April of the seventeenth year of the Tongxu reign.
Even though Dongning Province is located in the harsh and cold northeastern region, the mountains and forests are sprouting green shoots, showing a vibrant scene of life.
The long winter is over.
The wide Shuibin River flows turbulently.
The melting snow and ice upstream converge into streams that flow into the Shuibin River, becoming muddy and turbid, making the entire river roar and rage.
People who had evacuated from Shuangchengfu and Xiandefu in the north and moved south also entered Dongning City.
With the help of the engineering team, they began to build dugouts in Dongning City to accommodate these people.
The Dongning Prefecture government also began to screen and register the people's household registration.
Experienced locals also joined hunting teams, gathering teams, carpentry teams, and construction teams to start working.
There was a sense of urgency amidst the busyness.
Even Li Xin, inside the Prince Xin's residence, was browsing through smart technology.
Although they had the help of the Thunderclap Bomb, their other weapons and equipment were still too rudimentary.
Broadsword, spear, bow and arrow.
These weapons are still too rudimentary.
However, upgrading weapons and equipment is still too difficult.
Li Xin did find the methods for making flintlock and matchlock guns, but the conditions are not yet ripe.
After all, there is still too little steel.
However, steel is indispensable for forging weapons.
This is Dongning City's biggest weakness right now.
No iron ore!
After much deliberation, Li Xin finally focused his attention on crossbows.
Nowadays, the bows and arrows used by the Prince's Guard are mostly simple birch bows with deer sinew bowstrings and recurved bows, with a range of only about 100 meters.
If the bow and arrow could be improved, the strength of the royal guards could be quickly enhanced.
After some searching, Li Xin finally found some ways to improve the bow and arrow.
Li Xin adopted a double recurve bow design and improved the bowstring making method.
The design improved the range of current bows and arrows.
Although the effect wasn't very good, it was the best that could be achieved before industrialization!
After the design was handed over to the Ordnance Department, production began.
In addition, Li Xin focused his energy on crossbows.
Before the advent of the firearms era, the crossbow was one of the most powerful weapons in siege warfare!
Large ballistae and triple-bow ballistae can inflict heavy casualties on enemy troops.
Nowadays, logging teams cut down a lot of timber.
The deer tendons hunted by the hunting team became the best ingredients.
After some searching, Li Xin found the design methods for weapons such as the ballista, the triple-bow ballista, and the repeating crossbow. He recorded them and handed them over to the Ordnance Bureau to begin manufacturing.
These weapons and equipment will become the standard equipment for the Shence Battalion and the Xiaoji Battalion.
After a busy day, Li Xin couldn't help but sigh.
Without steel, nothing can be done!
It seems that after defeating the grassland bandits this time, we need to send more people to explore the location of the iron ore mine.
Even before iron ore is discovered, Qingyu Trading Company, Sunji Trading Company, and others should be ordered to purchase ironware in large quantities.
Steel is the backbone!
Without steel, there is no backbone!
With steel, we not only had weapons and equipment.
Even cold weapons can be gradually phased out, and attempts can be made to manufacture flintlock muskets.
With flintlock muskets, the strength of the Prince's Guard will reach a new level!
With steel, some machinery and equipment can be built.
Various types of machine tools, power machinery, etc.
With machinery, we could step into the industrial age!
That would be truly epoch-making!
Thinking about it, Li Xin silently made a note of it.
...
Just as Li Xin was busy, a servant hurried to the outside of the study and whispered, "Your Highness, someone outside the mansion wants to see you. They say they have important matters to report."
"This is the third time already."
"oh?"
Inside the study, Li Xin put down his pen and asked, "What is it?"
"He didn't say."
The servant shook his head and said, "That man said he would only speak frankly when he saw His Highness."
"Heh, quite the airs you have!"
Li Xin rubbed his sore and swollen shoulders, stretched his neck, and said, "Then please invite him in."
Before long, an elderly man in his fifties or sixties with a white beard stepped in.
The old man was thin and wore a faded but clean coat.
Her thin body couldn't support the large clothes, making them look empty.
"This humble subject greets Your Highness!"
The old man entered the room, bowed respectfully, but did not kneel.
Oh!
That's quite an impressive figure!
"Old sir, is it you who wants to see me?"
Li Xin leaned back in his chair, raised his head, and asked, "I'm quite busy. If there's anything important, please speak freely."
If it's nothing important, I'll just send you away!
"Your Highness,"
The old man, neither humble nor arrogant, replied, "I have come today to discuss matters concerning Dongning."
"Your Highness, may I ask, with tens of thousands of bandits from the grasslands attacking, is Dongning City able to withstand them?"
boast?
Li Xin couldn't help but chuckle.
Unexpectedly, the old man raised such a big issue right off the bat.
This guy is nothing special!
Li Xin smiled and shook his head, saying, "So what if there are many bandits on the grasslands?"
Our Dongning City has thunderous roars, and also the united people of the entire city!
Defeating the grassland bandits and defending Dongning City will be a piece of cake!
A mere bandit on the grasslands is no problem at all!
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