Chapter 534: Weapons That Revolutionize Warfare
Compared to the Minié rifle, the Thouvenin rifle required two extra taps during loading, making its reload speed slightly slower, though the difference was negligible.
Moreover, beyond the difficulty of research and development, current craftsmanship and logistical capabilities were better suited for the Thouvenin rifle. The irregular shape of the Minié Ball demanded extremely high precision in manufacturing, meaning it could only be produced in factories far behind the front lines and then transported forward. This would undoubtedly increase logistical strain.
In contrast, Thouvenin's cylindrical lead bullets could be cast by soldiers directly on the front lines. Current Flintlock Musket ammunition was produced this way, so army logistics typically only included gunpowder, with no separate provision for bullets themselves.
As for his long-term goal, Joseph even wanted to skip the Minié Rifle entirely.
He glanced at the Ferguson 1776 breech-loading Rifle hanging on the wall.
Although this particular rifle had been widely ridiculed in Britain and remained unappreciated for half a century, he knew perfectly well that it represented the future direction of rifles!
The Ferguson 1776 was incredibly innovative, loading ammunition from the rear of the barrel, which was then sealed by an upright iron block. It was the world's first breech-loading rifle used in combat.
This rifle boasted a terrifying rate of fire of six rounds per minute. In comparison, even the most skilled Flintlock Musket shooter could only manage four rounds per minute, while an average soldier was considered proficient at three.
Furthermore, the greatest advantage of breech-loading rifles wasn't their rate of fire, but the ability to shoot while prone.
Breech-loading rifles allowed this process to be completed while lying down.
One could easily imagine the outcome in a confrontation between two armies: one standing rigidly upright, the other firing from a prone position. The former would undoubtedly be slaughtered.
In fact, the Ferguson 1776 rifle had been issued to the British army during the American War of Independence, and the American rifle company commanded by Ferguson himself achieved significant results on the battlefield. However, with Ferguson's death in North America, the rifle faded into obscurity.
Of course, the primary reason for the rifle's lack of widespread adoption was technical limitations—its flawed vertical bolt design and crude manufacturing quality led to severe gas leakage from the breech. After Ferguson's death, no one continued to improve it.
It wasn't until 1819 that the American Hall developed the first relatively reliable breech-loading rifle, though it still used a flintlock ignition system, which limited its practicality.
In 1841, the Prussian Dreyse invented a percussion cap-fired breech-loading rifle, which helped Austria win the Prusso-Danish War in just one week, finally vindicating the effectiveness of breech-loaders.
From then on, muzzle-loading rifles gradually faded from history, and breech-loaders began to dominate the battlefield.
Joseph's plan was to first use the Thouvenin rifle to cultivate a mature rifle production system in France, and then gradually have his father develop the breech-loading rifle.
Once successfully developed and equipped to the troops, a force of ten thousand French soldiers crushing fifty thousand of any other European army would be no mere dream!
Furthermore, he was well aware of the technological direction for breech-loading rifles—
A rotating bolt, a high-strength firing pin, Fixed Ammunition with paper cartridges, combined with the percussion cap ignition already widely adopted by the French army, meant there was no need for detours. The decades-long development process of history could very likely be compressed into ten years, or even less, under the guidance of "France's Foremost Craftsman!"
Just then, Louis XVI's assistant, Aymeric, approached with a dozen newly cast cylindrical bullets.
Louis XVI took the bullets, then eagerly shouldered the freshly produced Rifle and, pulling his son along, hurried toward the Royal Armory next to Versailles.
On the Royal Armory's firing range, Joseph loaded the ammunition into the Auguste 1790, rammed it down with an iron ramrod a few times, pulled back the bolt, and inserted a Copper Percussion Cap. The loading process was complete, taking almost no more time than a standard Flintlock Musket.
After several tests on a fixed wooden stand confirmed there was no risk of a burst barrel, Louis XVI, disregarding his guards' protests, personally picked up the new rifle and squinted, aiming at a wooden target in the distance.
Following a loud bang, the range staff cheered as they retrieved the target, running back. Everyone present was utterly astonished upon seeing the bullet hole on the target.
From a distance of a full 100 paces (about 75 meters), the bullet accurately struck the center of the wooden target.
For a Flintlock Musket, where hitting a target 40 paces (about 30 meters) away was largely a matter of luck, this was an overwhelming leap forward.
