After wandering around outside the city, Ju Ming was invited to be a guest at Zhouya's back house, and by the way, he also brought Zhang Jinping with him.
Yu Wenchang's wife, Mrs. Yang, was born in the Yang family in Chengdu.
This is the most common surname near Chengdu. If several Yang families are included, the number of Jinshi even exceeds that of the Wang family.
Introduce wives to each other, then sit down to eat.
After chatting for a while, Zhu Ming asked casually: "Yu Wen Cuizhong is from the same clan as brother Quan Ke?"
"The families were separated before the founding of the Song Dynasty. I am deeply ashamed of this person!" Yu Wenchang seemed to hate Yu Wenzhong very much because the latter actually became Cai Jing's nephew-in-law.
The Yuwen clan to which Yu Wenchang belonged was originally from Shuangliu County.
Yu Wen Cuizhong, the brother of Yu Wen Xuzhong, was originally from Guangdu County.
In fact, right next to it, at the junction of the two counties, there are some small branches of the Yuwen family, where there are a large number of small and medium-sized landowners and farmers.
Talking about the wealthy families near Chengdu, Yu Wenchang talked about their treasures, which really enriched Ju Ming's knowledge.
After drinking for three rounds, Ju Ming asked: "Are there any rebels (local soldiers) in Lizhou?"
Yu Wenchang said: "There are three types: Tuding, Caiding, and Xiongbian Volunteers, with a total of more than 10,000 people. However, recruitment is not allowed at will. Unless there are internal invaders and foreign invaders, you can apply to the Transportation Department to call in local soldiers."
"If you don't recruit for a long time, you will be underestimated." Zhu Ming said.
"Don't dare to act rashly." Yu Wenchang sighed.
Regardless of whether they are native barbarians or familiar barbarians, since they are nominally affiliated to the Song Dynasty, they have the obligation to send troops to help.
When recruiting native soldiers, the barbarian leaders brought their own armor and rations, and did not need to pay them military salaries. However, after they were assembled, the Han government had to provide them with rations.
In the past few decades, the Qiongbu Sichuan barbarians have been expanding, almost completely annexing the barbarians on the south bank of the Dadu River. The Lianglin barbarians were beaten and had to move further south (Xide County).
Such a situation is not good for government rule.
Moreover, the two forest barbarians also surrendered to the Song Dynasty. They asked for help when they were attacked, and the government should help them settle the matter. However, Lizhou officials only knew how to mediate and ordered the Qiongbu Sichuan barbarians to return some people and property. It was impossible to restore the annexed territory.
As time went on, the Sichuan barbarians of Qiongbu took the imperial court less and less seriously, and the two Lin barbarians also had less and less expectations of the imperial court.
At that time, Zhao Guangyi also made a mistake. Nuoqi, the leader of the Sichuan barbarians in Qiongbu, claimed to be the king of Dali. Zhao Guangyi named him the loyal and shun king.
of dominance.
Ju Ming said: "If we sit back and watch the barbarians fight among themselves, the south of the Dadu River will definitely be annexed by the Dali Kingdom."
"Why do you say that?" Yu Wenchang asked.
Ju Ming explained: "If you do not recruit the barbarian rebels for a long time, the barbarians will become alienated from their morality and will not know how to respect them. When they encounter Dali's attack, they will no longer ask for help from the court, and it will be difficult for the barbarians to unite to resist."
Yu Wenchang was silent and then drank wine: "Don't worry about border troubles. We will wait until the country becomes stronger to deal with them."
This idea is correct. The Northern Song Dynasty really could no longer fight on multiple fronts.
But how could Yu Wenchang expect that the Song Dynasty was already the strongest country at this time and would only become weaker and weaker in the future.
Eventually, during the Southern Song Dynasty, all the territory south of the Dadu River was taken over by the Dali Kingdom. A new Jianchang Prefecture was also established to rule, under the direct jurisdiction of the Gao family of Dali.
If he did not quickly establish his prestige, Ju Ming feared that when he conquered Sichuan, the Sichuan barbarians of the Qiong tribe would march north to invade Hanyuan County.
