Chương 633: , Articles 8

"Of course." Liu Ce nodded with a smile, turning to the next page of the blueprint.

"A steam forging hammer, a huge hammer weighing hundreds or thousands of kilograms, driven by a steam engine, hammers down, forging iron is like child's play. It can forge even the largest iron pieces, with more force than a person can swing it, and it's more even and faster. In the future, when building cannons, building... it will be faster and better, and we'll never have to worry about the construction period again."

Yuchi Gong followed up by asking, "Then... can it be used to pump water for irrigation? There's a lot of dry land in the north, and irrigation relies entirely on people carrying water. Even if you work yourself to death, you can only irrigate a few acres, and the harvest is poor every year."

"Good question." Liu Ce flipped to the agricultural diagrams; this was the last section.

"Fourth, agricultural water conservancy. Steam engines can drive high-powered water pumps to irrigate the land during droughts and drain water during floods, eliminating the need to guard rivers and waterwheels. Dry land and low-lying areas can be converted into stable-yield fields, directly increasing grain production, and even saline-alkali land can be transformed into fertile fields."

When repairing canals and building dams, steam engines were used to pump water, compact earth, and pull winches, saving manpower and speeding things up. Projects that used to take several years can now be completed in a year.

Minister of Agriculture Jia Sixie rubbed his hands together excitedly, his eyes reddening.

"If that were truly the case, a further 30% increase in grain production would be no problem! The people would have even less to worry about in terms of food! On behalf of all the farmers in the land, I thank Your Majesty!"

Liu Ce took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and continued speaking, becoming more and more excited as he went on: Fifth, military industry. Steam engines equipped with boring machines and drilling machines can process gun barrels and cannon barrels with high accuracy and speed, a hundred times better than manual drilling, with an error of less than a hair's breadth.

In the future, all muskets and artillery will be manufactured according to the same specifications and mass-produced. Within two years, the entire army can be equipped with the new firearms, all with the same caliber and interchangeable ammunition, and there will be no more worries about logistics.

Sixth, urban livelihoods. Large cities will have running water systems, steam engines to pump water, ensuring every household has access to clean water and no longer needs well water. With improved sewers, cities will no longer smell bad, there will be fewer illnesses, and epidemics can be prevented. Furthermore, steam fire trucks will use high-pressure water jets to extinguish fires, ten times more effective than simply pouring water from buckets, eliminating the fear of fires spreading rapidly.

After Liu Ce finished speaking, the hall remained quiet for a long time.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the blueprints on the blackboard, their minds reeling, as if struck by lightning.

They originally thought that the steam engine was just a tool for mining and pumping water, at most saving some manpower.

But His Majesty, by rambling on and on, has somehow managed to uncover such a vast field of knowledge: mining, factories, canals, railways, agriculture, military industry, cities... This thing can actually manage so many things?

This isn't just a machine; it's a magical object that can completely transform the entire Han Dynasty!

"Your Majesty... this... this is all true? With just this iron lump for boiling water, it can do so many things?" Xun Yu's voice trembled slightly, and he could barely hold the teacup in his hand, causing the tea to slosh around.

"Of course it's true!" Liu Ce waved his hand smugly, looking like he knew it all by heart.

"Calm down, calm down. This is just the beginning. There's more to come. This is just the appetizer."

He waved his hand, and the eunuchs distributed stacks of blueprints to the crowd:

"These are preliminary drawings of steam locomotives, steamships, machine tools, and water pumps. Take them back and take a look. Get a general idea first. In a few days, we'll formally establish the regulations and implement them nationwide. If you don't understand anything, feel free to ask Song Yingxing."

The group held the blueprints, looking at them over and over again, becoming more and more excited and more and more alarmed with each look.

Zhuge Liang studied the drawing most attentively, slowly tracing the lines on the blueprint with his finger, nodding occasionally, his eyes shining. He even asked Song Yingxing several technical questions, which Song Yingxing answered one by one.

Guo Jia stroked his chin, staring at the blueprints of the steamship and muttering to himself, pondering how to deploy his naval forces in the future, his eyes narrowing into slits.

Jia Xu squinted, already thinking about what changes society would undergo after industry developed, how people's lives would change, and how to cope with it, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Cheng Yaojin looked at the blueprints upside down and right side up, but he couldn't understand anything except for a big wheel. He scratched his head and chuckled.

"I don't understand it, but it sounds really cool! It'll definitely make wars even more exciting!"

The group discussed noisily for half an hour before reluctantly leaving with the blueprints in their hands. They were all walking unsteadily, as if in a dream, and one of them almost bumped into a pillar as he went out.

..................

The fifteenth day of the first month of the seventh year of Shenwu.

On the Lantern Festival, Luoyang was adorned with lanterns, and the streets of Zhuque were packed with people. Fireworks were also set off at night.

However, the atmosphere at the court assembly in Liangyi Hall was solemn, without the slightest hint of relaxation typical of festive occasions.

Liu Ce sat on the dragon throne, looking at the civil and military officials standing neatly below, and got straight to the point, his voice resounding:

"I'm sure you've all heard about the steam engine and seen it these past few days."

"I'm making this clear today: this isn't some fancy trick or gimmick; it's a fundamental instrument that will determine the fate of our Great Han Dynasty. Whether we can elevate the Han Dynasty to a higher level, whether we can ensure our descendants are forever free from war and lack nothing in terms of food and clothing, depends on this one step."

He glanced around the hall, noticing everyone listening intently, and continued:

"Today I have established eight regulations to be implemented step by step, and you will each perform your duties. Those who make contributions will be richly rewarded with titles and emoluments, and I will not be stingy with them; those who delay or are perfunctory will not be lightly forgiven. I am making these unpleasant points clear before the New Year."

He read each point clearly and precisely, without uttering a single falsehood:

"Firstly, the Ministry of Industry took the lead in immediately establishing the General Bureau of Machinery, so as to seize control of the 'machines that make machines'."

You have one year to: First, finalize all dimensions and specifications of the improved steam engine. Cylinders, pistons, valves, and wear parts must be interchangeable. No more like before, where each craftsman had their own design, and when something broke, replacement parts couldn't be found, requiring manual repairs that were often unusable.

Secondly, existing steam engines can be used to power boring machines, lathes, and drilling machines to process more precise steam engine parts, achieving "machine making machines." This allows for iterative upgrades, making each machine better and cheaper than the last. It's a self-sustaining, ever-evolving process.

From now on, all steam engines and core components will be manufactured and supervised by the Machinery Bureau, prioritizing sturdiness and durability before seeking improvement. The goal is to transform this device from an experimental product in the palace into a widely available, mass-produced item.

"Song Yingxing, you are in charge of this matter. You are also promoted to Director of the General Bureau of Machinery. I expect to see results in a year."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Song Yingxing immediately stepped forward and bowed, his back ramrod straight, his voice filled with a do-or-die determination, "Your subject pledges that within one year, steam engines will be mass-produced. If I fail, I will offer my head as payment!"

"Secondly, we should develop both coal and iron to solidify our foundation, with the Mining and Metallurgy Department of the Ministry of Industry taking special charge."

Coal is the lifeblood of industry, and iron is its backbone. Without these two, even the best steam engine is a castle in the air. From this day forward, all state-run coal mines in the north and south shall be fully equipped with steam pumps and winches, and shall dig deeper and expand to greater scale. This year, raw coal production must quadruple.