Ming Zuo

Chapter 383 Orders
In the fifteenth century, pocket watches were made by Peter Henlein, a craftsman in Nuremberg, Germany.

Today in Europe, pocket watches have become common supplies and decorations for the upper class.

When Deng Yuhan and Luo Yagu were in Europe, they often touched pocket watches.Therefore, during the development of Liu Xinyue and others, a lot of help was provided.

This is also the first pocket watch in Chinese history that the watch workshop only took such a short time.

Moreover, compared with European pocket watches, the works of watch workshops have many innovations and transcendences.

Just like the glass cover, which cannot be made in Europe at present.

Why do pocket watches have a cover?
The original reason was to keep the watch hands from being touched when the pocket watch was placed in the pocket, so as to avoid timing errors.

The pocket watch here uses a glass cover, even if the cover is not used, there is no need to worry about similar problems.

Looking at the components inside the pocket watch, Zuo Menggeng found that many of the parts used alloy technology.

Liu Xinyue explained that this was done to ensure the strength of the parts.

Moreover, their practices have been sorted out and promoted in other factories.

Although the principle of alloying is still not fully grasped by craftsmen, they basically know that the properties of metals can be improved through alloying.

Although the pocket watch cannot be made completely small at present, it is completely practical enough.

In view of this, Zuo Menggeng asked: "What is your current production?"

Liu Xinyue answered truthfully.

"At present, we have [-] craftsmen, and we have recruited [-] new ones. If we work together, we can make a pocket watch in five days."

This efficiency...

Zuo Menggeng was very dissatisfied and made a request.

"Next, you have to find a way to use more mechanical manufacturing in the manufacture of devices. In this way, your production speed can be greatly improved."

Even if he didn't say it, Liu Xinyue and others had similar thoughts.

The reason why pocket watches are all made by hand is because the various processes are immature and everyone is groping.

Some of these parts were too delicate to be manufactured with sophisticated enough machines.

However, the craftsmen here are all school-educated, and they believe in the power of machinery very much, and they are already gradually improving.

Zuo Menggeng watched their working process and found that the problem still lies in calculation and craftsmanship.

In particular, many problems in craftsmanship cannot be improved if calculations cannot solve them.

It was also at this time that Zuo Menggeng deeply felt for the first time why it is said that mathematics is the mother of encyclopedias.

After thinking about it, he decided to give it a push, so he drew the slide rule and handed it over to Liu Xinyue and others to make it.

The slide rule is a very convenient calculation tool, especially for multi-angle calculations.Before the advent of computers, it was the fastest computing tool.

In particular, the shape of the slide rule is very similar to the dial, which is very helpful for watchmaking.

The slide rule made Liu Xinyue and others feel like a treasure, and solved many mechanical manufacturing problems on the spot.

"As for pocket watches, I will order [-] pieces on behalf of the military. The deposit will be delivered later, and I hope you will deliver them as soon as possible. If the quality is guaranteed, the military will place more orders."

For new technology and new products, Zuo Menggeng strongly supports.And orders are the best means of promotion.

Hearing that the military wanted to order pocket watches, Liu Xinyue and the others were all dumbfounded.

"You don't need to pay for the seat, do you?"

The watch workshop originally belonged to the administrative committee, and the military needed pocket watches, so they just made them.

They couldn't understand why the military had to pay?

Zuo Menggeng burst into laughter.

"Even if it's a family, you still have to pay. Otherwise, you have no income, so how can you expand production? I'm afraid you don't know how big the market for the pocket watches you produce will be."

Compared with the desk clock, the practicality of the pocket watch is obviously improved.

After all, a thing that can be carried anytime, anywhere and check the time can solve people's urgent needs.

Among other things, with a pocket watch, when the new army is fighting, multiple aspects can agree on a precise time linkage.

This is very critical for combat coordination and avoids out-of-step situations.

With a pocket watch, if it is distributed to the regiment level, the problem of coordination can be solved very well.

Orders have become a good way to stimulate watch workshops.

Liu Xinyue and the others never expected that the pocket watch could be exchanged for huge profits just after it was made.

"Hey, those who want to enter the workshop now probably have to step through the threshold."

The little girl's sorrow is always so inexplicable.

Isn't it a good thing that watch workshops are popular?

Zuo Menggeng planned ahead and thought of the future.

"Your workshop will soon have two production lines for pocket watches and clocks, and the difficulty of management will also rise sharply. Later, I will ask Chen Zhi to send you some management personnel, and your workshop will also be upgraded to a company."

Liu Xinyue clapped her hands and laughed.

"Great, I'm worried that the workshop is getting bigger and bigger, and I don't know what to do."

She is a technical talent, not a managerial talent.

It's a small workshop with dozens of people, everyone discusses it, and the usual work is not nervous, but it doesn't matter.

But now that there are orders and the process has entered the production track, it is inevitable to transition to enterprise.

