Deng Kui is Deng Zilong's personal soldier. He often plays the role of a scout, that is, a scout. As a scout, in addition to having a clear understanding of the enemy's troop deployment and reporting back to the general, he also needs to
A very important task is to draw a map of the war zone for the generals to use for arranging their troops.
The map surveying technology at that time was very backward. Many maps could not even guarantee the minimum proportional relationship, let alone use methods such as contour lines to express the relief of the terrain. Deng Zilong’s mentor was Luo Hongsheng, the number one scholar in the Jiajing period.
His most famous contribution in history is the compilation of the famous traditional map "Guangyu Tu".
When Luo Hongsheng compiled the "Guangyu Map", he referred to Zhu Siben's "planning and drawing squares" method of the Yuan Dynasty, which used standardized squares to represent distances on the map, which was a relatively primitive concept of scale.
Deng Zilong was taught by Luo Hongsheng and promoted this method of drawing maps in his army. Therefore, the maps used by his army were much more accurate than those of other armies. At the same time, the scouts in the army also paid more attention to them than the scouts of other armies.
The role of maps.
However, the method of "planning and drawing squares" only solved the problem of marking horizontal distances. The vertical drop could not be shown on the maps of that year. After Deng Kui himself came back from reconnaissance, he could only mark the horizontal distances on the map.
Draw some triangular symbols to represent the mountains, and then simply mark the height. He himself also knew that such a marking method was better than nothing. In many cases, the general could only determine the situation on the battlefield based on impressions or guesses.
Now, Su Hao used such a simple method to express the three-dimensional terrain on the flat map. When Deng Kui saw this map, he had a vague feeling.
After Hao explained it, he completely understood this mapping method and quickly formed a three-dimensional picture in his mind.
"Master Su, you have such a superb drawing method, why didn't you explain it to my husband earlier?" Deng Kui asked Su Hao.
Su Hao scratched his head and said, "Where do you start talking about this? Your husband didn't ask me this, right?"
"This is really a mistake. If my husband knew that Mr. Su had this map-making method, I am afraid that Mr. Su would be kidnapped to Yunnan." Deng Kui said, beating his chest and stamping his feet.
"Uh... isn't this a bit too barbaric?" Su Hao said.
Hao Tong is a cautious person, not as straightforward as Deng Kui. Hearing what Deng Kui said was outrageous, he quickly explained: "Master Su, Deng Kui is a rough person and not good at words. Master Su, don't argue with him. Su.
Master, I don’t know. Our army is fighting on the border of Yunnan. The terrain of Yunnan is quite complicated, with high mountains and deep waters, and the ground is no more than three miles flat. When marching, we cannot predict the terrain and landforms along the way, so it is very difficult to command. If Master can teach me this
With the cartography method, our army's scouts can mark the mountains and rivers along the way in detail in advance, and our army will be more powerful in combat."
When Hao Tong said this, Su Hao finally understood. Su Hao was well aware of the complexity of the terrain in the southwest. When marching and fighting in this area, it is not enough to rely on a two-dimensional map. If you can't learn from the map,
If you see the ups and downs of the terrain in advance, then all combat plans will be on paper and may not be realized at all in reality.
"Actually, even if you tie me up, it won't be of any use, right?" Su Hao said to Deng Kui with a smile, "I'm covered in iron, how many nails can I drive? Yunnan is so big, how can you expect me to hit it all in one go?
Have the provincial maps been mapped out?”
Deng Kui said: "If you invite Master Su, naturally you are not asking Master Su to survey the map in person, but to ask Master Su to explain this technique to our army's scouts. Although I, Old Deng, can understand Master Su's map, if you want to
If you ask me to draw it myself, I'm afraid I won't be able to draw it. Especially how high this mountain is. I, Old Deng, can only use my eyes to estimate it. If it's outside here, I'm afraid it's only a few dozen feet."
Su Hao said: "You also know that surveying and mapping is not easy? If you want to learn surveying and mapping, you need to learn a lot of preparatory knowledge. I'm afraid your military scouts will not be able to learn it. However, I have an idea. We can open one in the mainland.
Surveying and mapping school, train a group of surveying and mapping talents, and then send them to the border to draw maps. However, this matter is not something that I, a small county government master, can consider. Didn’t your Mr. Tu spend time in the Ministry of War? Let him
Please submit a statement to the Ministry of War to facilitate this matter."
"This is a good idea." Hao Tong clapped his hands and said, "But my Mr. Tu has returned to Yunnan. To contact him, it takes a few months to exchange letters. It is really too slow."
"This matter can't be rushed." Su Hao said, "If we really want to open a surveying and mapping school, it will take at least half a year to train the talents. I think you two should help me think of a way to find a way.
A particularly thin pen can be used to draw this kind of map. If you want to draw a 1:100,000 military map, the lines on it will be so dense that you can hardly see them clearly. Think about it, what kind of pen can you use to draw it?"
