Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 98 Antique Toys
"During the transition between the two Han dynasties? The water sluice was also invented at that time. Then this can be considered an ancient artifact of the Atlantic Country." Zhu Youxiao approached with interest and observed the strange-shaped copper object in front of him.

"What is a water row?" Zhu Changluo felt that it sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a moment.

"Hehe. Answering your father, the water pump is an iron smelting tool powered by water." Seeing his father asking the question, Zhu Youxiao straightened his chest and began to show off his knowledge hard: "A hydraulic transmission mechanism makes the leather bellows open and close continuously, sending air into the iron smelting furnace. Just like this." Zhu Youxiao pinched the five fingers of his left hand together and made repeated opening and closing gestures, while his right wrist moved up and down to simulate the wind direction.

"Water-powered blower? Aren't you good at carpentry? Do you also know iron smelting?" Zhu Changluo was very surprised.

"Your Majesty, I don't quite understand it, but I can still draw inferences from one instance to another." Zhu Youxiao said modestly.

"Who made this thing?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"There was an official during the reign of Emperor Guangwu named Du Shi. He was as famous as Cai Lun and Zhang Heng." Zhu Youxiao answered seriously, and one could tell from his tone that he respected these great inventors very much.

Zhu Changluo nodded, and he remembered: it turned out to be the iron smelting tool in the textbook that was "a thousand years earlier than Europe."

"Those white-faced and red-faced people who were summoned to Beijing are the Atlantic people, right?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"Have you seen them?" Zhu Changluo asked doubtfully.

"That's not the case. When Emperor Sun was teaching Arabic numerals and Western symbols, he briefly described these foreigners who came from afar to be immersed in the king's rule," Zhu Youxiao explained.

"Are you interested in going out of the palace with father to see what these distant sea barbarians look like?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"Is it really possible?" Zhu Youxiao was more interested in leaving the palace itself than the 'ocean barbarians'.

Before a prince is crowned a prince and given a palace, and before a princess marries a prince consort, they are all canaries in the Forbidden City. They only have the opportunity to leave the palace during grand ceremonies.

"Of course," Zhu Changluo replied with a nod, walking to the main hall entrance. "Someone, clear the lunch out," he called, pushing the door open.

"Is this 'steam ball' a tribute to my father?" The moment the door was pushed open, Zhu Youxiao felt a gust of cold wind.

"That's not the case. Their tribute is still in Tianjin. I've seen the gift list. This delegation is just repeating the Western gadgets that the missionary Matteo Ricci presented to your royal grandfather. The palace basically has them all. Any slightly peculiar items already have imitations, and the craftsmanship in the palace is even more refined than the originals. In short, there's nothing new, just more of them." Zhu Changluo waved at Wang An.

"Long live the master." Wang An came over trembling. He hadn't expected the royal father and son to chat about intimate matters for over half an hour. He was almost freezing standing outside.

Zhu Changluo took Wang An's hand and, smiling, put a white fox fur sleeve on his hand. "You forgot to wear it when you went out. You must be cold."

"My lord, I'm not cold." Wang An felt warm in his heart.

"Ask someone to prepare the small stove and kettle." Zhu Changluo gave the order after Wang An put on his sleeves.

"Yes, sir." Wang An cheered himself up and strode out of the palace again.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at the direction Wang An left, walked over and asked, "Since it is not a tribute, how did your father get it?" "Have you forgotten? I said that I asked the Imperial Household Department to make it." Zhu Changluo replied.

"I beg Your Majesty to forgive me for not expressing myself clearly." Zhu Youjiao did not explain himself clearly, so he rephrased: "What I mean is that since this item is not a tribute, how could the Imperial Household Department have imitated it?" Zhu Youjiao pointed to the clock in the hall.

Zhu Changluo nodded and said, "Since Westerners have come to Beijing to pay tribute again, I naturally want to get to know them first. So I went to the Imperial Archives to look through the books that the Li family presented as tribute, and found this." Zhu Changluo handed a book written in Italian to Zhu Youxiao.

The Imperial Archives began construction in the 13th year of the Jiajing reign. Initially known as the "Shenyu Pavilion," it was renamed the "Imperial Archives" after its completion in the 15th year of the Jiajing reign. It was the place where the imperial archives and special books were managed, under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department. The Jiajing copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia is preserved here.

"Your Majesty, can you understand Western writing?" Zhu Youxiao opened the book and looked at the densely packed Western writing on it. He couldn't help but look at his father with admiration.

"Of course," Zhu Changluo said, his face calm and composed, pretending to be a big shot. But in his heart, he was thinking: If this were written in English, maybe I could still read it. Forget Italian.

Zhu Youxiao flipped through the book quickly and soon found a black and white illustration near the end that was almost identical to the bronze object. It was obvious that it was hand-painted by someone.

"Did your Majesty order the Imperial Household Department to make it according to this picture?" Zhu Youxiao asked, pointing to the illustration.

"Yes, the structure of this thing is very simple. The Imperial Household Department made it in just two days according to my instructions." Zhu Changluo affirmed.

As one of the most primitive steam engines invented in the first century AD, the structure of the steam ball is immediately recognizable. Three curved sticks serve as a support for a covered basin, on top of which stand two slightly thicker straight sticks. Above these straight sticks is the steam ball with two nozzles connected.

Zhu Youxiao once dismantled a chime clock, which was incredibly complex. So complex that it was impossible to put it back together without blueprints. Compared to the chime clock, this ancient Western creation was as simple as a children's toy.

Zhu Youxiao grabbed the extra handles on both sides of the basin and lifted up the copper balloon. When he found that the balloon was hollow, he completely lost interest in this "children's toy".

Zhu Youxiao thought: After all, it is a gift sent by my father himself, so I should find a conspicuous place to put it. It is better than jade and glass, at least it will not be broken.
"What are you thinking about? Do you know how it works?" Zhu Changluo didn't know that this most primitive steam engine only meant "a gift from my father" to Zhu Youxiao, who was a "master carpenter", "mechanical apprentice" and "metallurgical beginner".

"Maybe like this?" Zhu Youxiao put down the steam ball, pressed one of the nozzles on the copper ball with his index finger and gently pushed it down, and it began to rotate.

"Ha, you're wrong." Zhu Changluo chuckled, his face full of mystery. "This ball can spin on its own."

"Your Majesty, you are joking. There is nothing in here, how could it possibly rotate by itself?" Zhu Youxiao pretended to be unconvinced and cooperated with his father.

"What is this thing called?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"It's a spinning ball~~~! So that's it." Zhu Youxiao acted as if he suddenly understood something.

The structure and name of the "ancient toy," along with the two items his father had Wang An fetch, were enough for Zhu Youxiao to guess its workings. But when it comes to teasing children, adults wouldn't be too happy if they acted mature and understanding. To please his father, he decided to act like a less intelligent "child."

(End of this chapter)