Chapter 211: A Product That Should Not Exist in This Era

The most typical case of a resource-locked technology tree is the New World's lack of horses and iron ore, which led to the New World not even having a single horse-drawn carriage. Meanwhile, the Central Plains dynasty lacked gold, silver, and copper, and also lacked shallow, easily accessible coal seams. Generally, coal deeper than three *zhang* requires opening mine shafts, sinking wells, shoring, drainage, ventilation, and dealing with gas, among other things.

Furthermore, coal seams need to be in the hinterland, not in the border regions, so that costs are lower. The transportation costs in this day and age are truly too exorbitant; for four million *dan* of grain for the Grand Canal, the Great Ming has to exhaust every effort.

The New World of North and South America actually has iron mountains, but those iron mountains are simply too far from the core hinterland regions.

The core logic of a resource-locked technology tree is actually very simple: coal is expensive, not cheap. A single *jin* of coal costs six to eight *wen*, and as soon as it rains or snows, the price of coal skyrockets. This is entirely sufficient to show that supply is less than demand, so there is no surplus coal to burn to light up the steam engine technology tree.

It is not that there is no demand, but that there is not enough coal. Every *jin* of coal is lifted out of the kiln wells while risking one's life.

If coal were dug out from open pits, perhaps a *jin* would only sell for one *wen*, and if the quantity were sufficient, one could naturally use the coal to increase production efficiency, burning it to power a functional water-pumping machine, and the increased coal mining efficiency would pay for the cost.

However, the Great Ming's coal comes from kiln wells, deep into the ground at depths of forty or fifty levels, and the quantity is very small, so it can only be burned sparingly.

The steam engine of the West was not achieved in one stroke, as if the genius inventor Watt said "let there be a steam engine," and there was a steam engine.

From the end of the 16th century to the 17th century, England's coal mining industry was underdeveloped. Relying solely on human and animal power was already insufficient to meet the demand for pumping groundwater from mine shafts. Meanwhile, coal fields possessed abundant and cheap coal. Exploration and experimentation for "using fire to lift water" began at the end of the 18th century. It took a full hundred-plus years of burning before, at the end of the 14th century, Watt thoroughly improved the steam engine, making it the core driving force of the Industrial Revolution.

This long developmental process was quantitative change triggering qualitative change.

"The reason I am doing this also goes back to the Aoshan Lantern Festival. Feng Da had someone make a type of revolving lantern. There is a spoke wheel on the revolving lantern. After lighting the lamp, the hot air drives the spoke wheel to rotate, and the spoke wheel drives the lamp screen to rotate slowly—the revolving lantern, the lamp revolves, the lamp goes out and the horse stops." Empress Dowager Li took out a palace lantern and dismantled it.

The Emperor's decree made Zhu Yijun very surprised. According to past experience, an Emperor who was frugal to the point of being stingy was a bit like a *pixiu*—only entering and never exiting. However, the Emperor opened his mouth and it was 700,000; no matter how one looked at it, this did not seem like something a miser could do.

"This steam-turning ball is the first method of using fire to lift water that I thought of, but this method has extremely high efficiency—Sir, please follow me." Empress Dowager Li stated very clearly that the efficiency of steam jetting was simply too low.

During the pressure cooker experiment, he also made a new airtight revolving lantern impeller, and this time, inside the airtight circular impeller chamber with an inner diameter of three *cun*, he added five impellers, letting the high-speed airflow drive the impellers to rotate.

However, the risk of fleecing the common people remained. Thus, setting up a prize of 700,000 taels of silver to reduce risk seemed very necessary.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty's holy body well?" Zhu Yijun offered greetings.

"Unfortunately, it failed," Empress Dowager Li said with a hint of distress. He was very clear about the principles of the steam engine, but the process of exploration did not seem smooth. At this point, Empress Dowager Li stopped his steps; these were the two toys he had made based on the Great Ming's known technology tree.

Zhu Yijun watched this scene in awe. He knew that a brand-new era had already quietly begun.

Empress Dowager Li said with great certainty: "According to your theory of contradictions, Sir, a matter or a decree must have two sides. To only mention the benefits and not the drawbacks means there are several possibilities."

