Chapter 364: Hydraulic Boring Machine

"Your Highness, is this not for reaming the artillery bore?"

The Armory.

Wang Ying looked at the object on the blueprint with a puzzled expression.

During this time, besides being busy at the Armory, he had tried his best to squeeze out time to attend lectures at the Technology Academy, mastering many novel things.

Therefore, he was no longer completely in the dark regarding the blueprints given by Yan Wang.

Instead, he could judge a thing or two based on what he had learned.

"You guessed right."

Zhao Xu smiled; not long after Ma Han had left, he had come over with the blueprints.

Now that the news of the Beidi Empire developing artillery was confirmed.

He had to be vigilant and maintain his superior position in artillery.

Otherwise, how could Yanzhou alone contend with the Beidi Empire?

Therefore, increasing the range and power of the artillery was imminent.

Thus, he thought of the Hydraulic Boring Machine.

This was a type of lathe for reaming artillery bores.

In the eighteenth century, Watt had used a Hydraulic Boring Machine to ream the inner walls of steam cylinders.

Of course, boring machines had been used for reaming the inner walls of artillery before that.

Due to casting process issues, the inner walls of cast artillery were generally somewhat uneven.

This caused the cannonball to encounter resistance when flying out, resulting in a shorter range and reduced power.

To make the inner bore of the artillery smooth, a boring machine had to be used.

Furthermore, if this Hydraulic Boring Machine could be built, besides being able to ream the inner walls of artillery, it would also lay the foundation for Yanzhou to manufacture steam engines.

Perhaps before long, he could attempt a steam engine.

At that time, Yanzhou would officially step from handicraft industry into industrialization.

Such a future was beautiful, but technology had to be built from scratch step by step.

For now, he had to get the boring machine made first.

If reaming the artillery bore was successful.

There would be no major problems in manufacturing cylinders for steam engines in the future.

"I can only say this is too similar to a hydraulic turning lathe, only the shape of the cutting tool is a bit different." Wang Ying stroked his chin.

Zhao Xu nodded; the head of a drill for a gun barrel was pointed.

Because the steel of a gun barrel was solid, it required hard drilling.

But artillery required scraping the inner wall of the bore smooth, so the shape of the cutting tool was an inverted L shape.

The length of the short side of the L was determined by the size of the artillery bore.

In his view, this tool structure was also not very complex.

"Can it be built?" Zhao Xu asked Wang Ying.

If Wang Ying said no, he would participate personally.

Wang Ying showed an expression of "you underestimate me too much" and said, "Your Highness, it is clearly drawn on this diagram. Having built so many things now, this subordinate should have made some progress. Leave this to this subordinate; I will report back to Your Highness in three days."

Zhao Xu smiled and nodded, "Good. Since that is the case, I will wait for your good news."

Naturally, he hoped that Wang Ying and the officials of the Armory could make progress, rather than being like giant infants who needed him to step in for every little thing.

Remembering something, he continued, "By the way, is there enough manpower to build the export artillery now?"

Currently, the Han Family, Liang Family, Xie Family, and Ma Family had all placed orders, and the Xiao Family and Dou Family would surely come as well.

Now that the territories of those two families had become the frontier, without artillery, they probably wouldn't sleep soundly.

"It is indeed a bit tight. If the required quantity continues to grow, I fear the delivery dates will be delayed." Wang Ying had a headache, "Most importantly, these tasks will affect the Armory's supply to the Prince's Personal Army."

Zhao Xu nodded, "In that case, the weapons and armor for the Prince's Personal Army will still be manufactured at the Armory, but the export firearms will be manufactured specifically in the Nanfang District. You move the skilled craftsmen from the Nanfang District back, and I will supplement you with a new batch of craftsmen."

Soon, a million people would arrive in Yanzhou.

Moreover, Zhou Yi and Wang Yanzhong had never stopped transporting able-bodied men from Jinzhou, so he had accumulated quite a few.

But now that Ma Yuan had taken office, he could no longer blatantly snatch people from Jinzhou like that.

After all, he still had to give him some face.

"Yes, Your Highness." Wang Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, the Armory also occupied the area of a residential ward.

But the buildings inside were too old, which was why Yan Wang had them moved to the Nanfang District.

Actually, there was still plenty of vacant space.

Building a few more workshops would be completely comparable to the Chengde Workshop.

And separating the firearms for external sale from those manufactured for internal use would also facilitate his management.

Having settled this matter, Zhao Xu left the Armory.

Although the war would not break out for the time being, none of the various preparations could be relaxed.

He wanted to take advantage of this idle time to lay out every aspect of Yanzhou and put Yanzhou on the right track of development.

Xian City.

Tuoba Hao stood on the city wall looking into the distance, his eyes full of triumph.

At this time, Ma Jin followed behind him with a fawning expression.

After receiving the news that Xiliang had advanced its troops, the Yan Wang's troops and the Ma Family's troops led by Ma Han had simultaneously retreated to Qin Pass.

The siege of Xian City was immediately lifted, and at that time, he could not help but praise himself for having made the correct choice.

Now, he had survived, and he was living very well.

As the Prince of Qin of Western Liang, he held the same authority over Qinzhou and Yongzhou as Yan Wang held over Yanzhou.

The only requirement was to pay a portion of taxes to Western Liang every year.

"Your Majesty, from now on this will be your territory, and I shall also obey your commands," Ma Jin said, pointing to the land outside Xian City.

After the Western Liang army crossed Xiao Pass and stationed themselves at Qingshui City, which was closest to Qin Pass, Tuoba Hao arrived at Xian City yesterday.

Seeing this Emperor of Western Liang for the first time, he naturally did his utmost to be sycophantic.

After all, his life, his family, and his wealth and status were all in the palm of this Emperor's hand.

"Hahaha..." Tuoba Hao laughed out loud.

He looked at Ma Jin and patted him on the shoulder.

These Qinzhou and Yongzhou were essentially a free gain for Western Liang.

And since this was all thanks to Ma Jin, how could he not be happy?

"To have a general as capable of fighting and winning as the Prince of Qin, my heart is greatly comforted. In the future, I hope the Prince of Qin will be of one mind with me. Once Western Liang recovers its vitality, we will break through this Qin Pass and seize the Great Song empire. At that time, I will bestow upon you even greater fiefs," Tuoba Hao said.

Ma Jin was overjoyed, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

However, from Tuoba Hao's tone, he also heard that Western Liang would not be attacking Qin Pass for the time being.

This made him somewhat disappointed.

After all, he wanted all three provinces of the Ma Family to belong to him.

Seeming to see what Ma Jin was thinking, Tuoba Hao said, "It is said that the soldiers of Yan Wang have moved Artillery onto Qin Pass. This Qin Pass was already easy to defend and difficult to attack, and now it is even more like an iron fortress. It is truly a pity, but..."

Changing the subject, he said, "Currently, Western Liang and the Northern Di have formed an alliance. The Northern Di people say they have developed Artillery. I will find a way to obtain some from the Northern Di, and perhaps then this Qin Pass will no longer be a problem."

"Is that so?" Ma Jin was startled, then ecstatic.

He was even more convinced that he had made the correct choice this time.

Now that the Northern Di had Artillery in addition to their invincible iron cavalry, how could Great Song possibly be a match for the Northern Di?

In the future, the territory of this Great Song would surely become a horse-racing track for the Northern Di people.