A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 141 Osaka
Tang Shaoyi valued Li Yu very much, and specially arranged a private room for him on the ship. Li Yu took these parts, thought for a long time, and removed some spokes and gears from above.

Li Yu's hands-on ability is barely passable, but the current tools are too crude, which affects his performance a bit.

After a lot of effort, a small model was finally completed.

One day, Zhang Jian who was on the same boat found Li Yu. Zhang Jian pointed to a person beside him and said, "Jizhi is also on the same boat as us. I wonder if you have seen him before?"

Li Yu felt very familiar: "Are you Mr. Zhou from Beiyangli?"

The other party replied: "That's right. I was there when you refuted the American liars in the Armed Forces Academy, but there were so many people at that time, Mr. Xiao probably didn't notice it."

Now Li Yu was on the right track, and in front of him was Zhou Xuexi, the most famous businessman in the north in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.

He and Zhang Jian of Nantong are collectively called "South Zhang Bei Zhou".

Li Yu cupped his hands and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Zhou Xuexi said: "Actually, I have paid attention to sir. I wanted to get to know you when you were in Beiyang, but it happened that the Kaiping Mining Bureau happened, and I happened to be working in the Kaiping Mining Bureau at that time. After the deception was exposed, it was a mess. Governor Yuan then ordered me to try my best to get back the assets around the Kaiping Mining Bureau. During that time, in order to preserve the information, I was really busy."

Li Yu said, "Sir, you've worked hard! Has there been any progress?"

Zhou Xuexi said: "Kaiping Mining Bureau's industry is not only coal mines, but also Tangshan cement plant, coal wharf and ships, etc., which were all sold by Zhang Yi at the beginning. Fortunately, the information on the cement plant was preserved by German engineer Hans. Hiding away from the British search, through the sub-contract signed in the early years, it can be separated from the Kaiping Mining Bureau.”

Zhang Jian sighed: "It's really unexpected. I have faced all kinds of difficulties and dangers in running a spinning mill in Nantong, and I have to face all kinds of tricks from foreigners. How difficult it is! But we can't live without coal, otherwise how will steel be smelted? Without steel, we can talk about it." What industry."

Zhou Xuexi's eyes flashed, and he said: "Of course we can't let it go! I plan to open another Luanzhou Coal Mine near Kaiping Coal Mine, which is ten times larger than Kaiping Coal Mine, to surround Kaiping's mine veins, and then crush Kaiping through competition, and finally bring it back to life again. Take it back."

Li Yu praised: "Great idea! Although the British bought the coal mine, the land is ours. Forcibly enclosing it is a good way."

Zhang Jian also laughed and said: "There are really many ghost ideas."

Zhou Xuexi's method was indeed almost successful.A few years later, the Kaiping Coal Mine was exhausted, and Yuan Shikai and others in the imperial court also made it clear that they supported the Luanzhou Coal Mine.The British merchants had no intention of continuing to operate the Kaiping Coal Mine, and planned to sell it off.But the time happened to be at the end of 1911. The situation was chaotic and the Qing court was on the verge of collapse. Shareholders could not see what the situation would be. So in the end, the British businessmen turned against customers and merged the Luanzhou Coal Mine to form the Kailuan Coal Mine.

The cruel ending finally confirmed the sentence: If the country is not strong, business will not stand.

Although the British businessman wanted Zhou Xuexi to be the leader of the newly established Kailuan Coal Mine, Zhou Xuexi was disheartened and finally refused.

Until his death, he was unable to see the return of Kailuan Coal Mine, and left with regret.

However, these are all force majeure factors, and Zhou Xuexi's thinking at this time is indeed completely fine.

Even if it seems a little unfair, it was even more unfair for the British to take the Kaiping coal mine.

Only magic can defeat magic.

Zhou Xuexi noticed the small model on Li Yu's desk and asked, "What is this?"

Li Yu said: "Sir, you must have heard about the battle between Huangdi and Chiyou. It is said that there was a heavy fog in the sky, so Huangdi built a compass car to identify the direction and defeated Chiyou."

"Guide chariot?" Zhang Jian also wondered, "What you are talking about is something from ancient times, is it true?"

Li Yu said: "It's really hard to say how it happened back then, but since we wanted to make a handicraft and exhibit it in our own venue, I naturally thought of such a story in history."

Zhou Xuexi asked: "So, this car can always point to the south?"

Zhou Xuexi didn't think it was a big deal, he also knew the compass.

Li Yu said: "I don't know which direction it is, but as long as the arrow on the car determines a direction, no matter how the car drives and how many times it turns, the direction of the arrow on the car will not change."

