Early the next morning, Pi Xiangyang found Tang Qi, the new director of the Gunpowder Bureau. Tang Qi was sixty years old and had a lot of experience. He was originally the deputy director of gunpowder in the Liao Kingdom. After the fall of the Liao Kingdom, he returned to his hometown of Taiyuan for several years. Jin Bing
After attacking the Song Dynasty, he returned to Yanshan Mansion and was later hired by the Jin State as a gunpowder craftsman. He retired from the official position last year and was invited by Wan Yanchang to Daming Mansion to take charge of gunpowder production.
"I read the information all night, and I found that the reason given by the firearms maker was that we and the Western Army had different types of gunpowder, so we couldn't make iron fire mines. Does Mr. Tang think it's possible?"
Tang Qi sneered and said: "That's their excuse for not being able to create Iron Fire Thunder. Even Marshal Du didn't believe what they said, but there was no other way. Yang Jinggong did find some clues before, but it's a pity that he was burned to death. I doubt it."
He was killed by Western Army spies."
"Is it really possible that the types of saltpeter used in the two are different?" Pi Xiangyang continued to ask.
"I make gunpowder, how could I not know, let's put it this way! The gunpowder I made is exactly the same as the gunpowder used by the Song Dynasty Gunpowder Bureau. In the first year of Jingkang, Li Gang had already made iron fire thunder, but it was unstable and most of it was unstable.
It is a dumb cannon, and at most one out of ten will explode. This may be a problem with the casting of the iron shell, but there is no problem with the gunpowder, but maybe the gunpowder formula will be slightly adjusted, and I don’t know the details.”
Pi Xiangyang added: "I read the information and said that an iron fire mine was obtained before, but later all the tests were used up and it was not developed. Could it be that this is a fake iron fire mine and induces us to take detours?
.”
"Your suspicion is very likely, because the gunpowder maker who saw the iron fire thunder told me that the powder of gunpowder is very fine, as fine as dust. I feel something is wrong. According to my experience, the finer the gunpowder, the more it burns.
The speed is not fast. It needs some loose particles to burn faster. But I don’t make firearms and have no say. Although I understand a little bit, it’s hard to say anything!”
"I understand, thank you, Mr. Tang!"
Tang Qi smiled and said: "Marshal Du asked you to get the iron fire thunder formula and samples, where are you going to start?"
Pi Xiangyang said lightly: "Based on my understanding of the Western Army, it is almost impossible to break through from any Western Army to obtain the formula and Iron Fire Thunder. I want to find a way from the direction of the user, or make Iron Fire Thunder.
As long as I look carefully for the craftsmen, I will definitely gain something."
"Not bad! Not bad! I can give you a clue."
Pi Xiangyang perked up and said quickly: "Please give me some advice, Mr. Tang!"
"The Tokyo Firearms Bureau made iron fire mines back then, but they were not taken seriously. They were all destroyed. The drawings and formulas are gone. But what about the craftsmen of the Firearms Bureau at that time?
In the second year of Jianyan's reign, when I was preparing to return to Yanshan Prefecture, I met two gunpowder makers from the Tokyo Firearms Bureau. They were from Taiyuan Prefecture. After Bianliang City was destroyed, they also returned to their hometowns. One of them was named Xin, and the other was named Xin.
Wu, they should have participated in the development of Iron Fire Thunder, but it has been 20 years, and I don’t know if they are still alive. They should be about sixty years old now, and I don’t know which county in Taiyuan Prefecture they are in.
However, there may be information in the old official files, and there may be hope if we find these two."
Pi Xiangyang nodded and said, "Maybe this is Chen Qing's flaw."
Zhong Huan led 300 elites into three groups and rushed to Taiyuan City.
Although Jin Kingdom spies exist independently in Jingzhao, Taiyuan does not. Taiyuan City is the location of the intelligence headquarters of the entire Yongwang District.
This was also the reform carried out by Pi Xiangyang after he became the intelligence chief. To avoid the sharp edges of the Western Army's internal guards, ten spies were placed in Jingzhao, each of whom had a single line of contact with Pi Xiangyang.
Zhong Huan met Niu Gao, the military envoy on Hedong Road. Niu Gao immediately lent the old military envoy official office to Zhong Huan for use and promised that he could mobilize troops to assist Zhong Huan at any time.
But the first thing Zhong Huan had to do was to go to the Wangji Leather Shop in the south of the city to observe. Lu Mengda and Wang Jinniu both confessed that the Wangji Leather Shop was Jin Bing's intelligence headquarters in Taiyuan.
However, Zhong Huan didn't hold out much hope. Since Lu Mengda and others were arrested, the Taiyuan Intelligence Headquarters must have moved to another location.
Sure enough, the door of Wangji's leather goods shop was closed, with a big iron lock hanging on the outside, and a store closing notice posted on the door. Due to poor management, the store closed down. I feel sorry for all the regular customers.
Zhong Huan immediately sent several of his men to monitor the store and arrest anyone immediately if they showed up.
In addition to Wang Ji Leather Shop, there is another more secret clue, that is, Pi Xiangyang's woman. Wang Jinniu told Zhong Huan that such a woman existed. Lu Mengda further explained the clues about this woman. This woman's surname was Jiang, and she was a
Wu Ji, no one knows where she lives, but Lu Mengda knows that she has a brother named Jiang Ping, a rogue in Taiyuan City who likes to cause trouble.
Although Lu Mengda didn't know where Jiang Ping lived, it was enough to know that he was a scoundrel in Taiyuan City.
Zhong Huan immediately came to the county government office. When the county magistrate Peng Shirong heard that the case was being investigated by the internal guards, he did not dare to neglect it and immediately called for Wang Jian, the head of the capital. After hearing Zhong Huan's request, Wang Jian immediately said: "I'm here to inquire. It shouldn't be a big problem."
, there will be news tomorrow morning."
Zhong Huan then asked: "Try to keep a low profile and don't let anyone know that we are looking for this Jiang Ping."
"General, don't worry, I will do everything right!"
At the same time that Zhong Huan was looking for Jiang Ping, in an unknown mansion outside Taiyuan East City, a middle-aged man was arranging tasks to several of his subordinates.
A middle-aged man named Song Kuan is Pi Xiangyang's deputy. When Pi Xiangyang is away in Taiyuan, he is in charge of the operation of the intelligence station.
"I just received a letter from Feige from the general manager. He is on his way to Taiyuan, but let us do two things first. The first thing is to send three hundred taels of silver to Wu Yasi, Lao Liu, Wu Yasi
It's your responsibility, it's up to you to handle this matter."
A man in his thirties said: "I have no problem handling it! Give me the money."
Song Kuan glared at him, "I'll give it to you, why are you so anxious?"
Another subordinate next to him asked: "Didn't the manager say that Wu Yasi is unreliable? Don't deal with him in the future. Why do you want to give him money again?"
Song Kuan snorted and said, "Don't ask too much about this kind of thing. Just do what the manager tells you."
"Hey! That Wu Yasi gave me false information last time, which caused me so much misery, and now he wants to give him money again. I will speak first. If it is false information again, it has nothing to do with me!"
Song Kuan said coldly: "Go and tell the manager yourself!"
He Liutong lowered his head and dared not say a word.
After a pause, Song Kuan explained again: "The manager also told me that he wants to send some money to the madam. Liu Kai, please find a time to send thirty taels of silver to the madam."
"Okay! I'll go early tomorrow morning."
Song Kuan thought for a while and said: "Send the money and go in the afternoon. You go to the military camp to find Zhou Qing early tomorrow morning. I have important things to tell you."