Chapter 804

“Your Majesty, these are the first batch of explosive shells equipped with fuses.”

In the military machinery department, Chen Qi led Xiao Qi to the warehouse. On the ground, which was piled with many firearms and ammunition, he immediately spotted the neatly arranged explosive shells in a corner.

Due to the matter of explosive shells, Xiao Ming had Lu Fei delay the attack on Jinzhou, but the army outside was consuming heavily, and prolonged delay would be detrimental to everyone.

Furthermore, with Japan eyeing them from the Korean Peninsula, he needed to end the northern war as quickly as possible to open up opportunities for the Great Yu Empire’s colonization.

Chen Qi then picked up an explosive shell from the ground and said to Xiao Ming, “Your Majesty, these explosive shells still use hollow iron balls, but the wooden plug fuse of the iron ball has been replaced with the current mechanical fuse.”

Black cat, white cat, a good cat is one that catches mice. Xiao Ming ordered, “Now, have the artillery demonstrate it. I want to see how it performs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Chen Qi nodded, ordering someone to move the cannonballs from the ground.

The group went to the firing range. Under Chen Qi’s command, the artillerymen replaced solid shot with explosive shells. The loading sequence was completed. With a roar, a cannonball shot straight towards a pile of rocks five hundred meters away.

The powerfully launched explosive shell struck the rocks. The firing pin in the fuse violently struck the fulminate of mercury, instantly detonating the cannonball. With a “boom,” flames enveloped the rock pile, blasting rocks everywhere.

Xiao Ming nodded in satisfaction. Previously, only mortars could fire explosive shells, but now all smoothbore cannons could fire explosive shells.

Especially for the navy, their method of combat would fundamentally change.

Previously, warships merely shot solid shot, riddling enemy ships with holes, which rarely caused warships to sink. But now it was different. If naval cannons were loaded with these explosive shells, it would undoubtedly be a nightmare for the enemy; the explosive shells would directly sink the enemy’s warship.

“After the first batch of shells is sent to Pingzhou City, you are to immediately send these explosive shells to the navy,” Xiao Ming said, gently frowning. He vividly remembered the previous encounter between the Great Yu Empire warship and the British warship at sea.

If British warships once again engaged them at sea, he guaranteed that the Qingzhou warships would reduce the enemy to ashes.

After the first test fire was successful, Chen Qi proceeded to test fire six more rounds. All six cannonballs exploded, indicating that the reliability of these cannonballs was still good.

“Where are the landmines I asked you to manufacture?” Xiao Ming asked at this point.

Chen Qi picked up a hollow shell from a box that was different from an explosive shell. The hole in this hollow shell was significantly larger, and the fuse was also larger than that of an explosive shell, protruding high above the shell’s surface.

“Your Majesty, this is it. To make it easier for barbarians and horses to step on and detonate landmines, I have made the landmine fuses much more sensitive. The weight of a soldier or a horse is enough to detonate it,” Chen Qi said seriously.

Lu Tong was responsible for providing the fulminate of mercury, but the manufacturing of the shells depended entirely on him. However, with the maturation of iron mold technology and the use of steam engines, their production was much easier than before.

Xiao Ming smiled in satisfaction. History proved that changes in weaponry led to changes in the nature of warfare. Previously, the West conquered the world using naval guns. Now, it was time for the Great Yu Empire, under his leadership, to formulate international rules.

Just like the explosive shells, Xiao Ming also had Chen Qi demonstrate it for him. At this point, Chen Qi called over an artisan and had him bury the landmine under the soil. Then, another artisan stood far away, throwing an iron block towards the buried landmine.

As the iron block landed on the landmine, the ground suddenly exploded, sending soil and flames flying.

“Very good. How many cannonballs and landmines can you produce in a month now?” Xiao Ming asked.

“Three thousand of each is feasible,” Chen Qi said. “Currently, the military machinery department produces firearms, cannons, and ammunition, so we are short on manpower.”

Frowning, he surveyed the military machinery department’s courtyard. The military machinery department, established back then, had grown wildly. In his opinion, with the modernization of weapons, the military industry should also become more regularized.

So he said, “I will allocate another batch of people to you. You and Song Changping will be responsible for separating the firearm, artillery, and ammunition workshops, each performing its own duties. This way, the efficiency of all three workshops will improve.”

Chen Qi immediately grinned. He had been envious of the vigorous slave tide, but being busy with the research and development of fuses, he had overlooked this matter.

Now that Xiao Ming said so, it naturally pleased him.

The rapid progress of the new cannonballs also put Xiao Ming in a good mood, as it meant he could more easily defeat his enemies and acquire more markets for the Great Yu Empire.

After inspecting the cannonballs, Xiao Ming then toured the firearm workshop and the artillery workshop. Production in these two workshops was now very stable.

The firearm workshop had been continuously producing and modifying Conqueror Muskets, while the artillery workshop focused on producing field cannons and naval guns. However, in addition to this, they had also been continuously designing and researching the next generation of firearms and cannons.

However, it would still take some time for the products to be released.

“Oh, by the way, your military machinery department can now dispatch artisans to Pingzhou to train soldiers and teach them how to use these two types of weapons. Once your first batch of cannonballs arrives, the Jinzhou campaign can begin,” Xiao Ming said.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will arrange it now.”

Satisfied with the current production progress, Xiao Ming and Qian Dafu left the military machinery department and returned to Qingzhou City.

As soon as the two entered the city, they found the streets of Qingzhou in chaos. The streets were now filled with merchants, Confucian scholars, and common people. Amidst the chaos, he occasionally heard curses, cheers, and sounds of fighting.

“What’s going on? Go ask,” Xiao Ming said to Qian Dafu.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Qian Dafu responded and walked to a guard who was maintaining order. He asked sternly, “What is your security bureau doing? Why is the city so chaotic?”

The guard, seeing Qian Dafu, looked nervous. He said, “Chief Steward Qian, this is not the fault of the security bureau. The chaos in the city was caused by a dispute between merchants and Confucian scholars.”

“Confucian scholars and merchants?” Qian Dafu was startled for a moment, vaguely guessing something.

The guard continued, “Yes, originally it was just a fight between two people, but now it has turned into chaos throughout Qingzhou City. Merchants and Confucian scholars have both gathered large numbers of people to fight in the city.”

Qian Dafu understood. He returned to the carriage and explained the cause of the matter to Xiao Ming.

Hearing this, Xiao Ming looked thoughtful. Among these merchants, there were indeed some with unique foresight. For the rising capital, the “Treatise on Celestial Bodies” would undoubtedly completely break the shackles that had bound them for thousands of years.

Precisely because of this, they would so strongly support the “Treatise on Celestial Bodies.”