It will take time to raise money, go out to the private sector to buy grain, and then transport the grain to the county town and centrally store it in the prefecture. By the time all this is done, it will be the beginning of spring next year.
Naturally, Chongzhen would not wait in Changde forever.
To be honest, what Chongzhen did this time was quite unethical.
This kind of behavior involves eating everything and packing up the rest.
It is foreseeable that Huguang's grain merchants will suffer a devastating blow after this grain hegemony.
However, those grain merchants deserved their punishment. At the beginning of the year, the imperial court had already issued an official document prohibiting all grain merchants from entering Huguang to purchase grain privately. These grain merchants still had to commit crimes. Who can blame them?
Blame Wang Fuzhi?
Wang Fuzhi will definitely be scolded to death this time.
After all, if Wang Euzhi had not acted as a guarantee and borrowed a large sum of money from the Water Conservancy and Grain Bank, the Huguang grain merchants headed by Wang Guizhi would not have had the courage to dominate the grain market.
But Wang Fuzhi doesn't care about this.
Wang Fuzhi has entered a state where he does not care about personal reputation or reputation.
As Chongzhen said, Huguang is the granary of the Ming Dynasty, and the grain in Huguang is the strategic grain reserve of the entire Ming Dynasty. Anyone who dares to take advantage of this batch of grain must be prepared to face the iron fist of the imperial court.
For the sake of the country, Wang Fuzhi didn't care at all about being scolded.
Chongzhen did not have time to wait for the Huguang grain merchants to dominate the grain market, and he did not even have time to wait for the soldiers from Yongshun, Baojing and Shinan to bring their families to the lake area, so he hurriedly returned to Nanjing.
Because a piece of good news came from Nanjing that Chongzhen was extremely looking forward to.
After a year of repeated attempts and errors, Fang Yizhi and Song Yingxing finally completed a breakthrough from scratch and built the first wooden steam engine.
Chongzhen was eager to see this steam engine.
Chongzhen did not even take the cavalry battalion with him. He only took 800 Yiding on the navy warship and sailed down the river. When passing through Wuchang, he did not go ashore to take a look at Hanyang Mansion.
After a smooth journey, Chongzhen returned to Nanjing in the middle of the twelfth lunar month.
Chongzhen still did not notify the officials in Beijing, so no one greeted him.
As a man of two generations, what Chongzhen hated most was the formalism of welcoming and sending away.
What kind of work can't you do if you have this time? Even if it's just playing a few rounds of mahjong, you have to deal with all this nonsense.
Chongzhen directly asked the navy to park the bird boat at the small dock outside Qingliangmen, and then took Zhu Cijiong, Hu Guozhu and others straight to the Gewu Science Factory inside Qingliangmen.
The area within Qingliangmen, including Qingliang Mountain, has been surrounded by walls.
Even Qingliang Temple, located at the eastern foot of Qingliang Mountain, was moved outside the city. The original temple building has been turned into the dormitory and workshop of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Gewu Section. The best craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty gathered in the workshop.
These craftsmen include all categories, even shoemakers.
According to Chongzhen's decree, the entire factory was heavily guarded. The outer layer was the Beijing camp, the middle was the New Army, and the core was the escort team composed of hundreds of eunuchs, making it impossible for flies to fly in.
Seeing Chongzhen, the Beijing soldiers guarding the gate, the new army and the eunuchs all came to greet him.
Chongzhen ignored him and walked straight into the inner door of the factory. As soon as he entered, he saw a machine that was half wood and half iron placed in the center of the huge yard.
The machine is about as tall as a person.
The flywheel made of wood is whirring.
There is still water vapor leaking from the machine.
Fang Yizhi, Song Yingxing and a dozen craftsmen gathered around the machine and were discussing heatedly how to improve the machine's leakage problem.
Because they were so involved, they didn't even notice Chongzhen walking behind him.
Finally, Fang Yizhi discovered Chongzhen when he turned around to add coal to the boiler.
"Your Majesty?" Fang Yizhi looked at Chongzhen in astonishment at first, but after he came to his senses, he hurriedly saluted and paid homage, "I, Fang Yizhi, kowtow to your Majesty Jin An."
Song Yingxing and a dozen craftsmen also quickly knelt down.
"No need." Chongzhen waved his hand casually and couldn't wait to walk to the steam engine.
Fang Yizhi then came over and pointed to the machines and introduced them to Chongzhen one by one: "Your Majesty, this is the boiler. It is made of tin, because the iron boiler is too hard and difficult to make."
Chongzhen looked at it very carefully and found that the main body was two concentric tin cylinders.
There is no problem with this. It is just a verification machine anyway, just used to verify the feasibility.
