If the weight of field artillery can be reduced to five or six hundred kilograms, Guo Dajing is prepared to reduce the Franco machine and Hongyi artillery attached to the Infantry Association accordingly.
In the Battle of Zunhua, Guo Dajing had discovered that as long as he could destroy Jiannu's carriages, with the infantry firepower of full muskets, the shotgun shells fired by Franco machines were no longer so important.
What's more, field artillery can also fire shotgun shells. In addition to its slow rate of fire, its power and range are greater than those of the Fran cannon.
After comprehensive analysis and weighing, Guo Dajing decided to produce field artillery as support firepower for the infantry, while gradually phasing out the Fran machine cannon and the bulky Hongyi cannon.
Dornaro understood what Guo Dajing meant, which was to bully Jiannu because he had no artillery, or had very few artillery. He did not need to think too much about the artillery produced by his own side, but had some bias.
You must know that the longer the barrel of an artillery gun, the greater the firing chamber pressure and the greater the muzzle velocity, and subsequently the artillery has a longer range and higher accuracy.
On the contrary, the diameter is shorter, the muzzle velocity is lower, the range is shorter, and the weight is lighter, so light that it can even be carried by a horse.
Moreover, the larger the magnification ratio, the greater the recoil of the artillery launch. At the technical level at that time, there was no hydraulic shock absorption, and the important means to offset the recoil was the weight of the artillery.
As long as the characteristics and performance of the required artillery are clear, there is almost no difficulty in manufacturing it. Compared with the smelting of steel, the bronze casting process is already very mature.
"Master Guo." Dornaro accompanied Guo Dajing to continue the inspection. After hesitating for a while, he said, "I may have to leave here and return to my hometown."
Guo Dajing was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Dornaro and said, "Has it been decided?"
Dornaro nodded vigorously, but then added: "But I will leave after I create a cannon that satisfies you."
Guo Dajing nodded lightly and said: "For more than two years, I have gotten along very harmoniously with Mr. Dornaro. Guo admires your professionalism and contribution to the Dongjiang Army very much, and is very grateful."
Guo Dajing still admires the professional ethics of the Portuguese people.
Although there were industrious and intelligent craftsmen in manufacturing guns and cannons, the lack of theory must still be made up by the Portuguese.
The principle of parabola, the initial velocity of launch, and the magnification ratio, for craftsmen who have never studied physical chemistry, they can only memorize them mechanically, and rely more on empiricism.
It is too late to start from childhood. Although the children in the Salesian Home will begin to systematically learn the knowledge of physics, chemistry and geography after their cultural level reaches the required level, this will take at least five or six years.
The fastest way to achieve results is to recruit scholars and directly learn new subjects, that is, scientific knowledge.
Guo Dajing did this, but the intellectuals currently in the workshop are not only small in number, but also do not study and research with peace of mind.
After all, the strange skills of the Western Yi and the craftsmanship that the Chinese people call them are all done by inferior talents.
As for scholars, they either take the imperial examination and become officials, or they work in jobs that do not lose their status. For example, teachers, government officials...
Without fundamental changes in thinking, without a love for and study of science, it will always be counterproductive and not a long-term solution.
Likewise, there is artillery training.
Although all the people taught by the Portuguese were qualified, they knew it but didn't know why. The artillerymen only used small notebooks compiled with fixed data to operate and adjust the artillery.
"Master Guo also takes great care of me, and my life is satisfactory." Dornaro smiled and said, "It is not difficult to recruit gunnery technicians or even artillery instructors from trench mirrors."
Guo Dajing pondered and did not answer immediately. Because he thought of a person and was thinking about whether he could ask for it from the imperial court.
Sun Yuanhua, the most famous scientist in the late Ming Dynasty, was tired of his official career and lost his life, which is really lamentable.
Sun Yuanhua should be in western Liaoning at this time, and Yuan Chonghuan's downfall may be implicated. If he is recruited while he is in trouble, there should be a high possibility of success.
However, I don’t know if Sun Yuanhua is willing to give up his official career, conduct scientific research with peace of mind, become a scholar who introduces Western learning and catches up with world trends, or is called a technical official.
To be honest, Guo Dajing believed that Sun Yuanhua was not suitable for officialdom. Especially in the troubled times of the late Ming Dynasty, Sun Yuanhua's emotional intelligence was obviously flawed.
Dornaro was about to leave, so Guo Dajing was not in a hurry and immediately hired another Portuguese technician.
