The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 139 Cannon Casting and Schooling

Shao Yong, Hong Ming, and others were in charge of training the new recruits, and the training ground was always bustling with activity.

Jiang Han, the head coach, was also busy.

Aside from handling routine military affairs, he spent most of his time studying how to cast cannons.

The artillery battalion only has four heavy cannons, which is still too few. Jiang Han has been working with craftsmen to see if they can replicate these Hongyi cannons.

However, progress was slow, and after more than half a month of research, they still couldn't cast it.

It must be said that during this period, the various rebel armies in Shanxi were relatively united, and Wang Jiayin also had the demeanor of a leader.

When he heard that Jiang Han wanted to cast cannons, he waved his hand and sent three experienced cannon makers to Jiang Han.

These three cannon makers were no ordinary people; in their early years, they had worked with Wang Zheng in Sanyuan County, Xi'an Prefecture, making cannons.

Jiang Han was very familiar with the name Wang Zheng.

He was someone who, along with Xu Guangqi, was known as "Xu of the South and King of the North".

He was a true master of Western learning and a pragmatist who dedicated himself to combining Western technology with Chinese realities.

Compared to Sun Yuanhua, a so-called "expert" who is only good at theoretical discussions and has only half-baked knowledge, he is far superior.

Jiang Han was overjoyed to be trained by Wang Zheng personally.

His artisan battalion could make some firearms like muskets and three-barreled guns, but when it came to making cannons, they were completely clueless.

Ever since entering Shanxi, Jiang Han has been preoccupied with the matter of casting cannons.

In Shaanxi, the land was barren and the people were poor, and there was also a lack of iron, so there was simply no condition for casting cannons.

Shanxi, however, is completely different. It is extremely rich in coal resources and has considerable iron ore reserves.

Although several of the largest state-run iron smelting centers, such as Yangcheng and Zezhou, are not currently under his control.

However, the area near Xiaoyi County, where he is currently stationed, is adjacent to the Xiao River, which is convenient for water transportation. Since ancient times, there have been many private iron smelting workshops and ironworks.

Although the local land was fertile, most of it was in the hands of the prince and various officials and gentry.

The ordinary people here do not own any land and can only make a living by smelting furnaces, mining, selling iron, and selling charcoal.

Jiang Han only paid a little grain and a few taels of silver, and easily gathered up the furnace workers, miners, and foundry workers from several nearby ironworks.

There were several hundred people.

We have the site, manpower, coal, and iron ore, and most importantly, the technical personnel are in place.

The oldest of the three cannon makers who was in charge of casting cannons was named Zhuang Qirong.

It is said that this person was a true disciple of Wang Zheng and possessed the most core secret of casting Western-style cannons, namely the "module" of the cannon.

(Module refers to the ratio of the dimensions of each part of the cannon to the inner diameter of the cannon, including the ratio of wall thickness to inner diameter and the ratio of barrel length to inner diameter.)
They once led the local people in Sanyuan County to dismantle Buddha statues and cast three 1,500-jin (750 kg) Hongyi cannons.

This is the Hongyi Cannon, hailed as "one of the best cannons in the world in the 17th century".

Of course, Jiang Han wouldn't even dare to dream of a 1,500-pound Hongyi cannon right now.

Heavy artillery of that caliber is only suitable for defending cities or in decisive battles.

It's simply not suitable for his current type of force, which requires rapid mobile warfare.

What he wanted was a miniature version of the Hongyi cannon on the city wall of Yan'an Prefecture.

The requirements are not high: 400 jin (approximately 200 kg), placed on a cannon cart, and pulled by three horses.

Upon learning of Jiang Han's specific needs, Zhuang Qirong immediately perked up.

For these craftsmen who were used to forging cannons weighing thousands of pounds, a cannon weighing four hundred pounds was a piece of cake.

He immediately pulled the other two gunners aside and began to carefully calculate and adjust various parameters according to the requirements.

With technical experts in charge, Jiang Han began to think about specific casting methods.

It's currently the height of summer, and the weather is hot.

The traditional lost-wax method is definitely not feasible, as the wax model is prone to deformation at high temperatures.

The commonly used clay mold casting method for cannons, although mature, has a long production cycle and a low yield. It takes at least several months for the cannon to be cast.

However, if iron molds are used to cast cannons, the quality is questionable, and they are particularly prone to barrel explosions.

After much deliberation, Jiang Han finally decided to use the sand casting method for cannons.

The sand casting method for cannons has a relatively simple production process, low requirements for mold materials, a significantly shorter production cycle, and a much higher yield.

However, due to limitations in materials and costs, the only material that could be chosen for the artillery was an iron core and a copper shell.

Although pure copper cannons are easier to cast and have better ductility, copper is simply too expensive.

Building one or two might be possible, but building too many would be overwhelming.

This small amount of copper was obtained by Jiang Han through a "begging" process some time ago.

