Since a car like this is easy to sell, there is nothing to say but imitation! In this era, there is no patent protection policy. Besides, there is no way to protect the appearance design that can be understood at a glance.
Now there are not two bicycle factories in Liaodong, but three large bicycle factories, and there are also several small workshop-style bicycle factories that mainly focus on assembly. These bicycle factories copy, learn from and compete with each other, and bicycle factories are likely to bloom all over Liaodong. .
However, the elders in Liaodong official circles no longer regard the bicycle industry as a rare thing. Their focus is on higher-level industries.
Accompanied by his entourage, Fang Yizhi watched with interest the test run of a small steam engine that had just been manufactured and assembled.
Watching the small steam car emitting black smoke and hot steam slowly turning with its flywheel in the factory yard, Fang Yizhi's eyes lit up. He was really curious and happy about this thing.
Curiosity is due to his natural interest in machinery and physics, and joy is due to the mentality that a governor of Liaodong should have when seeing the upgrading of land management industries.
Steam engine manufacturing is a novel and cutting-edge industry in the entire Ming Dynasty. Currently, only three places, Beijing, Miyun and Tangshan, have the ability to produce and manufacture steam engines. The machinery manufacturing plant in Shenyang is the fourth.
Different from when it first came out, the role of steam engines has been realized by most people now and has attracted widespread attention. Steam pumps are increasingly used in rural areas. It is estimated that there are nearly a thousand units in Liaodong. The rivers are used to irrigate farmland. Around Shenyang, it is not uncommon to see steam engines emitting black smoke at work. The newly built steel plants here are equipped with thirty or forty steam engines, large and small, and they are now used as power sources. Completely replaces the function of hydraulic power facilities.
Hydropower facilities are already severely limited and have poor maneuverability. It is not difficult to replace them with steam power.
People have also made many new attempts at the application scenarios of steam equipment. For example, a large number of steam engines with water pumps are also used to drive flour mills when they are not working. The belt is changed to a geared grinding disc to grind the dough. Flour should not be too easy to use. Grind flour, crush rice, and press potato flour. Almost every place where a steam pump is installed has become the place with the highest concentration of industrial facilities in the countryside.
In summer, this is the lifeblood of pumping irrigation and ensuring agricultural production. In winter, it is also an agricultural production and processing center. In some places, small markets are even formed.
Don’t underestimate the role of flour grinding machines in agricultural production. When there was no steam mill, the most advanced flour grinding facilities were available, but their efficiency was too low. When grinding flour every year, many families would have several people go to the mill. You have to wait several days to get in line. In the winter in the north, many rivers will freeze, making grinding noodles very inconvenient. The small donkey-pulled grinding mill used at home is even less efficient, and it can take more than ten years to grind. Heaven's noodles cannot be eaten for long.
After the steam mill appeared, the efficiency increased immediately. Although people still queue up to grind flour, it takes much less time than water mills. It is not affected by the weather and operates much more stably. Some wealthy rural households buy them directly. Steam engines were specially used to run mills, and they could make a lot of money by grinding flour all year round.
"Director Zhao, are the steam engines manufactured by our Shenyang Machinery Factory the most advanced ones in the Ming Dynasty?" After looking around for a long time, Fang Yizhicai asked the accompanying Machinery Factory Director Zhao Yifeng about his concerns.
"This! How can I put it! When we built it, we must have built it according to the most advanced technical standards. However, the imperial court attached great importance to the research and development and improvement of steam engines, and the capital was constantly making improvements. Now, we have built
The steam engine certainly cannot be compared with the most advanced ones in the capital.
I heard that the steam engine that Mr. Song personally supervised and participated in is much more powerful than the type of steam engine we are currently manufacturing. Moreover, steam cars that can drive wheels and run on railways are already being built and can already run on railway tracks.
It’s just that it’s still a little bit practical, but my colleagues in the capital say it’s getting closer and closer to practicality.”
"A steam car running on the railway? Can Shenyang Machinery Factory make such a thing?" Fang Yizhi became more interested in steam engines after hearing Zhao Yifeng's reply.
"We don't have the technical reserves. The capital is bringing together all the people in the world to do this. Here in Shenyang, we can only make mature equipment. We really don't have the conditions to develop new steam engines."
Fang Yizhi couldn't help but feel disappointed after hearing that he couldn't make a steam engine. However, he was still a little unwilling. Before leaving, he asked Zhao Yifeng for a complete set of drawings of the current steam engine. After returning, he planned to write a letter to the capital to ask Song Yingxing for advice.
Ask for drawings of the steam locomotive project he is currently overseeing.
Fang Yizhi feels magical and excited just thinking about a vehicle that can be driven by a steam engine. This thing will definitely become a weapon that changes the times. What will it be like if steam locomotives replace mules and horses in the future? Such a Ming Dynasty,
What will it look like? It's so exciting. Fang Yizhi doesn't want to miss such a great cause, he wants to participate in it.
"Governor, the messenger came to the capital today and has been in the Governor's Mansion for a while." As soon as he arrived at the government office, the secretary who stayed in the office hurriedly came to report the major events that happened today.
"The person who delivers the order? Is there anything special about him?" Fang Yizhi gave his secretary a strange look. Zhu Dadian still stays in Liaodong, and Beijing frequently delivers orders to him. What's the use of a team of people delivering orders?
Weird?
"Forty or fifty people came this time, including more than thirty white-poled guards!"
"There are white-pole guards? Hurry and get people ready, and I should clean up my behavior." When Fang Yizhi heard that there were white-pole guards, he knew that the matter was not simple. According to the current regulations of the imperial court, only cabinet ministers would be qualified.
A platoon of white-poled guards. The news about Zhu Dadian entering the political affairs hall and joining the cabinet has been rumored for more than a year. It seems that this will be decided. I don't know whether Zhu Dadian will become the prime minister or the deputy prime minister.
There are many rumors in the political arena, but there is no certainty that Zhu Dadian will serve as prime minister and deputy prime minister, because the situation will change before the emperor finally nods and announces the decree.
"Is the governor here? Prime Minister, I would like to invite the governor to come to the mansion to have a talk." Just as Fang Yizhi was packing up his appearance, Zhu Dadian's secretary ran to the governor's office and shouted loudly as soon as he entered.
"Secretary Jin, is the prime minister recruiting me?" Fang Yizhi heard this and hurried out of the lobby to ask questions in the courtyard.
"It's the Prime Minister, I'm recruiting you." When Jin Zhiwei, Zhu Dadian's chief secretary, spoke, his tone changed with excitement. His boss became the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty, and he could still speak calmly, so he was already quite determined.