By 12 noon, the long and protracted meeting had finally come to an end. The meeting has left some officials with no pleasant memory.

After walking out of the courtyard of the Wenhua Hall with Yuan Keli, Liu Zongzhou finally couldn't help but ask Yuan Keli: "Why did Brother Jiehuan stop us from resigning to Your Majesty just now?" What His Majesty just said at the meeting was so deviant was not the work of a virtuous monarch. Shouldn't we show our attitude and let His Majesty know that he has strayed from the right path in what he is doing? ”

Yuan Keli glanced at Han Yi, who was standing on the other side, and asked, "Does Brother Xiangyun think so too?" ”

Han Yi thought about it carefully, and then said a little tactfully: "Xu Zixian and Sun Kaiyang are different from Huang Liji and Wu Chunfu after all, they were also regarded as members of the party back then, and they won the trust of His Majesty.

If we have just fought hard, we may not have the opportunity to make His Majesty wake up. Now His Majesty is acting more and more impatiently, and when he does things, he has no sympathy for the people's strength, and he wants to mobilize hundreds of thousands or hundreds of thousands of manpower at every turn.

Although these projects promoted by His Majesty are all for the benefit of the people, if you want to complete these projects in just a few years, the civil and material resources consumed may not be something that the current Ming can bear.

Rather than waiting until the project is halfway completed, only to realize that the strength is not enough, I think it is better to have a showdown with Your Majesty now, let Your Majesty's mind calm down, and stop being instigated by Huang Liji and Wu Chunfu. ”

Yuan Keli's mind is very calm now, and he said noncommittally: "Do you really think that these things that Your Majesty did were all bewitched by Huang Liji and Wu Chunfu?" ”

In the past year, Liu Zongzhou, who has always had a good impression of Chongzhen and always has expectations for the emperor, immediately defended Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, even if you are a genius again, you are just a young man of high age now, if it weren't for someone behind your back to bewitch and lure Your Majesty, how could you launch so many reform policies in one year?" ”

Han Yi was silent, obviously not very agreeing with Liu Zongzhou's statement. Yuan Keli also disagreed with Liu Zongzhou's opinion, he looked up at the group of eunuchs passing by in the distance, and then sighed and said, "Don't you think that the reputation of the Inner Mansion is getting better and better now?" ”

Liu Zongzhou and Han Yi were obviously a little puzzled as to why Yuan Keli would open the topic at this moment. Liu Zongzhou only hesitated, and then said: "The reputation of the inner mansion has improved, which naturally shows that Your Majesty is benevolent and tries his best to restrain the inner servants in the palace. It can be seen that as long as you are not bewitched by villains, it is the hope of my Ming Zhongxing in the future. ”

Yuan Keli turned his head and glanced at Liu Zong, before he said with a slight mockery: "Constraints? In addition to the fact that Emperor Taizu Gao was able to restrain the palace people around him in the past, he would not do evil outside the palace.

I, the emperors below the Ming Dynasty, who can really restrain the people around me. Not to mention the way of the world now. Just a year ago, when the palace people left the capital for hundreds of miles, they were the characters that everyone shouted at.

But now, whether it is the reconstruction of the Huimin Medical Bureau, the promotion of cowpox, or the funding of the almshouse, the donation of primary schools has the presence of the inner government. Especially for the people in the capital, Sanjiu sends coal and rice, and Sanfu sends summer medicine.

The people of the capital are now completely singing praises to the inner government, and they are no longer indignant at the eunuchs in the palace when they impeached the eunuchs a few words in the past.

Haven't you felt it yet? The current capital is already His Majesty's capital. If we openly clash with Your Majesty in the court, I am afraid that there will not be many people in the capital who support us and others.

Another one, in order to help the victims of the disaster in Shaanxi last year, His Majesty was able to cut down on food and clothing, and only ate white grain once every three days, and the daily meat was just a taste. If it weren't for His Majesty's own voluntarism, who would have persuaded His Majesty to do this?

In my opinion, it is clear that these reform policies were not instilled in His Majesty by anyone, but should have been advocated by His Majesty himself. Moreover, with the abilities of Huang Liji and Wu Chunfu, I don't think they have the courage to launch such a radical reform policy.

Therefore, if we force Your Majesty to choose just now, we will undoubtedly force Your Majesty to have a showdown with ourselves. Rather than anger His Majesty and cause things to get more and more out of control, it is better to be patient.

As long as we are still in this position, whether it is His Majesty, Huang Liji, or Wu Chunfu, they will not be able to bypass us if they want to do anything. Isn't it better than having a showdown with His Majesty just now..."

The day after the meeting, the annual work plans and tax reform policies of some departments were published in the Daming Times.

The reform policy of changing the poll tax to personal income tax for merchants, artisans, salt farmers, and fishermen quickly attracted everyone's attention. Even the gossip about piloting a new tax reform was completely overwhelming.

Although the controversy over personal income tax began to expand outward from Gyeonggi, the controversy did not seem to be fierce at first, but the people's emotions did not get out of control, as the imperial court did not immediately implement the idea.

