"This is bad, I will only know this time, but I am afraid that it will be too late to prepare a congratulatory gift." Li Weijian frowned and thought about it for a while, so he simply asked Hongyu: "What do you usually send for my brother and sister to celebrate their birthdays?" ”

Hongyu counted and said: "The fourth master thinks too much, and he doesn't need to be precious, it's always a heart." Last year, the second master gave birth to a child, and the sisters either had a fan, or a word, or a painting, or a poem, just chatting about the situation. ”

Li Weijian suddenly breathed a sigh of relief: "This is simple. ”

He put down the pencil and chose a lake pen, and the red jade came to study the ink intimately. Li Weijian dipped in ink, concentrated slightly, and then splashed ink and wrote a poem.

The handwriting of the pavilion body looks just upright, but what stands out is the words. Hongyu was coarse and full of writing and ink, looking at Li Weijian's pen and book, she couldn't help but read it silently in her heart, and suddenly felt very suitable for the situation, and praised: "The fourth master is so talented, the second girl will be happy when she sees this word." ”

Li Weijian smiled and didn't speak, and when the ink was dry, he asked the red jade to send it over.

Hongyu carefully folded the paper, sealed it with red paper, and hurriedly walked out of the small courtyard and looked for Jia's mother's courtyard.

All the way through the hall, through the hall, not long before arriving in front of the flower hall in the backyard of Dejia's mother, you can hear the silk bamboo and singing in the distance, and sometimes there is the laughter of the girls.

Waiting in front of the door was the big girl Amber, and when she saw Hongyu, she smiled and said, "Why is Hongyu here?" ”

"Sister Amber, the fourth master of Jian just got the letter, and hurriedly wrote a good word, so he sent me to celebrate the second girl's birthday."

Amber said: "The thrifty fourth master has a heart, this time the old ladies and girls are listening to the play, you come in and wait a little." ”

"Okay."

Hongyu entered with Amber, turned the screen and saw that the banquet was set up inside, Jia Mu, Grandma Zhu, Grandma Lian, Sanchun, Baoyu, and Baochai were sitting around, looking at the invited little actors babbling and singing.

Only Daiyu was missing, Hongyu thought that Miss Lin's illness had not yet recovered, and she didn't know if the medicine sent by the fourth master would work.

After a fold of playing, a female ancestor came up to talk about the ancients, Amber made a look, and Hongyu hurriedly stepped forward to salute.

The old lady, grandmother, girl, and Bao Erye called out, and then they made their intentions clear.

"The fourth master just got the letter, he was in a hurry, and he didn't prepare for it for a while, so he wrote a message to celebrate the second girl's birthday."

As she spoke, Hongyu handed the red envelope to Yingchun.

Yingchun was a little at a loss, and Tanchun urged: "Second sister, let's see, what words did Fourth Brother Jian write." ”

Baoyu also joked: "If you write well, forget it, if you don't write well, then punish the fourth brother for being thrifty, and always satisfy the second sister." ”

Yingchun was ashamed, opened the red seal, opened the inner paper, and saw a spring greeting written on it:

Ninety flowers in spring are like a sea.

The crown is handsome, and Mei is handsome.

Si Hua products are outside the wind.

Partial welcome, spring to race.

It is easy to buy in spring when there are no flowers.

Laughter is still occupied、The central color is in。

Who is famous with Xijia, arguing for the gold belt.

Tanchun watched from the side, followed the text word by word, and after reading it, he said with admiration: "Fourth Brother Jian is really talented." ”

Jia Mu showed a smile on her face, and couldn't stop bowing her head and said: "Brother Jian has a heart, this word is the best." ”

Wang Xifeng, who was sitting on the side, pretended to be a dilapidated household again, and said: "The old lady said yes, it must be good." It's a pity that I can't read a few words, I only listen to it catchy, and I don't know what's good. Giggles, why don't you say a thing or two about your sister-in-law? ”

Li Kun only smiled and shook his head, and the loveful Baoyu said: "Second sister-in-law, what is in front of me is that Yingchun Hua is not afraid of the cold of spring, and the last two sentences seem to have been heard, should it be the sentence of the fourth brother who used others?" ”

Li Kun's words were concise and to the point: "It is the Qingpingle of Zhao Xiashi." ”

Baoyu clasped his palms together and said: "Yes, I will go to welcome the spring first, begging for the golden belt, this word together is to praise the second sister's character like a spring flower, but the golden belt in the flower." ”

Wang Xifeng smiled and quipped: "Eh, this is Qingpingle again, Zhao or something, I can't remember." Just remember the last sentence of Brother Bao, the spring flower is a gold belt. Turning his head to look at Xichun and Tanchun: "You two search quickly, don't really hide the gold belt in the second girl." ”

Jia Mu leaned back again and again, patted her legs and laughed: "You are a sloppy person, and the words are bad in your mouth!" ”

There was another naughty laugh in the flower hall. When Hongyu was about to retire, Jia's mother said, "Brother Jian'er is busy these days? ”

Hongyu didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly replied: "Back to the old lady, the fourth master has been appreciated by the young master and the big sikong, and he can't be idle with an injury on his shoulder." ”

"It's good to be busy, it's good to be busy. This career economy, speaking of which, always depends on whether there is someone to support. You go back and inform Brother Jian'er, and after a while, you will say that I haven't seen him for a few days and want to see him. ”

"Huh."

