In the depths of the iron prison, a small river flowed out of the mountain, and at the place where the two hills collided, it was cut off by a weir and became a small lake. Rainfall is uneven throughout the four seasons, with mountain rivers roaring during the rainy season and trickling in the winter and spring dry seasons. This year's summer and autumn rains were particularly heavy, and although the river was not large, the lake was rippling with blue waves, filling the deep ditch between the surrounding hills.

This is the source of the forging power that the iron supervisor now uses, and all the hydraulic machinery is propelled by the water drawn out here. Using the terrain to dig ditches to divert water, runners were set up in suitable places, and several processing centers were formed in the iron prison.

On this day, the weather was clear, the nearby mountains were full of gold, and the level of the lake was quiet. Dozens of iron guards were at the gate, replacing the sluice. Now that iron is produced, the previous wooden bucket door will naturally be replaced and replaced with iron-clad ones.

Du Zhongxiao stood by the lake, watching the soldiers raise the wooden gate, remove the wooden gate, and replace it with a remade iron-clad gate. It was not easy to lift the gate, and several people pushed the winch and slowly lifted it. The new gate is screwed up, replacing the old one with the new one.

In this era, it was not easy to manufacture bolts and screws, but it is remarkable that the Iron Supervisor was able to produce such studs in a general way.

Seeing that everything was going well, Du Zhongxiao left the lake, saw that the weather was fine, and walked away. After a while, he came to a row of large houses by the lake, heard a warm sound inside, and walked in.

The house was very tall, and Su Songzheng was gathered around more than 20 people, including Nie Mao and Tong Anlu, discussing the steam engine that was dismantled next to it. This machine, which Du Zhongxiao made when he was in Yongcheng, has been improved many times by Tao Seventeen and Su Song over the years, and now it only leaves the original large framework, and the specific structure inside has long been unrecognizable. This was originally an experimental machine, but this time I went to the iron prison and finally completed my mission.

A few days ago, the road was being built everywhere, and this machine was loaded with two large stone mills and the road was pressed everywhere. This time it was demolished, and two large stones were placed at the door, like a divine beast guarding the door. The machine was no longer useful, and had become a tool for teaching the Iron Supervisor.

Seeing Du Zhongxiao coming in, Su Song and the others hurriedly saluted.

Sitting down in the middle seat, Du Zhongxiao said, "How?" Everyone knows exactly how this machine is structured, right? ”

Su Song said: "Here are all carefully selected smart people, and it has been clear after spending these days." ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded and said, "The most important thing is to know what it is, and why it is true." It is not only necessary to understand the structure of the machine, but also to know what the reason is, why coal is burned, and how to be able to turn around and do things. What kind of power does it come out of this machine, what kind of character does it have, and how to use it? If you are familiar with all of these, the future is promising. ”

And they all said yes. They have all been selected for mechanical talent after studying in recent months. They are not craftsmen, they start from the most superficial theory, go deeper step by step, and then practice it themselves, and stand out. What they study here is mainly the principle and structure of the machine, how to improve it, and how to use it. If you really want to make parts by hand, there are skilled craftsmen who cooperate.

After asking everyone about the situation these days, Du Zhongxiao stood up and looked at the machine that was being disassembled.

Su Song is very organized, the huge fuselage draws a small area, and many small tables are placed, on which are the disassembled parts. A note in front of each part says the name of the part, where it is installed, and what kind of use it is for. Don't underestimate the dozens of words on each note, being able to fully understand them all represent a certain amount of knowledge.

The specific structure and parts inside are a little unfamiliar to Du Zhongxiao. Su Song and Tao Seventeen have changed too much, and they have different names, and the naming is not the same system as what he learned before. The names they gave used a lot of words such as arrows, commentaries, plates, and yokes, while the words such as shafts, wheels, and rods that Du Zhongxiao was familiar with rarely appeared. This kind of thing can't be forced, Du Zhongxiao can only ask them to name them according to their functions, and form a system.

Looking at these parts, which were both familiar and unfamiliar to him, Du Zhongxiao sighed secretly. This machine has slowly changed from the kind of thing I am familiar with to the things of this era, from the real thing to the name, it will be different from what I am familiar with, and I can only adapt to it slowly.

After reading it once, Du Zhongxiao sat down again and said, "This steam engine, you disassemble it together, and I think it will be reinstalled." These days are familiar, and the next step is to find a way to make it lighter and easier to use. ”

Everyone agreed together.

