The craftsmen's eyes immediately lit up, they nodded like garlic, and agreed: "Don't worry, sir... these short knives can be made in less than ten days and a half."
"prick."
Shen Lie smiled and corrected: "Three-edged thorn."
The craftsmen seemed to understand but hurriedly apologized: "Oh... what you are talking about is the legendary Emei water thorn in the rivers and lakes... I understand, I understand."
Shen Lie smiled slightly.
No more words.
Whatever you say is what it is.
Ever since.
In the midst of smoke and fire.
The craftsmen began to work overtime again to build the carriage chassis and the triangular thorns. As the chassis made of old elm wood gradually took shape.
Shen Lie couldn't help but have his eyes opened.
For a carriage, the chassis is naturally the most important thing. The carriage chassis of this era only has one word that stands out.
hard!
The old elm wood used to make the chassis is famously hard. It can be used not only to make carriages, but also to make eyebrow sticks and long weapon handles.
After all, a horse-drawn carriage has to run on the road, and if the chassis is not rigid, it will break at any time, and as a result, the comfort will be greatly reduced.
But for pragmatic Chinese craftsmen, this problem is very easy to solve. The solution the ancients came up with was to add a few more cushions under the buttocks.
This method...
Shen Lie hesitated to speak.
As expected of the Ming Dynasty, pragmatism has been brought to the extreme in this land for thousands of years. This is indeed the simplest and most economical way.
But Shen Lie was a little reluctant. He spent so much effort to build a large four-wheeled carriage that was uncomfortable and had no technical progress.
I always feel like something is missing.
So Shen Lie started to make insinuations: "Isn't there any way to avoid shock?"
This question.
The craftsmen immediately said: "Yes, sir, please take a look!"
When speaking.
The craftsmen took a part, which was rectangular and made entirely of bronze. The overall shape resembled a rabbit lying on the ground.
Look at this strange part.
Shen Lie was at a loss for a long time before he asked softly: "What is this?"
Immediately, an old craftsman with gray hair appeared and said respectfully: "Your Excellency, this is called Futu and this is Dangtu. They are old items that have been passed down from the Qin and Han Dynasties."
Listen to the old craftsman talk.
Shen Lie suddenly remembered the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xi'an that he had visited. It seemed that he had seen the unearthed carriage parts.
Love this rabbit, this rabbit is the shock absorber of the carriage!
It turned out that the carriage shock absorber was not invented by Westerners, but was first invented by Chinese craftsmen in the pre-Qin era. This shock stunned Shen Lie.
This carriage shock absorber that looks like a blueprint is several years ahead of the Westerners. It must be fifteen or six hundred years old!
"It's really fake!"
Shen Lie was a little suspicious.
The old craftsman took out a crumpled "Examination of Work".
Manuscript.
Then he vowed: "Sir, please read, this book says "Add Zhen and Pu", this is Zhen, this is Pu. Pu is also a futu."
Looking at the "Work Examination Notes" written in black and white on the paper.
Shen Lie couldn't help but open his eyes wide. As a modern person, he had never heard of the existence of such a book in the world.
So what era is this book based on handicrafts?
have no idea.
Anyway.
This book was recorded in the "Li" of Zhou, and was handed down along with the "Li of Zhou", which is one of the Thirteen Classics of Confucianism.
"Why?"
Shen Lie was stunned for a long time and his eyes were still dull. He felt as if he had been struck by thunder again. Is there any record of handicraft technology in the Confucian classics?
Never heard of it!
After a moment of silence, the old craftsman looked at the book, then looked at the carriage chassis, and Shen Lie sighed quietly.
That is to say.
This technology for making carriage chassis has not changed since it was invented before the Qin Dynasty, and it is still the same more than 1,500 years later.
Fifteen hundred years of standing still.
Who did it?
Shen Lie's eyes narrowed and his gaze became serious. This story is too long. It's too long. I'm afraid I have to start with the rise of Confucianism and its becoming an official knowledge.
All the smart people in the world study the words of saints and are busy working as officials. Who has the spare time to make scientific and technological inventions?
"Hehehe."
After Shen Lie sneered three times and calmed down, he began to think hard again. He felt that there was still something wrong with the carriage.
Although he doesn't know how to build cars, he has seen modern cars.
Ever since.
He pondered for a moment.
Shen Lie then called the craftsmen over, and while he was meditating, he made gestures based on the appearance of modern car suspension shock absorbers.
"Can... like this?"
Shen Lie gestured and asked, "Can you add a thick iron plate to the chassis?"
Presumably in this way, the shockproof effect will be very good.
But the old craftsman said honestly: "It will break."
Shen Lie nodded.
The smelting technology of this era cannot yet produce special steel, considering the toughness of the refined iron materials of this era.
It will indeed break.
At this time, an idea flashed in Shen Lie's mind, and another bold idea came to his mind, and he asked tentatively: "Can you knock a few pieces of hundred-forged fine iron into thin plates and tie them together?"
It seems that the shock absorbers of modern cars are like this.
An iron plate can break, but wouldn't several iron plates tied together make them stronger?
Finished speaking.
It was the craftsmen's turn to be confused. Several old blacksmiths with exquisite memories looked at Mr. Senhu who had a sudden idea and fell into deep thought because of this strange idea.
"this……"
Craftsmen, you look at me and I look at you, but you are not sure whether this method is feasible.
"grown ups!"
at this time.
A blond and blue-eyed Western craftsman in the back row suddenly walked over and nodded and bowed to Shen Lie in half-baked Chinese.
"Sir...I can do it..."
Look at this Western craftsman who keeps smiling.
Shen Lie's eyes lit up and he comforted him with words: "Tell me how to do it."
So the Western craftsman gestured confidently and muttered at the same time.
It is said that in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, some people actually stacked several iron plates, tied them tightly, and then used shackles to connect them to the carriage to make a carriage chassis.
This is called a folding lug.
but.
No one in Europe is interested in this strange technology. The reason is simple because the cost of doing so is too high.
It is not competitive with traditional horse-drawn carriages.
The Age of Discovery had just begun in this year, the Europeans had not yet grabbed a large number of colonies, and the great powers had no food left in their homes.
In order to transport goods or food, ordinary people can do whatever they can to save some money. Who cares about the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage?
"Why?"
Shen Lie heard this.
Eyes rolled.
I immediately thought about it.
After looking at the suspicious Ming craftsman and then at the Dutch craftsman hired with a large sum of money, Shen Lie slapped his leg hard and screamed.
"What are you still doing? Let's try it!"
Ok.
Won’t you know if you give it a try?
Ever since.
The craftsmen dispersed under the urging of Master Qianhu, and each went to the small earthen kiln not far away. As the thick smoke billowed, the valley was filled with flames.