Chapter 2126： Brother-in-law, Maozi may have to do it!

Taishang Lao Niu reminds you: it is more convenient to collect it after you read it, and then it is more convenient to watch it again.

Don't look at this steel-wheeled clockwork, which is cheaper than the local ones, and it's easy to use. However, that is also more than 10 gold coins per stick. If you pay attention to moisture and oil, it can be stored for a long time.

But the problem is that in this era, there is no awareness of weapon maintenance. The big guys don't pay attention to "maintenance", all of them are dirty, where can they care about weapons?

Of course, the traditional aristocracy will still pay attention. For example, many people's plate armors are heirlooms. Baby, oiling and waxing are natural for maintenance. But with the two maintenance methods, nobles are more accustomed to waxing. Why? Oil is prone to rancidity, and it is more likely to corrode metals after rancidity. The waxing requires one-time maintenance and can be stored for a long time.

The bad is here, if it's a sword armor, waxing is all it takes. However, the steel wheel clockwork, this thing is curly. Whether it is oiling or waxing, it is inconvenient.

In addition, after being oiled or waxed, the friction is affected, and it is not good to be too silky, and it is easy to fail to make a fire. Therefore, if you have waxed the steel wheel spring, it is best to lean against it before using it to remove the wax coating. However, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly. Give time for you to go to the fire and wax it?

So, this is a pitfall. If you want to wax it, it is inconvenient to use, and it is easy to catch fire. But oiling is even worse!

Because there is no non-perishable mineral oil in this era, only olive oil or butter can be used to maintain weapons. However, both of these oils are edible by humans. Humans can eat, bacteria can also eat, it is very perishable...

Only tung oil produced in China is more suitable as a maintenance oil because of its toxicity and a drying oil that dries quickly. After all, bacteria are also afraid of the toxicity of tung oil. However, there is no tung oil in Europe...

Therefore, the clockwork flintlock thing is really a pit. The oil is not good, and the waxing is inconvenient. The only way is to cover the clockwork with cloth or leather as much as possible.

But this is not safe, because cloth cannot block the penetration of moisture. As long as the weather is wet, it will corrode the clockwork through the cloth. As for leather, there is no dead-angle protection, as there will be moisture infiltration...

Only the steel wheel clockwork of the North Sea country, because it is a chrome-nickel alloy, is not afraid of moisture and can withstand use. The steel wheel springs sent to various shops in France are ordinary spring steel springs that do not contain chromium and nickel. But when it was delivered, it was wrapped in a sealed oil paper bag heated at high temperature to isolate the air. It can be stored for a long time as long as the sealed paper bag is not torn.

Of course, when the store is sold to users, the paper bags are opened, so it won't be cheap for the French. Moreover, it will be placed in a carved wooden box very forcefully, which seems to be well preserved.

However, the wooden box has gaps and is not moisture-proof. It is only better than being exposed to the air, and it still cannot stop the consumption. Moreover, even if the secret of oil-paper bag packaging is discovered, it is not afraid. I don’t know how to isolate the air and heat it for sterilization and remove moisture. Because there is already moisture in the bag, there is no discussion about corroding the steel wheel clockwork.

…

Therefore, many European monarchs and princes love and hate clockwork muskets. What I love is that the clockwork flintlock is easy to carry, and there is no need to carry a bunch of fire ropes stupidly when using it, just like refugees fleeing famine. Also, don't worry about the matchstick being extinguished by rain or strong wind. It's simple to hate-it consumes too much, can't afford to play!

An ordinary matchlock is about 15 shillings, which is 3 gold coins. For the clockwork flintlock, a clockwork costs more than 10 gold coins. Moreover, basically it needs to be changed once a month. At the end of a year, it will consume 12 clockwork, that is, more than 120 gold coins... This money can buy a good horse or a complete set of good plate armor!

If this is a noble child, he can still afford it. After all, a big family and a big business can sustain it. But for soldiers from ordinary people, they can't afford to support...

Moreover, most of the soldiers in this era are mercenaries, and their weapons are often their own. Only the musketeers of the North Sea country will issue weapons. Would ordinary poor mercenaries be willing to buy a clockwork flintlock that costs more than 100 gold coins a year? Obviously, they can't afford to play...

Ordinary matchlocks only cost 15 shillings. Although the workmanship is rough, it is better at low cost and can be used for a long time. Even if it is broken, buy a new one... Therefore, the cost sometimes becomes an important reason for equipment.

In addition, personal habits and concepts, as well as interest issues, will also become important factors. For example, the flintlock gun was invented as early as the late 16th century, and even the inventor Mahan received the support of King Henry IV of France in 1598 and planned to promote it.

However, the French military's top officials simply disagreed and boycotted. After Henry IV was assassinated and killed, the flintlock was directly abandoned by the French...

It was not until Gustav II of Sweden equipped a lot of flintlocks in the army in the "Thirty Years War" that flintlocks became famous and gradually accepted. At this time, the flintlock gun has been invented for decades...