In subsequent test shots, the Auguste 1790 even directly hit a wooden target 140 paces (about 105 meters) away, demonstrating the terrifying accuracy of the Rifle.
Louis XVI clapped Joseph enthusiastically on the back and declared loudly, "My dear son, once again we stand at the pinnacle of European firearms!
"I eagerly await the moment our enemies, defeated by the brave warriors of France, tremble and ask, 'What weapons did you use? They are truly formidable!'"
"They will receive their answer—the Auguste 1790, personally developed by our great King!" Joseph chimed in, playing along. Then, father and son exchanged a glance and chuckled together happily.
Once his father had calmed down a bit, Joseph leaned in and tempted him, "Dear Father, would you like to create another rifle capable of revolutionizing the entire European battlefield?"
"God in heaven! How many incredible ideas do you keep in your head?!" Louis XVI exclaimed, staring at his son in astonishment. "What kind of rifle is it?"
Joseph smiled faintly. "A brand new breech-loading rifle."
...
After Joseph finished outlining the production plan for the Auguste 1790 at the Royal Armory, he returned to the Royal Workshop to roughly explain the design concept for the breech-loading rifle to his father.
It wasn't until the King's personal attendant came to remind the father and son that it was time to rest that Joseph realized it was already eleven o'clock at night.
He wearily put down the sketches he held, agreed with his father to continue discussing the technical plan the next morning, then yawned and returned to his private chambers.
His maid, Camelia, had been waiting by the door for a long time. Seeing the Crown Prince return, she hurried forward and curtsied respectfully:
"Your Highness, would you like to rest directly, or have some supper first? I've prepared a nut mille-feuille and fruit tea for you."
"Oh, I'll have a bite then. Thank you." Joseph looked at her, pausing in slight surprise.
The young woman before him was clad in a black and white maid outfit—yes, precisely the kind from later eras, with puffed sleeves, a large ruffled stand-up collar, a butterfly-knotted waist, a black long skirt with a lace hem, and white stockings. Combined with her violet eyes, vibrant, full lips, fair, delicate skin, and prominent bosom, she looked almost like a two-dimensional anime girl brought to life.
"You, this...?"
Camelia bit her lip and said softly:
"Your Highness, I asked Monsieur Candide to make me a set based on the 'uniform' you mentioned last month... Is there anything inappropriate about it, do you think?"
"Hmm, it's very beautiful, and it suits you well."
Joseph thought to himself, 'I only mentioned it offhandedly, and you actually had it made! Wait, Baron Candide is the Queen's chief fashion designer, isn't he? How much did it cost you to get him to make this?'
Chapter 535: Camelia's Professional "Skill"Chapter 536: Camelia's Professional "Skill"If Joseph had known that Camelia's maid outfit was worth 2,300 francs, he would have surely exclaimed, 'What a spendthrift little girl!'However, the maid had inherited 50,000 francs from her grandmother, and with the substantial compensation Joseph had helped her secure from Baron Walter, she was quite a 'mini-heiress' now and could certainly afford it.In fact, the tuition fees she paid to Versailles noblewomen for "advanced experience" were far more expensive than this dress.Camelia watched the Crown Prince, who was tasting her homemade pastries, as her mind quickly reviewed her plan for the evening.Since her last "operation" had failed, she had been "enduring hardship" and preparing more thoroughly. Today, she finally got her chance.Doctor Perna's mother's birthday was tomorrow, so she would be leaving Versailles for two days, eliminating her biggest "obstacle."And today, His Royal Highness happened to return to his private chambers to rest, making it the perfect opportunity to make her move!Joseph finished his supper, stretched with a tired yawn, and was about to wash up when he saw Camelia curtsey slightly beside him and say softly, "Your Highness, you've been busy all day; you must be very tired.""Oh? I am a bit tired."The maid offered a sweet smile."Your Highness, I recently learned massage from Madame Morsang. Oh, they call it 'noble's exercise,' and it's very effective for relieving fatigue and relaxing the mind. Perhaps I could try it for you and help you dispel your weariness?"She had paid a full 3,000 francs to learn this massage technique, which Madame Morsang claimed originated in Roman times, precisely so it could be put to use at this very moment!Joseph rubbed his aching shoulders and thought, 'I never expected this young woman to be so versatile. She's practically a "heaven-chosen maid saint."' He smiled and nodded, saying, "You are truly multitalented. I'd be grateful for your help."Camelia rejoiced internally; the first step of her new strategy had succeeded! Madame Celeste had assured her that once the massage began, the Crown Prince would be hers...Her cheeks