Feeling that his sister-in-law's royal identity can unite the hearts of the people and enhance the morale of the generals and soldiers, it is also to show that Liaodong is different from the inner palace. Xu Hao boldly appointed Zhu Qiaoqiao as the Minister of Political Affairs, claiming to the public that his sister-in-law was the princess of Liaodong and his identity was above him, and he intended to replace the influence of the Liao king.

There were almost no objection. Zhu Qiaoqiao's identity was too special and deeply rooted in feudal traditional thinking. The people did not mind that the princess became the spiritual leader on their heads. After all, the distance was too far away. Besides, there was no Han regime in the north for nearly eight or nine hundred years. For most Liao people, it doesn't matter who will rule Liaodong. In this era, ordinary people often only have homes but no country.

It is difficult to survive in Liaodong due to regional relations. Women have always been half of their laborers at home. Women of Mongolian Jurchens and other tribes have a high status among the tribes. The Han people are naturally greatly influenced. Northern women are famously generous and free and easy, with a stingy personality. Not to mention that women in Northeast China have been characterized by horse hunting since ancient times and dare to take up weapons to resist thieves. Women have a much higher status than those in the pass.

In the spacious workshop of the arsenal, there are three-meter-high walls made of bricks, tiles and cement. The roof is a mixed structure of wood and iron frames, which can accommodate hundreds of people. Xu Hao looked happy. His pursuit and attention to technological improvement made his family's skills maintain a level of one step ahead of the arsenal in Beijing. Any minor improvements in firearms in Peking will be used as soon as possible.

Does anyone know that a brand new smoothbore musket can be produced in just one day? On the contrary, Zhu Di prefers the traditional large-scale combat method of cold weapons. This can be seen from his habit of killing the enemy himself. His fear of new things will undergo huge changes, both in combat methods and instinctively, which makes Zhu Di a little disgusted with muskets and instinctively alert.

Therefore, the scale of the Shenji Camp was always controlled. The number of people has not exceeded 10,000, and the number of muskets was strictly limited. A large number of craftsmen turned to make bows, crossbows and armor. In history, the development of firearms in the Ming Dynasty was largely due to the Yongle Dynasty. Zhu Di took back the power to cast muskets in various places, and the stability of the external world also lost the enthusiasm to improve firearms.

In history, the use of firearms was not developed further until the Qi Jiguang period. In fact, both the Folang machine and the new artillery were derived from Western technology. However, the Ming craftsmen were able to master and cast better muskets, which proved that Xu Hao's leaping development was completely feasible in the early Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, the decay and decline of the feudal dynasty could not save the fate of the Ming Dynasty's destruction.

Wang Jian of the Sichang Factory said to Xu Hao and other civil and military officials: "It takes half a year for a good bow. The hand crossbow takes at least seven days, and the musket only takes one day. The ammunition is much simpler than arrows. If you ride a horse and use muskets, it will be longer than the pride of the Tartars. If a knight carries four or five muskets, hehe!"

Xu Hao played with the long musket in his hand and said, "It is not easy to raise horses. We must continue to improve them as much as possible. When the alien cavalry can no longer pose any threat to infantry holding muskets, the northern border problems since ancient times will be completely over. Mongolian riding and shooting? Humph! It is only worthy of being used for hunting."

Dozens of staff and secretary officials were thinking about the conversation between the governor, and a young man named Sun Ning asked: "General, what if the foreign race also learns to use muskets and obtains the method of making them?"

Xu Hao smiled and said, "This is inevitable. I have said a long time ago that firearms and other firearms have been developed since the Song Dynasty. During the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols used muskets to assist bows and arrows to traverse the world, conquering vast lands such as Persia and Huatsmooth in the Western Regions. Therefore, gunpowder muskets have spread throughout the world. In other words, whether we develop muskets or not, similar muskets will appear. Muskets may change the end of the war, but they cannot change the entire country's destiny."

At this time, no one would understand the profound meaning of Xu Hao's last sentence. Sun Ning said in confusion: "Will nothing change?"

Xu Hao handed the musket to Mu Xi who rushed back. He said, "Of course it has changed. Think about the total population of the Northern Yuan Dynasty? It will not exceed three million at most, and it is a very backward nomadic civilization. This is an unparalleled advantage in the era of cold weapons. The so-called string control personnel is one hundred thousand. It is undoubtedly a nightmare for us Han people. And what about muskets? Our Han people now have a population of 40 to 50 million. The whole country mobilizes a total force of no less than two million. You can go to the battlefield with muskets for ten days and half a month to practice. You have experienced the power of muskets many times. A civilian has been rigorously trained and can master the fire technology of muskets in three months. What about a Mongolian elite archer? He has to practice riding and shooting all year round since childhood. People's strength is always limited. In theory, sufficient muskets and bullets are infinite. Let me ask if millions of musket soldiers win and lose against millions of Mongolian cavalry?"

Sun Ning nodded and said, "So that's it. With my national strength and population advantage, the longer the time is, the less the Mongols will be, because they can't afford to consume it."

Xu Hao looked at the handsome young man who was only eighteen years old and said to others: "This is the mystery. Now there is no need to consider that alien races will hold muskets, but they will face it sooner or later. You will be happy to go back and think about how to make the entire army better exert its power, how to defeat the enemy under the same conditions, and write an article for me in vernacular."