Du Zhongxiao said: "In the past, when this machine was first made, good steel was hard to find, and pig iron was mostly used, which was both cumbersome and heavy. Now that the iron supervisor produces good steel, it is also convenient to make it into various shapes, and it should be much easier than before. ”

Looking at the brass piled on the ground next to him, Du Zhongxiao said again: "It's not easy to cut steel, so I transported some copper for you." If necessary, you can test the shape you want to make with copper. If there is a complex shape that is difficult to manufacture, copper can be used. ”

Su Song said: "With copper parts, you can only see how well they function. If you really want to use it in the machine, you still have to make steel, otherwise how do you know if you can use it? Copper is still much worse than steel. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded. Copper parts are used to test the mechanical structure to see if it can meet the requirements of kinematics. If you really want to use it in the machine, it also involves strength and hardness, and you must use steel. However, in this era, it is impossible to calculate the intensity accurately, so we can only try it out little by little based on experience. The content of the booklet compiled by himself can still be used in kinematics, and deeper knowledge can only be explored by these people.

What Du Zhongxiao can provide is some basic mechanical structures, such as cranks, gears, ratchets, flywheels and other mature mechanisms. As for the combination with reality, Du Zhongxiao did not have the energy to go deeper. The steam engine has reached this level, Du Zhongxiao is actually not easy to interfere with, these people have formed their own way of thinking after studying. In the end, the practical machines they made could only be similar to those of later generations, but the process was very different.

Traditional Chinese machinery, such as the bronze chariots and horses of the Qin and Han dynasties, later astronomical instruments, and even various agricultural tools, were customarily made into particularly complex systems, which were not at all the same as those of later generations. The parts made of copper next to it, Du Zhongxiao can already see that many of them are dexterous and exquisite, and they are not the same way as their own simplicity and rudeness. Among these people, many of them are recruited readers, and the taste of the readers is really indescribable.

After discussing some general frameworks, such as the power system, steam pressure detection and control system, and transmission system, Du Zhongxiao stopped and called Su Song to come out together. The reason why Su Song is here is that the current machine design inexplicably brings a literati style. not only pursues exquisiteness, but also has a poetic feeling, which is introduced by others, which makes Du Zhongxiao stunned.

There is nothing surprising about this, everything must have its own characteristics of the times. Just like the early European machines, they often have exquisite ornamentation, which is the aesthetic taste of others. The same is true in this era, the machines made must be exquisite and simple, which is the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty and cannot be forcibly removed. When it is popularized and truly applied to the public, these bells and whistles will naturally disappear slowly.

Out of the room, Du Zhongxiao shook his head slightly. At this time, the recruited people will slowly grow up, everything will be self-contained, and their personal colors will gradually fade. When they actually make a practical machine, maybe Du Zhongxiao will have to adapt to this system.

Sitting down by the lake, looking at the rippling blue surface of the lake, Du Zhongxiao said: "In a few months, I didn't expect these people to be able to learn, and they can come up with their own ways to make new things." What we have accumulated over the past few years, I hope we can carry forward. ”

Su Song said: "What's so strange about this. These people, carefully selected from several states, learn and do at the same time, teach and learn from each other, and it is not surprising that they have today's achievements. According to my estimates, in a few months, the machine will be far from what it used to be. ”

Du Zhongxiao thought about it, but it was actually normal. The scope of recruitment of the railway supervisor covers most of the states and counties of Jingxi Road, such an area, such a population size, such a historical tradition, and only a few countries in Europe can compare with the period of the industrial revolution. It's not surprising that the selected talents have made anything. In the general direction, there is oneself to lead the way, there will be no detours, and it is normal to make rapid progress.

Du Zhongxiao and Su Song, their strengths are in the general direction and ideas, and the real fine places are not comparable to these young people who often do it at the bottom. They have no ideological baggage, dare to think and dare to do, and cannot be underestimated.

Du Zhongxiao said: "The principles of the world are all connected. This time, the machine is not only to make something that can be used, but also to sum up the truth. For example, how to go from back and forth to wheel rotation. Is there any other way than what we are using now? For example, if the operation is unstable, add a large iron wheel as a flywheel, and it will be stabilized. In this case, it is even more important to summarize it into a booklet like we do. ”

Su Song nodded: "I understand." The Iron Prison has today, didn't it start with a few pamphlets. The beginning of everything is the most difficult, one person can make a thing, you can't teach it to others in a booklet, and another person can do it from scratch, which is naturally in vain. ”

This is the strength of the literati, who like to write books and speak about them, and when they have something to gain, let them compile a booklet to sum up their experience, and everyone is enthusiastic. This is the trend of this era, such as Yansu studied the tide and learned something, so he wrote a book. The person who invented wet copper smelting in history also wrote a book "Essentials of Copper Immersion". This is conducive to the accumulation of experience, and the initial development will be very fast.