Chapter 99: The Combined-Trigger Arquebus

In the fourth month of the first year of the Chongzhen reign, the capital was still abuzz with all manner of dealings and compromises surrounding the Treason Case. Figures from every quarter flocked there with silver to press their suits, especially those who had been struck down during the Tianqi years, all scrambling for the lucrative posts left vacant by the eunuch faction.

Chen Xin waited until Song Wenxian brought the second shipment, and on the boat were also over twenty military and civilian craftsmen from Tianjin brought by Tang Zuoxiang. With Tang Zuoxiang as an example, more people were willing to come.

Once the goods were assembled, Chen Xin was in no hurry to set sail. Only after Sun Guozhen sent repeated urging did he fix the departure for mid-fourth month. Before leaving, he personally distributed the monthly pay to the new soldiers, further establishing his authority, and also spoke with the standout soldiers among the new recruits, appointing a batch of squad leaders.

Chen Xin did not arrange civil affairs, but he still had to worry about workshop matters. Tang Zuoxiang had barely been there a day before Chen Xin summoned him to the workshop's office.

Chen Xin, Liu Minyou, Tang Zuoxiang, and the original firearms team leader Shi Pingli, the four of them gathered around a square table, their heads nearly touching, looking at a diagram in a book on the table.

Tang Zuoxiang could not read, so Chen Xin read the text on the diagram aloud to him. Tang Zuoxiang studied the diagram for a long time before saying, "My lord, this combined-trigger arquebus has one more sear than the bird arquebus. When the trigger is pulled, both sears move together. The diagram says the yang sear fires, the yin sear opens the gate. That means the yang sear controls the serpentine, and the yin sear opens the flash pan cover. This way, when firing, you save the step of opening the flash pan cover."

Shi Pingli was also looking. He was now a banner captain of a firearms banner unit. Hearing this, he interjected, "The wind is strong in the north, and during training our priming powder often gets blown away. With this arquebus, the flash pan is open for a shorter time, so the priming powder is less likely to be blown away by wind or washed away by rain."

Chen Xin nodded in agreement after hearing this. He had specifically called in the firearms team leader precisely to have them consider it from a user's perspective. The priming powder for the bird arquebus was different from granulated gunpowder; it was currently in powder form, so it could not be placed in a bamboo tube together with the main charge. It was carried in a separate priming flask, and because it was very light, it was easily blown away when the wind was strong. He asked Tang Zuoxiang, "If we are to make the combined-trigger arquebus, how many changes are needed to the shape of the current parts? What are the difficulties?"

"The stock needs to be changed, the iron ramrod needs to be changed, and one more yin sear needs to be added. Other than that, there are no major modifications. As for the difficulties, I haven't quite figured them out yet."

Liu Minyou, seeing that he could not articulate it, and since he was after all the workshop supervisor, decided to raise the difficulties first to prevent Chen Xin from blaming Tang Zuoxiang later. "The difficulty should lie in the shape of the linked yin-yang sears and the connecting parts. The serpentine must drop the instant the flash pan cover opens. If the flash pan cover opens too early, the priming powder could still be scattered by the wind; if too late, it will block the match cord. This is entirely determined by the shape and the fixed positions, requiring repeated trial production, and the tolerances during manufacturing must be tightly controlled. Mr. Tang, you had best first use wooden pieces to adjust the shape, as they are easier to trim. After the sample is made, I need to see it first, and the cost must also be calculated."

Chen Xin added, "And also see if it is suitable for mass production."

Tang Zuoxiang hurriedly agreed. He could not write, so Liu Minyou helped him record it in a ledger.

This combined-trigger arquebus was essentially just adding one more yin sear. After pulling the trigger, the yin and yang sears would move together, eliminating the step of opening the flash pan cover. However, on the battlefield, saving one step meant reducing one potential mistake, and saving one second could save several more lives. Thinking of this, Chen Xin said to Tang Zuoxiang, "From now on, make the firing mechanism according to this combined-trigger arquebus from the Shenqi Pu. Also, is this barrel the same as our original bird arquebus?"

"Replying to my lord, it is roughly the same. The diagram shows the barrel is three chi and three cun long, which is about the same as our original ones. Only the stock is slightly longer."

Shi Pingli could now recognize some characters. He said to Chen Xin, "My lord, this combined-trigger arquebus with the stock is five chi long. This humble one suggests our new bird arquebus should also be slightly longer, to keep the flash pan farther from the face, so the soldiers are not afraid of smoke and sparks stinging their eyes when firing. Also, the steel blade at the end of the stock on this Luzon arquebus can be used as a horse-cutting blade; it seems we might want that too."

The burst of smoke and sparks right before their eyes indeed had a psychological impact on soldiers; many people closed their eyes when firing. Chen Xin turned his head and asked Tang Zuoxiang, "Mr. Tang, can it be slightly lengthened?"

Tang Zuoxiang looked at the diagram and said, "It can be slightly lengthened by moving the flash pan forward a bit, but the steel blade at the end of the stock is not necessarily needed. Our stock is designed by you, my lord, to be braced against the shoulder when firing. Wouldn't this steel blade injure the user?"

