Chapter 183: A man is a teenager until his death. The integrated armor will be unveiled in Daming

"Your Highness, the standard components have basically been produced. All that's left is to assemble the standard components with the special control components."

Gongshu Qi spoke to Zhu Gang.

"Well, that's great. Go ahead and assemble this first standard component typewriter for me today."

"Then I will find you a group of apprentices who will be responsible for the production of standard components."

"As for the final assembly of special components, it will be up to you skilled craftsmen to do it."

"Tomorrow, I plan to start building a few ironworks. You can go with me then."

"Prepare to start building the ironworks. Remember what I said. Don't push them too hard. Not all craftsmen and apprentices have the same abilities and energy as you."

"I am very optimistic about you."

Zhu Gang patted Gongshu Qi's shoulder and spoke earnestly.

Now that he has said so, this King of Rolls should probably calm down.

"Here!"

"I will definitely keep your Highness's teachings in mind."

Gongshu Qi made a promise to Zhu Gang.

"Third brother, you are back. Father sent a message asking you to go to Kunning Palace to discuss matters in the evening."

As soon as he returned to his study, Zhu Gang saw Xie Yuer coming towards him.

"Why are we holding a meeting in Kunning Palace again?"

Zhu Gang was a little dazed.

Is the old man so idle now? He would go to Kunning Palace every day when he has nothing to do.

"Okay, let's go there tonight."

Zhu Gang nodded slightly, then sat down in his seat and began to draw the design drawings of the ironworks.

The money houses and silver vaults for the silver standard reform also need to be designed, but there is no rush for this.

After all, with so many money houses and silver vaults, Zhu Biao still needs to enclose land from various places before construction can begin.

However, the ironworks is going to be handed over to Gong Shuqi tomorrow to start work, so Zhu Gang has to work overtime to finish it today.

This ironworks is no small project. If it were in later times, it would require an engineering design paper of tens of thousands of words, detailing the selection of equipment.

The analysis of feasibility, economy, technology and environmental friendliness requires reference to a large amount of literature before it can be passed.

But now it doesn’t have to be so troublesome, Zhu Gang just needs to rub a blueprint by hand.

After all, he, King Jin Zhu Gang, is an authority himself and does not need to refer to any documents!
However, although there is only one drawing, it is not a small project.

After all, the design of each link has to be taken into consideration. Fortunately, Zhu Gang made a layout drawing, not an engineering drawing, so he only needed to draw what should be built where.

As for the specific structure of the building, that was something Gongshu Qi and his colleagues needed to consider and had nothing to do with Zhu Gang.

If Zhu Gang has to solve even this kind of thing, then those people below should just get out of Prince Jin's Mansion right away!
It was not until sunset that Zhu Gang made many revisions and finally came up with the siege layout drawings. He stretched his tired body and went to Kunning Palace with Xie Yuer.

"Here comes Ting'er!"

"Come, follow Dad."

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Zhu Gang, he immediately came up to him with a candle and lit his hand with great courtesy.

"Dad, if you have something to say, just tell me, don't be like this!"

When Zhu Gang saw Zhu Yuanzhang's expression, he felt a chill in his heart and pulled his hand back.

Showing courtesy for nothing is either cheating or stealing!

"Cough cough!"

"Well, I've also used your typewriter. Nowadays, imperial edicts are also directly typeset and printed using typewriters. However, I still have a problem."

Zhu Yuanzhang coughed twice and said to Zhu Gang.

"what is the problem?"

"The machine is broken?"

Zhu Gang was slightly stunned. He didn't expect that Zhu Yuanzhang called him over just for this matter.

"That's right. The typesetting speed of this typewriter is indeed faster than our writing."

"I like it very much, and there are no problems at all, but I have been practicing since I got it, and I found that I can't reach the level of typesetting that you said can be faster than speaking."

"Is this the problem with the way we use it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang took Zhu Gang into Kunning Palace, only to see that Zhu Yuanzhang's limited edition hand-typed printing machine, which was exclusively for the emperor, had been carried to Kunning Palace by him.

"Dad, how do you type?"

Zhu Gang was also a little puzzled. Is there any correct way to use typing?

“Just press it with your fingers.”

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he pulled a chair over from the side, sat down on it, then stretched out his two index fingers and started poking at the keyboard.

