Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

After Zhu Youjian's order was issued, three-wheeled carriages soon appeared in the markets of the capital.

And there was more than one shape that was originally proposed. According to his orders, the craftsmen of the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Household Department broke down and combined various ideas to create all kinds of strange-shaped vehicles, which were then given to the market to choose from.

Some of these vehicles have only hand steering, some have only pedal steering, and some have both and can be detached and movable.

The front wheels also come in different sizes. The larger ones have better passing capabilities, while the smaller ones are easier to steer.

Some front wheels are also equipped with a spring shock absorber, which naturally makes them more expensive.

By moving the car body to the middle or adding a counterweight to the front, the problem of the vehicle tilting upward is also solved.

Fang Yizhi, Mao Pijiang and others saw these vehicles in the home furnishing market. They were dazzled for a moment and didn't know which one to choose.

While they were hesitating, they suddenly saw the crowd in the market making a commotion. It turned out that a three-wheeled carriage was moving on its own without a horse pulling it.

The driver was seen pedaling hard on the wheel, holding the handlebars with both hands, riding around in a circle in the open space in front of the market.

This is a human-powered tricycle made by craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Household Department according to the children's tricycle drawn by the emperor. Although it is not very practical, it shows a possibility, that is, it does not need to be pulled by horses.

This makes it very popular among families who cannot afford to raise horses or find it troublesome to raise horses.

Many people asked the price after the driver got off the rickshaw, hoping to buy one for home use.

The driver was so tired that he was sweating profusely and was speechless surrounded by so many people that the sales staff at the vehicle workshop had to repeatedly explain that this kind of vehicle was not for sale.

The reason is that it is too laborious and not very practical. The only ones sold now are tricycles for children as toys.

The back of this tricycle is equipped with a detachable handle and pedals, so that adults can push it.

This makes some families with children choose to buy this kind of children's toys.

But some people still don't give up and want to try the human-powered tricycle.

Fang Yizhi was one of them. After the first person got off, he sat on the wheel and pedaled. Suddenly, a "creaking" sound came from the car.

This made Fang Yizhi frown, thinking that the noise was too loud.

After stepping on it, he felt that all the strength in his body was almost exhausted.

After riding for a short distance, Fang Yizhi got off the bike and said breathlessly:
"Human-powered tricycles really don't work. We still have to use horses."

"This car can only be used as a children's toy."

Children don't care about the noise or even the effort. They don't see the tricycle as a means of transportation, but as a toy.

But adults can't do that, they have to consider more. The first use of a vehicle is as a means of transportation.

Therefore, this type of tricycle with the front wheel pedaled was quickly abandoned after being tested in Taipu Temple.

What the craftsmen are now trying is the chain-driven human-powered tricycle drawn by the emperor.

This is also the most common appearance of human-powered tricycles in later generations.

However, whether it is chains or bearings, there are many difficulties for Ming Dynasty craftsmen.

Even that roulette wheel is not easy to make.

Therefore, the chain-driven tricycle had not been built yet. There was only a wooden model kept in the Vehicle Research Institute.

Fang Yizhi listened to his classmates discussing the shortcomings of the human-powered tricycle. When he heard someone say that it was a "weird trick", he immediately retorted:

"Amazing skill means extraordinary ability, and excessive skill means excessive skill."

"This human-powered tricycle looks plain and has no sense of luxury. How can it be called a whim?"

"Besides, it's not completely useless. At least it can be used as a children's toy."

Pointing at the children riding tricycles happily in the open space, Fang Yizhi refuted some people's views.

Then he said with expectation:
"Besides, a human-powered tricycle doesn't require a horse."

"How do you know it won't save more effort and become more popular in the future?"

It is believed that although this tricycle is laborious now, it may become an important tool in the future.

He even bought a children's tricycle and disassembled it to think about how to improve it.

After Bo Jue was knighted for improving the telescope and musket as a county student, many students also began to engage in this field and try their hand at inventions.

The enrollment situation of the Wensi Academy of Shaofu Temple and the Gongshang School of Neifujian has improved a lot this year, with more students willing to go.

Mao Pijiang had a good relationship with Fang Yizhi, so he spoke a few words for him. After thinking about his servants, he came up with a new invention:

"Since pedaling takes too much effort, why not just remove the front wheel?"

“One person can pull in front and tow the vehicle forward.”

This made Fang Yizhi's eyes light up, and he felt that this was a good idea.

When pedaling is more strenuous than walking, it is indeed a good idea to remove the front wheel and use people to pull it directly.

