I do research in ancient times

When Twelve Lang escorted the wounded soldiers back to Jiuling City, it was just in time for dinner in the city.

Many of the wounded soldiers who came down from the front line had never been to Jiuling City, but the name of this place was still well known, and no one in the whole border city didn't know it.

The city has no walls, and the border is the endlessly flowing Wuzhi River. Many tall concrete houses were built along the river.

The soldiers who heard it said that these cement houses are all workshops in Jiuling City.Weaving workshops, precision workshops, oil workshops, alcohol workshops, wool workshops, soap workshops, docks... In the distance, you can see the rising smoke, which is where the Mo Dao is produced.

Although there are no walls, no one really thinks that the city is undefended.

Outsiders don't know it, but the old people in the border town or the military station know in their hearts that this Jiuling City is the source of power for all changes that Yongxiguan can develop to today's situation, and it can't be overstated to compare it with the heart.

Many new things are spread from here, not only the real objects, but also the ideas.In the past, who would have thought of sending their maids and daughters-in-law to workshops and schools, but now when Jiuling City recruits workers, all the family members will join the battle, even old women who are used to housework, as long as they are willing to accept them Same as leaving home to work.

There is no other reason, because you can really see the benefits!

When you are young, you can be tough when you have money in your hands, which can improve and supplement the livelihood of the family; when you are old, you can create more weapons. It is not easy to find a place to live in troubled times. Who wants to rob them? If there is a way to survive, they dare to fight with anyone.

Facts have proved that this choice is correct.

More and more refugees fled to the border town, and the territory of the border town became bigger and bigger.At the beginning, everyone was worried that the city would not be able to accommodate such a large population, but with chemical fertilizers, agricultural tools, and cement to build houses, as many people as possible can be properly arranged, and the output of the counties in the border towns is also steadily increasing. The finances of border towns are getting better and better.

In this era, people are wealth, but wealth must be managed well to increase its value.The refugees came all the way and shared a lot of escape experiences with the local aborigines.They wandered from the rich land of the Central Plains to the border towns, but what they saw and heard was quite different from what they imagined.The original land of fish and rice, the God-sent granary, has now reduced its income due to wars and natural disasters; however, the local aristocratic families still do not know how to restrain themselves.The tenants who could not survive sold their sons and daughters and still could not find a way out, so they had to abandon their fields to flee famine and join the army of refugees.

The fields were left unattended, and natural and man-made disasters occurred, and soon weeds became overgrown and became wasteland.The ruthless aristocratic family sent government soldiers to strictly guard the tenants, and at the same time set the idea of ​​refugees. Those who could work were directly forced to sell themselves to farm the land, and those who could not do farm work were turned into auxiliary soldiers and sent to the battlefield to replace the servants.

After some coquettish operations, the refugees also saw the situation clearly, and would rather go out of the customs and take a detour into the border town, rather than take a step closer to the big city of the Central Plains.

This is a city of death where there is no return. Either they died of exhaustion, sickness, starvation in the fields full of weeds, or they were sent to the front line as cannon fodder. There is no way out!

Both left and right are dead, it is better to go to the border town to try your luck.The soldiers of the Feng family have recently taken back Xinzhou and Dingcheng one after another. The Feng family is not afraid of barbarians. No matter how poor and difficult the border towns are, as long as they work hard, they can survive.

But when they got to the border town, the refugees suddenly realized that their previous self was too naive.

poverty?

bitter?

Living hard?

This is talking about the Central Plains!

It’s just an ordinary military village. You can see that the mother-in-law doesn’t hesitate to cook with oil, the rice porridge won’t fall over with chopsticks inserted, and those fields... They’ve been planting their fields all their lives, and they’ve never seen such fat seedlings? !

Is it possible that the whole world is suffering from drought, so the border will not be affected?

After settling down for a few days, the refugees felt more deeply that the residents in the border towns and they were people from two different worlds, and their thoughts and thoughts were quite different from those in the Central Plains.

