Extraordinary times should be implemented extraordinary law, Zhao Xu's words set heaven and earth, ministers are silent like cicadas in winter.
In the current situation, Great Song was being attacked from three sides. The relationship between Great Song, Liao, and Xixia had always been complicated and delicate.
Liao had fought against Great Song and Western Xia, and Western Xia had fought against Great Song and Liao. In the past, only Great Song was in a defensive state.
Now, the Great Song had actually defeated the Western Xia and the Liao Kingdom.
This was like poking a hornet's nest. The entire Xixia court and the upper echelons of the Liao Kingdom were on alert.
Ye Lui Hongji's Imperial Conference had already decided to launch a probing attack on Great Song and fully support Western Xia's attack on Great Song.
In the Hall of Heroes, Zhao Xu was reading the report from the pond in front of him.
There were reports from both the Western Xia and Liao Kingdoms. The Minister of War, Yu Hui, sent battle reports almost every two hours.
All the soldiers of the Great Song were mobilized. Due to the lack of warhorses, the only thing that could resist the Liao cavalry was the large-scale production of bows and crossbows.
Crossbows and divine arm bows were sharp weapons used against cavalry. The Military Weaponry Supervisor worked day and night to manufacture them, and civilian craftsmen were recruited in large numbers.
The consumption of coal was increasing. Since the Song Zhenzong era, coal had been used on a large scale.
The fighting power of the prefectural armies could not compare to the Imperial Army, but it was better than nothing. The 400,000 prefectural armies were urgently reorganized and headed for Hebei Road.
According to Emperor Zhao Xu's decree, every prefectural army soldier had to carry 30 catties of grain from the local state capital to the north.
The war against Liao became Zhao Xu's top priority after he ascended the throne. The efficiency of the newly established cabinet increased a lot, and the overlapping institutions were swept away.
The next day.
Accompanied by Wang Yong and Zheng Jimin, Zhao Xu inspected the Military Equipment Supervisor. As one of the five supervisors, the Military Equipment Supervisor was the largest.
Because they needed to supply weapons to a million soldiers, the Military Equipment Supervisor's territory was in the northernmost row of large houses in Kaifeng Prefecture.
There was a wall outside the big house, and the Imperial Army was guarding it day and night.
When the emperor arrived, all the craftsmen and supervisors knelt on the ground to welcome him.
The Weaponry Supervisor was under the Ministry of War, and Minister of War Yu Hui had already arranged everything there.
Zhao Xu slowly walked into the big house where the crossbow was built. The crossbow was usually operated by 12 people. It could fire 20 big arrows at the same time, and its range could reach one mile. It was used to attack cities or deal with cavalry formations.
This was a long-range weapon that was better than a catapult.
Then there was the Divine Arm Bow that could be operated by a single soldier. The Divine Arm Bow was the standard weapon of the Song army. It had a maximum range of 370 meters and a trigger.
In terms of weapons, the Liao Kingdom and the Western Xia were no match for the Great Song.
However, in the past hundred years, the Great Song had never won a war.
"Let's go to the firearms camp." Zhao Xu said to Yu Hui, who was bowing and waiting on him.
"Your Majesty, there's nothing much to see in the firearms camp.”Yu Hui stammered.
"Where are the ten craftsmen I sent over a few days ago?”
"Your Majesty, I don't think the firearms that the firearms camp is developing are of much use. I'm preparing to write a memorial to Your Majesty to dismiss them.”
"Idiot, lead the way. I'll go take a look.”Zhao Xu glared at Yu Hui.
Yu Hui was scared out of his wits. He hurriedly bowed and jogged to lead the way.
The firearms camp wasn't big, and Zhao Xu looked like a small workshop.
Gunpowder had been invented more than sixty years ago, but its use in weapons was very primitive. Other than making a little sound, it was not much different from firecrackers.
Therefore, the Firearms Battalion was a small organization in the Weaponry Bureau. There were not many craftsmen, less than fifty people.
When Zhao Xu arrived, the 10 craftsmen sent by the system were still refining refined iron, preparing to make a gun barrel. The gun barrel was the core component of a musket.
When they saw Zhao Xu enter, the ten craftsmen hurriedly knelt down and shouted.
"Zhou Xiaowen, how many have you made?”Zhao Xu went straight to the point. Zhou Xiaowen was the leader of the ten craftsmen.
"Your Majesty, the supply of coal and craftsmen are too little. Otherwise, we could have made ten a day, but only five in the past few days.”Zhou Xiaowen said helplessly.
"Why are there so few charcoal and craftsmen?”Zhao Xu expressed this with his eyes.
This gaze was directed at Yu Hui, causing him to break out in cold sweat and tremble in fear.
"Your Majesty, I don't understand…I know my sins! Zhou Xiaowen and the others were allocated charcoal, refined iron, and craftsmen. I know my sins."
"Within ten days, I want to see five hundred muskets. If I can't see them by then, your position as Minister of War will be over.”
After Zhao Xu said this, he left without looking back.
When he reached the gate, he turned around and said to the supervisor,""Shen Kuo, you must be Shen Kuo?"
The supervisor was very young, with delicate features and bright eyes. He knelt down and said,""Reporting to Your Majesty, I am Shen Kuo.”
"In the future, this place will no longer be under the control of the Ministry of War. It will be under the control of the cabinet. If there is anything, report it directly to the cabinet, or you can look for me directly. I want to expand the Military Equipment Bureau on a large scale.”
"Thank you, Lord!" Shen Kuo was overjoyed.
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