Chapter 103: Alchemist, disaster is imminent (Additional update for Mr. Nuanyang)
The two groups of horses ran down at about the same speed, so what is the test? What is the advantage of the horseshoe?
Wang Ben waved, and the Qin general in the school field immediately trotted over. Wang Ben pointed to the horses that had reached the other side of the school field and asked, "What is this competition about?"
Qin The general said: "Back to the general, the competition is to see which of these horses run faster and slower!"
Wang Ben looked at General Qin with a look on his face, "Is this what I am asking you?"
General Qin hurriedly said: "General, this group of horses is different from the other group of horses. Their hooves have something extra. General, follow me!"
Wang Jian and his son followed General Qin to the other side of the school field. General Qin asked a knight to lift the right front hoof of a horse. The father and son immediately saw something nailed on the horse's front hoof. When they looked closer, they saw that it was a piece of iron.
Is this the so-called "horseshoe"?
Being nailed on the horse's hoof is equivalent to putting a shoe on the horse.
The father and son also understood that they were really competing for speed just now, to see who was faster when running between a horse with horseshoes and a horse without horseshoes.
But the purpose of the comparison test is obviously not to prove that horseshoes can run faster, but to show that horseshoes will not affect the horse's running speed too much.
Wang Jian carefully observed the horseshoe. As a veteran who has been on the battlefield for many years, he has already thought of the role of the horseshoe. It is to protect the horse's hoof from damage, so that the horse can run farther and longer, and the horse can run farther and longer. Walking in more complex terrain.
Improve the horse's running ability and reduce horse wear and tear.
Originally, in fierce battles, a war horse might run for hundreds of miles before its hoofs were injured and could no longer be used. Now that the horseshoes are nailed, the iron pieces replace the horseshoes from wear and tear. As long as the iron pieces are not worn After grinding, the horse's hoof will not be damaged, and the horse can run farther.
In this way, a war horse can be used for a longer period of time and does not need to be replenished frequently. Doesn’t this mean that the consumption of the horse is reduced?
Wang Ben also thought of this, and the father and son looked at each other. If this were true, the horseshoe was no less effective than the stirrup, and could further improve the cavalry's combat capabilities.
Qin General said: "The two generals, according to the king's order, will conduct a long-distance running test next. These horses with horseshoes and horses without horseshoes will run for two hundred miles. , and then check the wear and tear of their horses’ hooves "Say. Do you want the two generals to wait?"
Wang Jian said: "No, give me a horse with those horseshoes, and I will ride it myself!"
He won't! Wait, he wants to verify the results himself.
Wang Jian also understood at this time the purpose of Ying Zheng's father and son coming over: not only to let them watch the stirrup and horse shoe competition to arouse their interest, but also to let them know the use of stirrups and horseshoes on the battlefield after many years of galloping on the battlefield. evaluate its practicality.
Not to mention Wang Bian, Wang Jian, as the strongest general in the Qin Dynasty today, has a unique and sophisticated vision that is unparalleled by others. If anyone can correctly evaluate the role of stirrups and horseshoes, it is him.
Seeing that his father Wang Jian chose a war horse with horseshoes, Wang Ben asked for a war horse without horseshoes. The father and son led two groups of horses respectively and ran out of the military camp according to the route planned in advance.
Before we reached the destination two hundred miles away, the results were already out: on the way, one of the unshod horses led by Wang Ben had to withdraw from the long-distance competition due to a hoof injury. On the other hand, not one of the horses led by Wang Jian withdrew.
As soon as they arrived at their destination two hundred miles away, the father and son immediately asked people to check the condition of each horse and personally inspected the hoofs of each horse. The conclusion reached is the same as what was thought before. The iron pieces are worn away by the horseshoes on the horses, but the horseshoes themselves are not damaged, and the horses can continue to run.
The hoofs of those horses without horseshoes are more or less worn. If they continue to run, some horses will have damaged hoofs and cannot be used again in the future.
Wang Jian patted the neck of a horse and said to Wang Ben: "Although the horse's shoe is small, its effect is great. It must not be spread, especially to the barbarians in the north and west."
Wang Ben continued his father's words and said: "The Hu people in the north and west are good at raising horses. The horses they raise are several times that of the Qin Dynasty. If they have stirrups and horse shoes, they can raise horses." As we know, it will be a disaster rather than a blessing for the Qin Dynasty. We must report it to the king and not let the barbarians know it."
Wang Jian shook his head and said: "You don't need to remind me, the king should know the importance of stirrups and horse shoes! , these two things must have been created by Li Nian.”
The father and son did not talk much about the topic of Li Nian, and avoided it in a tacit understanding.
Although the king had informed them of Li Nian's presence, the king did not say much. As ministers, they were not allowed to say anything, otherwise they might cause trouble.
Wang Jian said again: "If your Majesty wants to use military force against the Hu people, you can use stirrups and horseshoes to catch the Hu people by surprise. However, this method can only be used once, and it is not easy to use it a second time. The first time After using it, it will be learned by the barbarians."
Wang Ben said: "So. We must make good use of the first opportunity and deal a painful blow to the barbarians! It is a pity that the barbarians are in great danger. Even if one group is killed, there will be another group."
Wang Jian also nodded, thinking to himself. If he leads the army, he will definitely be able to defeat the barbarians, but if he says that the barbarians' troubles will never be eliminated, he can't do it.
While Wang Jian and his son were comparing stirrups and horseshoes, Ying Zheng was standing high on the steps in front of a palace, looking down indifferently at the people kneeling below.
There were more than a hundred people kneeling on the ground. Except for a few people, almost all of them were trembling.
Because there were dozens of cages in front of them, containing chickens, rats and other animals. These animals now have a common feature, they are all dead, and some chickens and rats are in very dead shapes. It's not normal, some of them have even been dead for a long time and exude a stench.
According to the King of Qin standing on the steps, these chickens and rats became like this after eating the elixir they refined, which means they were killed by the elixir they refined. These chickens and rats.
But the problem is not that the chickens and rats died, but that the elixir they made was supposed to be taken by the King of Qin. Now that the chickens and rats died because of the elixir, doesn’t it mean that their elixirs will also cause harm? Kill King Qin?
This is the crime of poisoning the king, and the one who poisoned him is the King of Qin. Who can not be afraid?
Glancing at the alchemist who was kneeling on the ground, Ying Zheng said: "Read it to them so that they can see what kind of elixir you have refined, so as not to say that I have wronged them."
A chamberlain Get out of the queue, his hand Holding a bamboo slip in his hand, he began to read aloud. The bamboo slip described that something strange happened to a certain chicken or rat at a certain time on a certain day. All the chickens and rats suffered from taking the elixir, developing symptoms, and then dying of the disease one by one. Documented in detail.
Listening to the servants reading out the symptoms of each chicken and rat, and how they died, the kneeling alchemists were all frightened. Even those alchemists who looked very calm felt huge waves in their hearts.
Ying Zheng looked at those people, a cold sarcasm flashed in his eyes: 'Pretending to be calm, these people probably want to continue to deceive me, right? I want to see what other methods you can use! ’
(End of this chapter)