiers stood guard at the gate, watching the three approaching people coldly.

Fan Ning put the wooden box on the ground, stepped forward and clasped his fists and said, "I have come to the Firearms Department by the emperor's mouth, please inform the chief officer that Fan Ning in Kunzhou is here!"

Several soldiers were taken aback. It turned out to be Fan Ning from Kunzhou. The leading sergeant stammered, "Please wait a moment, Zhizhou Fan. The humble officer will go and report."

After a while, a black and fat man rushed out, smiling all over his face and said, "I'm really sorry, I didn't expect Fan Zhizhou to come so early, and Zhang Wenjin, the capital supervisor of the Xiaguan Military Weapons Department, was far behind to welcome him."

Fan Ning said indifferently: "It is estimated that the emperor is coming soon, Zhang Dujian had better be ready to welcome him."

"Thank you Fan Zhizhou for reminding me!"

Zhang Wenjin had already received the news yesterday, and he hurried forward to lift up the wooden box, feeling quite heavy, and suddenly asked in surprise and joy, "Is this the Iron Shell Fire Thunder?"

Fan Ning could see that the surprise on his face came from the heart, and he had a slightly better impression of him, so he smiled and nodded, "Exactly!"

"What does Jiaku 590 mean?" Zhang Wenjin asked strangely when he saw a row of serial numbers on the wooden box.

"This is a moisture-proof wooden box. Every iron-clad fire mine is placed in such a wooden box. On the wooden box is its serial number. A library means finished products, B library means semi-finished products, and C library means waste products. Iron shell fire mines, whether finished, semi-finished or scrap, have numbers."

"What is the maximum number of the armor library?"

Fan Ning smiled: "At the end of last year, it broke through [-]."

Seeing his lips moving, Fan Ning knew what he wanted to say, and said with a smile, "The transfer of the iron shell fire thunder is approved by the emperor himself. If Zhang Dujian wants to transfer a few, the emperor must approve it."

Zhang Wenjin sighed a long time, "Old Craftsman Song has been unknown to me for decades, but he never expected to create an iron-clad fire mine when he went to Kunzhou. I'm the one who failed the supervision!"

Seeing that he was blaming himself, Fan Ning comforted him with a smile, "It's not entirely due to Old Craftsman Song that he made the iron-clad fire mine, but to a greater extent, it's just a coincidence. Zhang Dujian doesn't have to blame himself."

The two came to the living room and sat down. A tea boy served hot tea. Zhang Wenjin couldn't help but asked again: "Does Fan Dujian think that the emperor will approve our Firearms Bureau to build iron-clad fire mines?"

Fan Ning pondered for a while and said, "I might as well just say it straight. Kunzhou has also set up a firearms branch to make iron-clad fire mines. This time when I return to Kunzhou, I will bring [-] gunsmiths and gunpowder craftsmen with me. , they need to settle down in Kunzhou.

The meaning of the emperor is that the iron shell fire mine is manufactured in Kunzhou. When the conditions are suitable in the future, the finished product will be shipped to the capital, and a special warehouse will be built to guard it closely. If Zhang Dujian wants to understand the iron shell fire mine, there is only one way, I will not say, Zhang The capital supervisor should also understand. "

Zhang Wenjin showed disappointment on his face. Of course he knew what Fan Ning said. How could it be possible to move his family to Kunzhou?

Zhang Wenjin asked unwillingly: "What did Zhizhou Fan mean when the finished product was shipped to the capital when the conditions were right?"

Fan Ning smiled slightly, "On the eve of the outbreak of war!"

Zhang Wenjin completely gave up now, he guessed that he would not have the opportunity to study the secret of the Iron Shell Huo Lei carefully.

Fan Ning said slowly again: "If Tie Huo Lei is created in the capital, can Supervisor Zhang guarantee that Liao or Xixia spies will not get its secret?"

Zhang Wenjin fell silent. He knew very well that the Xixia spies were weaker, but the Liao spies were all-pervasive in the Song Dynasty. Song Dynasty firearms were no longer a secret in front of the Liao army.