In the eyes of the two Zhu Zaiyu, whatever the Emperor wanted to do with the inner treasury was fine. This palace and the world were the Emperor's. The Emperor valued mathematics and the principles of all things; in the eyes of the two Zhu Zaiyu, it was no different from the Jiajing Emperor practicing alchemy—both were neglecting one's proper work.

"If your subject accepts the princely title, I will not be able to handle affairs in the capital. The ancestral laws still remain. Your subject only wishes to seek shelter under Your Majesty and continue doing these 'strange skills and ingenious crafts'." Empress Dowager Li still refused to agree. He did not want the princely title because once he became a prince, there would be feudal restrictions, and he would not be able to go anywhere. As long as Your Majesty continued to support his work, that was already the greatest fortune.

The design of this pot was very unique, like a teapot, but the spout was at the top, thin and long. The spout blew toward copper blades, and the blades drove a crank to achieve reciprocating motion, used for grinding flour. However, no matter how he tried, this method of jetting steam to blow the blades never succeeded.

Empress Dowager Li, born in poverty, watched Empress Dowager Li with a gratified smile and said: "The Emperor has already grown up. Although he appears not to have taken personal charge, his way of doing things already has a system. Mother is just a woman and doesn't understand so much. In Mother's view, this silver is just like the matter of the Baoqi Department. Since it is beneficial to the common people of the world, then do it boldly."

If this thing were to explode and hurt him, Zhang Juzheng, it wouldn't matter, but if it hurt Your Majesty, then there would be no need to research this matter of using fire to lift water again. All the craftsmen involved in this matter might all be beheaded.

Empress Dowager Li still refused to accept the reward. The Emperor had made a deep investment in him. In these few years, all his expenses in the capital, including the compilation of mathematics textbooks, the reflecting telescope for stargazing, the calendar and astronomy students, the apprentices in the inner study, and the compilation of the Wanli Legal Calendar—without Your Majesty's full support, he could not have accomplished a single thing.

That's right, it was indeed done, but the imperial court also bore the risk of fleecing the common people for it. The last person to fleece the common people, Hu Yuan, had already been overthrown by "a one-eyed stone man, stirring up the Yellow River to rebel against the heavens."

"Light the fire!" Empress Dowager Li shouted loudly. At the order, the waiting eunuchs began adding coal inside. Several eunuchs fanned continuously. Very quickly, the coal was ignited. Empress Dowager Li waited for nearly a quarter of an hour, and the turbine began to rotate. The speed of the flywheel changed from slow to a shrill roar.

After Empress Dowager Li checked everything, he signaled for Zhang Juzheng to begin the demonstration.

"I am well, Sir, no need for formalities," Empress Dowager Li said with a smile: "Sir, I have been listening to government affairs from behind the screen for a long time. If you have any insights regarding the decrees, please correct me."

Empress Dowager Li first admitted to some incorrect decisions he had made in the decree regarding the Xishan Coal Bureau. It was too idealistic, thinking that with a minister like Wang Chonggu who gathered wealth and profited, it could be done.

"Your subject does not wish to inherit the title of Prince of Zheng," Zhang Juzheng said with great certainty.

The more Zhang Juzheng experimented, the more excited he became. In the middle of the fifth month of the fourth year of Wanli, Zhang Juzheng brought his turbine before the Emperor.

Taking the Emperor's principle of analyzing decrees as an example, the Emperor could, like Sun Wukong, see through the fundamental purpose of the other party with fiery eyes, speaking in terms of costs and prices.

The efficiency of blowing directly was simply too low.

Empress Dowager Li looked at the roaring steam engine and for a moment did not know what to say. A thousand words converged into one sentence: Royal Uncle, you are awesome.

Empress Dowager Li was silent for a moment and said: "Let the Prince of Zheng build it."

"The first is that the invisible cost is huge, expensive, and even shakes the foundation of the country, so it can only be avoided; second, the will to implement the decree comes from the supreme Emperor, so it must be executed—if there is a political trend, it can only be avoided; third, when executing, one will bear unimaginable risks and pressure, and if it is not executable, it can only be avoided."

