Daming Crazy Emperor

Chapter 622
In Ciqing Palace, Prince Zhu Youxiao heard that Taichang wanted to borrow his side hall where he did carpentry work, he was so curious.

It's still the New Year's Eve, what is the father doing?

He walked quickly to the side hall and saw that some young eunuchs had brought a bundle of bamboo about the height of a person, a stack of rice paper two or three feet wide, and the paste was packed in a bucket. There are also needles and threads, I don't know how many rolls have been moved.

What is this for?

He really couldn't understand it.

Soon, Taichang brought Cheng Jiashuo over.

Prince Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but asked curiously: "Father, what are you planning to do, a kite?"

Kite?

When Taichang heard this, his eyes lit up.

It seems that the kite can also be tried, because the hot air balloon uses the wind to fly and turn in the air, which is similar to the principle of the kite.

However, you must have a hot air balloon first, and you can test flight and steering after you can go to the sky.

Thinking of this, Taichang smiled slightly and said, "I'll make the kite later, let's make a Kongming lantern first."

Kongming Lantern?
Of course Zhu Youxiao knew what Kongming Lantern was.

The question is, why did the father make Kongming lanterns?

Before he could figure out what was going on, Cheng Jiashuo bowed his hands and asked cautiously, "His Royal Highness, can I borrow the tables, chairs and benches from your office?"

What's the matter, I'm just doing it for fun.

Zhu Youxiao said without hesitation: "Whatever you like, you can take it back, and I will give it to you."

These are still not lacking in my family. Cheng Jiashuo said in embarrassment: "His Royal Highness, I can just use it here. Uh, this, I might step on it."

Zhu Youxiao nodded without hesitation and said, "Just step on it, these tables, chairs and benches are all solid, don't worry, they won't fall down."

I'm afraid that your newly made desks, chairs and benches will be dirty!

Well, since you don't mind, it's fine.

Cheng Jiashuo immediately picked up the bamboo knife, split the rope that bound the bamboo, picked the thickest bamboo, and then dragged the bamboo, stood on a chair, and chopped it down with the bamboo knife.

"Ka Ka Ka", the sound of bamboo joints splitting suddenly resounded throughout the side hall.

This is so enjoyable!
Seeing this, Zhu Youxiao couldn't help standing aside and watching with great interest.

Taichang also knew that Cheng Jiashuo was an excellent bamboo craftsman, and above the court, with all civil and military officials, this guy's bamboo craftsman's work must be ranked first, so he asked someone to come over and try to make a Kongming lantern.

However, he didn't expect Cheng Jiashuo's bamboo craftsman to be so good.

This guy is like a machine for processing bamboo. In less than a quarter of an hour, a bamboo was broken into evenly thick bamboo strips by him!
Next is to tie the lampshade.

In fact, this is also a technical job. Generally, people who have never pierced such a big lampshade don't know how to do it.

Cheng Jiashuo's work is like flowing water.

Of course, he couldn't tie such a big lampshade by himself; someone had to support him.

As soon as he waved his hand, not only a few young eunuchs went up, but also Prince Zhu Youxiao ran up.

This is really a bit speechless.

However, Cheng Jiashuo was only stunned for a moment before continuing to work.

His Highness the Crown Prince likes to do carpentry. Of course he knows this. There are some similarities between this bamboo crafting and carpentry. It is normal for His Royal Highness to be interested.

His work as a bamboo craftsman is really extraordinary.

For such a large lampshade, it may take an ordinary bamboo craftsman an hour to tie it out.

However, it took him less than half an hour to tie it up, and it was quite neat and square, almost as even as the edges of rice paper.

The crown prince Zhu Youxiao couldn't help admiring: "Yaoguang, you are a bamboo craftsman who is probably qualified for level nine, right?"

This is the highest praise for craftsmen.

Because the ninth-level craftsman has already reached the top, that is the most outstanding master in this industry.

However, this craftsman household level is of little significance to officials.

Cheng Jiashuo didn't have the time to take the artisan examination.

He was quite embarrassed and said: "This, I can't compare with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. This bamboo craftsman's work is only six or seven levels at most, and he can't compare with those nine-level masters."

Well, level six or seven is also very high.

Next is paper.

This one is quite simple, just apply the paste on both sides and paste it upright.

With the help of Prince Zhu Youxiao and several young eunuchs, Cheng Jiashuo pasted the paper in less than a quarter of an hour.

As soon as the paper was pasted, he patted his thigh and said awkwardly: "Oh, I forgot to prepare candles. For such a big Kongming lantern, I'm afraid you need a candle as thick as an arm. Otherwise, the heat will not be enough to fly at all."

Candles with thick arms are naturally not available in ordinary families, but there is no shortage of such things in the palace.

Taichang waved his hand directly, and Cao Huachun ordered someone to take it away.

At this time, Cheng Jiashuo ordered someone to gently put down the lampshade like a paper house, and then squatted in front of the opening of the lampshade to ponder.

Seeing this, Taichang couldn't help asking curiously: "What's wrong?"

Cheng Jiashuo pondered, "Your Majesty, it seems impossible to tie a candle with a thin thread. A candle with a thick arm has too much flame. If it is blown by the wind and hits the thin thread, it will probably burn the thread."

Isn't this simple?

