In order to absorb shock and reduce the wear and tear of the wheels, ancient horse-drawn carriages often wrapped straw and other things on the wheels.

Today's horse-drawn carriages and wealthy cars, the so-called tires also have similar functions. Straw was too unpolished, and cloth and leather were too expensive, so sisal was woven into tires and covered with a layer on the steel wheels. The suspension effect is negligible, mainly to prevent the steel rim from rubbing directly against the ground.

At first, ramie was used, which had poor wear resistance, and it turned into sisal after being replaced several times.

Of course, there are a few vehicles that have a layer of wooden wheels wrapped around the steel wheel, but the production cost is much higher than using sisal. And it is very easy to fall, and it is troublesome to repair when it is dropped, so it is not as easy to replace the outer layer of sisal as possible.

Sisal tires are very thick, otherwise they wouldn't be nearly a hundred.

The bicycle that Zhao Han asked the craftsmen to make has already been built. In the circle of rich children, it was popular for a while, and then no one cared about it, because there was no merit at all, and it was purely a new plaything that pursued fashion.

In today's China, the center of private invention is not in Nanjing, but in Suzhou and Guangzhou.

The counterfeit center is in Hangzhou, but whenever there are new goods in Suzhou, as long as they can make money, Hangzhou merchants and craftsmen will imitate them in minutes.

More than 60% of the country's patent lawsuits are fought either in Suzhou or Hangzhou. Commercial lawyers in the two places are not only numerous, but also more and more professional, and have long understood the "Datong Commercial Law" and the "Datong Patent Law".

At this time in Suzhou, there was a group of rich boys who graduated from middle school or college and were too lazy to be officials.

The inventions of Suzhou craftsmen basically have practical value. But these rich people in Suzhou, their inventions are strange, and most of them are useless.

When Li Quan was riding the rickshaw, an outrageous invention test was being carried out in a private garden somewhere in Suzhou.

A Javanese slave bought from the South Seas, sitting on a bench trembling. Opposite him, there are more than a dozen wealthy families in Suzhou, surrounded by a huge wooden box.

There are small holes at the front of the wooden box, through which the slave is projected into it, and through a mirror tilted upwards at 45 degrees, it is reflected to the frosted glass above. The inventor of this object, a son-in-law named Gu Huansheng, covered the frosted glass with translucent white paper, covered his head with a black cloth, and used charcoal to outline the image of the frosted glass.

It took about half an hour for the portrait of the slave to come to life.

"This thing is done," Gu Huansheng took the portrait he had just created, pointed to the wooden box and said, "I will call this invention the portrait machine!" ”

"Hahahaha!"

The other sons laughed when they heard this, and then began to mock.

"Brother Gu is talented, and he invented a useless thing."

"This machine is really good, and the portraits drawn seem to be no weaker than Western sketches. It's just that people don't need a big machine like you, and it doesn't take so long. ”

"Yes, yes, Brother Gu really has the style of my generation, and none of the various inventions come in handy."

“……”

Although these sons and daughters are all kinds of ridicule, they are very interested in this thing.

Pity the Javanese slave, sitting on the bench and not moving. Childe's buddies took turns to experience the portrait machine in person, especially those who didn't know how to paint, and they were even more excited after drawing portraits.

Such an out-of-tune invention already has the basic principle of a camera.

In the evening, the slaves, who had back pain, were put back to eat and rest. These boys and buddies were invited to eat, drink and play, and finally even moved the portrait machine to Taihu Lake and spent money to hire a famous prostitute to be a model without moving.

In the middle of the painting boat, push the cup and change the lamp.

Cui Yan, a famous prostitute, is a rare Han girl today, her own mother is a prostitute, she is not good at work, and she also lets her daughter take over her class. came and went to become a famous prostitute, and was quite sought after by gentry and merchants.

"Gu Gongzi's invention of this thing is really amazing. I don't have any drawing skills, so I can pick up charcoal and paint. Cui Yan poured wine and said flattering words.

The rich man named Li Minxin next to him laughed: "Miss Cui, this is scolding, we people only invent useless things." Those so-called useful things can be invented by craftsmen. When you say that Brother Gu's invention is useful, you regard him as a craftsman. ”

"Yes, yes, three glasses of wine!" The crowd immediately began to stir up.

"The little girl said the wrong thing, and she should be punished for drinking," Cui Yan drank three glasses in a row, and then said, "Your son's invention may be useless today, and it is unknown if it will be famous all over the world in a hundred years." ”

"Hahaha, I'm afraid I'm going to laugh at the world." The crowd laughed again.

They are all sons of wealthy merchants, and they are so used to being arrogant and lascivious that they don't even do it, because the officials in these years are very tired, and they will be involved in any case if they don't pay attention to it.

At the same time, they come from a new type of education, and the lowest level of education is also secondary school graduation or graduation. I know a little about traditional poetry and mathematics, and I also know a little about mathematics and physics, and everyone thinks that they have learned both Chinese and Western, and they always want to do something earth-shattering.

Pack...... The product of social change and educational change, there is a bit of confusion about history, the present and the future!

During the banquet, Gu Huansheng muttered while drinking: "Can you use some kind of medicine to smear it on the glass and let it dry up on its own to form a human figure?" ”

"You invent a potion and let it draw itself." A rich man named Cheng Jingming teased.

Gu Huansheng was still saying: "This kind of medicine has to react to light, but where can I find it?" ”

"Brother Gu, the beauty is in front of you, full of friends, you don't have to think about these ridiculous things. Drink, drink! Brother Gongzi interrupted again.