He led a group to demolish several ancient temples and melt down all the Buddha statues inside.

Meanwhile, several abbots from temples, still unable to accept their fate, led a dozen or so monk soldiers in an attempt to "subdue demons and monsters."

As a result, they were shot down by a volley of gunfire from Jiang Han's personal guards, and the monks instantly "became Buddhas on the spot."

Jiang Han had no choice but to reluctantly accept the remaining property and food from the temple.

With a professional gunner like Zhuang Qirong around, Jiang Han naturally wouldn't overstep his bounds and give orders haphazardly.

He handed over the specific casting work entirely to Zhuang Qirong's team.

He only offered some suggestions on casting methods, explaining the principles and key steps of sand casting to these gunsmiths.

The principle of sand casting is not complicated.

Similar technology already existed in the Ming Dynasty, but it was used to mint copper coins and not applied to cannon casting.

The method was very simple. Jiang Han only gave it a brief mention, and the old craftsmen understood it immediately.

There are two main methods for sand casting of cannons.

The first method involves integral molding, where a solid cannon barrel is first cast, and then the bore is drilled.

The second method involves first making a sand mold, fixing it in place, and then casting it into shape. After cooling until the iron core turns dark red, the sand mold inside the cannon barrel can be broken to obtain the cannon barrel.

After much deliberation, Jiang Han ultimately chose the first method:
First, a solid cannon barrel is cast, and then the bore is drilled.

Although this method adds an extra step, its advantages are obvious.

Casting a solid core first can better ensure the density and uniformity of the metal structure of the gun barrel;

The subsequent drilling process can make the inner wall of the gun barrel smoother and reduce the chance of barrel explosion.

In order to save manpower and improve efficiency, Jiang Han also suggested using water power.

First, use a water turbine to drive the drilling tool to roughly drill a hole and create the approximate shape of the gun barrel;
Then, craftsmen manually bore and refine the metal.

Anyway, the ironworks is right next to the Xiaohe River, so it has no shortage of water resources.

Once the technical route and process for casting cannons were finalized, the remaining specific operations were overseen by professional cannon makers.

I believe that in less than two months, I will be able to obtain a batch of high-quality heavy artillery.

After arranging the important matter of casting cannons, Jiang Han rushed back to the main camp without stopping.

During this rare period of rest, he also promoted literacy education in the army, teaching soldiers to read.

Jiang Han needs to go back and personally supervise these people, lest Zhao Sheng lose control of them.

His approach was simple: experienced mentors guide new employees, creating a snowball effect.

First, select thirty bright and literate students to be personally taught by Jiang Han or Zhao Sheng.

Once this first batch of people have learned the skills and passed the assessment, they will be made into teachers, each responsible for instructing ten new recruits.

This process is repeated step by step.

Jiang Han and Zhao Sheng were responsible for checking the learning progress and teaching effectiveness at each level, rewarding the good and punishing the bad.

For a time, the entire Xiaohe camp was filled not only with the sounds of the new recruits drilling, but also with the sounds of people groaning and reading aloud.

For these rugged soldiers, learning to read was more difficult than going into battle. But under the commander's strict orders and the encouragement of their comrades, a learning atmosphere gradually formed.

Of course, the first lesson must be about Water Margin.

This is also Jiang Han's primary purpose in running schools within the military: to correct their thinking and prevent his soldiers from having any thoughts of surrender.

Previously, Deng Yang sent over a copy of the imperial gazette, which specifically discussed the situation of the Shaanxi uprising army.

Jiang Han also used the experiences of Shen Yikui and the other rebels as a negative example to teach these soldiers a lesson.

The goal is to make them understand:

The imperial court and officials didn't treat these "rebels" as human beings at all.

The so-called appeasement is nothing more than a trick to deceive you into laying down your weapons.

Surrendering is like washing your own neck and handing it over to someone else's knife, leaving you to be slaughtered.

Only by following the commander-in-chief can we survive, have enough to eat, and receive a salary!

This kind of "political lesson" that combines examples is far more effective than simple literacy education.

At least, most of the soldiers understood and remembered it:

Demotion will lead to death!

That day, as usual, Jiang Han was in the camp, inspecting the literacy learning progress of each team.

Suddenly, a man came running from not far away, crying with a bitter face:

"General, is it possible for me to not be able to read?"

"Recognizing just a few characters makes me sleepier than keeping watch at night; I simply can't keep up."

These words drew a burst of laughter from those around them.

Before Jiang Han could reply, a rebuttal came from not far away:
"Chen Laosan! You son of a bitch, you absolutely don't know what's good for you!"

Jiang Han looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Cao Er, who had made a great contribution by blasting Cao Wenzhao away with a barrage of cannon fire in the battle of Fantianmao.

Although Cao Er's injuries had not yet healed and his left hand was still wrapped in thick bandages, he was in high spirits.

