Chapter 246: Cooperation

Wang Che smiled: "Uncle Hao, we are sending the emperor a gold‑swallowing beast, so we should also prepare its fodder, right? As for the No. 2 machine, its coal consumption is three times that of our new machine. He wants that iron lump to keep running, so he must continuously buy coal from us. The longer this trade goes on, the more he cannot do without us."

Wang Hao suddenly understood and burst into hearty laughter: "Wow! Head of Family, you are so thoughtful! This is just like putting a rope around Zhao Guangyi's neck!"

"It's not putting a rope," Wang Che shook his head, his smile fading. "We are merely telling the new emperor that cooperation leads to mutual benefit."

The order was swiftly passed down.

The ten selected Wang Family youths were gathered together, and Wang Che addressed them personally. He did not lecture much, only repeatedly emphasized one point: you represent the Wang Family's reputation; you must craft the items well.

"But you also represent the Wang Family's lifeblood. Know what to say and what not to say; keep a scale in your heart. Say the wrong word, you won't return, and your families in Yangzhou will never see tomorrow's sun."

This preemptive counsel made the ten youngsters' heads bob like chicks pecking at rice.

The ornate wooden crate containing the blueprints was loaded onto the fastest ship.

The ship laden with gold, silver and jewels also raised its sails.

More ships queued at the dock, waiting for baskets of black gold to be loaded into their holds.

Three days later, a massive fleet, personally escorted by Wang Hao, the Yangzhou Prefect, majestically set sail from Yangzhou Port, traveling along the canal toward Kaifeng in the north.

At the front of the fleet, Wang Che stood on the dock, watching the ships drift farther away.

He knew that once this "grand gift" was sent, the relationship between the Wang Family and the Zhao Song dynasty would enter a brand‑new stage.

The fleet advanced northward, moving on both water and land at great speed.

When the "grand gift" personally escorted by Wang Hao arrived in Kaifeng, Zhao Guangyi had just settled on the Dragon Throne for ten days.

He was fretting over how to deal with the proud generals left by the late emperor when news of the Wang Family envoys' arrival reached him.

"Oh? The Wang Family has arrived?" Zhao Guangyi set down the memorial in his hand, a hint of interest flashing across his face. "They came so quickly? It seems they received Wang Xu's letter. Announce!"

Wang Hao, dressed in the official robe of a seventh‑rank Prefect, led the ten reverent Wang Family "master craftsmen" into the Hall of Drooping Arches.

Behind them, a few inner attendants carried a massive rosewood box, its surface carved with dragons and phoenixes, exuding noble grandeur.

"I, Wang Hao, Yangzhou Prefect, present myself before Your Majesty!" Wang Hao recited the court protocol with precise cadence.

"We, the servants, present ourselves before Your Majesty!" The ten craftsmen also knelt on the ground.

"Wang Aiqing, rise." Zhao Guangyi's face bore a warm smile, revealing nothing of his thoughts. "You have traveled a hard road. I have heard that your Wang Family prepared a grand gift for me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Hao rose, pointing at the large box, and said respectfully, "When the late emperor was alive, he was quite interested in our clan's steam engine and even established the Institute of Investigating Things in the capital to study it."

"Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, my family head Wang Che has specially ordered me to bring the complete set of blueprints for this machine, along with ten clan artisans proficient in its ways, to the capital, fulfilling the late emperor's wishes and celebrating Your Majesty's coronation!"

He spoke flawlessly, never exposing the coercion Zhao Kuangyin once applied, and instead praised the new monarch's scene.

"Very well, very well!" Zhao Guangyi clapped his hands and laughed, "The Wang Family head has heart! Bring them forward, open it, and let me see!"

The inner attendants immediately stepped forward and opened the box.

Inside the box lay bright yellow silk brocade, and hundreds of top‑grade xuan‑paper drawings neatly stacked.

Zhao Guangyi stepped down from the throne and personally picked up a drawing.

The drawing was extremely detailed; in tidy small regular script it annotated each component's dimensions, name, and even the material, all written clearly.

Though he could not understand it, the sheer diligence made him feel quite pleased.

"Not bad, not bad." He nodded repeatedly, then turned to the ten craftsmen, "You are the Wang Family's master craftsmen?"

"Your Majesty, we dare not call ourselves master craftsmen; we merely learned some rudimentary skills from the head of the family," the leading craftsman replied, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Oh?" Zhao Guangyi showed interest, "Then I ask you, can you produce everything shown on these drawings?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Can you make it, and will it truly, as legend says, move on its own without horses or oxen, with boundless power?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. As long as there is enough coal and water, its strength exceeds that of a hundred oxen."

Zhao Guangyi's eyes lit up completely.

Stronger than a hundred oxen!

If this were mounted on a ship, could the Great Song warships then sail upstream, swift as the wind?

If applied in the armaments workshop, how many swords, spears and arrows could be forged in a day?

I have heard the Wang Family has long possessed this!

He suppressed his excitement and asked a few more questions about the machine's principles.

The ten craftsmen answered fluently; each reply matched exactly what was written on the drawings, sounding logical, seamless, and flawless. They only described how to build, never mentioning why.

Zhao Guangyi, being clever, listened for a while and sensed it. These people recited like memorized text. They knew how to assemble the parts, but seemed only half‑understood the core principle.

He sneered inwardly: "The Wang Family truly kept a trump card."

Yet he cared not.

As long as they could produce the device and use it, that was enough! As for the core technology, it could be acquired in time.

He waved his hand: "Excellent. I am pleased. Wang Hao, you and your men, retire now and rest. I have already ordered the Ministry of Works to reactivate the Institute of Investigating Things; you shall first work there, assisting court officials to swiftly fabricate this divine artifact!"

"I obey, Your Majesty!"

After Wang Hao withdrew with his men, Zhao Guangyi immediately summoned Wang Xu.

"Wang Aiqing, the gift your clan delivered pleases me greatly," Zhao Guangyi said, his mood buoyant.

"It is the Wang Family's honor to ease Your Majesty's burdens," Wang Xu lowered his head.

"However," Zhao Guangyi's tone shifted, "I also see that the craftsmen you sent merely state the obvious without explaining the reason!"

Wang Xu felt a chill, realizing the emperor was testing him.

"Your Majesty sees through everything." He did not argue, directly acknowledging, "The study of investigating things concerns great matters. The head of the family was also forced. Rest assured, as long as members of the Wang Family are present, this machine will surely serve Your Majesty."

"Hahaha!" Zhao Guangyi roared, "What a perfect 'as long as the Wang Family is present'! I like that candid line!"

He stood, walked to Wang Xu's side, and patted his shoulder.

"I know what you desire."

"Today I will give you a precise answer."

He turned, picked up from the imperial desk a draft that had already been prepared, bearing the jade seal, the Imperial Edict.

"Take it back and hand it to Wang Che."