Chapter 833

Song Changping sighed as he watched Xiao Ming continuously tinker with the breech-loading firearm.

Previously, he had been somewhat smug about firearm shooting, but this difficult manufacturing process of the breech-loading gun made him realize that without an industrial foundation, he would have only theories and be unable to accomplish anything.

Especially lathes. In his opinion, these different types of lathes were simply the foundation of the Great Yu Empire’s industry, because without these lathes to produce high-precision components, many machines simply could not be manufactured.

“Lathes are actually so important. I, your humble servant, had indeed overlooked that before,” Song Changping said with some shame. “Previously, the slightly rough parts of flintlock guns were still usable, but the more complex the mechanism, the higher the precision required from the lathe.”

Xiao Ming smiled. “You’re right this time. But you needn’t worry. Bowen Academy has always conducted related lathe experiments.”

Lathes had always been Lin Wentao’s responsibility. After all, Lin Wentao had been dealing with machinery—steam engines, harvesters, and so on. Compared to Song Changping, he needed precision lathes even more to produce components.

After briefly explaining the progress and difficulties of the breech-loading gun, Song Changping had achieved his purpose. He extended his hand and said, “Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, will return and further improve this breech-loading gun. Also, what about the name of this breech-loading gun?”

“This firearm is, after all, based on the Conqueror Musket. Let’s still call it the Conqueror Musket. After all, Conqueror is not a specific type of firearm, but a series,” Xiao Ming mused.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Song Changping still held out his hand.

Li San, seeing this, said, “Changping, leave this breech-loading gun to our secret guards. We have something very important to do.”

Hearing this, Song Changping said without hesitation, “No! You secret guards must be doing something extremely dangerous with this gun. What if this firearm falls into enemy hands?”

“How could we secret guards lose anything? If it’s discovered, we’ll destroy this firearm,” Li San said seriously.

Unlike his glibness with officials, Li San was always very honest when facing people like Song Changping. After all, officials would be wary of him, but people like Song Changping would not.

Song Changping listened, then looked at Xiao Ming, waiting for Xiao Ming’s say.

By this time, Xiao Ming had thoroughly understood this firearm. Just as Song Changping said, this gun had a complex structure and was extremely difficult to manufacture. Even if it fell into enemy hands, its production would be very slow.

However, even so, Xiao Ming dared not take this risk. The advent of the breech-loading gun era would mean that trench warfare would become mainstream, and then the duration of wars would be greatly extended.

After a moment of thought, he said to Li San, “Remember, once exposed, you must destroy this gun immediately, especially the breech mechanism.”

Xiao Ming’s expression was solemn. Song Changping could tell that the secret guards must be executing a major mission. He said, “The key is the breech-locking mechanism. Whether it’s blown up or dismantled, the complete hinge structure must not be left behind.”

Li San’s expression became serious. He understood the gravity of losing this firearm.

“Yes, Your Majesty. This time, the secret guards will dispatch their most elite assassins to Lin’an. We will plan carefully before acting. I will not make a move without absolute certainty,” Li San said solemnly.

“The Prince of Chu always enjoys hunting. Every autumn, he goes to Qianming Mountain to hunt. You might choose this timing, and you can also use landmines,” Xiao Ming said calmly.

As long as the Prince of Chu remained alive, he would continue to be a shield for the Cao family, leading the State of Chu down a road of no return. War at that point would inevitably result in more casualties.

If the death of the Prince of Chu alone could easily resolve the State of Chu, then he was willing to do so. Therefore, regardless of whether they had the breech-loading gun or not, he would dispatch the secret guards to assassinate the Prince of Chu.

Of course, he also knew that the Prince of Chu and the Cao family were also constantly preparing to assassinate him. After all, politics was inherently a matter of the strong preying on the weak.

Having settled this matter, Xiao Ming dismissed Li San, and at the same time instructed Song Changping to modify some more Conqueror Muskets for wartime use.

Currently, the Great Yu Empire was surrounded by enemies. If they did not wage war with a generational advantage in firearms, continuously increasing casualties would hinder the Great Yu Empire’s overseas expansion.

Moreover, any so-called small country surrounding the Great Yu Empire was in fact a large country globally. The Great Yu Empire’s surrounding environment could not be said to be anything but hostile.

The two departed. Xiao Ming had Qian Dafu summon Lin Wentao.

If the Great Yu Empire’s industry wanted to advance further, it had to collectively improve the precision of machine tools. Especially now that electricity had made progress, the future of the Second Industrial Revolution was already visible.

After a while, Lin Wentao arrived at the imperial study, led by Qian Dafu.

After bowing, Lin Wentao awaited Xiao Ming’s instructions.

“I called you here this time to give you special tutoring. Today, you will learn what precision machine tools are, and how to produce them. At the same time, I will also teach you more about mechanical structures.”

Xiao Ming went straight to the point. A country needed many talents, but the most brilliant were often a few top talents, who could be called geniuses.

These individuals were extremely proficient in certain areas and very intelligent. Whatever they learned, they could quickly grasp and apply. Clearly, Lin Wentao was such a talent.

Precisely because of this, Xiao Ming intended to cultivate Lin Wentao into the Great Yu Empire’s mechanical genius to counterbalance the continuously emerging scientific prodigies of Europe.

Like in contemporary times, Europe during this period also produced many talents, and various scientific theories were in their perfecting stage.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lin Wentao said, immediately excited.

His admiration for Xiao Ming came not only from imperial power but also from the vast knowledge Xiao Ming possessed.

Xiao Ming, personally involved in advancing the Great Yu Empire’s technological progress, did not slack off. He meticulously explained the types and structures of precision machine tools to Lin Wentao.

Overall, with the advent of the steam engine, the precision of machine tools had to become increasingly precise to adapt to production. And to meet this requirement, he had to produce gantry planers.

This type of planer was mainly used for planing large workpieces. It was the “mother machine” of industry. The gantry planer worked by moving the workpiece back and forth in a straight line through a gate-like frame. The crossbeam of the frame typically had two vertical tool holders that could slide. During cutting, it would move horizontally like cutting meat, shaping the workpiece to the desired size.

Besides the gantry planer, Xiao Ming also explained the universal cylindrical grinder, gear hobber, and gear shaper to Lin Wentao. Among them, the cylindrical grinder was a grinding machine for processing cylindrical, conical, or other shaped external surfaces and shaft shoulders. The gear hobber was a lathe for producing gears and sprockets; bicycle chains had to use this machine. And the gear shaper was for fine grinding the teeth of gears.

In addition to these, the most important items to be produced this time were the length measuring machine and profile measuring machine, which ensured precision.