But if you make a real steam engine, this is absolutely impossible. One is that the strength of tin is too low and the melting point is too low. The other is that there are also problems with the structural design of the boiler. With two concentric cylinders and a sandwich design, the heat exchange efficiency will be reduced.
It will be outrageously low, probably 20% is enough.
That’s right, it’s about the same thermal efficiency as a common wood stove.
Coal burns in the boiler liner, boiling the water in the interlayer. The water in the interlayer turns into steam and is then guided into the cylinder made of wood through the tin pipe, pushing the piston to move back and forth and doing work.
Fang Yizhi continued: "Your Majesty, the structure of the cylinder is more complicated than that of the boiler. It is definitely impossible to make it with cast iron. So at the beginning we also planned to use tin to cast it, but in the end we found that it was not possible because the texture of tin was too strong.
It was soft, and after a few reciprocations, it deformed and got stuck. Finally, I decided to use iron wood to make the cylinder."
Chongzhen could only smile and say nothing about this. Fortunately, this was just a verification machine, just move it.
So the steam engine in front of you has obviously reached this technical indicator, because the wooden flywheel of this steam engine has indeed started to move, although the power is very small.
Because Chongzhen only stretched out his hand and grabbed the flywheel.
Then the whole steam engine wheezed and leaked air, and the flywheel didn't move at all.
Chongzhen estimated that the power of this steam engine was only a few tenths of a horsepower.
Fortunately, it was just a technical verification machine, and Chongzhen once again comforted himself in his heart.
As long as the technical route is proven to be feasible, a real industrial steam engine can be produced.
At that moment, Chongzhen smiled and said to the other party: "Mi Zhi, you have worked hard this year. I am very satisfied with your work. You can go to Ma Mingluan to withdraw 10,000 taels of silver. All the craftsmen who participated in the development of the steam engine
Everyone is rewarded."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "I thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." Fang Yizhi, Song Yingxing and the craftsmen present were overjoyed.
There were more than a hundred craftsmen involved in the development of the steam engine. Including the scholars, each person could get more than ninety taels!
Gao Qiqian was also jealous and said to himself that the Holy Spirit was so generous to these craftsmen. One payment was ten thousand taels.
Chongzhen then said to Fang Yizhi: "Secretly, this verification machine has fully proved the feasibility of the steam engine, so what you have to do next is to turn this verification machine into a real steam engine."
After a pause, Chongzhen continued: "A real steam engine cannot be so crude."
"Whether it's a boiler, cylinder, flywheel or drive shaft, etc., it must be made of iron."
"Must they all be made of iron?" Fang Yizhi frowned and said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this is very difficult to do."
Song Yingxing also said: "Your Majesty, the boiler can still be cast using the lost wax method, but the cylinder cannot be cast. The internal neatness requirements of the cylinder are really too high. Even if the lost wax method is used to pour the water, it cannot be flat enough. I will try it.
However, the cylinder and piston cast by the lost wax method will get stuck and cannot move."
At this time, an old blacksmith said: "It's not impossible. First cast a rough outline with wrought iron, and then slowly polish it. As long as you have enough time, it will not be a problem to polish it into a mirror."
"Just polish it slowly," Chongzhen said, "Time is not a problem."
When it comes to things like steam engines, you can't rush things, you can only do it slowly.
What's more, with the existing technical route, the second steam engine will not be slower than the first steam engine no matter how slow it is. The breakthrough from zero to one is always the most difficult, and the improvement from one to two is much easier.
"Sure." Fang Yizhi nodded and asked, "Sir, how big will it be?"
Chongzhen thought for a while and said: "To make a steam engine as big as a house, it must be at least one foot high."
For the second steam engine, Chongzhen did not plan to repeat the verification machine, but planned to use it directly to provide power. When the time comes, the forging machine and drilling machine will be built first, and the processing speed of the blunderbuss tube will be greatly accelerated.
Once the production capacity of flintlock guns is increased, the Jiannu slaves can be crushed.
As for now, due to the Ming Dynasty Arsenal's insistence on standardized production, the production capacity of flintlock muskets is even lower than that of Jiannu. The Ming Dynasty Arsenal can only produce 10,000 flintlock muskets a year, but Jiannu can produce 15,000, because Jiannu does not use them.
It is standardized, so the speed of processing gun tubes is faster, and the Jiannu is not equipped with a bayonet, so the cost is lower.
Of course, the total production capacity is not much different, because in addition to the Daming Arsenal, there are also the Hubu Arsenal and a dozen small arsenals, which can also produce 5,000 pieces a year.
In addition, machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, grinders and planers also need to be designed.
When these machine tools are developed, the Ming Dynasty will truly enter the industrial civilization. At that time, Jiannu and other barbarians or nomads will just sing and dance at home.
