Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

Zhao Wenkai is a thin, fair-skinned young scholar. He feels like he will be blown away if the wind is a little stronger when he stands there. Just like those technical geeks in later generations, if it is just a conversation, he can't say a word, but if you talk about his profession, he will talk to you nonstop for a whole day without stopping.

Huang Minggang appeared to be a simple, honest old farmer, his face deeply wrinkled by the passage of time. However, upon speaking with him, Chongzhen was struck by the hidden wisdom within him. His words were concise, yet each one hit home. While he displayed due respect towards the emperor, his deep eyes revealed a calmness and composure that came from deep within.

As a descendant of Mozi, he possessed exceptional skills and a thorough understanding of all craftsmanship techniques. Even more remarkable was his exceptionally keen comprehension, the ability to quickly discern the essence of things. When Chongzhen reviewed his modified artillery carriage, he merely casually mentioned some later-era perspectives and concepts, and he instantly grasped their meaning and swiftly offered practical solutions. Chongzhen was filled with praise for his agility and insight.

After Xie Quanfeng took Chongzhen to see the artillery carriage designed by Huang Minggang, they came to the place where the flying cannon was stored.

The Feiling Cannon was meticulously forged from wrought iron, with a slender barrel approximately one foot long and a bore three inches wide. Its projectile was cylindrical, approximately four inches long and two and a half inches in diameter. This type of Feiling Cannon employed explosive shells in cast iron shells equipped with time-delay fuses. The shells were filled not only with gunpowder but also with poison, known as "flowering shells." To fire, the cannon was loaded with ten ounces of gunpowder as propellant, and then the fuses of both the barrel and the shell were simultaneously ignited. The propellant instantly unleashed a powerful thrust, propelling the shell from the barrel like an arrow from a bow. The shell arced through the air, and at a specific distance, the time-delay fuse ignited the gunpowder within. Instantly, a burst of flames shot skyward, and the shell exploded with a powerful force capable of inflicting heavy casualties on nearby enemies, with a range of up to two hundred steps.

In Chongzhen's eyes, this flying cannon was just like the mortar of later generations. Both relied on the powerful thrust generated by the explosion of gunpowder to project explosive and lethal shells in a parabolic trajectory. The shells exploded when they approached the target landing point, causing huge damage to the enemy.

The Feiling Cannon was widely used on the battlefields of the Ming Dynasty, particularly during the Jiajing reign. The Ming army undertook a series of remarkable improvements, making it lighter and easier to carry while retaining its powerful force. This cannon not only delivered precise strikes at long range, but also proved valuable in close combat. Its versatility as a melee weapon made it a versatile and highly practical weapon on the battlefield. Furthermore, the Feiling Cannon could be used as a war hammer in close combat, much like the legendary three-barreled cannon, capable of both long-range and close-range strikes, each offering unique advantages in different combat scenarios.

It's puzzling that such a practical cannon was later abandoned. Fortunately, Chen Wenkai, with his foresight, rediscovered it and experimented with it. Combined with carefully improved gunpowder and ingeniously modified by Chen Wenkai, the Feiyan Cannon's power leaped forward, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, once again radiating its remarkable brilliance.

"How many of these flying cannons have been produced now?" When Chongzhen saw this rare and good thing, his eyes suddenly flashed with excitement and he asked impatiently.

"So far, I have done more than ten courses in total." Xie Quanfeng answered truthfully.

"Keep making it, don't stop!" Chongzhen said loudly and excitedly, his tone full of cherishment and expectation for this kind of artillery.

"Yes!" Xie Quanfeng accepted the order.

After visiting Xie Quanfeng's laboratory, Chongzhen felt even more confident about the future.

The exceptional talents and outstanding performance of Chen Wenkai and Huang Minggang convinced him that, through their efforts, the development of firearms would usher in a new era for the Ming Dynasty. Chongzhen was also filled with anticipation for the new army he had meticulously prepared, as if he could already see it galloping across the battlefields of the future, its invincible glory.

"Thank you, sir. How is the training of the new army going?" Chongzhen asked with concern.

"After this period of arduous training and rigorous elimination, most of the new recruits are now able to strictly follow the training manual to complete all combat preparations." Xie Quanfeng said after a moment's thought, "However, these soldiers have not yet experienced the harsh trials of war. I cannot say for sure how they will perform on the battlefield."

"Yes, a soldier who has never been on the battlefield, fired a gun, or seen blood cannot be called a real soldier..." Chongzhen nodded slightly and said thoughtfully: "In a few days, Lord Shi will lead his army north to Shandong. Can you provide some qualified new troops?"

"This..." Xie Quanfeng frowned, looking troubled. After hesitating for a long time, he said, "I can only send out a thousand people at most. The others need further training."

"Good!" Chongzhen was overjoyed when he heard this. He originally thought that 500 people were the limit for the expedition, but he did not expect that Xie Quanfeng could actually send out 1,000 people. This far exceeded his expectations. How could he not be extremely happy?

Seeing Chongzhen's happy expression, Xie Quanfeng realized belatedly that he seemed to have said too much. He couldn't help but reveal a regretful smile on his face, secretly regretting his impulsiveness in his heart.