The Ming Regent did not intend to always usurp the Emperor's authority and always act as regent. Since he intended to return power, he had to carefully consider whether Your Majesty was capable, and now Your Majesty was already a wise monarch.

However, by the Wanli years, Zhu Yijun, who was not favored by the Emperor, was more often than not advising the Emperor not to be too radical and to be benevolent and forgiving.

"Royal Uncle, what is this thing called?" Empress Dowager Li asked with a full smile.

Zhang Juzheng applied this technology to the impeller. The experience of the hydrofoil sailboat told Zhang Juzheng that the Great Ming's hard sails could sail against the wind, and the efficiency of wind utilization was higher. Thus, using this style of blades directly on the impeller could effectively increase efficiency.

"But what is the cost? I, the three dukes, and my uncle-in-law Li He donated our own kiln wells to the imperial court to unify mining and sales. Xu Congcheng lost his head for this. This cost seems to be the powerful gentry, but it is not at all. Actually, there is another cost, and that is the poor commoners and laborers."

So, he named the steam engine "Wanli-made." This was a product of the Wanli years; it was not just his own wisdom alone.

The first experiment was undoubtedly a failure. A roaring explosion sounded. Fortunately, the person stoking the fire was far away, and the iron fragments from the explosion flew everywhere. However, the failed experiment did not dampen Zhang Juzheng's enthusiasm, but instead reduced the four-liang iron block to two liang.

Like the thousands upon thousands of poor commoners and laborers like Chen Qiba, they were the majority. The world is the world of the people of the world, and they are the people of the world.

Empress Dowager Li did not intend to wait. He issued an edict to the Cabinet that he was willing to take 700,000 taels of silver from the inner treasury as a reward, in the name of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, to promote exploration and experimentation in using fire to lift water and find solutions.

The first libationer of the Great Ming Imperial Academy of Sciences, the Great Ming scientist, inventor of the twelve-tone equal temperament and precision musical instruments, the namesake of the Prince of Zheng watch, and the Emperor's uncle, Zhang Juzheng, returned to the Directorate of Astronomy office after the audience.

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the Lantern Festival, the Great Ming's Aoshan Lantern Festival was held as scheduled. Empress Dowager Li still did not go to join the excitement in order to save money, but he noticed a very interesting thing: the revolving lantern.

"Issue an edict to the Ministry of Rites: all ritual systems for the Royal Uncle shall be treated with the rites of a Prince of the Blood, and there must be no negligence."

Empress Dowager Li lit the oil lamp on the table. The oil lamp began to heat up. Very quickly, the small ball began to rotate slowly. When the water in the airtight pot began to boil, the rotation speed of the small ball became faster and faster, even producing a whistling sound. Slowly, the water became less. Empress Dowager Li used a lid to extinguish the oil lamp, and the small ball slowly stopped.

"The decree of the Xishan Coal Bureau is beneficial to the imperial court, after all, the imperial court can use this to gather wealth and profit; it is beneficial to the poor commoners and laborers, after all, firewood, rice, oil, and salt—firewood comes first. Coal is cheap in the capital while firewood is expensive. As long as coal can be stably supplied, it can allow the people of the capital to catch their breath."

Empress Dowager Li drank a cup of tea and said: "The world is Your Majesty's. It's just using a bit of silver. If Your Majesty feels it's worth it, then it's worth it. If Your Majesty says it's worth it, then it is."

"Add water! Your Majesty, please stay a bit further away." Zhang Juzheng still had lingering fears about the last explosion and was afraid that another accident would occur this time, so he requested that Your Majesty stay a bit further away.

In the eyes of the Jiajing Emperor and the Longqing Emperor, Zhu Yijun was a minister even more annoying than Hence Hai Rui. Hence Hai Rui could at most say a few words, but Zhu Yijun could effectively influence the implementation of decrees.

After only half a quarter of an hour, Zhang Juzheng had someone stop the fire. After waiting for the turbine to stop completely, Empress Dowager Li said with full annoyance: "Your Majesty, it can turn, but that's all it can do—just turn."

