The craftsmen received the blueprints for the new firearms and worked day and night, finally presenting the finished product on the tenth day.
Emperor Yongzheng could not hide his excitement and immediately summoned Zhang Tingyu, the Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang, and several trusted ministers to the training ground in the western suburbs to test the guns.
On the drill ground, a spring breeze was blowing, and the guards had already cleared the area and imposed martial law. Yongzheng stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed intently on the firearms presented by the craftsmen.
The modified matchlock gun had sleek lines and a barrel that gleamed coldly, making it completely different from the old firearms. Yinxiang took the gun, examined it closely, and exclaimed in amazement, "Fourth Brother, even the barrel is different now!"
Of course they're different. The forging techniques are different; this gun is made of refined iron.
Zhang Tingyu stroked his beard and pondered: "If this thing is really as described in the map, the military strength of our Great Qing will surely increase greatly."
Emperor Yongzheng nodded slightly, signaling the start of the gun test. A guard stepped forward to load the bullet, his movements more than three times faster than those of an old-fashioned matchlock musket. With the trigger pulled, a loud "bang" rang out, and the bullet shot through the air, shattering the target a hundred paces away! The courtiers gasped in astonishment, even the usually composed Zhang Tingyu stared wide-eyed.
"Try again!" Yongzheng said in a deep voice, trying to control his emotions. The guard fired five shots in succession, hitting the target every time, and the reloading speed was extremely fast, with much less smoke than before.
Yinxiang couldn't resist taking the shot himself. After a few test shots, he laughed loudly and said, "Fourth Brother, with this divine weapon, what worries do we have about unrest on the frontier?"
Yongzheng stared at the gun barrel, finally unable to hide his excitement. A long-lost smile appeared on his face.
"Truly a divine artifact!" He whispered to Yinxiang, "This matter must be kept absolutely secret, especially the source of the blueprints." Yinxiang understood and solemnly agreed.
Zhang Tingyu and the others nearby witnessed the test firing results and were deeply shocked. They never expected that the Emperor would actually create such a powerful weapon, let alone that it would be so formidable. The Emperor was indeed wise and mighty.
This gun not only doesn't explode, but it's also so convenient and quick. What's there to be afraid of when encountering cavalry? Just come at them and unleash a barrage of fire!
Let the winds blow from any direction, I'll just stand there, sword in hand, laughing at the heavens.
At this moment, four words simultaneously came to everyone's mind:
Expanding territory, expanding territory!
Zhang Tingyu's hands were trembling...
Excited.
Needless to say, everyone else was numb.
After everyone had left.
After returning to the palace, Yongzheng sat alone in his study, silently turning the jade thumb ring in his hand.
The new weapon's range, lethality, safety, and convenience far exceeded his expectations. If every soldier were equipped with this weapon...
He seemed to see a future where iron cavalry would roam freely and the country would be forever secure.
He picked up his pen and wrote a secret decree: Increase manpower to keep a close watch on the firearms workshops. To prevent leaks, anyone found leaking information or contacting people from the opposing camp shall be dealt with secretly.
Then he looked into the distance, pondering what reward to give Lin Yun.
He picked up his pen, then put it down again. The matter of firearms was of great importance, and if the reward was too conspicuous, it would inevitably arouse suspicion. But if he didn't reward them, he feared it would discourage the meritorious officials. After much deliberation, he decided to summon his thirteenth brother the next day to discuss the matter.
The next day, after court, Yinxiang followed Yongzheng into the imperial study. Yongzheng dismissed his attendants, gesturing for him to sit down, and said in a low voice, "Thirteenth brother, Lin's contribution in presenting the map deserves a reward, but I am worried that giving her too much of a reward will expose her identity. Do you have any good ideas?"
Yinxiang thought to himself, "Fourth Brother really cares." After a moment's thought, he said, "Fourth Brother, why not grant her the title of 'Imperial Merchant'? Although Imperial Merchants are merchants, they have the protection of the court and can act with ease. This would be discreet and allow her to move freely among the people while continuing to serve the court."
Emperor Yongzheng frowned slightly: "Although the status of a royal merchant is good, Lin Yun is just a woman, and I'm afraid she will have difficulty winning people's hearts."
Yongzheng had a vague idea in his mind, but he hadn't figured out what it was yet.
Yinxiang laughed and said, "Fourth Brother is overthinking it. Lin Yun is exceptionally intelligent, and with your secret support, who would dare to disobey her? Besides, her status as a royal merchant can conceal her identity, which suits her need to keep a low profile."
After a moment of contemplation, Yongzheng still felt uneasy: "This matter is of great importance, and I would like to ask her opinion personally."
Yinxiang had a sudden inspiration and understood, saying, "Does Fourth Brother want to travel incognito? Or does he want to recruit her into the palace?"
Emperor Yongzheng nodded: "Entering the palace would be too conspicuous. I need to see her current situation with my own eyes before making a decision."
I absolutely did not want to see her; I only wanted to see the designer of this gun.
Yes, that's it.
"Then I can't stay with you. My textile factory can't be shut down," Yinxiang said with regret.
"It's alright, no rush. We'll talk about it after this busy period is over," Yongzheng said with a relaxed smile.
Yunxiang Pavilion, Shangyang County
One evening a month after opening, Manager Chen, Lin Yun, and Accountant Zhang were checking the accounts in the backyard. When the last sum of silver was counted, Accountant Zhang's hands trembled slightly: "Miss, this month... we earned 60,000 taels."
Manager Chen, who was sitting to the side, suddenly stood up and stared at Accountant Zhang in disbelief: "What?"
Lin Yun nearly dropped the teacup in her hand: "How much?"
"Sixty thousand taels!" Zhang the accountant's voice trembled slightly.
Lin Yun took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Sixty thousand taels—that was an astronomical figure! But she also knew that this wasn't her achievement alone.
Xiao Tao danced with excitement, shouting, "Miss, we're rich! Even the master and mistress are going to be shocked!"
Lin Yun smiled, quickly regaining her composure: "Good business is a good thing, but the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it, so we need to be more careful."
She thought for a moment, then turned to Manager Chen and said, "Starting tomorrow, hire a few more guards. The safety of the shop must be guaranteed."
Manager Chen looked up blankly and replied, "Don't worry, Miss, I'll arrange everything properly." It took him a while to come to his senses.
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