instantly flushed, and she quickly reined in her imagination. She and another maid busied themselves pushing in a special bed.Joseph noticed the round hole at the head of the bed and immediately realized it was a massage table, which looked very professional. His expectations for Camelia's skills instantly grew.'It seems I'll have a professional masseuse from now on, and a stunning young beauty in a maid outfit at that!''Yes, I've been busy and toiling for France these past few years, and now I can finally enjoy the wonderful life a Crown Prince should have.'He took off his jacket and handed it to the nearby maid. At Camelia's signal, he lay face down on the massage table, his face perfectly fitted into the round hole, allowing his nose to breathe freely.Then, he closed his eyes, ready to enjoy a comfortable massage.Camelia, too, appeared very professional, taking out a packet of massage tools and winking at the other maids.The maids immediately dispersed; some stoked the fireplace, some lit incense, and others dimmed the lights and covered them with a pink glass shade before all exiting the room. They had all received hefty sums from Camelia, so they were extremely cooperative.A soft, pink glow filled the entire room. The fireplace warmed the air. A gentle fragrance wafted through, and Joseph felt a pair of soft, delicate hands settle on his back. Even before the massage began, he was so comfortable he was almost drifting off to sleep.At the end of a corridor in the South Wing of Versailles, Sorel avoided the patrolling guards and, hidden in a shadow, quickly shed her long dress, revealing a black, tight-fitting hunting suit underneath.She looked around, confirmed no one was present, and slipped into a room next to the Crown Prince's private chambers.Her footsteps light, she passed the sleeping noble family's bedroom, unconsciously pressing the stack of banknotes in her pocket.It was a full 5,000 francs! She had worked hard for over a year to earn 3,500 francs, and with the income from the small mulberry orchard her mother left her, she finally scraped together this sum.During the previous fencing competition, her childish arrogance had caused His Royal Highness to lose 5,000 livres—at least, that's what she had always believed—and as a responsible lady, she had to compensate His Highness.Initially, she expected to gather the money by early summer this year, but then she unexpectedly received several commissions from the Tax Bureau to "retrieve" criminal evidence from some unscrupulous tax farmers, earning her nearly 1,000 francs in commission.Robespierre, upon witnessing the tax farmers' numerous misdeeds, concluded that these individuals had to be completely eliminated for the French people to survive.Thus, for some tax farmers whose crimes weren't severe enough for execution, he hired "professionals" to obtain evidence through special means, ultimately adding nearly 60 people to the death penalty list.Sorel initially intended to return the 5,000 francs directly to the Crown Prince, but then she realized that, given His Highness's kindness and benevolence, he would likely refuse to accept the money.Ultimately, she decided to discreetly place the money in the Crown Prince's bedroom, giving him no opportunity to refuse.In the dead of night, a black figure, like a nimble cat, climbed onto a window and then moved very lightly along the wall, expertly avoiding the gaze of the patrolling guards in the courtyard.When Sorel reached the window of the Crown Prince's chambers and peered inside, she saw a faint pink glow vaguely emanating from the gaps in the curtains, which surprised her.'Could His Highness still be awake?'She bit her lip, pulled her hood lower, and had no intention of retreating.She was confident in her skills; even if he were awake, she could still deliver the money!However, she didn't notice that the window on the left side of the Crown Prince's room had been pushed open a crack, where Clauzel, captain of the Crown Prince's personal guard, was intently watching her back, caught in a dilemma.He had spotted Sorel the moment she slipped into the noble's room, but he also recognized who she was.In his memory, this young woman had appeared beside His Highness multiple times, and it seemed... they were quite close.So, for her to visit His Highness's residence alone late at night, she was likely there to... *cough*, well, everyone understood.If he were to rush forward and stop her now, he might ruin His Highness's good time. But if she were plotting something nefarious and he allowed it to happen, it would lead to a serious problem.He shook his head, signaling to his guards and servants to remain silent. He then placed his hand on his sword, quietly pushed open the Crown Prince's door a crack, and listened vigilantly to the sounds within.Meanwhile, Sorel skillfully unlatched the window and leaped into the room without startling anyone.Just then, a drowsy Joseph suddenly widened his eyes and let out a piercing scream:"Ah—"
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