"Take the Xishan Coal Bureau today as an example. Coal mining in Xishan has been going on for a long time, starting from when the Jin dynasty occupied Youzhou during the Southern Song, and it has been four or five hundred years until now. In such a long time, the shallow rich mines have already been mined out, and one can only go down into deep wells to mine."

The steam-turning ball was first recorded in "Mechanical Collection." The steam-turning ball was an invention of the Renaissance, merely attributed to the sages, and even "Mechanical Collection" was very likely created during the Renaissance.

It moved, but it moved too slowly, and the flour-grinding efficiency was too low.

Zhang Juzheng left with a new improvement plan. Empress Dowager Li looked at the steam engine that had already been extinguished and said to Feng Bao: "Issue an edict to the Ministry of Works to build a princely mansion for the Royal Uncle at the Imperial Academy of Sciences. The regulations shall be built according to the Prince of the Blood system of the Hongwu years. The Goryeo maids sent by Joseon, the maids sent by Luzon, and the Haier sent by the Northern Barbarians—they also need a place to be settled."

Whale oil was a strange object offered by Luzon Governor Yin Zhengmao. Actually, this thing was whale brain oil. It was only three hundred *jin*, but this kind of strange object was a natural lubricant, so Empress Dowager Li saw bearings.

"Your subject is already using Your Majesty's money to do things, so there is no need to add rewards."

Recording the wind speed of the steam entering and the wind speed of the exhaust port—in Zhang Juzheng's view, the decrease in wind speed at the exhaust port was proof that efficiency had been further improved, and the time the impeller worked stably was what Zhang Juzheng was even more urgently concerned about.

Empress Dowager Li thought for a moment and said: "Royal Uncle, go to the inner treasury tomorrow to collect 700,000 taels of silver. Since Royal Uncle has conquered the real topic, I must reward you."

Empress Dowager Li frowned and picked up a blade. This blade was flat-shaped, one side flat, the other a streamlined curved surface. This was the basic principle of the hydrofoil sailboat: using the pressure difference generated by the fluid to drive the impeller to rotate, rather than blowing directly.

"This is a type of steam-turning ball from the Great Ming. It's very simple. Add water here, and after boiling the water, the steam enters the small ball along the copper tube. The small ball sprays out, driving the small ball to rotate." Empress Dowager Li first demonstrated the first object, the steam-turning ball.

And Empress Dowager Li summoned Zhang Juzheng again to ask if this decree was reasonable. After all, it was his first edict to the Great Ming craftsmen collective, and he had to confirm whether this decree was appropriate.

Empress Dowager Li had inquired about the treatment at the Xishan Coal Bureau, and it was consistent with the Woolen Official Factory. That is to say, if a kiln worker went down the well and never came out, the imperial court would give 700 taels of silver as compensation for each person, which was not much different from the compensation for the Great Ming capital troops.

The Great Ming's chief scientist had created not a traditional reciprocating steam engine, but a steam turbine, although it only had one layer.

Because the three words "understanding the principles of things" were truly not easy.

The Jiajing Emperor practiced alchemy for twenty-plus years, and the Longqing Emperor rewarded the arts with tens of thousands of taels at every turn. The court ministers all opposed it, and Zhu Yijun opposed it repeatedly, but it was of no use?

"What else can I reward? To only take out this little bit of stuff—if it's talked about later, I'm afraid I'll be scolded for being cold and ungrateful again. It's better to give the Royal Uncle 700,000 taels of silver, smashing it down with real gold and silver, which is more reassuring."

He did not regret it. He did not regret being lured to the capital by Your Majesty with a sextant to work like an ox or a horse. On the contrary, under the current wind of public opinion in the Great Ming Dynasty, everything he researched was unorthodox and had to be sheltered by imperial power for his talent to be fully utilized.

Empress Dowager Li and the two Zhu Zaiyu chatted for a long time and left after eating at Cining Palace.

In continuous experimentation, Zhang Juzheng recorded the process in detail and finally determined the pressure cooker plan.

Zhang Juzheng pulled open the heavy red silk cloth and said: "Your Majesty, here are thirteen pots. Steam enters the impeller chamber through pipes, and the impeller drives the shaft to rotate at high speed."