There is a magical place here called Jiuling City. As long as there is any movement in the city, the residents of the whole border city will believe it and respond positively, and there will be no voice of doubt.

"Then what... are you not afraid of being ruined if you are asked to send your girl to the city?"

A newly settled refugee whispered to the woman next door to her house.In the past few days, she has seen the other party teaching her daughter a lesson, urging her to study hard and prepare, this time she must take the exam in the workshop in the city.

"What? Ruin?"

The woman next door rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean by being spoiled? If you eat, drink, work and make money, do you call this ruined!? If it weren't for the recruitment of Seiko Workshop this time, there is an age limit, my wife would also want to be ruined!"

The refugees were so choked that they couldn't speak, but they were unwilling to reconcile, so they argued embarrassingly.

"After all, she is an unmarried lady... Mingjie..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the rolling eyes of the woman next door.

"You guys, since you have voted for our border town, then don't keep talking about your principles and rules. There are many things that are different from what you think. If you can't accept it, go back to the Central Plains as soon as possible. Don't you run away to the school? You have taken refuge in Nanjun, how good it is to walk south!"

"In our border town, everyone wants to work together to live a good life! As long as you work hard, everyone will have a chance. You don't talk about the afterlife or your destiny. If you want to eat, wear and wear well, you can fight hard. My Dalang joined the frontier army, and now Studying in the sailor school, being able to read and count, is not as refreshing as being a head lower than others at birth!"

Hearing what she said, the refugees fell silent.

She kept silent not only because the girl next door was going to work in the city, but also because someone was willing to send her son to the army and to the battlefield!

In today's troubled times, joining the army is tantamount to dying, why are there still people showing off like this! ?

It will take time to answer the doubts of the refugees, but some people can immediately notice the changes.

"Are there more workshops in the city?"

Twelve Lang on the horse looked around for a while, and suddenly turned to ask the third cousin who came to meet him.

After Twelve Lang, the third cousin also entered the school in Jiuling City to study.

Her parents were noncommittal about studying at first, after all, as long as a girl from a military background can practice her skills well, she won't suffer any disadvantages. With the current strength of the Feng family, the third cousin won't be offended if she marries into any family.

The matter of studying was made by the third cousin herself.

Ever since she knew the secret of Brother Twelfth, she has been frequenting Jiuling City, and she has become familiar with many Mozong disciples in the city.

The third cousin is a little girl with a cheerful and lively personality. She is not at the age to pay attention to the defense of men and women, so you don't have to avoid her when doing things, but you have seen a lot of strange things in the city.

After coming and going, she had the idea of ​​going to school.

At that time, there was a secret operation in the family, and the old lady next to the third wife secretly persuaded the second cousin to have a private meeting with a foreign boy.

Second Miss Feng is not stupid, not only was she not fooled, but she also planned to cooperate with the family to wipe out all the nails that had been buried for many years, and by the way, the Lu family's proposal for marriage was eliminated.But after all, this matter is not good for the girl's reputation. Those who have daughters in the Feng family are a little nervous, for fear that their own girls will also be targeted by those villainous boys outside.

The father and mother of the third cousin are the best among them. The couple discussed it and felt that with the brains of their daughters, they might be seduced by others one by one. They are not as thoughtful as the second girl.In order to avoid misfortune, they also had the idea of ​​making the girl happy, Uncle Feng Tang and Aunt Feng Tang agreed to their daughter's request and agreed to send her to study in Jiuling City School.

Jiuling City, isn't that the territory of Mr. Ning Xiao!The matter of Dalang and Mr. Ning Xiao has passed the Ming road in the Feng family, and Mozong has many young ladies who are active in the school and workshop, but it is a safe place.

So like this, the third cousin who was wielding a sledgehammer paid the bills and entered Mo Zong's study room with her twelve elder brothers.Considering the young age of the third cousin, Ning Fei arranged for the little girl to start from the first class, learn the simplest literacy and numeracy, and occasionally add some enlightenment courses to guide scientific interests. The learning pressure is not too great.

