PFC Chapter 290 Trading Cannons
Chapter 290 Trading Cannons
The heart of an emperor is like a bottomless abyss, unfathomable. Ministers are naturally cautious, never daring to speculate. However, if they are lucky enough to guess correctly, their hearts will surely be overwhelmed with turbulent waves that will last for a long time to calm down.
Using the ? tribe as chess pieces and playing against Zhao Sheng is a win-win situation. As for victory or defeat, it is actually not the key point.
Everyone thought that this was a conspiracy secretly laid out by the emperor, who tried to control the overall situation quietly.
Little did they know that this was not a conspiracy, but rather an open and aboveboard one! The emperor's schemes were always unconventional, and the ingenuity of this situation was truly beyond everyone's expectations.
Wang Kui, the Tongpan of Bingzhou Prefecture, specially accompanied Kui Zheng on the journey to Pingyang County. His sole purpose was to come to Shi Li in person to discuss important matters.
"I've heard that the Chieftain possesses a formidable weapon called a cannon. My Wang family of Bingzhou is interested in collaborating with the Chieftain to achieve greater success. However, I'm unsure what the conditions for this collaboration are."
Wang Kui's words were straightforward, without any roundaboutness or courtesy.
Upon hearing this, Shi Li's expression became serious and he said slowly:
"Casting this cannon was no easy task. It required countless rounds of hammering and meticulous polishing to remove all impurities from the iron, forging the legendary "hundred-refined steel."
Only in this way can the cannon possess unparalleled resilience and thus unleash its true power."
When it comes to hundred-fold refined steel, everyone knows that its production process is complicated and tedious, as well as its high cost, all of which highlight the preciousness of this cannon.
Wang Kui raised his eyebrows slightly and asked softly, "May I ask, Chieftain, how much silver will it cost to successfully forge this cannon?"
Shi Li smiled faintly, seemingly confident in his decision: "The best iron blank needs ten days of meticulous hammering to be cast into a cannon.
During this period, the cost of labor and materials was about 1,200 coins, plus the long-burning fire caused an additional loss of 2,000 coins.
Although the amount is not huge, the iron is really difficult to obtain. Only 40% of one stone of iron can be refined into usable iron."
In fact, Shi Li only has a superficial understanding of iron smelting. His remarks are just an attempt to take advantage of the opportunity to raise the price and play a psychological game.
You should know that if an ordinary stone is used to forge a sword, the loss is no more than 20%. Even if you aim to forge top-notch steel, the loss is unlikely to exceed 40%.
As the magistrate of Bingzhou, Wang Kui naturally knew the ins and outs of these industries very well.
He secretly calculated in his mind that it was rare to have a 60% utilization rate for the cannon, but his face remained expressionless, just waiting quietly for Shi Li to continue.
"Deal. I'll give you five taels of silver for each cannon, including the labor and the cost of the fire. I'll cover the iron myself. Let's start with ten. What do you think, Chief?"
When Wang Kui said this, Shi Li and his companions couldn't help but feel ecstatic.
"Each cannon weighs approximately five hundred kilograms. As for the exact amount of refined iron required, we still need to carefully consider it. For now, let's prepare the materials based on this weight."
Shi Li's mind was as clear as a mirror. He was naturally aware of what Xia Shao had mentioned before: the cannons currently being made actually weighed only 300 kilograms. If they wanted to achieve a range of 800 steps, they would have to increase the material used.
So he secretly made some adjustments to the weight.
"According to the Chief's wishes, the materials will be properly handled. I will immediately begin making arrangements after returning."
Wang Kui was naturally well aware of these inside stories. However, if the other party had no profit, it would be extremely difficult to complete the deal.
At this point in the conversation, the agreement between the two seemed to be a natural outcome and was settled naturally.
Shi Li did not think about the labor costs. Instead, he generously doubled the weight of the iron materials, thinking about how to take this opportunity to forge more handy weapons.
When Wang Kui disappeared from his sight, Shi Li's smile almost turned into a smug laugh. He secretly rejoiced:
"Haha, these Wang family members are so adorably honest. They obediently sent over so much iron material after I gently manipulated them."
"Do you think they're so easy to fool? Once we go back and do some checking, the truth will come out.
If they then come back with powerful weapons and attack us, it will be disastrous."
Kui Zheng witnessed this scene and couldn't help but shook his head and let out a long and slightly worried sigh.
"Indeed, Lord Chief, such matters cannot be concealed for long. In my opinion, perhaps this is the only way to proceed."
Xia Shao carefully leaned close to Shi Li's ear, and his voice was as soft as a mosquito or fly.
"Why not just use their iron and cast it, eliminating the need for hammering? Just keep the weight around 400 kilograms and ensure the range can reach 400 steps. That's all that's needed."
After hearing this, Shi Li couldn't help but feel secretly delighted. Just as he was about to nod in agreement, he heard Kui Zheng speaking slowly, his words carrying a hint of deep thought:
"Actually, there's no need to go through so much trouble. I asked the craftsmen a few days ago, and since the iron we have is of poor purity, adding a hoop around the outside might solve the problem."
Kui Zheng's words were like a new way out, which made Shi Li's heart move again. He suddenly felt that this plan was indescribable.
"That's it, we'll use our iron inside and their iron around the outside."
So, Shi Li made the final decision with just one word and cleverly changed the forging plan of the cannon.
The inside is inlaid with our Wang family's solid iron core, and the outside is cleverly wrapped with a layer of his family's iron material, just like adding a luxurious gold edge to a pearl, transforming it into a unique iron art masterpiece.
With such planning, the cannon that looked huge and weighed 400 kilograms was actually made of only a little over 100 kilograms of pure iron material from Wang's family, cleverly tilting the balance between cost and effectiveness in favor of wisdom.
When Xia Shao heard this good plan, a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and the joy in his heart gushed out like a spring, which was difficult to suppress.
However, when Kui Zheng heard this plan, he complained in his heart, comparing those cunning businessmen to sly foxes in the night. Although he was dissatisfied, he could do nothing about it.
Soon, Bingzhou lived up to expectations and shipped a total of 8,000 stones of iron, the purity of which far exceeded that produced in Pingyang County.
Time passed quietly, and in a blink of an eye, more than a month had passed, and Wang Kui set foot on the land of Pingyang County again.
On this vast field designed for testing, three majestic cannons stand proudly, each of them carrying a heavy weight of 400 kilograms, lying like giant beasts.
The gun carriages are the result of meticulous craftsmanship. The ingenious combination of wood and iron bars gives them a stable posture, and the huge wheels with cast iron hoops demonstrate extraordinary toughness and strength.
"Lord Wang, after today's test, can we start arranging the delivery?"
Kui Zheng stayed beside Wang Kui, with a barely perceptible hint of apology and expectation in his tone.
Wang Kui's eyes were fixed on those majestic cannons, but he was already thinking about something else in his mind. He replied calmly:
"Of course, if everything goes well, this will definitely happen."
"Very good, then please witness this crucial moment with your own eyes."
Upon hearing this, Kui Zheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then led Wang Kui towards the cannon.
When viewed from a distance, the cannons are just huge monsters with clear outlines. Only when you get closer can you truly feel the heavy sense of history and the surging power that is about to be released.