Great Master of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 64 Chapter 65
After meeting those merchants, Zuo Ming rushed all the way to Yong'an County.

During this period of time, the cotton workshop had been completed, and Li Tai built a large employee living area there according to Zuo Ming's request, and now, many craftsmen have lived there.

In order to recruit these talents, Zuo Ming and Li Tai spent a lot of money.Before these people even started working, Zuo Ming was already counting their wages.Moreover, Zuo Ming had already reimbursed them for all their expenses when they came to Yong'an County according to the distance and time.

After arriving in Yong'an County, Zuo Ming spent about seven days explaining the drawings of Yong'an Wharf and various precautions to the craftsmen.He even made a prototype of a pier with a sand table.

The wharf that Zuo Ming wants to build is very large, including many areas, such as loading area, unloading area, storage area, storage area, and carriageway.

A group of craftsmen saw the easy-to-understand three-dimensional drawings and the [-]D model in the sand table, and they admired Zuo Ming's talent and wisdom. However, they were still a little shocked and apprehensive about such a large project. , I don't know if I can do this job.

But soon, their apprehension was completely dispelled after Zuo Ming divided the scope of work and functions for them.

This project looks huge, but after being assigned to individuals, the work is actually not too heavy, and they are all things they know.

All they need is to do their job well.

With Zuo Ming's general policy and strategy, coupled with the joining of a group of experienced managers from Huangzhuang, the construction of the entire wharf immediately started.

Of course, Zuo Ming was not idle afterwards. In order to make his pier strong enough, he decided to get things like cement out first.

I used a lot of cement in my previous life, and I learned about the composition of cement in chemistry class, which is nothing more than hydraulic substances such as calcium oxide and silicon dioxide.But for the actual configuration of cement, Zuo Ming still had to ask some craftsmen for advice.

Without him, the main reason is that he wants to know whether there are any natural hydraulic substances in Datang.After all, with his existing resources, it would be quite difficult to configure them chemically.

Finally, after many inquiries and verifications, he finally got something called marl, which was used as a raw material for making cement.

To put it bluntly, this marl is a kind of filter sedimentary rock between clay rock and carbonate rock.This kind of thing is simply a kind of natural cement, which can be used directly after a little firing.

However, this kind of natural cement is obviously not as good as the cement he saw in later generations. It has hydraulic hardness, but it is not strong enough, and it can be easily broken when it solidifies.

Naturally, Zuo Ming would not be satisfied with this level of cement, so he had to get a large number of glass beakers, test tubes and other test equipment from Liuli Workshop, and started the chemical method of cement preparation!

For this reason, Zuo Ming directly brought Li Zhi to his laboratory in Yong'an County, so that he could teach him conveniently.

Suddenly moving from a luxurious mansion to the countryside, Li Zhi was still a little reluctant at first, but then he thought that he could eat Zuo Ming's dishes every day, and his resistance gradually disappeared.

Li Zhi is happy. Apart from his daily study, he just plays around under the protection of his guards.As for Zuo Ming, in addition to constantly testing the cement, he had to continue to draw ship drawings and deal with some secret guards from Huangzhuang who came to ask questions about the fort.

The royal family has fully controlled the gunpowder configuration method, but the development of the fort seems to have encountered a bottleneck. Either the chamber exploded or the barrel was melted by high temperature, and it was directly scrapped after one use.

After several times in a row, Zuo Ming finally couldn't bear to go to Mi Zhuang.

After coming to Mi Zhuang to inspect several failed products, Zuo Ming finally discovered the problem, which he had been ignoring all along.

——The melting point of copper is too low, and it is easy to deform.

Only then did Zuo Ming recall that the artillery in his previous life did not seem to be made entirely of copper.Thinking of this, Zuo Ming suddenly became embarrassed.

Because it was Zuo Ming who proposed that the fort should be fired with copper, those craftsmen did not consider switching to other metals, but just thought that their firing method was wrong.

Hearing Zuo Ming say that it was because of the material, they suddenly realized, and each of them looked at Zuo Ming strangely.

Since joining this secret research and development department, Zuo Ming has already become a "god" in their eyes.

Only now did they realize that "God" also makes mistakes.

After blushing and asking everyone to mix bronze and wrought iron, Zuo Ming left the Mi Zhuang in embarrassment.

This can be regarded as the biggest stain in his Datang life.

The material of the gun barrel was changed, and after continuous exploration and improvement, the world's first fort was successfully born.

On this day, for the first time, Li Shimin brought the queen, the prince and a group of ministers to the royal garden, dispersed the surrounding people, and started the artillery test.

Of course, as the developer of the cannon, Zuo Ming also brought Xiao Li Zhi to attend.

Xiao Li Zhi was very excited when he heard that Zuo Ming was going to take him to see the Tianlei Cannon, but he still knew the rules when Zuo Ming was around.

Looking at Li Zhi, who has been pulling Zuo Ming's hem from the beginning to the end, and is extremely honest, Empress Changsun and Li Shimin are very pleased.They all thought that Zuo Ming taught well, but they didn't know what kind of suffering and torture Li Zhi had experienced.

This time, Li Shimin chose a rockery as his target. In order to test the accuracy, he deliberately placed the fort one mile away.

However, even though Zuo Ming was on the sidelines to guide them, those nervous artillerymen who had just come into contact with artillery still shot crookedly.

But the crookedness is not far, only six or seven meters.As for the might, everyone nodded in unison.

Two or three meters away, a big tree surrounded by three people turned into a pile of debris.

"It's so strong that it's boundless, but the accuracy is too bad!"

