The major task that Wei Bao asked Lin Wenbiao's people to complete was to go to the town to help him carry fish, fruits, and vegetables that were not easy to preserve, as well as a steam engine that needed to be used as a sample.

Transporting fish, meat, vegetables and fruits has long been in Wei Bao's plan, and the steam engine is also in Wei Bao's plan, and the only difficulty is to let outsiders see the warship.

Wei Bao has also thought about this question, sooner or later, it is necessary to let people know about the existence of warships, and the key is how to explain it.

Either use mythology to explain, this point was first vetoed by Wei Bao, the mythological color is the most demagogic, but that is only for a while, after a long time, the more others think about it, the more unreal it feels, but it damages their own prestige.

Either it is to say that it is purchased overseas, which is the most reliable, the overseas scope is too large, he doesn't want to say it, and his subordinates will naturally not ask after him. As for being asked by a wider range of people in the future, they said that they made it themselves. It is not a big deal to have the government as a backer and build a 'fishing boat'.

It's just that the fishing boat is too big.

After dinner, it was already ninety o'clock, and the villagers went to bed early, and at this time, it was pitch black everywhere, and Wei Bao's armor had fire.

Wei Bao took Lin Wenbiao and more than 30 personnel from the Statistics Bureau to bring all the carriages and mule carts in Jiazhong, and everyone only lit a torch.

Wei Bao's personal attendant Hu Li Nan led Wei Bao's horse and walked in front with torches.

For the sake of secrecy, Wei Bao first let him go to the beach, and when he got to the beach, he let him go to the place where Emperor Qin entered the sea to seek immortals.

This is a forbidden place, everyone knows it, but wherever Childe tells them to go, they will go.

Wei Bao secretly observed everyone and dared to enter the forbidden land, which also showed that he was loyal to him. Not daring to enter, or hesitating, just take this opportunity to see clearly, either to return to the convoy, or simply to the ranks of ordinary workers.

Unlike the labor force, the first criterion of the Statistical Office and the military is to be loyal to oneself to the death.

It turns out that Lin Wenbiao's vision is good, none of these people have the slightest hesitation, Wei Bao secretly thought, if everyone can have such loyalty, there are 350,000 people, and then accumulate enough wealth, you can really consider rebellion.

Although he was afraid of the high reincarnation rate, Wei Bao subconsciously still hoped to be the emperor, the Ninety-Five, and the feudal era, was a crossing the metropolis and naturally had this ambition.

Everyone entered the wooden fence where Emperor Qin entered the sea to seek immortals, and after walking for about twenty minutes, they saw a behemoth in the dark night.

Everyone's eyes widened, if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one would have dared to imagine that there was such a big ship in this world?

Everyone wanted to express their emotions in their stomachs, but no one spoke, and they all quickly glanced at Wei Gongzi.

Wei Bao didn't explain anything to them, even if he thought of an excuse to buy from overseas, he didn't have to take the initiative to say it, "The people who can come here today will all be people from the Statistics Bureau, and the Statistics Office is an organization directly under me, can you cherish this opportunity?" ”

"I am willing to do the work of dogs and horses!" When everyone heard this, they spoke aloud and knelt down.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, although he didn't have to kneel here, he was still satisfied with everyone's performance: "Get up." ”

Everyone agreed, got up and stood straight, and now they can stand in a very standard military posture.

"That place, and that place, these two high points should set up lookout posts, leave a few people here to guard the warships, build lookout posts, and the future steel industry and military industry will be placed here." Wei Bao said to Lin Wenbiao: "This is top secret. ”

"Childe rest assured. I've got ten people to stay here. Although Lin Wenbiao doesn't know much about what the steel industry and the military industry are, he probably understands that the Ming Dynasty does not allow the private sector to make iron tools privately, let alone private mining, and there are special institutions in the yamen to manage these things, as for the military industry, he estimates that it is a weapon, and the people are not allowed to make weapons privately.

"The headquarters of your statistical office is located in the State Guest House, and it is all covered by commerce." Wei Bao continued: "Everyone must have an external identity. ”

"Yes, Childe." Lin Wenbiao agreed.

"This secret harbor will be called Warship Bay in the future, and you will arrange for the ten people who stay in the house to be in charge of guarding now, and the others will come up." After Wei Bao finished speaking, he took the lead and walked up the suspension ladder of the Zhenyuan ship.

Lin Wenbiao agreed, so he began to pick people, picked out ten people, asked them to guard around, and then took the rest of the people onto the warship.

Wei Bao entered the cabin and had the warehouse where the fish, meat, fruit and vegetables were stored empty.

Although everyone was very curious, no one dared to look and touch, and everything was done according to Wei Bao's instructions.

There are many people to do things, and it didn't take too long to move a few tons of fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and it was done in less than an hour.

