Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

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Wen Huanzhang smiled and said, "Is your son a nobleman from Annam?"

Du said, "It is indeed the King of Annam."

"The country... cough cough cough!"

Wen Huanzhang, who was chewing meat, almost choked and coughed repeatedly.

Chapter 3624 Oh, the Tyrant!

After a long pause, Wen Huanzhang asked incredulously, "You are the Queen Mother of Annam?"

Du nodded with her head lowered.

Wen Huanzhang couldn't understand what was going on. He thought the emperor was deliberately causing trouble and forcibly demanding that the empress dowager of the vassal state send it to him.

What a tyrannical ruler!

...

When the sun was high in the sky, Wen Huanzhang finally opened his eyes and got out of bed, feeling a little tired.

Du's status as the Queen Mother of Annam certainly gave Wen Huanzhang a significant boost in his attack speed.

They even staged a skit where Wen Huanzhang single-handedly stormed into the Annam palace and captured Empress Dowager Du alive.

At first, Ms. Du was somewhat resistant, but she gradually got drawn into the play, feeling both humiliated and indignant, yet also aroused.

Seeing that Huanzhang had sat up to find his clothes, Madam Du took the initiative to help him dress, and said with a smile in her eyes, "Prime Minister, you are so strong, as robust as an ox!"

Wen Huanzhang was quite proud of this: "I won't boast about anything else, but I can surpass many young people in physical strength."

Lady Du flattered, "Only after following the Prime Minister have you truly become a woman."

"Hahahaha!"

Wen Huanzhang laughed heartily, got dressed, washed up and ate, and then went to inspect the progress of the sewing machine.

The situation is a bit bad.

The design of the Yin-Yang shuttle is confirmed to be fine, but it is still easy for the wire to get stuck.

Moreover, the longer the usage time, the more frequently the wires get stuck; increasing the hole spacing can alleviate this situation.

The craftsmen and apprentices refinished and even redesigned various parts, and finally, the parts were able to be used normally for a while.

However, this sewing machine did not use ball bearings; instead, it used an oiled wooden axle.

After using it for a while, the cable got stuck in several places!

Frustrated, Wen Huanzhang instructed the craftsmen to continue their research while he headed towards the waiting room on the south side.

"Greetings, Prime Minister!"

The two officials who were waiting to ride in the carriage into the imperial city quickly stood up and bowed to Wen Huanzhang.

Wen Huanzhang said, "No need for formalities."

A carriage arrived quickly, and the two officials asked the prime minister to use it first, while they would wait a few minutes to board the next one.

Wen Huanzhang said, "No need, everyone get in the car."

The two officials quickly expressed their gratitude, feeling deeply moved by the Prime Minister's kindness and approachability.

They first got out of the car in front of the Cabinet's courtyard, and after standing still, bowed again and watched Wen Huanzhang leave in his car.

Upon arriving outside the Chuigong Hall, the guards and eunuchs all bowed in greeting.

No one went in to announce his arrival, and Wen Huanzhang went straight into the hall.

Zhao Yuan put down his imperial brush and waved for the eunuchs, attendants, and court officials to leave. Soon, only the emperor and his minister remained in the Chuigong Hall.

"Making a sewing machine is really difficult!" Wen Huanzhang exclaimed, and began to recount the problems he had encountered.

Zhao Yuan chuckled, "You haven't shown your face much this month, you've been busy making sewing machines? Impressive."

Hearing the emperor's sarcastic tone, Wen Huanzhang couldn't help but ask, "Why can't we make sewing machines? Clothing, food, housing, and transportation are all essential things for the people."

Zhao Yuan said, "Is it possible that the technological content of a sewing machine is even higher than that of a steam engine?"

"Think about it, the needle moves up and down rapidly, and the other parts have to work together. The precision could be at the millisecond level."

“That’s certainly true,” Wen Huanzhang nodded.

Zhao Yuan said, "You have top-notch craftsmen under your command; they might be able to handcraft all the parts."

"But it's difficult to promote in the market, and the losses outweigh the gains."

"It's such a waste of talent to have so many top craftsmen spend so much time making sewing machines."

"If ordinary people use sewing machines, and a part wears out or breaks, are they expected to immediately find a top craftsman to repair it?"

"I believe you can handcraft one, but it can only be used by the Empress Dowager for her leisure time. It is basically useless to the country and the people."

Wen Huanzhang said, "Then I'll handcraft one for my wife. Then I'll first develop a steam engine, and at the same time have the craftsmen modify the spinning and weaving machines."

"In fact, some folk craftsmen have already improved the cotton spinning machine, but the efficiency is still not high enough."

"Let's build lathes first; that's the mother of industry," Zhao Yuan reminded him.

Wen Huanzhang said, "I've only ever seen CNC machine tools. How are primitive machine tools made?"

Zhao Yuan complained, "If I knew how to build machine tools, I would have had someone make them long ago. Let alone primitive machine tools, I've never even seen a CNC machine tool."

Wen Huanzhang recalled, "I accompanied the leaders on the visit, and there were also experts explaining the CNC machine tools."

"At first, they seemed to talk about three axes. I don't know if I understood it or not, but I understand three axes as three-dimensional coordinate axes."

"Then the cutting tool stays still, and the workpiece moves along the three axes... Um, that's all I know. The rest is some kind of CNC program."

Zhao Yuan suggested, "Then don't bother with any 3D coordinate axes. Just make a 2D coordinate axis first, one that can move along both axes."

"Even a single-axis machine could be built. If the cutting tool isn't strong enough for machining metal, then we'll build one for machining wood first."

Chapter 3625 Primitive Lathe

Wen Huanzhang nodded and said, "Alright. Let's first build a planar shaft woodworking lathe, and then continuously explore and improve upon it."

