Chapter 134 Springtime Horror
Qin Mo's troops were very powerful, ranking among the top private armies of the nobles in the Great Xia Dynasty, mainly because a large number of cultivators served as their core members.
Qin Mo obtained a stable source of rubbing medicine from the Great Xia military through alcohol. With a large number of rubbing medicines being produced, a few lucky individuals will eventually become cultivators, and Qin Mo's retinue will become stronger and stronger.
However, Qin Mo's dream was to establish his own "Eternal Empire," which required an expeditionary force far exceeding the size of the Da Yuan army.
Qin Mo planned to emulate the orcish race's system of ruling the Rakshasa, while also modifying some policies of the British Empire from his previous life. He finally decided on a hierarchical system for ruling his subordinates: cultivators would govern ordinary people, elite cultivator armies would intimidate ordinary troops, and ordinary troops would be used to conquer all directions, fighting relentlessly.
“Your Highness, I can build this, but there will definitely be a lot of scrap, so I can’t tell you the exact price right now.” Grayson finally nodded, indicating that he could build this simplified version of the hand-broaching lathe based on the blueprints provided by Qin Mo.
"Very good, Gray Forest. I'll have someone send the deposit over. How long will it take to make a sample set?"
Qin Mo was already impatient. For this world with its obviously high level of military strength, the range and power of a smoothbore gun were simply not enough. Even the simplest and most practical muzzle-loading Minié gun required a rifled barrel.
There are three main methods for machining rifling in gun barrels, and Qin Mo chose the oldest and most laborious one—broaching. Even in the 21st century, hand-broaching lathes still stubbornly survive in old gun workshops in Europe.
“Your Highness, I believe that within a month, Greyson will grant Your Highness’s wish.” Greyson cautiously gave Qin Mo a deadline.
“Very good. If it works well, I will order ten. Gray Forest, you’re going to be rich... Hahaha.”
East of Dayuan Island, in the vast western Pacific Ocean, Qin Mo was furious.
"What's your name? I didn't hear you clearly just now, please say it again..."
Seeing the prince gritting his teeth, Zheng Yu opened and closed his mouth several times but no sound came out again. The gentle and handsome prince had suddenly turned into a raging lion, which made him extremely terrified.
"These cannons are no good? Not as accurate and swift as bows and arrows? Am I a fool to throw money into the sea?"
"Your Highness, when I pulled the cannon rope, the cannon was erratic and I didn't hit the target properly. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness." Zheng Yu finally retorted hesitantly. His father had died fighting the beasts in the north, and as the orphan of a martyr, he didn't want to leave Qin Mo with an impression of incompetence and disgrace his father.
"...Do you even know that the rope you're holding is something that Seaman and I painstakingly created, it's one of the best in the world, and you're still not satisfied?"
Qin Mo was furious. In her previous life, England had taken many detours in transitioning from iron cannons to bronze cannons. Their initial firing mechanism was simply a torch and a fuse, while hers was a bronze cannon with a pull-tube fuse. What more did they want?
"At sea, the terrain is naturally unstable due to the rising and falling waves. If you can't hit it, then how can he hit it?"
Following Qin Mo's finger, everyone looked at a person who, like Zheng Yu, was young and wearing the same sailor training camp uniform. In the test firing just now, he hit the target twice out of three shots, achieving remarkable results.
"Your subordinate Han Kun greets Your Highness." Han Kun saw the prince pointing at him and hurriedly bowed in response.
"Oh! I remember you. You're Uncle Han's son. That's good, very good."
Han Kun felt no joy upon hearing Qin Mo's praise. The prince was busy with countless affairs of state; if he remembered him, it must be because of his disgraceful cowardice. His face wasn't scarred, but the scar in his heart remained unhealed, bleeding drop by drop.
Qin Mo looked at Han Kun, who was bowing his head and remaining silent, and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "I was born with talent, so I must be put to use. Work hard, start as a gunner, and you might become a captain someday."
Han Kun finally raised his head and choked up, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness. I will certainly live up to your expectations."
Han Kun didn't know what a "gunner" was because he had never seen what a "gun" was; but the word "captain" had always been a dream he longed for.
Hideo Inoue was examining a "rifle" closely. He had never seen such a weapon before, only knowing that it was a new weapon that had been delivered to the high-ranking official, and that his 11th Brigade of Japan had been issued thirty of them.
After awakening in the marketplace, Inoue Hideo was appointed commander of the 11th Brigade. From a fallen nobleman of Japan to a general under the King of Great Xia, he always felt that this was compensation for the suffering he had endured in his youth.
Hideo Inoue survived the northern battlefield, but instead of returning to his hometown in Japan, he brought his mother directly from Edo to Daimyo, where they settled down permanently.
With his status as a cultivator, Inoue Hideo would have had a promising future back in Japan. However, having witnessed the vastness of the world, how could he remain a frog in a well? After a series of oaths of allegiance, Inoue Hideo finally gained Qin Mo's trust and was assigned to garrison Luzon.
"Inoue-kun, are you home?"
Harukami Jiro's voice came from outside. The two were colleagues and fellow townsmen of the garrison commander, and had a very good relationship.
"Oh! Haruhiko-kun has arrived, please come in."
Inoue Hideo put the "gun" aside, gestured for Haruue to sit down, and then began to brew tea to entertain his friend. Only officers who had reached the rank of battalion commander, or captain, were allowed to bring their families while stationed on duty. Both of them were currently single, so they brewed the tea themselves.
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