However, the steam engine used to carry the samples was very troublesome because it was too large, more than four meters tall and weighed at least one ton.

The twenty or so people couldn't move at all, so they had to call out the ten people in charge of the guard, and then moved out of the cabin little by little and moved to the deck.

Transporting from deck to land is another big hassle.

Fortunately, Wei Bao found a movable pulley padlock used to put down the assault boat, disassembled and assembled several iron cables from the assault boat to the steam engine, and then slowly lowered it, so that more than 30 people all stood on the shore in the water to pick it up, and then moved it to a large cart with two carriages together.

The whole process of moving the steam engine took more than an hour, but Wei Bao was okay, he didn't make any effort, and by the time he put the steam engine on the carriage, the more than 30 strong personnel of the Statistics Department were all tired and could not stand steadily.

Wei Bao didn't stop, closed the hatch, and got off the warship: "Everyone has worked hard today, I know everyone is very tired, but they can't rest, hurry back to Jiazhong." ”

Everyone agreed, gritted their teeth and continued to work, and no one complained, because everyone had already heard what Lin Wenbiao said, and if they could enter the Statistics Bureau, they would definitely be able to become an official establishment.

Now for Wei Bao's more than 3,000 people, there is nothing more attractive than being able to enter the official establishment.

From Benjia to Gunship Bay, a little more than an hour was enough, but it took three full hours to go back, and by the time I could see Benjia, the sky was already bright.

Wei Bao originally planned to complete all these things at night, after all, a few tons of fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, plus such a behemoth as a steam engine, was really eye-catching.

Because Wei Bao did not come back to sleep, Wang Qiuya, Fan Xiaolin and Xu Rui did not sleep at ease all night, and kept lying in clothes waiting for Wei Bao to come back.

"I'm in a hurry, and I don't say where I'm going, and I haven't come back for so long." Fan Xiaolin complained.

"Xiaobao must have something of his own." Wang Qiuya said: "Don't worry, no one in this area dares to trouble Xiaobao now, otherwise when the foundation of the city wall was excavated yesterday, it would not be so peaceful." ”

"Not to mention that I'm afraid that someone will trouble Xiaobao, I can't see people, and I don't know where to go, so I can't help but worry about it." Fan Xiaolin sighed and said, "Aren't you worried? ”

Wang Qiuya glanced at Fan Xiaolin, smiled slightly, worried in her heart, where can she say it so bluntly? But she and Fan Xiaolin have been playing together since childhood, and they know Fan Xiaolin's temperament very well, and they don't care, "It's useless to worry, just wait, it's time to come back soon." ”

"Is that a childe?" Xu Rui's eyes were sharp, and she saw Wei Bao riding on a tall horse.

Behind Wei Bao is the convoy, and the most conspicuous thing is the huge steam engine.

"yes, it's really a little treasure, oh my God, what is that? So big one? Fan Xiaolin was surprised and delighted, and said with her mouth in her arms.

Wang Qiuya was also frightened by the steam engine, "yes, what is that?" Let's go, let's see. ”

The third girl hurriedly walked up to greet Wei Bao, and Wei Bao smiled: "You got up so early? ”

"If you don't come back, you don't say where you went, we didn't sleep at all." Fan Xiaolin said: "What is this big guy?" Where did it come from? ”

"You guys, didn't I say yesterday that there was something going on in the evening? Where do I have something to say? Wei Bao smiled: "This thing and this batch of goods are all from outside, don't ask too much, the goods are all in storage." ”

Fan Xiaolin sighed, although she was very surprised and had a stomach full of questions to ask, but in front of so many people, she still shut up very obediently.

"Let them do it, right? Xiaobao, hurry up and go to sleep. Wang Qiuya said distressedly.

"Don't worry, wait for me to arrange things." Wei Bao saw that such an exaggerated thing as the steam engine was shipped back, Fan Xiaolin, Wang Qiuya and Xu Rui's reaction was also good, and they were not 'afraid', they were a lot more relieved, and they expected that other people should be like them.

Wang Qiuya snorted: "Then let's go have some breakfast first?" ”

"Don't worry, I'll eat when I'm done." Wei Bao is very excited at the moment, he has been busy for so long after coming to Daming, and now is what he wants to do the most, he has a little talent for business, and his main business in modern times is business, but Wei Bao actually doesn't like to do business, but likes to build from scratch, watching the little bit of change in Benjia, watching the little bit of change in Jinshan in his hands, which is much greater than the satisfaction that business can bring him.

"Xiaolin, these grains, fruits and vegetables, set aside two bags for each sample to make samples, place them separately, and don't all of them be included in the grain warehouse." Wei Bao suddenly remembered something, what vegetables and all kinds of grains are here, and the categories are very complete, like a big killer that can increase grain production by four or five times - potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, three-season rice, high-yield fruits and vegetables, everything.

