Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 174 Building a Ship with Blood and Sweat, Allies Gather (Please Subscribe and Vote)

Wang Cheng took out the flintlock pistol and quickly loaded the gunpowder and bullet using a pre-packaged paper tube containing a fixed cartridge.

Aim at the target hanging on the stern deck.

Pulling the hammer and firing the trigger, the hammer, driven by the spring, strikes a small piece of flint heavily against the edge of the touch hole, instantly creating sparks that ignite the gunpowder in the powder bath.

boom!
A deafening roar filled the air as smoke billowed and a blazing bullet shot out, hitting the bullseye with pinpoint accuracy.

Wang Cheng handed the flintlock pistol to Shen Yueye, who was eager to try it out, and told her to take it and play with it. He then turned to the Zhang brothers and praised it:
"Good. We can start mass production based on this version now."

Zhang Wen and Zhang Wu, congratulations on inventing the flintlock pistol that will change the world!

The flintlock musket had far more advantages than the matchlock musket.

It greatly simplifies the firing process, improves the firing rate and firing accuracy, is easy to use, has low manufacturing cost, and is easy to mass-produce.

Moreover, the absence of open flames makes them less likely to be spotted at night, and most importantly, it allows soldiers wielding flintlock muskets to form tight formations without worrying about their gunpowder being ignited by their comrades' matchlocks.

This is the infamous "line-up shooting" tactic!
For nearly three hundred years afterward, war remained the dominant form of warfare.

Wang Cheng had long had ideas about a series of inventions, including flintlock muskets. Since he could plagiarize "The Influence of Sea Power on the World" as a copyist, why couldn't he copy some other simple and practical technologies?
Among the Zhang brothers, Zhang Wen, the silversmith, learned the "Thousand Machines and Hundred Refinements" technique and is most skilled in metal processing and crafting various magical artifacts.

Zhang Wu is the most hardworking and has the best execution skills.

With the mechanical structure and ignition scheme he provided, and with the assistance of his two brothers, it was not difficult to create a flintlock gun or even other inventions.

According to the normal timeline, the first flintlock musket was actually invented by the Frenchman Alfred Mahan, which was at least 20 or 30 years ago.

Now everything is different; the history of world wars will be changed by a few individuals.

However, the Zhang brothers, Wen and Wu, dared not take credit and quickly declined when Wang Cheng praised them:

"Big Boat Head, you provided both the research ideas and the specific structure of the flintlock musket. The two of us only did the hard work, so how can we be considered the inventors of the flintlock musket?"
Moreover, Heaven is impartial, and the true inventor of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms and the will of the people will be judged.

We brothers would be content if we could get a share or two of the rewards from Heaven's favor and have our promotions accelerated.

Shen Yueye, who had been playing with the flintlock pistol for a while, looked at his junior brother with eyes full of admiration.

Besides appearance, wealth, status, ability, and reputation are all part of male charm.

As the first reader of "The Influence of Sea Power on the Sea," Shen Yueye was well aware that there was no need for the secret military manual to provide evidence.

This theoretical military work arguing that China must open its seas is itself a bombshell that could detonate in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and even the whole world!
Now, Wang Cheng, under another identity, Wang Fugui, has invented this epoch-making flintlock gun. This is equivalent to having a gunhead that implements the theory, forcing others to accept it as well.

This is the fundamental principle of Confucianism: "to persuade people with virtue" and "to persuade people with reason."

For the current dynasty's maritime ban, this book and this gun represent two opposing forces: one is a weapon of criticism, and the other is a critique of weapons.

Wang Cheng and Wang Fugui, who just shone brightly at Pinghu Port, could very well become the twin emperors of the Great Zhao Empire in no time!

Shen Yueye felt that her junior brother had truly studied to the core, and that he could definitely establish his own school of Confucianism and become a grandmaster.

"In fact, believers, worshippers, and followers are also part of the inclusiveness of all rivers."

"With just a few years of preparation, once my junior brother merges his two identities into one, the resources accumulated along both paths will likely be enough to propel him to the throne of the Upper Third Rank [Living Ghost God] in one fell swoop."

Shen Yueye was incredibly excited for her junior brother, and her body trembled slightly.

But a sense of urgency also arose in her heart. If she didn't act quickly, a large wave of competitors would appear on the battlefield.

"Junior Brother Wang Laosi belongs to me, Shen Yueye!"

Wang Cheng, however, felt that this was just the beginning and there would be many more opportunities in the future, so he didn't dwell on who deserved more credit than whom.

Taking the flintlock pistol from Shen Yueye, he glanced at it with a "rare find" look and said with some regret:
"A groundbreaking invention must have a corresponding influence and inspire people's wishes in order to transform into a talismanic object."

Just like the strategy of "openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass" in our hands, it was initially just an ordinary wooden stake used to repair the plank road. It was only after Emperor Shi Huang of Han succeeded that it finally completed its transformation.

The situation is similar for this short-handled flintlock musket.

Everyone knows its epoch-making significance, but it will only truly transform when it generates historical impact and positive feedback.

A weapon capable of influencing the world's warring order for three hundred years—what level of protective charm will it give rise to? It's truly something to look forward to.

