Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 735
The leading craftsman is Tian Hua, who is about 50 years old. He was the one who led a group of craftsmen to make the steamboat, and now he is taking over the development of the train.

Tian Hua smiled and said: "His Royal Highness, we also participated in the manufacture of this cultivator, and we also made the linkage shaft in the middle. The principle of the train is actually the same as it, but it is a little more complicated. It is estimated that in another year, the train will come out.”

"Where is the difficulty of the current train?" Fanning asked again.

"There are three main places, one is the material, the second is the steam engine, and the second is the rail."

"Can you be more specific?"

Tian Hua waved his hand, "Why don't you go down and see the real thing, Your Highness!"

Fanning happily followed him to the backyard, and walked into a compound surrounded by high walls. Fanning saw an old-fashioned locomotive standing in the yard, which surprised and delighted him.

Tian Hua introduced to Fan Ning: "This is manufactured according to the drawings drawn by His Highness, but unfortunately it is still just a shell, and many parts still need to be improved."

Fan Ning gently caressed this black and red steam locomotive. This is the pinnacle product of the steam age. Is it finally coming out?
"To be more specific, what's the problem?"

"The first is the material of the shaft. Ordinary pig iron is not strong enough, and fine steel is hard enough, but it is easy to break. Now we are considering using ordinary iron to re-smelt and forge refined iron. It should be fine."

Refined steel is actually high-carbon steel. The iron ore in Beidao is high-grade, and the pig iron produced by smelting has less impurities and higher density. However, although high-carbon steel is very hard, it is easy to break at the same time, so the amount of carbon powder is slightly controlled. One step, you can get hard but not brittle refined iron.

Fan Ning nodded and asked again: "The material has been settled, and then?"

"Then there is the steam engine. The plowing car is equipped with a single-cylinder steam engine. Although it is very small, it is too weak. We want to install a three-cylinder medium-sized steam engine on the train. It is the kind that drives a five-thousand-stone boat, which is slightly smaller than a ten-thousand-stone boat. It’s still a little bigger now, and we’re still trying to shrink it, using rubber as a seal to prevent steam from escaping, and it’s almost successful now, and it can be built in a few months.”

"Actually, there was still a fastening problem before. We used to use molten iron for solidification. The shipyard invented screws and buckles. This is a good thing. We will continue to improve it, find ways to increase production, and use it to make fasteners. , It also solves the fastening problem that has been bothering us."

"I just heard you said that there are still railroad tracks?"

"Yes! The biggest problem is the rails. We can now cast a one-foot-long rail, and then use two pieces of iron to clamp the screws and buckles to connect and fix the two rails. The problem now is that we don't have that much If there are too many screws and buckles, we have to find a way to increase the output. If it doesn’t work, we can also use the old method and pour it with copper water. Another problem is how to solve the vibration problem? And how to solve the problem of fixing the rails without shifting?”

Fan Ning squatted down, grabbed a handful of sand and spread it evenly on the ground, "First tamp the ground, and then spread gravel on it, just like this handful of sand."

Fan Ning found another twig, broke it into several sections, and placed it on the sand, "If a person sleeps without a pillow, he will feel hard and uncomfortable under his head, and the same is true for the rails, so we will make pillows for the rails and use Slightly softer wood is laid under the rails, and one every three feet is laid horizontally, called sleepers. The sleepers are placed in the gravel to ensure that the ground is flat, so that the train is not easy to vibrate when running on the rails, and the rails are OK. It is fixed on the sleepers with big iron nails to ensure that the rails will not shift, which is very effective.”

All the craftsmen understood at one point, and nodded one after another, "This is a good way, you can try it."

Tian Hua was overjoyed, and quickly said: "If the problem can be solved in this way, maybe our test train will come out in half a year."

Fanning nodded, "I'll wait and see!"

At this moment, an official from Prince Chu's Mansion rushed in and saluted Fan Ning, "The imperial court has sent an urgent pigeon letter, which seems to be an edict from the emperor."

Fan Ning nodded, "I see, I'll be back right away!"

He took out a blueprint from his pocket, handed it to Tian Hua and said with a smile: "Last time you complained that the axles of steam locomotives wear out too quickly. I thought about it. It is better to use ball axles and make a steel cage for these ball bushes." Come on, this is just my idea, as for how to make it, you can figure it out yourself."

Tian Hua took the drawing and looked at it, then bowed and said, "Let's find a way to make it as soon as possible."

Fan Ning immediately left the Jinguyuan with his son, and returned to Chu Palace in a carriage.

Fan Ning asked his son to go back to the palace first, and he walked into the official office of the Chu Palace. The official office of the Chu Palace took shape, divided into six divisions and a bureau, with a total of thirty officials. The function is to manage the five counties below.

According to Fan Ning's ideas, he planned to transform the Presbyterian Church into a legislative body similar to a parliament, and renamed it the People's Assembly Hall, and the people voted to elect representatives.

