In the afternoon, in the Imperial Study, just after Emperor Yongzheng finished processing a batch of memorials, an envelope was presented to him by someone from the Sticky Rod Office.
He took the envelope, gently tracing the sealing wax with his fingertips, his heart filled with curiosity.
He waved away his attendants, opened the envelope alone, and slowly unfolded the drawings.
The delicate lines and dense annotations leaped off the page, and his gaze followed Lin Yun's pen strokes closely.
His brows gradually relaxed, eventually turning into a sigh of admiration.
"Excellent!" Yongzheng slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his eyes gleaming.
He immediately summoned the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department's workshops and the vice minister of the Ministry of Works.
He showed them the blueprints and said in a deep voice, "Immediately summon craftsmen to secretly test-produce the new firearms according to these blueprints. I want to see the finished product within ten days."
"Furthermore, this matter must not be leaked. If anyone leaks the news, your entire Imperial Workshop and the Ministry of Works will lose their heads."
"Yes." Everyone took the blueprints and carefully passed them around, their eyes filled with shock.
Liu Quan, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Workshop, was the first to speak.
His voice was high-pitched but tinged with hesitation: "Your Majesty, the design on these blueprints is exquisite. If it can be replicated, it will greatly enhance our army's combat power. However..."
He paused, glanced at Yongzheng's expression, and continued, "The amount of silver required for this modification is probably not small, especially the design of the rifling and breech loading, which requires high-quality iron and skilled craftsmen, making it extremely costly."
Zhao Mingcheng, the Vice Minister of Works, took over the conversation, his brows furrowed: "Your Majesty, according to my rough estimate, just the trial production of this batch of firearms will require at least 50,000 taels of silver."
"If it's large-scale production, the pressure on the Ministry of Revenue will be..." He hesitated, clearly aware of the court's financial situation.
Emperor Yongzheng's gaze was cold as he swept over the crowd: "I have my own arrangements regarding the silver."
The war in the Northwest is now critical, and the Russian Empire is eyeing us covetously. If our army's firepower is outdated, how can we defend ourselves? This expense cannot be spared.
Liu Quan quickly bowed: "Your Majesty is wise! But regarding the quantity... perhaps we should first produce a hundred units as a trial, and only proceed with mass production after the tests are successful?"
After a moment's thought, Zhao Mingcheng added, "I believe that while a hundred branches can solve the immediate crisis, they may be insufficient in the event of a major battle."
A compromise would be to manufacture 500 units first and distribute them to elite troops for trial use, while simultaneously intensifying training on the operation of this new type of firearm.
Yongzheng nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "As Zhao Qing said, let's make five hundred of them first."
Liu Quan, you will personally oversee this matter and ensure its completion within ten days. Any delay will result in your execution.
Cold sweat beaded on Liu Quan's forehead as he repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "This servant will do his utmost to live up to Your Majesty's trust!"
Wang the blacksmith, the chief craftsman of the Imperial Workshop, stared at the blueprints with excitement in his eyes.
He couldn't help but interject, "Your Majesty, although carving the rifling is difficult, using my newly developed lathe might make things much easier. It's just that the gunpowder formula..."
He hesitated for a moment, "This servant has never seen such a ratio before, I wonder how potent it is?"
Yongzheng said calmly, "No need to worry. Just follow the instructions and make it exactly as shown in the drawings. You'll know once you've made the first one and put it into actual combat."
Everyone responded in unison, accepted the order, and withdrew.
Emperor Yongzheng stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the Forbidden City under the setting sun, his thoughts churning.
The thirteenth brother, Yinxiang, is busy overseeing the construction of a textile factory. At present, he needs to find another capable person to discuss the matter of military reform.
"Summon Zhang Tingyu." Yongzheng spoke calmly, but his voice carried an undeniable authority.
A moment later, Zhang Tingyu hurriedly entered the palace, bowed, and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
Yongzheng gestured for him to rise and asked directly, "Hengchen, what is the current situation of the various armies' garrisons? Do you have detailed records of the strength and equipment of the firearms battalion?"
Zhang Tingyu, who also served as a Grand Councilor, pondered for a moment, then took out a booklet from his sleeve and respectfully presented it:
"Your Majesty, this is a summary of military affairs that I have recently compiled. The Eight Banners Firearms Battalion has more than 6,000 soldiers stationed in the capital, Shengjing, and key passes in Zhili. They are mainly equipped with matchlock guns, supplemented by a small number of captured Dzungar flintlock guns."
However, in recent years, their firearms have become outdated, and training has become lax, so their combat effectiveness is likely not what it used to be.
As Yongzheng flipped through the booklet, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
The book records that the firearms battalion was mostly equipped with old-style firearms left over from the Ming Dynasty.
Meanwhile, the Dzungar Khanate in the northwest had already equipped themselves with flintlock muskets imported from the West, whose range and accuracy far exceeded those of the Qing army.
He closed the booklet and said coldly, "With such military equipment, how can we defend the territory of our Great Qing?"
Seeing this, Zhang Tingyu quickly added, "Your Majesty is wise."
Last year, Nian Gengyao, the Governor-General of Shaanxi, submitted a memorial requesting increased military funding to upgrade firearms, but the matter was shelved due to a tight budget in the Ministry of Revenue.
"Nian Gengyao?" Yongzheng sneered. "He certainly knows how to ask for money."
Even so, she already had a plan in mind.
Lin Yun's blueprints are currently the key to solving the problem of outdated military equipment, but military reform is a complex undertaking that affects the whole system and requires long-term planning.
"By imperial decree," Yongzheng said with keen eyes, "from this day forward, the firearms battalion shall be placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Grand Council. All equipment upgrades and personnel reassignments shall require my personal approval."
Furthermore, the Ministry of Works was ordered to establish a secret workshop at the Fengtai military camp, dedicated to the manufacture of new firearms. All craftsmen were to be selected from the Imperial Household Department and the Eight Banners, and strict secrecy was to be maintained.
Zhang Tingyu's heart skipped a beat. The Emperor was about to bypass the Ministry of War and directly seize military power! He dared not say anything more and could only bow and reply, "Your subject obeys."
Yongzheng then asked, "How is the Thirteenth Prince's progress these days?"
My thirteenth brother hasn't been to the palace for several days; I miss him.
"Your Majesty, Prince Yi is supervising the construction of a textile factory according to your decree. He just sent a report yesterday saying that the foundation of the factory has been completed and it will be finished in August, with production commencing in September."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
