Daqin: A buff of incredible comprehension

"Originally these were to be treated as waste, but I tried to use some of them," the young man said a little embarrassedly.

** nodded and continued: "Tell me how you cast that unprecedented cannon of yours."

This time, the young craftsman stood a little further away from the boss with a dread in his heart, a scraper under his arm, and quickly told his ideas.

"Masters have been exploring the possibility of casting cannons with iron, but the challenge lies in how to make the core."

"Hot molten iron corrodes everything."

"If we use ceramic molds as casting molds, moisture will still remain after drying, and when molten iron is poured in, a lot of bubbles and cavities will be generated."

"It will cause cracking or explosion during firing."

"We've tried many methods but haven't found the right material for the inner mold." ** added, "So, what good ideas do you have?"

“I haven’t found the perfect mold either,” the young worker answered honestly.

There was good-natured laughter from the shed.

"But I wondered, why not just make the core?" He paused, then raised his head and said, "We have endless mountains here. Once, I looked down at the furnace from atop a mountain. It seemed so close, as if I could reach out and grab it. So I thought, just like there is a giant between heaven and earth, a cannon to us is just a small piece of metal."

"And this bar of metal can be forged casually on the anvil."

"Will this result make the cannon more durable and reliable?"

Hearing this, **'s expression became more serious, "Go on."

Then he said, "When spring came, the ice and snow began to melt, and the waterwheels began to work... Suddenly, I understood everything." He turned and pointed to a waterwheel beside the Wei River and said with a smile, "Isn't that a natural strongman?"

"Using the force of the water to propel and lift a thousand-pound hammer is entirely possible. Casting an iron cannon this way should be no problem."

The others fell into deep thought, carefully considering the practical applications of this idea. Then he asked, "So you plan to use a water wheel to make a solid iron pillar, and then use that special tool to carve the interior into the required diameter, right? And you'll also rely on water power to drill the holes, right?"

"That's right." The worker nodded.

"I believe that cannons forged using this method will significantly improve their performance. What do you think, sir? Have I misunderstood something crucial? If you think this isn't feasible, please provide some guidance," the worker said cautiously, unfolding a blueprint to explain his concept. "This is my design, including a solid iron hammer and a matching fixture for the waterwheel-powered strike."

Before he could finish, ** interrupted and said, “Go ahead and implement this idea.”

The worker was greatly surprised, "Sir... do you really support my plan?"

"That's right, but it's a big step, and we need to be cautious. How long do you think it will take to complete this cannon?"

** looked at the young man expectantly. "Three years," he replied firmly. "Give me three years, and I'll definitely build the ideal solid iron cannon. Not to mention three years, even five, I'll wait patiently," ** encouraged.

He added, "If you succeed, you will definitely leave your name in history."

The worker modestly replied, "Your Excellency is truly exceptional, and your insights are extraordinary. I, a humble man, do not deserve such praise." In reality, the Crane Immortal often boasted about his abilities and even claimed to have been promised a high position by the emperor. This was clearly a bit jarring for them, who had always been favored by the emperor. Therefore, the young craftsman mustered up the courage to present his proposal to the emperor.

** looked at Fusu and said, "Don't worry, my lord. This is not only an innovative direction, but also represents the right choice for the future. Both its power and durability are much stronger than the current ones. Continuing to work hard will reduce detours in future development."

** marveled. "Who could have imagined someone would have thought of this so far in advance?" Using hydraulic machinery to build steel cannons like a giant—this not only tested imagination but also demonstrated foresight and a broad mind.

"Junior Brother Song San, although your cannon will take three years to complete, the grand ceremony is about to begin.

Under such circumstances, Li Si focused all his attention on how to reduce costs.

Therefore, when Yang Wu fought against the pirates, the poor quality and abnormally high burst rate of firearms left him helpless, and he had to let his army switch to using simple equipment such as bamboo and iron forks for training.

It's as if the Great Zhou Dynasty started out holding a deck of trump cards, complete with a pair of aces. The future is unpredictable, but one can only hope that the Great Zhou Dynasty won't repeat the mistakes of history and experience that tragedy again. "I will definitely keep this in mind."

Seeing the man's grave expression, Meng Tian nodded solemnly in agreement. The Great Zhou had a centuries-old tradition of valuing craftsmen, but never before had they radiated so much, showcasing their skills to solve one challenge after another.

It wasn't until ** the end that these people truly showed their strength and wisdom.

"Who said just now that a hundred cannons could be cast in such a short time?"

After giving Meng Tian some earnest instructions, ** turned back to continue discussing with the craftsmen. "Sir, this is my idea."

An older craftsman stepped forward and replied, "I was also inspired by Master Sun's rocket launcher. The idea came to me while I was making the plowshare."

