Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 416: The Tang Dynasty could then enter the era of water power industry.
Outside the main hall of Wenhe Mansion, Gao Yue stood smiling on the steps, holding a bright yellow imperial edict, followed by two eunuchs carrying wooden boxes filled with rewards.

Wenrou, the four little ones, and Qibi Heli were reading in the study.

Gao Yue then stopped Wen He from calling them out.

"Bowen He of Gaoyang County, heed the imperial decree..."

Gao Yue cleared her throat, unfolded the imperial edict, and spoke in a loud voice.

"The Earl of Gaoyang County has rendered meritorious service in offering advice, helping to stabilize the people's hearts in Hebei, and devising methods for water conservancy and waterwheels. He is hereby granted 500,000 coins, 50 bolts of Shu brocade, and 100 bolts of silk. This is the imperial decree!"

Wen He quickly bowed and accepted the imperial decree: "Your subject Wen He thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"

Gao Yue handed him the imperial edict with both hands, her smile widening.

"You're too kind, Your Excellency. This is the first time His Majesty has bestowed such a generous reward upon us this year. Congratulations in advance!"

"Hehe, thank you, Senior Officer."

Wen He chuckled dryly, but inwardly he was starting to have doubts.

Yesterday at the Lizheng Hall, Dou Jing complained about being poor and saying that the national treasury was tight. Li Shimin was even holding onto the private treasury tightly, so how come he suddenly rewarded her with so many things?

There must be something fishy going on here.

Seeing his strange expression, Gao Yue suppressed her smile, stepped forward, and lowered her voice.

“Before I came, His Majesty specifically instructed that since these rewards have been given to the county magistrate, he should dispose of them as he sees fit without too much concern or need to report to the court.”

"Dispose of it yourself?"

Wen He's eyes lit up immediately, and she instantly understood Li Shimin's thoughts.

This wasn't a reward for him; it was clearly a way for him to use his own hands to distribute these things to the artisans in the workshop!

After all, it was against the established rules for emperors to directly reward artisans, which would easily arouse criticism from the gentry. Using him as an intermediary would make the process much more legitimate.

However, he wasn't sure if he was right, so he asked again to confirm.

"Does Your Majesty truly allow me to dispose of it as I please? Even... to give it to others?"

"nature."

Gao Yue smiled meaningfully.

“These things are now the county magistrate’s private property. How to dispose of them is entirely up to him. However, I must say that this is His Majesty’s great favor. County magistrate, please don’t forget to mention it when the time comes, so that everyone knows His Majesty’s intentions.”

Wen He understood.

Gao Yue's words were a reminder to him to tell the craftsmen that these rewards were actually given by Li Shimin, so that the craftsmen would be grateful for the emperor's kindness.

He smiled and nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Official. I understand."

Gao Yue did not linger; after giving her instructions, she left with the eunuch.

Wen He stood in the courtyard, watching A Dong direct the servants to move the bestowed Shu brocade, silk, and copper coins into the storeroom, and couldn't help but chuckle.

The reason things turned out so awkwardly was because Li Shimin didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, no monarch has ever bestowed honors upon artisans.

Fortunately, most of the artisans in Wenhe Mansion had already been freed from their lowly status, and the rest were recruited by him and were not official artisans, so they were not considered lowly either.

In this way, even if the news gets out, no one will complain.

"Adong, don't move it into the warehouse."

Wen He suddenly spoke.

"Send all these things to the newly built workshop in the back garden."

Adong paused for a moment, his hand movements stopped, and he said in astonishment.

"Young master, you mean... to give all of these to those craftsmen? That's five hundred strings of cash, plus fifty bolts of Shu brocade and a hundred bolts of silk, almost three years' salary for you!"

He felt a pang of regret; if he kept these things, they would be enough for the household to use for quite some time.

"separated."

Wen He nodded in confirmation.

"what!"

Adong was stunned.