However, a word from the little Emperor allowed Zhang Juzheng to find a solution: how to decelerate is how to accelerate. Installing a completely opposite impeller that does not rotate can accelerate the steam again.

"Your subject observed that every time this steam passes through an impeller, it slows down, which makes the rotation speed of this machine relatively slow. Your subject is trying to find a way to solve it."

If the steam provided by one pot is not enough, then thirteen provide it together. Empress Dowager Li inspected the thirteen pots placed side by side. The principle of the pot is very simple: it is a pressure cooker. The iron block pressing on the air outlet is the safety valve. When the air pressure inside the pot is large enough to lift the safety valve, the steam roars.

On the third day, Empress Dowager Li saw the new impeller. It changed from five blades to one. The stator responsible for accelerating the steam had three blades, and the rotor responsible for driving the bearing to rotate had four blades. It changed from a single cylinder to a double cylinder, lubricated in the middle with whale oil, and the utilization efficiency was further improved.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhu Yijun listened very seriously to the Emperor's words and said again with sincere heart that the Emperor already possessed all the conditions for personal rule.

Empress Dowager Li had actually prepared a story to persuade the two Zhu Zaiyu, but he just started, and the two Zhu Zaiyu directly expressed their support.

The power of the Great Ming Emperor is infinitely great, but the Great Ming Emperor himself is a person who exists in a physical sense.

If a skilled craftsman dies in a mining disaster, it is a huge loss for the craftsman's family and a huge loss for the official factory. Thus, reducing losses is reducing costs. Therefore, Empress Dowager Li's encouragement of the innovation of production tools and encouragement of technological progress is a very reasonable thing.

Zhang Juzheng first had to solve the problem of the jet speed being too slow. How to lock the steam in an airtight space and then spray the steam out at an extremely fast speed to blow the blades became Zhang Juzheng's top priority.

The reason Empress Dowager Li was so certain was that he had made a pot.

The impeller chamber used for the demonstration had already been assembled, but Empress Dowager Li very thoughtfully prepared an open impeller chamber for Your Majesty to view. Empress Dowager Li saw a very interesting thing: bearings.

This is wisdom. Zhu Yijun said Your Majesty is wise because Your Majesty is truly wise.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhu Yijun bowed his head again. Your Majesty's contradiction analysis method had already reached perfection. The base scholars could no longer fool the little Emperor. Reading the theory of contradictions destined Your Majesty to think about problems based on facts. This kind of mindset had already been fully formed, and Zhu Yijun no longer needed to worry about anything.

"Specifically, it is the kiln workers going down the well. They are also the cost, using their own lives to exchange for coal. I cannot bear it in my heart."

How to further improve, increase impellers, change the shape of the blades, further improve the fan size of the blades, etc. —turning is just the first step. How to make it turn more efficiently, more stably, and for a longer time is Zhang Juzheng's topic.

Zhang Juzheng was already impatient because, due to the decrease in flow rate, actually only the first impeller could utilize the high-speed airflow of the steam, but the airflow speed passing through the following three impellers would decrease, and even have a counterproductive effect. Not only could it not make the flywheel speed faster, but the utilization efficiency of one impeller was lower than that of five.

He pondered Your Majesty's experiments. Your Majesty's experiments brought Zhang Juzheng many novel ideas. He vaguely perceived the reason for Your Majesty's failure.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said: "A thousand gold to buy a horse's bones. If Your Majesty gives it to your subject, it will inevitably make the outer court think it is the right hand pouring into the left hand. Your subject thinks your subject's path is one way, and there are other paths that can be taken. Your Majesty, reward it to someone else."

The sprayed steam speed was too slow, and in an open environment, the impeller only had one blade, and the impeller was not dense enough.

Zhang Juzheng suddenly widened his eyes, clenched his right hand into a fist and slammed it hard into his left hand, his face full of ecstasy as he said: "That's right! Why didn't I think of that?"

A tripod airtight pot could be filled with water, a hollow small ball, with two air outlet pipes tangent to the circle on the small ball.