By that time, it will be the era of competition between the Ming Dynasty and Western countries for sea power.
Just when Chongzhen was thinking about the future, a huge shadow suddenly passed over the head of the factory.
"Here we go again." Fang Yizhi shook his head and said, "Look, Your Majesty, this is the flying car that Zheng Damu just made."
Wang Chengen, who was behind, handed over the telescope in time. Chongzhen quickly opened the telescope and pointed it at the huge shadow above Qingliang Mountain. He really saw Zheng Sen on it.
Zheng Senzhen listened to his suggestion and made the hot air balloon into the shape of an airship.
The propulsion device on the hanging basket has also been changed from a blast box to a propeller. I don't know what material it is made of.
Judging from the effect, it is obviously much better than the previous hot air balloon. Even if it encounters strong winds, it will not be blown away at once. At most, it will deviate from the course.
However, Chongzhen felt that this thing was of little use.
The reason is also very simple, the load is too small.
There is only a small load in total. If you carry too much fuel, you won't be able to carry weapons.
But if it carries less fuel, it will not be able to fly very far at all, and will soon have to return to replenish fuel. This is what is often referred to as short legs in later generations of Air Force fighter jets.
But Chongzhen would not pour cold water on Zheng Sen.
In any case, this spirit is always worth encouraging.
Withdrawing his gaze, Chongzhen was about to talk to Fang Yizhi and the others about the steam engine when chaotic footsteps suddenly sounded outside, and then nearly a hundred officials headed by Lu Zhenfei and other four ministers rushed in.
Chongzhen frowned immediately, thinking that he would have to make another rule in the future.
Without permission, even the Sanpin Hall officials cannot easily enter the Gewu Science and Technology Factory.
While thinking about it, Lu Zhenfei had already brought nearly a hundred officials over and paid homage.
"Get up." Chongzhen motioned to Lu Zhenfei and other officials to get up, and then said, "The four elders will stay here. The other officials can go about whatever they have to do. I don't need your company here."
Qian Qianyi said: "Your Majesty, I haven't seen you for a long time, and I miss you very much, so..."
"So what? So you want to stay and chat with Zilla's family? It's best to become familiar with me?" Chongzhen said, "It's useless, because your selection and appointment power lies with the cabinet.
Ministry, even if I want to promote you, I can't do it, I don't have the power."
Qian Qianyi felt bored and immediately shut his mouth.
Zhang Shenyan and Meng Zhaoxiang both had disdain on their faces, thinking to themselves, how could Qian Qianyi's little thoughts be hidden from His Majesty? He had to pretend to be highly valued by His Majesty in front of all the officials, and now he was slapped in the face.
Bar.
To be honest, Chongzhen was speechless that Qian Qianyi could actually join the cabinet.
It can only be said that this man's influence among Jiangnan Shilin is still there, and there will never be too much water in this world line. His personal image and reputation have not been damaged, so he was promoted to the cabinet.
Fortunately, at this age, he will definitely not be able to take over as chief minister.
After all, Lu Zhenfei is eight years younger than Qian Qianyi, and Meng Zhaoxiang is even younger.
It was precisely because of these considerations that Chongzhen did not intervene, otherwise he could ruin Qian Qianyi's reputation and lose his qualifications to join the cabinet in a matter of seconds.
Meng Zhaoxiang knew that Chongzhen hated showing off, so he said: "It's all gone, it's all gone."
A group of senior officials from the Ministry of Education and the Temple left the Gewu Science and Technology Factory angrily, leaving only four elders in the place.
Lu Zhenfei then complained: "Your Majesty, why didn't you say hello when you returned to the capital? I and others could have led hundreds of officials to greet him. But when the censors knew about it, they should scold me and others for not knowing etiquette.
Already."
"Let them scold you." Chongzhen said, "If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight. Since you, Lu Qing, want to be the chief minister, you must be aware of being criticized by others. There have been people in our Ming Dynasty who have not been scolded.
Chief assistant?"
Naturally, there is no chief assistant who does not get scolded, and the good old Shen Shixing is still criticized.
At this time, Zhang Shenyan said: "Back to the Holy Emperor, it's okay for me to be scolded by the subordinates. It's just that you personally conquered the Shadingzhou Rebellion and successfully quelled it. It is a martial arts achievement in any case. This dynasty has not seen anything like this for a long time."
To suppress the rebellion, it is really unjustifiable not to hold a prisoner sacrifice ceremony, and it is not conducive to rallying the hearts and minds of our army and the people of the DPRK."
"This, this is really my fault." Hearing this, Chongzhen could only admit his mistake.
Speaking of reason, I really can't explain these civil servants. These people's talk is all practiced.