Joseph did not make Lucien too tired this time. He just asked Lucien to sort out some of the family's current investments. And this work really gave Lucien a more comprehensive understanding of Joseph's strategic vision.

"Joseph, what is this 'Zeus' plan? How did you squeeze so much money? And it looks like there will be further investment in it in the future? ”

"That's the plan." "This plan is a revolutionary plan, well, a revolutionary plan that puts us decades ahead of the rest, and its impact is comparable to that of Watt's steam engine, if not further." ”

By this time, Watt had already completed his improvements to the steam engine, and by 1776 Watt's improved steam engine had been put into use in the mines to drive the pumping machines. In the mines of the Duke of Orleans, there were several Watt steam engines imported from England. Today, Watt's steam engines are widely used in the textile industry. It has helped considerably to the dominance of British textiles in the world market as a whole.

However, the true potential of the steam engine had not yet been exploited, and trains and ships had not yet appeared. So when Joseph compared Watt's steam engine, Lucien pouted and said disapprovingly, "Compared with the steam engine, it's nothing too remarkable." ”

"You're not a real scientist, you're not a real industrialist, and you can't see the direction of things clearly." Joseph shook his head, "You know, this thing is extremely important, and if it succeeds, it will be able to put almost all the existing modes of production in their graves, the history museum, for remembrance." ”

Lucien knew that Joseph was still quite reliable academically, and he rarely bragged about such things. So his curiosity was also aroused: "What is this Zeus plan?" Tell me about ......?"

"Your level of secrecy is sufficient," said Joseph, "but, when you have heard it, remember not a single letter to any other person, especially your inappropriate women!" ”

"Clearly," said Lucien, "I'm going to brag to those women, and there's something to brag about, and who's going to talk to women about academics?" Yes...... By the way, there is still a strange thing in this world......"

"What do you know? When you talk to her about academics, she is willing to listen carefully, which proves your charm. Joseph retorted.

"Okay, don't talk about that, for your pride." Lucien said, "Let's go back to the topic, what exactly is this 'Zeus'?" ”

"Okay!" "Just after Mr. Lavoisier got the electric detonator, we conducted an underwater explosion test. At that time, someone casually placed a compass next to the wire. As a result, I noticed that the moment the wire was energized, the hand of the compass suddenly turned. Of course, this may have been caused by the wind and waves on the ship at that time. So I repeated the experiment in the lab, and I found that when an electric current flows through the wire, it really brings about a change in the magnetic needle. ”

"So what?" Lucien asked.

"So what?" Joseph smiled, "It's not good, I'll take you to the lab in the afternoon, you can go and see it yourself." Now let's deal with that first......"

"Hell, this question is just tedious, not difficult, although it involves a little secret, but Fanny should also have access to this level of secret, why do you let me do this kind of thing? Joseph, you are inhuman! ”

After lunch, Joseph took Lucien to his new laboratory. The lab was a little far from Paris, so they arrived at the lab at dusk.

Joseph led Lucien into a laboratory. On a table in the middle of the lab sat two machines full of wires, one with a crank and the other with a water pump, connected by three wires.

"Go over and shake that handle." Joseph said.

So Lucien stepped forward and shook the handle.

"Shake it up, haven't you eaten?"

"I really haven't eaten, I'm hungry!" Lucien grumbled as he picked up his pace.

As Lucien swayed, the machine connected to the wires on the other side also turned, and the pump also started, and the water began to flow out of the pump with a rattle.

"How? This stuff is amazing, isn't it? Joseph said proudly.

"Well, it's fun." Lucien replied as he turned the handle vigorously.

"Do you see what it means?" Joseph asked again.

Lucien listened, thought about it for a while, nodded and said, "This thing is better than a steam engine!" ”

Having followed Joseph for so long, Lucien certainly knew the value of these two machines. When the steam engine is used as an industrial power to drive the machine, it requires a complex transmission system, clutch system and transmission system. In order to facilitate the arrangement, it was necessary to place several steam engines in places that were not actually suitable for steam engines. For example, in the textile workshop, there should not be a steam engine for fire prevention reasons, but because the transmission shaft cannot be too long, as a result, the textile machine and the steam engine are only a little more than one meter apart.

