Chapter 413: The Four-Wheeled Carriage

While battles raged beyond the passes, the capital region within the passes remained peaceful and tranquil.

In early spring's second month, returning-green winter wheat brought vigorous life to the slightly barren northern plains. Farmers could be seen everywhere in the fields, weeding, watering, and fertilizing their crops in hopes of a good summer harvest.

Neglect spring plowing, and autumn brings a hungry, sallow face.

Every word of this old proverb handed down from the ancestors carried profound insight into life.

At this moment, the carriage carrying Zhu Youjian was en route to the Ordnance Directorate. Wang Cheng'en stood bent at the waist in a corner of the constantly swaying carriage, occasionally stealing glances at the Emperor, who leaned against the soft couch with his eyes closed in repose.

Ever since receiving word yesterday that the four-wheeled carriage had been successfully trial-manufactured, Zhu Youjian had been eager to see with his own eyes the true form of this epoch-making mode of transport.

Although carriages had been born in China long ago and quickly became the primary means of transportation, due to various reasons and limitations, two-wheeled carriages had always been what traversed this vast land.

Four-wheeled carriages were only introduced to China from the West in the late Qing dynasty, but before the people could use them for long, they were quickly rendered obsolete by the advent of the automobile.

Compared to four-wheeled carriages, two-wheeled carriages had several obvious defects and disadvantages.

First, the load capacity of two-wheeled carriages was very small.

With only two wheels contacting the ground, too heavy a load would increase pressure, deepening ruts in the road. Once a carriage became stuck in deep ruts, dragging it back out would be extremely time-consuming and laborious.

Second, the entire load of the carriage pressed down on the draft animals, increasing their burden and preventing the oxen, horses, and other beasts from pulling at full strength.

Third, the vehicle's movement was extremely unstable.

Since it was impossible to require the draft animals' height to be on the same plane as the wheels, the carriage was always tilted, causing the people and goods inside to be tilted as well.

Moreover, when the oxen, horses, and other draft animals exerted themselves to run, their four legs swung back and forth, and their spines were constantly vibrating up and down, so the carriage was forced to rise and fall as well, making the goods inside unstable.

Fourth, whenever a stop was needed to rest along the way, something had to be placed in front to prop up the shafts so the animals could be unharnessed and rested.

In ordinary times this might just mean carrying wooden frames and other supports on the carriage—these crude, heavy objects would certainly take up considerable space, greatly reducing the capacity for passengers and cargo.

The biggest problem with two-wheeled carriages was the issue of steering.

This age-old difficulty had never been properly solved in China's several thousand years of history.

After thinking about improving the two-wheeled carriage, Zhu Youjian racked his brains over the knowledge he had learned in his later life, and finally, on a sleepless night, recalled an article he had once read.

This short piece mentioned the most critical issue of both four-wheeled and two-wheeled carriages: the steering system.

Although the article did not provide specific physical examples or manufacturing processes, it did mention the approach to solving this difficult problem.

The front two wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle were mounted on one frame, while the rear two wheels were mounted on another frame. The rear frame sat atop the front frame, connected by a vertical axle in the middle.

The so-called four-wheeled vehicle was actually a combination of two two-wheeled vehicles.

This was the famous four-wheeled carriage steering problem.

The Great Ming did not lack skilled craftsmen; what they lacked was a kind of approach and creativity.

As long as someone voiced the ideas and concepts, these ingenious artisans would turn your creativity into actual objects—even surpassing your imagination.

Just as Zhu Youjian was deep in thought, the carriage stopped—they had arrived at the Ordnance Directorate.

Having been notified in advance, Minister of Works Fan Jingwen, the Left and Right Vice Ministers, Bi Maokang who held the title of Minister of Works, Zhang Jimeng—Bi Maokang's disciple who had been promoted to Deputy Director of the Ordnance Directorate—and Bi Maokang's two nephews Bi Dengfu and Bi Denghan, who were devoted to research and development with no interest in the imperial examinations, all stood at the gate of the Ordnance Directorate to welcome Zhu Youjian's arrival.

"Your subjects pay respects to His Majesty!"

Fan Jingwen and the others clasped their hands and bowed in greeting.

Zhang Jimeng and the others performed the kneeling ritual.

Some time ago, Zhu Youjian had issued an edict declaring that except for major occasions such as sacrificial ceremonies and grand audiences, officials of the fourth rank and above need not kneel when meeting the Emperor, and a bow with clasped hands would suffice.

This enlightened measure received unanimous praise from all high-ranking officials.

The Emperor's action clearly carried an air of respect, and what the literati most yearned for was the manner of the Tang and Song dynasties, when ministers and the Emperor "stood" and discussed affairs.

"Ministers, no need for ceremony! Today I have come to see the four-wheeled carriage—I only wonder whether the actual object matches what I envisioned?"

Zhu Youjian, dressed in plain clothes, smiled and waved his hand before speaking.

"Reporting to His Majesty, the actual object was completed several days ago, and after some modifications by several craftsmen, it was declared finished! As to whether it will meet His Majesty's approval, I cannot say, but this object is indeed worlds apart from the previous two-wheeled carriages!"

Fan Jingwen smiled and replied with clasped hands.

Ever since the Emperor sent someone to inform the Ministry of Works of the four-wheeled carriage concept, Fan Jingwen had attached extraordinary importance to it.

As one of the Great Ming's rare technically-minded high officials, Fan Jingwen had a profound understanding of the four-wheeled carriage's importance—with good road conditions, its enormous transport capacity would allow more goods to circulate throughout the Great Ming.

Because Fan Jingwen knew that, at the Emperor's direction, the key to hardening roads had already been produced, and if paired with the four-wheeled carriage, the Great Ming's main roads would become busy thoroughfares.

The cement firing process under Song Yingxing's direction had been completed successfully and had already received Zhu Youjian's approval.

But due to too few kilns, current daily cement output was not very high—two kilns could only produce about several hundred jin of cement per day.

The cement already produced was now being stored in warehouses with moisture-proof treatment. Once a sufficient quantity was reached, per Zhu Youjian's instructions, the road from the Tongzhou canal dock to the capital would first be hardened to speed up north-south cargo transport and reduce transportation costs.

Now several new large kilns were being built near Mentougou. Once these larger kilns were completed and put into operation, cement output would see a tremendous increase in the future.

"Minister Bi, what material is used for the vertical axle between the front and rear frames of the four-wheeled carriage to allow it to turn?"

Zhu Youjian walked into the Ordnance Directorate with his hands clasped behind his back. Fan Jingwen and Bi Maokang followed closely on either side, half a pace behind, with Wang Cheng'en behind the two of them, and the others trailing far behind.

Around the group, on all sides, plainclothes colonels carrying concealed weapons monitored the surroundings, while the silhouettes of crossbowmen could be seen on the distant high walls.

For something as simple as a window paper that could be poked through with a single finger, Zhu Youjian was not worried the craftsmen couldn't build it—what he was most curious about was what material had replaced the bearings inside the vertical axle.

Currently, the Great Ming's lathes could not produce iron or steel ball bearings, so what material had the craftsmen used instead?

"Reporting to His Majesty, the item Your Majesty asks about is indeed of the utmost importance—without it, although the carriage could be built, it could not function. To stimulate the craftsmen's ingenuity and drive, your old servant posted a reward of five hundred taels of fine silver within the Directorate. In the end, a craftsman named Sun Kuan devised a method: turning balls from extremely hard ironwood to serve as bearings for its rotation. When tried, it worked! This solution can be said to have resolved the most troublesome difficulty of the four-wheeled carriage!"