"I'm even thinking of becoming a craftsman," A-Dong clicked his tongue twice.

Upon hearing this, Qi San, who was carrying a box of copper coins nearby, scoffed, his tone filled with disdain: "You? You can't even hold a hammer properly, and you want to be a craftsman? You're a hammer craftsman for sure!"

"Qi San! Go do your work and mind your own business!" A Dong immediately got impatient and turned around to retort.

Qi San put down the box, curled his lip, and muttered under his breath, "That damned eunuch, all he can do is put on an act in front of the young master."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Fu, who was walking out of the storeroom to count the rewards, stopped in his tracks and his face darkened instantly.

He entered the palace as a servant in his early years due to poverty. Although he is no longer a eunuch, he can never wash away his identity as a castrated man.

Wen He stood on the steps, taking in the whole scene, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

This is going to be interesting.

It's a pity I didn't have any sunflower seeds on hand, otherwise it would have been even more pleasant to eat them while watching.

Qi San caught a glimpse of Zhou Fu's suddenly darkened face, his heart skipped a beat, and his tongue stammered.

"Um, Uncle Zhou, I... I wasn't talking about you, I was... I was talking about the water carrier in the front yard, he... he said those words yesterday too!"

He tried to explain himself, but his words became increasingly incoherent.

This attempt to cover up the truth only made the situation more awkward.

Zhou Fu ignored his sophistry, turned to Wen He with a stern face, bowed and asked.

"Young master, do you need a carriage today? The carriages and horses in the manor have not been cleaned for many days and have accumulated a lot of dust."

Upon seeing this, Qi San quickly winked at Wen He, his eyes filled with pleading for help.

He had no idea how tiring it was to clean the stables. The horse manure and hay mixed together stank so badly that it could make a person faint. After a day of washing, you would be covered in the smell.

Wen He pretended not to see it, a slight smile playing on her lips, and slowly replied.

"Oh, we're not going far today. Wherever we need to go, we can just ride a fast horse. We don't need a carriage."

"That's just right."

Zhou Fu said casually, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"This old servant thinks that since Qi San is free today, he should take charge of cleaning all the horses and carriages, and thoroughly clean the stables to prevent them from accumulating dirt and attracting insects."

His words were ostensibly a request for Wen He's opinion, but in reality, he had already made up his mind. Wen He, eager to see the spectacle, immediately nodded.

"Uncle Zhou is very capable; you can make the arrangements yourself."

"Old slave, I understand."

Zhou Fu bowed in agreement, then turned to look at Qi San with a hint of warning in his eyes.

Qi San, who was not far away, turned ashen-faced and his legs went weak.

Although the manor only had five horses and three carriages, the horses needed brushing, hoof washing, and tack cleaning, while the carriages needed painting, dusting, and wheel maintenance. The worst part was the stable, which was filled with half a foot of bedding and horse manure.

This whole process takes at least a day and a half, and it's not only tiring, but you also end up smelling terrible.

"Hahaha! Qi San, you've got a sharp tongue!"

A-Dong, standing to the side, laughed so hard he was doubled over, clutching his stomach and unable to straighten up.

"Washing the stables is a good idea, it'll give you a taste of horse manure!"

He was laughing heartily, his shrill laughter particularly jarring in the courtyard.

But the laughter lasted less than three seconds before Zhou Fu coldly interrupted it.

"Young master, how can you be so noisy and rude, A-Dong? What kind of behavior is this?"

Adong's laughter stopped abruptly, and he quickly composed himself, about to apologize, when Zhou Fu continued speaking.

"Since you are so energetic, you can wash the horses and clean the stables with Qi San today, so you can keep each other company."

"what?"

A Dong's smile froze on his face instantly, his sharp voice stuck in his throat, making a strange "quack" sound, just like a duck being squeezed by the neck.

He never imagined that just by laughing twice, he would get himself into trouble, and his eyes were filled with despair as he looked at Qi San.

