The craftsmen at the Armor Experimental Field are still hammering away at the trial production of cotton armor, but a new four-wheeled van has already been produced.
We didn't rush to do it in the past because there were too many vans needed for the war, so civilians and auxiliary soldiers were mainly used to push and pull them.
Now, five years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Ju Ming deliberately collects and breeds mules.
A large number of mules and four-wheeled carriages can effectively reduce the number of civilian laborers and improve the speed of logistical transportation - of course, on rugged and narrow road sections, civilian laborers and mules and horses are still needed.
As for why we chose mules, they are easier to raise than horses and more docile and obedient than donkeys.
"This kind of steering four-wheeled vehicle is much more expensive than ordinary four-wheeled vehicles..."
"It can save people and speed up transportation. No matter how high the cost is, it is worth it."
Ju Ming asked the driver to conduct a test drive, and he was very satisfied with the results.
China has had four-wheeled carriages since ancient times, but it has always lacked a steering system because... there is no actual demand.
If the load exceeds a certain level, a large-scale flat cart used for pulling goods needs four wheels to support it. One is to reduce the burden on the animals pulling the cart, and the other is because the wheels and shafts may not be able to withstand it.
However, the speed of hauling several tons of cargo must be very slow. It does not require a special steering system to turn the direction.
As for vehicle shock absorption systems, they have been in existence since ancient times.
One type is called "Futu", also known as "clogs". It is located between the chassis and the axle, and plays a role similar to a car leaf spring. It can not only absorb shock, but also stabilize the axle.
The other type is called "Dangtu", which is a component that connects the shaft and the axle. It also has stabilizing and shock-absorbing effects, and can effectively prevent the shaft from wearing and breaking.
Of course, it is definitely not as good as a spring, let alone a real leaf spring.
Europe, like ancient China, had four-wheeled carriages for a long time. Because the cost was too high and the demand was not great, it never became popular - until the Hussite War!
The Hussite army used four-wheeled chariots as chariots, and then organized these chariots into a vehicle formation. A trench was dug in front of the vehicle formation. Each chariot was equipped with about 20 soldiers, consisting of crossbowmen, halberdiers, sword and shield soldiers, flail soldiers and
Composed of musketeers.
After forming a car formation, use artillery fire to provoke the enemy to attack, then use crossbows and musket fire to rely on the car formation for defense.
After the enemy is weakened and exhausted, and the formation is chaotic, the cavalry and infantry rush out of the vehicle formation to harvest.
It is very similar to China’s vehicle formation tactics.
However, Chinese chariots were pushed by men, while Hussite chariots were pulled by horses.
The role of the four-wheel steering carriage, in addition to its logistics and transportation advantages, is that it can quickly turn in a small range when forming an array.
Now, Ju Ming has created a combination of late Ming chariots and Hussite chariots!
Wei Xuezeng, who was dismissed from office by Zhang Juzheng, personally started to improve sidecars when he was the Minister of the Ministry of War. The equipment of this kind of chariot was crazy.
It does not use iron chains to connect the carriages but erects long spears on a wooden frame. This wooden frame can be disassembled, twelve long spears can be inserted, and placed in the gaps between the chariots to hold back horses.
Each tank is equipped with twenty-five soldiers, and the two French cannons are mounted directly in the tank. There are also thunder cannons on the ground, which are small cannons similar to the squatting tiger cannon. There are also six musketeers, all equipped
Rapid muskets. In addition, there are soldiers equipped with traditional weapons.
It can be called a mobile fortress, but its disadvantage is that it is too bulky and cannot be used for cross-regional and long-distance operations.
"Get it all together and practice!"
Only two four-wheeled chariots were built in total. Following Ju Ming's order, the soldiers moved sandbags onto the vehicles and put various types of ordnance on them.
Sandbags were used to imitate baggage and were replaced by grain bags when marching.
Four mules pull a cart, the driver whips his whip to start, and the soldiers follow closely behind.
They imitated a march, and there were puddles and small slopes in the field. Once the four-wheeled chariot found it difficult to cross, the soldiers came over to help push it.
