Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

Hearing this, Zhao Zongting was a little embarrassed. He was from a family of literati, and he didn't like martial arts all the time. He thought it was inappropriate to fight, kill and kill. Mei is also a general, and he is just his uncle. His words today were indeed inappropriate, so when he heard Wei Xu's words, he immediately stood up, "My lord, this old minister did not mean this, and this old minister is guilty."

"Xu'er!" De Fang looked at Wei Xu, "How could you be so rude! You still haven't apologized to Mr. Zhao!"

Wei Xu stood up, "I know my mistake! Please forgive Master Zhao!"

"No, no, what His Royal Highness said is correct, but the old minister made a mistake," said Zhao Zongting

"Zongting" Defang got up and supported Zhao Zongting, "Xu'er is not blaming you, what he wants to say is that civil and military positions are indispensable in our Great Song Dynasty. Since the founding of our Great Song Dynasty, there have been constant wars, and how many generals have died in battle. But there are still countless bloody sons and daughters applying for military positions for Baojiaguo. Now the Liao people are eyeing our Song Dynasty, and His Majesty treats people in military positions very favorably. After being a military general, I would like to be a military general today, which can be regarded as inheriting my father's career, not to mention that Weixi is versatile in both civil and military affairs. Weixi is really on the battlefield, otherwise what will happen to the lonely king's Ling'er? Don't you think so?"

"What the lord said is true, the old minister is extremely rude" Zhao Zongting bowed

"Zongting, you are the censor, and you are an important position to supervise the officials. Your Majesty appreciates the Zongting very much. Now that you and the lonely king are married, I believe that with our strength, you will be able to assist your majesty to rectify the court and protect us. The foundation of the ancestors of the Great Song Dynasty."

"Yes! My lord, my minister Zhao Zongting swears to die for Song!"

"Zongting, you can't die, hehehe, Song Dynasty still needs officials like you to investigate all officials for His Majesty."

"Thank you, my lord!" Zhao Zongting bowed

Concubine Di got up, "Now that my brother and Weixi have returned safely, look at Ling'er again, and they are about to give birth. Everything is a happy event. Today, Mr. Zhao will stay in the mansion and have a good drink with the prince. It is also a gift for brother and Wei Xi is celebrating."

"That's right, what Madam said is very much in line with the lonely king's wishes, so Zong Ting should not refuse."

"Thank you, my lord, for your generosity, and I thank you."

In September of the third year of Xianping, Tang Fu, a general of the Shenwei Navy, presented firearms such as rockets, fire thorns, and fire thorns. For this reason, Zhenzong summoned Defang and asked, "Brother, the rockets, fire thorns, and fire thorns that Tang Fu offered. I have seen it and heard that the Taizu also used these firearms to fight, I wonder if the emperor knows about it?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. During Taizu Kaibao's reign, this kind of gunpowder has been used to make firearms for combat. It is very effective and can even turn the tide of battle in most cases."

"Gunpowder? How powerful is it?" Zhenzong asked

"Yes, Your Majesty, this kind of medicine that catches fire was originally discovered by sorcerers when they were refining alchemy. It is mostly used in alchemy and medicine. The fire is like a candle, and the smoke is heavy. It has no great effect. But in the reign of Taizu When the minister followed General Cao Bin to pacify the Southern Tang Dynasty, our Song navy had already started to use this kind of gunpowder to make firearms to attack. Take fire thorns as an example. Packs of gunpowder, plus combustion-supporting asphalt and poisonous arsenic, etc., and barbed caltrops are added to it. When fighting, the fuse is ignited and thrown at the enemy with a trebuchet. When it explodes, a very bright explosion is produced. Clouds and dust can burn and poison enemy soldiers, even if they cannot be injured by fire and poison, the fire thorns in them can stab wounds and kill enemy soldiers, its power cannot be underestimated."

"That's really great! If it can be produced in large quantities and transported to the border, then it can resist the Liao people and protect the border city, hahaha" Zhenzong laughed

"Your Majesty" Defang said, "Although firearms are powerful and have been used in wars, it is quite difficult to manufacture them in large quantities, and they are not easy to transport. would be useless.”

"So that's the case." Zhenzong thought, "Then what should we do?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, there are many skilled craftsmen in the Song Dynasty, and there are even people who are proficient in firearms. Your Majesty can issue a list to encourage the development of firearms. I believe that there will be capable people to fulfill Your Majesty's wish."

"Okay! Let's do this! I will immediately order all states, counties and military stations to garrison troops. Anyone who can make firearms will be promoted and rewarded."

Since then, the army of the Song Dynasty has continued to develop firearms, and the technology has become more and more mature. In September 1002, the fifth year of Xianping, Shi Pu, the training envoy of the Jizhou regiment, went to the court, claiming that he could make rockets and fireballs, and made a demonstration in the palace.

[Gunpowder is one of the four great inventions in ancient times. In 970, the third year of the Song Dynasty, Feng Jisheng presented the "rocket method" to Taizu. Gunpowder began to be officially used in military affairs, and the technology became more mature and perfect in the future. 】