Chapter 228: The transformation of the flintlock gun
This year's attack on the Chahar tribe robbed a lot of people and livestock, barely able to survive; next year there will be a great famine, forcing Huang Taiji to take military risks and take a detour to plunder the capital.
Yes, in Guo Dajing's view, looting the capital was a military adventure, not a brilliant strategy.
However, he was lucky enough to succeed, but the weakness of the Ming Dynasty was fully exposed. After tasting the sweetness, Jianlu broke into the pass several times and looted wantonly.
It was precisely because of this analysis and judgment that Guo Dajing had to make all-out preparations to seize the turning point of Ming and Jin's strategic situation, inflict heavy losses on Jianlu, and reverse the situation in Liaodong.
After returning to the temporary residence, Fujino Hide greeted Guo Dajing and asked her to sit down and taste her tea art.
Guo Dajing came indoors, and after seeing Fujino, he sat down to drink tea and chat together.
Many of these custom-made porcelains from Zibo, Shandong are of the style determined by Hide Fujino, and she is very satisfied with the finished products and likes them very much.
Fujino loved the tea ceremony and selected a set of tea sets. He wanted to live a peaceful, elegant and pastoral life.
After his daughter got married, he put his worries aside. Guo Dajing understood this idea. When marching and fighting, he no longer needed his father-in-law to follow him, so he arranged a job to train soldiers in the rear.
"The Lin family has shipped fine iron. I see that you are not in a hurry to build a musket. Do you have any other ideas?" Fujino Masa asked with some confusion: "Just buying it from Xiyi is not a long-term solution, right?"
Guo Dajing pondered for a moment and then explained: "It's not that I'm not in a hurry, but I want to make a new type of musket. Since the muskets I bought are enough for the time being, I will build other weapons first."
"New musket?" Fujino Masaru didn't know what the new method was. "Is there any improved method to increase the rate of fire?"
The rate of fire of the musket is a flaw, and Fujino Tadashi first thought of this. If it can be compensated or improved, the power of the musket can be greatly improved.
Guo Dajing nodded and said more confidently: "Not only can it speed up the rate of fire, but it can also increase the density of fire. If successful, the power can be more than doubled."
Not only does the matchlock have the disadvantage of a slow rate of fire, but when used, the musketeers also have to carry a very long matchlock, which is usually wrapped around the body.
In this case, in order to prevent the match rope from accidentally igniting the gunpowder, the musketeers would have to space themselves apart, which meant that the density of firepower was reduced.
The flintlock gun solved this problem, allowing the musketeers to stand very close and fire more dense lead bullets.
At the same time, the flintlock gun can also solve the impact of rain, wind and other weather conditions on shooting to a large extent. When used at night, it does not use an open flame and is more concealed.
Transforming a matchlock gun into a flintlock gun is not a very complicated task. The most difficult thing is the steel piece with greater elasticity, which can make the flint hit the anvil with enough force to burst out sparks.
After more than half a year of experiments, repeated failures, and repeated improvements, Guanglu Island Workshop, under Guo Dajing’s continuous guidance, finally created a qualified elastic steel sheet.
Although the yield is still very low and it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, the amount of elastic steel sheets required is not large.
Based on the existing quantity and the speed of production and manufacturing, Guo Dajing is already confident to start the musket modification and strive to complete it before the end of the year.
According to Guo Dajing's plan, after completing the transformation of the flintlock muskets, he will go all out to build light muskets equipped with bayonets. This is because the number of heavy muskets is basically sufficient given the current strength of the army.
Muskets and bayonets will eventually eliminate pikemen. Except for a small number of crossbowmen and sword and shield men to protect heavy musketeers, there will be no cold weapons in the army.
Fujino Tadashi didn't question Guo Dajing's confidence in detail. He gently nodded and said with a smile: "If you can double the power, wouldn't it mean that there are tens of thousands more horses out of thin air?"
Although it's not very appropriate, it can be said that way.
Guo Dajing took the tea offered by Fujino Hide, took a sip, nodded, and drank another sip.
"Are you thirsty?" Hidetoshi Fujino didn't care whether this was in line with tea ceremony etiquette or not, but her man refused to let him drink water, so she offered him another bowl attentively.
Fujino rolled his eyes. The good atmosphere of the tea ceremony was ruined by these two people.
