inspire-indiana Chapter 476 King Qin Inspects Cannon Test Firing
Chapter 476 King Qin Inspects Cannon Test Firing
Immediately afterwards, Ying Wuyou began to prepare for the next step—he was going to invite the King of Qin to come and inspect the results of their labor.
After all, such a significant matter as artillery would likely cause the King of Qin to have doubts about its performance and power if he couldn't witness it firsthand.
Therefore, Ying Wuyou dared not delay for the slightest and hurriedly returned to Zhangtai Palace. Along the way, she was both excited and nervous, her mind constantly flashing through various details of the cannon and the possible problems that might arise.
Finally, Ying Wuyou arrived at Zhangtai Palace. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then stepped into Zhangtai Hall.
The rustling of papers turning filled the Zhangtai Palace. Ying Zheng, dressed in black casual robes, was bent over reviewing a mountain of official documents, the bronze lamp on his desk casting flickering shadows on his face. Hearing footsteps, he didn't look up: "Is there any progress on the cannons?"
Ying Wuyou knelt on one knee, his voice steady: "Your Majesty, I have completed the casting of the first generation of cannons and successfully test-fired them. This is a weapon that will rewrite the course of the war. I humbly request Your Majesty to come and see it."
Ying Zheng finally raised his head, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over Ying Wuyou's slightly weary yet undeniably excited face. Ever since Li Xin's defeat in the campaign against Chu was rewritten, he had valued his daughter, who always came up with ingenious strategies, even more. "Prepare the carriage at 9:00 AM tomorrow." With this brief order, he lowered his head again to continue reviewing memorials.
The following morning, more than ten sealed carriages drove out of Zhangtai Palace, their curtains tightly sealed and their wheels wrapped in thick linen. Fu De drove the carriages, and the convoy avoided the bustling city, speeding along a secluded path beside the Wei River, with guards already clearing the way.
Upon arriving at the workshop, Xu Fu and the craftsmen were already waiting in the training ground. The moment Ying Zheng lifted the carriage curtain, everyone bowed deeply in unison. He stepped down, his gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged craftsmen and the mysterious artifacts covered in black cloth, finally settling on Ying Wuyou: "Let's begin."
Ying Wuyou raised his hand, and four burly men stepped forward to remove the black cloth. The bronze short cannon gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and fine rifling was faintly visible among the cloud and thunder patterns. Xu Fu stepped forward, holding a specially made pottery jar of gunpowder, his hands trembling slightly—this was not only out of reverence for the emperor, but also out of concern that the demonstration might go wrong.
Xu Fu's fear of the King of Qin was ingrained in his very being, as if it were innate. Ever since he was punished by the King of Qin, a thought of revenge had stirred deep within him. However, as time passed, this hatred was gradually replaced by another emotion.
The tasks assigned to him by Ying Wuyou gradually immersed Xu Fu in his work. The sense of accomplishment after each completed task, as well as the continuous exploration and learning of chemical knowledge, brought about a tremendous change in his mindset.
Now, Xu Fu's eyes were no longer filled with hatred for the King of Qin; instead, they were filled with a love for chemistry and pride in his achievements. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to chemical research, constantly challenging himself and pursuing higher goals.
The world of chemistry was full of endless possibilities and surprises for him, and every new discovery thrilled him. He had forgotten past grievances and devoted all his energy to the pursuit of knowledge.
“This cannon uses a modified ‘wind-stabilizing wing’ design,” Ying Wuyou said, pointing to the turret with a long rod, “which allows for adjustable firing angles. The projectiles are made of a mixture of cast iron and gravel, which doubles the destructive power after explosion.” As she spoke, she took out several sheets of paper, which were densely covered with test firing data.
Ying Zheng took the blueprints, his fingertips tracing the precise dimensions down to the inch and the wind direction correction formula, his pupils slightly contracting. These calculation methods, ahead of their time, reminded him of the "numerical arts" that Ying Wuyou had mentioned. At this moment, the King of Qin finally understood that those seemingly obscure disciplines could have such wonderful uses.
"Light it!" With the command, the tinderbox was lit. In an instant, a thunderous roar shook the ground! The armored soldiers behind Ying Zheng instinctively drew their swords, only to see the projectile streak across the sky like a meteor, exploding in a burst of fire on the earthen hill three hundred meters away. Amidst the flying debris, half of the earthen wall collapsed with a deafening roar.
Before the smoke and dust had cleared, Ying Zheng strode forward. He reached out and touched the still-hot cannon barrel, feeling the lingering warmth of the metal, his gaze intense: "What is the range of this cannon? Can it be mounted on a vehicle?"
Ying Wuyou was overjoyed, knowing that his father had seen the strategic value of firearms: "Ordinary cannons can reach a range of three hundred meters. If the rifling and gunpowder ratio are improved, the range can be doubled. Your son has already designed a detachable gun carriage that can be towed by three warhorses."
At this moment, Ying Wuyou suddenly spoke up: "Reporting to Father, manufacturing this cannon requires a massive amount of refined iron and saltpeter. Just by trying to build ten cannons, we have already exhausted half a year's iron ore quota in Bashu."
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng turned around and said, "From this day forward, all iron ore mining and sulfur smelting will be directly managed by the Imperial Household Department. Jiayang, you will immediately establish a firearms battalion under Meng Tian's command." He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "Anyone who leaks a single word of what they have seen or heard today will have their entire family executed!"
On the return journey, Ying Zheng gazed at the fields rushing past the window and suddenly spoke: "If the six states learn of such a powerful weapon, they will surely unite against Qin. What do you think we should do?"
Ying Wuyou had already planned ahead: "I suggest that we display the prototype of the cannon during the military parade under the name of 'sacrificial artifacts to Heaven.' We will only fire the cannons as a ceremonial sacrificial ceremony, without showing its actual combat power. This will both intimidate other countries and keep the secret. Once the artillery battalion is fully formed, we will choose an opportunity to fight and decide the fate of the world."
Ying Zheng clapped his hands and laughed, his laughter filled with anticipation for the future: "Good! Issue the order to increase the military force for the parade by another 30%, so that the world may witness the might of Qin!"
As dusk slowly enveloped the earth like a veil, Ying Wuyou stood quietly in the courtyard of Chaohua Palace, like a statue. Her gaze pierced through the palace walls, looking into the distance, towards the direction of the workshop.
She knew that at this very moment, the craftsmen in the workshop were busy setting up soundproofing arrays to mask the enormous roar of the cannon tests. This was a crucial task, because any oversight could expose the entire plan.
A look of joy gradually appeared on Ying Wuyou's face, a mixture of anticipation for success and hope for the future. After research and experimentation, finally, an invention that was poised to change history was born.
However, Ying Wuyou's heart was not filled with joy. She knew all too well the impact that the advent of gunpowder would have on the world—whether it would be a blessing or a curse was still uncertain. But as a Chinese person, her deep-seated fear of insufficient firepower was deeply ingrained.
In her view, without a sufficiently powerful weapon to intimidate the world, the Qin Dynasty could never truly be at ease. Now, the advent of cannons undoubtedly offered her some solace. At least, the Qin Dynasty finally possessed a weapon capable of striking fear into the hearts of its enemies.
Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou felt slightly relieved. She believed that, if used properly, gunpowder and cannons would become an important force in the rise of the Qin Dynasty.