Chapter 42: What This Palace Wants Most Right Now Is a Flintlock!

"By the way, Lord Bi, do you happen to know any artillery experts?"

Suddenly, Zhu Cilang asked the question.

Although Bi Maokang was a rare and precious firearms expert, it was evident that his primary research focus remained on improving firearms like muskets. Artillery required someone far more specialized!

After pondering for a moment, Bi Maokang replied:

"This humble official does know two men who possess quite unique insights regarding artillery."

"One is Song Yingxing, and the other is Johann Adam Schall von Bell!"

Song Yingxing was a scientist of the late Ming dynasty, and his technological innovations played a significant role in the development of science and technology for future generations. Simultaneously, his book, *The Exploitation of the Works of Nature* (*Tiangong Kaiwu*), provided posterity with invaluable scientific knowledge and technical expertise.

His research in agriculture was exceptionally profound, proposing numerous theories and methods concerning agricultural production that greatly enhanced crop yields. Beyond that, he conducted in-depth studies in handicrafts, metallurgy, and textiles, and invented numerous tools capable of boosting productivity. All in all, he was truly a towering talent!

As for Johann Adam Schall von Bell, he was rather unique. Because he was neither a native of the Ming dynasty nor of Han ethnicity, but rather a Catholic Jesuit missionary hailing from Germany. During the late Ming period, a large number of Catholic missionaries arrived in China, eager to spread their faith far and wide, and Schall von Bell was one of them.

The difference was that aside from preaching, Schall von Bell himself possessed an immense wealth of advanced Western knowledge. Not only did he conduct deeply profound research into astronomy, but he applied the same rigor to artillery.

The Chongzhen Emperor had once ordered him to assist the Directorate of Ordnance in improving existing artillery, and Schall von Bell did not disappoint, successfully upgrading the cannons and even compiling his experiences into a book.

This book was titled *Essentials of the Art of Fire Warfare* (*Huogong Qiyao*). It recorded Europe's most advanced artillery manufacturing technology at the time, serving as the most authoritative work on Western cannons in the late Ming period and exerting a massive influence well into the late Qing dynasty.

As a time-traveler, Zhu Cilang naturally knew of these two men. Agents had already been dispatched to find Song Yingxing, and he would arrive in the capital before long.

As for Johann Adam Schall von Bell...

This fellow had actually been in the capital all along; Zhu Cilang even saw him every day during morning court. For he currently served as the Director of the Imperial Directorate of Astronomy for the Great Ming.

The Directorate of Astronomy was, simply put, the ancient state observatory, shouldering the vital responsibilities of observing celestial phenomena and promulgating the calendar. The position of Director of the Directorate of Astronomy was equivalent to the head of a national astronomical observatory.

Because the agricultural seasons depended entirely upon the calendar, and ancient people were somewhat superstitious, the status of the Directorate of Astronomy had been of paramount importance since antiquity.

It seemed he would have to pay a visit to Johann Adam Schall von Bell tomorrow. If he could persuade him to join the Firearms Research Institute, they could undoubtedly develop artillery of even greater destructive power.

Originally, in Zhu Cilang's mind, the best artillery experts should have been Xu Guangqi and his disciple Sun Yuanhua. But unfortunately, both of them were already dead.

Xu Guangqi was relatively fortunate, having lived out his natural life and died of old age. Sun Yuanhua, however, had met a rather tragic end.

In the fifth year of Chongzhen, because his subordinate Kong Youde betrayed the Ming and surrendered to the Later Jin, leading to the fall of Denglai, Sun Yuanhua attempted suicide but failed and was released by the rebellious troops. Ultimately, however, the Chongzhen Emperor blamed Sun Yuanhua for the incident and had him executed!

To think that such a rare artillery expert had died such a wrongful death—Zhu Cilang found it immensely lamentable just to think about it.

Regaining his composure, Zhu Cilang spoke up:

"As for the Song Yingxing you mentioned, this prince has already sent men to fetch him; he will arrive in the capital in a few days. As for Johann Adam Schall von Bell, this prince will go meet him tomorrow."