Together with Mao Pijiang, he made this suggestion to the sales staff at the vehicle workshop.

The craftsmen in the vehicle workshop had never thought about this, because the emperor asked them to research a carriage that was lighter, easier to use and had a larger carrying capacity.

Rickshaws were not within their research scope at all. It was only after the emperor proposed human-powered tricycles and human-powered bicycles that they began to study them a little.

They never thought of replacing horses with human power.

However, the proposals made by Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang are indeed feasible.

For many families, it is more economical to hire a servant to pull a cart than to raise a horse.

If you only need to travel and don't want to carry heavy objects, a human-powered two-wheeler is a very practical tool.

Therefore, Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang were quickly invited to the vehicle workshop, where the craftsmen produced a human-powered two-wheeled vehicle under their guidance.

This car uses leaf spring suspension and can only seat one person. A trolley case can be placed in the front to carry some luggage.

One person can pull it and run, although it is very strenuous.

But on the road, it can barely last a day.

“It would be great if rolling bearings were used. The vehicle would be more energy-efficient and the wooden wheels would make less noise.”

The craftsman from Taipu Temple commented.

Fang Yizhi asked curiously:
"What are rolling bearings?"

“How can I become more energy-saving?”

After discussion, the craftsmen of Taipu Temple asked them to sign a confidentiality agreement and displayed the tricycle and bicycle models made according to the emperor's instructions.

Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang both widened their eyes when they saw these two vehicles that were completely powered by human power. Fang Yizhi really didn't expect that what he had been looking forward to would be realized so soon.

Although there are still many problems to be solved, the two are sure that tricycles and bicycles will become popular and become the mainstream vehicles in the future.

This type of vehicle, which does not require horses, has a wide range of applications.

Thinking about the confidentiality agreement signed earlier, Fang Yizhi asked:

"Can I build this vehicle at home?" "Or must it be kept a secret?"

The craftsman of Taipu Temple said:
"This kind of secrecy is not that strict, it is just to prevent someone from misappropriating and stealing business secrets."

"You just need to sign a cooperative research and development agreement, and then you can do your own research."

"As for the rickshaw, you also need to sign an agreement and apply for a patent."

According to the court's regulations, for inventions and creations led by the court, 80% of the profits would be shared by the participating government offices, and the remaining 20% ​​would be shared by the organizing officials (10%) and the craftsmen who specifically produced the inventions and creations (10%).

Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang only proposed the idea but did not make any concrete implementation. All they shared was half of the 10% of the officials' profits.

The officials of the Imperial Household Department were not dissatisfied with this and happily asked them to sign the agreement.

After all, who wouldn’t like profits that come right to their doorstep?

Some officials even planned to publicize this matter to attract more people with ideas to come and make it.

Anyway, the cost of production belongs to the court and the labor belongs to the craftsmen. They only need to succeed in one piece and they can share a lot of money.

Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang, who had no idea of ​​the Taipusi officials' intentions, signed the agreement in surprise.

What surprised them even more was that the officials of Taifu Temple asked them to each choose a carriage as a reward for their invention.

After much deliberation, Fang Yizhi chose a fully enclosed four-wheeled carriage, which was very comfortable to ride in.

Mao Pijiang chose an open three-wheeled carriage, which was more flexible and convenient.

After seeing their choice, the craftsmen of Taipu Temple praised:
"Mr. Fang has chosen a good carriage. It is the most comfortable carriage, just like riding in a sedan. We call it a box car."

“If the steering was not so inflexible, it would have been sold on a large scale long ago.”

“If oxen were pulling it, it would be a comfortable ride.”

Fang Yizhi had the same idea and said:
"I'm going to give it to my aunt so she can go out and play along the highway."

"If I make money from this patent in the future, I will buy myself a carriage."

He looked at Mao Pijiang's three-wheeled carriage and said jokingly:
"Brother Mao, don't forget to bring me with you when you go into the city next time."

Mao Pijiang also smiled and said:
"My car is Brother Fang's car."

"Brother Fang, if you want to use the car, you can come to me anytime."

Under the guidance of the craftsman from the Taifu Temple, he bought a horse to pull the cart at the nearby horse market.

Thanks to the large-scale trade with the grasslands, the price of horses in the capital has dropped slightly in the past two years.

Mao Pijiang spent 15 silver dollars to buy a Mongolian horse that could be used for both pulling a cart and riding. He was also given a saddle and a suitable horseshoe by an official from the Imperial Household Department.

