Chapter 32

### Chapter 32: The Napoleon Cannon, a Powerful Home Guardian

Fang Gang was a very practical tech enthusiast. According to his self-introduction, he ran a small machinery factory at home, specializing in producing gears for agricultural machinery gearboxes. This was purely a personal hobby.

"Two thousand units, at a price of 2,500 each. No gun handles, and we'll take the samples with us. Delivery in three months, any problems?" Wu Qi spoke coolly, her voice devoid of emotion. This puzzled Chen Xie; when this virtual woman spoke to him, she always had a Japanese actress's tone, but when talking to others, she was extremely cold and stiff. Was she treating him differently?

Wu Qi's taking over the negotiation raised no objections from Chen Xie, as he was not skilled in this area. Fang Gang did not hesitate at all, as the price was very fair, and this was a five million yuan deal. Considering the risks involved, both Chen Xie and Fang Gang believed it was a fair transaction.

"Deal! By the way, are you interested in bronze cannons?" Fang Gang's question stunned Chen Xie.

"What, can you make bronze cannons?" Chen Xie was very surprised. The cannons in the Ming Dynasty were made of cast iron and were very heavy. Due to the backward iron smelting technology, cast iron contained a lot of sulfur, making it somewhat brittle. To prevent explosions, the cannon barrels had to be thickened. On the walls of Dengzhou, there were several large cannons.

"It's not me who can make them, but a skilled person in the enthusiast group. I told him someone wanted flintlock guns, and he asked if we wanted a Napoleon bronze cannon." Fang Gang's words made Chen Xie a bit nervous; such matters should not be known by too many people. Even flintlock guns could easily kill.

"Is he here?" Chen Xie asked casually, keeping his guard up. Fang Gang, unprepared, replied, "He came with me and is staying at a hotel. Should I call him over?"

Chen Xie felt it was necessary to meet him to avoid any trouble. Fang Gang made the call, and about half an hour later, footsteps were heard downstairs. Chen Xie looked up to see a man in his thirties with a short haircut, not very tall, and small eyes that squinted when he smiled.

"Sorry, sorry." The man apologized as he entered and introduced himself: "Han Qingfeng, I run a small foundry." After some polite exchanges, Han Qingfeng sat down. Chen Xie sized him up and asked, "Mr. Han, if not for me, who did you plan to sell the bronze cannon to?"

Han Qingfeng slapped his thigh and said, "Don't mention it, I was too naive." He then explained the situation, which made everyone laugh and cry at the same time. He saw someone selling a bronze cannon online, advertised as a feng shui treasure for home protection. As an enthusiast, he decided to cast a couple for fun and then sell them as feng shui treasures.

This guy was impulsive. He spent over a hundred thousand yuan and half a year to cast a bronze cannon. He got hooked and made solid shot and gunpowder, purifying and granulating it himself. He then took the cannon to the mountains and fired several rounds, going wild with excitement.

As the saying goes, heaven sends disasters, and man brings calamities. His calamity soon arrived. His foundry was in trouble because a client had fled without paying a few million yuan, leaving the foundry on the brink of closure. He had to continue operations and pay for raw materials. After scraping together all his savings, he still fell short. What to do? He thought of the bronze cannon and contacted someone online, saying he had a real Napoleon bronze cannon. The other party politely told him they had already bought one and had it blessed by a master, so his offer was declined.

Feeling dejected and with the bank pressing for loan repayments, he was almost in despair. During an online chat, Fang Gang mentioned someone wanted to buy flintlock guns, and he casually asked. Fang Gang, being honest, suggested he come over and talk to the boss in person. Han Qingfeng, thinking there was nothing to lose, came to try his luck.

This guy was indeed a daredevil, having cast a Napoleon cannon for fun. Such a crazy thing made Chen Xie want to laugh out loud, thinking his luck was incredible.

How could a modern army be without cannons? He was just worrying about this when someone offered to help.

"Can you provide specific data?" Chen Xie asked calmly, showing interest.

"Specific data? I didn't record it. I made a 6-pounder with a 93mm caliber. 1.5 kg of propellant can fire a 2.5 kg solid shot about 2,500 meters. I don't know much else, as I didn't record it." Han Qingfeng's words made Chen Xie listen, but as an outsider, he glanced at Wu Qi for help, not daring to ask.