Fujino Hide didn't take it seriously and smiled and said to his father: "When we get to Dalian, I will ask the craftsmen to build you the best teahouse."
The tea ceremony is very particular about the venue. It can be as small as a tea room or as large as a courtyard. If possible, we strive to arrange it thoughtfully.
Obviously, this made Fujino Tadashi very happy, and he said with a smile: "Then you should work harder. I will choose the tea sets myself."
"You don't like what I picked?" Fujino Hide pouted and said, "These tea sets are so beautiful, they are so pleasing to the eye."
The Japanese tea ceremony believes that drinking tea is a simple thing, and its tea utensils are just like making friends and life. They have no gorgeous appearance, but have exquisite, low-key and careful craftsmanship.
Fujino shook his head slightly and said: "It is precisely because it is so beautiful that it goes against the tea ceremony. The ones you choose should be sold to Jiangnan, not Japan."
Guo Dajing smiled and said: "The first batch of samples have rich colors and patterns, which may not necessarily be unpopular in the Japanese country. Didn't my father-in-law say that Japanese tea ceremony also has different schools?"
Fujino said slowly: "Despite this, the essence of the tea ceremony is 'peace and respect for peace'. If you deviate too much, the guests will laugh."
"Qingji" refers to the aesthetics of coolness, tranquility and leisure; "Hejing" means respect for the guests.
During the entire tea party, there are strict rules from the conversation between host and guest to the placement of cups and chopsticks. There are even fixed rules for which hand the person ordering the tea should extend and which foot to step first. It is precisely the different fixed rules that make Japanese tea ceremony divided into more than twenty schools.
Guo Dajing doesn't want to argue about this. He likes to act as he pleases. Since he likes beautiful porcelain, then just use it. What kind of ideological realm do you have to talk about?!
Anyway, Guo Dajing was prepared to leave the porcelain trade and other businesses to Fujino Hide, as long as he did not lose money.
In terms of military affairs, Guo Dajing will devote most of his energy to firmly grasping the nodes that change history and leveraging the wheel of history.
……………….
There are many people in the world who are ambitious and consider themselves capable. Although many people have high ambitions and low abilities, they are often severely beaten by reality.
For example, Chongzhen thought he was very powerful, but in fact he was not good at all. It was also in the first few years after he ascended the throne that he made constant mistakes and pulled his hips during the critical period of the Ming-Jin struggle, which caused fundamental changes in the strategic situation.
You must know that although the Jianlu occupied almost the entire Liaodong, their production level was low and their population was small. Compared with the behemoth of the Ming Dynasty, they could only be regarded as a separatist regime.
The Ming Dynasty relied on its size advantage and did not need to defeat the Jianlu on the battlefield. As long as it was firmly sealed in Liaodong, the Later Jin Dynasty could not recover from the economic collapse, or even perish.
But Chongzhen, who felt that he was very capable, actually wanted to eliminate the Jianqi and pacify Liaodong in a short period of time, completing the work that his grandfather, father, and brother had not completed.
It was precisely because of his eagerness for success and lack of contact with reality that he was deceived by Yuan Chonghuan, which made the situation in Liaodong and Ming Dynasty even worse, making it difficult to recover.
In the historical research of later generations, some people have made this judgment: If you time travel before the second year of Chongzhen, you may still have a chance to save the Ming Dynasty. On the contrary, there will be no way to save it.
Guo Dajing disagreed with this, but he also agreed with some of the views.
The Jisi Incident was indeed a major change in the strategic situation of both parties. The Ming Dynasty's previous methods and policies for dealing with the Jianlu were disintegrated, and the strategic initiative was permanently lost.
I have been preparing for this day for almost two years, and I can prepare for more than one year.
Guo Dajing placed two samples of flintlock guns on the table and told Zhao Qingshan, the workshop manager, "Gather together capable craftsmen, study them clearly, and then start to transform them with all our strength."
On the second day after returning to Dalian, Guo Dajing rushed to the workshop area that had been set up. Regardless of the craftsmen who moved from Pi Dao, he had appointed Zhao Qingshan as the general manager of the workshop.
Nepotism is inevitable. Zhao Qingshan lacks professional skills, but he is loyal and serious. Guo Dajing can trust him completely and entrust him with important tasks with confidence.
These two flintlock guns were modified in space, using steel sheets produced in the workshop, and the effect met Guo Dajing's requirements.
