Dream of the Red Chamber: A Refined and Elegant Young Man in a Turbid World

Before long, a detailed drawing was completed. Just as she put down her pen, Wang Xifeng rushed into the room, her skirt still smeared with mud. She grabbed the drawing, squinted at it, and although she didn't understand everything, she saw that the components were clear and the annotations were detailed. She asked urgently…

"Brother, is this the water pump? Could the craftsmen really understand it?"

"Sister-in-law, please don't worry," Jia Cong explained, pointing to the blueprints.

"The dimensions and materials of each component are clearly written. The carpenter makes the pump cylinder and bracket, the leatherworker makes the leather coin, and the blacksmith forges the iron hoops and valve plates. These are all ordinary jobs. However, I need to personally instruct the craftsmen on how to use the bottom valve and the leather coin."

Wang Xifeng immediately made the decision.

"Very well! I'll immediately summon the most experienced craftsmen in the manor, and select two quick and efficient ones from each. They'll be at your disposal!"

Jia Cong shook his head: "This matter needs to be kept secret. The machine is newly made, and I'm afraid people will gossip and say it's some kind of strange and ingenious trick. It would be better to go to another estate outside the city and focus on finishing it."

Wang Xifeng nodded repeatedly.

"Brother, you've thought of everything! I'll have someone prepare a carriage to take you and the craftsmen to the estate right away. All the materials you need will be obtained from the manor; there won't be any delays!"

Before long, all six experienced craftsmen had arrived. They were all people who had served in the mansion for many years and had superb skills.

Jia Cong led the group and drove to the outskirts of the city. As soon as they arrived, he ordered the gates of the courtyard to be sealed off and all irrelevant people to be dismissed, leaving only the craftsmen to work in the courtyard.

First, take a section of hard locust tree, three feet long, hollow it out to make a tube, file and polish the inner wall until it is smooth as a mirror, bind it with three iron hoops on the outside, and apply tung oil lacquer to prevent leakage.

A one-way valve is hidden at the bottom of the cylinder. It is made of thin iron and opens at the top and closes at the bottom. Water can enter but cannot flow back. This is something that did not exist in ancient methods. The craftsmen did not understand its use at first and whispered among themselves around the bottom valve.

A carpenter bowed and asked, "Third Master, this iron sheet is half-suspended, how come water can only enter and not exit?"

Jia Cong simply said, "Just do as I say. Once it's made and tested, you'll understand."

The craftsmen dared not ask any questions and hurriedly buried themselves in their work, replicating the wooden piston. They used soft cowhide as leather to surround the piston, and when inserted into the cylinder, it was pressed tightly against the wall to prevent leakage. A support and a crank were installed on top, with a long wooden rod hinged to the piston, so that it would rise and fall with a crank.

The bottom of the bamboo pipe was connected to the pond next to the villa. With everything ready, Jia Cong ordered someone to pour a bowl of water into the pump cylinder and seal the bottom valve. Then he ordered a carpenter to turn the crank. At first, the carpenter found it difficult and turned it slowly. After a while, he heard a gurgling sound from the bottom of the cylinder. Then, clear water gushed out from the outlet, forming a continuous line of water that splashed on the ground and wet the area.

The carpenter was so startled that he stopped working, staring wide-eyed and exclaiming in amazement.

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing! One person cranking it by hand, and it has such power—it's even faster than five or six people pedaling a waterwheel!"

The other craftsmen also gathered around, and seeing the continuous flow of clear water, they were all astonished and repeatedly praised this Third Master for his extraordinary abilities.

Jia Cong stepped forward to inspect it, and seeing that the machine was tightly sealed and the water flowed smoothly, he nodded slightly.

"This method is feasible. You should send more people to work through the night to build several more units. Make sure the materials used are solid. The units must be completed by noon tomorrow and sent to the village for drainage."

The craftsmen were now completely convinced and replied in unison, "We obey! We won't delay!"

Jia Cong immediately sent someone back to the Rong Mansion to report to Wang Xifeng that the loom was finished and could be delivered to the estate the next day. Poor Wang Xifeng, who was restless and anxious, clapped her hands with joy upon hearing the news.

"Good brother! You've really saved the manor from a crisis! Don't worry, the craftsmen's wages will be doubled, and just send the materials. As long as the harvest on the estate can be preserved, anything is negotiable!"