Meanwhile, the evil spirit in the East Sea Kingdom also ordered the bookworm spirit to draw up blueprints and deliver them to the arsenal under the Five Peaks Banner to begin mass production.

This is a big gift that Wang Cheng is preparing to give to the Otomo family and the Westfranks.

The majority of the family fortune obtained from Luo Wenlong was spent on renovating the Five Peaks Banner.

"The Luo family may seem wealthy, but giving their money to the national treasury can only solve a temporary problem."

To mine and smelt the gold, copper, iron, and coal mines on Kowloon Island, and to convert the various resources—including the arsenals and shipyards that my father began building during his reign—into tangible products, a massive amount of subsequent investment is needed. This involves not only money, but also a wide range of talented individuals.

Soon, once "The Influence of Sea Power" is published, I will gain immense fame and will no longer have to worry about finding investment and talent.

The sky was gradually darkening.

The second mate, Zhang Wu, asked him for instructions:
"Big ship, shall we turn back now?"

When everyone gathers together in the large fleet, they can form a furnace of yang energy. With the protection of the ship gods they worship, there is no problem spending the night at sea.

But recently, not only are people in the East China Sea in chaos, but evil spirits are also causing trouble, making it much more dangerous than usual. It's best to stay as little as possible.

"Wait, we have more guests coming."

Wang Cheng waved his hand, sending Qingfeng and Honglonghonglong into the water to collect monkey brains and sea urchins to prepare dinner, while continuing to stay at the pier and wait for others.

The first to arrive was the Red Flag Gang, with Zheng Shiniang and Zhang Quan both in the fleet.

"Zheng the Great Boatman! Senior Brother!"

Wang Cheng and Shen Yueye went forward to greet him, but were surprised to find that their senior brother was somewhat distracted and his eyes were wandering.

He quickly realized that since his master had informed him and Shen Yueye, he must have also told his eldest brother about Zheng Qian and the Zheng family's Five Tigers Gate shipyard.

One can easily imagine what he must be feeling right now.

Just as Wang Cheng had expected, Zhang Quan had indeed not had a good appetite these past two days and was having trouble eating.

Besides worrying about his junior brother's safety, the main reason was...
"Everyone was perfectly fine when they were poor. Even my master, who had worked hard all his life to earn money, had to rent one of his core businesses, Fenglinzhai, from someone he didn't know."

Now one of us has become rich?

This is utterly outrageous!

He started his apprenticeship too early, and the origins of the Shen family, the God of Wealth, were always his master's biggest secret. The third brother, Zheng Qian, and the fourth brother, Wang Fugui, both started their apprenticeship too late.

Zhang Quan genuinely had no idea about Zheng Qian, the young master of the second-largest shipyard in the country.

This tough guy, who believed throughout his life that "only by enduring hardship can one rise above others" and "relying on heaven, earth, or one's ancestors does not make one a hero," had particularly complicated feelings.

Wang Cheng had also experienced poverty, so he could naturally understand this disparity.

"My own poverty is terrible, but my friend's success is even more distressing."

This is human nature.

“I originally intended to interact with you as an ordinary person, but instead I was met with estrangement. I'm not pretending anymore, I'm a billionaire, and I'm coming clean.”

The person who said this was certainly pleased, but the friend who was told this would be kicking himself and cursing God for being blind and letting this scoundrel get rich. What makes me, as handsome as Pan An, inferior to him?
Standing next to Zhang Quan, Zheng Shiniang could naturally see her lover's feelings.

She secretly pulled his hand, scratched his palm with her slender, white fingers, and slipped a small jade Buddha, about the size of her palm, into his hand. It looked like it was worth at least a few thousand taels of silver.

The latter immediately beamed with joy, all his gloom vanishing.

What can relieve my worries? Only a rich woman!

He leaped onto the [Blue Robe] in one stride, affectionately putting his arm around Wang Cheng's shoulder and saying:
“Junior Brother Fugui, Third Junior Brother suddenly became the Third Young Master of the Five Tigers Gate Shipyard without any warning.”

"Tell me the truth, senior brother, you're not also some rich family's fourth young master, are you?"

Seeing the hopeful look in his senior's eyes, Wang Cheng quickly shook his head:

"How could that be? My ancestors were always poor but honest. Senior brother, please don't overthink it."

Although Zhang Quan felt that these words sounded familiar, he seemed to have said something similar when he lied to his junior brothers and sisters that he had something to do at night, when he was actually afraid of his wife.

But seeing his junior brother's sincere expression, he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"That's good, that's good. Oh no, that's unfortunate."

Then, moved, he hugged his fourth junior brother, who was also "poor":
"We're brothers for life (we must stand firm in our fight for the poor)!"

Before they could catch up for long, another sizable fleet arrived.

The entire ship, from its hull to its sails, was blood red, as if the whole fleet was shrouded in a cloud of blood mist.

That was the last of the three parties in this tripartite alliance.

Two people stood atop the towering flagship: the notorious pirate Lin Daoqian, also known as "Blood-Soaked Shipbuilder," and his equally renowned sister, Lin Jinlian, also known as "Fairy Woman."

(End of this chapter)