The outside world knows nothing about what happens in the charcoal pencil factory.
Although many people saw cars pulling in pieces of iron lumps, and even the students of Langyun were too lazy to cover them up, the indigenous people had no idea what they were even if they saw it with their own eyes.
What's more, these are disassembled parts, so even if there are many guesses, they are still impossible to guess.
As for the white smoke coming out of the charcoal pencil factory, it did not attract much attention.
Many people even confused the smoke with that from the nearby sand and gravel plant.
As a result, the charcoal pencil factory was busy producing for several days, but outside, everything was calm and peaceful.
And that day, Shi Mo hurried into the factory gate.
Because Master Shi had been responsible for teaching the workers and had vigorously promoted literacy, he could be said to have "produced many talented people in the factory." Therefore, when the worker guarding the door saw him, he took the initiative to greet him, saying, "Master Shi, you're here! Are you going to teach again today?"
Shi Mo waved his hand: "There is no class today. I came to see Wang An. Is he here?"
The guard said enthusiastically, "Yes, yes, he's right inside. I'll take the Master there."
Shi Mo followed him to the factory.
In fact, when he got closer, he could hear the sounds of "clang clang clang" and "woosh duh", which made Shi Mo a little confused. He thought it was the noise made by the carpenters in the charcoal pencil factory.
As soon as he entered, he was shocked by the scene before him.
What I saw before me was a long iron object that I had never seen before. The sound was obviously coming from inside it.
Because most of the middle part is covered with iron sheets, it is difficult to see what is inside.
But the coal-fired steam engine at the back could be seen clearly. It was connected to various pipes and a huge piston that drove the flywheel to rotate. This had a great impact on Shi Mo.
In his understanding, anything that can move is alive, so how can a dead thing move?
Especially this iron thing, it can actually rotate by itself!
Apart from the previous rail car, I have never seen anything like this...
It can only be immortal magic.
It must be a magic method!
At this moment, Wang An saw him, walked up to him, bowed, and asked, "Brother, how did you get here?"
Shi Mo subconsciously returned the greeting, then asked in a trembling voice, "What...what kind of monster is this?"
Wang An quickly covered his mouth: "Brother, be careful with your words. It's called a machine, not a monster."
"What's the meaning?"
"This is a method taught by the Immortal Lord, but it's not really an Immortal method, because the Immortal Lord once said that as long as you study hard, you will be able to learn it in the future."
Just one sentence made Shi Mo's eyes widen.
This can be learned...
I can actually learn it!
So he immediately asked, "What to learn?"
Wang An recalled for a moment: "Let me think... the original words seemed to be: if you master math, physics and chemistry, you will not be afraid to travel the world."
Although Shi Mo didn't know what this sentence meant, since it was said by an immortal, it must be useful.
I'll tell Master Mo later and paint it on the wall of the school!
After pacing excitedly, Shi Mo finally calmed down and said a little embarrassedly: "Sorry, I just lost my composure."
Wang An smiled and reassured him, "It's normal for you to find it strange. Even the county magistrate finds it strange."
"Has the county magistrate also come to take a look?"
"Yeah, it's right over there."
Shi Mo looked over.
Then he saw several officials from the government office standing in an inconspicuous corner of the factory.
County Magistrate Zhuang had placed a table there and was writing furiously with an extremely serious expression.
Shi Mo quickly lowered his voice and whispered, "Sir...what are you writing?"
Wang An shook his head: "I asked, but the Lord didn't say anything specific, only that it would be sent to the capital to benefit the people."
The two of them looked at County Magistrate Zhuang who was working hard on his homework, and they both felt admiration for him.
"The county magistrate is such a good official."
"Yes."
However, Shi Mo obviously did not come here for the new equipment.
He pulled Wang An aside and whispered, "When my eldest brother returned with the caravan this time, he also brought back news that quite a few places are interested in making charcoal pencils, and both the style and the craftsmanship are exactly the same as those in Fenghe County."
Hearing this, Wang An's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he didn't look angry. Instead, he looked as if he had expected this. "There's nothing we can do about it. Charcoal pencils aren't rare items that are difficult to make, and the factory hasn't signed a death contract with them. They can come and go freely, so all the methods will naturally be taken away."
