bookcurios Chapter 291 Everyone has their own thoughts
Chapter 291 Everyone has their own thoughts
On the outside, a layer of high-quality iron tightly wrapped, if not carefully examined, the mystery inside is really difficult to see. Wang Kui examined it and saw nothing unusual, so he nodded with satisfaction and said in a deep voice:
"It's time to show the magical power of this cannon!"
It happened that Xia Shao was also present. Upon hearing Wang Kui's intention, he immediately ordered his men to prepare for the launch.
"boom--"
The roar of the cannons was deafening, and the bullets whistled out, cutting through the sky.
This time the projectile was much larger than in the past, and when it exploded, the power was incredible, creating a spectacular sight.
The simulated fortifications were instantly shattered by the bombardment of projectiles. Wang Kui was amazed when he saw this scene.
After two consecutive rounds of test firing, the results were almost the same. Although Wang Kui didn't know much about military affairs, he felt an indescribable satisfaction when he saw that these artillery pieces were quite effective in defending the city.
However, when it came time to load the gun, they unexpectedly discovered that the gun carriage was not there.
"I hope you will forgive me, sir. Bingzhou can also be self-sufficient in such artillery mounts. You just need to take the cannon bodies with you." The visitor said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Wang Kui nodded slightly and thought to himself that there was really no need to waste money on such trivial matters.
"Then what is this black powder?" Wang Kui asked with a puzzled look on his face, his eyes fixed on a pile of black powder next to him.
"My Lord, this is gunpowder," Kui Zheng replied respectfully. "I will present you with a booklet later that details the use of cannons."
Wang Kui stroked his long beard lightly, showing a hint of approval for Kui Zheng's answer, with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
Just at this moment, a manual caught his eye. He picked it up and read it carefully, as if he had caught some unusual clues between the lines.
"Kui Zheng, gunpowder is an indispensable item, and these shells are also of paramount importance." Wang Kui's fingers lightly ran across the words on the manual, with a hint of surprise in his tone.
Kui Zheng nodded quickly and responded respectfully, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. The reason this cannon is so powerful is entirely due to the power of the gunpowder. As for the projectile, while it is also crucial, it is only used as a supplement.
Of course, if new projectiles are released in the future, we will definitely present them to you first."
After hearing this, Wang Kui's heart was filled with turmoil and a hint of anger appeared on his face.
After buying the cannon, I still have to shell out money to buy gunpowder. Damn it, after buying the cannon, I still have to buy gunpowder. Otherwise, wouldn’t that be like buying a pile of iron?
Wang Kui raised his eyebrows and asked, "How much is this gunpowder worth?"
Kui Zheng shook his head and said sincerely: "I really don't know. I need to consult Chief Shi of Pingyang County on this matter." There was a bit of helplessness in his words. The price and even the formula of gunpowder were all like flowers in the fog and the moon in the water to him.
Wang Kui's gaze lingered on the cannon for a long time, and he finally understood some of the secrets behind it, with a meaningful smile on his face.
"So that's how it is..." He muttered to himself, already having a plan in mind.
Now that things have come to this, negotiations must continue.
Under the guidance of Kui Zheng, Wang Kui once again stepped into Shi Li's tent.
"Chief, let's be frank. How exactly is the price of this gunpowder calculated?" Wang Kui's tone was unquestionably tough, and his face was slightly gloomy.
Shi Li was not angry. He knew very well that Wang Kui must be feeling mixed emotions and it would be difficult for him to calm down.
"Hey, Judge Wang, you look like you're holding back a lot of energy. How about this? I'll give you a can of gunpowder and a bullet for each cannon. How about that?"
"You! What use are these gunpowder and bullets?" Wang Kui's tone was filled with confusion and dissatisfaction.
"Haha, Lord Wang, you are wrong. It's like you bought a slave. You can't ask me to pay for his daily rations as well, right?" Shi Li's words were a bit joking, but they also cleverly resolved Wang Kui's resentment.
After hearing this, Wang Kui's resentment inexplicably dissipated a lot. After thinking about it carefully, he felt that what Shi Li said made some sense.
"Well, what you said makes sense. Then let's talk about the price." Wang Kui's tone softened a lot, and he seemed to have new expectations for this transaction.
For Shi Li, the cost and production process of gunpowder have long been a clear account in his mind.
Only the output seems to be bound by invisible shackles and has been unable to break through.
However, the spark of wisdom never went out, and someone came up with a bold idea - to look for saltpeter, trying to use this gift from nature to replace the traditional material that was tedious and time-consuming and made by boiling urine.
The wisdom of the ancients always shines in the most unexpected corners.
Soon, someone was pleasantly surprised to find that the substance extracted from urine had the same effect as saltpeter, which undoubtedly opened up a new path for the production of gunpowder.
If saltpeter can really become an alternative, then the output of gunpowder will surely rise like bamboo shoots in spring, and its price will surely become more affordable like fallen leaves swept away by autumn wind.
"So," Shi Li said to Wang Kui with a calm expression and a firm gaze, "one pound of gunpowder is priced at ten taels of silver. This is already a special discount given our long-standing friendship."
"One jin weighs ten liang, and each shot requires one jin of gunpowder. This..."
Upon hearing this, Wang Kui couldn't help but calculate in his mind. The number was so large that even he couldn't help feeling a little pressured.
This will make the cost of fighting wars much higher in the future.
"Sir Wang, if you think about it, this price is not exorbitant. The value of the rare materials contained within is difficult to estimate. If you have any doubts, you can ask around and you will surely find out how rare and precious these materials are."
Shi Li said this without changing his expression, his sincerity evident in his words. After hearing this, Wang Kui's doubts gradually dissipated, and he secretly thought that the initial labor quotation was indeed fair.
In his eyes, powerful people often don't know much about the ways of business, which makes sense now.
Wang Kui did not carry much money when he went out, so he only bought some of the things he needed.
In his mind, he secretly thought that these items might not be impossible to replicate.
As Wang Kui had expected, Shi Li's gunpowder was made with crude craftsmanship. After he brought a sample back, a group of craftsmen soon figured out its secrets.
The large particles of carbon black and the bright yellow sulfur in the gunpowder are very easy to identify. As for the saltpeter, it was once a medicinal ingredient, so it was naturally easy to identify.
Knowing that it was gunpowder, the craftsmen added some other flammable materials to it. The cost of the gunpowder made in this way was almost the same as that purchased by Wang Kui before, but its effectiveness was better than Shi Li's.