** interrupted jokingly, "You guys are so good! You drank in Lao Sun's wedding banquet, but instead of showing gratitude, you all want to fleece him. If you keep going like this, Lao Sun will be fleeced!"

The craftsmen immediately looked ashamed and chuckled softly. Masters Sun and Lu had always loved to brag, and now that Master Sun was hosting a banquet to celebrate, he was acting even more arrogant, becoming a rather influential figure in the mansion. How could the Qin Mo School's craftsmen not be envious?

"Tell me about your method for rapid artillery production."

** expressed interest. "Brother Duan previously called for collective brainstorming to expedite the production of iron plowshares. During that time, I pondered some ideas and developed a method for mass-producing iron plowshares."

The craftsman demonstrated the shape of the plow blade. "A sand mold is used to create a flat square box, with a diagonal line dividing the two halves. Molten iron is poured into the mold and solidifies, forming two connected pieces. The resulting piece is then heated red hot and pressed between two solid iron rollers. A knob is used to roll the iron sheet to the desired thickness. This method is significantly more efficient than the traditional hammering method."

** Hearing this, a clear picture emerged in my mind: this is the ancient steel hot rolling technology.

** I sighed in awe: Given the right opportunity, these people can truly create miracles! The craftsman smiled naively and said, "If the iron plates were enlarged and equipped with a large rolling mill, wouldn't it be possible to create a cylindrical structure like a cannon?"

** Praise: "It's a shame for you to go to the steel pipe factory."

Hearing this, the craftsman looked confused and asked, "What factory are you talking about?"

"It's okay, your method will work just as well. It's just that the joints aren't strong enough during the casting process and are prone to breaking." The craftsman's face darkened upon hearing this. "While it won't make a true cannon, it's more than enough for a mortar." He then simply instructed Junior Brother Duan, "Give him the iron material and get it done quickly! Any more?"

The workshop was bustling with activity in the afternoon. Inspired by Mr. Sun, the introverted craftsmen boldly shared their ideas. Countless innovative minds collided, sparking brilliant ideas.

Meng Tian was a little confused by what he heard, but he felt the vitality and vigor here. This place was very different from the lifeless and stagnant other places.

The sun slowly set. The decision-making power was handed over to Duan Zhou, and the two rode away.

"Qin Mo has many talented people to help with this matter, so there is no need to worry."

"You can rest assured."

On the way out, Meng Tian thought over and over again, hoping to replicate this passion and fighting spirit and apply it to other areas. However, although Qin State had many talented people, no one could bring about such a positive atmosphere of change like him.

After sighing, he said casually, "It's not grand enough."

"The journey to the Western Regions is extremely difficult. Soldiers must be as strong as iron to withstand the fatigue and despair brought by the long journey."

"How about singing a military song? The title could be 'The Brave Qin Soldiers, Fighting the National Disaster'."

Instantly, inspiration flooded my mind: I remembered the indomitable spirit displayed by the Soviet Union in the face of millions of Nazi German troops in 1941, and that thrilling event.

Before the Battle of Moscow, Germany had already approached the outskirts of the city. At this critical moment, all those who could fight stood up, sang the national anthem, and rushed into the battlefield without hesitation to defend the motherland.

"The brave soldiers of the old Qin Dynasty, together we face the national crisis..."

It has been a long time since anyone mentioned this passage. Back then, when the State of Wei repeatedly invaded the State of Qin and other states plotted to divide up the weak State of Qin, Duke Xian of Qin faced the threat of a powerful enemy. When the whole country was in danger, a court official resolutely stepped forward.

The grand ceremony was imminent, and Chen Ming was so busy every day that he had almost no time to spare. However, on the eighth day of the third lunar month, he had to pause his work and give himself a chance to rest - the Shangsi Festival had arrived.

What impressed me most about the Shangsi Festival was the historical record: "During the middle of spring, men and women could meet without restriction." In the pre-Qin period, the Shangsi Festival was a time for free love and even elopement, with even the government not interfering. This custom gradually faded after the rise of Confucianism during the Han Dynasty.

No matter how busy one is, how could one miss such a free and open day? The sky was clear, and the grass and trees were full of new vitality. The emperor, accompanied by a group of royal family members, nobles, concubines, and princes, went to the outskirts of the city to offer sacrifices to the Gaomei God, praying for national prosperity and a long line of descendants.

Sitting on his horse, gazing at the imperial carriage surrounded by banners, Chen Ming felt as if he had stumbled back to ancient times, as if he were immersed in a mythical story—the story of King Zhou's worship at Nuwa's palace still lingered in his ears. With the passage of time, the Chinese deity Gaomei is now Jumang, the god of spring.

"Hehe." The riverside was bustling with activity. "How about we go to the riverside together to play in the water and go for a walk after we come back from the sacrifice?" A girl with a sweet voice suggested cheerfully.