Qi San was initially aggrieved, but when he saw that A Dong had suffered the same fate, he immediately became happy.

He, who had just been feeling depressed, suddenly felt refreshed and relaxed.

"Come on, Adong, let's go wash the horses together, let's keep each other company!"

"You two hurry up and finish the work before sunset. If you slack off or try to cheat, you'll be in big trouble!"

Zhou Fu shouted sternly, which frightened the two men so much that they quickly composed themselves and went to the backyard to fetch the horses with their heads hanging low.

Wen He suppressed her laughter the whole time, and only spoke to Zhou Fu after the two had walked away.

"They should be taught a lesson so they won't always be fighting in the mansion."

“Young master is magnanimous, but the two of them are becoming increasingly unruly. They have been fighting openly and covertly these days, and they are likely to cause trouble for the young master in the future. It is time to give them a good talking-to.”

Zhou Fu's tone softened somewhat, and he bowed.

"Then this old servant will instruct the servants to move His Majesty's rewards to the workshop in the back garden?"

"Well, let's go."

Wen He nodded and took the lead towards the back garden.

The back garden workshop has just been built, and most of its area is occupied by a newly dug artificial lake. The lake water is drawn from a tributary of the Wei River, and its gentle flow carries a great deal of power.

On the lakeside, a huge wooden wheel, ten feet tall, stands prominently on the water. Bamboo tubes tied between the spokes turn slowly with the current, scooping up lake water that pours down, splashing up tiny droplets.

The "whoosh" sound was particularly clear in the workshop.

This is the waterwheel that is about to be completed.

Beside the wooden wheel, three craftsmen squatted in a circle, sketching on the ground with charcoal in their hands, arguing heatedly until their faces were red, unaware that Wen He and Zhou Fu had entered the courtyard with their servants.

Zhou Fu frowned deeply, silently grumbling to himself.

These people are very dedicated to their work, but they are far too lax in their discipline. Even when the young master himself was present, not one of them noticed. I must give them a good talking-to later.

"Let me tell you, this waterwheel has enough power. You can just tie a forging hammer to the spokes and it will work!"

Lu Sanchui, with a full beard, slapped his thigh, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his hand, covered in iron filings, touched the sketch.

"Last time we tested it, the wooden wheel could lift a 300-pound stone mill to grind rice. Although the forging hammer is heavy, we can add a labor-saving wooden wedge to the axle and make sure we can lift it!"

"Bullshit!"

The tall and thin Cheng Mushan immediately retorted, picked up a piece of charcoal and slashed the forging hammer on the sketch, wood chips falling down in a flurry.

These two people are the two people in charge of this workshop.

Lu Sanchui is a blacksmith who was recruited by Wen He from the Ministry of Works. He used to make horseshoes, but now he has left his place of origin as a craftsman.

Cheng Mushan was recruited by him and could be considered one of the best carpenters in Chang'an.

According to him, his master used to be a member of the Mohist school, but was later expelled from the school for some reason.

"A stone mill grinds around its axis, while a forging hammer strikes up and down! With your method, the hammer handle will definitely get stuck in the gap between the spokes. At best, it will jam the axis; at worst, it will break. Not only will you waste your effort, but you'll also have to redo it! You need to add a crankshaft to change the circular motion of the wooden wheel to an up-and-down reciprocating motion. That's the right way!"

"A crankshaft? You can make one?"

Lu Sanchui raised an eyebrow and spat on the ground.

"That object not only has to be machined perfectly round, but it also has to withstand the impact of the forging hammer. If there's even the slightest deviation, it will break in two and smash the kiln in the workshop. Can you bear the responsibility?"

The young craftsman Su Er, who was standing to the side, stepped forward and whispered, clutching the hem of his clothes. Su Er was originally from the hot air balloon team, but since there wasn't a great need for carpenters for hot air balloons, Wen He had transferred him here.

