Liu Juntao knew in his heart that if he wanted to build the Ming Dynasty into a modern country, the steam engine and steel were the twins that catalyzed this great change, and no one could do without anyone, both of which were necessary conditions.

Now, after several years of rapid development, the level of iron and steel industry in Shandong Town has exceeded the needs of reality, whether it is output or quality, it has far surpassed other regions of the Ming Dynasty, and even exceeded the West in the same period.

However, now the steam engine has not been developed, everything is still in its infancy, so in Liu Juntao's eyes, Shandong Town is now a lame, and the refined steel and refined iron smelted everywhere can only be forged by primitive processing methods, even if the consumption of steel is huge, it is far from reaching the expected amount in Liu Juntao's heart, and now he is waiting for the steam engine to go into battle.

Seeing that Liu Juntao attached so much importance to this steam engine, Xiang Qun, Minister of the Military Department, Zhang Baigui, Director of the Military Department, Yang Liben, Director of the Research and Development Department of the Military Department, Huang Wu, Director of the Inspection Department, and Liu Zi'an, Minister of the Intelligence Department, all looked solemn.

In particular, Zhang Baigui, director of the Military Department's Armament Department, and Yang Liben, director of the Military Department's R&D Department, felt that the burden on their bodies was extremely heavy.

However, the two were also ready to face the difficulties, and immediately issued a military order to Liu Juntao, preparing to concentrate on the "elite soldiers" of the R&D Department and the Military Armament Department of the Military Department, and use two months to first make a simple model of the steam engine, from which to experience the various technologies of the steam engine, and then consider in-depth research.

Liu Juntao also nodded in agreement, the military department's statement was pertinent, and he did not sing high-profile and Great Leap ~ Advance, he was still very down-to-earth, which was also what Liu Juntao agreed.

Although Liu Juntao has drawn quite detailed drawings for everyone, and also wrote out some key points for the development of steam engines, such as key air tightness, bearing linkage and other key points.

However, after all, the R&D Department and the Military Armament Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs have no relevant experience, nor have they seen the real appearance of the steam engine, so it is not realistic to develop a steam engine that can be put into practical use in one step.

Moreover, Liu Juntao also deliberately reminded that his drawings are only for reference and reference, and they do not necessarily have to be developed in strict accordance with their own drawings.

At this time, Liu Juntao saw the military department's expression, so he said: "Well, two months, when the time comes, it will be tested on the spot in the Yushan Military Bureau." ”

After that, Xiang Qun, Minister of the Military Department, Zhang Baigui, Director of the Military Department, Yang Liben, Director of the Research and Development Department of the Military Department, Huang Wu, Director of the Inspection Department, and Liu Zi'an, Minister of the Intelligence Department, left the General Military Office.

However, everyone held a few small meetings, and Xiang Qun, Minister of the Military Department, Zhang Baigui, Director of the Military Department, and Yang Liben, Director of the Research and Development Department of the Military Department, immediately rushed to the Yushan Military War Bureau, and at the same time concentrated the skilled craftsmen of several Military Bureaus and the many manpower of the Military Research and Development Department to the Yushan Military Bureau.

Immediately, the head of the military department issued an order to the masses, and he blocked the Yushan Military Warfare Bureau, and specially transferred a total of more than 500 officers and men from the right battalion of the trapping army stationed in Yushan Town to surround the Yushan Military Warfare Bureau and completely cut off all contact with the outside world.

In this way, the three of them studied intensively in the Yushan Military War Bureau for two whole months.

At the same time, Liu Zi'an, minister of intelligence, and Huang Wu, director of the inspection department, also began to mobilize manpower, and the Department of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Intelligence, the Department of Arrest, and the Department of Jianfeng of the Ministry of Inspection, joined forces, not only to densely disperse plainclothes sentinels within a radius of 100 miles from the Yushan Military Bureau, but also to cast a large net in various parts of Shandong to investigate the news from all sides, and as soon as they heard the news about the steam engine, they immediately began to take action.

During these two months, Liu Juntao was not idle, and his attention was always focused on the Tatar region in the north, but the news he received made people feel anxious.

The strength of the Tatar Ministry continued to expand, although some of the troops of the Warat Department also continued to resist, but they were soon suppressed by the Tatar Department, Liu Juntao estimated that it would not be long before the Tatar Ministry could basically control the vast desert.