Then split the current Chamber of Commerce into three, one is called the Gold and Silver Assets Reserve Bureau, which is similar to the central bank, the other is called the Overseas Economic Strategy Department, which is in charge of overseas trade and overseas industrial operations, and the other is called the Investment Promotion Bureau, which specializes in North Island. Various investment management.

Then set up a department of punishment and prison, as the court of final appeal, and a department of appeasement, that is, the military office.

When these institutions are slowly established, the embryonic form of a country emerges.

There is no rush for these things, and Fanning plans to build them up one after another within three years.

Fan Ning walked into his official room, consulted with Zhang Yun and handed him a pigeon letter.

Fan Ning sat at the table and slowly opened the scroll, and took a magnifying glass to look at the small characters on the scroll. Of course, these small characters were not Zhao Xu's handwriting, but the key was a handwritten seal on the back.

The pigeon letter stated that the situation in the Liao Kingdom campaign has taken a turn for the worse, Datong Mansion is difficult to keep, and Yanshan Mansion is facing a huge threat. It is hoped that Grand Master Fan will return to Beijing immediately to participate in the discussion of military plans, and the specific purpose is waiting in Luzon Mansion.

The pigeon letter did not mention when the army was defeated, but if it wasn't for the army's defeat, how could the situation have taken a turn for the worse?

In fact, even if Zhao Xu doesn't send pigeon letters to urge him back, Fan Ning plans to go back to Beijing in February next year to urge Zhao Xu to fulfill his promise to immigrate [-] households in the North Island, and to change the name of the North Island to the State of Chu. He also wanted to bring it up to Zhao Xu.

Fan Ning pondered for a while, and said to Zhang Yun: "Send a pigeon letter to the imperial court, saying that I will leave immediately and return to Song Dynasty."

"Does Your Highness want to go back?" Ouyang Hua walked into the room and asked.

Fan Ning nodded, "The original plan is to go back, but it's just a little earlier."

After a pause, he continued: "I'm not in Beidao, and all government affairs are running normally. If there are major decisions, they will be voted by the elders and reported to the princess for approval."

Reporting to the concubine for approval is actually reporting to Fan Ning's eldest son for approval, but because Fan Jing is not yet of age, his mother will temporarily exercise the right of approval on his behalf. This is the political tradition of the Central Plains Dynasty, and Fan Ning is no exception, and everyone conflict.

Ouyang Hua nodded, "I understand."

Fan Ning explained a few more words before returning to the back house.

He came to his study room, and not long after, Zhu Pei walked in and asked with a smile: "My husband, what do you want me to do?"

Fanning nodded and smiled, "Let's sit down and talk."

Zhu Pei sat down at the side, and Fan Ning smiled apologetically, "It's half a month before the New Year, and I originally wanted to celebrate the New Year with everyone, but when I received an order from the emperor, the situation in the Liao Campaign changed drastically, and he announced that I would enter immediately. Beijing!"

Zhu Pei was a little unhappy and said: "At the beginning he was the one who drove the husband away, but now he begs the husband to come to Beijing, how could he?"

"It's understandable emotionally, but I can't say that. After all, I am still the king of Chu, the grand master, a scholar, and the first minister of the Song Dynasty. Besides, we still need him to fulfill his immigration promise, so we have to keep a low profile. "

Zhu Pei sighed, "Anyway, my husband has to go back in early February, so let's make it more than a month early! As for the New Year, all the relatives and elders in the family are here, and my grandmother is also here. We should all be very happy, so don't worry, my husband! "

Fan Ning said again: "There is another important matter I want to tell you. When I am away, if there is a major event, the elders will vote and then the son will approve it. But Jing'er is still young, so you will exercise this approval right for him. .”

Zhu Pei was stunned for a while, "Your husband, you mean, let me approve?"

Fan Ning nodded and said: "Actually, the Fan family and the Zhu family each have a veto in the elders' meeting, and it is up to you to decide whether to use these two veto votes, which ensures that the real decision-making power is in your hands. If you think it’s inappropriate, you can ask the Zhu family and the Fan family to vote against it, that’s one way, or you simply don’t approve it, hold it still, and wait for me to come back to make a decision, that’s another way.”

Zhu Pei thought for a while and said, "Don't use the veto lightly! I don't think it's appropriate, so I won't approve it, and I'll wait until you come back to make a decision."

Fan Ning comforted his wife and said: "This will only happen when there are major decisions, such as wars, expenditures exceeding [-] taels of silver in a single item, appointment of officials above the county magistrate, etc. Generally, there will not be too many major situations. The daily affairs are handled by Chang Shi, so you don't have to worry about it."

Jupe nodded, "I remember!"

Two days later, Fan Ning boarded the King of Chu Ship, a giant ship of [-] shi, and he led a fleet of [-] ships of [-] shi to leave Beidao and return to Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)