Originally, Li Yu wanted to be a villain with fingers in front of him, but this required craftsmanship, which completely exceeded Li Yu's artistic level, so he simply made an arrow with spokes.

"So amazing?" Zhang Jian asked in surprise.

Li Yu pushed the cart and showed them that no matter how Li Yu turned the cart with two wheels, the direction of the arrow on the cart would not change.

Zhang Jian also thought of the compass, so he asked, "Could it be that a magnet is used?"

Li Yu picked up the cart: "There is no magnet, there are only some gears inside."

Zhou Xuexi and Zhang Jian said in disbelief: "It's like a magic trick, they can keep pointing in the same direction without using a magnet!"

Zhou Xuexi and Zhang Jian looked at the internal structure for a long time, "Unbelievable, why is this happening?"

In fact, it is the principle of the differential gear. Li Yu was an undergraduate mechanical major, so it was a very common thing for him.

Li Yu explained the principle to them for a while. Although the two still didn't understand it very well, they could generally hear that it was mechanical knowledge.

"It's interesting! This kind of difference, where can the differential be used?" Both of them are industrialists, and they directly asked a practical question.

Li Yu said: "It is very useful, especially it can be used on cars in the future."

"Car?" The two of them had only generally heard of this novelty.

Li Yu said: "It is a machine that can be driven by humans. Governor Yuan should have presented one to the Queen Mother last year."

Although Yuan Shikai had just dedicated a car to Cixi at the end of 1902, Zhou Xuexi had never seen the real thing.

Now the total number of cars in China should only be in single digits. They are absolutely super rare. The probability of seeing a car on the road is not as high as seeing a tiger.

Zhang Jian said: "I've heard people say that there are two in Shanghai, but one can only hold four or five people, and its carrying capacity is far inferior to that of a train. It doesn't seem to have much value for industrial development, and it's just a plaything for the powerful."

Li Yu said with a smile: "Although it looks like this now, the future potential of the car must not be underestimated. One day its status will not be lower than that of the train."

From the perspective of the 21st century, the upstream and downstream industrial chains of the automobile industry add up to an absolute pillar industry level.

Zhou Xuexi said: "Since foreigners also make it, it means that it is really not a casual thing. Is it possible to make a car with this model?"

"It's still a long way off," Li Yu said. "The differential is just an invention related to car steering. Although it is still very important."

Li Yu had carefully studied the drawings of the engine and transmission left by the American swindlers before. Although the technology was very old in Li Yu's view, since the drawing was done, it did save a lot of trouble.

Now there is no computer, no CAD and other design software, it is very difficult to draw drawings, and it requires professionalism.

Zhang Jian said: "Sir, you really deserve to be a master of western learning. Even if you let me look at the real thing a hundred times, I still can't figure out the principle, let alone build one with bare hands."

Zhou Xuexi also said: "Maybe we can really build a machine like the car you mentioned in the future, then it will really not be weaker than foreigners!"

Li Yu is also very optimistic about the automobile industry, "In the future, automobile-related technologies will be used in many places."

Zhou Xuexi asked again: "Do foreigners already have a lot of cars?"

Li Yu shook his head: "Cars are considered rare in Europe, but the number is naturally much higher than ours."

"Not many foreigners?" Zhou Xuexi said a little excitedly, "Then the gap between us is not too big."

After all, Zhang Jian is old, so he doesn't think it's so simple: "If foreigners don't promote it, it means it's quite difficult."

Zhou Xuexi's hope that had just been ignited was extinguished for a little bit, and he regretted: "It's so difficult, so it's not easy to handle."

But Zhang Jian still praised: "Mr. Xiao can make such a difficult thing, which is much more advanced than my spinning factory."

Li Yudao: "You can't say that, every industry is very important, it's just that we don't have anyone making cars now."

Zhou Xuexi sighed: "It's more than just this one. None of us has too many industries. This business expo will be used as a long-term experience, and we can make up as much as we can in the future."

The two began to play with the model of the differential car made by Li Yu again. Although it didn't look that complicated, even the gears were exposed.But the more you put the real thing in front of your eyes so that you can't understand it, the more amazing it is.

Simply superb show off.

Of course, it's just that Li Yu doesn't have the conditions to make it more refined...

After that, Li Yu made some reinforcements and improvements to the model, but the time on the ship was very short, and there was no time to complete all the details.

Fan Xiren, Feng Zuxun, He Yujie and others were also amazed when they saw Li Yu's design.Especially He Yujie and Feng Zuxun, they were more interested in the principle, and they discussed it with Li Yu.