Shi Mo was a little confused: "Why not sign? In my family, whether it's a farmhand or a tenant, everyone has to sign a contract."
Wang An, who came from a farming family, was not angry at Shi Mo, who came from a wealthy family. Instead, he explained, "The immortal mentioned it casually, but this is more of the intention of the county magistrate's office. The purpose of the factory is not only to produce things, but also to benefit the people."
Shi Mo had a vague understanding: "That is to say, various skills and methods are allowed to be taken out, right?"
Wang An nodded.
After hearing this, the young master of the Shi family laughed.
He came from a merchant family and was influenced by his family since childhood, so it was inevitable that he would put himself first in everything.
But after all, if you choose to read the books of sages, you must do benevolent and righteous things, and you will still know about your family, country and the world.
Now, hearing the attitude of the county magistrate's office towards the factory, which represents the attitude of Qi State, naturally made Shi Mo feel quite relieved.
But after expressing one's emotions, one still has to return to reality.
He looked at Wang An again, lowering his voice, "I understand many of these principles, and I'm grateful for them, but business is the best way to deal with many things. Fenghe County needs to develop, and this charcoal factory can't just be a charity. Right now, our sales are based on the Fenghe County brand and our charcoal pressing techniques, but if everyone comes and does it, how will this factory make a profit in the future?"
Wang An remained calm: "Don't worry, the charcoal pencil factory in our county will not be in trouble at least in the short term."
"Oh? Why are you so sure, Junior Brother?"
Wang An did not give a direct answer, but led Shi Mo forward, heading towards the equipment that was still working.
Shi Mo thought he was going to take him to meet the governor of Zhuang County, so he hurriedly whispered, "The governor is busy, so we shouldn't disturb him."
Wang An said, "Don't look at the county magistrate, look at the machine."
"What is a machine?"
"...I can't explain it clearly, Senior Brother, just take the initiative."
Shi Mo looked over there and saw the tracks.
And the charcoal pencils that are continuously fed out of the machine.
Although this equipment is far from reaching the best standards in the eyes of Langyun students, at least the speed is much slower than expected, and there is still great room for improvement in the future.
But even so, it was still enough to shock Wang An.
Because I was far away and there was something blocking my view, I couldn't see clearly.
Now that he saw it clearly, he couldn't utter a word.
He stared with wide eyes for a long time and found that the speed of producing charcoal pencils had not slowed down at all.
Just like that, evenly, gently, and silkily, they were delivered one after another...
Shi Mo's voice was a little stammering: "This...this thing doesn't know how to get tired?"
Wang An thought for a moment and said, "I won't feel tired, but I will feel hungry."
"Hungry? What to eat?"
"It eats coal and water."
Shi Mo couldn't imagine how such a big thing could be operated with coal and water, but after witnessing the magic of Immortal Langyun, he had learned to force himself to accept new things quickly.
Many of the indigenous people in Fenghe County are like this.
After all, that's how they accepted the clanking of the rail cars...
After overcoming the hurdle in his heart, Shi Mo's eyes quickly lit up and he asked repeatedly, "I wonder how much it will cost?"
Wang An had been at the charcoal pencil factory these days, so he naturally knew the details and told him the number.
Although it was more than an ordinary family, Shi Mo was more concerned about another matter: "What is the output?"
This time, Wang An also answered fluently: "If it is open for five hours a day, then it will be thirty times as much as before, or even more."
Thirty times.
Shi Mo quickly lowered his head and began to calculate with his fingers.
He quickly smiled and said, "No wonder you're not worried about sales. This thing uses coal and water, both of which can be obtained through the county magistrate's office and rail cars. Plus, the factory is government-built, so the price can naturally be low, and it can also save a lot of labor. We can assign them to other tasks. With costs down and production so high, the price per charcoal pencil will only be lower. From this perspective, there is no worry about sales. Small profits but quick turnover. No wonder you weren't in a hurry just now."
But Wang An looked surprised.
You know, he had never thought about cost accounting before, and he only figured it out after the accountant had done the calculations.
But Shi Mo in front of him just pinched his fingers and figured it out...
This made Wang An sigh that his senior brother had inherited a good family tradition.