Zhu Gang:.
"Dad, so this is how you type?"

"You can type faster than you can write, that's a gift you have."

Zhu Gang's mouth twitched slightly.

He had gotten so used to typing that he forgot for a moment that there was indeed a standard way to type.

"Dad, look at me."

Zhu Gang signaled to Zhu Yuanzhang to give him a seat.

"okay!"

"I know you have a trick up your sleeve that you haven't taught me yet."

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled, stood up and gave his seat to Zhu Gang.

"There's really no real explanation. It's just a little trick that comes automatically as practice makes perfect."

As Zhu Gang spoke, he sat on the chair and placed his eight fingers except his two thumbs on the eight keys in the second row.

"Dad, look at how you place your hands. Once you memorize the location of each button, you can reach the button as quickly as possible."

"And because you use eight fingers, each finger can rest on a different key."

"So basically, the time difference between pressing the two vowel keys is just a little bit."

"It's very simple, that's all. If you want to improve your speed, you can only type more and practice more."

As Zhu Gang spoke, he tapped his eight fingers quickly, making a rhythmic sound of tapping the keyboard.

"I see! I was wondering why I could never get the speed you describe with your typewriter."

A voice of sudden enlightenment sounded nearby, but it was not from Zhu Yuanzhang, but from Zhu Biao who had been standing next to him for some reason.

Obviously, he encountered the same problem as Zhu Yuanzhang.

"That's nothing. Even if I didn't tell you, you've already practiced it well."

"Over time, it became natural for me to use the typing method I mentioned."

"Because as your proficiency and speed increase, you won't be able to hit it well with just two fingers."

"In fact, even if I teach you my typing method now, your typing speed won't be much faster after you use it. It may even be slower."

"Because you haven't formed muscle memory yet and can't find the buttons subconsciously."

"Even when I use all eight fingers, most of the time I don't even know where my eight fingers are."

Zhu Gang speaks the truth.

"Hey! You kid, let me give you some face. You really think you are better than your father, right?"

"I've fought for so many years, and I'm considered quite skilled in martial arts. I've mastered the control of my body to perfection. How can I not be able to find my fingers?"

"Get up, let us try!"

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he pulled Zhu Gang away and sat on top himself.

then
Click, click, click - from poking back and forth quickly with two fingers, it turned into poking slowly with eight fingers.

Either you are looking for your fingers and keys, or you are on your way to finding your fingers and keys.

This made Zhu Yuanzhang, who had just blew the whistle on body control, blush.

"puff!"

"Pfft!"

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang's funny scene, Zhu Biao and Zhu Gang couldn't help but laughed out loud.

"It's not Biao'er, what are you laughing at?"

"Come and try, let's see if you can find it!"

Hearing the laughter of Zhu Gang and Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang's old face turned even redder and his eyes turned around.

Finally, it jumped over Zhu Gang, who was much more skilled than him, and landed on Zhu Biao.

"I won't try. I can't. I can't find it."

Zhu Biao spread his hands and said directly that he was not good enough.

"Okay, Chongba, you are old, why are you fighting with a child?"

"When you can fight faster than me, come and compete with me."

Queen Ma came out of the small kitchen, covering her mouth and chuckled.

"Sister! Didn't we agree not to tell anyone about this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression froze.

The reason why he called Zhu Gang in such a hurry was because he found that he was not as fast as Empress Ma in using the typewriter, so he wanted to improve it quickly.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang did not think about the fact that Empress Ma's needlework had already reached perfection.

He was a great master of his time. The sensitivity of his fingers was beyond the reach of someone like him who only wielded spears and sticks.

"What do you mean tell anyone? There are no outsiders here."

Empress Ma glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang and smiled slyly, making Zhu Yuanzhang's old face turn red again.

"Stop laughing! Are we funny?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Zhu Gang and Zhu Biao who were chuckling beside him.

"No, Dad. I just realized that you called me here so anxiously because you found out that you are not as good as mom in beating me, so you got anxious. Hahaha!"

Zhu Gang couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

As expected, a man remains a boy until he dies, even the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is no exception.

"Okay, Biao'er, Tan'er, stop teasing your dad and get ready to eat."

"Also, Qingyun and Yu'er, if you two girls want to laugh, just laugh. Don't hold it in."