Although most of them were crops that were only suitable for cultivation in the south, he thought that it would not be too late to keep them first, and then try to get the seeds to be brought to the south for planting after a while.

Or send someone to the south to buy a big manor, specially used to grow these cross-era crops, it is also okay, Wei Bao feels that as long as he crosses the Yangtze River, it is suitable to find such a big manor anywhere.

"Okay, got it." Fan Xiaolin agreed.

Wei Bao nodded, and said to Lin Wenbiao again: "Let Chief Steward Luo find a few blacksmiths with the best skills to come and put the steam engine next to my house first." ”

"Yes, Childe." Lin Wenbiao agreed, and hurriedly asked a person to do what Wei Gongzi ordered.

Wei Bao did not name the steam engine, but still called it a steam engine.

From the end of the 16th century to the late 17th century, the mining industry in England, especially the coal mines, had developed to a considerable scale, and it was difficult to meet the requirements of removing groundwater from the mines by manpower and animal power alone, and there was abundant and cheap coal as fuel on the site.

The need for reality prompted many people, such as Papan, Safrie, and Newcomen in the United Kingdom, to devote themselves to the exploration and experimentation of "lifting water with firepower".

The original vacuum steam engine was used to pump water out of the mine. Newcomen's steam engine introduced steam into the cylinder, the valve was closed, and then cold water was sprinkled into the cylinder, creating a vacuum as the steam condensed.

The air pressure on the other side of the piston pushes the piston.

A rod deep into the shaft is attached to drive a pump in the mine.

The movement of the piston of the steam engine is transmitted through this rod to the piston of the pump to pump the water out of the well.

The first huge improvement was the separation of the cylinder from the condensing cylinder by a single valve. Watt built on Birmingham's invention. This improvement increased the efficiency of the steam engine. The next improvement is to automate the operation of the valve.

These early vacuum steam engines had limited efficiency, but they were safer because they had lower pressures and the machine contracted inward rather than exploding outward in the event of material damage.

Their efficiency is limited by external air pressure, cylinder deformation, efficiency and condensation capacity for combustion and boiling. The theoretical maximum efficiency is limited by the relatively low boiling temperature of water at ordinary atmospheric pressure. The use of high-temperature and high-pressure steam has brought a huge increase in the efficiency of the steam engine.

But this steam engine is much more dangerous than a vacuum steam engine. The explosion of boilers and machines caused many major accidents. The safety valve brings a big improvement here, and in case of excessive pressure, the safety valve is deflated and depressurized. But true safety can only be guaranteed by the experience and safety rules of construction, operation and maintenance.

The world's first practical steam water lifter was patented in 1698 by Savery under the name "Friends of the Miners".

He fills an egg container with steam, then closes the inlet valve and sprays cold water on the outside of the container to condense the steam inside the container to form a vacuum. When the water inlet valve is opened, the water at the bottom of the mine is sucked into the container through the water inlet pipe by atmospheric pressure; Close the inlet valve, reopen the inlet valve, and press out the water in the container through the drain valve by steam pressure. When the water in the container is emptied and filled with steam, close the inlet and drain valves and re-spray the water to condense the steam.

This repeated cycle, with two egg containers working alternately, can be continuously drained.

The Sufrey water lifter relies on the suction power of a vacuum to draw water to a depth of no more than six meters. In order to draw water from a mine at a depth of several tens of meters, a water lifter had to be installed in the depths of the mine and the water could be pressed to the surface with a high steam pressure, which was undoubtedly difficult and dangerous at the time.

In 1705, Newcomen and his assistant Cali invented the atmospheric steam engine to drive a separate water pump, known as the Newcommen atmospheric steam engine.

The steam engine was rapidly popularized first in England and then on the European continent, and its modifications were still being manufactured until the early 19th century.

The thermal efficiency of the Newcomen atmospheric steam engine is very low, mainly due to the loss of a large amount of heat due to the condensation of steam on the wall of the cylinder that has just been cooled by water when the steam enters the cylinder, and is only popularized in coal-producing areas where coal prices are low.

In 1764, James Watt, a British instrument repairer, noticed this shortcoming when he repaired a model of a Newcomen steam engine for the University of Glasgow, and in 1765 he invented a steam engine with a condenser separate from the cylinder wall, and obtained a British patent in 1769.

In the early days, Watt still used a balance lever and tie rod mechanism to drive the water pump, and in order to remove the condensate and air from the condenser, Watt installed an air pump.

He also added a sandwich to the outer wall of the cylinder, which heated the cylinder wall with steam to reduce condensation losses.

Watt's creative work led to the rapid development of the steam engine, which he made the machinery that could only lift water into a steam engine that could be used universally, and multiplied the thermal efficiency of the steam engine, and greatly reduced coal consumption. Therefore, Watt is said to be the improver of the steam engine.