Even though I chose the liberal arts major, my business instinct is ingrained in my blood!
So Wang An wanted to praise Shi Mo, but when he looked at his senior brother's face, his expression paused slightly, and soon he looked thoughtful.
Shi Mo noticed something and thought there was still some unsolved problem, so he hurriedly asked, "What else?"
Wang An hesitated for a moment, took a half step back, and bowed slightly: "Brother, there is something I don't understand. I would like to ask for your guidance."
Because they were Mr. Mo's only two students and were of similar age, they usually got along very well and rarely had to be so serious.
I think it must be an urgent matter.
Shi Mo hurriedly said, "Brother, please feel free to speak."
Wang An stood up, looked at him intently, and slowly said, "Excuse me, Senior Brother, do you have any method for whitening my skin?"
Shi Mo: ...???
After a moment of silence, Mr. Shi realized that his junior brother, who had won the top three prizes, had become several shades darker.
Although it was not as bad as before when he couldn't find it at night, it was still quite shocking.
This person must have heard that he could come back for free, so he came to ask.
But what Shi Mo knew, Wang An probably knew too.
After much thought, he could only think of one thing that was different from the others: "Maybe it's because I'm naturally beautiful?"
Wang An: …
Thank you, it’s me who doesn’t deserve it!
But they didn't notice that County Magistrate Zhuang, who had been writing quietly, finally put down his pen, let out a long sigh, and smiled while twirling his beard.
Then he put the stack of things he had written and the sketches he had someone carefully draw into an exquisite wooden box, locked it three times and sealed it, then handed it to his subordinate and asked him to deliver it to the capital as soon as possible.
County Magistrate Zhuang also knew that the charcoal pencil factory's machines were a big deal, so he gave a few more instructions: "Be careful on the road, don't delay. Are there any difficulties on this journey?"
The guard who took the box said respectfully, "Don't worry, sir. Our county sends people to the capital every few days these days. We've almost gotten to know everyone at the post stations along the way. They say we're acquaintances, frequent visitors. Now, we don't even need to say hello; they'll help us get the horses." The guard then looked at County Magistrate Zhuang and asked, "Will this be a regular occurrence in the future?"
Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zhuang first nodded and then shook his head.
In the end, he could only touch his slightly sore wrist and sigh: "Alas, being an official is so difficult."
Guard: ???
After this box of memorials was sent to the capital, they were quickly presented to the King of Qi.
The King of Qi was naturally happy, but he did not announce the matter widely as he had done before. Instead, he only summoned his trusted ministers and held a small meeting.
After the discussion, he wrote a directive in his own handwriting, using carefully chosen words. In plain words, he urged Fenghe County to make persistent efforts and achieve greater glory.
Among those attending the meeting, Fu Yun was the only young man.
When he left the hall, his expression was extremely serious and there was nothing unusual about it.
It was not until he walked out of the palace gate and into the long corridor that Gongzi Yun curled up the corners of his mouth, first smiling slightly, and then laughing out loud.
This surprised Ah Si, the personal guard who was following beside him: "Master, are you thinking of something happy?"
Fu Jun waved the fan in her hand and covered her mouth with it. Then she realized she was being too pretentious, so she put the fan down and said with a smile, "I can't say I'm happy, I just find it interesting."
Ah Si hesitated for a moment and didn't ask any more questions.
After all, my son is a member of the royal family, and many things cannot be told to outsiders.
But Gongzi Yun never treated Ah Si as an outsider, especially since Ah Si almost lost his life saving him, so Fu Yun regarded him as his confidant.
At this moment, he said directly: "The changes in Fenghe County this time are likely to affect the interests of many people. Don't look at those adults in the court who are all righteous and talk about reason, but how many of them are truly working for the country and the people? Only they themselves know."
Ah Si was clever and quickly spoke up, "Young Master, are you saying that the King didn't publicize this matter because he was afraid of being obstructed?"
Gongzi Yun nodded without hesitation: "Of course. The charcoal pencil factory may be small, but it is obvious that once it is established, especially if the price can be controlled, it will naturally benefit the people greatly."
Ah Si was puzzled: "Since it benefits the people, they won't oppose it."
