A professor's rebirth: I entered Tsinghua University in 1977.

"Teacher Tan, can you do this?"

Liu Hongyi asked again.

For an artillery design expert, Liu Hongyi's question is very "fatal" and a "fatal temptation."

"I have no idea!"

Unexpectedly, Tan Dexi gave Liu Hongyi such an answer.

Liu Hongyi was well aware that the first generation of mortar-howitzers, combining mortars and howitzers, was not deployed by the Soviet Army until the early 1980s. This revolutionary new artillery piece would later become the primary close-range support artillery for our combined-arms brigades.

High mobility, fast rate of fire, wide range of uses, one shot with multiple functions!

Mortars within 9 kilometers, howitzers within 23 kilometers, and rocket launchers within 40 kilometers.

The brigade-level firepower is so strong that it can be described as "inhumane".

No country in the world has an army brigade-level unit whose firepower can match that of our combined arms brigade.

Now, Liu Hongyi is not sure whether the domestic weapons design community has explored this aspect.

But there is no doubt that it has not yet taken shape.

So Tan Dexi replied directly with four words: "I don't know."

This is an extremely rigorous scientific attitude.

Liu Hongyi thought for a moment and said, "Teacher Tan, what's the biggest problem with combining a smoothbore cannon that fires indirect fire with a rifled cannon that fires straight?"

"It's a matter of shooting accuracy and airtightness."

Tan Dexi still answered concisely.

Liu Hongyi thought for a moment and said, "Teacher Tan, I have an immature idea. Can we add rifling to the mortar shells... Of course, it can be shallow rifling. In this way, can we meet the needs of both mortars and howitzers?"

Tan Dexi was stunned, staring at him blankly, unable to speak for a long time.

This is the "prophet" advantage.

A high school sophomore can leave top experts stunned in the field of weapons design.

Ai Xiaoyu and Chen Aiping, who was watching the fun from the side, were dumbfounded and had no idea what they were talking about.

Liu Chuan, who was a soldier, could barely understand a little, but only a little.

"How did you come up with that?"

A moment later, Tan Dexi suddenly started yelling. His originally calm expression suddenly became extremely excited. He rushed to Liu Hongyi in two steps and grabbed his arm.

He didn't doubt anything else. Liu Hongyi looked like a young boy, and he didn't know whether he was over 18 years old. Such a mainland boy could never be an "enemy spy."

Moreover, even if Liu Hongyi was an "enemy spy", the enemy would have to be crazy to tell him such important information.

Who is stealing whose information?

Liu Hongyi said a little embarrassedly: "Well, Mr. Tan, I just like to let my imagination run wild. If I say something wrong, please forgive me!"

"No, no, no, your thinking is very creative, very creative... Engraving grooves on mortar shells, engraving grooves on mortar shells... It's a genius idea, a genius idea..."

Tan Dexi, who has always been not good at speaking, actually said such a long sentence in one breath.

Rifled mortars have been around for a long time, and while they have their own advantages and disadvantages compared to smoothbore mortars, they are certainly not new. So far, most countries still primarily use traditional smoothbore mortars, which shows the obvious drawbacks of rifled mortars, making them less cost-effective than traditional mortars.

However, combining rifled mortars and howitzers to create a new type of artillery is definitely a creative idea, and it is the basic idea behind the development of mortars and howitzers in various countries.

For a master like Tan Dexi, what he needs is actually an idea.

It's not like he hadn't thought of this before, but since it was unprecedented, he was a little unsure about his own thinking. Now, coming from a teenager like Liu Hongyi, it immediately hit a nerve with Tan Dexi.

Moreover, Liu Hongyi specifically stated that it was shallow rifling.

It turns out that geniuses all have similar ideas...

Yes, Comrade Xiao Liu has now become a "genius" in the eyes of Chief Engineer Tan.

The way scientists think is so direct.

"Teacher Tan, can you accept me as your student?"

Liu Hongyi suppressed his laughter and asked softly.

"can!"

Tan Dexi agreed immediately.

"After get off work every day, come to my dorm and I'll tutor you!"

Liu Chuan couldn't help but look at Chen Aiping, both of them were shocked.

Do you agree?

The “weird old man” has become so easy to talk to?

Tan Dexi had come to the clinic more than once for treatment, and Chen Aiping was well aware of his eccentric personality. She had come to see the fun, to see how Tan Dexi would embarrass Director Liu and his son.

Unexpectedly, Liu Hongyi said some "incomprehensible" and "weird" things to him, and Old Man Tan immediately agreed to accept him as a student.

Liu Hongyi said with some embarrassment: "Teacher Tan, your dormitory is a shared dormitory. If Ai Xiaoyu goes there frequently, it will cause inconvenience to others."

"You mean her? She also knows about artillery design?"

Tan Dexi glared at Ai Xiaoyu and turned into the speechless "weirdo" again.

"Teacher Tan, she doesn't understand artillery design, and neither do I. But we're classmates, and Ai Xiaoyu is the top student in our class. That creative thinking you're talking about doesn't discriminate between men and women, right? Maybe she can give you some unexpected advice."

Liu Hongyi suppressed his laughter and spoke seriously.

Mencius was absolutely right: A gentleman can be deceived by his own ways!

"Well, that makes sense... Then, where should I go to teach you?"

The old man began to get into the technical aspects.

"Let's do it here, Teacher Tan. It's quiet here, and if someone needs an injection, it won't interfere with our studies."

"Oh, that's fine...wait a minute..."

As he said that, he turned his head and looked at Liu Chuan.

"Director Liu, this requires your approval."

Well, this is a true gentleman and a great scholar.

Liu Chuan smiled and said, "Teacher Tan, I approve. Also, I see you're not in good health, so I'll have them arrange a lighter job for you. An expert like you shouldn't waste your time in the fields."

As the head of the farm, this was within his authority.

Even if others have opinions, it's just a small matter and they can't do anything to Liu Chuan.

Tan Dexi suddenly felt a little depressed. He sighed and said, "Alas, I don't know when I can go back to the factory... I've had some new ideas recently, and I really want to test them in practice."

Liu Hongyi hurriedly comforted him, "Teacher Tan, I think it should be soon."

"Come, Teacher Tan, please take a seat."

"I've prepared a little gift here, just as a gift for becoming your disciple. Please don't despise it."

"Wait until later, I'll start working and make it up to you!"