Chapter 72 Give It All!

Chapter 72 Give It All!

Chapter 72 Give It All!

After making up his mind, Zhu Zaigui's eyes became determined.

Zhu Zaiqi called out, "Come in."

Meng Chong, who was guarding the door, heard Zhu Zai's call and hurried into the study. He bowed and saluted Zhu Zai, "Your Majesty."

Zhu Zaigui said, "I just thought of something important. Our Shunyi Industrial Park will be open for production soon. I actually neglected to protect such an important place. Go to Xiyuan to find Huang Jin and ask him to help us see if we can arrange for 500 people from the Firearms Battalion to guard the Shunyi Industrial Park."

Meng Chong was shocked when he heard Zhu Zaigui's words, "Does the prince really want people from the Firearms Battalion?"

Zhu Zaiqi looked up at Meng Chong and said, "What's wrong? Are the people from the Firearms Battalion useless?"

Meng Chong quickly shook his head and said, "That's fine, but the Firearms Battalion is a little too weak."

When Meng Chong said that the people in the Firearms Battalion were weak, it was not an exaggeration.

This is because although firearms are now as powerful as magic weapons, they are subject to too many influences from the weather and other factors. Instead of having the Firearm Battalion, which looks flashy but is not practical, it is better to have the imperial guards in the Three Thousand Battalions.

These imperial guards were not only equipped with firearms, but also had horses, and were more adept at hand-to-hand combat. Once they encountered some blind thieves who wanted to harass the Shunyi Industrial Park, the reaction speed of the 3,000-camp imperial guards would be even faster.

That's why Meng Chong asked whether the Firearms Battalion might be too weak.

Zhu Zaigui said, "We need the Firearm Battalion. The 3,000-man Imperial Guard is too conspicuous. If they are really sent to our industrial park, I'm afraid I'll be spotted before they even reach Shunyi Industrial Park. Although the Firearm Battalion is a little weaker, at least it's not that conspicuous, and it just meets our needs for protection."

Meng Chong said, "Your Highness is right. I will go to Eunuch Huang to coordinate this matter."

Zhu Zaigui waved his hand and said, "Go quickly, and remember to ask for some craftsmen who can repair firearms. Otherwise, if there are really 500 freeloaders from the Firearms Camp who come with fire sticks, wouldn't I be at a huge loss?"

Meng Chong nodded twice and hurried to Xiyuan.

Watching Meng Chong's departing figure, Zhu Zaigui couldn't help but sigh, "I hope Huang Jin can help and really mobilize some of the people in the Firearms Battalion."

Firearms were originally the Ming Dynasty's superior weapon, but the development in the past two hundred years has been unsatisfactory, and there has been no truly powerful firearms research and development.

Therefore, the firearms used in today's camps are almost all still the old styles from more than two hundred years ago. Although some improvements have been made, it still cannot conceal the fact that they are good-looking but impractical.

Therefore, the imperial court has gradually stopped the research and development of firearms and turned to research heavy firearms such as artillery that are more conducive to defending cities.

However, the research and development of this type of firearms is also unsatisfactory.

The main reason was that there were problems with the talent system of the Ming Dynasty. Very capable people were unwilling to do such menial craftsmanship, which resulted in no fresh blood being injected into the research and development of firearms in the Ming Dynasty.

However, because of their low status and the court's strict control over firearms, the craftsmen who had been in the craftsman households for generations did not have a normal learning environment.

Therefore, it is wishful thinking to expect these craftsmen, who are becoming more and more skilled with each generation, to shoulder the responsibility of developing Ming Dynasty's firearms.

Therefore, the current progress of Ming Dynasty firearms is mainly based on imitation, imitation of bird guns from overseas. This kind of firearm is still a matchlock gun, consisting of a barrel, a gunpowder pool, a bolt, a front sight, a gun handle, etc. When in use, the pre-burned matchlock and the trigger drive the matchlock to ignite the compacted gunpowder in the gunpowder pool, and the explosive force of the gunpowder gas is used to shoot the lead bullet in the barrel to kill the enemy. The range is about 100-200 meters.

Moreover, this kind of bird gun was not invented until the 27th year of Jiajing, when the Ming army recovered Shuangyu (in the southeast sea of ​​Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province today) which was occupied by the Japanese and Portuguese. Then they obtained the bird gun and people who were good at making it, and then they began to imitate it.

At the same time, because of the emergence of these advanced bird guns and the continuous Japanese invasion on the southeast coast, some knowledgeable and ambitious people at that time took the initiative to engage in the research and development of firearms. This phenomenon also led to the vigorous development of Ming Dynasty firearms.

It’s a pity that this phenomenon of intellectuals participating in the research and development of firearms did not last long before the Ming Dynasty came to an end, so the progress of Chinese firearms was once again interrupted.

It can be said that the current firearms battalion is at a new moment of development.

Moreover, at this time, although the imperial court still attached great importance to firearms, it did not care too much about the old, weak and disabled soldiers in the firearms battalion.

Therefore, at this time, if Zhu Zaigui wanted to go through Huang Jin's way and get 500 firearms soldiers and a few craftsmen, it should not be a problem.

Meng Chong came to Xiyuan happily and found Huang Jin who was having nothing to do.

When Meng Chong told Huang Jin about Zhu Zaigui's idea, Huang Jin also hummed and said to Meng Chong: "Go back and tell Prince Yu that our family will help him make some arrangements. However, firearms are still forbidden items after all, and we can't guarantee that we can have them, but we can still get some to shoot birds and scare people."

Meng Chong bowed to Huang Jin and said, "Thank you, ancestor."

Huang Jin waved his hand and said, "Go back quickly, don't let Prince Yu wait anxiously. Our family is also looking forward to the opening of the Shunyi Industrial Park."

Meng Chong thanked him again hurriedly and finally went back happily.

After Meng Chong left, Huang Jin immediately got up and went to the Wanshou Palace where Emperor Jiajing was meditating and reported the matter to him.

"Emperor, Prince Yu wants 500 soldiers from the Firearms Battalion to serve as guards for the Shunyi Industrial Park."

After hearing Huang Jin's words, Emperor Jiajing opened his eyes slightly and pondered for a moment, "Firearm Battalion?"

"What's the use of these old and weak soldiers in the Firearm Battalion? Go to the Imperial Stables and pick out 500 young and strong guards for San'er. His Shunyi Industrial Park is indeed extremely important. I can't let anything go wrong there. Otherwise, won't I lose my money?"

Huang Jin said: "What about firearms? I guess that Prince Yu must be in a playful mood, so he wants the people in the Firearms Battalion to play with firearms."

Emperor Jiajing thought for a moment and said, "Give him firearms, but don't give him the latest imitation bird guns. The old stuff in the firearms camp is enough for San'er to play with for a while."

Huang Jin smiled and said, "The Emperor really loves Prince Yu."

Emperor Jiajing also smiled when he heard this, "How can I not love my child?" Then Emperor Jiajing sighed again, "It's a pity that I can't meet him and enjoy the blessing of having children and grandchildren like ordinary people."

Huang Jin immediately comforted him, "The Emperor is a real dragon, and the Prince is a latent dragon. They are both immortals. When the Emperor has achieved success in his cultivation, he will naturally be able to break the taboo and meet the Prince."

Emperor Jiajing sighed: "Maybe."

(End of this chapter)