…

Therefore, Marin is not unconcerned that the French developed low-cost flintlocks because they were inspired by clockwork flintlocks. Rather, it is certain that even if the craftsman so and so invented the flintlock, it will not be popularized all at once and is generally accepted by the world.

The clockwork flintlock shops opened by Marin not only have the task of making profits and suppressing French counterparts, but also monitoring the French market to see if there are any plans for craftsmen to develop new weapons. Once discovered, the intelligence organization will report to Marin. At that time, it will be too late to dig out people with high salaries directly, or to get rid of those who refuse to leave.

In addition, Marin will secretly help, help those big workshops that build matchlocks, bribe French aristocrats in power, and hinder the French from promoting new weapons.

Although it is impossible to finally prevent the French from using the new muskets, it is enough to delay the French for decades. When the French fully reacted, Marin had already controlled half of Germany, plus England, to complete the siege and suppression of France. When the time comes, it will be hard to say who is crushing.

…

The Italian craftsmen arranged by Kohler arrived in France one after another and opened shops. It should be pointed out that these craftsmen do not mainly sell clockwork muskets, but build clocks and watches and ordinary matchlocks. Until the local competitors that make clockwork flintlocks appeared, steel-wheeled clockwork and whole guns would be imported from the local area for dumping and suppression. If it doesn't show up, let's play with matchlock happily.

Of course, because the French royal family has already withdrawn from the business of clockwork muskets, the shops in Paris have to compete. Moreover, the Paris store is also dominated by the watch business, and slowly develops the steel wheel clockwork business to avoid stimulating the royal family's workshops. Its task is not to compete with the royal workshops, but to suppress private craftsmen from getting involved in this area.

…

Just as these shops opened one after another, news came from Austria that Glinski had completed the artillery deal, wearing 150 small bronze cannons, and returned to the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

About to avoid the eyes and ears of Lithuanians and Poles, Glinski and his group walked over the Alps and then took the sea route to reach the coast of the Black Sea.

Even Marin, the merchant who carried it, found out that it was the merchant of Venice...

At the moment, the Venetians and Ottoman Turkey have not turned their faces, and the Venetian merchant ships can still freely enter and exit the Dardanelles and enter the Black Sea region.

As for how to transport it to the territory of the Grand Duchy of Moscow through the area controlled by the Crimean Khanate? Hehe, Marin has no doubt about the ability of the Muscovites. It's not that they are too capable, but the Crimean Khanate is too greedy for money, and absolutely let it go if they give some money.

What's more, Glinski bought small cannons, but no gun mounts. It's a small barrel, hidden in the car, and I can't see what it is. As long as the bribe is in place, the Crimeans will naturally let it go. Moreover, the Crimeans have little knowledge, and even if they see artillery, they will not feel that it is too threatening. As long as you have enough money, you can rest assured even if you know it.

This is also an important reason why Marin is not at ease with the Crimean Khanate. In fact, they betray as long as they give money, and they have no principles. This kind of country can be used, but it must not be trusted.

And after learning that the Muscovites had taken the South Road and avoided the North Sea Route, Marin was also relieved...

Why? King Sigmund I of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania is his brother-in-law. If com sees 150 artillery crossing the border without intercepting it, Marin can't justify it.

Unlike ordinary weapon armor, artillery is bulky and large, and has more targets than ordinary weapon armor, not to mention 150 guns. To say that the officials along the way can't find it, it's obviously a lie. Unless the officers and soldiers at the checkpoints along the way are bought, they will not be found.

But this is not realistic in the North Sea country, because after Marin's purge, the decadent old aristocracy has lost power. The new aristocratic class with the new spearhead, because Marin is still in his prime of life, he has not yet dared to embark on the path of corruption. Moreover, the outside world knows that Marin is very strict on domestic control and blockade. It is difficult for people from other countries to enter the North Sea country, let alone transporting 150 artillery across the border?

In fact, Glinski knew this and also knew that Marin and Sigmund I were related by marriage, so he didn't dare to take the northern route, and instead took the southern sea route. Because the Venetians and Crimeans are open to money...

As for the weapons and armors purchased by the Grand Duchy of Moscow? That Marin can shirk completely. Why? Because it was the Teutonic state who helped the purchasing agent. The Teutonic state is also an ally of Marin, and Marin's uncle Yule is still a high-level Teutonic state. Therefore, it makes sense for Marin not to stop.

But this time, it was Glinski, the important minister of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. If Marin pretended not to know, anyone with a discerning eye would be able to tell that he had a bad heart, and even his in-laws were pitted... In the future, who would dare to marry the North Sea country?

In order to preserve his reputation, Marin thought for a while, anyway, Glinski is now leaving with the artillery, and is taking the southern route, so he can release some news. So he wrote to his brother-in-law Zygmunt I:

"Brother-in-law, I heard that Maozi came to Germany to buy weapons. He may have to do something against Lithuania. Please be careful!"