Liu Jin looked at the clock on the table, which was as big as a washbasin. While listening to Zhu Houzhao's explanation, he also looked at it carefully.
"Our traditional method of dividing time is twelve hours in a day, eight quarters in an hour, and fifteen minutes in total. Before there were clocks, we only had an approximate time to tell. But with this clock, we can
Then you can accurately know a certain hour, a certain minute, and a certain second."
"This is still very helpful for the research field. With accurate clocks, we can accurately know the time. Knowing the time, we can accurately calculate speed, distance, etc."
Zhu Houzhao is still very confident in his work, and he also clearly understands the importance of accurately calculating time.
When doing scientific research, the most important things at the beginning are actually basic things, such as accurately calculating time, length, weight, etc. Only when you can accurately determine and calculate these basic things, when doing scientific research,
Only then can we make comparisons and summarize the rules.
If you cannot accurately calculate these things every time you conduct an experiment, no matter how many experiments you do, it will be meaningless. Naturally, it will be difficult for this research to achieve breakthrough development.
This is also the reason why Liu Jin strictly unifies various weights and measures in the industries and schools he runs. Length, quality, etc. are all unified. Now that there are clocks, time can also be unified.
Unifying these basic units and enabling accurate calculations is very helpful for the development of science and technology. It also plays an irreplaceable role in large-scale capital production.
"Your Highness, actually I think it's better to use Arabic numerals to replace these twelve hours. We can call them 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, etc."
"This makes it easier to remember and more clear at a glance."
"This clock is also marked with numbers, and it also has twelve hours on it. In this way, you can tell what time it is at a glance."
After listening to Zhu Houzhao's introduction, Liu Jin thought about it and gave some suggestions.
To be honest, I am used to the timekeeping methods of later generations, and I always feel that when I look at twelve o'clock, it is not brief enough. If it tells you ten o'clock, you will know that it is relatively late, but if it tells you the time, you may have to use your fingers to calculate.
one time.
In this regard, the system of Westerners is relatively easier to learn and remember. It can be understood at a glance. If you don’t remember the traditional twelve hours by heart, you are
I have to recite it every time.
"That's a good suggestion."
After hearing this, Zhu Houzhao also nodded slightly: "I also think that the twelve o'clock is a bit difficult to remember, especially for ordinary people. The two, three, four, five, six and seven are much easier to remember."
"I will have someone engrave numbers on it later, and then give it to my father."
"Your Highness, can this clock be made smaller?"
Liu Jin looked at the clock and found that it was too big, with a large basin. Compared with later clocks, the size was also too big.
If we can make watches for future generations, it can drive the development of an industry.
Liu Jin felt angry when he thought about the watch industry in later generations.
All the luxury watches in later generations are from Europe. A watch can be sold for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions, which is faster than robbing money.
As for the domestic watch manufacturing industry, all are in the low-end market. Some of them are obviously no worse than Europeans, but people just don't pay the price and would rather spend a lot of money to buy European products.
Watches have become luxury goods by Europeans. They are no longer used to tell time, but are used to show off and pick up girls.
Therefore, if Ming Dynasty takes the lead in developing the watch industry, if it develops, it will not only solve a large number of employment problems, but also promote clocks to the whole world, allowing the world to buy Ming Dynasty luxury goods.
"Of course it can be made small. I have only made the first clock without any finessing. If it is finely crafted, this clock can be made even smaller."
Zhu Houzhao thought for a while and nodded.
"That's good~"
"Your Highness, if this clock can be made the size of a silver dollar, then we will attach it to a chain and put it in your pocket, or wear it on your hand."
"If you think about it, wouldn't it be possible to escape and check the time at any time and accurately know the time?"
"If I give such a gift to His Majesty, he will definitely like it very much, not this big lump the size of a basin."
Liu Jin said to Zhu Houzhao while making gestures.
"Yeah, why didn't I think of that?"
"If it could be made so small and carried around, it would be a big deal to know the time anytime and anywhere."