Gu Huansheng drank a glass of wine, pointed to the top of the painting boat and said, "Thunder and lightning often set fire to houses. Why is it that with lightning rods, fires rarely occur on this day? This lightning shines and ignites things, what is it? ”

The lightning rod was made by Zhao Hanrang, which was originally installed in the Nanjing Imperial Palace and the Yamen of the official residence, and gradually spread to major cities in the past ten years.

People don't understand its principle, only know that it can avoid thunder and fire, and think that it is the dragon qi of the Son of Heaven who is resisting thunder. As a result, the lightning rod has a folk name, called Long Live Iron, True Dragon Whisker, Tianzi Town Thunder Ruler and the like.

Even when installing lightning rods, Taoist priests were invited to do so, kneeling towards Nanjing to ask the Son of Heaven to be angry.

In fact, as early as the Han Dynasty, the ancient Chinese discovered static electricity, but they confused static electricity to attract objects with magnet magnets. Half a century ago, the British also invented machines that generated static electricity by friction. But neither the East nor the West knew what it was, and it was not connected to the lightning in the sky at all.

Gu Huansheng continued to mutter: "If the lightning is drawn down and connected to my portrait machine, can you leave a portrait on the glass surface?" ”

This is pure fantasy and has a certain mysticism.

Cheng Jingming said: "Even if you can make lightning paint, what is the use? Do you have to wait for lightning to come every time you paint? ”

Gu Huansheng shook his head: "Lightning can ignite houses and split trees, it must be the creation of qi (matter) as Qin Tianyuan said." The lightning rod is made of iron and is connected to the ground, indicating that this electricity can be conducted through iron. It has been transmitted to the earth, and it has been absorbed by the earth, so that the house can be safe and sound. ”

"That's a lot of truth." The rich people nodded, and it was impossible for a fool to mix up in their circle.

Gu Huansheng continued: "The house is made of wood, and it cannot introduce electricity into the earth, but burns it by itself, which means that wood is not conductive. ”

Li Minxin said: "But if people stand under a tree to avoid the rain, they will also be struck by lightning, how can this be explained? ”

"Rain conducts electricity!" A son-in-law named Tan Tingguang said.

Gu Huansheng said: "Coal can be burned with a steam engine for weaving, and can electricity also be used to turn the machine?" ”

Cheng Jingming said: "Electricity and water are both natural creations. Water can propel waterwheels, but at least flow in the river. Even if electricity can run a machine, you can't summon lightning at any time, can you? ”

"Then Brother Gu won't become Lei Gong? Hahahaha! ”

Everyone laughed again, these guys have no heart and lungs, and always like to make fun of each other.

Gu Huansheng asked, "Can people make electricity?" ”

"How?" Cheng Jingming asked rhetorically.

Everyone was at a loss.

They all know about static electricity, and they subscribe to the "Physica Sinica" of the Qintian Academy every issue, and there are already people studying static electricity in the Qintian Academy. However, the name is not static electricity, but it is called Mao Magnetism, thinking that it is a kind of magnetic force.

The reason why it is called "Mao Magnetic" is because of the discovery of static electricity in the Han Dynasty, which is generated by the tortoiseshell rubbing against objects.

The earliest record of this thing is the Western Han Dynasty's "Spring and Autumn Wei", and Wang Chong of the Eastern Han Dynasty estimated that he also did detailed experiments and elaborated in the "Treatise on Balance".

Wang Chong's point of view is that the tortoiseshell sucks grass mustard, and the magnet attracts iron needles, because they have the same temperament as each other. If the temperament is very different, they cannot sense each other.

Li Minzhen suddenly said: "The Journal of Physics once said that His Majesty intends to change the name of Maoci to electrostatics, but the scholars of the Qintian Academy are unwilling to change it. Could it be that Your Majesty is right? That's a kind of electricity! ”

Suddenly, a son-in-law named Dai Chengyan said: "Actually, I am also studying Maoci. Two months ago, I went to the Yang family's library to borrow idle books and borrowed a copy of the Jin Dynasty's "Naturalist Records". It is recorded that those who comb their hair and take off their clothes today have combs and untie their knots with light, and there are also those who make a sound. Isn't this the Magnet? If it is magnetism, why is there light? Another bang? ”

"Yes," Li Min said, "I have stripped at night, and I have also found a glimmer of light, and I have heard the sound of a squeak. ”

Gu Huansheng clapped his hands and said, "This magnetism is the static electricity that Your Majesty said. Lightning and static electricity both have electric light. The sound of static electricity is like the thunder of lightning in the sky. ”

The understanding seems to be right, but it also seems a little outrageous, and they treat thunder as the sound of lightning.

Cheng Jingming exclaimed: "Your Majesty is really born to know, and everything in heaven and earth is understood. It's a pity that the wine bags and rice bags in Qintianyuan, His Majesty has clearly pointed out that they are still insisting on what kind of Mao Ci is. The fart is magnetic, that's obviously static electricity! ”

Gu Huansheng said: "From now on, I will study static electricity and lightning instead, and I will definitely build my own electricity." Then the electricity will drive the machine, and the electricity will be used to make the portrait machine paint! ”

"Count me in!" Li Minxin said with a smile.

Cheng Jingming shook his head and said: "Lai is in Suzhou, it's not very interesting, I want to go to sea to see." Listening to the returnees from overseas say that beyond the four seas, the light is strange, and it makes my heart itch. Who wants to go to sea together? ”

"I'm not going." The crowd refused.

Cheng Jingming said: "If you don't go, I'll go by myself." "Datong Monthly" said that His Majesty sponsored a scholar to set up a trading company in the four seas, and he returned to China safely from the Americas last year, and he also discovered the Danzhou Islands on the way. So I went to the gentleman, what is his name? ”

A group of technophiles shook their heads, they weren't interested in it, and of course they couldn't remember Li Quan's name.

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