The third cousin is also an up-and-coming kid. In terms of math talent, she is much stronger than her twelfth brother. The junior class is good at math, and she can successfully master multiplication and division with almost no pressure.

But the third cousin is partial to subjects, seriously partial to subjects, and she was so smart when she was studying mathematics. When it comes to writing and reading, she is all astigmatism, and she is fighting desperately with reciting the full text every day.

At the beginning, Ning Fei didn't realize it, but when the student officer from Teaching Primary One came to report, he learned that there was a math wizard in the Feng family.

But just knowing how to count is not enough. The third cousin is also a girl from the Feng family, so she can't go out to be an accountant in the future.

After thinking about it, he adjusted the teaching plan based on this reason, allowing students who are talented in a single subject to choose subjects they are good at to skip grades, but the basic general education courses still have to be passed on time, and if they fail to pass, they will repeat the grade repeatedly until Qualified to be promoted.

Now the third cousin's coke is broken.

She already likes to count, and this time she has the opportunity to take class with Brother Twelve, who is a few years older than her, not to mention how proud she is.

The little girl was determined to win and lose, she studied hard every day, and finally surpassed her [-]th brother in the math test at the end of the year, with a very long face.

This anti-killing, let the Feng family members also see the potential of the girl.There are not many people in the Feng family who are good at mathematics. The only two who are more understanding are Feng Ershu and Feng Liushu. Currently, one is in charge of military supplies, and the other is in charge of purchasing weapons.

When they heard that the third girl had the ability to count, Second and Sixth Uncle Feng were overjoyed.Purchasing military supplies is an important matter, not only to find someone who can understand the accounts, but also to have a reliable character. The third girl is a child raised by her family, and these two points are all in line.

Therefore, both of them proposed to ask the third cousin to come to their side to help, and they fought openly and secretly in order to pay back.

But the third cousin was not happy.

She is now wandering in the ocean of mathematics and can't extricate herself. What's the point of those small problems that can be solved by calculation?The algebraic equations and geometry taught by brother Ning are her life!

But it can't be completely ignored, the third cousin will occasionally do some support between Jiuling City and Ding'an City.For example, this time when the wounded from the frontier army came to Jiuling City for treatment, she was in charge of receiving them, and the business was directly connected with Brother Twelve.

Hearing Brother Twelfth asking about the changes in the city, Third Cousin nodded.

"Yes, a lot of new workshops have been opened in the city, not only Xiao Ningge presided over the construction, but also our family, Clay's family, and some small and wealthy residents in the city also contributed money. Large workshops cannot be built. Small ones are fine."

"They are mainly engaged in the business of soap, canned food, oil, fertilizers and agricultural tools. They are in the market in the west of the city. In addition to the previous food and liquor sales, it is very lively."

Oh, like this.

Twelve Lang nodded.

"Does Brother Fei agree?"

He heard the third cousin talk about soap and oil mills, these were first built by Brother Fei, and these residents in the city opened workshops, weren't they competing with Brother Fei for business?

Hearing his question, Third Cousin blinked.

"It's the recipe Xiao Ning taught them, and he also sold a lot of machines to them."

"Brother Ning said that it is impossible for him to hold all the jobs that make money in his hands. There is never enough money to be made. Only by earning money can the market be circulated."

"Just pick a few major ones, such as salt and iron, and you can let go of papermaking in the future."

Twelve Lang listened thoughtfully, and it took him a long time before he spoke again.

"Then brother Xiaofei is in the city now? Brother has a letter for me to deliver."

But the third cousin shook her head.

"Brother Ning went to Bailukou at the beginning of the month. They built a dock there in the first spring, saying that they were going to build a big ship for the sea."

Hearing what she said, Twelve Lang's eyes frightened instantly, and he rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Shipbuilding?! But you want to build a big ship that can shoot cannons?! Me, me, me..."