"Haha, how can you train soldiers like these without sending them to the battlefield?" Chongzhen laughed and patted Xie Quanfeng's shoulder vigorously, saying, "Also, these people can take this opportunity to verify the effectiveness of new tactics on the battlefield. The People's Army is starting from scratch now. Only by continuous combat and continuous improvement can we slowly build a new type of army."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right." Xie Quanfeng nodded quickly and agreed deeply with Chongzhen's views.

"What do you think of Chen Wenkai? How about letting him take charge here?" Chongzhen asked with a firm look after pondering for a moment.

"I am capable of taking on this responsibility." Xie Quanfeng said without hesitation: "I originally wanted to talk to His Majesty about this matter..."

"Okay, then let him take charge of this area temporarily, and let Huang Minggang be his deputy to protect him." Chongzhen nodded decisively and said, "You can also take time off from here. I have more important things for you to do."

Chongzhen was extremely satisfied with Xie Quanfeng's performance during this period. Whether it was the research and development and innovation of firearms or the training and management of the new army, he achieved remarkable results, far exceeding his initial expectations.

Chongzhen secretly congratulated himself for having discerningly chosen such a rare talent as Xie Quanfeng. Since Xie Quanfeng possessed such exceptional talent, he naturally had to be entrusted with greater responsibilities, allowing him to fully display his talents and contribute more to the revival of the Ming Dynasty.

"I will follow your majesty's arrangements." Xie Quanfeng was ecstatic when he heard this, and his excitement was beyond words.

While he wasn't averse to researching firearms and had made some achievements in it, what he longed for most was to command a vast army, gallop across the battlefield, achieve great feats, and leave his name in history, rather than being confined to a laboratory for an extended period, immersed in the research and improvement of firearms. Now that Chongzhen had given him a new opportunity and mission, how could he not be filled with excitement and anticipation?

"There's one thing you need to prepare for." Chongzhen pondered for a moment and then said slowly, "This matter is related to the long-term development of the Ming army. It is also the foundation of a strong country and a strong army..."

Hearing Chongzhen's serious words, Xie Quanfeng was even more excited and asked hurriedly, "Your Majesty, what do you want me to do?"

"I plan to open a royal military academy to train military talents for the army. I leave this matter to you." Chongzhen said with a smile, his eyes full of longing and expectation for the future.

"Royal Military Academy?" Xie Quanfeng was stunned when he heard this, and asked with a puzzled look on his face, "What is this for?"

"To put it simply, it's martial arts," Chongzhen explained with a smile.

"Martial arts?" Xie Quanfeng originally thought that he might be asked to lead the People's Army this time, but he didn't expect that Chongzhen would actually ask him to run a martial arts school. He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

Martial arts had a long history in the Ming Dynasty, having already been established during the first year of Emperor Huizong's Jianwen reign. They were divided into the Jingwei Wuxue and the Weiwuxue. The Jingwei Wuxue taught young officials of the capital's garrisons, inheritors of noble titles, and martial arts students. Separate schools were established to accommodate the number of students. The Jingwei Wuxue had a ninth-rank professor, while the instructors in the schools were not yet of the rank.

In addition to studying books such as "Records of Ministers of All Dynasties," martial arts students were also required to master the "Wu Jing," "Sun Yat-sen's Classic of War," and "Wu's Classic of Military Strategies." The ultimate goal was to cultivate skilled archers and horsemen, well-versed in military tactics, with far-sighted strategies and a knack for both civil and military affairs, thus cultivating qualified military commanders and commanders for the Ming Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Chongzhen, the Ming Dynasty was plagued by internal and external troubles and was in dire straits. Urgently in need of military talent, Emperor Chongzhen issued an edict ordering all prefectures, states, and counties across the country to establish martial arts schools. This initiative also significantly promoted the practice of martial arts, and many students entered the army as officers through martial arts training, meeting the rulers' military needs to a certain extent and improving the army's combat capabilities.

"Quanfeng, the Royal Military Academy I'm talking about is different from the martial arts you think of," Chongzhen said, looking at Xie Quanfeng with a smile. He took out a thick stack of manuscripts and said, "I've summarized the purpose of opening a military academy, as well as its training model and courses. Take it back and read it. I believe you'll understand my painstaking efforts."

The Royal Military Academy opened by Chongzhen is naturally not as simple as the martial arts of the Ming Dynasty. The Royal Military Academy will adopt the training model of later generations to cultivate comprehensive military talents from multiple aspects such as military thinking and military theory. It aims to build a new type of army with advanced military literacy and excellent combat capabilities for the Ming Dynasty to cope with internal and external troubles and restore the glory of the Ming Dynasty.

"I will read it carefully when I get back," Xie Quanfeng carefully took the manuscript from Chongzhen's hand and said respectfully.

"Oh, by the way, the military academy will be temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, and the principal of the military academy will be adjusted to the same level as the Minister of War. You must work hard," Chongzhen turned and walked out, but after taking two steps, he turned back and said.

"This..." Xie Quanfeng was stunned at first, then he said happily: "I will work hard to run the military academy well!"