Gongzi Yun tapped the guard's shoulder gently with his fan: "If you think this way, Ah Si, it's because you are loyal to the emperor and patriotic. Those people can't compare to that."
This made Ah Si blush, and he immediately bowed: "Thank you for the compliment, sir."
Fu Yun smiled and said, "I'm not exaggerating, I'm just telling the truth. Although Qi's system of scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans seems strict, in reality, there aren't many controls. If you want to be both honest and wealthy simply by studying, how many people can achieve that? Almost every prominent family in the capital owns a shop, and they often compete with the people for profits."
The voice paused, and Gongzi Jun looked at the yellowing leaves on both sides, and spoke in a gentle tone with a hint of coldness:
"If ordinary people were to have concerns about protecting their own interests, it would be normal. However, they receive the emperor's salary but do not care about his worries. They argued a lot about the changes to the imperial examination system back then, and I'm afraid there will be even more arguments now."
Ah Si was simple-minded, and this had clearly touched upon his blind spots, so he didn't judge it too much. He was simply worried for his young master: "Will they bear a grudge against you in the future?"
Gongzi Yun simply smiled. "No matter who opposes me in the court, I will stand on the immortal's side. Actually, I should thank my brothers for nearly killing me outside the Langyun Immortal Realm. After that incident, I've already died once, so there's nothing to fear. As for those wealthy families, if they don't understand the current situation, they will be nothing more than withered leaves in the autumn, rotting in the ground."
"Sir, are you not going to remind me?"
"I won't remind those stupid pigs."
Ah Si rarely heard his own young master say such vulgar... uh, down-to-earth words, so he was a little stunned.
Gongzi Yun closed his paper fan, his smile still elegant and gentle: "While the time is right, let's go and visit the immortal. I have a lot of questions to ask."
Ah Si immediately came back to his senses: "Young Master, do you want to discuss Fenghe County's new machinery?"
"Not really. There are specialized people to handle machinery matters. I, a liberal arts student, don't want to compete with science and engineering for jobs."
"That young master..."
"I went to ask my younger brothers and sisters how their schoolwork was going, and to see how their calligraphy was going. Speaking of which, Father even praised how their handwriting of their names was getting better and better."
…
oh.
Because the palace where the immortals lived was close to the palace gate, it took the master and servant a while to get there.
Before he got close, he saw someone already outside the palace gate.
Fu Jun quickly stopped, and Ah Si also hurriedly stopped.
Then he heard his young master's voice: "Is that Third Prince?"
Ah Si looked up quickly.
He was a martial artist with excellent eyesight. He could tell it apart with just a glance and replied respectfully, "Yes, that is His Highness the Third Young Master."
Fu Jun raised his eyebrows slightly, but did not step forward. Instead, he pulled his personal guards to the shadows on the side and watched with interest.
His arrival did not attract much attention, or rather, everyone's attention was focused on the Third Young Master.
He eagerly picked up an exquisite wooden box, staring at the beauty before him with eager eyes. His voice began to tremble with excitement: "This is the coral and jade hairpin I found. I hope...I hope the fairy will accept it."
Standing in front of him was Shen Qiao in a dance costume, and Zhang Miaomiao beside her.
Originally, Student Shen was planning to go out and practice dancing today to strengthen the cultural exchanges between Langyun and the Qi court, and to make his own contribution to promoting the integration of dance on both sides.
As a national defense student and a friend of Chen Qiao, Zhang Miaomiao has been protecting him these days.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I arrived at the door, I ran into the third prince of Qi.
And this is obviously not the first time these people have "encountered" each other.
Especially Zhang Miaomiao, who recognized her immediately: "It's you."
Upon hearing this, Chen Qiao tilted his head to look at her: "Know her?"
Zhang Miaomiao nodded: "I know her. We're kind of friends. We've shaken hands."
And through his interactions with the people of Qi during this period, Shen Qiao was well aware of the conservative nature of the people here, and a handshake was considered extremely intimate.
Her curiosity immediately rose: "Oh? Can you tell me more?"
Zhang Miaomiao replied sincerely, "Last time we sparred, I dislocated his arm."
Chen Qiao: ...
Zhang Miaomiao: "Don't look at me like that, I installed it for him."
Chen Qiao: ...
So, this is what you mean by shaking hands?
