Sky Curtain: With a vermilion mirror, Jing travels through the modern world, shaking all dynasties.

"The advantages of flintlock muskets compared to matchlock muskets."

Upon seeing the title, Jiang Chuan suddenly realized that this was the paper he had written during his university days!

The few sheets of paper that the little princess found were his drafts from back then, which he himself had forgotten when he had tucked into his textbook.

"Jingjing, this is just a thesis topic from my university days, there's nothing to talk about." Jiang Chuan casually folded the draft and pretended to throw it into the trash can. "It's all professional knowledge, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."

Zhu Jingjing had already given up after hearing the first sentence, but the last sentence, "You wouldn't understand even if I explained it," was like a thorn, making her pout.

"Who says I don't understand!"

She stood in front of Jiang Chuan with her hands on her hips, looking sullen.

Unfortunately, the height difference was too great, so in order to be able to look him in the eye, she tried her best to stand on tiptoe, making her sway back and forth.

"Tell me about it! If I can understand..." Zhu Jingjing frowned, her eyes darting around, when suddenly she came up with a brilliant plan, "You'll lose ten bags of cotton candy to me, how about it!"

Jiang Chuan was both amused and exasperated. What kind of bet was this?

He had to go to great lengths to explain the difference between flintlock and matchlock guns to her. Winning would bring him no benefit, while losing would mean losing ten bags of cotton candy!

Even so, he still affectionately ruffled the little princess's hair and said helplessly, "Then it's a deal: you must concentrate on the lesson and are not allowed to doze off!"

Zhu Jingjing puffed out her cheeks and nodded vigorously: "It's a deal! If I doze off halfway through, I'll give you all the cotton candies under my bed!"

Jiang Chuan pouted. What did he need so many cotton candies for?

Looking at the little princess standing on tiptoe, puffing out her cheeks in a huff, he finally gave in.

He sighed, then unfolded the few drafts he was about to throw in the trash and laid them out on the table.

Jiang Chuan cleared his throat and pointed to the first line of text on the draft: "Let's talk about the matchlock gun first. Do you know why it's called a matchlock gun?"

Zhu Jingjing tilted her head and thought for a moment: "Because you need to use a rope to start the fire? Our Ming Dynasty's muskets are all like that!"

"Pretty much." Jiang Chuan nodded approvingly and said, "The matchlock gun has a hemp rope soaked in saltpeter solution that burns slowly. When you pull the trigger, the burning match rope falls into the gunpowder bath, ignites the gunpowder, and fires the bullet."

Zhu Jingjing blinked, seemingly lost in thought: "That rope has to be kept burning? Isn't that very dangerous? What if it accidentally falls into the gunpowder pile..."

"That's right, the first major problem with matchlock guns is their insecurity!" Jiang Chuan held up a finger. "Furthermore, matchlocks are vulnerable to wind and rain; they're easily extinguished in strong winds and extinguished by rain. In nighttime combat, that lit matchlock is practically announcing to the enemy, 'I'm here, come and shoot me!' Plus, reloading a matchlock gun is a hassle; even with practice, you can only fire two or three shots in a minute!"

To Jiang Chuan's surprise, Zhu Jingjing didn't doze off; instead, she asked with great interest, "What about flintlock muskets? Don't they have these drawbacks?"

Jiang Chuan nodded and explained, "Compared to the matchlock gun, the flintlock gun is a great improvement! But it's not perfect either."

He pointed to the draft and continued, "The flint will wear down after a long time. You'll probably have to replace it after firing a few dozen shots. And sometimes the sparks don't even get into the powder bath before it goes out."

The Great Ming Dynasty, Fengtian Hall.

Standing in the hall was a middle-aged man with a full beard, wearing a short blue cloth jacket that reached his waist, with a bright red silk ribbon tied around his waist, which was the insignia of a teacher.

All the civil and military officials were shocked. How could a mere instructor make the emperor willingly stand one step behind him!

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was complex; he seemed hesitant to speak, his mind churning with a thousand questions.

But the man was intently gazing up at the sky, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Unable to bear interrupting him, the man simply stood quietly behind him.

After a long while, until Jiang Chuan finished explaining the principles of flintlock muskets in the sky, the middle-aged man raised his arm and gently wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

"Minister Tao, how does that flintlock gun compare to the matchlock guns currently used in our Great Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Yuanzhang then asked.

Tao Chengdao knelt down and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, just as the celestial beings said, if the flintlock musket is successfully manufactured, then the matchlock musket will be rendered useless!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang quickly stepped forward and personally helped him up.

"Minister Tao, do you have any ideas on how to make this flintlock gun?" Before he finished speaking, he felt his fingertips trembling slightly, and his words revealed a rare nervousness.

Zhu Yuanzhang understood that if the Ming Dynasty could create such a weapon, it might truly become invincible under heaven!

After the disastrous defeat in Lingbei in the fifth year of Hongwu's reign, he put forward the military idea that "the way of war is to first secure the foundation" and listed more than a dozen countries as "countries not to be conquered".

For him, it wasn't that he was unwilling to take on the task, but rather that he lacked the ability to do so.

But if one has a flintlock musket in hand, then there is no country in the world that one cannot conquer!

Tao Chengdao pondered for a moment, then solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, although I dare not be absolutely certain, the principles of flintlock firearms as explained by Heaven and Man are clearly and meticulously detailed. I predict that it will be successfully developed within a few months to three years!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang clapped his hands vigorously and exclaimed, "Excellent! If you can successfully forge this vessel, I will reward you handsomely!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang clapped his hands vigorously and exclaimed, "Excellent! If you can successfully forge this vessel, I will reward you handsomely!"

modern.

"Brother, this flintlock pistol is amazing!" After Jiang Chuan finished speaking, Zhu Jingjing clapped her hands gently. "If Father Emperor had such a thing, then..."

"I remember that flintlock muskets were invented in your late Ming Dynasty," Jiang Chuan pondered for a moment, then said, "If Zhu Yuanzhang had really invented and mass-produced them a hundred years earlier, your Ming Dynasty would probably have been invincible!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jingjing nodded excitedly.

"Brother, explain it to me again, especially the principles and key points of its construction!" She sat up straight, determined to concentrate. "If Jingjing ever goes back, I absolutely must build it for Father!"

Jiang Chuan gave a wry smile. If it really came to fruition, then it would truly be a world-shaking event for the Ming Dynasty's heavy industry!

However, he didn't hold back and carefully explained the key points again, "So, did you understand?"

Zhu Jingjing pouted slightly, shook her head somewhat blankly, and said, "Brother, it's a bit too complicated, I..."

"Jingjing, it's not your fault." He affectionately patted the little princess's head and said softly, "Even if a craftsman from your Ming Dynasty who specializes in firearms came, he might not understand this kind of professional knowledge, let alone an outsider like you who has never even touched a matchlock gun."

Although she was unwilling, she nodded resignedly.

"Brother, does what we just said still count?" Zhu Jingjing muttered softly.

Jiang Chuan was taken aback and asked, "What things count?"

"It's those ten bags of cotton candy." Zhu Jingjing's pretty face flushed slightly, her voice growing softer and softer, "Although Jingjing didn't understand, she wasn't asleep either, so..."