Chapter two hundred and ninety seventh practice another set of men and horses
Li Zhi's craftsmen found firewood, filled the steam engine with water, and started the steam engine.
The steam engine made a "whining" sound, which became louder and louder, and began to run. After a while, the power of the steam was transmitted to the paddle wheel through the gear, driving the paddle wheel to rotate.
The so-called paddle wheel is a propulsion device that rotates like a Ferris wheel and is installed on both sides of the ship. The steam engine drives the paddle wheel to rotate. When the paddle wheel rotates, the outer edge pushes against the water surface to drive the ship forward. Early steam ships used
All are paddle wheels.
Seeing the paddle wheel spinning, the craftsmen at the shipbuilding site stopped what they were doing and stared blankly at the rotating paddle wheel.
Without relying on the wind or the power of living creatures, the paddle wheel actually started to turn on its own!
The machine can also exert force outwards? What a great experience!
The craftsmen gathered around and stared at the rotating paddle wheel, as if they wanted to see clearly what was going on.
"What turns this wheel?"
"This is called a steam engine!"
“Steamed chicken?”
"Steam engine!"
Boss Wang also looked at the paddle wheel with his mouth open and didn't say anything for a long time. Although he made the paddle wheel according to Li Zhi's request, seeing the paddle wheel being driven by a machine with his own eyes still left him a little stunned. He
For the first time, I learned that a machine can produce such great power to drive a ship without being pulled by living animals.
With this steam engine and paddle wheel, wouldn’t it be possible to sail in any season?
After a long time, Mr. Wang blinked and said, "I have never heard of this steam engine and paddle wheel. I really admire your uncanny craftsmanship!"
"With this steam engine, things at sea will be very different!"
Although Zheng Kaida had seen a forging hammer driven by a steam engine last month, he was still very excited when he saw that the steam engine drove the paddle wheel after his assembly. He said: "Sir, this steam engine is really a miraculous thing!"
Li Zhi smiled and used a bamboo pole to stop the rotating paddle wheel, and found that the paddle wheel was very strong.
Li Zhi clapped his hands and said, "Not bad, he is quite strong."
However, after taking a closer look at the speed of the paddle wheel, Li Zhi shook his head and said, "The speed is still a bit slow."
Li Zhi turned back to Zheng Kaida and said, "I will go back and redo the two gears. You will bring a craftsman to replace the gears the day after tomorrow!"
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Li Zhi returned to Tianjin and saw Zheng Kaicheng sitting in the lobby of the General Military Mansion.
"Why is Kaicheng here!"
Zheng Kaicheng said: "Sir, there is news from the south that Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai have rebelled again!"
Li Zhi frowned and said, "What's going on? Please tell me carefully."
Zheng Kaicheng said: "I heard from the new central defender Ruan Ruoyuan..."
In the eleventh year of Chongzhen's reign, Zhang Xianzhong was fostered in Gucheng. On the surface, Zhang Xianzhong "knelt down and worshiped politely" in Gucheng, but in fact he trained soldiers to make armor, did not disband his troops, did not listen to the court's orders, and did not enter the big city to see his superiors.
"Proud and disobedient to the law". Zhang Xianzhong collected grain and expanded his troops in Gucheng, and "blackmailed Xiong Wencan endlessly".
Ruan Zhidian, the magistrate of Gucheng County, felt that Zhang Xianzhong was so domineering and would raise the flag of rebellion again in the future, so he told Xiong Wencan. Xiong Wencan was very unhappy after hearing this and scolded Ruan Zhidian. Ruan Zhidian reported to the court, but no one intervened.
In May of the 12th year of Chongzhen, Zhang Xianzhong raised the rebel banner again in Gucheng, killed Ruan Zhidian, the magistrate of Gucheng, burned the official offices, and sent his troops to attack Fang County.