Wang Jian looked at this scene with a smile. Xu Hao turned to him and said, "All factories must establish a shareholding system. My Xu family will own most of the shares. My masters will distribute some shares and distribute money in proportion to the profit every year. For the time being, except for the factories of muskets and artillery, any other industry encourages everyone to open their own factories, such as shipbuilding, mining, making and supplying parts for firearms, and also welcomes the production of agricultural machinery, porcelain, glassware and other commodities. I guarantee that the status of craftsmen and merchants will be equal to that of scholars. At least in Liaodong, any descendant of anyone can study and become an official, wear silk, and change their profession at will, and will not be discriminated against."

Even though Wang Jian and hundreds of craftsmen had known that Xu Hao would treat them well, they would not have expected that they would be so kind, and they were all shocked.

"Sir." Wang Jian was about to continue talking with a complicated expression, but Xu Hao reached out to stop him. "No need to say anything. Even if the prince blames him, I will bear it. It will never be implicated in everyone. My promise to you back then will definitely be fulfilled. As long as Xu does not die, he will definitely persevere and will never regret it."

The craftsmen were talking about this. Some believed and some were suspicious, but no matter what, everyone respected and grateful to Xu Hao, who kept his promises, even if it was a flash in the pan.

Get rid of the shackles and lowly social status of generations, and descendants of descendants can study and become officials or practice martial arts from the army to shine. This is the dream of countless craftsmen since the Song and Yuan dynasties.

You treat me with a national hero. I will repay him with a national hero. This is the thought of many men at this moment, and they immediately dispersed and devoted themselves to their work.

Wang Jian, who was energetic, pulled Xu Hao towards the cave, passed through the long tunnel, and came to the core area of ​​the arsenal.

From time to time, jingling sounds came from deep into the cave, and wheelbarrows pushing gravels were back and forth. Xu Hao was very familiar with this place because it was the place he chose himself. In the past two years, he would also build a more secret and sturdy family core arsenal and safety base.

In a secret room, Wang Jian pointed to the thing on the shelf and said, "Fortunately, I am a genius. The seemingly simple suggestion has solved the bottleneck at the moment."

The shelf is lined with grease-covered paper-covered bullets. Sharp bayonets hung on the stone wall on the other side, which is a small invention that is no less than stirrups in history, but has made an immeasurable contribution to the development of firearms.

Xu Hao said with satisfaction: "Start equip the troops immediately, and you can finally eliminate the spearmen. How much has the rate of fire increased?"

Wang Jian said: "It can reach three or four shots per minute. If it is changed to a rifled rifle, you can attack the cavalry from three hundred meters away. If the number of people is not very different, and if the three thousand muskets are less than ten thousand cavalry rushing to the nearest, it should be able to completely defeat the cavalry. Even if there are one or two thousand fish that escape the net, installing bayonets is enough to replace the spearmen and the Mongolian knights in battle."

Xu Hao smiled and said, "I have less than 10,000 troops under my command. We will try to replace the rifled gun within a year. The smoothbore gun will continue to be produced. Sooner or later, everyone will be given a single shot."

There are all kinds of tools and parts everywhere in the secret room. Xu Hao has smokeless gunpowder and thunder mercury in his hands. Wang Jian is working hard to develop a fire hat, which is the necessary base fire for various types of bullets and shells to fire.

The flintlock rifle is a front-loaded gunpowder projectile, and it is very troublesome to load it while standing. Xu Hao knew too well that the breech gun was the ultimate form of a musket. After he invented the fire hat, he could introduce a breech firing needle.

Xu Hao suppressed the ecstasy in his heart. He did not expect that it would span four or five hundred years in just a few years. Of course, it would take a long time to try again and again. In short, the appearance of the bayonet will cause the problems that have plagued the commanders since ancient times. Long-range troops are not good at melee combat, and melee troops cannot be completely solved by long shooting. This is also the reason why Mongolian cavalry can conquer the world, and they can be the most mobile at near or far.

The rear-mounted rifled rifle with a firing needle has been greatly improved in both range, power and accuracy, and has also solved the problem of loading speed. You can kneel while lying on your knees during war without having to line up in a long line queue and the opponent's close-range terrifying shooting, which restores the mobility of the infantry. Then the barrage of the infantry will be enough to eliminate the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty, which is said to be less than ten thousand and invincible to the Jurchens.

Just as Xu Hao moved to the barracks to practice with his soldiers and began to study the impact of new equipment on the military system of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, who returned to Peking, welcomed the commander-in-chief Zhang Xin, the right governor Guo Zi, and the deputy commander-in-chief Mo Lin and other officials jointly submitted a letter asking him to ascend the throne.

I think the King of Yan has been on the rise for three years. The soldiers have been fighting with frost and dew, attacking arrows and stones, and fighting bloody battles. Although they often take advantage of the victory, they are often in danger. They conquered the cities and towns, and their troops were then defended by the court. Their income in the past three years has stopped in Yongping, Daning and Baoding, and in addition, Liaodong outside the frontier.
Chapter completed!