Li Zhi, don't be a coward

Chapter 492
The hydraulic machine built by Li Qinzai is far beyond Li Zhi's cognition. Not only are everyone not on the same channel, but they are not in the same era.

With Li Zhi's insights, it is impossible to imagine what it would be like for a country to develop industry. In an agricultural society, no matter whether the emperor or his subjects, the only thing they value is food.

A bumper harvest of grain means that the country is strong and the people have surplus money, so they don’t have to worry about food and drink.

For thousands of years in China, the only thing that the emperors of all dynasties worried about was the belly of the people. There are two concepts of belly, one is to be able to eat enough, and the other is to have more children.

So, what does it look like when a country has industry?
Li Zhi couldn't imagine that since meeting Li Qinzai, Li Zhi's biggest psychological change was that the things made by Li Qinzai, a so-called Mohist boy, could save a lot of manpower and material resources, and at the same time make Datang invincible on the battlefield.

He doesn't have the concept of industry at all.

After eating and drinking, Li Qinzai led Li Zhi and Wu Hou to the hydraulic press at the entrance of the village.

Li Zhi walked around the hydraulic machine several times, tsk-tsk admiringly while turning.

Li Qinzai was greatly moved: "Your Majesty understand?"

Li Zhi said decisively: "I don't understand at all, but this thing is the biggest thing that Jingchu has ever built. Such a big thing must be extremely powerful. I feel that this thing has a fierce aura rushing towards my face ..."

Li Qinzai smiled, and the emperor's version of "I don't know what's wrong" doesn't sound so bad.

"Your Majesty, this thing is called 'Hydraulic Machine'. It is an industrial forging machine. Using the principle of gravity of water pressure, it can forge all large-scale utensils, from iron sheets to plate armor, from battleship armor, to civilian embankments. It can forge any iron gates it needs."

"Also, if you use it to temper pig iron, you can get hundreds of refined steel, which can be used to make weapons that will be invincible in the world."

Li Zhi was taken aback: "So powerful? Jing Chu quickly demonstrate it to me."

Li Qinzai thought for a while, and ordered the blacksmith to prepare a plate armor mold, and then put the iron on the mold after the iron was heated red. The buckle of the hydraulic press was released, and the iron ingot fell heavily. Almost instantly, a complete plate armor was formed. forming.

The middle of the plate armor is solid iron, and the edge is decorated with fish scale moiré patterns. Li Zhi stepped forward and beat the plate armor repeatedly, and stabbed it several times with a sword, he couldn't help but be overjoyed.

"Good thing! Ordinary blacksmiths need at least ten days to make a piece of plate armor, but the thing you made can be formed in an instant. If the Tang Dynasty encounters a battle, as long as the hydraulic machine is enough, you can get ten thousand pieces of armor in one day."

Li Qinzai said again: "Your Majesty, forging plate armor is just one of its very small uses. Its greater use is large metal utensils. As long as there is a mold, everything can be formed in an instant, especially for forging refined steel. Tang's military is very important."

Li Zhixi said: "Okay! Jingchu is worthy of being a national scholar of the Tang Dynasty, and he really lived up to expectations. It was only a long time ago when he made cement last time, and today he sent me another national artifact."

"Jingchu's heart to serve the country should be made known to the world, so that all the subjects can know it, and it will be recorded in the history, and it will last forever."

Li Qinzai didn't dare.

Li Zhi pondered for a moment, and said: "Jingchu's title is still County Earl, right? I remember that it was granted in the second year of Longshuo, and this is only a short year..."

Empress Wu hurriedly said: "Think twice, Your Majesty, Jing Chu has been promoted to the title too quickly, and there are many criticisms in the court. If he is promoted again, His Majesty and Jing Chu may fall into rumors."

Li Zhi's face suddenly turned cold: "Those gossips, let them make some national artifacts for me. I will never be stingy with conferring titles. They can't make them, and they only criticize and dissuade the really useful ones. I have already seen through their faces!"

Li Qinzai said wittily: "Your Majesty, I'm still young, but in my early twenties, it's not a good thing to be promoted too soon, and it will also damage your majesty's reputation. If you don't want to be promoted, please don't make things difficult for your majesty."

Li Zhi also knew that it was not a good thing to promote a young courtier twice in two or three years, so he had to give up resentfully.

"Three hundred households in Zeng'er Shishi Township were given a hundred taels of gold and a hundred bolts of silk. His wife, Li Cui's family, was ordered to be the fourth-rank lady of Jin Dynasty, and his son, Li Qiaojin, was General Ningyuan..."

Li Zhi paused, and suddenly added another reward inexplicably: "Twenty head of cattle from the household department will be given to Jingchu."

Li Qinzai was stunned, but Li Zhi winked at him: "Jing Chu must take good care of these twenty cattle, 'take good care'!"

Li Qinzai understood, bowed and said, "I will definitely 'take good care of'!"

Empress Wu sighed helplessly, and said with a wry smile: "The monarchs and ministers deceive themselves and others, why bother?"

Li Qinzai bowed his head and said: "If your majesty can wait for a day or two, I can order the blacksmith to start work to make a piece of refined steel for your majesty, and then make this steel into a pair of armor and present it to your majesty. The secondary armor is invulnerable to swords and arrows, and will surely protect His Majesty."

Li Zhi lifted his spirits and mentioned that he would personally conquer Goguryeo, so he would not be sleepy.

"Okay, okay! I'm waiting, let the blacksmith start work quickly, the armor made of refined steel, haha, if I put it on, I dare to personally charge in the army of ten thousand horses, beheading the enemy's head!"

Empress Wu and Li Qinzai were so frightened that they said in unison: "No, Your Majesty!"

"I know, I'm not stupid." Li Zhi glanced at the two of them.

…………

At night, Li Zhi and Empress Wu naturally chose the best room in the other courtyard to live in.

Li Qinzai and his wife didn't even dare to stay in the backyard, so the family of three spent the whole night in the front yard.

Today's harvest is not small, not only increased food, gold and silk, Qiao'er, who has done nothing, has also been promoted to an official, a six or seven-year-old boy, and he is also a fifth-rank military official when he goes out. According to the etiquette system, it is not too much to equip him with a guard of honor.

Cui Jie also gained something. When Li Zhiqin got married, she was awarded the fifth-rank imperial order, and now she has been promoted to a fourth-rank imperial order wife. The family of three has more and more capital to run wild with the fish and meat people in the village.

As for Li Qinzai himself, he really didn't have much expectation for the title. No matter how his wife and son were appointed officials, it would be a favor, but if he was promoted to county marquis in his 20s, it would be too eye-catching.

What kind of existence would a county lord who relies entirely on his own achievements and does not rely on the favor of his family stand in the court?
Presumably it should be the existence of being kicked by the officials.

It's better to be low-key, the county uncle is very good, the status is not high, but it is not low. The image of the noble title running rampant everywhere is vivid on the paper, which will not make too many people feel on guard.

Hold on, don't be a waste, wretched development is the kingly way.

The family of three squeezed together in the same room. In the middle of the night, Qiao'er fell asleep on another small bed, but Cui Jie was so excited that she buried her head on Li Qinzai's chest and laughed silently.

"Your husband is really good, and I have followed my husband, and I have been promoted to the first rank. Tomorrow, I will write back to Qingzhou and Chang'an, telling my father and my brother, so that they will be happy too."

Li Qinzai twitched his lips: "After your brother receives the letter, the most likely thing is to tear your letter into pieces. If conditions permit, he will send someone to Zhuangzi and throw the torn letter in my face..."

(End of this chapter)