The ship soon landed at the port of Osaka, which was once the port with the largest cargo throughput in Japan before the war.

Cai Jun, the Qing ambassador to Japan, and some officials from Osaka City, Japan came to welcome him.

Due to the large number of people, they stayed at the Gaoli Qiaoqing Hotel built by local Chinese businessmen. This hotel was recently specially used to welcome Chinese officials and gentry businessmen participating in the Expo.

On the second day, they went directly to visit the fifth Quanye Expo.

The Japanese high-level officials also attached great importance to this. Li Yu and the others saw a large group of people coming to clear the way from a distance. Judging by the formation and the iconic chrysanthemum badge, it turned out that Emperor Meiji of Japan came in person.

Also accompanying him are former Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi, current Prime Minister Katsura Katsura, and Foreign Minister Komura Kotaro.

The emperor of Japan generally does not speak in public, and it was Hirobumi Ito who delivered the speech.

Although Ito Hirobumi is no longer the prime minister, the ruling and opposition parties still respect him very much.The key point is that the current Prime Minister Katsura Katsura and another important figure in Japanese politics, Saizono Komachi, have no clear relationship.

Now that the emperor is present, Hirobumi Ito stands forward, and everyone is convinced. After all, the emperor really trusts and relies on Ito extremely. Otherwise, Hirobumi Ito would not have served as prime minister for the fourth time.

Ito Hirobumi said loudly: "26 years ago, Mr. Okubo initiated the Encouragement Expo, and the scale has continued to expand. Now it has been held for five times. I believe everyone can see that today, all actions in the world can no longer exclude our country. Every move of our country will also affect the four corners of the world."

Ito's tone is still very loud, and there are also old empires such as the United States and the United Kingdom participating in the exhibition.

Ito seemed to be talking to them. After a lot of speeches, he said: "Today's grand event, although it is called Quanye Expo, is actually a world's exposition!"

Good guy, he wants to compare it with several World Expos held in Europe.

After listening to Ito Hirobumi's speech, Zhang Jian beside Li Yu sighed: "The gap is really too big! If I start an industry in China, not only will it be difficult to get the actual support of the people in power, but even the scholars and bureaucrats will sneer at it and dismiss it."

Li Yu understood what he meant. The Qing court was still too backward in the final analysis. "Scholars, farmers, businessmen, and businessmen are actually the ones who put the cart before the horse. In this age, the status of industry and commerce is still so low."

Zhou Xuexi also said: "I heard that among the Japanese literati, officials and merchants can choose according to their own wishes. If you choose to be an official, you can be an official wholeheartedly; if you choose to be a businessman, you can also devote yourself to being a businessman." Businessmen. But we can’t figure it out. If you want to do business, you can only be a gentleman merchant; to put it bluntly, you are still just a vassal of the imperial court.”

"It's more than that," Zhang Jian said, "Look at you, it's just a business exposition. The emperor and prime ministers of Japan are all present to celebrate. The importance and support that Japan attaches to industry and commerce is simply not the same."

Li Yu saw it, and as a future person, he felt that the current gap really couldn't be described in words. It was really difficult for the ancestors.

Gentlemen and merchants, that is, the combination of "scholars" and "businessmen", Qu Qiubai once said to this era: "In China, only the so-called gentry and merchants are worthy of being called citizens."

Zhang Jian, Zhou Xuexi and other early gentry merchants faced difficulties that could not be compared with those of later generations in running enterprises.

Naturally, it was impossible for the Emperor and others to stay at the expo venue all the time, otherwise it would be too inconvenient, and they left soon.

The crowd then began to walk around the venue.

There are still many things on display. Of course, in Li Yu's view, the things in the most advanced industrial hall are also very old to him.

It's just that others feel that they are eye-opening.

Li Yu also found that Zai Zhen, Na Tong and the others didn't seem to want to stay here any longer.

After turning around, Natong said: "The things in Japan are really interesting, no wonder they are so powerful."

Zai Zhen also said: "It's really not simple."

Natong said: "Turn around, have you read it?"

Zai Zhen said, "It's over."

Natong said: "It's fine to finish watching. I don't know what else is interesting in Osaka Castle."

Cai Jun, the ambassador to Japan next to him, said: "There is a castle in Osaka built by the famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Warring States period in Japan, called the castle tower."

"Tianshou Pavilion?" Natong became a little interested, "Why don't we go and have a look?"

Zai Zhen glanced at Zhang Jian, Li Yu and others, and felt that it was enough for them to do business. As a nobleman, but a master, he still had to enjoy himself more, so he said, "Let's go! Go and see Japan's Warring States period. This is also learning!"

(End of this chapter)