Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 203 Huang Yao and Prisoners
Zhu Shenzhui is very clear about the principle that we should take one step at a time and eat one bite at a time. Science is not magic, nor is it creating something out of nothing. Only by being down-to-earth can we have the possibility of success.

Now the Yao brothers have come up with something that doesn't require a fire source, it can explode just by hitting it, and the appearance of this thing also proves that Zhu Shenzhu's original idea was correct. In this case, it is possible to produce the primer of the musket, and next we need to try it a little bit until it can be fully used in practice.

Zhu Shenzhui took the unsuccessful paper ball, peeled it open and took a closer look. Inside was some mixed white and yellow powder. The powder gave off a smell that smelled like saltpeter and realgar, mixed with other unknown things.

"Are saltpeter and realgar used here?" Zhu Shenzhui asked in surprise.

"Boss, you have a good eye. They are exactly saltpeter and realgar. In addition to these two, there are some other things, but saltpeter and realgar are the main ingredients." Yao Liang nodded and replied.

Zhu Shenzhui never thought that the distribution of this thing was so simple. Saltpeter and realgar are not rare. The former is not only one of the main raw materials for making gunpowder, but also a medicine. As for the latter, it goes without saying that realgar is a medicine. The Chinese have the custom of drinking realgar wine on the Dragon Boat Festival for hundreds of years.

Zhu Shenzhui was surprised that mixing saltpeter and realgar together and adding some other things could make something similar to a primer. He couldn't help asking the Yao brothers how they came up with this idea. Yao Liang didn't hide it either, saying that his father had tried various formulas when he was researching new fireworks. One time, he mixed saltpeter and realgar together. He originally planned to design a firework in this way, but he didn't expect that the desired effect would not be achieved after the ratio was good. In addition, this ratio also had hidden dangers. When the two were mixed, they would explode under strong collision, which was dangerous. Later, he abandoned this idea.

Before, Zhu Shenzhui asked the Yao brothers whether they could make something like this. After careful recollection, Yao Liang suddenly thought of this ratio. Although a long time has passed, Yao Liang was helping his father when he was researching the formula. Although he did not succeed, the performance of the thing he made was remembered in his mind.

To be honest, Yao Liang was not sure at the time whether the thing in his memory was what Zhu Shenzhu needed, and he never made the recipe again after that time. A long time had passed, and he could not be completely guaranteed, so he needed time to try it.

Now looking at Zhu Shenzui's excited expression, Yao Liang knew that what he had made was indeed what Zhu Shenzui needed.

"Can this thing be made smaller and more powerful?" Zhu Shenzhui asked.

"We have to try it slowly. The current formula was invented by my father, and we can't be sure whether it is the best. And we who make fireworks know that different raw materials, especially different purity of raw materials, will produce different effects."

"Master, this will take time. I don't think it will be a big problem. But Master, what do you mean by smaller and more powerful? Please tell me."

Zhu Shenzhui thought about it, stretched out his hand and gestured, and told the Yao brothers that this thing should not be larger than half a fingernail, the smaller the better. As for the power, it should be as big as possible, and the success rate of firing should be guaranteed, which is also the key.

The Yao brothers looked at each other, and they understood immediately. Next, they will continue to try according to Zhu Shenzhu's requirements. They are not sure how long it will take to complete, but what is certain is that no matter how long it takes, since there is already a successful example, it is only a matter of time before it is finally perfected.

"Okay! As long as you can do it, it will be a great achievement. I will guarantee that you brothers will have an eighth-rank official position!" Zhu Shenzhui was overjoyed and made a promise. Two eighth-rank official hats were thrown out. Hearing these words, the Yao brothers' faces flushed with excitement, their breathing became heavy, and they patted their chests and said that there was absolutely no problem.

He encouraged them a little and told them to stay here and study this thing. If they needed anything, they could go to Zhao Da. If Zhao Da couldn't do it, he would arrange for someone else to handle it. As for other things, they didn't have to worry about it. Whether it was daily food and drink or compensation, everything would be done to the best of their ability.

In addition, he would instruct the Hundred Households Office to ask Lu Yisheng to send a few reliable brothers to guard the workshop. From now on, except for the two brothers and Zhu Shenzhu himself, no one else would be allowed to enter and leave the fireworks workshop at will, let alone leak the news of making this thing.

Although they didn't understand why Zhu Shenzhu valued this thing so much, since the boss had told them so, the Yao brothers, as workers, would naturally do as the boss asked. After all, Zhu Shenzhu had already made a promise that as long as they completed the task to the extent he needed, two eighth-rank officials would be given to them. This was an opportunity to leap from a craftsman to an official, something they couldn't even ask for, so how could they not be tempted?
After returning to the Hundred Households Office from the workshop, Zhu Shenzhui was in a better mood than ever. The success of the primer was in sight, which was the best news. It also made Zhu Shenzhui see the possibility of equipping a large number of new firearms.

Some things are so simple that laymen may not be able to figure them out even after a lifetime of research, but professionals can solve them with one move. Just like the thing made by the Yao brothers, who would have thought that it could be made by simply mixing saltpeter and realgar?