Taichang asked directly: "Chief, do you have thin copper wire?"

Yes!

Zhu Youxiao turned around and opened a toolbox, pointed at it like a treasure and said, "Father, look how thick it is."

Well, this guy doesn't know what to do with copper wires, there are more than ten coils of copper wires of various thicknesses neatly inside.

Taichang waved his hand slightly again, and Cheng Jiashuo stepped forward to pick up the bundle of copper wire.

At this time, a little eunuch ran in holding a candle as thick as an arm and half the height of a person.

My goodness, this is too long.

Cheng Jiashuo was stunned for a moment, and then gestured: "This one is about a foot long."

It's not easy.

Zhu Youxiao took the candle directly, took out the saw, and sawed out a piece of candle about a foot long for him with a few swishes.

Cheng Jiashuo took the candle and gestured roughly, cut off four thin copper wires with a strip knife, quickly tied them under the lampshade, then stood up and clapped his hands, saying: "Your Majesty, it's done."

Is this all right?
Taichang walked up to have a look, then raised his hand and said: "Tie ropes on the four corners, we can't let this Kongming lantern fly away, maybe one person's height will do."

Well, Cheng Jiashuo asked the prince for a hemp rope that was as thick as a finger, cut four of them, and tied them directly to the four corners.

It should be almost there now.

Seeing this, Taichang waved without hesitation and said, "Go, let's go outside and try."

Cheng Jiashuo immediately directed a few young eunuchs to carefully carry out the completed Kongming Lantern.

Taichang led the crowd to the square outside, and ordered people to find stones on the hemp ropes at the four corners of the big stone gang. Then he waved and said: "Okay, let's light the fire."

Cheng Jiashuo immediately told the four little eunuchs to raise the Kongming lantern and gave them some detailed instructions before ordering them to light the big candle below.

This Kongming lantern doesn't fly up when it is ignited, the air inside the lampshade must be completely heated.

Therefore, after the fire is lit, the lampshade must be lifted to allow the flame to heat the air inside the lampshade.

Moreover, you can't let go at this time, the lampshade will fall to the ground as soon as you let go.

After about a cup of tea, the huge Kongming lantern slowly left the hands of the four little eunuchs and floated upwards.

This Cheng Jiashuo is really amazing. It is also the first time for him to make such a big Kongming lantern, and there is no problem at all.

Taichang saw that the Kongming Lantern floated to the height of a person, and the hemp ropes at the four corners were stretched straight, so he stepped forward and tried his strength by pulling a hemp rope with his hands.

This strength does not seem to be great.

He thought for a while, and then confessed: "Zi Ru, go and fetch a weight from one to ten catties, and by the way, bring the weighing pan as well."

What is the emperor doing?

This thing is also available in the imperial palace, because it is used by many yamen in the 24 prisons of the inner palace.

After a while, the weight and the weighing pan were brought over.

Taichang confessed again, and directly asked Cheng Jiashuo to hang the weighing pan under the candle.

Immediately afterwards, he began to add weights to the weighing pan.

The lifting force of the Kongming Lantern was indeed not great, and he only added about ten catties, and the Kongming Lantern couldn't hold it anymore.

About how many square meters is a Kongming lantern half a foot high?

There should be almost two cubic meters.

A two-cubic hot air balloon only has a force of about ten catties, and a person weighing more than one hundred catties needs at least forty or fifty cubic meters to fly into the sky.

If you add people’s baskets, fuel and other things, a hot air balloon needs at least more than 100 cubic meters to fly people into the sky!

More than 100 cubic meters, so big!

No wonder no one could use Kongming lanterns to fly into the sky before. It is basically impossible to make Kongming lanterns with more than 100 cubic meters.

How to do it?

Taichang couldn't help staring at the sky and thinking.

At this time, Xu Guangqi and Bi Maokang came together to find him again.

Before the Lantern Festival, they were too embarrassed to disturb Taichang, but after the Lantern Festival, they couldn't help looking for him.

They really didn't expect that the emperor ordered someone to make such a big Kongming lantern to play with His Royal Highness here.

Isn't the Lantern Festival just over, why is the emperor playing with Kongming lanterns again?

Both of them were a little confused.

After paying respects to the monarchs and ministers, Taichang couldn't help asking curiously: "Is there anything important that you are so eager to find me?"

Bi Maokang said in embarrassment: "Your Majesty, it's still about the exam questions. I'm stupid. I really don't know how to come up with the last question of the science exam."

I have already thought about this.

Looking at the Kongming lanterns above everyone's heads, Taichang murmured, "I want to fly to the sky and control the wind, cloud, thunder and lightning."

Ah!
What did the emperor say?

Let's discuss the exam questions, okay?
Do you want to fly to the sky and control the storm and thunder!

This, is it possible?

Bi Maokang and Xu Guangqi looked at each other dumbfounded, and then carefully cupped their hands and said: "Your Majesty, I dare you, this matter of flying to the sky to control the wind, cloud, thunder and lightning, we may have to discuss it in a long-term way, or should we discuss the exam questions first?"

What else are you discussing?
Taichang said solemnly: "This is the exam question."

what?
This is the exam question!

Everyone was almost knocked to the ground by thunder.

How do people answer this question?
(End of this chapter)