The weather was hot in May, and I took Li Shiyun and Tao Yao to Zhangtai Palace, and the court meeting was also changed to Zhangtai Palace.

Zhangtai Palace is much grander than Xianyang Palace, and I didn't dare to leave the palace casually before, because I was worried about the unpredictable risks that would happen if I left Xianyang Palace, the traditional center of imperial power, after all, the palace was not under the protection of the city wall.

Now Zhangtai Palace has been surrounded by the new city in the middle, the Shanglin Garden in the west has not moved for the time being, there is no need to worry about safety, there is a more majestic palace that cannot be put in vain.

On this day, I was enjoying the cool in Longyun Pavilion, and Yu Jin came with a red face.

Seeing him sweating profusely, I hurriedly waved my hand and said, "No courtesy, sit down." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Then I sat down and wiped my sweat, and I waved my hand, and the maid immediately presented a towel.

"Wipe your sweat, what are you doing here on such a hot day?"

Yu Jin picked up the towel soaked in ice water and wiped the sweat on his face, now saltpeter is not a precious thing, and there is no psychological pressure to use it to make ice.

Hearing this, he said respectfully: "Back to Your Majesty, the drawings of the steam engine have been studied for a long time before they can get started, and now there are some eyebrows, but the parts needed are too delicate to be manufactured for a while, but some materials have never been seen so far, and I hope Your Majesty will solve your doubts." ”

"You're talking about rubber, right?"

Steel parts are only difficult to manufacture, and rubber has not been used in this era, so it is estimated that he is talking about rubber.

"Your Majesty is wise, and the minister thinks that no matter how difficult it is to manufacture, first prepare the materials, and always try to build some parts first, so that you can better explore in practice."

I nodded, and said lazily: "What you said is reasonable, rubber is produced in rubber trees, it can be found in Lingnan, and it is very simple to distinguish the characteristics, the latex substances that flow out of this tree after being traumatized are rubber, you can go to Li Si to explain the situation, and let him order to find this kind of tree in Lingnan, and after I confirm it, we can build a rubber workshop in Lingnan." ”

Yu Jin said when he heard this: "The minister obeys the order, but, Your Majesty, the minister sees that the place where the rubber is used on the drawing is only the sealing ring, is it too wasteful to build a workshop for such a small thing?" ”

"Hehe, rubber is not so easy to obtain, and rubber is used for more than just making seals." I explained: "First of all, the rubber obtained from the tree is called raw rubber, which has extremely poor elasticity, hardness, ductility, etc., and cannot be used directly. ”

Yu Jin nodded: "The vulcanization that Your Majesty is talking about is to let the rubber and sulfur have a chemical reaction, right?" ”

"Yes, you still have little contact with chemistry, I teach you mainly physics, chemical reactions are a very wonderful thing, and I will slowly teach you in the future."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Then he wondered: "What can rubber be used for in addition to making sealing rings?" ”

I thought it would be okay to be idle, so I just tested him, so I opened my mouth and asked, "I have just talked about the characteristics of rubber, where do you think it can be applied with these characteristics?" ”

Yu Jin frowned and thought for a while, and said slowly: "With strong elasticity, it can be used to reduce the impact in places that often vibrate, or it can be used in the load-bearing places of large instruments, with good ductility, and can be used in places where it needs to be pulled and rebounded, which doesn't seem to be of much use...... No, crossbows need to be flexible, or can they be used to improve bows? As for this resistance to permanent deformation...... Your Majesty, Chen can only think of so much. ”

I nodded, it seems that the last time I reprimanded him in the palace, it still had some effect, at least I would take the initiative to think about it.

"It's very good, that's generally it, for example, it can be used on the wheels to reduce the bumps of the carriage, used to make pistons to prevent water and air where it needs to be sealed, and cotton thread can also be added to make a belt to drive the gear to rotate, and now it can't make a chain, but it can be used instead. However, even if the bow and crossbow are forgotten, it is still convenient to use cow tendons, and no matter how good the rubber elasticity is, it cannot be so slender. ”

Yu Jin hissed and said in surprise: "It turns out that this rubber has such a wonderful use, it seems that a rubber workshop is going to be built!" Why did Your Majesty ......?"

I leaned back on the couch and said, "Why didn't you do it earlier?" I still have blueprints of airplanes that can fly in the sky, but can you build them? You can't rush for quick success, you have to take it one step at a time. ”

Yu Jin smiled awkwardly and arched his hand: "What Your Majesty said is that the minister has been taught." ”

"Go back and write out the method of rubber vulcanization for you, you go back and let Li Si send someone to find rubber trees, even if you can't make rubber for a while, rubber seeds can also be used as raw materials for making paint and soap, rubber husks can be used to make high-quality activated carbon water purification, rubber wood material is light, beautiful patterns, good processing performance, can make all kinds of furniture, plates, pulp, etc."

"Obey orders!" Yu Jin continued: "There is another thing that needs to be made clear to Your Majesty, now that the cultivated land of Daqin has increased again and again, more and more agricultural tools are needed, and a large amount of steel is also needed to build muskets, and now the steel output of Nanyang Iron Smelting Mansion is already a little stretched. ”

I frowned and wondered: "Aren't there many iron mines in Sanchuan and Shangdang counties that have not been mined, why not mine?" Li You and Tiewu are in charge of this matter, why haven't they heard them mention it? ”

Yu Jin said respectfully: "Back to Your Majesty, there is no problem with iron ore mining, but the transportation from various counties to Nanyang County has reached the limit, and no matter how much it is, it will be necessary to levy more people, and the ministers will not dare to make decisions without permission." This matter has been informed to the right prime minister, tomorrow the court will meet the right prime minister will be in detail, before the minister comes, the right prime minister let the minister first inform His Majesty. ”

I understood, thought for a while, and said: "Back then, the emperor moved all the iron-smelting families to Nanyang County, in order to prevent thieves from using to build weapons. Shan Ben, order Tiewu to build the Iron Mansion again in the Shangdang! ”

Zhao Shanben bowed down and said: "The minister obeys the order!" ”

Yu Jin also agreed: "Your Majesty is wise, so you can save the effort of transportation." In addition, the drawings of the Daifuku ship have been almost studied, and the minister is about to discuss with the main iron order how to produce rolled steel! ”

I nodded: "The Dafu ship will be the pioneer type of ironclad ship, and the first to go to East Qinzhou in the future is likely to be the Dafu ship, and you will also participate in the construction of the Shangdang Iron Smelting Mansion, mainly to smelt crude iron, and gradually take the Nanyang Iron Smelting Mansion as the main production of refined steel and rolled steel, and large steel can also be transported to various ports through Huaishui and sea." ”

"Obey orders!"

"Rare book, you go to Li Xiang with Lord Liangzao, and inform Li Xiang of the few things I just said, and tomorrow the court will prepare a report."

I'm just making a general plan, and there are many details that need to be done by Li Si in actual implementation.

"Obey orders!"