Chen Xin abandoned that idea upon hearing this; after all, he had never seen such an application.

The five-chi combined-trigger arquebus, according to Zhao Shizhen's book, weighed seven and a half jin. One Ming jin was 596 grams, so that was four and a half kilograms, roughly less than half of a musket. The bore diameter was the same size as the Luzon arquebus. The Luzon arquebus used four qian of powder and a three-qian ball, only a quarter of a musket's charge. The total length of the Luzon arquebus was six to seven chi, with a barrel much longer than the combined-trigger arquebus. Firing the same charge and ball from the combined-trigger arquebus's barrel would certainly not be as lethal as the Luzon arquebus. Chen Xin's plan was to use a lead ball weighing at least eight or nine qian, to feel more assured upon impact. At the same time, the barrel did not need to be too long, which would speed up loading. If they used Fujian iron for the barrel, it should be able to meet this ammunition requirement.

In the Shenqi Pu on the table, the diagram before the combined-trigger arquebus was the Luzon arquebus. According to Tang Zuoxiang, the Luzon arquebus had a two-layer barrel and required enormous specialized tools, as tall as two or three men. Chen Xin did not have these things at all, nor did he intend to manufacture them. The Luzon arquebus was transmitted from the Middle East and should have also been transmitted to Europe. Since Europe, which used firearms the most, did not adopt this type, it most likely had defects in performance, cost, or production time. Chen Xin did not plan to take the risk.

What he needed was a cheap killing tool that could be mass-produced quickly. The bird arquebuses they were currently making cost just over two taels of silver each, not expensive, but they were limited by the speed of drilling the barrels. According to Tang Zuoxiang, the steel used for the drill bits was not outstanding and wore out quickly. Drilling for too long at a time could also overheat and deform the barrel, so they had to wait for it to cool down before drilling again. This meant drilling one barrel took nearly a month. Therefore, Chen Xin did not want to add any other tooling constraints.

Seeing Chen Xin silent for a long time, Tang Zuoxiang cautiously asked, "My lord, whatever shape you decide on, this humble one will make it accordingly."

Chen Xin glanced at him. "I won't decide on specifics. For now, continue making the original bird arquebus. The new firearm we tried last time was still a bit too heavy. You redo the trial production, make the firing mechanism according to the combined-trigger arquebus, and try several models. Barrels from three chi to four chi, make one sample gun for every additional cun. Bore diameters from five fen to seven fen. Assign a dedicated person to trial-produce them, and once made, give them to Shi Pingli for testing. The gun weight must not exceed ten jin, the length with stock must not exceed five chi. At a minimum, it must be able to wound an unarmored target at a hundred paces, and penetrate armor at seventy paces. After testing, select a few suitable models from them. For each selected model, make a few for the firearms team to test against bandits. If the new guns can pass the trial production, everyone involved will receive a bonus. The total amount is tentatively set at one hundred taels, to be assessed and distributed by Mr. Liu at that time. Craftsman grades and monthly pay can also be raised based on merit."

Tang Zuoxiang's eyes lit up. If this gun could be made, he could quickly build a bigger house, and his family wouldn't have to crowd into that small room.

Tang Zuoxiang felt that Lord Chen had been paying more attention to firearms recently. Remembering another matter, he planned to snatch some people over and said to Chen Xin, "My lord, those women have all been taken by Wang Huzi to thread armor plates. Otherwise, we could assign some here to help wrap ammunition." The ammunition wrapping he mentioned was the new oil-paper cartridge, which was not some high-tech novelty, just a modification of the original bamboo tube.

"With so few arquebusiers, let them wrap it themselves! Also, that gunpowder maker you brought, have him lead some people to adjust the formula. All new gun tests must use our own gunpowder. Have Zhang Erhui help record the formulas."

Tang Zuoxiang's attempt to gain an advantage backfired; he didn't get the people and ended up with more tasks. He could only accept it and said no more.

After Tang Zuoxiang and Shi Pingli left, Liu Minyou glanced at Chen Xin and said, "Are you really going through with that grand ambition of yours to contend for supremacy? You're even considering mass production for a few hundred firearms."

Chen Xin chuckled, "Just for self-preservation. In the future, we'll arm the farmers too, and then let's see who dares to come and attack people in Weihaiwei."

Liu Minyou sat down, looked at the ceiling, and sighed, "The way things are now is actually quite good. This place is peaceful. We make a trip to Japan once a year, and the silver we earn is more than enough. When you marry the Zhao family's young lady, I'll find a wife later too. This fortified village is getting better and better, such a peaceful life. If the Tatars come, we'll just go overseas. We can't go to America, but Australia is always a possibility."

"Australia, the IELTS might be easier to pass."

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In the fourth month, Chen Xin set sail for Wudao. The two cargo ships were loaded with over eighty thousand taels of silver worth of goods. There were over eighty sailors on the two ships, one led by Wang Zugui and the other by Ba Zi. Chen Xin boarded Ba Zi's ship, bringing six personal guards with him, along with flags and drums to practice land battle command on the ship.

