The novel has already been fully translated up to the final chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/caleredhair
“You are to focus on these, one by one, and ensure no oversight.”
In the imperial study, Xiao Ming handed Pang Yukun a black booklet, which contained the industries he had asked Pang Yukun and Fei Ji to establish.
Pang Yukun took the booklet and merely glanced at it, but his face lit up with joy. It listed the industries that the Great Yu Empire currently lacked and those that needed improvement. Besides industry, animal husbandry was also heavily emphasized.
“Your Majesty, with this, I can follow the script,” Pang Yukun said happily.
Xiao Ming nodded. He had said what needed to be said. At this point, he dismissed the two, telling them to strictly follow the industrial plan he provided to build the Great Yu Empire’s own industrial system.
After seeing them off, Xiao Ming stretched. Although Pang Yukun and Fei Ji had handled a large amount of state affairs for him during this period, he worried even more than before.
As various industries flourished across the Great Yu Empire, he had to personally take charge and impart more knowledge to the students of Bowen Academy.
Although the technology crystal was in his mind, he could not achieve the rise of civilization alone. Only by cultivating more and more talents like Lin Wentao and Lu Tong could a complete industrial system be realized in the Great Yu Empire.
As he was thinking, Qian Dafu walked over, somewhat displeased, and immediately complained, “Your Majesty is already very tired. Why must Your Majesty personally attend to the Great Yu Empire’s trivial matters?”
Xiao Ming immediately smiled. This Qian Dafu truly cared for him as Emperor. After all, strictly speaking, he had watched the owner of this body grow up.
“Speak, who is seeking an audience outside?” Every time Qian Dafu complained like this, it was always about matters that were neither too big nor too small.
Sighing, Qian Dafu said, “It’s Zhang Liang and his daughter seeking an audience. They’re talking about the steamship. In your old servant’s opinion, why bother Your Majesty with such a small matter?”
If it had been before, Xiao Ming might not have seen the two, but now he was personally involved in technological matters, all to help the Great Yu Empire catch up with Europe as quickly as possible.
After all, he was progressing, and European technology was also progressing. Moreover, Europe in this era clearly seemed to be “cheating” more than contemporary Europe.
In a similar historical period, Europe’s technological level at this time had already surpassed contemporary Europe by half a century or more. Most importantly, such Europe had already extended its reach to Asia.
So, he needed a weapon even more to defeat them at sea, and that was the steam warship.
“This is no small matter. Let them in.” Qian Dafu might complain, but there were some things he dared not refuse on his own authority.
Saying yes, Qian Dafu turned and left. A short while later, he led Zhang Liang and his daughter into the imperial study.
“Your humble servant, commoner, greets Your Majesty,” Zhang Liang and Zhang Qiyun said in unison.
“Dispense with the formalities.” Xiao Ming looked at the two. “Did you encounter difficulties with the steamship?”
Zhang Qiyun was a quiet person and didn’t like to talk much on normal days. Zhang Liang knew his daughter well, so he proactively said, “Your Majesty, after I returned from Dengzhou, my daughter and I tried to build a steam warship at the Qingzhou shipyard. We have made some progress, but we are currently troubled by what kind of power to use, so we have specifically come to consult Your Majesty.”
“Tell me,” Xiao Ming said with a serious expression. Whenever he discussed technical issues, he always presented himself as a technician.
Zhang Liang cleared his throat, organized his words, and said, “After my experiments, it is true that a steam engine combined with a propeller can make a warship sail. However, I am not entirely at ease with the steam engine. If the coal on the warship runs out, or the steam engine breaks down, then the steamship would become a dead ship. Therefore, I believe we cannot solely rely on steam power; we must also retain the masts of sailing warships.”
After a pause, Zhang Liang said, “However, this is just my idea, while my daughter insists on completely changing the structure of the warship. For this matter, this girl has been arguing with me for several days, relying on Your Majesty’s decree. I was forced to come to Your Majesty.”
As Zhang Liang’s words fell, Zhang Qiyun said, “Your Majesty, a steam engine warship has its own suitable hull structure. Now, to build a steam warship, we must naturally discard all previous hull designs.”
“But how many cannons does your hull have?” Zhang Liang shook his head. “You’re like a half-empty bottle making the most noise.”
Xiao Ming chuckled. Zhang Liang was implying that Zhang Qiyun hadn’t fully grasped the concept. He then looked at Zhang Qiyun and said, “The main purpose of a warship is to fight. So, often, sailing warships would rather sacrifice speed to ensure firepower. You’ve now built over my cannon positions; how is my warship supposed to fight?”
Zhang Qiyun frowned, stunned for a moment. She truly hadn’t considered that.
Zhang Liang now showed a triumphant smile, clearly pleased that “ginger gets spicier with age.” He had to admit that when his daughter first proposed steam power, he was so shocked his eyes almost popped out.
For this matter, he specifically returned from Dengzhou to Qingzhou Province to attempt to produce a steam-powered ship. Now, after initial trials, he and Zhang Qiyun had completed the experiment of a steam engine driving a propeller to make a ship advance. Next, they would formally begin the construction of a prototype ship.
“Your Majesty, my suggestion is to temporarily adopt a hybrid power system, retaining the power of sailing warships and using the steam engine as auxiliary power. After all, in my humble opinion, the current steam engine makes it very difficult to propel a large warship on a long voyage, and without coal resupply, the warship would be useless,” Zhang Liang finally said.
Xiao Ming nodded. What Zhang Liang said was indeed true. Steam engines were constantly being improved. The steam engine in this steam warship was no ordinary steam engine; it was a high-temperature, high-pressure steam engine.
Compared to ordinary steam engines, this type of steam engine was more efficient and more powerful.
It was precisely with such a steam engine as assurance that Lin Wentao dared to produce steam locomotives. Now, this type of steam engine was also being used on warships.
However, as Zhang Liang worried, his warships would eventually undertake long voyages. For this reason, a purely steam-powered warship would need to be resupplied with coal and fresh water at every supply point.
Currently, this was not an issue within the Great Yu Empire’s waters, but outside this range, he would be helpless. Therefore, at this time, sails were needed to ensure the warship could still move.
Zhang Qiyun was initially very stubborn, but after Zhang Liang and Xiao Ming’s analysis, she gradually came to her senses, though she was still a bit unwilling. “So, the steam warship will just be a joke then?”
“Not at all. Once the artillery issues of the steam warship are resolved, armored warships can be formally built. At least they can be used in the surrounding areas,” Xiao Ming said with a smile. He currently did not have the capability to manufacture rotating gun turrets for steam warships.