In fact, Zhu Shenzhui didn't know that this type of primer was only the most basic one, and it appeared in the Qing Dynasty in history. This formula was called "yellow medicine" in the Qing Dynasty. After it was made, it could indeed be used as a primer. In the 20th century, Chinese folk hunting with homemade guns also used this yellow medicine as a primer. However, because the Qing Dynasty did not attach importance to firearms, the use of yellow medicine was not promoted later. By the late Qing Dynasty, due to the progress and development of science, chemical products were widely used, and the ordinary saltpeter and realgar formula was replaced by a more reliable potassium chlorate plus red phosphorus. This formula is also called "red medicine" because the color of red phosphorus is red.

Red powder was used as a primer in the late Qing Dynasty. This primer material was imported in large quantities and became the main formula for making military firearm primers. Later, red powder was developed into a mixture of antimony sulfide, potassium chlorate and fulminate of mercury. When World War II came, more advanced smokeless gunpowder appeared, which completely replaced the previous primer formula.

It is impossible for modern advanced primers to be produced in this era. This is based on the continuous development of chemistry. No matter how capable Zhu Shenzhu is, he cannot do this, not to mention that he is not a professional in this field.

The times have their limitations, and some technologies cannot be surpassed, so the production of yellow medicine is the only thing Zhu Shenzui can do at present. From the current point of view, as long as the final formula of such a primer is determined, it will be sufficient for the time being. As for how to continue research and development in the future and synthesize potassium chlorate through chemical means to replace yellow medicine with red medicine, there is still a long way to go.

With Zhu Shenzui's promise, the Yao brothers plunged into this research with great enthusiasm. Every day they were busy trying various proportions and formulas, or racking their brains to find ways to refine the purity of the raw materials to meet Zhu Shenzui's requirements.

During the experiment, Zhu Shenzhu also gave them some suggestions, such as recording the proportions of various recipes one by one and comparing their effects, or adding or reducing other ingredients in the original recipe to enhance the effect. In addition, he also made special requirements for the paper used for wrapping, asking them to keep trying to wrap with various papers, and even do other things on the paper.

For example, they could use strong liquor to extract the alcohol-like liquid and soak the paper, so that it would produce an oxygen-enhancing effect when it was hit and exploded. Or they could think of other ways. How to do it specifically depends on the Yao brothers. Zhu Shenzhui is not a professional, so he can only give reminders in this regard.

This kind of work of constant repetition and trial and error cannot be completed in a short period of time, but even so, the dawn is already in sight, it’s just a matter of how long it will take.

Things at the Hundred Households Office were almost done. There was no need for Zhu Shenzui to continue to monitor either the military training or the final formation of the primer. After explaining the affairs here in detail to Wang Jinwu and Lu Yisheng, he left the Hundred Households Office and went to Luzhou Guard, where he met Wang Rong and Zhou Anmin.

The day Zhu Shenzui arrived in Luzhou happened to be the day when Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen were escorted to Beijing.

These two enemies, one was the governor of Liaodong and the other was the governor of Liaodong, had been fighting each other in Liaodong in the past. Now both of them have become prisoners and were escorted to the capital in a prison car by the Jinyiwei.

When the prison car drove into the gate of the capital, Xiong Tingbi, who was sitting in the car with disheveled hair, squinted his eyes and looked up at the familiar and towering city tower in front of him. His face had a complicated expression and he felt even worse in his heart.

Although Xiong Tingbi wrote to Emperor Tianqi when he led his troops to withdraw to Shanhaiguan, saying that he had built a prisoner car and would come to the capital to apologize after stabilizing the situation in Liaodong and settling the soldiers and civilians. But in fact, Xiong Tingbi never thought that he would actually come to the capital in a prisoner car. What he said before was nothing more than a little temper to let the emperor know that he was the wronged party and the blame for the defeat in Liaodong did not lie with him, but with the damned Wang Huazhen.

Xiong Tingbi was a capable minister, but not a truly smart person. In other words, he was smart in small matters but confused in big matters, and he lacked the necessary political acumen.

He thought that by doing so, the emperor would deal with Wang Huazhen as he wished, and he would vent his anger. After Wang Huazhen was finished, Xiong Tingbi would still be the governor of Liaodong. When there was no restraint at that time, Xiong Tingbi could plan Liaodong according to his own ideas, and gradually recover the lost territory of Liaodong, so that everyone in the world would know his ability.

Unfortunately, Emperor Tianqi was not Emperor Wanli. Compared with the old silver coin's Emperor Wanli, Emperor Tianqi was young and vigorous, and had just ascended the throne. His control over the court was far inferior to that of his grandfather. Facing such a situation in Liaodong, the emperor hoped most to launch a counterattack as soon as possible to reduce the losses of Liaodong's defeat and give an explanation to the people of the world.

But Xiong Tingbi refused to give in and insisted on biting Wang Huazhen. After several times, Emperor Tianqi, no matter how good-tempered he was, could not stand such threats. In a rage, he directly used his teacher Sun Chengzong to arrest Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen and bring them to justice. Xiong Tingbi was completely screwed this time. He did not expect the fake to become real and he fell into the pit he dug.

(End of this chapter)