Zhu Houzhao took a quick shot and said with a sudden enlightenment.
"Your Highness, in fact, it's not just a small thing, we can also make it a big thing."
"We can build some bell towers and clock towers on some tall buildings in the capital just like Europeans. When a certain time comes, we can ring the bell on time. In this way, everyone can know the time."
Liu Jin rolled his eyes, thought for a moment and then suggested.
Clocks first appeared in places such as bell towers and churches. They are the most common in European cities, so the concept of time is gradually developed in this way.
The cities of the Ming Dynasty are developing rapidly. With capitalization, factories and workshops are springing up like bamboo shoots after a rain. If you want to know the time accurately, it is necessary to build some clock towers and clock towers in the city to broadcast the time.
.
"Okay, okay~"
"Old Liu, you are still cunning. We built the clock tower to make it easier for everyone to know the time. When the time comes, we will sell small clocks. In this way, people who buy small clocks will have face, and we can take the opportunity to make money.
Big fortune."
Zhu Houzhao rolled his eyes, thought for a moment and said with the face of a profiteer.
"..."
Liu Jin was speechless. He could swear that he never meant this.
Since I am not short of money, it is naturally impossible to think about making money in everything. But after thinking about it, I feel that what Zhu Houzhao said seems to make sense.
When ordinary people know the time by looking at the clock tower, you take out a pocket watch from your pocket or look at the watch on your wrist. This equipment seems to be adequate.
When the time comes, watches, pocket watches, etc. will definitely be able to sell like crazy and make a lot of money.
"Your Highness, let's set up a watch store together?"
"It's necessary. It's still the old rule, half for one person."
"Hmph~ This time, the clock I developed will definitely sell well."
Zhu Houzhao said with great confidence.
…
Both Liu Jin and Zhu Houzhao acted very quickly. A few days later, construction teams began to station in some core and important areas of Beijing and Tianjin to build bell towers and clock towers in these places.
The Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the capital, the Imperial Plaza in the New Town of the Southern District, the train station, new high-end schools, some industries under Liu Jin's command, the headquarters building of the First Bank of Ming Dynasty, Wangyue Tower, Wanghai Tower in Tianjin, Tianjin Port, etc.
Construction teams have begun stationed at well-known locations in the Beijing-Tianjin area to build bell towers and clock towers in these places.
The bell tower and clock tower are all enlarged and constructed based on the clock designed by Zhu Houzhao.
For things like clocks, the smaller they are, the higher their technical content is. The larger they are, the easier they are to make. As long as they know the principles of design, Ming craftsmen can easily make them.
These places under construction are extremely important places in the Beijing-Tianjin area. In order to attract people, Liu Jin also asked people to keep it secret and cover it with outer cloth. They planned to wait until it was completed to reveal it so that everyone could see the magic of the clock.
and powerful.
Therefore, this immediately attracted the attention of young and old men in the Beijing and Tianjin areas. They all speculated on what kind of medicine was sold here and wanted to find out who was tinkering with what.
On the other hand, Zhu Houzhao also quickly established a research team and began to make small clocks, preparing to give them to Emperor Hongzhi as a gift.
It seems that the Chinese New Year is coming soon, the 18th year of Hongzhi is about to pass, and the entire Beijing-Tianjin area has begun to enter the year-end excitement.
Liu Jin and Zhu Houzhao are also determined to get all this done before the end of the year. Then they can sell clocks and make a lot of money to celebrate the New Year.
There is no way, Liu Jin has a big business now, and there are really too many places to spend money.
The new schools that blossomed all over the Ming Dynasty were like a heavy burden on Liu Jin's shoulders. Millions of taels of silver were invested in them every year. If there was not enough income every year, it would be difficult for Liu Jin to support them.
So you have to earn money, earn enough money, otherwise you won't be able to continue playing. As for this clock, the first wave of leeks must be cut. Later, you can slowly complete the clock.
Luxury goods, continue to harvest leeks, in short, money must be earned.