"Master Lu, Master Cheng, how about we make a small model to test first? Use a small wooden wheel about a foot long to drive a small copper hammer, and first test the difference in force between directly binding and adding a crankshaft, so as not to waste the fine hardwood and iron."

"What does a mere brat like you know!"

Lu Sanchui glared at him and patted him on the shoulder with his fan-like hand.

"Can a small model compare to a real waterwheel that's ten feet tall? It's more than ten times weaker! If the project is delayed, and the young master has to rush to build the waterwheel and send it to Hebei, can you bear the punishment?"

"Blindly attempting to build something will only make things worse!"

Su Er's face turned red with anxiety, and she stubbornly tried to explain herself.

"In the past, when making glass bottles, didn't we make small molds and test-fire them first to avoid detours?"

Just as the two were about to argue, they heard a loud cough from behind them.

Everyone turned around abruptly and saw Wen He and Zhou Fu standing three zhang away, with servants carrying vermilion lacquered boxes lined up to the side, the corners of the boxes revealing glimpses of the vibrant colors of Shu brocade.

The craftsmen then realized their rudeness, hurriedly brushed the charcoal dust off their clothes, stood up and bowed, while Lu Sanchui scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"Please forgive us, young master. We were so engrossed in figuring out the method of water-powered forging that we didn't see you come in."

"Oh? Water-powered forging?"

Wen He's eyes lit up, and she stepped over the sketch on the ground to walk to the wooden wheel.

"Tell me, what ideas do you all have?"

Although he had mentioned it before, he didn't expect that Lu Sanchui and his team would start researching so quickly.

Lu Sanchui spoke first about the idea of ​​directly binding a forging hammer with a wooden wedge, and Cheng Mushan immediately added the idea of ​​crankshaft transmission. The two were about to start arguing again when Wen He raised her hand to stop them.

"Stop arguing, you both have a point."

He squatted down and pointed to the sketch.

"Old Lu said this wheelbarrow has enough power, no problem, it can easily carry a millstone. But Old Cheng said the way it moves is wrong, which is also true. A forging hammer needs the force of hitting up and down, not the force of rotating."

Both of them were stunned, not expecting Wen He to hit the nail on the head so quickly.

Su Er leaned closer and whispered, "So, young master, which method do you think we should use?"

Wen He stood up, dusted off his hands, and glanced at the rotating drum: "Crankshaft drive is definitely more reliable. It can change the force of rotation to up-and-down movement, so that the forging hammer can really exert force. However, the load-bearing and precision issues that Lao Lu is worried about do need to be carefully considered."

He paused, looked at the earthen blast furnace emitting smoke in the corner of the workshop, and his tone became more certain.

"Fortunately, we have refined iron smelted in our homemade blast furnace, so this can be done. We used this refined iron to make horseshoes before, and it is three times more wear-resistant than wrought iron. It is enough to make crankshafts."

Lu Sanchui's eyes widened.

"The refined iron smelted in the homemade blast furnace is hard, but there are bound to be impurities in the material. The crankshaft has to be made round and curved, and it will crack if you are not careful during the forging process!"

"It's done in two steps: first forging, then grinding. Just fire it a few more times."

Wen He squatted down and drew a crankshaft sketch on the ground with charcoal.

"First, use a homemade blast furnace to refine soft iron with a low carbon content, and forge it into a rough billet, which is about one finger wider than the finished product. Then, put the rough billet into the charcoal fire and heat it until it is red-hot. We use a heavy hammer to first hammer out the shaft body, and slowly tap the bends. Every three taps, we put it back into the furnace to anneal it, so that the stress in the refined iron can be dispersed. Finally, we use a grinding wheel to repeatedly grind it round, and the impurities will naturally be worn away."

Cheng Mushan leaned closer to examine the sketch, frowned, and asked, "How do we guarantee the roundness? We can't just hammer out a perfectly round shaft, can we?"

"We can just make a grinding wheel."

Cheng Mushan still frowned: "A grinding wheel? What's that? I've never heard of anything that can grind fine iron."

