Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 529 Paper Armor (Part )

Yang Jia brought Chen Baxian to the iron smelter.

I saw Zhang Sili pointing at the blocked iron smelting canal and saying:

"General, look, this is the molten iron from the smelting of Liang Dynasty iron coins. It is totally unusable! God knows what these guys mixed in the iron coins!"

Yang Jia looked at the turbid molten iron and still didn't understand what he meant.

However, Chen Baxian had served as an official in the Southern Dynasty, so he understood what Zhang Sili meant.

Just like adulterating copper coins, the iron smelting department of Southern Liang also madly mixed a lot of cheap metals into the iron coins, making a big hodgepodge.

Iron is already a cheaper metal than copper. These coin minting officials have gone to such extremes to make money.

After listening to Zhang Sili's explanation, Yang Jia's face turned ugly. He said:
“Can it be separated?”

Zhang Sili said:
"Yes, it is possible, but this molten iron cannot be made into weapons. We can only try to make armor."

"Even if it is made into armor, it can only be made of cheaper cloth and paper armor."

This was the first time Chen Baxian had heard of this kind of armor. Zhang Sili said:
"This is the armor invented by my master, and it was praised by Duke Su. My master has now been promoted to the position of Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works!"

After hearing this, Chen Baxian also put away his contempt for Zhang Sili.

Yuwenlang of the Ministry of Works, this is already a mid-level official!
A mere craftsman was promoted to such an important position just by inventing a set of armor.

As expected, people all say that Duke Su knows how to use people well and only looks at their abilities rather than their backgrounds. This is all true.

"Paper armor, as the name suggests, is armor made of paper."

"Paper armor? Can it be used in battle?"

Zhang Sili glanced at Chen Baxian and ordered his apprentice to bring a set of armor.

This set of armor is not the full body armor used by elite troops, but it is thicker than the leather armor used by cannon fodder. It can be considered a special half-body armor.

This kind of paper armor is not made of paper, but is made of cloth armor filled with paper tendons, and some iron blocks are stuffed in for defense at key locations, and finally sewn with cloth.

Zhang Sili continued:

"Elaborately crafted paper armor cannot be penetrated even by bows and arrows."

Yang Jia and Chen Baxian were a little unconvinced, and Zhang Sili said:
"Just give it a try, General!"

After saying this, Zhang Sili actually put on paper armor himself and stood in front of Yang Jia.

Yang Jia was a veteran, but he had never seen anyone risking his life so much. If he shot and killed his clerk with an arrow, he would not be able to explain to Governor Hou.

He quickly waved his hands and asked Zhang Sili to take off the paper armor and put it on the dummy.

Then Yang Jia drew the bow, using about 50% of his strength, and shot an arrow at the paper armor. Sure enough, the arrow head penetrated the paper armor but failed to penetrate it!

Now Yang Jia and Chen Baxian both gathered around Zhijia and started discussing.

Chen Baxian took apart the paper armor and found that the arrow had already sunk into it. If Yang Jia used a little more strength, it could really penetrate the paper armor.

"If the general uses all his strength, he can still penetrate the paper armor, but it is really difficult for ordinary archers in the army to hurt soldiers wearing paper armor."

Yang Jia also nodded. There are different levels of archers in the army. He is an ordinary sharpshooter with good accuracy but not much strength.

There are experts in the army who can even shoot through iron armor with a bow, let alone paper armor.

But this does not mean that paper armor has no value.

On the contrary, paper armor that can defend against most bows and arrows is even more valuable than iron armor.

Yang Jia immediately stood up and asked:
"How much does the paper armor cost?" Zhang Sili asked:
"If we use the molten iron made from this inferior iron coin to make iron bars, there are many bamboo forests in Shuzhong, and the cost of paper mills is low, the cost should be one tenth of that of iron armor!"

Hearing this, Yang Jia and Chen Baxian were both shocked.

No wonder Su Ze gave the craftsman who invented paper armor the title of Yuwenlang of the Ministry of Works!
With this cost plus the defensive power, paper armor can be equipped on a large scale to the army that was originally used as cannon fodder!
When it comes to equipment, the more the better.

Even soldiers with lower combat effectiveness will have their combat effectiveness increased even higher after using equipment.

If two people, a strong one and a weak one, fight with bare hands, the strong one will definitely win.

But if they have weapons, the weak ones may fight back.

Everyone knows this.

But no matter where the army is, good equipment is in short supply.

A general cannot equip all his soldiers with the best armor and weapons.

Low-cost paper armor, equipped to ordinary soldiers, can play a huge role on the battlefield!

Zhang Sili continued:

"In fact, paper armor is more suitable for fighting in the south. Paper armor is lighter than ordinary armor and is easy to take off after falling into the water. It will not sink to the bottom of the water like wearing iron armor, leaving no chance of escape."

"The southerners are good at bows and arrows, and paper armor is sufficient to defend against ordinary archers."

Seeing that Yang Jia's shot almost pierced through the paper armor with just one shot, Zhang Sili felt a little scared of his own recklessness and impulsiveness, and his attitude towards Yang Jia became much more respectful.

Yang Jia did not care about Zhang Sili's change of attitude, but said happily:
"How many people do you need? What kind of workshop do you want to build? This general will fully support you!"

Paper armor is indeed the most suitable armor for fighting in the south!
With paper armor, ordinary soldiers can now fight against the elite troops of Southern Liang!

Chen Baxian looked at the paper armor in his hand and felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

After all, the Southern Dynasty was his mother dynasty, and his clan was still in the Southern Dynasty.

But how can this be compared?
The ruler of Southern Liang was incompetent, and the crown prince, who was once considered to be virtuous, passed away. Now a struggle for succession has broken out.

Everyone in the Southern Liang government and the country was only thinking about making money, and never thought about what to do if the day came when the North moved south?
On the other hand, here, everyone from top to bottom is preparing for war, making preparations to unify the world.

From Su Ze to a craftsman in Baidi City, everyone devoted themselves to this war.

How can the Southern Dynasty win?
The reason why they haven't moved south yet is because the north has not yet been unified.

Once the North is unified, the Southern Dynasty will be overthrown.

Chen Baxian could only adjust his mentality. After all, he had submitted his proposal in advance.

The person who had the same mentality as Chen Baxian was Gao Huan outside the Great Wall.

During these three months, Gao Huan was oppressed by Yuwen Tai to the point of suffocation.

After taking control of Goguryeo, Yuwen Tai, stationed in Pingcheng, sent Goguryeo troops across the Yajiang River to attack the Khitan tribes.

This put great pressure on Gao Huan. The Khitan King sent several envoys in succession, asking Gao Huan to abandon the attack on Shanhaiguan and return to rescue.

However, when Gao Huan received the news about the war in the Central Plains, he slumped dejectedly on his chair.

Gao Huan certainly saw the situation clearly. Now that Erzhu Rong had retreated to Bingzhou, if Jizhou was lost, then they would completely lose the possibility of dominating the world.

Those of us outside the Great Wall and these Khitans would never be able to resist Su Ze, who had integrated the entire Central Plains.

The reason why it is lingering on is that the area outside the Great Wall is the corner of the chessboard, and no one has noticed it yet.

Where should I go?
(End of this chapter)