Sui Dynasty: I, Yang Guang, am both scrupulous and stable

Chapter 189 Arms
Since the last time Yang Shuang went on an expedition and Yang Guang gave him a few firearms, Yang Shuang now writes to Yang Guang every once in a while asking for firearms. Yang Guang always says that production capacity is insufficient and experimental weapons cannot be used in a short time. He declined on the grounds of going to the battlefield.

But this kind of thing was pushed past the first day of the new year but not to the fifteenth day. It was okay to push it in the letter. Now he was about to go on an expedition. Yang Shuang took people to the Prince of Jin's Mansion early in the morning to ask for firearms. He didn't find anyone and chased him to the military camp. , no matter what, Yang Guang must be asked to hand over the firearm.

"Uncle King Wei, are you trying to make things difficult for me? It's not that easy to make firearms, and our production capacity here is insufficient."

"I asked around, you expanded the workshop, absolutely."

"Uncle King Wei, I really..."

砰

bang bang

Just when Yang Guang was making excuses, the sound of muskets suddenly rang out from the military camp behind him, and the sound was timely.

Listening to the continuous sound, Yang Shuang's face turned pale: "Insufficient production capacity?"

"Slightly...slightly insufficient."

砰

bang bang

bang bang bang bang bang bang bang

"Well...it's a little...insufficient."

Yang Shuang walked straight back and came to the school grounds. He saw a group of people studying new firearms. Although he had not seen a matchlock gun, in terms of production technology, it was much better than the firecrackers given to him before. Time's face was full of anger.

Suppressing his anger, he said to Yang Guang: "Prince Jin, come with me and talk alone."

Facing the Sui Military God's private chat invitation, Yang Guang felt a little uneasy, but he could only follow him into the military tent.

"Big Sima!"

Faced with King Wei's almost restrained roar, Yang Guang spread his hands helplessly: "Uncle King Wei, you and I don't need to address you so respectfully in private."

"You think the matter can be over by just making a joke? I'm not here to joke with you. Do you know that the border war is urgent. If firearms can be spread on a large scale, how many casualties of border soldiers can be reduced?"

Yang Guang also stopped smiling and lamented helplessly: "Uncle King Wei, what I told you is not groundless. It is indeed a lack of production capacity."

"The production capacity is insufficient, why do you put so many firearms on the school grounds?"

"Uncle King Wei, that's all the firearms I have now, because I'm going to the border soon. I have to keep these firearms for myself, otherwise I'll lose them when I get to the border."

Yang Shuang stared at Yang Guang for a while and said, "I don't care, you must make a batch for me."

"Hey, Uncle King Wei, do you know how much it costs to make these firearms?"

"The iron used to make firearms has to be specially made, and the cost is extremely high. The manufacturing process is complicated and the craftsmen have to polish it repeatedly. The craftsmen work hard day and night. Naturally, I have to give them more money and work overtime to make it. It took so long to make it. Given this, how can I separate them?"

Yang Shuang's tone softened a lot: "I have money in my house. If you need money, just tell me. I will buy these firearms."

"Uncle Wei Wang, money is one thing, but people are even harder to find. It is very difficult to train a qualified firearms craftsman. The biggest limitation in my workshop is this. Training people does not happen overnight. matter."

"I don't care. I want all of this batch here. Today I will load the truck and go to the border with the food and grass baggage. You can figure out your own way later."

This is the first time that Yang Shuang is unreasonable. He really has a soft spot for firearms.

"Uncle King Wei, you can't grab it forcefully."

Yang Shuang strode out: "I'll go to His Majesty and ask for it."

"Uncle Wang, Uncle Wang..."

No matter how much Yang Guang shouted, Yang Shuang was already heading towards the palace.

Yang Guang turned around and smiled: "Hey, I took the bait."

"Wang Yi, prepare your horses. We will also enter the palace and perform a bitter trick."

The emperor met with King Wei. King Wei said a lot of things. In the final analysis, he wanted Yang Guang to give him the firearm. The emperor didn't know much about firearms, but seeing King Wei's intention, he valued firearms very much, as if he would be able to win the war if he had this thing. , even made the emperor look confused.

Yang Jian rarely saw his brother in such an anxious state, so he sent someone to inform Yang Guang. Unexpectedly, Yang Guang was already waiting outside the palace gate, so he entered the palace to see him.

"Amo, King Wei said that the firearms you made have miraculous effects and asked you to share some with him and take them to the front line."

"Father, it's not because Erchen doesn't want to. It's just that making firearms is extremely troublesome. There are very few craftsmen in Erchen's workshop who can actually make firearms. The quantity produced now is not enough for my own use, so I can't tell them apart."

"Your Majesty, firearms can improve the combat effectiveness of our army. Please ask King Jin to make more. I will take these batches to the battlefield first. I can also help King Jin test the power of the new firearms." Yang Shuang himself did not expect that in order to deceive Yang Guang's firearms, he actually learned how to name them cleverly.

Seeing that Yang Shuang actually used these words, Yang Guang could only say: "Father, my son, it is really hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice."

Yang Jian had a headache. He didn't even understand what firearms were used for, but the two of them were already making trouble at the door. He could only say, "Let someone get the firearms first and take a look."

