Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 565 Empress Cao's Bet

At this time, several old craftsmen sighed: "The biggest problem with water power is that it is limited by the terrain. It is very inconvenient to find a place with water flow. Now all the workshops are struggling to find other power. Someone mentioned The use of wind power is like the sails of a ship. Someone mentioned the use of animal power and a donkey to pull the turntable. Some people thought of a marquee. Why does the marquee turn? Can the waterwheel turn itself by using the marquee? A reward of [-] guan is also offered to reward craftsmen who use the marquee method to solve the turning force."

Fan Ning sighed in his heart, the wisdom of the people is indeed infinite. When they think of wind power, they even think of marquees. Marquees are actually propelled by hot air, and they are only half a step away from water vapor. I believe you don’t need to say it yourself. In the future, craftsmen will discover the power of water vapor.

The key is that with the big workshop, capital has the motivation to invent new technologies, and with the mechanism and platform for invention and creation, under the impetus of capital and smart craftsmen, any kind of invention can be made, and the guns are the same, so Historically, the Song Dynasty was the closest dynasty to capitalism. Without the interruption of foreign invasions, the future of the Song Dynasty must be an unimaginable world.

Fan Ning couldn't hold back the excitement in his heart anymore, and said to Zhu Yuanfeng: "On the way back from overseas, while chatting with the sailors, one of the sailors came up with a wonderful idea."

Everyone cheered up and looked at Fan Ning together. Zhu Yuanfeng quickly said, "Quickly tell me, is there any good way?"

Fan Ning asked the chief steward to gather all the craftsmen, and everyone heard that Mr. Fan had a good idea, so they looked at him together.

Fan Ning calmly said, "The wonderful method I'm talking about is to use water vapor!"

"How to use water vapor?" Everyone asked in unison.

"The principle is very simple. When we boil water, the water vapor keeps pushing the lid of the teapot upwards. Do you have any impression?"

A craftsman reacted very quickly, and quickly said: "Xiao Xianggong means to make a big teapot lid, and the water vapor will push the teapot lid, just like water power continuously pushes a waterwheel."

Fan Ning smiled and nodded, "That's what it means. It's just that the teapot lid doesn't need to be too big, as long as there is enough water vapor. Make a big iron container like a teapot, fill it with water, and burn it with coal continuously. It starts to boil, and then there is a copper piston on the mouth of the iron container, and the other end of the copper piston is a copper or iron connecting rod, and the water vapor continuously pushes the big piston back and forth, so there is power."

All the craftsmen cheered loudly with excitement. They are all skilled craftsmen, what is missing is a key point. Fan Ning told everyone about the power of steam, and everyone suddenly realized.

Fan Ning immediately announced: "Zhu Yuanwai and I each took out [-] yuan as a reward fund, and now there are three rewards, the first is the steam furnace, the second is the connecting rod including the piston, and the third is the The linkage rod drives the shaft of the spinning machine. As long as you make any one, you will be rewarded with three hundred guan. The best craftsman will be rewarded with one thousand guan. If you are smart enough, you can get the highest A reward of three thousand coins.

I suggest that you form a team and study together with several people. The time is one month, but I remind you that the wall of the steam furnace should be made of iron, and the combustion chamber should be made of iron-shelled refractory bricks, and it must be thick enough. , otherwise it will explode. "

"But we don't have so many raw materials, we need iron or copper."

Zhu Yuanfeng said slowly: "All the raw materials will be provided by me, and the rewards will be doubled, but there is one thing that no one can leak out. I don't mean to use it for myself in the future, but I mean, we must invent it successfully. , we can’t let the Chai family take the lead.”

Zhu Yuanfeng understood in his heart that if he succeeds in inventing the steam engine, then he will be crowned Duke just around the corner. He has to catch Fan Ning today. He has a strong intuition that Fan Ning must have figured out this steam engine a long time ago. Drawings are drawn.

Unable to resist Zhu Yuanfeng's repeated pleas, Fan Ning had to simply draw a schematic diagram of the steam engine, a linkage rod diagram and a wheel axle diagram. , When the piston moves back and forth, it pulls the wheel to rotate, and the shaft also rotates. All materials are made of copper, which is also the principle of train drive.

Fan Ning also put forward the condition that once the steam engine is built, it will be handed over to Zhu Xiaolin immediately, and let him conduct experiments on the ship, replacing manpower with steam power.