The production and manufacturing of weapons and equipment has basically been finalized. Whether it is empiricism or copying the gourd, some key craftsmen have been able to complete the current production tasks.
After explaining to Dornaro and others, Guo Dajing, accompanied by Zhao Qingshan, inspected the production conditions of other departments of the arsenal and was very satisfied with the production speed of weapons and equipment.
The responsibility system ensures the quality of weapons and equipment, and the piece-rate commission and reward mechanism enable craftsmen to maintain their enthusiasm for work.
"The main thing is to produce light muskets. Heavy muskets should be outsourced first, and all the troops should be armed as soon as possible." Guo Dajing sat down in the conference room, read various production data, and gave instructions.
It's not that self-produced ones are definitely cheaper than purchased ones. It's not surprising that sometimes it's better to buy them than to make them.
How many years has the Macau Artillery Factory worked? How can the technology and experience be compared to that of the Dongjiang Town Arsenal? Despite Guo Dajing's encouragement, the overall technical level and production speed are still not as good as the Macau Artillery Factory.
Moreover, in addition to the production and manufacturing of muskets, as well as artillery and various ammunition, the arsenal's production has been operating at full capacity.
Recruiting a large number of craftsmen is one way, but with the large supply of land, many people would rather farm than work in factories.
The salary for working in an arsenal is not low. In Guo Dajing's opinion, it is much better to maintain harvests despite droughts and floods than to farm. But the traditional thinking of ordinary people is not like this.
If it weren't for the military household system that still existed in Dongjiang Town and the physical constraints on soldiers and civilians, it is estimated that many craftsmen would have left to manage 180 acres of farmland with their families.
"The production progress is satisfactory, which shows that everyone is serious about their work." Guo Dajing looked around and said with a smile: "Guo has asked Shuai Mao for instructions and has also given preferential policies to the craftsmen in the arsenal."
Don't you want to farm? If you can't do it yourself, your family can! Because you work in the arsenal, your family can enjoy preferential treatment, such as land tax.
A little worse than military personnel, a little better than ordinary people, some discounts can also make people feel that it is a good deal. The key is to get the land and the craftsmen have peace of mind.
The main reason is that there was no pension at that time. Not to mention the common people, even officials had nothing after they resigned or retired from office.
But officials can earn as much as they can while in office, and they don't pay taxes on their family's fields. They don't have pensions, and they can still live a comfortable life.
For the common people, land is their dependence and work to make ends meet. Only with it can they feel at ease. No matter what occupation they are engaged in, going home and farming is the final guarantee.
"The fields around Dalian will be gradually vacated and allocated to the craftsmen in the arsenal." Guo Dajing was very satisfied with the response of the craftsmen and continued to explain: "Ensure sufficient quantity."
Land is increasing, and people are migrating and settling again.
Originally there was only Southern Jinzhou, but later North Jinzhou was recovered, and now there are Fuzhou and Gaizhou. In the past, each commoner could get an average of ten acres of land, but now it is more than twenty or thirty acres; when the entire Liaodong is recovered...
In short, when farming was the main occupation at that time, there should be a relative balance between the number of residents and the number of fields.
This is very considerate and thoughtful. The arsenal where the craftsmen work is relatively close to their houses and fields. They can enjoy a short gathering during the holidays and can even see the harvest of their own fields.
"Master Guo treats us so kindly, what else can we do? Work hard with peace of mind and complete the production tasks with quality and quantity. This is the best gratitude and repayment we can do."
Lu Shiying bowed and his purple-red face showed excitement, expressing his gratitude on behalf of the craftsmen who also showed joy.
Guo Dajing waved his hand calmly and said: "You don't need to thank me for anything. In Dongjiang Town, all soldiers and civilians who contributed to the pacification of Liao and the extermination of the bandits will get the rewards they deserve. After several years of hardship, until today, life will be different."
It’s getting better and better. On behalf of Mr. Hou, Mr. Guo assures everyone that he will not treat everyone who has gone through the difficulties together."
"Thank you Lord Marquis, thank you Guo Shuai."
"With Mr. Hou and Guo Shuai here, life will definitely get better and better."
"It will only take a few years for Liaodong to be annihilated. At that time, the entire Liaodong belonged to our Dongjiang Town. You could plant as many fields as you wanted and in which kind you wanted."
The craftsmen talked a lot, some excited, some happy, some excited, and so on.
The future is undoubtedly bright. Capturing Huang Taiji alive not only swept away the decline of the imperial court and revived the hearts of the people in the capital, but also increased the confidence of the soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town to an unprecedented high.
