161 AD, September 4, Calradia.

Before the sun rose high in the morning, Xie Feng hurriedly bid farewell to Wayezeji Village and rushed to Kulao, the capital of the Kingdom of New Vigia.

In the early morning today, before the sun even showed its outline, Corullo disturbed Xie Feng's sweet dream.

"Xie Feng!" Corullo rushed into Xie Feng's temporary room and shouted: "Something big happened!"

Xie Feng, who had been sleeping in a daze, immediately opened his eyes when he heard this voice, and asked slightly tiredly: "Big deal? What's the matter?" Last night, Xie Feng and Luo Xuefu stayed up all night talking about muskets.

Feasibility. The design drawing of this musket was provided by Xie Feng with a rough pattern model, and then Ali racked his brains to perfect it. In theory, the invention of the musket is feasible, but it requires a lot of precision.

parts, so it has been delayed. Now that Xie Feng has found Loschev who can make more precise parts, the problem of the musket is probably not big.

After Luo Xev took a detailed look at the drawings, he said: "It can be done. But...if my guess is correct, although this thing is more powerful than Rodok's most powerful siege crossbow,

The accuracy is...with all due respect, the accuracy is probably no better than the stones thrown by urchins on the street."

Xie Feng said indifferently: "I don't expect this thing to be used directly as a sniper rifle. As long as there are enough, let the soldiers take these and stand in a row. No matter how invincible the knights of Swadia are,

It will disintegrate in an instant."

"Indeed." Loschev said: "This thing can indeed be used under such circumstances and will achieve very good results... However, although I can make the fine parts in each so-called 'musket'

However, the output is really not guaranteed... It is already amazing to be able to make one such 'musket' every day. And this does not include the defective product rate and the time I spend having to rest for various reasons... Again

In addition, due to the destructive power of gunpowder, the life of each musket will be extremely short. On average, each musket is fired thirty or forty times.

It exploded and was scrapped. Even if the best materials are used, the life of the musket can only be fifty rounds... What's more, in order to ensure the safety of the soldiers using the musket, five to ten safe firing times have to be subtracted.

...To sum up, muskets cannot be used on a large scale in a short time on the battlefield. Small-scale production is still feasible."

Xie Feng sighed and said: "In other words, even if the gun can be made, it can only be used as a secret weapon?"

Luo Xev nodded and said: "Yes. Of course, I will work hard to slowly overcome the difficulties of musket life and musket production, but this will take time after all... I conservatively estimate that in the next five years, muskets will not be popular on the battlefield.

.”

Xie Feng scratched his head for a long time, and finally said: "No matter what, let's make it first... It's late September now... before November, produce the first batch of thirty muskets for me, you

Can it be done?”

Luo Xuefu was slightly embarrassed: "It depends entirely on me alone..."

"No, you are not alone." Xie Feng said: "From now on, I grant you the power to mobilize all the craftsmen in the factory... On the premise of ensuring that the 'Fire Dragon' series of war machinery can maintain normal production progress. In addition, you have to risk your life

Promise that the secrets of gunpowder and muskets will never be leaked, can you do that?"

Luo Xuefu was silent for a long time, and finally said decisively: "Yes!"

Finally, the two discussed the future development and application prospects of muskets until midnight.

When Corullo said something big happened today, Xie Feng suppressed his mental fatigue and listened carefully to Corullo's words.

Corullo said: "Not long ago, King Wilson announced that the whole country would fight against Swadia, launched a unified military conscription, and adjusted the war tax."

"War tax?" Xie Feng asked in confusion: "How come I haven't heard of such a thing?"

Corullo explained: "The so-called war tax is not an additional tax levied because of the war. It is because of the war, part of the original tax revenue must be cut off from other parts of the tax expenditure for the war. For example

The original tax is one hundred dinars. Under normal circumstances, twenty dinars are used to develop agriculture, thirty dinars are used to develop industry, fifteen dinars are used to maintain the construction of the territory, and ten dinars are used to develop the territory.

If the remaining twenty-five dinars are used to pay the soldiers' wages and the remaining twenty-five dinars are used for the lord's personal purposes. Because a war is suddenly about to begin, the distribution of the tax of one hundred dinars becomes

Fifty dinars are used to maintain the war expenditure, and other expenditures are halved - this phenomenon of tax expenditures being adjusted due to the war is called war tax."

"Oh, that's it." Xie Feng suddenly realized: "Then this is a good thing! Even if there is a war, we will not impose additional taxes on everyone. Everyone should agree, right?"

"On the contrary!" Corullo said: "Now the entire Korau...and even the entire Kingdom of Virginia are filled with people demonstrating. They are against the war, and even against you - because your return has not only failed to maintain the

What benefits does the Kingdom of Gia bring? Instead, because of your return, they will provoke a war that they think is unnecessary... King Wilson has been annoyed to death because of this matter, please go back and see

Look!"

So, Xie Feng hurriedly got out of bed, washed his face casually, and before he had time to eat breakfast, he hurriedly got on the ghost and rushed to Kulau.

Chapter 58

When Xie Feng first entered Kulaw, what he saw before his eyes was a mountain of people and a sea of ​​people.