The Sichuan barbarians in Qiongbu have been watching with eager eyes. If Sichuan is in chaos, they will definitely raise troops.
Of course, before attacking the Qionbu Sichuan barbarians, we must deal with the five tribes of barbarians.
It is inconvenient to display the artillery, so you have to use a trebuchet to defeat five troops.
Returning to the county government house, Zhu Ming immediately dug out the "General Martial Arts". This book contained pictures of various ordnances, which gave him a new understanding of ancient warfare.
For example, the lead vehicle used in sieges has a total length of more than ten meters and a height of more than three meters.
There are wooden boards covered with cowhide to withstand bows and arrows, and there is even a fire extinguishing system.
When this thing drove to the city, it did not hit the city gate, but dug a tunnel directly into the city. The engineers could even take turns working, and when they were tired, they would go back to the carriage shed to rest.
The excavated soil can be used to build a high platform on the spot, and a mountain of earth is built directly under the city. A house built on the top of the mountain is wrapped in cowhide. Hiding behind the hill can prevent arrows, and you can also stand on the top of the mountain and shoot at the city head.
If the moat is not wide, there is no need to fill it with soil, and the folding moat bridge can be pushed across it.
If the moat is too wide, multiple moat bridges can float on the water to connect them.
The ladder is also pushed on wheels. The soldiers sitting in the vehicle are protected from all aspects. They are only exposed when they climb the ladder to attack the city. The ladder is foldable, and the hook firmly grasps the top of the wall. There is a heavy carriage underneath to defend the city.
It was impossible for the soldiers to push away.
The common siege ladder in movies and TV dramas is called a flying ladder. It has wheels on the top. It can be set up quickly by pushing it forward against the wall. There is no need to put it up and put it up again.
"What are you looking at?" Zhang Jinping came in with sobering soup.
Ju Ming said: "The gun carriage."
Zhang Jinping glanced at the graph and immediately said: "I understand this. It is the principle of leverage, which is mentioned in "Tao Yongce"."
"Then do you think it can be improved?" Zhu Ming asked with a smile.
"Improvement..." Zhang Jinping frowned and thought hard.
Ju Ming said: "The efficiency of these artillery carts is too low. The heaviest seven-shooter cannon can only eject shells within a hundred kilograms. It requires one or two hundred people to pull the rope, and its range is only 50 steps (about 80 meters)."
Reducing the weight of the cannon shell can shoot farther, but it still can't compare with the return cannon.
Moreover, the return cannon does not require one or two hundred people, it can be operated by just a few people.
The principle of Hui Hui Pao is very simple, even high school students can understand it.
Ju Ming filled the bamboo pen with ink and began to draw the drawings of the return cannon. The one from the Yuan Dynasty was the original minimalist version, and the one Ju Ming drew was an improved version with the addition of a winch and other devices. Those who have played P Club games must be familiar with it.
"Can you understand?" Zhu Ming pushed the drawing over after finishing it.
Zhang Jinping nodded: "When the weight at the front of the lever falls, the cannonball at the rear of the lever will be thrown out."
Ju Ming said: "This kind of cannon can throw heavy objects, not only the principle of leverage, but also the use of gravitational potential energy."
Zhang Jinping said: "What is gravitational potential energy?"
Ju Ming couldn't explain the acceleration of gravity, so he could only describe it as vividly as possible: "If a stone the size of a fist falls an inch above his head, can it kill this person?"
"No." Zhang Jinping said without hesitation.
Ju Ming asked again: "If a stone of the same size is placed five feet above the head, will it kill someone if it falls?"
Zhang Jinping said: "If you fall from such a height, even if you don't kill someone, you will still get a bloody head."
"This is gravitational potential energy. The higher the height, the greater the weight, and the greater the gravitational potential energy," Zhu Ming said, pointing to the drawing of the return gun. "This kind of gun carriage uses gravitational potential energy to do work. It only takes a few people to operate it. It’s just like one or two hundred people pulling a cannon cart, and the cannonballs thrown are heavier and farther.”
