Zhu Youxiao smiled and said, "Then tell me about it."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Xu Guangqi said quickly. "The sweet potatoes I planted this spring are growing well. Many other crops have also survived after being planted, and they look very good. As for the specific harvest, we will have to wait until the autumn harvest."
"But potatoes should bear fruit soon. I've already searched many places, and I've found that people in other parts of the Ming Dynasty are also spontaneously planting potatoes. However, their planting is not on a large scale, the yields vary, and the planting methods are also varied, so I'm not sure about the results."
"This time, all the crops were planted according to the method Your Majesty said. Now the growth is good. They have bloomed a few days ago and it is estimated that they will be harvested soon." Xu Guangqi said with a smile.
Zhu Youxiao nodded. The so-called sweet potato is actually yams; as for potatoes, they are potatoes.
Zhu Youxiao naturally knew very well how to grow these two things.
Potatoes need to be dug up after they sprout and then planted. This is a method summarized by later generations.
Although Zhu Youxiao didn't know who came up with this idea or why it was done this way, he believed it had its reasons. As long as this planting method was figured out, it could be promoted.
From this time on, the Ming Dynasty was plagued by disasters. Food became increasingly scarce, and famines became more frequent year by year. How to ensure that the people had enough food was the top priority.
Zhu Youxiao had few options. Given the current transportation conditions, it was unrealistic to plunder and transport grain from other countries, so he could only improve local planting.
If they want to expand their territory, they can only start a war in the south, but that is unlikely.
At least before the problem in the north is solved, it is impossible for him to take action in the south. This is a question of order.
Even if the South were to stir up trouble again, it would not be able to do so.
It’s different in the north.
Although Zhu Youxiao had done so many things during this period, he had a clear ranking of the importance of each thing in his mind.
The issue of food always comes first, and not having enough food to eat is the big problem.
Now hearing what Xu Guangqi said, Zhu Youxiao was naturally very happy.
As for the question of whether potatoes taste good or not, when you are really starving to death, does it really matter whether they taste good or not?
Besides, we can think of some ways to eat it to enrich its taste, such as French potato bread, etc. It is also very good to study it.
"My dear minister, I have brought you good news today." Zhu Youxiao looked at Xu Guangqi and said with a smile, "When the potatoes are ripe, remember to call me and we will go dig them together."
"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will present it to you in time." Xu Guangqi also smiled happily. He was happy from the bottom of his heart.
Zhu Youxiao nodded, and seeing that Xu Guangqi had no intention of leaving, he continued to ask, "Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty, the next thing is about the Hundred Craftsmen Academy."
"The first batch of flintlock rifles from the Hundred Crafts Institute has been finalized and production has begun. The prototypes will be ready soon. Since the advent of the hydraulic press, production efficiency has greatly improved."
"There's one more thing I want to discuss with Your Majesty. Regarding the lathe you mentioned, the Hundred Craftsmen's Institute has already manufactured a simple one. As for the rifling you mentioned, there's currently no suitable boring tool. The steel currently being refined by the Hundred Craftsmen's Institute isn't up to par."
"Couldn't a copper cannon work?" Zhu Youxiao frowned after hearing this, then turned to look at Xu Guangqi beside him. "Logically, that shouldn't be the case. Copper has much better plasticity and ductility. Finding a boring tool that can carve rifling grooves on a copper cannon shouldn't be a big problem."
"Your Majesty, copper is acceptable, but copper cannons are too expensive," Xu Guangqi said helplessly. "It's simply too expensive. The Hundred Craftsmen's Academy no longer manufactures copper cannons."
The cost of copper cannons is indeed a problem.
Putting aside the question of whether the Ming Dynasty lacked copper, the key point is that copper was currency in this era. Using copper to make cannons was like using money to make cannons.
Under such circumstances, the general court could not afford it. For a poor emperor like Zhu Youxiao, copper cannons were not something he could afford.
After all, artillery isn't something you can just have one or two. You need a lot of it, in groups and on a large scale. Fewer of them won't make much sense. Therefore, the steel cannon is the best choice.
Now, after so much research by Zhu Youxiao and Xu Guangqi, the Academy of Hundred Craftsmen is able to produce steel cannons. The only problem is the manufacturing speed. There are still some minor problems that need to be solved before mass production can be achieved.
In addition, the Hundred Craftsmen Academy also began to enrich other firearms items. For example, the traditional Ming Dynasty swarm mines, incendiary bombs known as the Ten Thousand Enemies, as well as the Divine Fire Crow and Thunder Gun, and the large-caliber revolver Five Thunder Divine Machine.
Zhu Youxiao was very interested in several of the firearms, such as the Divine Fire Flying Crow. In Zhu Youxiao's view, this thing had the potential to be a missile, or at least a rocket launcher.
Another interesting thing is the Thunder Gun, which is a multi-barreled firearm with up to 18 launch tubes. It weighs 2.5 kilograms and has uninterrupted firepower. It can be said to be a very powerful continuous-fire gun.
Zhu Youxiao has already given suggestions for improving the Thunder Gun, which is of course to reduce the number of tubes and achieve simultaneous firing through rotation.
As for bullets, since paper shell bullets have become popular, Zhu Youxiao asked the Hundred Craftsmen's Academy to find a way to make bullet belts.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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