"Enemy troops are found several miles away, form a formation!"
The driver received the order and quickly turned the mules. The two chariots stopped four or five meters apart.
The coachman first fixed the wheels, then untied the shaft, led the mules away, and pulled them back into the formation to avoid them.
The companions carried the iron chains and got out of the car. Ju Ming did not resist the horse and still used the iron chains. However, four iron chains were hung between the two cars to connect them, which not only made it easier for his own soldiers to remove them, but also made it difficult for the enemy to remove them all.
After hanging up the iron chains, the soldiers went to spread the iron caltrops again.
The soldiers are also in action. When they "marched" just now, all their armor was placed on the car. Now they help each other put on their armor and then pick up various weapons.
The fixed four-wheeled carriage was very stable, and the soldiers fought directly on the carriage.
The baffles on both sides of the carriage have been transformed into anti-arrow fortifications, with special shooting holes left.
The crossbowmen and musketeers quickly stood in the shooting position. The spearmen equipped with waist knives were responsible for protecting them and preventing the enemy from rushing nearby.
The artillerymen also took out the cannons from the cars and placed them on the iron chains between the two cars. These iron chains would not hinder the cannons.
"The enemy is already a hundred steps away!" Ju Ming shouted.
The long-range troops immediately pricked up their ears and listened to the order. If this was an actual battle, larger caliber artillery would have been launched.
The large-caliber field artillery also has a wheeled mount and has undergone a series of changes.
"Bang bang bang!"
"Boom boom boom!"
"Boohoo!"
The flintlocks fired, the cannons fired shotguns, and the crossbowmen fired arrows. They fired alternately, and the area tens of meters ahead was covered with various cannonballs and arrows.
The flintlock muskets that began mass production last year have completely unified calibers and paper-cased ammunition. Although there are slight size differences, they do not affect combat, and soldiers do not need to suppress bullets themselves.
The elite fusiliers can already fire four rounds per minute!
Yang Zhi smacked his lips and muttered: "If I were an enemy general, I would have no idea how to deal with this improved vehicle formation."
Zhang Boring said: "The chariots are thick and heavy, and it is difficult to cross the Yanshan and Taihang Mountains. If we fight the Jin again, Shanxi and Youzhou should focus on defense, while the main force of our army will take the seaside road to Jinzhou. If we capture Jinzhou,
If you go to Liaoyang again, don't attack the Yanshan and Taihang Mountains by force."
Wang Yuan nodded: "We should take Liaodong directly."
The officials of the Privy Council did not want to foolishly fight northward, but now that the tanks have been improved, their views have become more consistent.
What's the point of completely recovering the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun?
That’s a fixed mindset!
A powerful pass like Yanmen Pass is difficult to attack even with artillery. Once it is attacked by force, it will take a long time, consume countless grains, and cause many casualties.
Choose a suitable season to avoid muddy roads, and move the army eastward from Banghai Road. Then let naval ships and transportation move across the sea to cooperate.
One good thing and one strange thing will make it easy to win Jinzhou.
Next, Liaoyang, the hinterland of the Jin Kingdom, was exposed to the Ming Dynasty's military front.
After capturing Liaoyang, the Jin Kingdom was half paralyzed. It was the most important grain producing area of the Jin Kingdom.
Ju Ming said: "Instruct the Ministry of Industry to build 10,000 four-wheeled chariots within two years."
This order can drive the Ministry of Works crazy.
According to traditional practice, the Ministry of Industry will issue orders to various places to summon registered craftsmen to serve. The government only needs to provide materials and food. If the service time is longer, some wages will be given as appropriate.
Nowadays, the head tax paid by craftsmen is used to semi-mandatorily hire craftsmen to work. If there is a shortfall in funds, the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works will allocate funds to supplement the work.
The timber that is usually stockpiled to collect commercial taxes must be taken out at this time and will be uniformly allocated by officials of the Ministry of Industry.
An official from Honglu Temple trotted to the testing site.
"Your Highness, the envoy from the Sedu Kingdom has come to Beijing," said the official of Honglu Temple. "According to the accompanying city officials, this Sedu Kingdom was the former Dashi. After they destroyed Dashi, they have always been the Dashi Kingdom.