After saying this, he hurriedly ordered someone to inform the head of the village that the machine would be delivered the next day, and that he should prepare manpower overnight. As soon as the machine arrived, he should start drawing the machines immediately. If he made any mistakes, he would not be spared.

Furthermore, Jia Cong also casually shared some of his knowledge that was applicable to the times with Wang Xifeng. For example, he mentioned that rice cultivation now only involved direct seeding and water-soaked seedling raising, resulting in severe seedling rot, irregular planting density, poor disease resistance, and extremely low yields per acre. A cold wave or locust plague could lead to complete crop failure, completely disregarding the principles of dry-land cultivation, sparse planting, acidification adjustment, disinfection, and temperature and moisture control.

Moreover, this method is extremely simple and not like those complicated agricultural research projects. You only need to choose a sheltered and sunny place to make a dry seedbed. Do not soak it in water, just keep it moist. Mix the soil with wood ash and decomposed fertilizer to ensure that it is loose, breathable and prevents root rot, which is similar to the cultivation of white fungus.

As for rice seeds, they are soaked in water for simple disinfection, sown evenly and sparsely, without being piled up. In addition, small bamboo arched sheds are built and covered with straw mats or oil paper to control temperature, keep the soil moist and prevent frost, just like the tremella shed.

In this way, the seedlings are strong and do not rot, and after transplanting, they recover quickly, produce many seedlings, and are resistant to lodging and disease.

Although Wang Xifeng didn't quite understand, she knew that Jia Cong's products were bound to be of the highest quality, so she readily agreed, saying that she would teach the farm to cultivate the land in this way next spring.

The rest was naturally none of Jia Cong's concern; a shrewd person like Wang Xifeng would handle it. However, two days later, Jia Zheng summoned him.

Seeing Jia Zheng's anxious expression, he rushed forward and pulled Jia Cong aside before Jia Cong could even bow upon entering the room.

"Was the waterwheel that Feng'er ordered made the other day something Cong-ge'er wanted?"

Good heavens, even the usually rigid and pedantic Jia Zheng was getting anxious. Logically speaking, since Jia Cong had already entered officialdom and reached adulthood, it would be appropriate to address him by his courtesy name "Jinghuan".

Jia Cong bowed, somewhat bewildered.

"Second Uncle is right. It's just a fancy trick, nothing serious."

Jia Zheng shook his head repeatedly, his beard twitching, and paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his tone urgent and heavy.

"Foolish! This is no small matter! Cong-ge'er is unaware of the severity of the floods. Recently, several counties around the capital have been hit by floods, farmland has been submerged, and people are suffering. The officials of the Ministry of Works are discussing the matter every day, but they are worried about how to drain the floodwaters!"

He abruptly stopped, turned around, glared at Jia Cong, and his tone became more serious.

"Do you know that I work in the Ministry of Works, in charge of water conservancy projects? I am paid by the emperor and bear his burdens! Those dragon-bone waterwheels are inefficient and laborious, and they are helpless in the face of major floods. Your machine, however, can do the work of several machines with one person, pumping water efficiently. If it can be implemented throughout the country, why worry about floods and agricultural prosperity? This is a good tool that benefits the country and the people. How can you call it a strange and ingenious trick!"

Jia Cong stood with his hands at his sides, his expression still calm. Only after listening to him finish did he slowly bow.

"Second Uncle is right. I am ignorant and do not know that this matter concerns the court and the people's livelihood."

Seeing that he had admitted his mistake, Jia Zheng's expression softened slightly. He took a few steps forward, his tone urgent yet solemn.

"Enough of the small talk. Is the method for this machine truly what you envisioned? Do you have detailed blueprints and material specifications? My mind is made up. I will present this excellent machine to His Majesty and petition for its implementation in all prefectures. It will not only alleviate the current floods but also benefit future generations of farmers and sericulture. This would be an unparalleled achievement!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong remained unmoved. In his view, this leather money pump was nothing more than a trivial item that could not be exchanged for real gold or silver and required considerable effort. Rather than keeping it for himself, he would rather let Jia Zheng present it as a treasure, thus gaining favor with his second uncle and, by the way, using Jia Zheng's influence to legitimize the promotion of the machine. This would also reduce any criticism he might face when he made other inventions in the future.