Chapter 503: The Killing Weapon of War: Artillery "You know, the Ming Dynasty missed many opportunities in the past and neglected the development of the country's economic and military strength." "Now, we are once again faced with a precious opportunity, and we cannot miss it anymore." Lin Che's eyes were firm and her tone was impassioned. These words deeply touched Zhu Xi's heart. He sat up straight and stared at Lin Che seriously. "The future of Ming Dynasty is in our hands." "We must put the interests of the country first and not repeat the mistakes of the past." "The minerals on Treasure Island will be an opportunity for us to expand our national power and improve our strength. What we have to do is not only to establish a firm decision-making mechanism for the court, but also to protect the country's interests and make the Ming Dynasty stronger and more prosperous." Zhu Ping was like a brave warrior, his voice echoed on the walls. None of this escaped Lin Che's observation. He deeply felt the determination and mission in Zhu Xi's heart. He understood that even in this cage, they could all feel the future of changing the Ming Empire. In the secret room next door, Zhu Yuanzhang and Fu Youwen were also infected by Zhu Xi's bold words.

Zhu Yuanzhang clenched his fists and vowed that he would achieve this great goal in the future. "Fu Aiqing, you must work hard and make great achievements for our Ming Dynasty in the future." "We want the world to know that the Hongwu Dynasty will forever be engraved in history." Zhu Yuanzhang said to Fu Youwen firmly. "Your Majesty, I have deeply remembered your ambition in my heart. I will definitely live up to His Majesty's high expectations and turn your wishes into reality." Fu Youwen solemnly replied. Next door, Zhu Ping and Zhu Bai were sitting around in front of the papers, listening expectantly to Lin Che's teachings. Lin Che began to talk about an important topic - how to develop military strength. Lin Che told his two students that the minerals on Treasure Island were the great wealth of the Ming Dynasty, but wealth alone was not enough. This wealth must be transformed into powerful military power. Military strength is an important factor for a country to maintain stability and prosperity. The Ming Dynasty must build a strong army that can protect their prosperity. Zhu Fang thought for a moment and asked, "Sir, do you have any suggestions for this?" Lin Che smiled and said: "First, we need to introduce advanced weapons and tactics. Now, I will show you an important invention - artillery." With that said, Lin Che took out a blueprint of an artillery piece and began to explain to the two princes how to build this powerful weapon. "This is a blueprint for an artillery piece. It can be said to be a major weapon in war." "It can attack enemies from a long distance and is very powerful." "We can place artillery on treasure ships to provide sea defense, or use artillery on land to attack castles." Lin Che described in detail. Zhu Ping and Zhu Bai were fascinated by what they heard. They had never seen such precise and advanced war equipment. The two began discussing how to deploy these artillery pieces and how to train the military to use them. Lin Che pointed to the two students: "We will use the minerals on Treasure Island to make cannons. We need to dig ore, refine metals, and manufacture various parts. This will require the cooperation of craftsmen and technicians. At the same time, we The army also needs to be trained in the techniques and tactics of using artillery.” "A new weapon, artillery, is about to change the entire landscape of warfare." The sounds in the secret room became clearer.

The resident Fu Youwen was having a heated conversation when he heard this. "Fu Aiqing, Mr. Lin's invention is of great use in war. He said that this thing can bomb enemies from long distances and is very powerful. With this weapon, our Ming Dynasty will be able to conquer any enemy." Zhu Yuanzhang was excited. said. Fu Youwen also sighed with emotion when he heard this: "Yes, Your Majesty, this weapon, which Mr. Lin calls a cannon, can shoot shells far away and is extremely powerful. As long as we use it in the Northern Expedition to Beiyuan, General Beiyuan will Nothing to fear.” Zhu Xi and Zhu Bai were completely shocked when they heard this. The two couldn't wait to study and copy this magical weapon. While Lin Che was drawing the drawings, she began to explain the working principle and power of the artillery. He told the two students that artillery used gunpowder as the driving force to shoot out iron eggs, which was extremely destructive and could easily break through city walls and enemy defense lines. Brothers Zhu Xi and Zhu Bai began to discuss the manufacturing process and details of the artillery with Lin Che with great interest. Lin Che gradually explained the formula of gunpowder and the manufacturing process of iron cannon. Lin Che told the two students: "The manufacture of artillery requires iron-making technology and metal processing technology." "Key among them is casting the gun barrel and making the gunpowder." "The barrel of an artillery gun is generally made of iron or copper and can withstand high temperatures and pressure." "Gunpowder is an explosive mixture that produces large amounts of gas and flames." "The firing principle of artillery is to propel the shell towards the target through the explosion of gunpowder." The more Zhu Xi listened, the more excited he became: "Sir, I really want to see its power with my own eyes." Lin Che handed the blueprint in her hand to Zhu Ming and joked, "Boy, with this blueprint, maybe you can make artillery." Zhu Ping's eyes lit up when he heard this. He quickly completed the drawings and stared at the design above with anticipation. He was very eager to create amazing artillery with his own hands, so that the Ming army would have more powerful firepower. He has been interested in mechanical manufacturing since childhood. He has always been looking forward to the day when he can develop a powerful weapon to help the Ming Dynasty expand its territory. Seeing Zhu Chong's impatience, Lin Che smiled slightly and asked, "Don't get excited yet. How much do you know about the manufacture of gunpowder?" Zhu Xi frowned and said distressedly: "Sir, to be honest, I know nothing about gunpowder." "I only knew that gunpowder could explode things, but I never understood the process of making it." Lin Che rubbed her chin and said with a smile, "Are you planning to make gunpowder?" "Then let me show you the magical making of gunpowder." "First of all, the three main components of gunpowder are potassium nitrate, carbon and sulfur. The ratio of these three is very important. If you are not careful, gunpowder may lose its power." Zhu Xi looked at Lin Che in astonishment, potassium nitrate? carbon? sulfur? These things sound so strange! Lin Che smiled and explained patiently: "Don't worry, I will explain to you in detail now. First of all, potassium nitrate is extracted from plants. It is a white crystal." "We need a lot of wicker ash and urine, and through a series of extraction and roasting processes, we finally get the potassium nitrate we need. This sounds interesting, right?" Zhu Xi couldn't help but get wet. He imagined how people extracted potassium nitrate from urine. He felt himself getting more and more excited and wanted to know more.

(End of this chapter)