Lu Sanchui chimed in, "Yes, young master, we usually use whetstones to sharpen iron tools, but they're so hard and it's exhausting. Can this grinding wheel be any better than a whetstone?"

Wen He smiled and squatted down, drawing a disc with charcoal.

"This grinding wheel is just a hard disc. It's easy to make. When we refine iron in a clay blast furnace, don't we sift out some fine iron sand? Mix it with 30% fine iron sand, 60% clay, and 10% fine sand, add water and knead it into a dough, press it into a round mold to make a disc the size of a bowl, and then put it in a small kiln to harden it slowly."

Lu Sanchui stroked his chin, pondering Wen He's method for a long time.

"So, it really can be done? How can the bends of the rough blank be cast accurately?"

"Use clay molds."

Wen He smiled.

"Let Xiao Su make a crankshaft mold with clay, cut grooves in two halves, put them together and fill them with molten iron. After cooling, knock open the clay mold and the rough blank is done. It's much less strenuous than pure forging. When he was making the crankshaft mold, he also made the round mold for the grinding wheel. The small kiln for firing the clay mold can also be used to fire the grinding wheel. All the processes can be connected."

He pointed to the journal of the crankshaft sketch.

"The whetstone is natural and uneven in texture, making it easy to slip when grinding refined iron. This grinding wheel is mixed with refined iron sand, so it is hard enough and even. When it is placed on the wooden shaft and rotated to grind the crankshaft, it can not only round the shaft body, but also grind away the small impurities in the refined iron. Xiao Su is good at making clay molds, so he can make the grinding wheel mold in the meantime."

Lu Sanchui stood up abruptly.

"Young master, can a small model be used to test the annealing temperature?"

"presumptuous!"

Zhou Fu, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore.

How dare that Lu Sanchui speak to the young master like that!
You're just a mere craftsman...

He was furious.

After being scolded like that, Lu Sanchui immediately calmed down.

He was used to arguing with others, and for a moment he forgot who was in front of him.

At that moment, he came to his senses, and his expression changed drastically.

"Young master, I..."

"It's alright, we didn't say anything harsh, a heated discussion is nothing." Wen He waved to him, signaling him to squat down.

"I have to look up at you while you're standing here, it's too tiring."

Upon hearing this, Lu Sanchui couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

It was just a minor incident.

However, what Lu Sanchui said earlier is correct; it's true that you can't test the temperature and heat when making a small model.

"You can't test the heat, but you can test the forging angle."

Wen He smiled and explained, then drew a small model next to the sketch.

"First, find a piece of hardwood and make a small wheel about half a foot long. Then, use scrap iron from a homemade blast furnace to make a small crankshaft. Follow the three-forging-one-retreating method I just mentioned. Small pieces are easier to control the fire. First, test the angle of the bend."

"Once the small model stops spinning, we'll enlarge it proportionally and use genuine soft iron to make a real crankshaft. We'll make it right the first time."

Cheng Mushan's eyes lit up.

"Excellent! Even if the small model breaks, we don't mind the materials being wasted, and the structure can be modified repeatedly!"

Lu Sanchui also figured it out, scratching his head and saying, "Young master is indeed very thoughtful. I'll go and cut the materials to build the small wheel right now!"

"Don't rush to get to work."

Wen He winked at Zhou Fu, and the servants immediately opened the box. The gleam of the copper coins and Shu brocade was so dazzling that the craftsmen could hardly open their eyes.

"His Majesty knows you have been working hard these past few days, so this is a reward for you."

Wen He's voice was loud and clear.

"Let's take the reward first, rest for a while, and then get back to work. Let's gather our strength and make the water-powered forging hammer as soon as possible!"

The craftsmen were ecstatic, bowing deeply in gratitude: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty! Thank you for your consideration, young master!"

The smile on his face was impossible to hide when he received the reward.

"So much money!"

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

They originally thought that one person would get one set, which was already quite good.