Hongyu smiled in response, and then bowed down and retreated.

In the flower hall, when the female ancestor talked about the highlights, only the voice of the ancients remained, but everyone had their own thoughts.

Wang Xifeng is the most shrewd, and after a little thought, he knows that the old lady has a letter, and she protects Li Weijian in front of Li Kun.

Wang Xifeng can think of it, and Li Kun and Baochai can naturally think of it. So the former smiled a little at the corner of his mouth, and although the latter laughed with him, it was hard to say that there was a bit of truth in that smile.

The old lady came forward to protect Li Weijian, wouldn't that be dissatisfied with Xue Pan and the Xue family?

Baochai thought about it for a long time, and felt more and more that this flower hall was like sitting on pins and needles.

Tanchun and Xichun are still young, and they don't know the edge in their words. The latter is aware and indifferent; The former secretly thought that next month would be her birth, and she didn't know if the fourth brother could also send a word that pleased her.

Baoyu's eyes diverged, but he thought that Li Weijian's words were good, and he always wanted to come up with a better one. However, I couldn't find the spiritual light for a while, and I was so anxious that I scratched my ears and cheeks like a monkey.

The second girl is also absent-minded at this time. She is the oldest of the sisters, and she is a soft character that few people can remember. It was only on the day of her birth that she received attention.

The frugal brother sent a silk fan with the shape of a spring flower earlier, and now he has sent a word for a spring flower, which is very much in the heart of spring. She secretly recalled Brother Jian'er's face, but when she glanced at it in a hurry that day, it was blurred now.

She was secretly annoyed, thinking that she would see her again in the future, and she had to write it down. Thinking about it again, I don't know what to give when Brother Jian is a child.

Yes, Zhu's sister-in-law said that Brother Jian will be fourteen years old when he is born, which is the same age as himself...... Wow, you shouldn't think about that.

I made up my mind not to think about it, I planted a seed in my heart to take root and sprout, and I thought far away, and Yingchun couldn't help but blush my cheeks. I had to eat the wine before I could, otherwise it would have become a joke.

………………………………

After that day, there were several days of peace.

After Yingchun gave birth, Li Weijian went to find Yan Fengzhen early in the morning, presented the picture of the Mine rifle, and discussed with him secretly.

Yan Fengzhen got the picture and felt like grass was growing in his heart, thinking about it left and right for Li Weijian, Li Weijian begged him to send someone to Shuntianfu every few days to ask, and he did so.

On the contrary, this Minne rifle is not easy to fiddle with. Dashun's new fire rifling is hand-drawn by craftsmen, and now to make spiral curves, it has to be made by hand. No one has ever done it before, but I am afraid that it will not be finished in ten or twenty days.

Yan Fengzhen put his mind on the new fire, the two sides of the case competed, and Fu Qian, the official of Shuntian Mansion, simply used a procrastination trick - stopped the torture, and did not send a message to Ni Er, Fu Qian himself simply took sick leave and went home to recuperate.

Aunt Xue also said that she brought Xue Pan to Li Weijian on the first day, and there was no follow-up the next day. Li Wei was thrifty, probably Xue Pan couldn't save face, and he had a bullish temper?

Aunt Xue herself looked for Li Weijian twice, and each time Li Weijian patted her chest and assured that she had already persuaded Yan Fengzhen, but the second son's anger had not disappeared, but she was afraid that this case would not be withdrawn for a while.

Aunt Xue also learned from Mrs. Wang that the second son only sent someone to Shuntianfu every three or two days to ask about it, and neither posted nor showed up in person, so she thought that Li Weijian really did her best, and only looked forward to a long time, so Yan Fengzhen lost his anger and turned this matter into a small and small matter.

Li Weijian took the time to visit Jia's mother again, accompanied the old lady to gossip for a while, and was left for dinner.

In the rest of the time, Li Weijian pieced together and built a small object to measure the wind speed.

The object was very simple, with a pedestal below, a long pole at the top, and an axle on it, and a weather vane attached to the axle, and a bamboo board behind the wind vane.

This object can indicate the direction of the wind, and can give a rough scale according to the strength of the wind. With this thing, with the data of the new artillery, it is possible to deduce a rough range table using the previous calculus formula.

Naturally, this range gauge will not be too accurate, and the front-loading smoothbore gun will not need to be so accurate. Li Weijian only needs to be a little more accurate than Qin Tianjian's gang.

It's just that this artillery test firing is a long-term job, and I am afraid that it will take another three or two months to complete the test.