"Once the woodworking lathe is perfected, we'll make another lathe that can process metal."

The original lathe was powered by foot pedals, and lathe operators were definitely doing manual labor, their feet practically sparking.

Zhao Yuan said, "This thing can't be rushed."

"If we want to build a better lathe, we must improve the metal smelting process."

"The normal tech tree process is to first improve smelting technology, then develop machine tool technology, and then manufacture steam engines."

"Isn't frying steel, pouring steel, and water hammer forging enough?" Wen Huanzhang asked.

Zhao Yuan said, "It's barely enough for now, but we must develop real steelmaking technology."

"The coke production process has been developed, and I've also had the smelter produce graphite crucibles. I'm currently having them find better combustion aids."

"The blast furnace is also being improved, and my superficial knowledge is no longer sufficient."

Wen Huanzhang comforted him, saying, "Take it slow, proceed step by step, and don't be impatient."

In ancient China, coke first appeared in the Yuan Dynasty and began to be widely used in the mid-Ming Dynasty, even using the by-product gas of coke.

This is not a complicated technology.

Seeing the emperor pick up his pen again to review the memorials, Wen Huanzhang slapped his buttocks and stood up, saying, "I'm leaving now."

Zhao Yuan asked, "Is that Lady Du alright?"

Wen Huanzhang turned around abruptly and criticized, "She is, after all, the Empress Dowager of a country. It's too much for you to forcibly demand her away."

Zhao Yuan rolled his eyes: "It was offered by the King of Annam."

"The son willingly offered up his own mother?" Wen Huanzhang was greatly surprised.

"What do you think?" Zhao Yuan said. "I've never even met that Empress Dowager Du, so who knows how old or ugly she is? Aside from the King of Annam offering his mother, who do you think would ask for an Empress Dowager?"

Wen Huanzhang muttered, "Her son is really crazy."

Zhao Yuan, however, said, "Her son is very clever."

“An adopted monarch who was still a minor was able to appease the ministers who entrusted him with the care of the young emperor, and also carried out domestic and military reforms, completing the reforms before he was even twenty years old.”

"During the reform period, there were rebellions, which were accompanied by foreign invasions. He resolved all these troubles."

"He also orchestrated a major controversy, replacing the ancestral temple sacrifices with his own father, taking the opportunity to firmly seize power."

"So much so that when he was just over twenty years old, he didn't know what he should do and went off to refine elixirs and seek immortality, and to carry out large-scale construction projects."

"Do you really think such a king would be an idiot?"

"That amazing?" Wen Huanzhang asked in surprise.

Zhao Yuan said, "The kings of all the surrounding vassal states—Western Xia, Dali, Goryeo, Japan, Annam, Champa—are all exceptionally wise and capable."

"We're very lucky."

"Isn't Duan Yu a puppet king?"

Wen Huanzhang didn't really care much about foreign affairs; during his time in office, he mainly focused on improving domestic affairs.

Zhao Yuan said, "The kings of Dali before Duan Yu were all puppets, and one of them even usurped power once."

"Although Duan Yu is still suppressed by the Gao family, he has managed to consolidate his power by both eliminating and attacking, making him the most powerful king of Dali."

"It's just that the resources and environment are not good enough; he has done the best he can."

Wen Huanzhang nodded: "That makes sense."

Zhao Yuan continued, "The King of Western Xia was controlled by his mother and powerful ministers from a young age, and he regained power by marrying into the Liao Kingdom."

"Then he promoted civil officials to curb Richard, changed diplomatic orientation during the Liao and Jin periods, and then resolutely sided with the Ming Dynasty."

"Now he's secretly befriending the Western Liao and the Kereit tribe... He's made every move perfectly; if he makes even the slightest mistake, he'll be finished."

"And then there was the King of Goryeo, who was imprisoned three times by powerful ministers, but he ended up killing all three of them."

“I heard from a minister of Korean descent that this guy actually really likes his aunt wife.”

"But the first time he eliminated a powerful minister, he ruthlessly deposed his own aunt, the queen."

"The second purge of the powerful minister was so dramatic it could be made into a palace drama..."

"And then there's the Japanese king, who was stripped of all dignity by his own father."

"His biological father was the French Emperor, his son was the Japanese Emperor, and he himself was caught in the middle and completely lost power."

"Now he's gradually taking control of the court. The fact that the Ming Dynasty sent troops to invade back then became the perfect opportunity for him to regain power..."

"None of these vassal kings are fools!"

“Even the leader of the Yellow-headed Uyghurs has the bearing of a great ruler.”

"If it weren't for the Ming Dynasty's control, the Yellow-Headed Uyghurs would probably have already unified Qinghai and would be busy attacking Tibet now."

"The Kereit and Mongol tribes in northern Mongolia, those two Khans are also capable of causing trouble."

"Not to mention Yelü Dashi from the Western Regions..."

Wen Huanzhang, too lazy to listen to his son's complaints, chuckled and said, "You take your time governing the country; I'm going to build woodworking machine tools."

Chapter 3626 Governing the Yellow River

After Dean Wen left, Zhao Yuan leaned back on the dragon throne, reaching out to stroke the velvet cushion, and suddenly felt somewhat physically and mentally exhausted.

The Yellow River management project has been progressing smoothly, and it has been decided to release water for diversion next spring.

To avoid repeating the mistakes of the Northern Song Dynasty, the diversion process will be carried out with great care and will last for four years.

Each year, the amount of water flowing south is increased slightly until, after four years, the northward flow is completely blocked, thus completing the artificial diversion of the Yellow River.

I wonder where the envoy fleet is now.

The envoy fleet heading to Seljuk sailed out to sea last winter with the monsoon currents, passing through Malacca and the Indian Ocean to reach Seljuk.

Half a year should be almost up, right?