Chapter 1221 Thunder Method
In the wooden house on the top of the mountain, Zhao Cheng was explaining the structure of a simple crossbow to a group of craftsmen. In this era, it is not easy to train archers, and it is even more difficult to make good crossbows and arrow feathers. To make a good arrow, at least more than a dozen processes are required, which takes a long time.
Without fewer steps, the arrow feathers will have no accuracy at all.
But Zhao Cheng didn't want accuracy.
There were not many people in his group who could shoot arrows. Even if he wanted to train them temporarily, it would be too late. After all, he planned to seize Wucheng next spring.
He knew very well that the longer he was in the mountains, the smaller his advantage would be. It seemed that the longer the time, the more he could accumulate strength, but in fact, if the soldiers were away from the battlefield for a long time, the morale of the army would be lost.
He used the army to cultivate the land, and it would be fine if he only planted one season of grain temporarily. After planting more for a few years, his elite soldiers would really degenerate into farmers. At that time, although they would be more brave than ordinary farmers, in terms of combat effectiveness, they would probably not even have one-third of what they are now.
Therefore, the dynasties from ancient times to the present would station troops at the border. Even if there was no enemy to attack, the wise commander would let his men and horses rotate to attack in order to avoid blunting the edge of the army.
Moreover, even if he trained a team of archers, it would be impossible for his craftsmen to make enough bows and arrows.
Therefore, his plan was to make a large number of crossbows with no accuracy at all. As long as the number was large enough, no matter how high the accuracy was, it would give way to probability.
In fact, if the conditions were not limited, he would have wanted to directly make muskets in the mountains by using traditional methods to open a furnace.
There are many ores in the mountains, and it is not difficult to find ores for making gunpowder, but the biggest problem is that even if he uses Taoism, unless he builds a super-large furnace, the temperature of the flame will still not reach the standard if the furnace is small. The steel fired in that way cannot bear the explosive power of gunpowder at all and will only explode.
Therefore, Zhao Cheng plans to build a musket unit after taking Wucheng and having sufficient conditions.
At that time, elite soldiers will hold shields in formation, and the muzzles of muskets will point in all directions to directly advance the front line without considering accuracy.
At present, although muskets cannot be manufactured yet, Zhao Cheng has begun to manufacture and purify gunpowder. He plans to manufacture a batch of explosive packs to blow up the walls of Wucheng.
In this world, although Taoists have made alchemy and made something similar to gunpowder a long time ago, and it has also been used on the battlefield, the purity of gunpowder is not enough and the lethality is limited.
As for purifying gunpowder, it is not that no Taoists have thought of this, but the process is too dangerous. Taoists are not indestructible. If there is any accident, they will be blown to pieces. Therefore, after knowing the danger, not many Taoists study this aspect.
However, it is precisely because gunpowder was refined that the Danlei lineage was opened up in Taoism.
Originally, if you want to use Taoist magic to attract thunder, if you are a human immortal, you can do it when you encounter thunderstorms. To attract thunder in dry weather, you must be a celestial immortal.
However, Taoists who are good at alchemy use the essence of various mountains and the virtue of guarding the earth to condense the thunder in the ground and the thunder in the palm.
However, if this thunder method is the most lethal, it will be extremely unstable. If you are not careful, it will explode in your sleeve. If you are the most stable, it will not have much lethality. If you want to kill people, it is better to bless yourself with Taoist magic, gain super speed and power, and kill one with one sword.
Crossbows, gunpowder, fertilizers, Taoist officials, recruiting soldiers, and taking camps...
What Zhao Cheng has to do now is a lot of things, and many of them require him to do everything himself.
For example, the crossbow, if he doesn't explain some things in person, the carpenters under him will make mistakes according to the drawings.
However, each of these things is increasing his strength from the tangible and intangible levels.
Zhao Cheng guessed that Wu Qi must have heard the news that he deliberately spread that he would take Wucheng next year.
I think the other party will still sneer now, saying that he is just a few remnants of the army, and it is difficult for him to even get close to the wall of Wucheng.
At that time, let the other party see what it means that Wucheng is not as solid as thunder and fire.
Of course, it is indeed dangerous to refine high-purity gunpowder by traditional methods. If it weren't for his exquisite Taoist skills, he had already realized the rebirth of Huangtian, and had the chemical knowledge from the "modern" era, the combination of the two would have ensured that he didn't blow himself up.
In the case of low industrial level, "alchemy" is indeed a dangerous job.
"General, this wood is not processed by mud and water, even if it is carbonized by flame, it is still not durable, especially the delicate objects in it, I am afraid that it will have problems after firing three to five times at most. If it is replaced by iron, iron is too brittle and it is not easy to burn..."
Li Shan, the carpenter next to Zhao Cheng, pointed to the charcoal drawing on the wooden board and said.
He is illiterate, but Zhao Cheng has already considered this point. The entire drawing only has patterns, and then the size marked with horizontal lines. One horizontal line is one foot, two horizontal lines are two feet, half a horizontal line is half a foot, and one third of a horizontal line is one third of a foot.
Now it has been half a month since the release of the Jixian Order. Li Shan's carpentry level is not good, but in Lianshan, he is a tall man among short people, and Zhao Cheng appoints people based on merit, so he can have a say among the carpenters.
After so much time, Li Shan's idea has changed again.
From the initial trepidation, to the shock when he saw the "Meat Mountain", and now, because of the manufacturing of the crossbow, he had a close contact with the general for a period of time, and then looked at the military management and laws of the Yingtian Army.
Although he had never read books, he still instinctively felt that the other party was like him when he was young, working outside the mountain, hiding in the corner near the teahouse in his spare time, listening to the opera in the teahouse.
He vaguely remembered that the content of the opera seemed to say that the great ancestor of Da Cang was seen by the senior doctor of the court at that time. The senior doctor deliberately said in front of many people that this boy looked like a master instead of a minister.
So, the great ancestor of Da Cang suffered many disasters, and finally almost died outside.
But then, the words of the senior doctor later came true. In the subsequent opera, the great ancestor of Da Cang led his troops into the capital, captured the former senior doctor, and asked him, do you think my troops are strong? !
After that, he first killed all nine of his clans, and finally killed the senior official, skinning him and stuffing him with straw.
Now Li Shan thought that this general really looked like a leader. At such an age, he had such means and bearing. Could it be that there is really a gift from heaven in this world? !
He didn't really believe that Huang Tian would obey the order and the world would return to Zhao, but now, he believes it a little.
Of course, he is old, and at this age, everything is almost dung, but his son is still young, so he wants to pave the way for his son.
While speaking, he also glanced at his son who was a little farther away and a little dull, and couldn't help sighing in his heart.