, to pay tribute and trade with the former Song Dynasty."
Zhu Ming nodded and said: "I understand, I will summon you on another day."
The Dashi is actually still there, but the monarch has become a puppet.
When the Seljuk Empire captured Baghdad, it took control of the caliphate. The sultan of the Seljuk Empire also forcibly married the caliph's daughter in an attempt to smoothly transfer his legal authority through marriage.
Unfortunately, Seljuk also collapsed.
Today's sultan was created with a knife and a gun. He does not have the blood of the caliph, and his capital is not even located in Baghdad.
Of course, the sultan also made marriages everywhere.
For example, the prince of the Western Kara Khanate was the nephew of the Seljuk Sultan.
Yelv Dashi was able to expand rapidly, thanks to a series of operations by Seljuk Sultan. In order to strengthen his control over the Western Kara Khanate, he designed a trap for the king and then sent a governor to govern. When he found that the governor could not handle it, he let his nephew prince succeed to the throne.
The Western Kara Khanate was in constant civil strife, and Yelu Dashi took the opportunity to take advantage of it (before the decisive battle, many opponents chose to defect to Yelu Dashi).
"Let the local governments post notices to increase the purchase price of mules, and the provincial capital commanders will be responsible for the purchase."
After saying that, Zhu Ming waved his riding crop: "Drive!"
People's fanatical love for mules started in the Ming Dynasty. They are so easy to use. They can be fed with roughage freely. They are strong and good-tempered, and are easier to control than stubborn donkeys.
In the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, European and American countries frantically imported Chinese mules, which played a role in World War I and World War II.
At its peak, there were more mules in the world than horses and donkeys combined.
In the future, when he sends troops to the grasslands and the Western Regions, Ju Ming will let the nomads experience the power of mules. The four-wheeled chariots pulled by mules will become a nightmare for the prairie cavalry.
Privy Council officials and East Palace guards all followed the prince on horseback and gradually slowed down when they reached the residential area on the outskirts of the city.
After they entered the city, the Seljuq envoy also came out of the Sifang Pavilion for a stroll.
Abu saw many people waving and cheering at the group. He pointed at Ju Ming and asked, "Who is that?"
Jian Xun was temporarily summoned by Honglu Temple, and he was accompanied by other officials of Honglu Temple.
"Don't be rude to the prince!"
The officials scolded.
Jian Xun pushed down Abu's arm and reminded him: "The person you are pointing at is the Ming Dynasty Prince. Don't be rude."
Pu Mawu translated: "That's the scholar prince of the Ming Dynasty. You can't point directly with your hands. This is a disrespectful behavior."
Abu asked: "Do we foreign envoys need to kneel down and worship?"
Jian Xun replied: "You don't have to kneel down, but you must salute."
Abu quickly used traditional Persian etiquette.
These guys were so conspicuous that there were even black slaves among the entourage. Ju Ming could see them from a long distance.
As the prince and his entourage passed by, Abu finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked curiously: "Don't the common people here need to kneel down and worship the prince?"
Jian Xun held his head high and said proudly: "His Majesty the Emperor has issued an order that no one is allowed to kneel down except on important occasions such as enthronement and sacrifice. If you kneel down indiscriminately, you will be punished."
Abu was stunned when he heard this.
He returned to the Sifang Pavilion, took out a pen and paper and added a few more sentences: "The emperors and officials of the Ming Dynasty used their noble and benevolent moral character to gain the respect of the people. Jian told me that only when the emperor succeeded to the throne or got married, or offered sacrifices to gods, ancestors
Only on other occasions are people allowed to kneel down. On ordinary occasions, even if you kneel down to a noble, you will be severely punished by law..."
"Therefore, the royal family and officials of the Ming Dynasty were loved and respected by the people from the bottom of their hearts. The prince came on horseback. He was wearing the most gorgeous silk clothes in the world, his manners were elegant, and his behavior was chic. But his subjects took the initiative to get out of the way and stood
People on both sides of the street greeted him, waving their hands and cheering..."