Since the late 18th century, the steam engine has been widely used not only in the mining industry, but also in smelting, textiles, machine building and other industries.

It allowed British textile production to increase fivefold in more than 20 years (from 1766 to 1789), provided the market with a large number of consumer goods, accelerated the accumulation of capital, and placed urgent demands on the transport industry.

Wei Bao's steam engine was already a standard product in the 1970s, before the steam engine completely withdrew from the stage of history, and the process has matured to the point that it does not need to be improved, which is equivalent to omitting the two and a half centuries that need to be explored from 1700 to 1970.

Everyone in Wei Baojia was curious about the behemoth of the steam engine, and everyone came over to take a look, Wei Dakang and Huang Ying, Fan Lao Pimple and Wang Zhihui and his wife, even looked and touched, always beside them.

"Xiaobao, where did this thing come from? What is it for? Such a big guy. Vedacom asked.

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "I bought it outside, what is it for?" Then you will know that with this thing, the speed of burning bricks can be increased by more than ten times, and the temperature of the brick kiln will be further increased, and the quality of the fired bricks will be ten times higher than the quality of the current adobe bricks! The walls we made around the four periphery will be made of bricks from me in the future. With this thing, it is also convenient to dig sand in the river. ”

"Can this thing make the brick kiln burn hotter? And help dig sand in the river? Vedakon was amazed.

Huang Ying and Fan Datou and Wang Zhihui were also surprised, but they didn't quite believe what Wei Bao said.

"Xiaobao, where did you buy this big guy? It can't be a deception, right? When you came home two days ago, why didn't you just move in? Huang Ying asked.

Wei Bao smiled: "Mother, you go to fight the horse hanging, when have I ever been deceived?" Then you'll be able to see the usefulness of this thing, and there are so many uses that I can't say in a word. ”

"Yes, let's not ask, don't delay Xiaobao's business." Fan Lao Pimple helped persuade.

Wang Zhihui and his wife also helped persuade Wei Dakang and Huang Ying to restrain their curiosity.

After Wei Bao sent his parents away, he said to several blacksmiths around him: "I just have one request, make an identical steam engine, and I will have many more such steam engines in the future!" ”

Several blacksmiths looked at each other, and they were really not sure about such a big guy, and they didn't dare to agree.

Wei Bao's warship has a repair room and a set of simple equipment, and if there are temporary parts on the warship, it can be built by itself. The main Wei Bao has no confidence in the level of the few taels in his stomach, and he doesn't want to worry about it, he wants to see if these blacksmiths can imitate the steam engine by hand. Wei Bao felt that the craftsmanship of the Ming Dynasty should be okay, because he had seen large-scale iron products, at least the gates of Shanhaiguan, Funingwei, and Yongping Mansion were all pure iron.

"Childe, it can be made, but it will take a lot of time, and I don't know if it can be made exactly like this." An experienced craftsman, who was also the head of the craftsman picked out by Luo San in a daze, said while touching the steam engine: "I have never seen such a big and delicate thing. ”

Wei Bao said: "It has to be exactly the same, and it has to work." Let's take a look at how it works. Wei Bao said and asked people to get some coals to burn and fill them with water to demonstrate the effect.

In a few moments, the huge transmission wheels on the steam engine were in motion.

was so frightened that everyone present exclaimed, and Wang Qiuya, who was behind Wei Bao, was even more frightened and covered her mouth.

The group of people who had just returned to Wei Dakang and Huang Ying's house to fight horses heard the movement outside and ran out again.

When they saw the static steam engine just now, they just thought it was exquisite, they thought it was strange, and they were surprised, but now it's different, this big guy can actually move it on his own!

One by one, they were ten times more astonished than just now.

"Xiaobao, this big guy will move on his own?" Wei Dakang, Huang Ying, and Fan Lao Pimple and others asked almost in unison.

"What kind of spell is this?" Fan Laopimple's wife was so frightened that she hid behind Fan Laopimple and asked.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, very satisfied with everyone's reaction, and was also happy that the steam engine could move, he originally thought that the steam engine displayed on the warship was only for show, and could not really run, but now he was relieved.

Although he wanted to keep a low profile and didn't want to surprise people too much, but everyone was too calm, and he felt a little lost, after all, compared to 1624, in the original history, it would not be until half a century later at the earliest, and the prototype of the industrial steam engine would not come out at the earliest.

"Convert combustibles into force, think about it, how much manpower does it save? How much can I use? Wei Bao asked everyone with a smile.

"Many! This big guy is amazing. Fan Lao pimple cocked his thumb and said to Wei Bao.

Everyone also praised each other.

Only a few craftsmen looked at the pile of gears in motion, and their brows were furrowed.