Although Emperor Jingtai also ordered all military towns to train their troops and improve their combat effectiveness, Liu Juntao estimated that in addition to his own Shandong town and the military towns on the nine sides, basically no one would take it seriously.

Two months flew by.

In the middle of October of the fifth year of Jingtai, Liu Juntao received a report from Xiang Qun, the minister of the military, that the model machine of the steam engine was completed!

Hearing the news, Liu Juntao couldn't help but be very excited, and under the escort of a team of personal guard iron cavalry, he rushed to the Yushan Military Battle.

At this time, the surrounding area of the Yushan Military War Bureau has been tightly sealed by the soldiers of the right battalion of the trapped army, in addition to the sentinels of the intelligence department and the soldiers of the inspection department, which can be described as impregnable and impermeable.

In a huge wasteland in the Yushan Military Warfare Bureau, the personnel of the R&D Department of the Military Department have erected three simple sheds, and this wasteland was originally the site for the Yushan Military Warfare Bureau to test all kinds of new military equipment.

At this time, Xiang Qun, Minister of the Military Department, Zhang Baigui, Director of the Military Armament Department, and Yang Liben, Director of the R&D Department, led Liu Juntao to one of them and introduced to the group: "In order to complete the research and development of the steam engine as soon as possible, the Military Department has mobilized enough manpower and divided it into three groups at the same time. ”

As he spoke, Xiang Qun pointed to a middle-aged man next to him and said, "Zongzhen, this is the leader of Group A, named An Jianhai." ”

When An Jianhai heard that the young man in front of him was the famous chief military officer of Shandong Town, he immediately became excited, and his heart was even more nervous.

"Master An, you can explain it to the head town."

"Yes!"

An Jianhai took a deep breath and said to a one-man tall steel machine.

An Jianhai didn't have a clue about the research and development of this steam engine at the beginning, even if there were drawings drawn by Liu Juntao, but in actual operation, it was still complicated, after all, the drawings drawn by Liu Juntao only had a rough appearance, and the structure inside was even more sketchy, and it was too simple to think about it if you wanted to make it by looking at the drawings.

It wasn't until one day, when An Jianhai helped Yushan Town to build a mine with pumping and draining, that he suddenly felt that the principle of the steam engine was actually very simple, and it was similar to this pumping and draining.

So, An Jianhai left everything behind and began to ponder this topic.

"Qiqi Zongzhen, the steam force depicted in the drawings, vacuum induced, subordinates and others are very familiar. The pumping drain in the mine, the pump of the fierce fire oil tank, and even the oil replenishment of the horse lantern and the ordinary cupping are all ......"

After a while, An Jianhai also spoke fluently, sharing his understanding of the principles of the steam engine.

This principle is not a foreign product, and both Chinese and foreign countries have understood the phenomenon of the power of steam and vacuum.

But to realize it on the steam engine, this principle is still missing, which Liu Juntao helped them make up in the drawings, that is, in the early steam engine, to achieve piston movement, not only steam pushing, but also vacuum pullback, which requires the condensation of the steam that does work into water.

"But my subordinates tried it, and I felt that the vacuum on the drawing was a bit redundant, and I could use steam directly."

Then An Jianhai said this, which made Liu Juntao very surprised, and directly skipped the principle of low-pressure vacuum...... Is that okay too?

The boiler is always burning, and the steam leakage problem is still a big problem at this time, so there should be no safety hazards.

Hearing that An Jianhai may have crossed the primary stage, Liu Juntao was even more excited, so he asked An Jianhai to demonstrate and explain at the same time.

Everyone also set their eyes on the model.

The "steam engine" drummed out by An Jianhai, group A, was divided into three major lumps, one was the boiler, the other was the cylinder, and the other was the flywheel.

Looking at the big wheel in the third part, Liu Juntao pinched his chin, thoughtfully, and vaguely felt that this thing didn't seem to appear in the early steam engine......

"Zongzhen, if this steam engine can replace the waterwheel, this runner is indispensable......"

As he spoke, An Jianhai moved a ladder, climbed directly onto the steam engine, and began to explain in detail to Liu Juntao.

And Liu Juntao's expression also unfolded with An Jianhai's explanation.