Zhang Xianzhong rebelled and surrendered to Yun County. Luo Rucai, who was a guerrilla in his officialdom, also rebelled. He led four battalions of troops to respond to Zhang Xianzhong and rebel against Fang County. After the rebellion, Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai joined forces to conquer Fang County and killed the county magistrate Hao Jingchun.
, and then went down to Yunxi, Baokang and other places. Soon, the fifth battalion of Prime Minister Hui Deng stationed in Junzhou also rebelled, and the bandit power became stronger again.
At the end of the 11th year of Chongzhen and the beginning of the 12th year of Chongzhen, in order to deal with the Qing army, Zhu Youjian transferred some of the troops to support the suppression of Liu bandits to King Qin in the capital, and the entire Qin army was sent. Without these troops to guard the Central Plains, Liu
Thieves are on the rise again.
The broken house of the Ming Dynasty began to leak again. The Qing army that had just sent away the Qing army that looted the capital and Shandong welcomed Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai who looted the Central Plains. Except for Jiangnan and Lingnan, the northern and central areas of the Ming Dynasty were not affected.
It can be said that no part of it is complete.
Yang Sichang's strategy of suppressing thieves by spreading nets in four corners, six corners and ten sides is about to be shattered.
After telling the news, Zheng Kaicheng shook his head and said: "Sir, if Xiong Wencan fails to heal the bureau, I'm afraid he is going to be doomed. It is the lightest thing to abandon an official position and go home. He may be imprisoned."
Li Zhi recalled how Xiong Wencan had no military knowledge during the Anqing War two years ago. He shook his head and secretly thought that if Yang Sichang found such a person who did not know how to fight to be the prime minister of the six provinces, how could there be any good results?
Zheng Kaicheng asked: "Sir, if the bandits are back again, will the court send us to fight against them again?"
Li Zhi said: "I don't know. I will take it step by step when the time comes."
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The next day, Li Zhi found this maritime businessman in Cha Yunke's shop.
Seeing Li Zhi entering the store, Zha Yunke quickly knelt down and saluted, and was helped up by Li Zhi.
"Mr. Cha, my ship is short of some experienced sailors. Do you know where I can hire them?"
Zha Yunke blinked and said: "Grand Governor, I know a dozen old boatmen who have gone ashore, and I can pay them to go to sea again. However, it is still risky to go to sea with just these ten old boatmen. Don't worry.
There are still no anchors for the cabin rock, the general manager who is the translator, and the sailor who is in charge of the sails..."
When Li Zhi saw that Zha Yunke had stopped talking in the middle of his words, he knew that he had a solution and said with a smile: "Mr. Zha must have a solution. If Mr. Zha can help me recruit technicians on the ship, I, Li Zhi, will owe Mr. Zha a favor."
!”
When Zha Yunke heard Li Zhi's words, he was overjoyed.
Li Zhi is now a popular figure in the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor obeys his requests. At best, a favor from Li Zhi can help bureaucrats seek employment, and even promotions; at worst, a memorial says
It may save the life of a minister, but it is very valuable. Even a thousand taels or ten thousand taels of silver are not as valuable as Li Zhi's favor.
After listening to Li Zhi's words, Zha Yunke smiled and said: "Grand Governor, my ship will be back in a few months. I have four ships, each with a set of men and horses. I will assign a set of men and horses to
Grand Governor, Grand Governor’s ship will be operated by someone!”
"With one set of men and horses to lead the way, it will be no problem to go to sea. The governor will rely on this set of men and horses to train the novices, and he will train the second set of men and horses before the second one is built, so that he will have the manpower for two ships!
"
Li Zhi was stunned. He didn't expect that Zha Yunke would give him the men on his ship, and asked: "Master Cha is so kind, but you gave me the men and horses. How can your ship go to sea?"
Zha Yunke said: "Captain, it's okay for me. I'll let the people on the other three boats train novices. In the next six months, I can train another set of people. When the north wind stabilizes during the Qingming Festival next year and I go to Japan again, my new boatmen will
That’s how you practice it.”
Li Zhi nodded and said, "Then it all depends on Mr. Cha's organization."
