freenovelworld Chapter 1052 Daqing's First Car
Chapter 1052 Daqing's First Car
Having settled the selection of a regent, Li Lin's spirits plummeted, while Li Che was in high spirits.
So he simply grabbed the sullen but helpless Li Lin and immediately left the Prince of Yan's residence for the Prince of Fu's residence.
The Prince of Fu, Li Tan, is no longer the young man who had to be careful when he spoke in Fuzhou.
After Li Che ascended the throne, Li Tan first devoted himself to his studies at Fengguo University for three years before being transferred back to the capital at the beginning of the year.
Li Che treated him exceptionally well, immediately granting him the prestigious title of Vice Minister in the Ministry of Works and allowing him to focus on scientific research without having to clock in and out.
In Li Che's private words to Li Lin, the fact that a scientist could emerge from among his brothers was a blessing from their ancestor Laozi (Li Er), so naturally they had to protect him well.
Li Lin, however, didn't take it seriously. What scientist... could he be more noble than a prince?
The Prince Fu's Mansion was transformed from the former Prince Qin's Mansion, and it has a strict layout and a brand-new look.
Upon hearing that the Emperor and the Prince of Yan had arrived together, Li Tan hurriedly came out from the backyard to greet them.
Upon seeing his two elder brothers, a joyful smile immediately spread across his face, and he hurried forward to greet them.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Your Majesty and Fourth Brother!"
Li Che nodded slightly, smiling as he looked at his youngest brother.
In just a few years, Li Tan has grown considerably taller and is now a very upright young man.
The neatly trimmed short beard on his upper lip and chin added to his composed demeanor.
He also wore a pair of crystal glasses on the bridge of his nose, and his eyes had faint dark circles, which were probably caused by his immersion in books day and night.
But you know what, once you put on these glasses, you immediately look more scholarly and reliable.
"Get up quickly, we're brothers, no need for formalities." Li Che helped him up personally, his voice gentle, "Look at your glasses, they seem thicker than at the beginning of the year?"
"I have told you before that while reading is important, you must also take care of your eyes. The lamp must be bright, and you must look into the distance to rest every half hour. You must not be greedy for reading."
Li Tan felt a warm glow in his heart as he experienced his brother's genuine care.
He quickly replied, "Your Majesty is right. I was just studying a new set of diagrams and got so engrossed that I forgot the time."
The three brothers entered the main hall. After the maid served them fragrant tea, she quietly withdrew and stood guard at a distance.
These three are the only remaining direct descendants of the royal family in the capital, and their status is naturally extremely noble. Overhearing even a single word they shouldn't be aware of could be risky.
Li Che first chatted with Li Tan about everyday matters, asking him if he had any shortages in his daily life or any difficulties in his academic research.
Li Tan answered them one by one.
When research is mentioned, his eyes involuntarily light up.
Seeing that the time was right, Li Che brought up the important matter: "Tenth Brother, I went to Yunmeng Mountain a few days ago, and I'm sure you've heard about it."
Li Tan nodded, his eyes filled with longing: "I have heard that the Ghost Valley of Yunmeng Mountain is a sacred place of learning that has lasted for thousands of years. The fact that Master Xu Jiezi has entered the cabinet has shaken the court and the public."
"If Your Majesty personally goes to invite talented individuals, you will surely reap great rewards."
“The harvest is indeed considerable.” Li Che nodded. “The Yunmeng Mountains contain a vast collection of ancient texts left by sages. The systems and insights on subjects such as physics, mathematics, and chemistry are far more complete and profound than those currently available in the world.”
"However, these ancient texts are written in unique scripts and require knowledgeable and reliable individuals to organize and refine them."
Upon hearing this, Li Tan was first taken aback, then his breathing became rapid, and his face quickly flushed with excitement.
My brother said all this to me, could it be...?
Sure enough, Li Che continued, "After much thought, I believe this matter requires someone I know to be trusted. Tenth Brother, are you willing to take on this important responsibility?"
Li Tan abruptly stood up: "Your Majesty! Your subject is willing!"
Seeing their younger brother's excited and flustered appearance, Li Che and Li Lin exchanged a smile.
Li Lin joked, "Look at him, when it comes to scholarship, Tenth Brother's eyes light up more than when he sees a peerless beauty!"
Li Tan scratched his head sheepishly, but his excitement was palpable.
He immediately pulled his two older brothers aside and began to discuss the path of science.
Li Lin knew nothing about this and could only stand by and watch, holding his teacup.
No matter what, Li Che was a proper engineering student in his previous life, so he still had the basic knowledge he had learned and could still keep up with the conversation.
To Li Tan's surprise and delight, he found himself engaging in a pleasant conversation with him, realizing that his elder brother was indeed unfathomable.
As the conversation got more exciting, Li Tan could no longer suppress his urge to show off his treasures and insisted on dragging Li Che and Li Lin to see his latest research results.
Having witnessed the tragedy of their previous sibling rivalry, Li Che and Li Lin doted on their youngest brother even more.
Seeing his enthusiasm, she couldn't bear to dampen his spirits and agreed with a smile.
Li Tan had two residences in the capital. One was the Prince Fu's Mansion, bestowed by Emperor Li Che. It was grand in scale, but he found it too spacious and cramped, so he did not stay there often.
The other place was a villa that Li Lin gave him. Although it was not as grand as the Prince's Mansion, it was in an excellent location, right next to the capital, which made it convenient for him to enter the palace at any time.