Liu Xinyue thought of something, and begged: "Sit down, our pocket watch will definitely be sold in the market after completing the military's order in the future. Give our pocket watch a name."

She heard that many products were named by Zuo Menggeng, which sounds nice and easy to remember.

Zuo Menggeng was able to satisfy this request.

Looking at the pocket watch in his hand, he didn't know what he remembered, and said decisively: "Let's call it Seagull."

Not only that, but he had to pass the paper and draw an irregular box on it.There are also two lines inside the box, forming a pattern that resembles a "V".

It is not difficult to guess from his name, this should be the appearance of a seagull fluttering its wings.

Liu Xinyue didn't quite understand, and asked, "Why is it called Seagull?"

Zuo Menggeng thought for a while, and said: "The seagull is a bird with a very graceful flying posture. I hope that the watches you make can be as beautiful as the seagulls flying. Even if your watches are sold all over the world in the future, they will not be as beautiful as the seagulls." Worse than any similar product.”

Chinese watches are not bad at all.

Continuously looking at the piano and clocks made Zuo Menggeng pay a certain amount of attention to the luxury goods under his command.

..........................................

Denglai governor's yamen.

Sun Yuanhua has been locked here and is not allowed to go out.What you see every day is just a small square above your head.

This made him very anxious, not knowing what was going on outside.

All the guarding soldiers kept silent, so that he could not get any news.

In just over two months, Sun Yuanhua seemed to have aged decades.

I'm afraid that Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming and others will be obsessed with obsession, and they will not be able to turn back.

He didn't know that he was actually the most dangerous one.

Kong Youde appeared in front of him again, giving him a glimmer of hope.

"Ruitu, don't you know how to turn back when you're lost? Now that the Ming Dynasty is in turmoil, you can't stand the trouble anymore. Have you ever thought about how history books will judge you after a hundred years?"

Kong Youde fell to his knees, weeping bitterly.

"My lord, it's really not that I'm a traitor. What I'm looking for is just a place to live. But the imperial court forced me to die and mobilized a large army to survive. I'm waiting for the heart of the fist, and the imperial court will not be lenient. What can I do?"

Up to now, Sun Yuanhua has somewhat understood Kong Youde and others.

"The old man is now in prison. He has committed a heinous crime and is ashamed of the emperor's grace. Even if he dies a hundred times, he will not regret it. Where do you go, and ask for blessings."

Seeing him disheartened, Kong Youde couldn't help feeling sorry.

Originally, I thought about using it again, but it might not be able to solve the current predicament.

Although the imperial court appointed a new governor of Denglai, Sun Yuanhua was not useless.

Kong Youde rolled his eyes and finally had an idea.

"My lord, we have repented a long time ago, but there is a villain in the middle, who wants to use our head to add officials to the rank, so that the disaster will continue. The villain has the heart to ask the adult to turn around, so that the court understands our intentions, eliminates the disaster, and redeems us. I wait for sin."

Sun Yuanhua snorted and said: "The old man is now in the body of a sinner, and his death is not far away. I'm afraid I will disappoint you."

Kong Youde hurriedly said: "My lord's prestige is shared with the world. You only need to return to the court, meet the sage, and make a detailed statement, then your grievances and our sufferings will be made clear to the world."

Hearing that Kong Youde wanted to let him go, Sun Yuanhua couldn't help but be moved.

Maybe the emperor and the court were really deceived by villains?

If that's the case, even if it's for the sake of the common people in the world, it may be necessary to run around.

"Ruitu, don't blame me for not warning you. This is your last chance. You must know that my emperor has a world in mind, and it is difficult for capricious people."

Seeing that he was loose, Kong Youde was overjoyed and hurriedly promised.

"The little one ordered to retreat immediately, and wait for the good news from the adults."

Only then did Sun Yuanhua smile, feeling that things had turned for the better.

"I need to take a shower and change clothes."

Kong Youde responded to every request, and immediately made careful preparations for him.

On March [-], Kong Youde released Sun Yuanhua, Wang Zheng, Zhang Tao and other Dengzhou civil and military officials, and sent them all the way to the city of Laizhou.

Seeing the negotiations under the city, Sun Yuanhua and others entered the city smoothly, Geng Zhongming was quite puzzled.

"Does this plan work?"

Kong Youde's eyes showed a fierce look, and he sneered.

"You have to try. If it succeeds, then our brothers can have a great career. Even if it fails, it's not our heads that will be lost."

Geng Zhongming couldn't help but sigh.

"Speaking of which, Sun Zhongcheng is really kind to our brothers..."

Kong Youde glared at him immediately.

"Confused. What time is it, and you still care about some small favors?"

Geng Zhongming quickly woke up, went down and told all the people to get ready to go.

Kong Youde looked at Laizhou City in the distance, and couldn't help licking his lips, like a vicious tiger preparing to eat its prey.

(End of this chapter)