"That's it." Zhang Jinping was very happy. She learned new knowledge again.
Anyway, there is nothing to do in winter. Except for internal affairs in the city, officials hardly go to work outside the city.
Ju Ming called two carpenters to trial-produce a light return gun.
The wood does not need to be dried in the shade. During the siege, the wood is taken locally and is directly dismantled and burned as firewood.
Although the principle is very simple and the drawings have been drawn, the specific dimensions still need to be experimented. For example, the ratio of the lever arms and how to throw it the least effort and the farthest way can be calculated using mathematical formulas, but it is only calculated theoretically.
After repeated improvements, it took only half a month for the first return gun to be produced.
Zhu Ming brought along Bai Sheng, Li Bao, Zhang Bor and other entourage. Two students, Wei Yingshi and Zeng Xiaoduan, were also called. Naturally, they also learned about Zhou Yuwenchang.
"Is this a catapult?" Yu Wenchang was quite surprised. He thought Ju Ming was going to build one that could be pulled by thirty or fifty people.
Several government officials were assigned to assemble a heavy weight box made of wood. If iron blocks could be put in, it would be more powerful. Stones could also be used.
Two people turned the winch and two people helped pull the rope, and the weight box quickly reached the predetermined height.
An irregular stone bullet weighing thirty kilograms was carried into the bullet bag.
"Qiang!"
Ju Ming unsheathed his sword and cut off the straight rope.
The lever rotated and rubbed, making a sound, the weight box fell suddenly, and a stone bullet weighing thirty kilograms was thrown away.
Everyone was stunned.
Yu Wenchang quickly sent someone to measure the range, which was more than a hundred meters away.
If a traditional artillery truck wants to fire such heavy shells, at least fifty or sixty people will be required to pull the rope, and the range is far from reachable.
Ju Ming actually managed it with just a few people.
Yu Wenchang exclaimed: "This is the sacred weapon of the country, comparable to the divine arm bow!"
Zhang Bor and Li Bao looked at each other. They had seen the Crouching Tiger Cannon fired before. Now that Ju Ming had fired back the cannon, they were so shocked that they even doubted whether Ju Ming had really encountered an immortal.
Ju Ming said: "Build it bigger and throw a 50-pound stone bullet. It should be easy to knock down the barbarian bunker, right?"
"As long as it hits the target, two or three cannons will definitely collapse," Yu Wenchang was quite excited. "This thing should be presented to the imperial court!"
This time Ju Ming did not refuse: "I will submit the drawings after the beginning of spring."
The content of the memorial has been thought out, and he will write that Lizhou is very good here, and asks the emperor not to change places for him, but to leave some time to put the five parts in order.
Yu Wenchang said: "With this artifact, the Xixia city will be easier to attack."
However, Zhu Ming was too lazy to discuss Xixia. He handed over his hand and said: "I have another military formation that is suitable for fighting in the mountains of Lizhou. Please give me the infantry for training."
Yu Wenchang thought for a while: "You can try to succeed."
Ju Ming added: "Please allocate three hundred strings to build some special ordnance."
Yu Wenchang said: "Lizhou is poor. Three hundred guan is too much. How about 200 guan?"
"Okay." Zhu Ming agreed.
Each state is poorer than the other. Jinzhou is already poor enough, but Lizhou is even more impoverished.
In fact, it was not poor. Various tribes of barbarians would come to do business. Many barbarian goods could be purchased at low prices and then shipped to Chengdu for sale at high prices. Unfortunately, the mutual trading business was firmly controlled by tea and horse companies, and the yamen at the prefecture and county levels could not make much profit.
Before the Chinese New Year, Ju Ming began to make weapons, shields, wolf mills, etc.
Defeating the five barbarians is only the first step. Ju Ming wants to establish his own prestige. In the future, he plans to recruit barbarian soldiers.
The Yi soldiers in Lizhou had a title called "Xiongbian Yiyong". They were recruited decades ago and were disbanded and no longer used. Ju Ming thought this name was good and he could keep it with him to scare people.
