Li Chengzhi was overjoyed when he heard this: "Has the barrel been cast?"

"Ah?" Li Liang was stunned, "I just created a model!"

Li Chengzhi seemed to be frozen, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared. Fortunately, Li Liang couldn't see it because of the mask.

He concealed it very well, and still had a smile in his tone: "It's already very fast. As long as the cast film is cast, it can be cast at any time. I am too impatient..."

After a pause, Li Chengzhi waved his hand again, "Let's go, take me to see you!"

Li Liang responded repeatedly and followed Li Chengzhi out of the military formation.

In fact, Li Chengzhi had wanted to cast cannons for a long time, but he knew better what artillery meant to this era. So he didn't take action until he arrived in Hexi.

Now that the emperor is no longer far away, he is personally in charge. Li Chengzhi is not afraid that some people will have different intentions, so there are more people participating in cannon casting this time.

In addition to Li Liang, who controls the secret recipe of gunpowder, there are also Li Zhang, the owner of the firearms camp, Li Liang, the head of the Ministry of Industry, Li's hometown craftsman, and a bunch of his disciples and grandchildren.

Professional matters should naturally be left to professionals. After Li Chengzhi decided to build a cannon, he naturally found Li Liang.

It seems difficult to imagine, but as long as you use the right method, it is actually very simple.

The first step is to cast a mold, which is very familiar to Li Chengzhi.

It's just a pipe. No matter how difficult it is, it's much easier than when he secretly smelted a bronze statue in Kongtong Mountain and replaced it with an iron Buddha.

The lost wax method that existed during the Shang and Zhou dynasties was used. To put it more specifically, the cannon barrel was cast with wax, then the wax barrel was surrounded, and the inner mold and the outer frame were made of crucible filled with graphite.

Then the crucible mud is dried, and the wax naturally turns into water. What is left is the model of the cannon barrel, which can be formed by pouring molten steel into it.

Li Chengzhi didn't need much guidance. He just asked for the cannon barrel, and Li Liang slapped his chest and issued a military order: He could make a sample of this thing in just half a month.

In fact, it only took ten days. Li Chengzhi was busy with too many things and forgot the time.

When he arrived at the steel field, Li Chengzhi realized that not only had the mold been burned, but Li Liang had also made the molten steel, and Li Liang came to repay him.

Looking at the red crucibles, Li Chengzhi finally realized: What was cast in this way was a steel cannon, not an iron cannon?

An idea flashed in my mind, and I suddenly remembered some memories about steel cannons: early Krupp seemed to use crucibles for casting.

Isn’t it difficult to blow up the barrels of these guns?

Li Chengzhi was overjoyed and quickly ordered Li Liang to water the water.

He has been making steel and forging steel in Hexi for three years. He needs mines and people, and Li Liang's skills have already reached a higher level. Compared with him, Li Chengzhi is only half-assed.

Therefore, Li Chengzhi was very self-aware and was afraid of affecting Li Liang, so he just stood aside and watched without saying a word.

In just over half an hour, a seven-cup-long barrel with a thickness of nearly three inches was freshly baked.

Looking at the dark cannon body and the dazzling cold light, Li Chengzhi felt as if he was drunk and felt indescribably comfortable.
Chapter completed!