At the same time that Fan Ning turned on the steam engine in Chenliu, the Empress Dowager Cao also received her younger brother Cao Yi in the palace. But his heart is still unsteady, and he has never been willing to set foot in the officialdom. If he is willing to enter the officialdom, he will not be as lonely as he is today.

Although the Cao family is very powerful in the military, there is no one in the civil service. The only Cao Shi is a son-in-law. It is difficult for a son-in-law to be a high-ranking official. Cao Yi is obviously the most ideal candidate, but he still refuses to be an official. Empress Dowager Cao was very disappointed.

"I heard that you are running a newspaper during this time?" Empress Dowager Cao asked lightly.

Cao Yu nodded, "I'm just helping out temporarily, and Luo Ting will take over after a while."

Luo Ting is the son-in-law of the Cao family. He has a high literary talent. He retired due to illness. Soon he will take over the two newspapers.

Empress Dowager Cao was a little unhappy and asked, "Then what are you doing?"

"I want to go out for a walk and follow Fanning to the New World. I have been fascinated by it for a long time."

"you--"

Empress Dowager Cao was annoyed, and there was nothing she could do about him. She was already middle-aged, and she couldn't do anything right.

"You came to see me just to talk about this?"

"That's not true. Uncle Liu hopes that the Cao family can participate in the purchase of the island. He had this idea three years ago. I hope the court can set the rules as soon as possible."

"Why did the Cao family buy the island?" Empress Dowager Cao asked coldly.

"This is a unanimous decision of the family. Not only the Cao family, but also the Gao family, Pan family, Shi family, Li family, and Guo family all have the idea of ​​buying an island. Everyone hopes to have a family foothold overseas."

Empress Dowager Cao was silent for a moment and said, "I know about this, what else do you need?"

"I have nothing else."

Empress Dowager Cao glanced at him, "I sent your Sixth Uncle a letter last time, didn't he respond?"

Cao Bi shook his head, "He didn't tell me!"

"Forget it! Then you tell him, I hope Fan Cao will get married, this matter is very important, please make it happen!"

Cao Yu was stunned, and asked for a while, "Who is this Fan referring to?"

Empress Dowager Cao snorted, "Who else is there besides Fan Ning?"

"But he has been married and had a wife for many years, and the Cao family has no chance."

"Since he has a second wife, why can't he have a third?"

Three wives refer to the first wife, partial wife, and second wife. The partial wife and the second wife are just nice to say, but they don't go to the main house anyway. Cao Yu was tongue-tied, "This, doesn't it seem inappropriate?"

"Ouyang Xiu's daughter can be his second concubine. Why can't the Cao family? Your sixth uncle didn't tell you that he wanted me to open the mouth. As long as you agree, I can also seal the order, but this matter concerns The future fate of the Cao family, if the Cao family doesn't do it, then don't blame me in the future."

Empress Dowager Cao knew that she couldn't control Fan Ning just by threatening. Although she left an important piece of evidence, she didn't want to use this evidence to tear Fan Ning's skin. This evidence is a double-edged sword, which hurt Fan Ning. But at the same time, the truth about Gao Taotao's death will be revealed.

Empress Dowager Cao was worried that once the officials knew the real cause of his mother's death, the Cao family would not have a good life after her own death.

After much deliberation, sitting on the same boat with Fan Ning is the best way to help each other in the same boat. Marriage is the best bond to help each other. As long as the marriage is achieved, she can wipe out the last evidence, and she doesn't worry that Fan Ning will be in the same boat in the future. speak out.

Cao Yu's face was blushing. Obviously, the only girl in the Cao family who was of marriageable age and not married was her third daughter, Cao Xiu. Let her daughter marry Fan Ning as his next wife?Although he had always hoped that Fan Ning would be his son-in-law, but this time he was not his wife!Will wrong my daughter.

Empress Dowager Cao said unhurriedly: "Let Xiu'er marry him, and I will order her the wife of the county, just like the daughter of the Zhu family. What are you not satisfied with?"

Cao Yu was forced to have no choice but to grit his teeth and say, "I can agree, but I need to know the reason?"

Empress Dowager Cao sighed, and said softly: "Three burrows for the cunning rabbit, doesn't the Cao family just want to build a cave overseas? With Fan Ning as a son-in-law, the Cao family is still worried that they won't find a good place?"

Cao Yi felt that this was not the real reason, but his sister had a tough attitude, so he had to agree. He needed to discuss this matter with the Fan family and the Zhu family.

"What if Fanning doesn't agree?"

"I will talk to him personally, and I believe he will agree!"

(End of this chapter)