Chapter 547: Steam Engine Workshop

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While Dou Wei and Zhao Mu were conspiring, Liang Kai was instructing his eldest son, Liang Feng, to return to Lincheng, Zhezhou.

"This time, even if Yan Wang doesn't die, he will be skinned alive. The Imperial Clan is nothing to fear. Since that is the case, my Liang Family no longer needs to obey the Imperial Court's edicts," Liang Kai said to Liang Feng.

Seeing his father happy, Liang Feng's mood lifted as well. He said, "Our Liang Family is currently wealthy enough to rival a nation, with countless elite soldiers and capable generals under our command. The Imperial Court is now nothing but an empty shell and is no longer qualified to boss our Liang Family around. If we take Yizhou this time and control the southern sea routes, our Liang Family will be like a tiger that has grown wings."

"That is indeed the case. After biding our time for so many years, my Liang Family finally no longer needs to hide its edge," Liang Kai laughed softly.

This time, the Wufeng Island Pirates were wiped out by the Black Shark Sea Bandits.

Yizhou, which had always been protected by the Black Shark Sea Bandits, was like a naked maiden lying before his Liang Family.

If we don't take it now, when will we?

Although he was aware that behind the Wufeng Island was Dongying.

But having always had trade relations with Dongying, he knew very well that Dongying was nothing but a tiny speck of land.

And his Liang Family controlled nearly half of the Jiangnan region of Da Song.

Furthermore, his Liang Family now possessed the technique for casting Artillery.

Why should he fear Dongying?

Thinking of this, he said to Liang Feng, "After you return, you must plan carefully. You must take Yizhou with the speed of a thunderbolt, remember that."

"Yes, Father." Liang Feng nodded heavily.

Yanzhou.

Zhao Xu was completely unaware of the Bolan caused by the news of the plague.

Of course, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the reactions from all sides.

Regarding the mess that was Da Song, he had already given up hope.

How much worse could it possibly get?

At this moment,

He was standing with Wang Chong in front of a newly built Workshop.

On the lintel of the Workshop hung a plaque, with the four large characters for Steam Engine Workshop written on it.

After providing the Armory with the Steam Engine for cutting Rifling.

Zhao Xu, along with Wang Chong, led the students to build six more Steam Engines.

These six Steam Engines were installed in the Steam Engine Workshop.

Among them, three Steam Engines, each using a Crankshaft to connect to three Boring Machines, totaled nine Boring Machines specifically responsible for cutting the Cylinder.

The Flywheels turned by the remaining two Steam Engines were connected to a Cowhide Belt to replace the Rubber belt.

The Cowhide Belt was then connected to a Metal Rod, which passed through three wheels, allowing three spaced-out Cowhide Belts to be on those three wheels.

The ends of the Cowhide Belts were each connected to a wheel, with the three wheels staggered from one another.

The rotation of the Metal Rod fixed to one wheel drove a small Forging Hammer to strike up and down continuously, forging metal components.

The second wheel was a Drilling Machine, used to drill holes in metal components.

The third wheel drove a Grinding Machine, used for polishing metal parts; it was essentially a rotating Grinding Wheel.

He and Wang Chong had simply modified the Grinding Machine used by jade craftsmen to polish jade, and put it to use.

With three Lathes linked together, they could produce some simple components, enough to support the mass production of Steam Engines.

There was still one Steam Engine left idle.

Of course, this was not redundant, but waiting for other types of machines to arrive.

After all, in the contemporary eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the types of machines were basically fully developed.

Drilling Machines, Grinding Machines, Boring Machines, Gear Processing Machines, Screw Processing Machines, Milling Machines, and Planing Machines all existed.

Currently, the types of machines in Yanzhou were still few and needed to be further enriched.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to build more complex parts.

"Your Highness, building Steam Engines will be much faster now." Wang Chong looked satisfied.

Although more complex machines had not yet been built.

But the current Forging Machine, Drilling Machine, Boring Machine, and Grinding Machine were basically enough to handle the production of Steam Engine parts.

After all, Steam Engine parts were of the rough-and-ready type and did not require delicate components.

Most importantly, it was enough to ensure that the Cylinder did not leak.

Zhao Xu nodded and walked into the Steam Engine Workshop with Wang Chong.

The roar of the machines immediately drowned out their voices.

Craftsmen stood by the machines, manufacturing parts for the Steam Engines.

There were also craftsmen watching over the Steam Engines that were currently in operation.

Once a Steam Engine malfunctioned, they had to fix it immediately.

After the Steam Engines were put into use, Zhao Xu had Wang Chong train the first batch of craftsmen who mastered the methods of using Steam Engines and machines.

Now, each of these craftsmen was leading over ten other craftsmen.

They were newcomers, and through the old teaching the new, they would master the usage of various machines just like the first batch of craftsmen.

"You can hand over the affairs of the Steam Engine Workshop to a student to manage. Next, you will focus on researching and building machines and other equipment," Zhao Xu shouted to Wang Chong, almost pressing against his ear.

The Steam Engine Workshop was simply too noisy.

Wang Chong nodded, a look of relief appearing on his face.

The Steam Engine Workshop was a task Yan Wang had entrusted to him.

Now that the task was complete, he could finally free up his hands.

Thinking of the various types of machinery on the blueprints Yan Wang had given him, he was suddenly filled with motivation.

After taking a tour of the Steam Engine Workshop, Zhao Xu and Wang Chong came out.

Taking the illustrated manual he had drawn from Wang Chong's hands and flipping to one of the pages, he said to Wang Chong, "The next priority is this Spinning Machine, called the Jenny Spinning Machine. This Prince intends to establish a Textile Factory; in this way, the commoners of Yanzhou will no longer lack clothes to wear."

In the early days of the birth of the Steam Engine, the most flourishing industry was the textile industry.

Clothing, food, housing, and transportation—these are the most basic things for humanity, and also the most profitable businesses in this era.

"Jenny Spinning Machine?" Wang Chong examined it and nodded slightly.

After discussing this matter, Zhao Xu let Wang Chong go about his work, while he himself went to the Armament Bureau.

Zhao Xu had chosen the location for the Steam Engine Workshop in Chengde Workshop.

After all, the Steam Engine would mainly be for civilian use in the future.

"Can the first batch of Rifled Muskets be delivered?"

Upon arriving at the Armament Bureau, the first thing Zhao Xu asked was this.

At present, rumors of a plague had covered almost every corner.

Mule Hongzhen must be gloating right now.

And with this, the trap he had set for the Northern Di was already half successful.

The remaining half was the Rifled Musket.

If he did not have this, he would absolutely not dare to casually speak of retaking the Ningjin Dusi.

After all, the Northern Di currently had heavy troops stationed in the Ningjin Dusi.

Relying on the Prince's Personal Army armed with Flintlocks, a battle might be possible, but after fighting, he would also suffer heavy casualties.

But as long as they were equipped with Rifled Muskets, and combined with the trap he had set for the Northern Di, he could at least minimize the sacrifices.

"Reporting to Your Highness, eighteen thousand Rifled Muskets are already prepared and can be transported away at any time." Wang Ying led Zhao Xu to the Armament Bureau's warehouse.

In the warehouse, many long wooden crates were arranged, inside of which were the Rifled Muskets.

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction; it would be too late to hand the Rifled Muskets to the soldiers of the Prince's Personal Army only when the fighting started.

They also needed time to familiarize themselves with the new firearms.

Therefore, these eighteen thousand Rifled Muskets would be distributed to different places like the Ningjin Army, the Lengbao, and Yanguan, to let the soldiers adapt in advance.