Before you know it, it's winter, and it's as cold as a day.

With the full help of Du Zhongxiao and Su Song, Han Jiang made a new steam engine at home and placed it in the courtyard where he was studying, and enjoyed it from time to time.

At the beginning of the snow, several people gathered in Han Jiang's small courtyard, drinking around the stove and chatting about gossip.

After spontaneously solving the test, with the help of Su Song and Han Jiang, Du Zhongxiao's article made rapid progress and became much more cheerful. In the end, he finally figured out that he was not familiar with the theories of this era, and he didn't need to really understand this set. It's the ministers of this era, there are not many who are clear about that set, and even fewer who really believe it. He only needs to summarize some of the main points in that set of theories in a clear and clear manner, just like he did in his previous life when he examined politics, and then arrange them in the appropriate places in the article. It is nothing more than the relationship between heaven and earth, the emperor, the ministers, and the people's hearts, and the relationship between these according to the theories of the sages and sages in history.

This kind of thing is difficult to say, but with the help of characters like Su Song and Han Jiang, it is not difficult. Just like the politics exam in the previous life, if you really want to study that set of theories clearly, how many students can do it? But pick the most important points and put some basic principles in the right place according to the given questions, and you will get a high score. In this era, the Jinshi exam actually has the same effect.

After drinking a glass of wine and looking at the white surroundings, Du Zhongxiao said: "As the saying goes, there are clouds, and Ruixue is a good year." Soon after the start of winter this year, there will be such a snowfall, and the next year will definitely be a good harvest. It is often said that heaven and man correspond, isn't it the meaning of politics and harmony? ”

This is Du Zhongxiao who wants to learn these days, and said casually. In fact, the war in the northwest is unfavorable now, and there are many disasters in the territory. He only thought about the induction of heaven and man, how could he justify himself and forget all this.

Han Jiang shook his head again and again: "Not to mention that the war in the northwest is unfavorable, but last year's great drought, the people were displaced, and all kinds of disasters, how can we see the will of heaven from a snow." Those who are in Shunde are prosperous, those who betray virtue are dead, moving people are not words by deeds, and they should be true and not by words, and the ancients are honest and do not deceive me. Brother Du, although it is a good thing that you have been concentrating on learning these days, you must not study to death. Otherwise, they will suffer from it. ”

Du Zhongxiao woke up suddenly: "Thank you Brother Han for your teaching." Shunde Zhechang, I once bought a book of Shiwen to write, there is this topic in it, and there are many articles to write. By the way, moving people are not words, remember that it is from the "Book of Jin"? This sentence is also good for scientific research topics. ”

The crowd laughed. Su Song said: "Brother Du is too obsessed with scientific research, how can you do this?" I don't know how many classic history books of the past dynasties, but I can take them out and make the title like the number of sands in the Ganges, which are countless. Well, don't think about that. ”

Du Zhongxiao laughed himself, just wrote down the sentence that Han Jiang said just now, and went back to practice as a topic.

After drinking for a while, a few people went to the steam engine made by the Han family to watch, and by the way, they baked the fire on the stove where the water was boiled. According to Han Jiang's meaning, this steam engine does not have blades at the back, but a large runner, which is whirring there. Put this runner on the ship, and it will be an improvised steamer. However, the power of this small steam engine is too low for people to hold on to with their hands, and it has no practical use.

Han Jiang pointed to the machine and said, "You say, make this thing bigger, can you put it on the boat and drive the boat to go?" ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "No." This thing is too heavy, too little strength, and it can't be carried. This thing can be used by a number to determine whether it can be used, that is, how many catties the machine weighs, how many catties of strength comes out, and once the two are divided, it will be clear at a glance. Although the machine in Brother Han's house is much more sophisticated than the one we supervised in Guozi, the ratio is roughly the same, and it is still the same thing. ”

Su Song sighed: "I've been thinking about this thing for a long time, but it's very difficult to increase this ratio. ”

Du Zhongxiao was in a good mood, and on a whim, he talked about the theoretical knowledge he learned in his previous life: "If you want to increase the ratio, I think that the key is in these few places. One is the density of steam in the cylinder, that is, the pressure applied to the stopper, the larger the ratio, the better it looks. The second is that the hotter the steam inside, the better, and the colder it is when it comes out. Of course, wherever there is steam, it must be tightly closed. ”

A steam pressure, a steam temperature, and in fact a temperature difference, are the key factors that affect the efficiency of a steam engine. It is precisely these two keys that are difficult to break through technical problems, which are related to both structure and materials. If you don't think about that, it's a toy.

A few people had nothing to do, and there was a heated discussion around the steam engine about how to increase the pressure and temperature. Han Jiang was the most enthusiastic about this matter, and he wanted to load this machine on the boat to replace the boat on the Bianhe River. And by a strange instinct, he thought he could do it.

Du Zhongxiao naturally knows the importance of the steam engine, this kind of thing is practical, and many major problems in this era can be solved. Just like the first major event now, the war between the northwest and the party. What was the hardest thing about the Song Dynasty? In fact, it is not that the military strength is not good, the proportion of battlefield casualties between the two sides, the Song Dynasty has always had the upper hand. It's a pity that the war is not a game where the two sides compare the number of casualties, and this war cannot be fought by the Song Dynasty. The long logistics and transportation line determined that once the war started, the Song Dynasty must fight quickly, otherwise it would soon be dragged down by logistics. Once a quick victory is sought, it is fraught with danger. And if you don't seek a quick victory, you can only hold on to it, and you can't see the hope of victory. This is the dispute between Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan some time ago. Han Qi is the main attacker, and he pursues a quick victory, and Fan Zhongyan is the main defense, which is to resist to the death and wait for the party to collapse by itself.

What is most lacking in this era? It is convenient access. With the steam engine, the biggest problem was solved.

However, knowing that Du Zhongxiao can't spend too much energy on this now, he has to concentrate on preparing for the imperial examination. Making these model toys is more of a game for Du Zhongxiao, a leisure move when reading.

If the steam engine is to be practical, the next work, which is what Watt has done in history, is the real difficulty. Consider Watt's place in history and you can see how difficult it will be to get ahead. Of course, with Du Zhongxiao, who has come over, he will not take such a detour as in history.

Su Song's interest is in technology, while Han Jiang's interest is in application prospects, and the two of them often can't talk about going together.

Du Zhongxiao's mind was full of the next provincial exam questions, and he answered the questions of others without saying a word.

Looking at the snow white around him, Du Zhongxiao suddenly felt a sense of absurdity. I am one of these people who is really educated in science and technology, but my mind is full of thinking about the induction of heaven and man, and I am almost enchanted. However, these people, who have been educated by the induction of heaven and man since childhood, are full of interest in a kind of machine from later generations, racking their brains to study its principle and structure, how to improve it, and how to apply it. The whole world seems to be misplaced.

Thinking of this, Du Zhongxiao could only smile bitterly. No matter how much knowledge you have, you have to think about how to integrate into the world.

When several discussions were in full swing, a subordinate came in, presented a famous stab to Han Jiang, and reported: "Little official, a young scholar came outside, saying that he was from Jinling and had an old relationship with a small official. ”

Han Jiang took the famous thorn and looked at it, and said busily: "Hurry up, please!" This person is an old acquaintance of mine, so please come here. ”

The subordinate went as ordered.

Seeing a few people looking at him, Han Jiang said: "This person is the son of Wang Yi, the former Jiangning Tongju, and met me when he was in Beijing with his father. His father died of illness in office, and he was only removed from his mourning clothes this year, thinking that he came to Beijing to take the exam. ”