Chapter 211: Kaifeng's Iron Lump

Kaifeng, a corner of Huangcheng, a newly completed compound, was tightly surrounded by high walls and heavy troops.

This place was the "Institute of Investigating Things" in which the Great Song Emperor Zhao Kuangyin placed great hopes.

In the huge workshop at the center of the courtyard, things were bustling.

The ten artisans sent by the Wang Family were, under the "supervision" of hundreds of Court officials and Imperial Guard soldiers, slowly assembling a huge steel monster.

The supervisor of the Institute of Investigating Things was the Chief Eunuch Lu Bin, whom the Emperor trusted most. He stood guard here every day, his eyes fixed on every move of the artisans, trying to learn even a hint of the secret.

But he soon grew disappointed.

These Wang Family artisans hardly ever spoke while working. Their tools, all brought from Yangzhou, were strange-looking and incomprehensible to outsiders. Each part they assembled seemed already engraved in their minds; they picked it up and fitted it together perfectly.

The so‑called "blueprints" they brought over, Lu Bin also secretly glanced at. On them were only simple schematic diagrams; crucial dimensions and material ratios were completely absent.

He had tried bribing them with high offices and generous salaries, and corrupting them with fine wine and women.

The leader, the old artisan named Wang De, merely gave a heh‑heh smile, accepted the gifts, and then, regarding how to work, he couldn't utter a single useful word.

Lu Bin also tried threats, hinting that if they didn't put their hearts into it, their families far away in Yangzhou might run into trouble.

Wang De simply set his hammer on the ground, stiffened his neck, and said: "Chief Eunuch Lu, we're just a bunch of laborers; the Head of Family tells us how to work, and we work that way. If you think we're not putting our hearts in it, go tell our Head of Family. Do you believe it? If we lose even a single hair, tomorrow not a grain of rice will leave Yangzhou port."

That one sentence left Lu Bin choking halfway to death.

He knew these people were like stones in a latrine—filthy and hard. They feared no death, believing that if anything happened, the Wang Family would avenge them.

Left with no choice, Lu Bin could only pin his hopes on imitation. He ordered that, inside the Institute of Investigating Things, the Great Song's finest artisans set up another workshop beside them; whenever the Wang Family artisans installed a part, they would copy it.

After two months, having consumed countless precious coppers and irons, two identical Water‑Fire Great Power Machines were finally completed at the same time.

When the news reached the palace, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin was delighted.

He personally led all the civil and military officials to the Institute of Investigating Things to witness the birth of this "divine object" with his own eyes.

Under Wang De's command, the Wang Family artisans lit the fire and added coal. Soon, the steam engine they had built emitted a deep, powerful roar; its massive piston rose and fell, driving a water pump that shot up a thick column of water ten zhang high.

"Good! Great!"

Zhao Kuangyin watched the water column shooting up to the sky, his face flushing with excitement as he clapped loudly. The assembled civil and military officials followed suit, shouting "Long live!" with fawning words pouring like a tide.

"Lu Bin!" Zhao Kuangyin laughed, pointing at the nearby imitation machine built by the Great Song's artisans, "Let our own also start up! Let me see what our Great Song artisans are capable of!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Lu Bin waved his hand excitedly; the Great Song's artisans, imitating Wang De, began to frantically light the fire and add coal.

The furnace fire grew fiercer, and the imitation steam engine began to shudder, emitting a clanking "clang‑clang" noise.

Everyone held their breath and watched intently.

"Boom—"

With a tremendous bang, the imitation machine shuddered violently, and its piston actually began to move! Although it appeared much more sluggish and laborious than the Wang Family's version.

A stream of water also spurted from the pipe.

However, that stream was only as thick as an arm, spraying less than five zhang high before drooping limply, like an old man who can't aim his urine.

Moreover, before Zhao Kuangyin's smile could fully set in, an even more embarrassing incident occurred.

"Bang!"

A piercing explosion rang out from a pipe joint of the imitation machine, spewing scalding steam mixed with black water; the nearby artisans and officials were frightened into hysterical wailing and scattered in all directions.

Immediately afterward, the whole machine, as if suffering from asthma, coughed violently a few times; the piston moved ever more slowly, and finally, with a clang, it came to a complete halt.

The scene fell into dead silence.

Zhao Kuangyin's smile froze there, looking uglier than tears.

The civil and military officials bowed their heads, silent as cicadas, fearing the Emperor's wrath might burn them.

Only the Wang Family's steam engine continued to roar tirelessly; its powerful water column, in the sunlight, traced a splendid rainbow, as if silently mocking the shoddy "knockoff" beside it.

"Wang De!" Zhao Kuangyin's teeth gritted, "What's going on here!"

Wang De sauntered over, pretended to inspect the stalled machine by tapping and feeling it, then knelt with a troubled expression.

"Your Majesty… this… this humble servant also can't explain it."

"The Water‑Fire Great Power Machine is like a human skeleton—looks the same, but some are born sturdy, some frail. This machine's 'temperament' also varies."

"Our Wang Family's machine was personally overseen by the Head of Family, forged from hundred‑times‑refined steel shipped from Dongying, burned with top‑grade smokeless coal, and tended by veteran artisans who have served it for years, so its temperament is good and obedient."

"As for this one…" he pointed at the broken‑down imitation, "I see its 'bones' are somewhat soft, its 'rations' also impure. Having just been 'born,' to make it do such heavy work… it… it's throwing a tantrum, which is… also normal."

After saying all that, Zhao Kuangyin's face flushed red.

What does "soft bones" mean? Isn't it just saying the Court's steel is no good?

What does "impure rations" mean? Isn't it just saying Great Song's coal is no good?

What does "throwing a tantrum" mean? This clearly says that without your Wang Family people, this thing is just a pile of scrap iron!

He wanted to flare up, but found no reason. Wang De had already helped him build the machine, and it had even run. Now that problems arose, they also gave an explanation. You can't, just because your own "son" is unpromising, go chop up someone else's lively "son," can you?

"Then… could it be repaired?" Zhao Kuangyin squeezed out between his teeth.

"Yes, yes!" Wang De nodded hastily, "It just takes some effort, slow adjustment. This thing is delicate. Your Majesty, rest assured—with our ten of us here, we'll see to it that it's properly tended."

Zhao Kuangyin's lungs were about to burst from anger.

He finally understood.

What the Wang Family gave him was certainly not "the study of investigating things."

What they gave him was an "iron ancestor" that only Wang Family people could tend!

He thought he had gotten a fish, but actually he'd only gotten a fish‑can that needed Wang Family people to open! Not only did he fail to break free from reliance on the Wang Family, he got even more entangled!

"Good… good… good…" Zhao Kuangyin said three "goods" in a row, then flung his sleeve: "Lu Bin! This is now entrusted to you! Make sure the artisans of the Institute of Investigating Things learn this skill of adjustment!"

Having said that, he turned and left the Institute of Investigating Things, his chest full of anger and resentment.

Zhao Pu followed behind, watching the emperor's trembling, angry back, and let out a soft sigh.

He knew that in this technological contest, the first round had seen Great Song suffer a crushing defeat.

Just then, a little eunuch hurried over and handed a secret letter to Zhao Pu.

"Prime Minister, a letter from Yangzhou."

Zhao Pu opened the letter; the paper bore only a few words, in the handwriting of the Princess of Yongning.

"He gave me a Star Map."

Zhao Pu stared at this fragmentary sentence, lost in thought.

Star Map?

That brat Wang Che didn't give the princess gold, silver, or jewels, didn't talk romance with her, yet gave her a star map for three hundred sixty-five days?

What on earth is he trying to do?