Among the people present, Li Tai was the first to speak, but he seemed dissatisfied with the test firing.He wants to use these things to fight sea battles, so he attaches great importance to the accuracy.

"That's how stupid they are! How many times have I said this! When the shells are fired, the barrel will swing up slightly, so that they don't aim too high! Look at what they hit, and they don't know where it will go. Already!"

Hearing this, Zuo Ming was very annoyed and said,
For the accuracy of the artillery, Zuo Ming specially made two horizontal sights, but the recoil of the artillery is too great, and the ground is not smooth, so it is really difficult for novices to control.

"I feel that they have tried their best. You are really scary. Once fired, the base of the fort will shake on the ground, and you will be terrified when you look at it."

Seeing that the two artillerymen bowed their heads in shame, Empress Changsun smiled softly and said very defensively.

Empress Changsun spoke, Zuo Ming naturally couldn't criticize them anymore, but he directed a group of gunners to help him cool down the fort, and then went into battle to fiddle with the fort.

Seeing that Zuo Ming actually went into battle in person, and wanted to prove the accuracy of his artillery, everyone laughed lightly.

"Look! Qing Que said that his cannon was inaccurate, and he was annoyed!"

Li Shimin even made a joke directly.

In fact, Li Shimin was already satisfied with today's artillery test.With such power at a distance of one mile, it is definitely the only magic weapon if it is used to attack cities and conquer territories.

However, Zuo Ming was going to test the accuracy of the artillery, and he was happy with it. If this thing is really accurate, if he sees the enemy general in the future, he will be beheaded with one shot. Does this battle still need to be fought?
Zuo Ming's shot is naturally extraordinary.Although he had never fired a cannon in his previous life, he had played it in the game, so after some aiming, he really hit the rockery!

With a loud bang, the nearly three-meter-high rockery instantly turned into a mass of rubble.

"If you want to ask which one is better in China, Shandong, China is looking for Nanxiang! I am a graduate of Nanxiang! Your knees, I will accept it first! But everyone, where is the applause?"

Hitting the rockery, Zuo Ming suddenly froze, very coquettishly put his hands on his forehead and put on a pose that he thought was too cool.

Seeing Zuo Ming playing tricks, although everyone didn't know what he was talking about, they were all amused, but his shot was indeed beautiful, so everyone cheered and applauded.

"Old Zuo, good job!"

"Zuo Ming! Not bad! You have set an example for those artillerymen!"

"That's right! If all the gunners in my Great Tang are as accurate as Lord Hou, then where is there any city in this world that my Great Tang can't conquer? And where is there any enemy that my Great Tang can't destroy?"

"If there are, it must be because we don't have enough forts! One is not enough for ten, and ten is not enough, just a hundred!"

"Hehe! Of course, the more such things, the better! However, although these artillery are equipped with wheels, they are not suitable for long-distance raids. Otherwise, their role on the battlefield should be doubled!"

"Who says it's not! By the way, Zuo Hou, you are the developer of this artillery. Is there any way to solve this problem?"

After everyone praised and discussed, Li Jing raised a constructive question, and then Changsun Wuji threw the question to Zuo Ming.

"I really can't do anything about it for the time being. After all, besides the quilt workshop and the cement workshop, I also have a dock under construction, and I can't separate myself!
In fact, with this thing, my Tang army doesn't need to use any raiding strategy.Just drive slowly step by step, see the demolition of the city, see the mountains and mountains, who would dare to resist? "

Zuo Ming smiled wryly.

In fact, he also has a way to solve this problem. It is nothing more than getting some natural rubber and making some tires.It's just that he hasn't even finished the cement yet, so how can he have the time to do other things?
"Hey! The quilt and cement are indeed good things, but it's already late spring, and the production of this quilt is left to the people below. Why do you have to worry about it?"

With a deep sigh, Empress Changsun also felt that the burden on Zuo Ming was indeed a bit heavy, but there was no way to do it. He knew what others could not. Not easy to teach.

"The quilt is just one of the uses of cotton. There will be cotton cloth and cotton clothes in the future. These things are necessities in winter. Even if I develop it now, it will take time to roll it out to the whole country. Can you make it in time? It is still a problem to promote it before this winter.”

Zuo Ming said helplessly.

"Hey! You think too much. I, Tang, have come here without your padded coat for so many years? Don't push yourself too hard."

After hearing this, Empress Changsun also sighed deeply, but in her tone, there was more distress for Zuo Ming.

"The queen is right! You have done a good job, it's time to find some helpers, don't always do everything alone!"

Li Shimin also frowned.

It was only now that he remembered that besides the quilt workshop, the cement workshop and the pier, there was still a theater in Zuo Mingshou.And I heard from Li Tai that he is still working on the blueprint of the ship and the next issue of comics.

With so many things on his head, he would be a ghost if he wasn't tired.

Zuo Ming was proud to be cared by the two most distinguished people in Datang, but he was not used to this kind of awkward warm atmosphere, so he almost put on a coquettish pose.

"As the saying goes, those who are able work harder. Since I was born to be the smartest and most capable person in Tang Dynasty, it is only natural that I work a little harder! Pheasant slave, let's go home and cook!"

As he said that, Zuo Ming left the empress, the empress, and the ministers who couldn't laugh or cry, and walked into the distance.

As for Li Zhi, after saluting the emperor and the empress as farewell, he hurriedly chased after them.

Looking at the two figures, one big and one small, the officials were all moved and inconceivable.But Li Shimin and Empress Changsun were satisfied and gratified.

As for the prince Li Chengqian and the fourth prince Li Tai, they looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.Because they knew that their young brother would be eaten to death by Zuo Ming for the rest of his life.

(End of this chapter)