More importantly, it's a quiet place, suitable for his studies and research.
He transformed the empty Prince Fu's mansion into a large laboratory, recruiting many craftsmen and retainers who spent their days hammering and tinkering inside.
If it were any other emperor, a prince so idle would have been drowned out by the memorials from the censors.
But Li Che not only didn't take offense, but instead greatly encouraged him, frequently allocating funds and even throwing some of his vague ideas to Li Tan to ponder.
In Li Che's view, Li Tan had found his direction in life, and he should be encouraged.
However, Li Tan's scholarship involved many secrets of Fengguo University, so in order to prevent leaks, Li Che dispatched some night watchmen to keep watch day and night.
The group arrived at the Prince of Fu's mansion, and the night watchmen who were secretly protecting him immediately became wary upon seeing the emperor.
Seeing Li Che chatting and laughing with the two princes, he realized it was a routine visit and was relieved.
Li Tan eagerly pulled his two elder brothers into the palace, showing off his treasures as if they were his most cherished possessions.
Li Che initially intended to encourage his younger brother, but as he looked at each item, he was somewhat surprised.
Li Tan's research scope was not broad. Unlike other scientists of his time, he did not study everything in a haphazard way, but instead specialized in only one thing: transportation.
He first showed Li Che a modified four-wheeled carriage.
Unlike ordinary carriages, this vehicle has a suspension system consisting of chains, leather, and simple springs installed between the carriage and the axle.
Li Tan explained that this device can significantly reduce road bumps and improve ride comfort.
Li Che sat in it himself and had the coachman drive it around the test track inside the palace. He found that the vibration was greatly reduced, far better than that of an ordinary carriage.
The other item was an improved gun carriage.
Traditional artillery was heavy and difficult to maneuver. Li Tan designed a chassis with iron wheels and a simple steering mechanism, which could be towed by oxen and horses when marching, and could be quickly set up when in battle simply by removing the wheels.
Although the structure is still rough, the concept is taking shape and can effectively improve the battlefield mobility of artillery.
Neither of these inventions were far-fetched; they were quite practical, demonstrating that Li Tan was not merely working in isolation.
Li Che couldn't help but look at his tenth brother with new respect; it seemed he had underestimated his talent in this area.
"Your Majesty must be tired from your journey. I happen to have something to offer you that may ease your burden!"
Li Tan became more and more excited as he spoke, and mysteriously pulled Li Che and Li Lin towards the deepest part of the Prince's Mansion.
There was a separate courtyard here. When the scene in the courtyard came into view, even though Li Che was somewhat prepared, he couldn't help but gasp.
But in the center of the courtyard stood a strangely shaped and enormous steel monster!
It roughly resembles a carriage that has been magnified several times, but with a more complex structure.
The entire structure is made of hardwood and some metal components riveted together, with a rugged design and four huge wooden wheels covered in leather at the bottom.
Above the rear of the carriage stands a sizable bronze and iron structure, not currently in operation, but still revealing typical steam engine features such as a boiler, cylinder, and transmission rod.
Although this thing looks rough and bulky, and is far removed from modern cars, it already possesses the basic form of a car.
Li Tan pointed at the proposed car and spoke at length: "Your Majesty! Fourth Brother! This is the latest model that I and several like-minded people from Fengguo University have spent nearly two years working on, constantly improving and building. We call it the 'self-propelled car'."
"It doesn't need oxen or horses to move it. It only needs coal or charcoal to generate steam in the boiler, and then the steam is transmitted to the wheels through this set of gears and connecting rods, and it can move on its own."
Li Che strode forward, reached out and touched the cold, rough body of the car, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.
He knew all too well what this meant.
Even though it looks so primitive now, it is a breakthrough from zero to one.
This is the first step in replacing animal power with mechanical power!
"Could it be a long journey?" Li Che couldn't help but ask.
When this was mentioned, Li Tan's excited expression dimmed slightly: "I can walk, but... I can't walk fast or far."
"Moreover, it has extremely high requirements for road surface. If there is even a slight unevenness, it will be very bumpy, and the transmission components are also easily damaged."
"The biggest problem at present is that the steam engine is still too heavy and too big. In order to drive this vehicle, the boiler and cylinder already account for a small part of the weight, resulting in extremely poor load-bearing capacity. Apart from the driver, it can basically not carry goods."
"Secondly, the shock absorption is too poor. The effect of leather and wood springs is limited. On slightly rough roads, not only can people not stand it, but the car itself is also prone to falling apart."
Li Tan was very distressed, but Li Che, upon hearing this, did not feel discouraged.
The inefficiency of steam engines in their early stages was inevitable, which required improvements in materials, processes, thermal efficiency, and many other aspects.
As for the shock absorption issue...
A glint of light flashed in Li Che's eyes: "I might be able to help you with the shock absorption."
"In earlier years, after I pacified the southern seas, I ordered people to plant a tree called 'rubber' in Champa, Luzon and other places."
"After its juice solidifies, it becomes elastic, wear-resistant, and waterproof. If it can be made into a mature rubber and used to make hollow wheels to wrap around wooden wheels, its shock absorption effect is far superior to that of leather and wooden springs."
Li Tan's eyes lit up: "If such a thing really exists, it can at least solve most of the problem of the self-propelled vehicle's bumpy ride!"
"Given time, I will surely be able to build a truly self-propelled vehicle for Your Majesty that can travel long distances on the road!"