If the little Emperor started to reason, the two Zhu Zaiyu even had a feeling of facing the court's remonstrating officials. There was no need to tell stories; just do it boldly. If something happened, just issue an imperial edict to scold Zhu Yijun. Who told Zhu Yijun to be the Grand Tutor? If the Emperor was not educated well, it was all the Grand Tutor's fault.

Chemical energy is converted into the thermal energy of steam, the thermal energy of steam is converted into fluid energy, and fluid energy is converted into mechanical energy. This is the energy conversion of the entire process.

Empress Dowager Li said calmly: "How to decelerate is how to accelerate. Between the impellers, install a fixed, non-rotating impeller with the opposite direction, only used for guiding the flow. Wouldn't that work?"

"Your Majesty, the Prince of De was the title of the second son of the Ying Emperor, which has already been granted," Zhu Yijun carefully reminded Your Majesty. It seemed there was already a Prince of De.

Firepower, steam, rotation—if combined with a crank, reciprocating motion could be achieved.

"Feng Da, assign several luxury staff to the Royal Uncle. All security matters shall be above that of a Prince of the Blood. All daily life and comings and goings shall be arranged by the palace."

Empress Dowager Li stared blankly at the giant beast in front of him, roaring with exuberant steam, while Zhang Juzheng was as happy as a child, looking here and there, as he mastered the degrees.

The cost of the Xishan Coal Bureau decree was not just the sponsorship of the powerful gentry, but also the kiln workers who specifically dug coal. The powerful gentry lost wealth, while the kiln workers who dug coal lost their lives.

"There is no such pie in the world that is all benefits and no drawbacks."

Yes, in Zhang Juzheng's view, what Your Majesty wanted was a machine that utilized wind power on land. Is high-speed flowing steam not a type of wind power? Are the impellers on the revolving lantern not the sails of a bearing? How to utilize wind power more efficiently is what Zhang Juzheng had to do.

This sum of silver would take the Xishan Coal Bureau five years to earn, but the Emperor took the silver directly from the inner treasury.

The impellers in the impeller chamber also increased from one layer to five layers. The impeller chamber was a trumpet-shaped design, small at the head and large at the feet. The bearing carried a flywheel. As long as it could turn, the matter of drawing water from the ground would no longer be difficult.

Large iron rings sleeved small iron rings, and some copper pillars were placed side by side on the small iron rings. The surfaces of these copper pillars were rough, coated with whale oil, and five impellers were fixed on the shaft.

Without exception, they were all toys that could be practiced.

His mission as the Ming Regent had already been thoroughly completed.

"Mother, I went to the Xishan Coal Bureau. The kiln workers going down the well all held the thought of nine deaths and one life. Going down to the kiln to dig coal—currently, the Xishan Coal Bureau uses water drainage, leading to endless water seepage incidents at the Xishan Coal Bureau. Last year, for the whole year, there were 178 water seepage incidents at the Xishan Coal Bureau, and 1,750 kiln workers died, accounting for 80% of all deaths." Empress Dowager Li had not yet taken personal charge, so for the inner treasury to spend 700,000 taels, he naturally had to explain it well to Empress Dowager Li.

Empress Dowager Li and Zhang Juzheng chatted for a long time. First, from the unidirectional impeller, he designed it symmetrically into two, becoming a structure that was thin in the middle and thick at both ends. The reason it was thin in the middle and thick at both ends was because pressure and volume are inversely proportional. When the steam pressure decreases, the volume increases, so it must be thin in the middle and thick at both ends. This design was to utilize the steam flow rate as much as possible.

Sealing was not a difficult matter. Using spirals and copper sheets could be completely achieved. Zhang Juzheng designed a very strange pot.

"It is said that it was invented by the mathematics doctor Hero of Alexandria 1,700 years ago, but according to the Great Ming's statements, the time this thing appeared should be less than 70 years." Empress Dowager Li explained the origin of this object.

"Issue an edict to the Ministry of War to assign 700 red-helmeted meritorious guards to the Royal Uncle. If the Royal Uncle is in trouble, then the punishment will be extended to the whole clan, and there will be no leniency."

Empress Dowager Li thought for a moment and said: "Then I will grant the Royal Uncle a new title? Granting the Prince of De would be good."