On 3 February, Garcia, Valdes, and representatives of the Spanish governor finally headed south with the men captured in the Peace Trade Agreement and the Battle of Keelung, intending to return to Manila from Canton.

Just one day later, Liu Jingting also accompanied the representatives and leaders of the left and right wings of the Mongols to Xuanfu, while Sarang Chechen and four other Mongol leaders stayed in the capital and began to work in the new yamen of the Ethnic and Religious Committee.

After several busy months, Sun Yuanhua finally returned to the capital from the Shijingshan Artillery Foundry. Sitting on the horse-drawn railway car, Sun Yuanhua looked out of the window from time to time.

He locked himself in the Shijingshan Cannon Foundry for more than 2 months, and when he returned to the capital again, he found that winter was almost over. Outside the train, the snow began to melt away, revealing a faint green meadow underneath.

The small river that occasionally appeared in Sun Yuanhua's sight, although there was still a little residual ice, it was obvious that the river had begun to thaw preliminarily. Sun Yuanhua gently pushed open the glass window, and although the wind pouring in from the outside was still very cold, it was no longer the cold wind like a knife cut in winter.

After months of breathing in the scorching air by the fire, he greedily took a deep breath of the cool wind with the spring mood, and he felt that even his lungs were much refreshed.

After more than 2 months of hard work, although Sun Yuanhua looked a lot thinner, his spirit looked very strong. It should be said that Sun Yuanhua is in a very good mood now, because the research team led by him has finally made a breakthrough in the manufacture of artillery.

When Sun Yuanhua returned to the capital and entered the Wuying Palace to see Chongzhen, Zhu Youzhen also happened to be discussing some details of the preparation of the local governor's mansion with Sun Chengzong and Wang Zaijin.

Hearing that Sun Yuanhua was going to report to himself on the progress of the research on cannon production, Zhu Youzhen interrupted the meeting and said to Sun Chengzong and Wang Zaijin: "Mr. Sun, Wang Shangshu, it seems that Sun Yuanhua has researched some good things, why don't we listen to his report first, and then continue this meeting." ”

Neither minister had any objection to the emperor's proposal. After all, the last reliance that the Ming Dynasty can use to reach the Jurchens is the Hongyi cannon introduced from the Westerners.

However, relying only on Westerners to provide artillery, not only is the number not enough for the front-line distribution, but the cost of purchasing a gun is also quite staggering. If Sun Yuanhua can complete the self-made artillery, not only will he not have to worry about the neck of those Westerners in the future, but he will also save a lot of money for the national treasury.

Therefore, the two are very much in favor, and first listen to what kind of progress Sun Yuanhua has made in developing the cannon this time. Can it be used for the current New Army and the Ningjin Defense Line?

After Sun Yuanhua was personally introduced to the emperor's office by Wang Chengen, he looked up and saw Sun and Wang. He first saluted the emperor, and then also bowed halfway to the two people sitting in front of the emperor.

After he finished his walk, Zhu Youzhen couldn't wait to wave his hand and said, "Okay, okay, Sun Qing doesn't have to be polite." Come forward and tell me what you have gained after staying in Shijingshan for so long this time. Wang Companion, get Sun Qing a stool and tea, and let him talk well. ”

After Sun Yuanhua thanked Chongzhen for the reward again, he stood in place and said to Chongzhen quite proudly: "Back to Your Majesty, I have been in Shijingshan for more than 2 months this time, and I have gained a lot.

First, we have finally completed a basic artillery system design. That is, short-barreled artillery used in field battles, and long-barreled artillery used in city defense or naval warfare. ”

Wang Zaijin asked suspiciously: "What is the artillery system?" ”

Sun Yuanhua replied respectfully: "It is to cast cannons according to certain standards according to the different ranges and the size of ammunition, and use artillery with similar performance to launch attacks on the battlefield."

There are several advantages to the establishment of such an artillery system, firstly, it is easy for the gunner to master the cannon in his own hands, and to load the * weight according to the designed standard; Second, the commander is able to arrange operational command according to the set range of the artillery.

The most important thing is that shells can be made according to standards, and there is no need to worry about the mismatch of shells with artillery. And in manufacturing and transportation, it will greatly save effort. ”

Sun Chengzong nodded at him and said, "We have a general understanding now, now you can tell me what types of artillery there are in this artillery system." ”

Sun Yuanhua agreed, and continued: "According to the information provided by those Europeans, and our own experiments in the development of artillery.

We believe that if the ratio of body barrel length to caliber is less than 14 times, the trajectory is relatively curved, which is what the Westerners call * guns. And the ratio of body barrel length to caliber is greater than 14 times, and the trajectory is relatively straight, which is the so-called cannon of Westerners.

Based on this characteristic, we believe that the * gun is more suitable for use in field warfare, when the artillery shells can cross their own positions to attack the enemy.

Therefore, the field artillery was divided into three models according to the weight of shells, 3-kilogram guns, 6-kilogram guns and 12-kilogram guns. The cannons used by the city defense and fleet are also divided into 3 models, 6-kilogram guns, 12-kilogram guns and 18-kilogram guns. ”