Ming East India Company

Butler Tang said obsequiously:

"I've arrived, Master. Thank you for your generosity."

"Looks like that foreigner doesn't treat you that well! Your loyalty is only worth a hundred taels of silver."

"Ugh, bah. This red-haired devil is good for nothing except casting cannons, and he's incredibly harsh on his subordinates."

All he does all day is tinker with that casting mold workshop. I'm the one managing the workers, and all I get in return is two taels of silver a month. And you expect me to be loyal for that little bit of money?

Bai Ye laughed:

"So, are you satisfied with my monthly reward?"

"Master is wise, I am very satisfied." Butler Tang's face was full of smiles. Bai Ye's reward for his "betrayal" was one hundred taels of silver per year, which was so cheap that even Bai Ye himself found it funny.

"Your performance today was flawless; I even suspect you might have switched sides at the last minute."

"Master is too kind. I've been in this French territory for so many years, I'm already quite adept at dealing with these foreigners."

First, feign a conflict with the owner, then take advantage of his wavering to give him a push, ultimately luring him into the owner's trap.

"I'm afraid Bu Jialao is now thanking you for helping him through the crisis. He's been bought off and is still helping you count the money!" Bai Ye said calmly.

Everyone present burst into laughter, and Butler Tang bowed and scraped, doing his utmost to agree with them.

"Alright, let's get down to business. From now on, you will be a good undercover agent by Bu Jialao's side. After this incident, Bu Jialao will trust you even more. While you are by his side, you must urge him to do a good job in casting cannons and never slack off."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Also," Bai Ye paused, "I'm giving you enough money now, so you'd better be honest about the factory's accounts. If you want more money, you can ask me. But if you dare to embezzle from the factory's production and cut corners..."

Butler Tang immediately knelt down:

"I understand, Master. From now on, I will follow your instructions."

Under the dim candlelight, Luo Sigong's figure behind Bai Ye appeared unusually large.

After Butler Tang left, Bai Ye turned around and spoke with several of his advisors:

"I never imagined that Ambassador Luo, you really have connections everywhere! Even a Han Chinese steward from a small place like Macau could be intimidated by your reputation."

Luo Sigong laughed heartily:

"The reputation of these Eastern Depot spies is known to everyone in the Ming Dynasty. The moment I flash my Eastern Depot badge, even the most discerning eye will immediately submit."

Since seizing Ryukyu, Shirano has been trying to expand his influence into Macau, and the Bugarau Artillery Factory, the only arsenal in the Far East, has always been a focus of Shirano's attention.

Originally, the purpose of this trip to Australia was to carry out normal business cooperation with the Bugalau family. However, unexpectedly, this so-called Master Tang was intimidated by Luo Sigong and leaked all the secrets of the Bugalau artillery factory.

Based on the information provided by Butler Tang, Bai Ye and his team easily took over the Bujialao factory.

Although the agreement with the Bugarau artillery factory stipulated that the factory would be returned to its owner after ten years, ten years is a long time, during which a lot can be done.

……

With Bai Ye's departure, the Bugarau Cannon Foundry at the foot of Penha Hill finally dispelled the deathly silence of the past few months and was once again illuminated by the roaring furnace fire.

Peter Bogarau stood beside the furnace, his deep-set eyes filled with bloodshot veins, refusing to look away from the process in front of him for even a moment.

Since Baiye left last time, he led all the craftsmen in the factory to work around the clock for twenty days and finally completed the preparations for casting the cannon.

On the twenty-first day, the bronze that Shirane had promised was delivered to Bugalau on time, and the machines at the Bugalau artillery factory began to operate.

Inside the mold-making workshop near the mountain, the air was filled with the mixed smell of wet mud and beeswax. Several senior Portuguese craftsmen were leading Chinese craftsmen in the most delicate mold-making process.

The first step in making a cannon is to make the core. A straight hardwood shaft is laid across the wooden frame. The craftsmen use their hands to apply and pound fine clay mixed with hemp fibers, cow hair and wood ash onto the wooden shaft.

During the pounding process, the force must be even, and the mud layer must be flat, without any bumps or depressions. After the mud core is half-dry, it is then carefully polished with a scraper until it is smooth and round, without any defects. This mud core is the inner chamber of the cannon; if it is even slightly misaligned, the entire cannon will become a waste.

Once the clay core has completely dried and hardened, the crucial step of the lost-wax process begins. Melted beeswax mixed with tallow, warm and soft, is evenly coated onto the outer layer of the clay core, with the thickness strictly adhering to the specifications for cannon barrels set by Bogart.

After the wax layer solidified, Bu Jialao stepped forward personally, holding a copper carving knife, and bent down to carve the shape of the cannon barrel. His fingers were covered with calluses, but his movements were surprisingly steady. With each stroke, he slowly sculpted the smooth curve of the cannon barrel, the symmetrical trunnions on both sides, the heavy breechblock, and even polished the fine ridges of the cannon barrel neatly and smoothly.

After the wax mold is formed, the outer layer is wrapped with a mixture of fine river sand and refractory clay layer by layer. Each layer is left to dry in the shade before the next layer is applied. This process is repeated three times to form a thick and sturdy outer mold.

The casting port and vent were pre-drilled in the mold, and then everyone worked together to lift it into a special baking kiln, where it was heated by a large fire. The temperature inside the kiln rose steadily, and the wax mold covering the clay core melted as it heated up, slowly flowing away through the pre-set small holes, leaving only two layers of hard clay mold, with a hollow outline in the middle, which was the shape of the future bronze cannon.

On the other side, the two reverberatory furnaces in the smelting workshop were already glowing red-hot. Four strong craftsmen were on either side, working together to pull the giant double-skin bellows. The "whoosh, whoosh" sound made the ground tremble slightly. Inside the furnace, the lychee charcoal flames surged, and the temperature was so high that no one dared to approach.

Ingots of refined copper imported from Japan were poured one by one into the furnace, where they gradually softened and melted into golden-red molten copper under high temperatures. Tin was then added in proportion, and craftsmen wielding long-handled iron ladles stirred the liquid continuously, skimming off any impurities floating on the surface. The copper and tin fused together, emitting tiny bursts of golden light. Once the molten copper was uniform in color and clear and bright, it was the perfect time for casting.

"Hold on! Prepare to pour!" Bu Jialao ordered in a deep voice, his voice slightly hoarse from tension.

The craftsmen held their breath, using thick hemp ropes to firmly secure the preheated clay mold in the casting pit, adjusting the angle to ensure there was no tilting whatsoever. Two craftsmen carried the ladle filled with molten bronze and slowly approached. Under Bu Jialuo's direction, the golden-red bronze liquid flowed smoothly into the clay mold through the pouring channel.

Molten copper flowed, making a hissing sound, and heat instantly filled the entire factory area. Exhaust vents continuously expelled hot air and fumes, and the craftsmen kept a close eye on the casting gate to ensure that the molten copper filled at a uniform speed, neither too fast nor too slow, to prevent air bubbles and pinholes.

Once the molten copper was filled and overflowed from the casting spout, the craftsmen immediately sealed the opening with prepared clay to prevent air from getting in.