Zhao Ji asked: "Artillery, gunpowder charges, and grenades have all been developed. How many experiments did Chen Aiqing and your men conduct to verify their power?"

Chen Gui replied truthfully: "I have done more than 30 experiments using gunpowder packets to blast them. It is very powerful!

If it is used to blow up the enemy's city wall, it can blast a big hole;

A total of more than fifty experiments were conducted on the ignition and throwing experiments of grenades...

The artillery firing experiment was only done ten times. It has been verified that the cannon invented by the government is extremely powerful!

It’s just that the artillery is inconvenient to move and a little bulky.”

Zhao Ji frowned and asked: "How come the cannon fired live ammunition and only conducted ten experiments?"

Chen Gui said helplessly: "

Throwing a grenade costs tens of thousands!

When the cannon is fired, it costs thousands of taels of silver!

Nowadays, the firearms manufacturing shop is short of money!

Wei Chen already knew that at the end of last year, the national treasury would no longer allocate research funds to firearms manufacturers.

And the money required by the firearms manufacturing workshop where I am located, from the first month of this year to the present, has all come from His Majesty’s Zuozangtreasury.”

Zhao Ji nodded and said: "Chen Aiqing said that the situation is true."

Chen Gui started again:

"Wei Chen is extremely honored to meet Master Ming!

Your Majesty is willing to spend money from the inner treasury for the production of weapons of the Song Dynasty. This is what the Holy Lord Mingjun did!

Therefore, when Weichen develops firearms in the firearms manufacturing workshop, if he can save some money, he must save it!"

After Zhao Ji heard Chen Gui's words, he immediately straightened his face, became slightly angry, and said seriously:

"Chen Aiqing, researching firearms for our Song Dynasty is related to whether our Song Dynasty can win the war against the enemy in the future without being insulted.

Don't do enough live-fire tests just to save money!

Only through live ammunition testing can we find out how to improve gunpowder weapons!"

Chen Gui kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty taught me a lot!"

Zhao Ji said generously:

“Money is no problem!”

"As long as the firearms manufacturing workshop can use the money to develop and test firearms, you don't have to worry about how much it will cost!

I will raise enough research funds for you!"

With a "plop", Chen Gui was so moved that he knelt on the ground after hearing Zhao Guanjia's words. He kowtowed repeatedly:

"Wei Chen Gui, thank you for your great kindness!!"

Zhao Ji took the trouble to help Chen Gui up again and said:

"I am already aware of the memorial submitted by Chen Aiqing, saying that the firearms manufacturing workshop you preside over is short of money. Therefore, I summoned Chen Aiqing alone tonight to discuss the matter in detail."

Zhao Ji added: "Today, how much research and testing funding does the firearms manufacturing workshop still lack?!"

Chen Gui wanted to say "The more the merrier", but he knew that the last Han Xin who dared to say "the more the merrier" in front of the emperor died miserably.

Chen Gui said truthfully: "Based on the current progress of research on firearms, the firearms manufacturing workshop will need at least 200,000 yuan in the next three months.

This is used to make more gunpowder and other utensils.”

Zhao Ji smiled slightly and said: "Two hundred thousand guan is not much money. I will allocate 500,000 guan to Chen Aiqing's firearms manufacturing workshop!"

The forty-nine-year-old Chen Chu was in disbelief and asked excitedly:

"Your Majesty, do you want to allocate 500,000 yuan to the firearms manufacturing workshop?"

Zhao Ji nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, I want to allocate 500,000 yuan to the firearms manufacturing workshop.

Chen Aiqing only needs to lead the craftsmen in the firearms manufacturing workshop to research firearms. If you still need research and testing funds, you can ask me for them in the memorial.

Even if I reduce the palace expenses, I still have to tighten my belt. Chen Aiqing has raised enough funds for research and testing."

Zhao Ji's words moved Chen Gui to tears...

Chen Gui asked: "Your Majesty, in how many days will the 500,000 gun firearm research and development funds be allocated?"

Zhao Ji said confidently: "We only need tomorrow."

Stereo was very shocked!

Before, he knew that the money in Zhao Guan's family's Zuozang treasury was about to be spent. Where did he get such a huge sum of money now?

In fact, this is the information that the formation rules know, and it is the reason for the inequality.

After all, Zhao Guan's family had just asked Zhang Jun and three other members of the Zhongshu family to write the edict, but Chen Gui didn't know that Yang Jian, who died of illness, had donated millions of his family wealth.