"The commander-in-chief personally came up with a plan and went to great lengths to teach us to read and understand principles. What a great favor this is!"

"You son of a bitch, you dare to complain?!"

He strode forward, glared at Chen Laosan, and muttered curses:

"Do you know that in the past, those who could read and write were all fortunate officials?"

"How many of us peasants, generation after generation, have been literate?"

"You little brat, you don't know how lucky you are! I think you deserve a beating!"

These words made Chen Laosan blush and lower his head, not daring to utter another word.

"Okay, take your time, no rush."

"Old Chen, take your time learning. It won't affect your monthly salary. What's the rush?"

Jiang Han patted Chen Laosan on the shoulder, offered a few words of encouragement, and then told him to go back.

He then turned to Cao Er and nodded in satisfaction:

"Good lad, you've got some sense!"

"How's the injury on your hand?"

Cao Er quickly stood up straight, grinned, and revealed a simple and honest expression:
"Thank you for your concern, Commander!"

"Much better, it's just that the flesh hasn't fully healed yet, but it's nothing to worry about!"

Cao Er was extremely grateful to Jiang Han.

The cannon shot at Fantianmao, while making him a great contributor, almost cost him his life.

If Jiang Han hadn't personally treated his wounds, he probably would have lost his life long ago.

Later, when he regained consciousness, he learned from his comrades that it was the commander-in-chief who had personally saved him, and he was moved to tears.

Then, dragging his ailing body, he ran to the central command tent, rushed in, and kowtowed three times to Jiang Han, which stunned Jiang Han.

Jiang Han patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him:

"Go, take good care of yourself, study hard, and you'll be the next captain."

Cao Er had previously made great contributions, so Jiang Han naturally wouldn't be stingy and planned to train Cao Er to become the next battalion commander.

However, before that, he needs to learn more about how to lead troops.

Cao Er was just a lowly soldier with no experience in leading troops, so Jiang Han could only let him serve as a squad leader first to familiarize himself with the ways of leading troops.

After seeing off the grateful Cao Er, Jiang Han continued his inspection of the camp.

Although running the school was difficult, there were many "role models" like Cao Er, and it finally got on the right track.

Jiang Han believed that, given time, the overall quality of this army would definitely be significantly improved.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the busy and fulfilling training, cannon casting, and learning.

The sweltering summer is gradually passing, the weather is turning cooler, and August has arrived.

With clear skies and crisp air, it's the perfect time for military operations.

After more than two months of rest, Jiang Han's troops were strong and well-equipped with supplies.

The first batch of ten newly cast heavy cannons, each weighing 400 jin (approximately 200 kg), have been successfully test-fired, demonstrating impressive power.

As for Fenzhou Prefecture, there was hardly anything left to gain.

It was time to move to a new place, and Jiang Han prepared to head south to Pingyang Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Wang Jiayin in the north, relying on the "leader's" influence, has been continuously gathering scattered starving people and defeated soldiers over the past two months.

His power expanded rapidly, like an inflating balloon, and he was said to have 60,000 to 70,000 men under his command.

With a larger force, the demand for military equipment naturally increases.

Wang Jiayin urgently needed to replenish his artillery, especially his cannons.

Although Taiyuan Prefecture was wealthy, there were no large iron smelting centers in the surrounding area, which was insufficient to meet his needs.

Therefore, Wang Jiayin prepared to send troops southeast to the areas of Zezhou and Yangcheng, where the iron smelting industry was developed.

Thus, both the northern and southern rebel armies were ready to set off again.

However, just as Jiang Han was about to set off, a fast horse delivered two important messages.

The messenger was Deng Yang's personal guard, who brought Jiang Han two copies of the imperial gazette.

Jiang Han took the official gazette, unfolded it and read it carefully. His expression instantly became extremely solemn.

First, the situation in Shaanxi was in a state of disarray. Yang He had been dismissed and arrested for his incompetence in pacifying the region, and Hong Chengchou succeeded him as the Governor-General of the Three Border Regions.

II. Military intelligence and battle report from Liaodong: The Later Jin army besieged Dalinghe, and the Battle of Dalinghe officially began.

Upon receiving the two official gazettes from Deng Yang, Jiang Han felt a heavy weight in his heart.

In Shaanxi, Yang He was imprisoned and replaced by the iron-fisted Hong the Barber.

It is foreseeable that a brutal crackdown is about to begin, and the rebel army in Shaanxi is likely to suffer heavy losses.

The military situation in Liaodong was even more perilous.

In this battle, the Ming Dynasty will not only suffer heavy losses, but more terrifyingly, the cannons, related technologies, and craftsmen of the Dengzhou and Laizhou regions will fall into the hands of the Jurchens.

Once the Jurchens master the methods of casting and using cannons, the Ming Dynasty's defensive advantages will vanish.

And all of this is inextricably linked to one person.

That was Sun Yuanhua, who was known as a military technology expert and a Western artillery expert in the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)