Taipusi's horseshoes have also been improved. According to the toe size of most horses, several universal models have been determined. Except for special horses, they can basically be adapted.

The holes for the horseshoes and the nails used were also standardized, and some nails were threaded to hold the horseshoes in place more securely.

This type of horseshoe is very popular now because the roads built with cement need horseshoes, otherwise the horseshoes will be severely worn and will not last long.

This kind of horseshoe was also a major commodity in the trade with the grassland.

Mao Pijiang was very excited after buying the horse. He rode it for two laps before hiring a coachman to drive the three-wheeled carriage back.

Fang Yizhi also bought a cow and hired a driver to drive the van back.

The couple's carriage caused a sensation in the university town. Many people did not expect that students would buy the new carriage so quickly.

The sensation was even greater when people found out that the two men's carriage was a reward from the Imperial Household Department.

Especially the rickshaw mentioned by Fang Yizhi and Mao Pijiang, which is so simple:
"Isn't it just using people to pull the cart?"

"There's even a reward!"

Some people thought sourly and were extremely disdainful of the two's so-called invention.

But more students from average or even poor families are concerned about the so-called rewards and dividends.

If they can come up with similar good ideas, or improve something that is not registered in their hometown and register a patent, it seems that they can gain a lot of benefits.

For a time, the university town was swept by a wave of learning patent law. Students from Wensi Academy and Industrial and Commercial Academy were also welcomed by them. Many students wanted to cooperate with them and invent together.

This made the students of the two schools proud when they went out. They no longer felt that they were at the bottom of the nine schools and were no longer looked down upon.

Mao Pijiang, who often drove around in a horse-drawn carriage, became the focus of attention among college students. Even when he went out for pleasure, he was more popular with famous prostitutes.

Fang Yizhi gained even more, as everyone praised him for his filial piety.

His aunt Fang Weiyi was even invited to the palace by the Queen to discuss how to educate her son. She was also arranged to go to the girls' school and became one of the deputy principals.

With the constant publicity in newspapers, the two even became representatives of college students, and people were discussing whether they would be specially granted the status of Yuanshi by the emperor like Gu Yanwu.

The rickshaw they invented also quickly became popular, and many families with servants bought this kind of vehicle for travel.

The Public Transportation Association organized by the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Household Supervision Department added rickshaws to the list of rail transit, public buses, and horse-drawn carriages. They provided vehicles and training to those who were willing to pull rickshaws and set industry standards.

For example, the yellow paint on the body and the yellow cloth on the roof were allowed to be used as the standard for operating rickshaws. All rickshaws with such paint and roofs were required to open to the public.

Because of this, rickshaws are also called rickshaws, and the people who pull them are called rickshaw pullers.

Various rickshaw businesses sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Almost overnight, the capital was filled with rickshaws.

Although they are not as comfortable as sedan chairs, they are much cheaper. And the routes are more flexible, unlike buses which have fixed routes and stops.

Many people in Beijing choose to travel by rickshaw, making it a popular industry.

The craftsmen in the vehicle workshop also began to make this kind of rickshaw with all their strength. The materials previously prepared for making horse-drawn carriages were moved here.

As a result, if you wanted to buy a new carriage, you had to order it in advance. In addition, rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages competed for the road, which caused many wealthy families to complain.

Under such circumstances, a voice emerged, saying that rickshaws "treat people as animals" and should not be done by scholars and officials.

Horse-drawn carriages should be used and rickshaws are prohibited.

As soon as this view was put forward, it caused great controversy.

Because treating people as animals was indeed somewhat inhumane, the literati of the Song Dynasty therefore rejected riding in sedan chairs and preferred to travel on horseback.

This is why Zhu Youjian did not mention rickshaws before.

The invention of a two-wheeled cart pulled by people would cause great damage to the emperor's reputation if the news got out.

It would be better to come up with a pedal-powered tricycle and let people think about two wheels themselves.

Now that this matter has indeed caused controversy, he is even more glad that it was not he who proposed it.

But the rickshaw industry also needs protection. At least in Zhu Youjian's view, it is much more advanced than riding in a sedan chair.

Someone soon mentioned this point in the newspaper, arguing that compared with a rickshaw pulled by one person, using two, four, or even eight people to carry a sedan chair was more like treating people as animals and was a huge waste of people's labor.

The target of the criticism soon changed from rickshaws to sedan chairs. Some people thought that sedan chairs should be replaced by equally comfortable vans. (End of this chapter)