Under the temptation of a lot of money, he can't guarantee that his officials and craftsmen will insist on not leaking.

Zhang Wenjin sighed, "You're right, the country's most important weapon, it's better to be cautious."

At this moment, a follower rushed over and said anxiously: "Report to the capital prison, the emperor is here!"

． ． ． ． ． ． ．

Emperor Zhao Zhen came to the Firearms Bureau in secret, with only twenty personal guards, and came in a solid carriage without any officials accompanying him.

Zhao Zhen directly entered the Firearms Bureau's test site from the side door. The test site covers an area of ​​[-] mu. There are various test buildings, including wooden buildings, stone houses, and even a city wall tens of feet long.

There is a special VIP station in the test site, but it is only 120 steps away from the explosion point. For paper fire mines, pottery fire mines and porcelain fire mines, this distance is no problem, but for iron fire mines, 120 steps is too close, and it will still be attacked by iron fire mines. The debris hurt, and Fanning called for a viewing point two hundred paces away.

The viewing point moved to two hundred steps away. Emperor Zhao Zhen looked at the various buildings in the distance, and asked with a smile, "What target is Fan Aiqing going to test with today?"

Fan Ning bowed and said, "This time, I have brought three iron fire mines to test the wooden house, the city wall and the pile array. Does your majesty approve?"

Zhao Zhen smiled slightly, "I'll wait and see!"

Fan Ning made a gesture to the followers, and the two followers immediately picked up a wooden box and rushed to the testing ground.

These two entourages are soldiers from the Kunzhou Firearms Branch Bureau who are responsible for testing iron fire mines. They are very experienced. They wear iron armor and carry an iron shield on their backs, and they are very tightly protected.

The two entered a wooden house. At this time, Fan Ning said to Zhao Zhen: "Your Majesty, please cover your ears, the explosion is extremely deafening."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen quickly covered his ears, and Zhang Wenjin also quickly covered his ears. He knew very well that Tie Huolei's explosion was no small matter.

In just a moment, two soldiers rushed out of the wooden house. After running dozens of steps, they threw themselves into the bunker, covered their ears tightly, and covered their heads with iron shields.

At this moment, a shocking explosion was heard, thick smoke filled the air, the wooden house was blown to pieces, roofs, beams, and large and small pieces of wood rose into the air, flying up to a height of three feet, flying dozens of miles away, Landed with a bang.

Although Zhao Zhen covered his ears, he was still overwhelmed by the strong explosion, and his heart throbbed. The sound of the explosion passed through his fingers and made his ears buzz.

After a while, the thick smoke gradually dissipated, and the wooden house had completely disappeared, leaving only a few wooden stakes standing in place, and a one-foot-deep pit appeared on the ground, and the stone house ten steps away also collapsed.

In fact, after two years of continuous improvement by craftsmen, the power of the iron shell fire mine made in Kunzhou is three times that of the original iron fire mine, which is close to the power of explosives. The three iron fire mines brought by Fan Ning this time Thunder is the most powerful type, and each iron fire mine weighs fifty catties.

All the people present were stunned. After a while, Zhao Zhen sighed and said, "If we could have such a powerful explosive weapon in the battle against Xixia, Yuan Hao would have prostrated himself as a vassal!"

"Your Majesty, do you want to continue the experiment?"

Looking at a field of wooden piles in the distance, Zhao Zhen asked, "What effect will Iron Fire Thunder have on cavalry?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, judging from the explosive power alone, the threat is actually not that great. When an iron fire mine explodes, the explosive force can reach three feet at most, and it will do little damage to the huge cavalry. However, if the iron fire mine is filled with thousands of quenched Once the poisonous iron nail explodes, the cavalry within hundreds of steps will not be spared."

Zhao Zhen nodded, looked at the pile array again, and said to Fan Ning: "There is no need to test the pile array, and the remaining two iron fire mines are all used to blow up the city wall. I really want to see if they can Can’t we blow up this section of the city wall completely?”

(End of this chapter)