Due to the limitations of shipboard conditions in this era, this tiny naval force had no military bearing whatsoever, still the same bare-chested and undisciplined lot as before. Chen Xin basically imposed no restrictions, and as long as they weren't fighting or playing with fire, he didn't much care.

This trip was not as smooth as the last one. It took twenty days of sailing to reach the waters off Wudao. Chen Xin was not optimistic about the combat power of his two ships now, so he did not go raiding along the Nagasaki route again. Instead, they bypassed the north of Jeju Island and headed for the private port. Along the way, old pirates like Ba Zi and Wang Yong played a vital role, handling the piloting, sail handling, and star navigation, all personally operated and taught by them.

In the early fifth month, they arrived at the Li family's private port and met Li Guozhu again. This handsome man was still as graceful as ever, but the shadow that usually followed him, that cool Shin'emon, was nowhere to be seen.

Chen Xin stepped onto the dock and glanced at the surrounding scene. It was still much the same as the previous year, though the small town at the private port had grown a bit larger in scale.

Li Guozhu came forward to greet Chen Xin and Song Wenxian with a cupped-hand salute. Seeing that Song Wenxian and the others all followed behind Chen Xin, he knew Chen Xin had become the new ship boss. He then looked at the sailors on the two ships and smiled at Chen Xin, "Brother Chen, after a year apart, your spirit is as vibrant as ever, and your men look even more capable. Congratulations."

Chen Xin returned the salute with cupped hands and replied, "The same to you, Brother Li. This port is growing more prosperous by the day, which is also cause for congratulations."

The two laughed heartily. Song Wenxian, Ba Zi, and the others behind them also came forward to greet Li Guozhu. Although Chen Xin was very eager to know about Xu Xinsu's situation, it was not convenient to ask in front of everyone. He followed Li Guozhu to that same residence as before. After the meal, Li Guozhu took Chen Xin and Song Wenxian to the rear courtyard, where they sat as host and guests.

A maidservant cleaned her hands and came to brew tea. Li Guozhu did not let her go through an overly elaborate ceremony and soon dismissed her. Song Wenxian picked up the purple clay teacup, gently sipped from the edge, closed his eyes comfortably, and sighed, "If not for coming to Mr. Li's place, how could I ever drink such fine Da Hong Pao."

Li Guozhu said, "Mr. Song flatters me. This is merely Daughter Da Hong Pao. If Mr. Song likes it, you may take some back with you."

Song Wenxian put down his teacup and thanked him, then said to Li Guozhu, "The north is not like Jiangnan. As a mere subordinate, I usually never get to drink such good tea. Even though Brother Chen is now a Battalion Commander, he rarely drinks it in ordinary times either."

Li Guozhu raised an eyebrow and directly congratulated Chen Xin, "So Brother Chen is already a Battalion Commander. May I ask which guard battalion you are at?"

Chen Xin responded with a few modest words and mentioned Weihaiwei. Li Guozhu knew of the place, the three guard battalions of Wendeng at the easternmost tip of the Shandong coast. He asked Chen Xin, "Does Brother Chen have a private port?"

Chen Xin nodded, "There is a harbor called Mazi Harbor. On the shore, like Mr. Li's place here, there is a fortified village under my command."

Song Wenxian chimed in from the side, "Battalion Commander Chen now has several hundred soldiers, and several hundred farming households as well. If Brother Li's ships ever travel north, they can dock there, guaranteed to be safe and secure."

Chen Xin and Song Wenxian coordinated to display their strength. Li Guozhu now looked at Chen Xin with new respect. In one year, he had transformed from an accountant into a Battalion Commander, and he had two ships of men. The few personal guards around him carried themselves with considerable authority, completely different from the laxness of ordinary sailors. If he truly had several hundred soldiers, he could be a force to rely on in the future.

Li Guozhu decided to treat Chen Xin as an important ally and cultivate him well. After a few more pleasantries, he turned to the main topic and said to the two, "Brother Chen, Mr. Song, the goods are as usual, I will take them all. If Brother Chen has more ships in the future, I can buy up to three shiploads of goods per year. Any more and I won't be able to sell them."

Chen Xin thanked him upon hearing this. As long as there were three shiploads a year, that was at least a hundred thousand taels of silver in profit. Adding the profit from the return trip, his annual income would be very substantial, and he wouldn't have to pay taxes on it, only needing to grease the palms of the higher officials in Dengzhou and Laizhou. Most of the high officials along the Great Ming coast had stakes in maritime trade. The annual profit from maritime trade was in the tens of millions of silver taels, yet the imperial court basically saw none of it.

Li Guozhu then asked, "So this time, will you two be taking silver back, or buying some goods?"

"Mr. Li, we would like to buy some copper."

Li Guozhu was not surprised. He thought for a moment and replied, "Copper material is not plentiful. The shogunate has been restricting the outflow of gold and copper in recent years. At most, I can give you twenty thousand jin. Even around Nagasaki, only I can provide that much."

Chen Xin and Song Wenxian simultaneously said in disappointment, "So little!"

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Note: See the related works section for the diagram of the combined-trigger arquebus.