Moreover, different machines require different power and run at different speeds, and the result is that either one machine is equipped with a steam engine, or each working machine is equipped with a clutch and transmission system.

As a result, the entire machine system is very complex. And the more complex the mechanical system, the more expensive and inefficient it is. But the system shown in the lab, which transfers power from one machine to another, is clearly much simpler and more efficient. This advantage alone makes it more suitable for use in more places.

"If we use this machine extensively, to drive our various machines, our production will be greatly increased, and the cost will be reduced to an unimaginable level, and no one of our competitors will be able to compete with us at all...... Well, Joseph, what the hell is going on with this thing? ”

"I have discovered the law of the conversion of electricity and magnetism," Joseph said, without blushing, taking for himself the glory that should have belonged to Faraday, "a discovery that is, in a sense, almost comparable to Sir Newton's discovery of gravitation. But I haven't made this knowledge public, just as Mr. Monge's drawing geometry has not been disclosed. The machine you shake can turn external power into electricity, I call it a generator, and the machine on the pump side can turn electrical energy into power output, I call it an electric motor. ”

"These two things look similar." Lucien said.

"Physically, these two things are actually the same thing, they are mirror images of each other, and each is the opposite process of the other." Joseph said.

"So are there any major problems with the current plan?" Lucien asked.

"Questions? There are problems everywhere. "First of all, the power source. I can't use you as a power source, can I? It was good with a steam engine, but it required a lot of fuel. The coal mines in France are not currently under our control. And there are no particularly good coal mines in France at the moment. I have already sent quite a few men to search for minerals in our newly acquired territory. If God bless France and let us find such places, we will need a large sum of money to buy them. ”

"Well, if anything, it's worth the expense. We do have to make some financial preparations for this. Lucien thought for a moment and nodded.

"Of course, I have a backup plan. You know, in the days when there were no steam engines, textile mills had to be arranged along rivers in order to be able to drive looms, using water power to drive machinery. "So, inspired by this, I came up with the idea of building a barrage on a river with a large drop to raise the water level, and then using the current to hit a water wheel to provide power, drive a generator, and then use wires to direct the power to the required electric motors. ”

"That's not bad!"

"Yes, but there is also a loss of current in the wires, which means that the machine still can't be too far away from the power plant. In addition, many of these things are only in the laboratory stage, and they need to be put into practical use, so I really don't know how many problems will arise and how much money will be needed. So...... Well, Lucien, you understand why we need many, many dollars now, right? ”

Lucien nodded: "It does cost a lot of money, but if it works, it's worth it." I see, damn it, there are so many places where money is needed...... Napoleon, that bastard, he actually got that little money from Austria! ”

Austria's reparations were given to the government, from which Napoleon received little. And when Napoleon swept through the Austrian countryside, although he also beat the local tyrants, the Austrian tyrants had already prepared, and the grain could not be transported into the city for a while, but the gold, silver, jewelry and other things would not remain in the manor. Therefore, the income from fighting local tyrants is actually very limited.

"Austria and Italy are still not comparable." Joseph also exclaimed, "Especially His Majesty the Pope, what a good man...... So now, we can only rely on ourselves to make as much money as possible. Damn peace! Well, has the recent contact with the Irish yielded any results? ”

"They have a desire to buy weapons. But...... The Irish have no money. Lucien spread his hands.

It is true that the Irish cannot have a lot of money. Since Henry VIII fell out with the Holy See in order to change his wife and set up a separate Anglican Church, the English have aggressively oppressed the Irish who insisted on Catholicism in Ireland, and after more than a century of oppression, the Irish have become quite poor.

"The Irish have the same enemies as us." Joseph said, "As the war between France and England continues, shouldn't our government support the Irish people in their struggle without gratuitous?" I think the money for the Irish to buy weapons should be borne by the government! ”

"That's right!" Lucien said, "Let the government send us money directly, and we will give the Irish weapons." Then we can also tell the government that our ship has run aground near Ireland and has caught a storm, so the government needs to order more weapons. in order to effectively support the just struggle of the Irish people. ”