The policies of Dongjiang Town are also thoughtful and meticulous. The changes in the social environment and the lives of the people are all seen by the craftsmen.
After the war, I no longer work in the arsenal. Farming is the most secure livelihood. With my craftsmanship, opening a shop in a village or town is also a good choice.
You don’t have to worry about your future life, and you have no worries, and you will naturally be full of passion and motivation. The work efficiency and speed of the weapons department or workshop that implemented the craftsman system in the Ming Dynasty cannot be compared at all.
Guo Dajing looked at all this with a smile, and the changes in his mental outlook showed the living conditions and the level of governance from the side.
Just like this year, a large number of people have pre-ordered chickens and sheep, waiting to buy them back from Shandong and Zhili. There are even some people buying piglets.
What does this mean? It means that the people have enough food in their hands, and after filling their stomachs, they work towards a higher standard of life.
Occasionally you can eat eggs and duck eggs, you can eat fish from time to time, and you can eat meat during the New Year and festivals. This is no longer the stage of subsistence and clothing, but the stage of well-off society.
During the great Ming Dynasty, if the heavenly dynasty could not make the people happy and prosperous, then all the nations coming to dynasty would be nothing more than superficial vanity.
The production and manufacturing plan was modified to some extent, and Guo Dajing also ended his inspection and guidance of the arsenal, and took a few soldiers, led by a craftsman, to a village several miles away.
………………
The sun was in the sky, and although it was shining with light, it didn't bring much warmth.
Zhao Qingshan pulled the cart and creaked across the street. He could already see his courtyard and the smoke rising from the chimney.
When he got home, he could have hot meals and be greeted by smiling faces. He was no longer so deserted and lonely. Zhao Qingshan felt warm in his heart and involuntarily quickened his pace.
The woman escaped from the slave-ruled area. She was half a grown-up, but her leg was broken and she could only walk with a limp.
The arsenal was short of handymen for cooking and cleaning, so this clumsy woman was placed here. She worked hard and was praised by everyone for her diligence.
Zhao Qingshan didn't think anything of it at first. He just looked at the woman pitifully and occasionally helped her, thinking it was just a matter of convenience.
Until Zhao Qingshan was supervising the cannon casting, the iron pulley accidentally fell off and injured his arm, so he had to go home to recuperate. The woman volunteered to take care of him and came back every day after work to cook and boil water for Zhao Qingshan.
Things like feelings were not that complicated in ancient times. Especially in Liaodong, men and women who have experienced hardships hope to find support, or psychological comfort.
There is no excitement, and there is no flowers before and under the moon. Perhaps the Zhou family hopes that Zhao Qingshan can make their mother and son have someone to rely on, but there is nothing to do with it. As long as Zhao Qingshan is willing, this is not a bad idea.
There was a sound of horse hoofbeats, and just as Zhao Qingshan was approaching the courtyard gate, Guo Dajing and others arrived.
"Brother Zhao." Guo Dajing jumped off the horse and said hello, threw the reins to the soldiers, and walked over quickly.
"Dajing——" As soon as Zhao Qingshan said this, he felt something was wrong and quickly bowed and saluted: "I have met Guo Shuai."
Guo Dajing stretched out his hand to support him and said with a smile: "Where are all the politeness? It's still the same as before. My name is Brother Zhao, and you can call me Dajing."
"This is impossible." Zhao Qingshan was still very embarrassed and quickly extended his hand to give way: "Sit in the room, please go in and sit!"
Guo Dajing looked around the courtyard, nodded and said, "When I came to visit today, I definitely wanted to sit down and chat for a while."
Zhao Qingshan hurriedly opened the courtyard door, and Guo Dajing's soldiers helped push the firewood cart into the courtyard and brought in the gifts he bought.
When Zhou heard the sound of people, she rushed out of the kitchen. Seeing the soldiers and the horses, she threw her arms around and was at a loss what to do.
Zhao Qingshan hurriedly waved and urged: "Why don't you come over and see Guo Shuai."
Mrs. Zhou walked a few steps, gathered her clothes and bowed down, "The common people have seen Marshal Guo."
"No need, get up!" Guo Dajing smiled, gave him a little support, and said to Zhao Qingshan: "Is this my sister-in-law?"
Zhao Qingshan nodded sheepishly and said: "I injured my arm in the workshop, thanks to her for taking care of me. After these two trips, we got together."
"Guo, thank you sister-in-law." Guo Dajing cupped his hand and said, "Brother Zhao can recover, thank you for your hard work, sister-in-law."