Perhaps out of a sense of conscience (where did that come from?), Wu Qi spoke up, "What's the weight of the cannon? How much for one? Where did the figure of over a hundred thousand yuan come from?"

"Ah, I didn't pay much attention to the weight, just for fun. It's about 700 to 800 pounds, with cast iron wheels and bearings, making it easy to move with two people. Being my first attempt, I failed many times, driving up the cost. I didn't plan to sell it for much; 50,000 yuan, and you can take it away." Han Qingfeng was reasonable, not overpricing. He was thinking of making more, as he still had some materials left. These two men looked stylish, and the woman was beautiful, all wearing designer clothes. If they needed more, he could make money.

"I have no more questions. Don't worry, the consultation fee is already paid." Wu Qi's words almost made Chen Xie cry with relief.

"I do need a few such cannons, but I won't explain why. How long does it take to cast one?" Chen Xie took over the negotiation, indicating the deal was almost done.

"I've restored the iron mold casting method. It takes about ten days to cast one cannon. The main issue is the other components. If you need a large quantity and time is tight, I can hire a few helpers, and one cannon a week is no problem." Han Qingfeng left room for flexibility, as he could actually work faster.

"I'm very interested in the casting process, but I don't have time to watch. How about you make a video, and I'll watch it when I have time. As for the cannons, I don't need a large quantity, but it's not small either. I've seen some materials on 12-pounders. Can you make them?"

Han Qingfeng was excited. With a customer, how could he not be happy? He nodded vigorously, "No problem, just a new mold. The other processes are simple, with no technical challenges."

The meeting went well. Regardless of what the buyer intended to do, Han Qingfeng secured an order for 24 12-pounders and 72 6-pounders, priced at 70,000 and 40,000 yuan each, respectively. The high price included the cost of the molds. This was a year-long order, with a 500,000 yuan deposit, followed by payments based on the quantity delivered. The existing cannon would be included in the deposit, and Han Qingfeng would organize transportation to Chen Xie's warehouse in Jiangcheng. Finally, Skyward Company would provide a guarantee for Han Qingfeng and Fang Gang.

To verify Han Qingfeng's claims, Chen Xie searched online and found a store selling Napoleon cannon models, but they were clearly non-functional and sold as feng shui items at exorbitant prices, similar to stone lions. The store soon disappeared from the internet, possibly suppressed.

Out of caution, Chen Xie asked Wu Qi why such a lethal weapon could be traded, and she calmly told him, "It's a feng shui item, not a weapon." Chen Xie felt his worldview was about to collapse.

This seemingly smooth deal was still risky. Without on-site inspections, both the flintlock guns and bronze cannons could be taken and fled with. However, Chen Xie had no better choice and had to trust. What else could he do? He was a time trader, not God. He was already in a high-risk business and could only rely on luck.

When Chen Xie really wanted to form a home guard, he realized there was much to do. The nature of the team aside, the organizational structure alone gave him a headache for three days. After researching many modern military structures, Chen Xie decided to start with a 2,000-person standard. The specific structure couldn't be copied from modern times and had to be improvised. Without experience, theoretical planning would only lead to mistakes. He decided to wait for the results of his official purchases before finalizing the structure.

Regardless, he needed to procure equipment for 2,000 people. The money spent was already flowing like water, making Chen Xie a bit sleepless at night. He got up and searched online for military stores. Disappointed, he found none of the items he remembered, such as cotton military coats, liberation shoes, and utility belts. Equipping Ming Dynasty soldiers with modern gear was absurd.

Chen Xie ordered some binoculars and outdoor water bottles, then changed his approach. Directly searching for military stores was foolish; the items were too fashionable. He could buy surplus stock from shoe manufacturers, purchase canvas to make utility belts, and even start a workshop in the Ming Dynasty to create jobs. For clothing, he could buy fabric and foot-operated sewing machines to start a clothing factory in the Ming Dynasty. Everything had to be targeted.

This shift in thinking opened Chen Xie's horizons. He couldn't stop, spending a week searching online, ordering 50 old sewing machines (priced at 150 yuan each), 500,000 yuan worth of fabric, and 50,000 pairs of rubber-soled canvas liberation shoes from a local shoe factory at 5 yuan per pair, which had been in storage for years.

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**End of Chapter 32**