Steel Dynasty - Chapter 409

[Chapter 409 The progress of subordinates]

PS: There will be three updates tonight, but you still have to pay back what you owe, and I will start making up the updates tomorrow.

In the early morning, a loud rooster crow broke the tranquility.

Due to exhaustion last night, the two of them went to bed early. At this time, Xiao Ming woke up and Fei Yue’er was still lying on the bed sleeping soundly. He did not wake Fei Yue’er but got out of bed alone.

He still has a lot of government affairs to deal with today. He hasn’t been back for a month. He doesn’t know what happened in the fief during this time, and the most important thing is the potato matter.

He must take advantage of this year to promote potatoes to the outside world so that people in the six states will accept potatoes as a brand-new crop, so that people can plant them next year.

After dressing, washing, and having a quick meal, Xiao Ming went straight to the Governor’s Mansion.

Pang Yukun was still excited about the surprise brought by potatoes yesterday. When he saw Xiao Ming, Pang Yukun was still smiling, which was rare for a rigid person.

“Don’t just worry about the potatoes. This government affairs still needs to be dealt with. Immediately notify people from the army, Bowen College, military workshops and other institutions to come and discuss the matter.” Xiao Ming said.

Smiling and nodding, Pang Yukun immediately sent people to inform various places.

After waiting for half an hour at the Governor’s Mansion, everyone arrived one after another. Everyone’s faces were filled with joy when they saw Xiao Ming. The aftermath of Xiao Ming’s wedding has not yet dissipated.

After chatting with everyone for a while, Xiao Ming asked everyone to sit down and started asking about the situation of the fief.

“Captain Niu, how is the formation of the Youzhou Army?”

Niu Ben said: “In this month, we have strictly selected the slave soldiers, and now there are 7,000 people left to join the Qingzhou Army. At the same time, the people of Youzhou are opening warehouses. After the grain release, there was an enthusiastic response to the army joining the army. Now, the total number of new recruits of the Youzhou Army is 12,000. Including the 8,000 people of the Guan Ning Cavalry, the current Youzhou Army has a total of 20,000 people. At the same time, Lei Ming drew the backbone of the Guan Ning Cavalry to serve as School captains at all levels and Bowen College have also selected a group of outstanding officers to be stationed in the Youzhou Army to assist with school captain affairs.”

After a pause, Niu Ben continued: “Now the Youzhou Army has been assisted by the Qingzhou Army. Musket shooting training has begun, and the artillery is also training. It is expected that in half a year, this group of Youzhou troops will be able to partially switch defenses with the Qingzhou army.”

Xiao Ming nodded, “Shanhaiguan is the top priority, and Cangzhou’s troops can be mobilized. When arriving at Shanhaiguan, the military town must maintain an army of 50,000 people, and at the same time continue to advance the fortress strategy to further restrict the barbarians from plundering the border of Dayu.”

“Yes, Your Highness, there are already barbarian scouts outside Shanhaiguan during this time. The Guan Ning cavalry also often enters the Shanhaiguan for reconnaissance. However, the weather in the north is getting colder and the soldiers’ uniforms are still a little thin. The general is worried that the cold winter will severely damage the combat effectiveness of the soldiers, so I ask your highness to prepare a set for the soldiers of Shanhaiguan. Winter clothes to keep out the cold.”

Xiao Ming frowned. This was a very serious problem. When the German army invaded the Soviet Union, it was defeated by the cold winter of the Soviet Union. When the Ming Dynasty fought against the Manchus, they mostly mobilized troops from the south to the north.

The soldiers in the south were unable to withstand the severe cold in the north, which also caused a serious decline in morale. At that time, the Manchus and the barbarians had already adapted to the cold weather in the north. Their fur clothes and felt hats were all winter clothes to keep out the cold.

After pondering for a while, he said: “What a coincidence. The last time my father gave me more than 10,000 pieces of cloth, these pieces of cloth were made into cotton clothes by the textile workshop and distributed to the soldiers in Shanhaiguan.”

Niu Ben was delighted when he heard this. It made him really worried for a lot of days, but now Xiao Ming got over it as soon as he came back.

In addition to being subdued, Niu Ben said: “Your Highness, the military workshop has delivered another 4,000 flintlock muskets during this period. Now the Qingzhou Army is equipped with 20,000 flintlock muskets. The soldiers now have one shot per man.” , the remaining flintlock guns can be handed over to the Youzhou Army and the Cangzhou Army. That’s all the general said.”

Xiao Ming nodded and looked at Chen Wenlong, “How are the Equipment Department and the Military Workshop doing this time? Is there any problem with purchasing five thousand matchlock guns?”

“Back to Your Highness, there is no problem. Now the Equipment Department has divided the lathes into one workshop, and now the drill press is a separate drill press workshop, and it has been expanded. With 600 drilling machines, it is enough to produce 5,000 gun barrels a month,” Chen Wenlong said.

“Six hundred? So many?” Xiao Ming was also surprised.

Chen Wenlong nodded, “Since we adopted the process of purifying tungsten ore powder with hydrogen, it is now easy to purify pure tungsten powder, so the production of drill bits is much faster. And we are also trying to use hydrogen to purify other ores. At the same time, metal refineries The construction is already under way, and Zhang Liu and other craftsmen are still studying fine metal gears to prepare the clocks His Highness mentioned.”

Hearing this, Xiao Ming said with a smile, “Yes, keep working hard, this industrial foundation depends on you. “

Your Highness, the Tiger Gun in our military workshop has also made progress. A few days ago, we successfully used the Tiger Gun to test-fire gunpowder cans. It has a range of 300 meters farther than the catapult. It can shoot gunpowder cans.” Projected five hundred meters away,” Chen Qi said excitedly.

“Five hundred meters.” Xiao Ming laughed. “Yes, yes, now you can finally be on your own. I will go and see your Tiger Cannon after the meeting is over.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Chen Qi said excitedly. During this period, he has been studying various types of weapons. The production of artillery has already made progress on the Tiger Gun.

Xiao Ming then asked Song Changping about the production status of flintlock guns. Due to the skill of the craftsmen and the use of assembly lines, the production of flintlock guns is now increasing step by step.

This time Xiao Ming first asked about the situation of the army to express his concern, because he would have to face what may be continuous wars, and it may be difficult to just bring East Asia into his sphere of influence.

After asking about the situation of the Army, Xiao Ming looked at Yue Yun. He didn’t come to the last meeting because he was at the shipyard in Dengzhou. Then he said, “Yue Yun, how is the situation of the Navy?”

” Returning to Your Highness, at the end of this year, we will recruit 3,000 sailors. We will train corresponding captains, helmsmen, sailors, gunners, etc. according to the number of warships launched this year, and take them to train several sailors on the three Galen ships. “Month, once the warship is launched, the general can immediately form an army.” Yue Yun’s voice was steady and thick, and the training during this period made him an excellent naval general.

Xiao Ming nodded with satisfaction. He looked at Wang Xuan and said: “Wang Xuan, you will deploy secret guards south to the Chu King’s fiefdom to collect information about the Dutch, and bring the Dutch ships, troops and Ryukyu Island Leave the defense situation of the Dutch to me.”

“Your Highness, is the navy going to fight?”

Yue Yun looked excited when he heard this. He had not forgotten the humiliation he suffered at sea. The British Redwood Army and the Dutch Gray Cedar Army, They run rampant in their own ocean and kill innocent people indiscriminately.

(End of chapter)