Xie Feng could swear that even on the day of his return ceremony, there had never been so many people in Kulau.

There are crowds of people everywhere on the streets and in the alleys. They are old and young, male and female. They have different looks, but they all wear red headscarves. They are walking in various streets, holding high their hands.

Banners or wooden signs. They shouted loudly, or cursed disorderly, or shouted slogans neatly. Their slogans were inconsistent and did not seem to be uniformly organized. But even so, Xie Feng could hear them.

the meaning to be expressed.

"Against war! Long live peace!"

"Oppose the attack on Swadia! Oppose the war of aggression!"

"Xie Feng steps down! Give me peace!"

"Why use our tax dollars to wage war? Why not give this money to people who need it more?"

"The people are innocent! They cannot be sacrificed to satisfy the ambitions of politicians!"

"If you want to fight a war, spend your nobles' own money! Don't use our precious tax dollars!"

"We don't pay so much tax to send our children to war!"

…

Xie Feng did not expect that the matter had developed to such a serious point.

He originally thought that when he came back, he would promote the alliance of various countries to fight against Swadia, and everything would be so smooth and natural. But he did not expect that there was no formal agreement in Swadia yet.

Before becoming an enemy, he must first stand against these Virginia citizens who should be friends.

Xie Feng riding a high horse was too obvious in the crowd. Soon, someone shouted: "Look! It's Xie Feng! There he is!"

"The devil who wages war!"

"Get out of Korau!"

"Stop this war now!"

"Don't destroy our peace!"

…

Soon, the crowd gradually surrounded Xie Feng.

Xie Feng stood in the crowd, his eyes blank, and he fell into a deep confusion.

I... I am Xie Feng, the heaven-defying knight with a powerful reputation in the mainland... Why do you... why do you seem to regard me as your enemy now?

Xie Feng never dreamed that he would see the disgust towards him in the eyes of these Virginia citizens.

Xie Feng endured the pain in his heart, took out the Wings of Sky Shield from the inventory in public, and hung it on his back.

Fly into the sky!

A pair of wings suddenly appeared on Xie Feng's side. At the same time, Xie Feng also put the ghost under his crotch into an object.

Spreading his wings and flying high, Xie Feng flew towards the castle amidst everyone's unbelievable surprised eyes.

…

At this time, another unexpected thing happened in the lord's hall in Kurao's castle.

Tan Zuo stood in front of four injured guards, the long scythe in his hand dripping with blood. Staring at King Wilson not far away, Tan Zuo asked indifferently: "I'll ask again - where is Xie Feng

where."

King Wilson sighed and said: "Didn't I tell you? He went to the Kingdom of Nord a few days ago - although I recognize you as my brother's former guard, you actually dare to come to my castle to hurt people.

, so as not to take me too seriously, right?"

At this time, twenty of King Wilson's court guards were guarding King Wilson, but King Wilson did not give the order, so they did not dare to rush forward and besiege Tan Zuo.

Tan Zuo slightly apologized: "Actually, I don't want to hurt them, but they blocked me from entering the castle. I had no choice but to resort to this method - I have already made it clear that I have something urgent to see."

"Oh?" King Wilson asked: "Do you have any urgent matter with Xie Feng?"

Tan Zuodao: "Svadia has begun to attack Kugit. And the attack is Lana. If Lana is defeated, then Xie Feng's territory, Malage Fort, will be isolated and helpless. Now Xie Feng is in Kujit.

Gitte's companions are all in chaos, and when the time comes, we still don't know whether to hold on or retreat, so someone must come to ask Xie Feng for instructions."

When King Wilson learned that Swadia had begun to take action again, he was surprised at first, and then said with a smile: "It turns out that you have surrendered to Xie Feng... Could it be that if you can't find Xie Feng, are you in Kuji?"

Don’t those companions of Te’s do anything? Didn’t Xie Feng appoint someone to take charge before he left? Or are your companions in Kujit all useless and opinionated guys?”

"No." Tan Zuo said: "Mr. Dante said that whether he is holding on or retreating, he has a corresponding plan. However, if he is holding on, he must ensure that there are reinforcements to rescue him. Otherwise, it will just be a desperate struggle.

It's meaningless. When you don't know whether reinforcements will come, it's better to retreat to preserve your strength. However, the castle belongs to Xie Feng, and Mr. Ding has no right to abandon the castle on his own initiative, and Lana has not really

was captured. That's why I was asked to come to Xie Feng to discuss it. Of course, the best result is to take Xie Feng back first - after all, everyone still has many things to ask about Xie Feng's identity."

King Wilson said: "You should have seen what is going on outside. Not to mention Xie Feng is not here now, even if he is here, I am afraid he will not be able to go back with you for a while... Well, I allow you to stay in the castle and wait for him

Before you come back, I ask you to put down your weapons."

Gas, the captain of the Guards on the side, said: "Your Majesty, don't talk nonsense to him! He actually dares to use force in the castle, he must be captured and imprisoned! Otherwise, where is the national prestige of the Kingdom of Virginia? I, Gas, please come forward and subdue the rebels.
To be continued...