Outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Chongzhen asked Wang Chengen to find a few books and nail them to a wooden stake. After nailing them, he told Li Ruolian: "Find a bird gun and a fire gun."
When Li Ruolian was ready, under the watchful eyes of Li Banghua and Fan Jingwen, he set fire and shot at the wooden stake fifty steps away.
When the smoke cleared, Wang Chengen sent people to carry the wooden stakes to Chongzhen.
Li Banghua had already guessed what Chongzhen meant. The emperor wanted to use books to make paper armor!
There are records of the Ming army using paper armor, which is made of 10-centimeter-thick paper arranged in a fish-scale pattern, with silk cloth on the side underneath. Paper armor is suitable for the southern climate, which is humid and rainy. Iron armor is not breathable and extremely hot, which affects combat efficiency and makes it easy to rust.
Qi Jiguang used paper armor when fighting against the Japanese pirates!
Li Banghua didn't believe that books could have the same effect, so he reached out and opened the book to check the damage to the wooden stake.
As expected, it was shot through.
"Your Majesty, these books are not paper armor and have no protective capabilities!"
Chongzhen shook his head slightly and signaled Li Ruolian to shoot at another tree stump again.
Two layers of books are tied to this tree stump. The books on the outside get wet, while the books on the inside remain dry.
After the smoke from Li Ruolian's shooting cleared, Wang Chengen carried the wooden stake back again.
This time, the effect is very obvious!
Although the lead bullet from the bird gun penetrated the first book, it could not penetrate the second book.
Li Banghua and Fan Jingwen were stunned. They looked at Chongzhen in surprise, their hearts greatly shocked!
The emperor knows so much, it seems like he knows everything!
They hurriedly bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty is extremely intelligent, far superior to ordinary people!"
"Stop flattering me. Spread the news quickly. Let the soldiers who don't have armor make armor in this way. Just string the books together with ropes and hang them on their bodies."
"As ordered, I will take my leave."
After Li Banghua and Fan Jingwen left, Chongzhen assigned another task to Li Ruolian.
This time, he wants to kill all the civil officials who are fighting among themselves!
......
The next morning, before Chongzhen even left the imperial city, he received news that the bandits had already set up camp outside the city.
He asked Wang Chengen: "Are all the civil and military officials present?"
"Your Majesty, seven or eight ministers have caught a cold and are bedridden. They have returned home to recuperate."
"Cold?" Chongzhen smiled faintly, "The King's Heart?"
"I am here!"
"Go, have the guards from the East Factory go to the ministers' houses to check on them. Remember, they are all sick."
"Yes, sir!" Wang Zhixin happily went to arrange people.
What does the emperor mean by this?
The opportunity to make money has come!
"Li Ruolian, wait for a quarter of an hour after the Dongchang people leave, and send the Jinyiwei to check on the ministers' residences. Remember, they are all sick."
Li Ruo Lian blinked his eyes and understood what Chong Zhen meant. "I obey your order."
"Wang Chengen, wait for the Jinyiwei to leave for a quarter of an hour, and then arrange for the imperial doctors in the palace to go to the ministers' houses to treat them."
"Remember, those people are sick. Half of the money collected will be handed over to you, and the remaining half can be left for them to spend."
"As you wish."
Civil and military officials had been waiting outside the imperial city for a long time. Since they had given notice in advance, all the civil officials were wearing the same cotton armor.
Some people even put on two layers!
The cold wind blew, and white mist emanated from my neck.
Seeing Chongzhen coming, the officials knelt down and saluted.
"You all have armor on, so today's ceremony is unnecessary. Do you know why I asked you to climb the tower?"
"I don't know, please let your Majesty tell me."
"I have no other intentions. I just want you to see what the bandits look like and feel the biting cold wind on the city wall!"
Although many civil officials were reluctant, they could not say anything since the emperor had taken the lead.
Under the escort of the Yongwei Battalion and the Jinyiwei, the group headed towards Fuchengmen.
Although the capital was under martial law, there were still many people on the streets. The three major camps, the Five City Military Command, the Patrol Camp, the Imperial Guard, and the East Factory all focused their attention on the city walls, and basically no one cared about the city.
Hearing that the bandits were camping in the southwest of the capital, the people moved towards the western city wall, shouting, "The bandits are coming, let's go take a look. Let's see what these beasts who robbed and killed everything look like!"
"What's so good about it? It's just two eyes, a nose and a mouth. We might as well make a book armor now. I heard that it's more useful than the cotton armor of the three camps."
"If they dare to attack the city today, I will be the first to rush up and kill them! Killing one will cover my losses, and killing two will make me a profit."
The people were in high spirits. Although they were still afraid, their blood was boiling.
They don't have lofty ideals, nor do they want to serve the country. They just want to protect what they have already obtained!
Money, food, family, house!
The money is both my own and given by the government. I don't worry if I have money in my hands! I have food stored at home, so I won't be hungry! My family members are my parents, wife and children, and the whole family is gathered together! Although the house is not big, it is very warm to live in it.
They swear to protect these most precious things even at the cost of their lives!
The group quickly crossed the street and climbed up to Fucheng Gate!
The general guarding the city was Lieutenant General Li of the Fifth Army Battalion. He personally handed the telescope to Chongzhen and pointed to the southwest, saying, "Your Majesty, please look, the bandits are setting up camp in the southwest, about four li (a li in the Ming Dynasty was 576 meters) away."
"The Red Barbarian cannon can't reach it!"
Chongzhen looked towards the southwest with his clairvoyance.
Although the Clairvoyance has the function of a telescope, its clarity and zoom capability are still far behind.
Through the telescope, we can see that the Shun army in the distance has set up camp and is waiting for the subsequent troops to gather.
The baggage train in the rear was so huge and dark that it made people feel suffocated.
Immediately afterwards, a group of cavalry set out from the military camp and marched quickly towards Fuchengmen.
Behind them came a body of infantry, with long weapons in their hands.
As these people got closer, Chongzhen finally saw clearly that what those infantrymen were holding were not weapons, but hoes!
Chongzhen was stunned for a moment, handed the Clairvoyance to Li Banghua, and asked, "Lord Li, what are they going to do?"
Li Banghua took the Clairvoyance and understood it after just one look. He shouted, "The bandits are planning to dig trenches! With trenches, they can avoid cannons and muskets, and even bows and crossbows can't hurt them."
"Lieutenant General Li, quickly order the men to fire their artillery. We can't let them dig trenches!"
Lieutenant General Li immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and ordered the artillery to prepare to load explosives.
"Wait..." Chongzhen stopped him.
Li Banghua was anxious: "I don't know why your majesty called for a stop. If we don't stop it now, the consequences will be disastrous."
"No, they're not here to dig trenches!"
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