He also didn't know that Zhao Guan's family took the opportunity to blackmail the eunuch Liang Shicheng out of another 500,000 yuan.

Zhao Ji returned to the back of the Dragon Case, spread out the rice paper, picked up the imperial pen to dip it in the ink, and wrote an imperial edict in dots, and sealed it with a red seal.

Zhao Ji handed the imperial edict to Chen Gui and said:

"Chen Aiqing, on the way back to the firearms manufacturing workshop, went to Liang Shicheng's house to announce the imperial decree written by me.

The research and development funds required for Chen Aiqing's firearms manufacturing workshop will be available tomorrow."

Chen Gui was puzzled. However, how dare he not act in accordance with the holy will of Zhao Guan's family?

He immediately accepted the imperial edict and said: "I obey the edict."

As Chen Gui said goodbye, Zhao Ji said again:

"Chen Aiqing, I will drive up to the firearms manufacturing workshop tomorrow afternoon to inspect the power of the artillery launch."

Chen Gui kowtowed and said, "I respectfully welcome the Holy One to come and give guidance!"

Zhao Ji waved his robe sleeves and said: "Chen Aiqing quickly go to Liang Daguan's house and announce the decree!

Five hundred thousand dollars can be sent to the firearms manufacturer tomorrow."

"Long live my emperor, my humble minister Chen Gui resigned in compliance with the order..."

…

When Chen Gui came out of the palace and took his entourage to Liang Shicheng's luxurious Liang Mansion in the capital, he unfolded his imperial edict to the eunuch Liang Shicheng who was kneeling in front of him...

On his way out of the palace, Chen Gui did not dare to take a peek at the imperial edict.

At this time, after he finished reading the imperial edict, he realized that the research funds required by the firearms manufacturing workshop were provided by the powerful eunuch Liang Shicheng in front of the Zhao Guan family!

Chen Gui once heard that Liang Shicheng was granted a Jinshi status by Zhao Guan. After he became a high-ranking official in the court as an internal official, he often sold his clothes to gain titles, and the stolen money he accumulated was huge.

Now, when Chen Gui looked at the frowning Liang Shicheng, he felt a burst of secret joy in his heart!

The formation leader admired the Zhao Guan family endlessly in his heart, and said to himself: "The Zhao Guan family allowed the money-grubbing hidden prime minister Liang Shicheng to bleed profusely and donate his family wealth to the firearms manufacturing workshop. They are really wise!"

After Chen Gui read out the imperial edict, he pretended to exchange a few words with Liang Shicheng and then left the Liang Mansion.

"Hey!!!" Master Liang sighed and said to himself:

“Let’s lose money and avoid disaster!

I can spend most of the huge wealth I have collected to please the holy heart of the Zhao Guan family, so it is worth it!"

Liang Shicheng looked at the Jun porcelain tea cup given to him by Zhao Guan's family and said with a wry smile:

"Haha... It's just a tea cup with a thousand guan, but it costs me 500,000 guan!"

Liang Shicheng called the steward of the Liang Mansion and told him to raise 500,000 yuan overnight and deliver it to the firearms manufacturing workshop on the outskirts of the capital tomorrow morning.

The officials of the Liang Mansion reported back: "Sir, the copper coins in the manor are only 400,000 guan. If we use the gold and silver in the manor to pay for it..."

With a "pop" sound, Liang Shicheng slapped the table angrily.

The housekeeper of Liang Mansion was so frightened that he immediately knelt down in front of Liang Shicheng, trembling.

Liang Shicheng pointed at the butler's nose and cursed:

"Idiot! How can you be so stupid after following me for so many years?!

How can I exchange the gold and silver in my house for copper coins?

By doing this, wouldn't it let the wise Zhao Guan family know that there is still a lot of gold and silver in my house?

By then, maybe Zhao Guan’s family will ask me to donate gold and silver again!”

When the housekeeper of the Liang Mansion was scolded by Liang Shicheng, he immediately had an epiphany and hurriedly said:

"I understand what I mean. For the missing one hundred thousand copper coins, I will take people to the brothels, wine shops, restaurants, banks and other trading shops opened by our Liang family in the capital to raise them."

Liang Shicheng stared at the tea cup given to him by Zhao Guan's family. After a while, he said:

"Not only are the 100,000 gu copper coins to be raised from the brothels, wine shops, restaurants, and banks opened by our Liang family in the capital, but 400,000 gu copper coins are to be raised from the above shops overnight!"

The housekeeper frowned and asked cautiously:
To be continued...