At last, he still remembered that he was on military affairs, and he suddenly became fatigued like a leaking ball, and he choked back the second half of the sentence.

He also wants to go to Bailukou!Go to see the sea and the big ships that can shoot cannons!

But in the future, the boss may move his troops to the east and cut off Hu Qi's retreat back to Changzhou and Hengshou. He still has a lot of things to do!

Ah ah ah ah ah!So sad!

Just as Twelve Lang expected, Ning Fei was indeed studying the big ship.

After the river opened in spring, Mozong sent three engineering teams, led by Liu Tie (blacksmith workshop), Yang Heizi (mining team), Tang Renlong (civil engineering team), and Liu Tong as the technical assistant of the team. , All the elites went out to Bailukou to prepare for the construction of the new dock.

The design blueprint was exchanged by Ning Fei from the system store, and the price was affordable, which saved him a lot of time and energy, allowing him to focus more on researching the steam engine.

Yes, the steam engine, Ning Zaozi’s original aspiration and Bai Yueguang, in order to realize his dream of being able to ride the train in this era, Ning Zaozi went from fighting monsters to upgrade all the way from a dick academic organization with nothing. This spring, after entering the Little Ice Age, touched the edge of the steam engine.

The current situation is that low-carbon steel can already be mass-produced. With Niubeishan and overseas mineral maps, some metals required for forging alloys can be obtained, and crucible steelmaking and simple lathes have initially realized a relatively standardized production model.

His newly formed technical team, Liu Tie and Liu Tong, have other tasks because they can be alone. This time, the help of the Tianjiang craftsman Nada and the blueprint expert Yuxin have joined Sanshui Laodao inexplicably.

Ning Fei: ...

Now he no longer doubts whether Brother Mu Ye intentionally planted eyeliner in his research team, because there is no need at all, the blueprint of the steam engine is placed in his study, and Brother Mu Ye has the key, so he can check it at any time.

This old man...he is purely a research maniac, with an irresistible curiosity about everything. He didn't even understand what steam is, so he just went to the laboratory.

But if you don't understand, you don't understand, but the talent of the veteran is extremely high.As expected of an astronomical researcher who watches stars and clouds all the year round, Lao Dao quickly understood the principle of energy conversion and work. When Nada and Yu Xin were still confused, Lao Dao was able to draw inferences about the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy transformed.

"Ah, isn't it the water mill that you made! The water is trapped with a dam, and the flow of water becomes turbulent, and the force of washing the water mill is also strong and fast. Is it the steam this time?!"

The old Taoist stroked his beard, and whispered to Ning Zazi as he walked.

"But the air of heaven and earth is invisible, and it is not as easy to put away as flowing water. We have to find a way."

The way, Ning Zazi naturally thought of it.

He placed two figurines in the temporary laboratory at Bailukou, both of which were made of wood by the students in the carpentry class. One is a complete steam engine design model, and the other is a cross-section to show the interior of the steam engine. structure.

The model consists of two parts, the boiler and the cylinder, which are scaled down according to the conventional scale. Once it is confirmed that the design has no defects, it can be put into production immediately.

It is not difficult to make a cylinder. After all, when he was in Tiantiekeng before, the craftsman Nada forged the burner of the hot air balloon under the guidance of Ning Fei. Some of the designs were quite similar to those of the steam engine.

In addition, the current forging strength of Mozong Blacksmith Workshop has been greatly enhanced. The materials and craftsmanship can be supplemented by manpower for the time being. The real difficulty is still on the boiler side.

Boiler Boilers, as the name suggests, are divided into two parts: "pot" and "furnace". The "pot" is a pressurized part containing water and steam, which can heat, vaporize and separate steam and water from water. The "furnace" is a place for combustion, and the basic structure requires a furnace and a heat release flue.The heat conversion between the pot and the furnace is essentially a kind of energy conversion equipment.

Due to the constraints of technical conditions, Ning Fei finally chose the entry-level version of boiler development-atmospheric pressure boiler.