Very good and novel.
While they were gossiping, the Third Young Master remained well-behaved and didn't say a word.
Until Zhang Miaomiao told him: "Put it away, I don't want it."
The Third Young Master was very persistent, and said earnestly, "I went through a lot of trouble to find this hairpin."
Zhang Miaomiao looked puzzled. "You're such a strange person. What does all your hardship have to do with me? There are so many hard things in this world. Do they all come to me?"
In one word, the Third Young Master was choked and unable to speak.
Chen Qiao poked the person next to him and whispered, "Romance line?"
Zhang Miaomiao replied: "Give me points?"
"Probably not."
"What's the point of romance? No one should stop us from doing our business."
"That's right."
The third young master is a rare one among the many young masters who likes martial arts. His body shape is also different from other paper men and he appears to be more sturdy.
At this moment, he didn't know that the fairies had stopped the relationship after just a few words. He said earnestly, "Fairy, please don't blame me. I have no intention of blaspheming your reputation. It's just that after our last sparring match, I will work hard. I have learned new moves and gained a lot from the moves you taught my brothers, so I wanted to learn a few things from you."
After hearing this, Zhang Miaomiao came to her senses: "So you want to become my disciple?"
The Third Young Master was a little embarrassed: "This... I don't dare to hope for it. I am already extremely happy to receive guidance from the fairy."
Hearing this, Zhang Miaomiao immediately laughed, completely losing her previous resistance, and said directly: "Why didn't you say so earlier? I happen to be free. Come on, let's have a sparring match."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the room, his steps were unsteady.
Chen Qiao looked at the Third Young Master's die-hard fan expression and felt curious. He was in no hurry to leave. He caught up with Zhang Miaomiao and returned to the hall together, asking, "Do you really want to fight him?"
Zhang Miaomiao moved her neck and wrists while replying, "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm just completing a system task and sharing my experience."
"What experience?"
"Sparring and medical treatment."
Chen Qiao: Suddenly I don’t want to ask what the latter part means.
But she quickly continued, "What was that move that the Third Young Master said he learned from the Young Master? Did you teach him?"
Zhang Miaomiao casually replied, "Oh, probably radio gymnastics."
Chen Qiao: ...
Being able to comprehend new tactics from this, this Third Young Master is indeed a ruthless person.
At this moment, at the palace gate, Fu Yun had already stepped forward and took the initiative to ask, "Brother Third Prince, do you really want to go for a sparring match?"
The Third Young Master was carefully putting away his hairpin. He turned around when he heard the words and saw that it was his Seventh Young Master. He smiled and said, "Yes."
Although Prince Yun had grudges against most of his brothers, the Third Prince was an exception.
Because this person favored martial arts, which was incompatible with Qi's traditional emphasis on culture over military power, he withdrew from the throne race early on and naturally did not participate in any conspiracy. Therefore, Fu Yun still wanted to give him some advice: "I know that fairies are all immortals, which makes people yearn for them. However, from what I have seen and heard in the fairyland, fairies are all detached from the mundane world and are obsessed with the cultivation of 'points'. If your brother has any... thoughts, it is best to give them up as soon as possible."
Unexpectedly, these words made the Third Young Master's expression solemn: "Seventh Brother, you misunderstood me. I really don't have those thoughts. I only admire and respect the fairy. I would never dare to do anything that would be struck by lightning."
"Then why do you have this hairpin?"
"Of course it's a gift for apprenticeship."
Fu Yun: ...
Oh, so you want to follow the master-disciple relationship.
I'm sorry, my heart is dirty.
After a moment of self-loathing, Fu Yun remembered another thing: "Why not just become my disciple? Why do we have to spar with each other? Last time, the Third Prince was carried back, but he had to rest for a long time before he recovered."
The Third Young Master's eyes were fixed on the palace gate, and his voice was somewhat ethereal: "You don't understand. The way of martial arts requires practice to gain true knowledge. And I can see that the fairy really enjoys sparring."
Fu Jun was worried: "What if it gets bumped again?"
The Third Young Master smiled, his voice sincere, "At most, I only injured my arms and legs. I went in vertically and came out horizontally, but the fairy got a good mood."
Gongzi Yun: ...
???
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