Empress Ma glanced at everyone, and finally her gaze fell on Chang Qingyun and Xie Yuer, whose pretty faces were red from trying not to laugh.

"puff!"

"Ha ha!"

Suddenly, there was laughter in Kunning Palace, and the Zhu family was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

"Tan'er, I heard that you, Guan Biao'er, asked for three plots of land and planned to build three ironworks so that you don't have to buy steel to produce the gears for the printing presses, is that right?"

While drinking and chatting, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Gang.

"That's right, Dad."

Zhu Gang nodded.

"Has your ironworks been improved? Is the output high? If there is a surplus, how much iron can be produced in a year?"

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his chopsticks and rubbed his hands slightly.

Steel is a good thing. Soldiers' armor, weapons, firearms and even cannons all require a lot of steel.

If Zhu Gang's ironworks could improve production efficiency like the typewriting and printing press designed by Zhu Gang, then Zhu Yuanzhang would have to make good use of it.

"Production can definitely be increased, and there will definitely be a surplus. As for how much, I don't know how much since we haven't produced it yet."

Zhu Gang shook his head.

In fact, he can calculate it, but why should he calculate it?
Now that we have traveled through time, who would still be involved in design, production and accounting?
Whatever you can produce, you can do it. Anyway, the Zhu family makes steel, and the raw materials are directly pulled from the iron ore.

The labor cost is almost zero, so you can't lose money no matter what you do.

"Okay then. Remember to send us the extra steel. Our Ming army still needs a lot. No amount will be enough."

Zhu Yuanzhang gave Zhu Gang instructions.

"Why should I give it to you if it's not enough? Can't I just use it to make weapons?"

Zhu Gang rolled his eyes.

"You can also forge weapons?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up.

"Understood."

"I am planning to gather a group of skilled craftsmen to design an integrated battle armor, which I call plate armor."

Zhu Gang stuffed a mouthful of meat into his mouth.

"Tian'er, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but I just know a little bit, but this is not okay."

"You know what? If the armor is just a piece of iron plate on the body, instead of having a good enough structure."

"Then the force will not be transmitted, and the opponent's sword will cause internal injuries to our Ming soldiers?"

Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a chopstick and used it as if it were a sharp sword, making a chopping motion while pointing at Zhu Gang, feeling quite pleased with himself.

After years of marching and fighting, Zhu Yuanzhang also conducted in-depth research on armor.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang deeply understood that if he just placed a piece of iron in front of him.

When facing the enemy's continuous attacks and blunt attacks, it basically has no defensive effect.

On the side, Zhu Biao was looking at Zhu Ganghe who was explaining Zhu Yuanzhang, with a strange expression on his face.

Although the word "know a little bit" means knowing something superficially, why does it sound so inexplicably reliable and reassuring when it comes from Zhu Gang's mouth?

Moreover, considering Zhu Gang's skills as a craftsman and a good fighter, how could he not know what Zhu Yuanzhang said? Could there really be some trick involved?
"Dad, what if, when I build it, I design some structures inside to reduce the impact force?"

"This not only avoids the problem of irresistible force, but also avoids the problem of the armor being unable to support the defense due to broken links."

After Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, Zhu Gang raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly.

"This prodigal child!"

"To make this armor as precise as a machine, how much manpower and resources would be invested? How many pieces can the Ming Dynasty produce?"

Zhu Yuanzhang paused for a moment, but soon discovered the problem and changed his topic.

Listening to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Zhu Gang couldn't help but secretly give Zhu Yuanzhang a thumbs up.

As expected of the Hongwu Emperor, he had a keen military sense. As soon as he heard Zhu Gang mention an idea, he discovered the problem.

Yes, the biggest problem with plate armor as the king of armor is that it is too time-consuming and labor-intensive to make, but Zhu Gang is not afraid of this.

"What if I disassemble some common parts and low-demand steps and directly produce them on the assembly line?"

“How about the extremely precise and demanding parts, produced by skilled craftsmen and then put together?”

"Is it enough to support the creation of an elite force for our Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Gang narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a smile.

Listening to Zhu Gang's words, Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a while. After some thought, he finally nodded slowly.

Although this is still cumbersome and laborious, it seems that it can be produced to a certain extent and on a certain scale, and it is very cost-effective as equipment for ace breakthrough troops.

(End of this chapter)