Guo Dajing cannot do everything on his own. Although the space is convenient, upgrading the workshop to a military factory so that the craftsmen can master higher technologies is a long-term solution.
Zhao Qingshan agreed happily, picked up the wine bottle on the table, and turned around. It was the wedding wine given to him by Guo Dajing, and he was also happy for Guo Dajing from the bottom of his heart.
Sharing weal and woe in the past is an indelible feeling. Watching Guo Dajing step by step to where he is now, he is sincerely gratified.
The modification and reloading of muskets are also planned. The craftsmen must first be proficient in it, and then the units to be replaced can be arranged based on the specific output.
Changing equipment is only the first step. Next, the musketeers must undergo adaptive training, and the officers must be trained and drilled in new tactics.
Only in this way can we ensure that the combat effectiveness of the troops will be definitely improved after changing weapons.
The fine iron transported by Lin Tiansheng solved the problem of materials for making muskets.
In addition to transforming the flintlock musket, Guo Dajing also arranged the work of building the musket. This was no longer a matchlock gun, but a brand new flintlock musket.
Of course, the newly built flintlock gun is lightweight, capable of long-range output, and can also be equipped with a bayonet for melee combat.
Jianlu's heavy armored soldiers have certain defensive capabilities against light muskets, but after all, there are not many of them. They can only be used as the first wave of dead soldiers during the attack.
However, the armor equipped by most of the Jianlu soldiers fighting against the Dongjiang Army was not sufficient to withstand the damage of light muskets within the effective range.
This reason is also very simple. Jianlu are all cavalry. How can they carry too much weight to ensure their maneuverability?
There was not much time, so Zhao Qingshan summoned a dozen skilled craftsmen and rushed to listen to Guo Dajing's arrangements and instructions.
Guo Dajing took the musket and explained to the craftsmen the key points of the transformation and the corresponding principles.
Open the hammer holding the flint piece, and then pull the trigger. The flint piece hits the anvil next to the ignition hole, and the sparks ignite the ignition powder...
The action and procedure are the same as those of a matchlock gun, except that the matchlock is replaced by flint, and a considerable amount of force is required to strike the sparks.
"This is similar to the fire starter at home." An old craftsman took the musket, tried using it, and expressed his thoughts.
Guo Dajing nodded and said: "The daily flint and fire sickle struck to make fire have the same principle as this musket."
It's the same impact, so there's really no difference. It's just that if craftsmen can understand it this way, they can better grasp the principle.
When the percussion flintlock musket first came out, the resistance it encountered was that people were worried that the fired sparks would not be enough to ignite the gunpowder.
But in fact, the matchlock gun sometimes misfires, because a layer of ashes left over from burning will form on the surface of the matchlock, preventing the burning part from fully contacting it.
Therefore, experienced musketeers will blow on the match rope when installing it to blow off the ash on it to ensure the fire rate.
According to historical data, the firing rate of a flintlock gun is between 75 and 80%, which is slightly lower than that of a matchlock gun.
But in terms of comprehensive quality considerations, whether in terms of concealment, rate of fire, firepower density, etc., the flintlock gun completely beats the matchlock gun.
Moreover, Guo Dajing's prototype gun integrated the fire anvil and the medicine tank cover. When the fire anvil was in the ready state, it covered the medicine tank to prevent the ignited gunpowder from spilling out.
A simple structure can keep the musket in a ready state, without the need to prepare smoldering ropes and other cumbersome pre-launch actions.
At the same time, it is not complicated to convert a matchlock into a flintlock gun. Historically, when flintlock guns became popular rapidly, almost all blacksmiths and watchmakers switched to gun-making work.
The key is to have a sample gun. Whether it is small linked parts, anvils, hammers, etc., they can be manufactured immediately according to the pattern. At most, it is polished by hand, which takes a lot of time and effort.
Snap, snap, snap!
The craftsmen gathered together, repeatedly testing new muskets, and talked about their opinions and suggestions.
Guo Dajing didn't push it. The principle was simple and there were ready-made patterns for imitation. For craftsmen, it was almost a task with no technical difficulty.
"Sir, they think there is no big problem, and they can start trial production immediately." Zhao Qingshan came over, bowed and told Guo Dajing: "It may be a bit slow at the beginning, and it requires a skilled process."