On this day, just after breakfast, a mother-in-law came to pass the word, saying that someone from the inner house outside the gate came to inform him, saying that the object ordered by Li Weijian had been made.

Li Weijian was overjoyed! Busy with Xiu Ying, together with Wu Haiping, one master, two servants and three people took a carriage and went straight to Black Dragon Pond.

It was not a coincidence that on this day, Langzhong Wu Zhaosong went to the King of Zhongyong to discuss matters, and it was only the craftsman Chen who received Li Weijian.

After paying sixty taels of silver, Director Chen led Li Weijian to a side hall, and then ordered someone to carry the water pump up. (Note 1)

Li Weijian only glanced at it and said, "Copper? ”

The Chen director Mu Ne said: "Wu Langzhong said that Li Gongzi is in a hurry, and this copper is easier to make than iron, so I used copper." ”

No wonder Director Chen offered a price of 80 taels before, Li Weijian only looked at this large piece of copper, I was afraid that it was worth more than 20 taels of silver, and then calculated the cost of going to the wages and opening the mold, these 60 taels of silver are not expensive at all!

Li Weijian reached out and fumbled for the water pump, and Director Chen on the side said again: "Don't worry, Li Gongzi, I tried it before, and it is indeed more labor-saving than before." ”

Is it as simple as saving effort?

Li Weijian was not good at arguing with Chief Chen, so he simply smiled and arched his hand: "So, thank you Chief Chen." I'll ask someone to move back and try it out, and if it can be used, I can't say that I will find Director Chen to build more in the future. ”

Mu Ne's Chen finally had some spirits, and sighed and said: "The molds are all ready-made, if Li Gongzi comes to customize them again, I will definitely be cheaper." ”

Li Weijian stopped talking nonsense, watched several craftsmen lift the water pump weighing more than 100 catties to the carriage, and then said goodbye to Chief Chen, urging Wu Haiping to drive all the way to the Yan family.

At two o'clock, the alley at the main gate of Yan's Mansion was crowded with cars, horses, and official sedan chairs early, going back and forth to Yan's house several times, and now Li Weijian is already familiar with the road, and there is no need to go to the main gate.

Wu Haiping drove the carriage to the alley behind Yan's house, Li Weijian jumped out of the carriage and said to the servant guarding the door, and the servant let Li Weijian into the side garden.

He waited in the garden, and the servant sent a servant to inform Yan Fengzhen, and after a while, Yan Fengzhen came over with a pair of panda eyes.

Yan Fengzhen smiled from afar: "Since the resurrection is here, go straight to the study to find me, why do you want me to come out to meet you?" ”

Li Weijian bowed his hand: "I brought an object today, and I was about to ask Brother Jingwen to take a look." ”

Yan Fengzhen thought for a while, and said, "Then the pump is ready?" ”

"Exactly, please also ask Brother Jingwen to send a servant to carry the pump in."

"Hey, it's just a water pump, where is it more important than a spiral rifling firebolt?" After complaining, Yan Fengzhen still ordered someone to call for manpower, and carried the more than 100-pound pump from the back door.

Placed next to the well in the side garden after hugging the summer, Yan Fengzhen watched the pump for a long time, frowned and said: "Resurrection, your pump has some meaning, but it is different from the outside." I don't know what the name is? ”

"What's famous, just try it." Li Weijian nodded at Wu Haiping, and Wu Haiping sewed two pieces of cooked cowhide and sealed the pipes with fish glue at both ends of the pump, and then hung one end into the well and the other end in the flower garden.

Installing the crank again, Wu Hai calmed down the dantian, shouted 'hey' and began to shake hard.

In the humming sound, the crank drove the gear, and the impeller rotated rapidly, and the well water was pressed out in a short time due to the change in pressure up and down.

Looking at the bubbling well water, Yan Fengzhen finally became a little interested and said, "Huh? If it is replaced with iron, the families of the noble and rich can buy some. ”

After that, Yan Fengzhen shook his head again, there are groups of slaves in the families of the noble and wealthy families, and there are naturally slaves to do it to fetch water, so why buy Raushzi's new water pump? It is estimated that only those who are dedicated to learning and have a small amount of money will spend this money.

"I think it's bad, but I'm afraid it won't work."

Li Weijian said: "If you don't succeed, you can't do it, you don't expect to sell this pump." Brother Jingwen, I have something to ask for today, and I also ask Brother Jingwen not to shirk. ”

Yan Fengzhen sighed, frowned and said, "You and I hit it off at first sight, who will you show like this?" If you have something to say, you can just say it, but you want me to ask about the case? ”

"The case is not urgent."

"That's?"

Li Weijian smiled and said, "Can I find someone to dig another well in this garden?" ”

Note 1: Li Weijian built a volute centrifugal pump. In 1689, Dennis Papin invented the volute centrifugal pump with straight vanes, while the curved vanes were invented by the English inventor John Appold in 1851. In the text, Dashun's top technology is not inferior to the West, and it can create this thing.