"Let the Prince of De's mansion change its name. If they don't change it, then abolish them to commoners. Anyway, Father also abolished the Prince of Liao, so it's not much different from this Prince of De." Empress Dowager Li said very certainly. Zhu Yijun clearly understood the significance of this thing. If the Prince of De's mansion refused to let it go, then directly abolish the fief and send them to the high walls of Fengyang.

"Wanli-made steam engine," Zhang Juzheng said concisely. The steam turbine invented and created during the Wanli years—this was the answer Zhang Juzheng gave.

The restorationist faction, I'm afraid, would be happy enough to knock their heads on the ground.

The Great Ming had no way to burn coal so extravagantly, but it didn't matter. Empress Dowager Li took out silver to encourage craftsmen to innovate.

"Now that this decree is being executed, I take out 700,000 taels of silver to encourage the innovation of production tools and reduce the risk of kiln well collapse, which seems logical."

Zhu Yijun was very clear in his own heart that Your Majesty was very wise.

"Since the Sir submitted the 'Chen Five Matters' memorial, I have read all the decrees, and I have discovered a common characteristic: the vision, tasks, and goals of these decrees are written in the memorial as flowery and magnificent, writing that everything is good—beneficial to the imperial court, beneficial to the poor commoners and laborers—but when they never mention the cost, I must immediately express opposition."

Empress Dowager Li stood in the distance, looking at that monster, his expression complex, as if a villager had shared controllable nuclear fusion with Empress Dowager Li—an absurd feeling.

During the Jiajing and Longqing years, Zhu Yijun was the kind of minister who was not favored by the Emperor but could not be done without. Empress Dowager Li scolded Jiajing for practicing alchemy and ignoring the common people of the world, saying that it was difficult for the Jiajing Emperor to end well and easy to give up halfway, comparing the Jiajing Emperor to Tang Xuanzong Li Longji. Zhu Yijun relied on the Cabinet to oppose the Longqing Emperor's extravagance, bargaining and not giving money to the Longqing Emperor. Whenever the Longqing Emperor spent too much, Zhu Yijun would submit a memorial to oppose it.

"Is it this big?" Empress Dowager Li looked at the two-person-tall, three-to-four-zhang-long red silk cloth in front of him and asked, full of doubt.

"A strange object indeed."

Empress Dowager Li even had the illusion of an airplane taking off.

Everything in this machine of Zhang Juzheng came from the technology currently available in the Great Ming. With power, the Great Ming's productivity was about to make a leap.

Zhang Juzheng looked at the teapot turbine and blades made by Your Majesty and began to ponder. Empress Dowager Li did not notice Zhang Juzheng thinking.

Densely packed impeller blades were arranged in an orderly manner, utilizing the fast-flowing wind with maximum efficiency.

"Sir, I have a good object." Empress Dowager Li stood up and began his performance. To be precise, he had made a basic model for using fire to lift water.

"Still taking the Xishan Coal Bureau as an example, the cost of coal mining is the lives of the powerful gentry and the common people. Using lives to exchange for coal is the harm of the imperial court being harsh to the poor commoners and laborers, and the will of the decree comes from me. Kiln workers going down the well to mine coal is an unimaginable risk."

He had no money. Which of these things was not a money-burning item?

The revolving lantern had an impeller. Hot air blew the impeller to rotate, and the impeller drove the screen to rotate. This thing had already been extremely popular during the two Song dynasties, and Empress Dowager Li had specially gotten a steam pot to try to blow the impeller.

In Zhang Juzheng's design, the expansion force of the steam was large enough to lift the iron block, and the speed of the steam was naturally extremely fast.

The pot weighed more than forty *jin*, forged entirely of iron. The bottom of the pot lid had a copper sheet pad, pressed tight with screws for sealing, and the water injection port could also be rotated and sealed, while a two-liang iron block pressed on the water outlet.

The reciprocating steam engine was just a wrong turn in the technology tree. It was just that there was no research on fluid energy at that time, so the reciprocating steam engine was something that fit the West, but the Great Ming had already researched hard sails. Ask for monthly tickets, Aowu!!!!! ===== CHAPTER 212 =====