High-pressure boilers are not bad, but the forging requirements for the furnace body are extremely high, and if one is not careful, the boiler explosion will occur. Ning Zaozi was frightened by the experimental accident caused by the sixth generation of Changshan, and would rather sacrifice some conversion efficiency than have life problems.

But it is said that it is an entry-level version, and it does not need to start from the first boiler in history. Ningfei still made improvements as far as possible if the technical conditions allowed.

For example, he abandoned the Watt version of the primary steam engine and adopted a vertical fire-tube boiler, and placed a coal-fired delivery port at the bottom of the boiler to save the energy of manually filling the boiler with coal.

Condensers and planetary gears are naturally indispensable, which are the core configuration of Mr. Watt's complete steam engine.The device composed of steam and steam valve is introduced into the vertical cylinder above to push the piston to do reciprocating motion, realizing the real mechanized operation.

Ning Fei thinks there is no problem with such a design. His only worry now is that the output of the atmospheric pressure boiler is not enough to carry his small train.

"In short, let's make it and try it out!"

Ning Zazi touched his nose and murmured.

It is not an easy task to enlarge the steam engine to a normal scale. The first problem encountered is the melting and casting of the cylinder.

Mo Zong's blacksmith workshop is now capable of casting rifled guns. The gun body cast in one piece with sand molds has gone through two battles in the attack and defense of Donglai City. It seems that it has withstood the test and has become a relatively mature technology.

But Ning Fei knew that this was far from enough.

Rifled guns use □□, and the caliber is not too large at present. Although the success rate is high, it is true. It can be replaced with a cast cylinder. This size can only be called a toy model.Ning Sawzi was originally worried about the insufficient output power of the cylinder, but now he was limited by the caliber and size, and he was in a desperate situation from the very beginning.

"Otherwise, let's build a small one to see..."

Taoist Sanshui circled Ning Fei's model three times.

"From an experienced point of view, if this size is really as magical as you said, it can completely replace the hydraulic spinning machine currently used in Jiuling City."

This is true. The spinning machine is originally made light, and there is no problem driving it with a small steam engine.

The problem is that Ning Fei doesn't want to build a steam loom.The women's liberation movement in Jiuling City has just emerged. The reason he cited is the lack of labor force. Women who were originally confined at home need to come out and join social production.

Once technology improves productivity, the existing jobs created for women will be replaced by more efficient steam engines, and most of the women who lose their jobs will return to housework. In this way, his previous efforts will be in vain.

Before women's education and work awareness became a general consensus in society, Ning Fei did not want to promote machinery as a substitute for manpower. He now needs these labor-intensive jobs.

But these words, of course, cannot be said to the old Taoist.

Even though Lao Dao is a foreigner and has no children, it does not mean that he has no position.

If Lao Dao knew that he deliberately controlled the speed of technological innovation, just to force society to accept women out of the house, this shocking idea would probably scare people away.

Seeing that he was silent, the old Taoist thought he was discouraged, so he quickly comforted him.

"Why do things have to be done step by step, who can eat a fat man with one bite!"

"You look at me as an old man. I started watching clouds and stars when I was seven or eight years old. After 30 years, I have realized everything. You can already come up with such a sophisticated thing at such a young age. It is already very remarkable!"

"You don't think it's big enough, let's make it bigger if it's a big deal! Let's make one first, and then the soldiers will cover it with water and soil, and only after it's built will we know whether it's true or not!"

When he said this, Ning Fei cheered up.

He has never been a person who will give up easily. If he can't do scientific research like this, who hasn't gone the wrong way when he starts a project? !

Thus, the steam engine squad began to work vigorously.

As the old man said, if the one-piece cylinder is too small, then cast a large-diameter cylinder and then grind it.But in this way, the seal between the piston and the cylinder becomes a big problem, and the deviation between the piston and the inner bore is rather intolerable.

The gap in finishing needs time to make up, and it is impossible to eat a fat man in one bite.