Guo Dajing nodded, coughed dryly, and after all the craftsmen calmed down, he said loudly: "A certain person has asked Mao Shuai for instructions. The salary of craftsmen is the same as that of soldiers, seven coins of silver and one hu of rice per month. Those who innovate and invent and do outstanding work will receive another salary per month."
There is a reward of one to five taels of silver."
After a brief moment of shock, there was a roar, and the craftsmen were surrounded by surprises.
Although various measures proposed by Guo Dajing have changed the treatment of military households to a great extent, their status is still that of military households.
As long as he is still registered as a military household, it will be easier for the government to continue to recruit troops, recruit soldiers, etc. This is also the benefit of the wartime mechanism. Guo Dajing understands the importance, so how can he easily change it?
In other words, the entire army and civilians of Dongjiang Town are still both soldiers and civilians, and can quickly mobilize all their strength.
The same goes for craftsmen, who are registered under the military register and work to support their families. Guo Dajing improved their salary without changing their status, but also improved their enthusiasm for work.
The craftsman household system in the mainland has been riddled with many drawbacks. The government's control and exploitation caused craftsmen to resist by sabotaging work, cheating, and fleeing. This was also the main reason for the poor quality of the Ming army's weapons and equipment.
Guo Dajing has no idea of radical reform for the time being. On the premise of maintaining the wartime mechanism, he can only improve the treatment of craftsmen so that they can work harder and harder, and his family can live a better life.
"Thank you, sir."
"Thank you, sir."
The craftsmen slowly woke up and bowed to Guo Dajing one after another, which won him another wave of hearts.
"No need to be polite, this is also a reward for your hard work." Guo Dajing waved his hand gently and said with a smile: "When Dongjiang Town regains more lost land, you, like the soldiers, can also receive land and enjoy preferential policies."
The real benefits are given, and all that's left is to look to the future and draw the pie. But Guo Dajing has this confidence, but he is not making blind promises.
Let everyone have a goal and expectations for the future. Whether they are soldiers or civilians, they must inspire vigorous vitality and enthusiasm.
What Guo Dajing did was not unusual at the time. But the difference was that he was doing his best to realize it. Even if it was in stages, even if it was just a little bit of change.
The soldiers and civilians of Guanglu Island feel this the most deeply. In less than a year of operation, Guo Dajing has changed their lives, with more smiles on their faces and more meat in their bowls.
The craftsmen left one after another with excitement, excitement and gratitude. Guo Dajing left Zhao Qingshan alone and called him "Brother Zhao" in front of everyone.
Most of the craftsmen from Pidao headquarters and various islands have moved to Jinzhou. There are many people and chaos, and it is not ruled out that there are some people who are pretentious, or they used to be small bosses who think they are great and don't listen to manipulation.
Guo Dajing asked Zhao Qingshan to serve as the director of the firearms workshop, so he would help him establish his authority, let everyone know that he had a close relationship with Zhao Qingshan, and also facilitate Zhao Qingshan's management and supervision.
After everyone left, Guo Dajing poured a cup of tea for Zhao Qingshan with his own hands and said with a smile: "Brother Zhao, you are still alone. Have you ever thought about finding a woman and starting a family?"
Zhao Qingshan chuckled, waved his hand and said: "If one person is full and the whole family is not hungry, he can do whatever he wants. I think it's pretty good."
"That's not what you said." Guo Dajing said: "You are only a few years older than me. Why do you plan to live alone for the rest of your life? There is a woman to take care of you. When you go home, you can sit on a hot kang and have hot meals to eat. You don't have to carry firewood to make a fire.
It’s great to be busy!”
"This -" Zhao Qingshan was embarrassed to refuse bluntly, and said perfunctorily: "Don't worry, we will talk about it when we meet the right person."
Guo Dajing thought for a while and said, "Okay, we'll talk about this later."
Zhao Qingshan stood up and was about to leave, but Guo Dajing stretched out his hand to stop him and said: "If there are fried wings in the workshop that refuse to obey, you don't have to be polite. I will leave the soldiers guarding the workshop and they will listen to your orders."
Zhao Qingshan laughed, puffed out his chest and said with great confidence: "Do you still need soldiers? In the hands of a certain person, no one dares to disobey."
"That's good. If you have any difficulties in the future, just come to me directly." Guo Dajing stood up and saw each other off directly outside the house.