Yang Guang was well prepared when he came and brought the matchlock gun directly.

When he came to an open place, he set up a target and fired a shot in front of the emperor.

The emperor was startled by the bang.

Yang Guang said hurriedly: "Father, this is a weapon improved on firecrackers that I mentioned to you before."

Yang Jian sighed: "This movement is too big."

But Yang Shuang immediately answered: "Your Majesty wanted this big noise. When I ambushed the enemy at the border, I took the fire blunderbuss I had given me before to clear the way. With a bang, the enemy's horses were startled. The enemy did not hear it. We didn’t react to this noise for a long time, and we were caught off guard.”

Yang Shuang took the matchlock gun from Yang Guang's hand and said: "With this kind of firearm, theoretically every soldier can become a pretty good archer, and your Majesty, think about it, if groups of soldiers can How can the enemy attack my city if we can fire muskets on the city wall."

"Also..." Yang Shuang looked at Yang Guang seriously: "Have you kept it secretly? I have studied this kind of gunpowder. It is definitely not only capable of firing steel balls, but the power of its explosion is extraordinary. Hoarding Get up, explosions can also kill enemies, I've thought of it, don't tell me you didn't think of it."

When Yang Shuang said this, Yang Jian looked at Yang Guang. Yang Guang could only sigh and said: "Father, I think I have thought about this. I told you before when we were setting off firecrackers that it was too dangerous. When researching It almost killed someone, the risk factor is too high."

"It's meant to be dangerous. If it's not dangerous to you, how can I use it to fight the enemy? I know you must have it. Hand it over quickly."

"Uncle Wei, don't worry. This thing is still far from being used. We are studying it and will be sending it to the battlefield after it is studied."

Yang Shuang said to Yang Jian extremely seriously: "Your Majesty, please order the King of Jin to immediately supervise the manufacture of firearms. I want my army to have this thing."

"Uncle King Wei, if you only have a few people, you can tear down my whole palace of Prince Jin to make guns, but you won't have enough money."

Yang Shuang said very decisively: "Your Majesty, please change the military expenditure structure and list firearms as military supplies. If you believe me, vigorously develop firearms. This will make the Sui Dynasty far superior to other surrounding countries in the future."

Yang Jian was a little confused as to why Yang Shuang believed so much, but considering Yang Shuang's military talent that ordinary people could not match, Yang Jian always had inexplicable trust in Yang Shuang's words.

"Amo, let me do this with all your strength. How far can you go?"

Yang Guang scratched his head in embarrassment: "Father, to tell you the truth, you have also seen that this matchlock gun is well made, and the cost of artificial materials required is very high. The development of the other firearms that Uncle Wei Wang wants requires a lot of effort. It costs a lot of money, but I don’t dare to do it on a large scale, otherwise I won’t be able to sustain it.”

"Then what if, as King Wei said, it is used as military procurement?"

"Well...it's not that my father cares about the money. You know my son. I'm not a money-greedy person. It's really technically difficult, has too many personnel restrictions, and has high production requirements."

"But according to Uncle Wei Wang's suggestion, if it is really purchased as military supplies, as long as the price is reasonable, we should be able to continue to expand production and barely maintain the operation of the workshop. If we can order a little more, it may be enough for the workshop to develop other firearms."

Based on Yang Jian's understanding of his son, the implication of his words is this.

Give me money!Just give money and it will be done.

Knowing that a son is like a father, Yang Jian carefully looked at the firearm in his hand for a while, and asked Yang Shuang emphatically: "King Wei, are you really so optimistic about the future of this thing?"

"Your Majesty, firearms are disruptive to the war situation. After our army is equipped with a large number of firearms, it can almost crush the Turks."

Yang Shuang was so confident that Yang Jian also made up his mind: "Then do it, Amo, you let the workshop expand production, increase production, and the production methods must not be leaked out, set a reasonable price for the court to purchase."

Yang Guang was not happy: "Yes, father."

This arms business is the most profitable business. If this business is maintained, won't the money just come in?Yang Guang looked at Yang Shuang with a hint of gratitude. If Yang Shuang hadn't spoken, Yang Jian would not have agreed so readily.

The two of them walked out of the palace gate together. Yang Shuang said directly: "Prince Jin, now that His Majesty has agreed to the imperial court's purchase of firearms, funding for the firearms workshop will no longer be a problem, and production will not be a problem either."

"It should be possible to barely hold on, but it may not be possible to produce and process it quickly in a short period of time."

Yang Shuang ignored all Yang Guang's excuses: "Your goal has been achieved, then all the firearms on the school grounds today belong to me, no problem."

"what?"

Yang Guang really didn't expect Yang Shuang, with such thick eyebrows and big eyes, to rob him so straightforwardly.

"Ah, what? You made a lot of money today, so stop acting in front of me."

With King Wei's intelligence, how could he fail to see that today's obvious little trick was just a matter of smooth sailing?

Yang Shuang didn't say much, he just spurred his horse and raised his whip. Looking at Yang Shuang who was galloping away, Yang Guang could only shout: "Uncle King Wei, I will give you some more gunpowder."

(End of this chapter)