Bi Maokang nodded, then continued:

"This humble official would like to recommend yet another person. His name is Wang Zheng. In his youth, he had a fondness for ancient artifacts and machinery, and once researched water-powered, wind-powered, and load-bearing machinery, compiling his findings into a book titled *Illustrated Explanations of Newly Made Devices* (*Xinzhi Zhuqi Tushu*)."

"Later, he collaborated with the Swiss missionary Johann Schreck to translate *Diagrams and Explanations of Wonderful Machines of the Far West* (*Yuanxi Qiqi Tushu*)."

"This man has achieved exceptionally high attainments in mechanics and perhaps can be of assistance to Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wang Zheng...

Zhu Cilang reflected for a moment. He seemed to have heard this name before; rumor had it he was a mechanical master of the Ming dynasty, often bracketed alongside Xu Guangqi as 'Xu of the South and Wang of the North.' Legend even had it that he had invented a steam engine back then.

Regardless of whether the rumor was true or false, Zhu Cilang firmly noted down the name, intending to dispatch the Embroidered Uniform Guard to issue an imperial edict tomorrow.

If the Great Ming wished to develop, it would certainly require all sorts of machinery in the future; talents like this must not be missed.

Immediately, Zhu Cilang said:

"This prince has noted this name and will send men to find him tomorrow. Furthermore, this prince will also dispatch people tomorrow to find a suitable location to build the Firearms Research Institute. Before that is done, I will find a proper place for you within the East Palace first."

"No matter what personnel or materials you require, you may requisition them from the Directorate of Ordnance and the Directorate of Military Weapons."

"This prince will allocate an additional one hundred thousand taels of silver to you as initial funding; whenever it is not enough, simply come to me."

Upon hearing this, Bi Maokang hurriedly cupped his hands and said:

"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince may rest assured, this minister will certainly not let Your Highness down!"

"It's just that I wonder what kind of firearms Your Royal Highness needs most at present?"

The types of firearms recorded in the *Illustrated Treatise on Military Equipment* were simply too numerous; trying to research all of them at once was utterly unrealistic. Therefore, Bi Maokang wished to know which specific firearm Zhu Cilang required so he could focus his research.

With an earnest expression, Zhu Cilang replied:

"Although all of the Great Ming's current firearms are in need of improvement, what this prince needs most right now is the flintlock musket!"

As he spoke, Zhu Cilang opened the *Illustrated Treatise on Military Equipment* and turned the page displaying the flintlock musket directly before Bi Maokang's eyes. He continued:

"The quality of the muskets currently possessed by the Great Ming is far too poor, and the risk of barrel explosions is extremely high, causing soldiers to loathe using firearms."

"Moreover, whenever the plum rain season arrives, these firearms become entirely unusable."

"Thus, the most urgent need at present is to develop a new type of musket to replace the existing ones. The flintlock mentioned in this book is the most perfect substitute!"

Bi Maokang pondered for a moment before speaking:

"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, this humble official understands your intent, but there is one matter I must inform you of in advance."

"This official has roughly estimated that the manufacturing cost of a single flintlock musket will be at least around ten taels of silver, whereas an ordinary musket costs only three taels or even less."

"Therefore, if we wish to mass-produce flintlock muskets, it will require a massive sum of money!"

This was probably the exact reason why the Chongzhen Emperor in history did not support Bi Maokang in improving firearms—because it was simply too costly. The money to manufacture a single flintlock could produce three or four ordinary muskets. Where would the Chongzhen Emperor have found the money back then?

While Chongzhen had no money, Zhu Cilang certainly did!

Even after allocating fifteen million taels of silver to the Ministry of Revenue, the imperial inner treasury still held nearly thirty million taels of silver, plus several million taels of gold. Once the raids on the Eight Great Imperial Merchants of Shanxi were concluded, it would yield at least another fifty million taels of silver in revenue.

Not to mention he still possessed the cheat code of a system, where the accumulated system currency could be exchanged for one hundred million taels of silver at any given moment!

Therefore, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was truly not short of money!