"This..." Deng Kui and Hao Tong were both embarrassed, and the excitement just now gradually subsided. They also realized that it would be difficult to promote this kind of contour map without solving the problem of drawing tools.
"Mr. Su, I have a way for you, but I don't know if it's feasible or not." Han Qian, who had been thinking hard, suddenly brightened her eyes and said to Su Hao.
"Miss Han, please speak." Su Hao said.
Han Qian hesitated for a moment, then suddenly blushed and said: "These are just some of the little girl's whims. I don't know if it can be done, so I'd better not say it out for now, so as not to insult Mr. Su's respect. The little girl dared to think
Please Mr. Su, please lend these pictures to the young lady. When I go back, I will give them a try first. If they are indeed feasible, the young lady will report them to Mr. Su. What do you think?"
"Uh..." Su Hao was speechless. This little girl's family was really troublesome. He said that he had a solution, but he refused to say it in advance for fear of being laughed at. He kept these pictures at hand, but they were of no use for the time being.
Since Han Qian wants to borrow it, let her take it first. Maybe she can really come up with some good ideas.
When Han Qian saw Su Hao nodding in agreement, she couldn't help but beam with joy. She quickly called her maid Honglian and asked her to carefully wrap these pictures of Su Hao and not to deface them.
In fact, Han Qian already had a good idea on how to make a detailed map, and it was okay to tell her. But seeing how quickly Cheng Yi mastered bookkeeping methods, she expected that Su Hao would definitely let Cheng Yi do this in the future.
She was doing a lot of work, but she seemed to be useless. Now that she could find a way to help Su Hao draw pictures, of course she had to hold on to it until the finished product was produced, and then give Su Hao a surprise.
Han Qian and Cheng Yi each gained something. Seeing that Yao was about to die, they left together. Su Hao and Lu Xiuer sent them out. Su Hao said to Cheng Yi: "Ms.
I would also like to trouble you to learn more about your bookkeeping method when you go back. My business will be opened soon, and there will be a large number of accounts to be recorded. I would also like to invite Madam Cheng from the Cheng family to serve as the general ledger. What do you think?
?”
"Master Su has given instructions, how dare the little girl disobey? It's just that Cheng Yiyao is stupid and I'm afraid she won't be able to take on the post of general accountant. Simply keeping some accounts is fine," Cheng Yi said.
"Well, let's do some simple accounting first. We'll talk about the position later." Su Hao said generously, not wanting to engage in polite conversation with Cheng Yi.
After talking about Cheng Yi, Su Hao turned to Han Qian and said, "Miss Han, the drawing issue is also very important. If Miss Han can really solve this problem, she will definitely be famous in history."
"How dare a little girl have such extravagant hopes?" Han Qian lowered her head and replied, but she felt happy in her heart. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she felt happy thinking about being able to help Su Hao in thousands of ways.
After seeing off the two girls, Su Hao returned to the main room and saw Deng Kui and Hao Tong still standing there, discussing the drawing of the map lively. Su Hao asked with a smile: "You two, are you ready now?"
Do you think the flintlock issue can be put aside? The map is the most important thing?"
Hao Tong quickly replied: "Why did Master Su say this? The map must be a big deal, and the flintlock gun is also a big deal. Just now our brothers were chatting here and said that Master Su is very talented and there must be many more that can be used in our army.
His skills are unheard of among our brothers, right?"
"No more, no more." Su Hao waved his hand quickly. The last time he accidentally mentioned a flintlock gun, it caused two door gods Yaoyao to squat at home to push forward the progress. Jin Yao accidentally revealed a method of contour map.
Jing asked Deng Kui to say harsh words about kidnapping him into the army. If he said something more to them, they might really take action.
"Master Su, don't worry. Our army has always respected talented people. If Master Su really has something that can be of benefit to our army, my Mr. Tu has already given instructions and we will not hesitate to pay a lot of money to get it."
Hao Tong said.
"No expense spared..." Su Hao rolled his eyes. He was short of money now. The coal mine was about to open. It would cost a lot of money to dig a well in the early stage. He only earned a few hundred taels of silver from promoting firewood-saving stoves in the workshop.
, there is still a big gap. If the 500 taels of silver promised by Tu Wenhuan can be borrowed from Hao Tong and Deng Kui first, his urgent need can be solved.
"You two, I offered you the art of flintlock and promised you that I would teach you the art of map surveying. Can you first pay the 500 taels of silver you promised to the students?" Su Hao asked with a playful smile.
Deng Kui shook his head and said: "Master Su, so far, the production of the flintlock gun you mentioned has not started, and the map has only been shown to us, but it is of no use to us. Can you come up with something useful for us to use?
Our brothers also have reasons to give you money."
You're cruel! Su Hao thought to himself. He was thinking quickly about what kind of skills he could use to bluff these two soldiers. After thinking about it for a long time, there seemed to be nothing military-related. He was about to give up.
At that moment, his eyes suddenly lit up and he couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"Since you two have been scouts, have you ever seen a telescope?"