Nada, a craftsman who is a processor, has the deepest understanding of this understanding. He has tried almost all the crafts that can be imagined in his mind, including Ning Fei and Lao Dao's whimsical ideas, but he still can't solve the problem of excessive play. .

"No, just stuff something to block it!"

Nada squatted on the ground and touched the hot sweat on his head.

In the chilly spring, several people squatted beside the temporary iron stove, drenched in sweat after only an hour, but no one wanted to leave.

"Stuff stuff..."

The old man started pulling his beard again.

"It's boiling water inside, and the skin will be soft when it goes in. It's impossible to prevent it!"

The three of them were worried when they suddenly saw Yu Xin leading a soldier into the yard.

"Juzi, there is a secret letter from Jiuling Lake, and it's from Mr. Feng."

"Oh?"

Hearing what he said, Ning Fei got up immediately.

He has been busy with Feng Kai recently, and all he knows is that he brought a rifled cannon to the aid of the King of Xihe, and it is said that the effect was very good.

Ning Fei thought it was good news, and when he opened the envelope of the letter, he frowned after just one glance.

Feng Kai said several things in the letter. Apart from the first one reporting safety, he also briefly reported the recent development of the situation in the Central Plains.

The Heijia Army successfully defended Donglai City and wiped out [-] Hu people.King Zuoguli, who was entrenched in the old capital, seemed to give up his plan to recapture Donglai City. He killed Zhengming Emperor Sima Liang and several families who followed him. The Xue family was also exterminated for unknown reasons.After all this was done, King Zuoguli Yehanda began to stabilize the defenses of the old capital, and sent a part of his troops to continue southward. First, he took Niuwan to break through the Wubao of the two tribes, and then sent his troops southward to bring Nanzhao into his sphere of influence. .

So far, the Hu people are only separated from the territory of Yanshou County King by Bailong Mountain, and Yanshou County King is in danger.

In the east, Guangtong Emperor Sima Ye brazenly sent troops to Changzhou and Hengshou.Ning Fei remembered that Feng Kai originally planned to take down Donglai City and use Donglai City as a base to advance towards Changzhou.Now that Sima Ye suddenly raised his voice, it would be difficult for the Feng family to continue occupying the territory.

After all, Changzhou and Hengshou had fallen into the hands of the barbarians, and Sima Ye represented the royal family of the Ye Dynasty.

Because the plan was disrupted, Brother Muye also expressed his resentment in the letter, it was rare to see him so young in middle school, Ning Zazi couldn't help but narrowed his eyes with a smile.

He looked happy here, but in Dingfeng City thousands of miles away, it was full of gloomy clouds and mist.

Sima Ye wanted to recover the two cities of Changzhou and Hengshou, and all the major families in the city had to prepare for the battle, which made life even more difficult for the already oppressed noble families.

Round after round of paying grain and handing over cloth, drawing men to serve in the army, no matter how rich the family wealth is, it will be exhausted one day. Now Sima Ye's confidant Tu Yuan'an is heading west. This is a lonely minister from the army. No one will buy it for the sake of face!

Seeing the dwindling family treasury, all the families are worried.

Sima Liang was already dead, and it seemed that they had succeeded in joining the team, but along the way, it seemed that the noble families did not enjoy the advantages of Conglong Zhigong, but their money and strength were greatly reduced.

If it can't be seen that Sima Ye intends to weaken the aristocratic family, then these aristocratic family heads have spent most of their lives in vain.

Now Changzhou Hengshou is going to fight.

After winning the battle, the mines and iron workshops left by the Xue family belonged to Sima Ye, but they had to pay for the military supplies, and it was unknown how much the family would lose.

And this is just the beginning.If Hu Qi killed King Yanshou, then Sima Ye would become the sole heir of the Ye dynasty and the emperor of the whole world.

At that time, with Sima Liang's arrogance, it is only natural to find a reason to exterminate the family. Didn't you see that a small family has been accused of crimes in the past few months!

This is a test!This is killing chickens and monkeys!

Can't... go on like this!