But who knew that everyone had more than ten strings of cash!
This is a sign of wealth!
"These, these are all for us?" Lu Sanchui asked incredulously.

He worked in the Ministry of Works for over twenty years, and the money he earned in total was less than a fraction of this amount.

"Of course, as long as you work hard, there will be more in the future. What you have today is just a small amount of money."

One thing Wen He disliked about Confucianism was the so-called principle of preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires.

He didn't know what Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi originally meant, nor did he know if the meaning of this sentence had been distorted.

He only knew that what later generations said was nonsense.

What's the point of preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires? If people have no desires, how can they advance towards the stars and the sea!

Lu Sanchui clutched the reward money, tears welling in his eyes.

Not only him, but all the craftsmen were like that.

"Everyone, now that you've got your money, stop slacking off and get to work!" Lu Sanchui shouted, raising his arm.

The craftsmen present became excited.

Wen He stood to the side, watching, and couldn't help but smile.

However, before leaving, he suddenly remembered something and shouted at Lu Sanchui.

"Old Lu, when you're turning the small crankshaft, leave half a finger's width more at the journal. You'll need to use a brass bushing later to reduce friction!"

Lu Sanchui turned around and replied, "Don't worry, young master, I've got it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wen He nodded.

Then he left with Zhou Fu.

As soon as they stepped out of the backyard, they saw a servant walking briskly from the front.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Fu quickly went to greet him. The servant said something to him, and soon he returned.

"Young master, the Ministry of Works just sent someone to say that Minister Dou has collected one hundred strings of cash and is asking when you will go to collect it."

Wen He's eyes lit up. Was Yan Lide really that fast?

It seems I need to speed things up as well.

“Perfect! Have Xiao Su finish making the clay mold for the small model. I’ll go to the Ministry of Works tomorrow to borrow some copper to make the copper sleeve after I get the money.”

He watched the rotating waterwheel and tapped his chin lightly with his fingertips.

"Once the hydraulic forging hammer is made, it will be used to forge gears for waterwheels. In the future, waterwheels can be mass-produced for water conservancy projects in Hebei. At that time, a large iron forging workshop can be built in Hebei."

Looking at the gently flowing lake and the constantly turning waterwheel outside the workshop, Wen He felt a surge of pride.

With the reinforced dikes diverting water and the addition of these mass-produced waterwheels, the situation has improved.

Given time, this water power could be extended to more workshops, and the Tang Dynasty might very well enter the era of water-powered industry.

Thinking of this, Wen He could almost picture a scene of workshops standing tall and machines roaring before his eyes. He couldn't help but clench his fist and chuckle, feeling that the road ahead was bright.

He turned to Zhou Fu and said in a light tone.

"Uncle Zhou, I'm in a good mood today. Let's stew some mutton for lunch and warm up some good wine to satisfy our cravings."

Seeing the young man so spirited, Zhou Fu's wrinkles smoothed out, and he quickly replied.

"Yes! This old servant will immediately instruct the kitchen to select the tenderest lamb leg and slow-cook it with dried tangerine peel. I guarantee it will suit your taste perfectly!"

Seeing that the sun had already passed 9 AM, Wen He remembered that Li Tai and the others were still studying blueprints in the study, so she decided to go over and check on their progress.

Just as I passed through the moon gate of the front courtyard, which was filled with crabapple trees, I saw a servant boy rushing towards me from the alleyway in the distance. He was wearing a gray cloth outfit and was panting heavily, with his bangs sticking to his forehead with sweat.

Instead of reporting to Zhou Fu as usual, the servant bypassed him and rushed to Wen He in three steps. He lowered his body to bow, but Wen He raised his hand to stop him.

Before Wen He could speak, the servant lowered his head and whispered in his ear.

"Young master, the scouts from the Hundred Riders have arrived. They're waiting at the teahouse by the back gate, saying they have something important to report."

(End of this chapter)