Chapter 560: Industrial Products

"Very good, it is truly impressive." Zhao Xu walked up to a spinning machine.

Unlike the small spinning machines used by farming households, this spinning machine was large and looked like a bed.

Moreover, the structure was no longer the traditional wooden design, but had been changed to a steel structure.

The end of the bed and the middle frame's spindle rods were filled with vertical spindles.

At the front of the spinning machine was a metal wheel, with an iron rod passing through the center of the wheel to drive it in continuous rotation.

One such iron rod ran from south to north, passing through thirty spinning machines.

When the wheel turned, it would drive the vertical spindles to rotate via rope loops.

The rotating spindles would then pull the cotton under the front pressure plate into individual strands of cotton yarn.

"Since the spinning machine has been created, next we shall build the weaving machine as well. In this way, Yanzhou will have its own industrial textiles," Zhao Xu said with a smile.

The structure of the spinning machine was quite simple compared to the Steam Engine.

Da Song itself already had spinning machines, but the spindles of those spinning machines were placed horizontally.

As long as the spindles were placed vertically, it was essentially a primitive spinning jenny.

In fact, the inventor of the spinning jenny had simply knocked over a spinning machine and realized that by placing the spindles vertically, more could be accommodated.

Therefore, as long as the Da Song carpenters observed it for a while, they could replicate it.

Wang Chong had only considered that a wooden spinning machine would fall apart under the powerful output of the Steam Engine, so he had built the easily damaged wooden structure out of steel, which resulted in a slower manufacturing speed.

But even so, a small Spinning Workshop had been born.

The efficiency of each spinning machine here was eighty times that of an ordinary spinning machine.

Most importantly, the metal spinning machines could spin continuously for twenty-four hours.

Its efficiency was not just a simple eighty times that of a manual spinning machine.

According to his estimation,

it was at least one hundred and sixty times.

There were sixty spinning machines in this workshop, which was equivalent to the amount of cotton yarn spun daily by nearly ten thousand people.

And because the rotation speed of the Steam Engine was uniform, the spun cotton yarn was of similar thickness and tightly structured, making it superior cotton yarn.

However, once the cotton yarn was produced, it would ultimately be used for weaving.

The appearance of the Qianji Spinning Machine would cause the cost of cotton yarn to drop.

Once the Weaving Machine was also developed, the price of cloth would be able to come down.

Thus, Yanzhou would be able to produce high-quality and inexpensive cloth in the future, sweeping through the cloth markets of Da Song and its surrounding regions.

"Replying to Your Highness, it is already being developed. Within half a month, the first Steam Weaving Machine will be able to enter production, and in one month, this official will be able to give Your Highness another Weaving Mill," Wang Chong said confidently.

Zhao Xu nodded.

If the Steam Engine was a revolution in power, the Qianji Spinning Machine was a revolution in the textile industry.

With these two things combined, Yanzhou had officially given birth to an intensive industrial workshop.

In the future, the Spinning Mill and Weaving Mill would be able to provide formal employment for the women of Yanzhou.

The traditional self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy would gradually disintegrate in the tide of industry.

And the cheap, high-quality cloth they produced would sweep through the entire Da Song and even the markets of surrounding countries, bringing substantial profits to Yanzhou.

Simply put, Fine Wine, Perfume, Soap, and the like were not actually industrial products.

As goods sold by Yan Wang, cotton yarn and cloth were the first batch of industrial products.

"That is excellent." Zhao Xu took a turn around the Spinning Mill and came to the door of the workshop with Wang Chong.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Are the other machines I requested also in progress?"

The design blueprints he gave Wang Chong this time were not meant for Wang Chong to work on alone.

At the time, he had instructed Wang Chong to divide the students under his command into small teams.

Each team was responsible for the research and construction of different machines.

Only in this way could the various machines that complemented the Steam Engine spring up like bamboo shoots after a rain, allowing every trade in Yanzhou to possess its own steam-powered machinery as soon as possible.

"Replying to Your Highness, everything is proceeding as usual," Wang Chong said with emotion. "As the machines become more complex, this official can no longer independently develop a machine alone. Just as Your Highness said, we must divide the labor and cooperate."

Although he was unwilling to admit defeat, he had to bow his head when he saw the complex machines on the blueprints.

Scratching his head, he continued, "One team has built the Steam Wood Saw, and this official was just about to tell Your Highness, asking whether it should be sent to the Shipbuilding Department."

"Of course it must be sent." Zhao Xu raised his eyebrows upon hearing this, feeling a surge of joy in his heart.

The Steam Wood Saw Wang Chong spoke of was not used for felling trees, but for cutting timber.

It was a wheel with saw teeth; the Steam Engine drove the wheel to rotate, which could then cut and shave timber.

Its efficiency was far greater than that of a carpenter pulling a hand saw to cut wood.

Seeing that Zhao Xu was very happy, Wang Chong continued, "There is also the Pulp Grinding Machine Your Highness wanted. With this thing, it will be much easier for the Paper Mill to beat paper pulp, and in the future, the paper in our Yanzhou will be cheaper."

Zhao Xu was increasingly satisfied. Just like in contemporary history, after the appearance of the Steam Engine, various types of machines appeared rapidly.

Now Yanzhou was developing steam machinery at an even faster speed.

After speaking excitedly for a while, Zhao Xu instructed Wang Chong to step up development before returning to the Prince's Mansion.

Although the main contradictions he currently faced were the Northern Di and the internal affairs of Da Song.

The appearance of the Northern Di Missionary Ivan made him take note of the Ross people.

The cooperation between the Han Family and Wufeng Island had also attracted the Eastern Japanese.

Clearly, the external threats facing Da Song were not as simple as just the Northern Di.

In the future, he might even come into contact with more Western nations.

To fight against these enemies, the productivity of Yanzhou had to keep up.

Only then could he provide the soldiers with sufficient ammunition, Weapon, and supplies.

……

Yanguan.

While Zhao Xu was happy about the good start of the textile industry.

Chang Wei had already entered the territory of Liaojun.

Another day passed, and he arrived at Leting County, where he met Zhou Yi, who was waiting for orders at the Pier.

"General Chang, the fleet and the Merchant Ship are all prepared and ready to depart at any time," Zhou Yi said with some excitement.

Ningjin Dusi, the place of his birth; now, it was finally going to return to the embrace of Great Song.

Chang Wei nodded and said, "Now is not yet the time. The Northern Di are fiercely attacking Yanguan. We must wait until they have suffered heavy casualties and are exhausted before launching an attack on Ning City."

Ning City is only sixty li away from the seaside.

By landing at the seaside, they would only need half a day to reach the foot of Ning City.

Most importantly, the Northern Di army in Ning City has poured out in full force; they never imagined that the plague was a hoax, and they have not the slightest defense.

Everyone nodded, although they were somewhat impatient.

But before the best opportunity arrives, they must hold back.

Chang Wei laughed heartily; in this Ningjin Battle, the entire Prince's Personal Army was full of fighting spirit.

Compared to taking the initiative to attack and raiding the Black Iron Royal Tent.

This order from Yan Wang to reclaim Ningjin Dusi was truly magnificent and grand.

Thinking of this, he felt the burden on his shoulders grow even heavier; there must be no mistakes in this battle.