Because it was the first one, the workmanship in many places was rough and the frame was not painted. In Yinreng's eyes, this was a failed exhibit.
It can only be used as a reference for the factory.
The craftsmen in the Imperial Household Department stared with wide eyes as they watched His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ride his bicycle around the yard twice.
How can you ride this two-wheeled thing without falling?
The craftsmen all thought this was unscientific, but before they could figure out the principle behind it, the bicycle was taken away by someone sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
The craftsmen's eyes were red with anxiety.
After Yinreng returned to Yuqing Palace, he sent someone to invite Yinzhen.
Half an hour later, Yinzhen walked into the gate of Yuqing Palace covered in snow.
The first month of the year had not yet passed, and other places were still immersed in the excitement of the New Year festival, but Yin'er was busy as a madman.
During holidays, he is the busiest among his brothers. If someone calls him, he might refuse. After all, nothing is more important than earning money.
But since his second brother called him, he had to come.
Otherwise, if he missed any business opportunity, he would cry to death.
As soon as he walked into the yard, Yinzhen saw a group of people gathered in the yard, and he went over curiously.
After seeing the peculiarly shaped bicycle, a hint of surprise flashed in Yin'er's eyes. What is this?
My second brother has been staying in the Imperial Household Department for so many days, and he created such a strange thing?
After Yinreng finished explaining his request to the embroiderers, he looked up and saw Yinzhen. He smiled and said,
"Old Nine is here to see the bicycle that Second Brother built."
As he spoke, he slapped the metal seat of the bicycle, making a crisp sound.
Yinreng felt the pain in his palm and the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
Forgot this thing isn't in a holster yet.
Yin'er's eyes were glued to the bicycle, and he didn't even raise his head when he heard the words. He asked curiously,
"Brother, you spent so much time at the Imperial Household Department just for this bicycle? What's the use of it?"
"It's very useful. Everyone, get out of the way and let me show you!"
After everyone had dispersed, Yinreng stretched out his long legs and stepped onto the bicycle. Then he pushed hard with his feet and the bicycle started moving.
When Yinzhen saw Yinreng riding his bike in circles in the open space, his jaw almost dropped.
Is this how the bicycle is used?
The others were no less shocked than Yinreng. Everyone watched Yinreng riding his bicycle around the yard until his paws could no longer withstand the low temperature.
“Crack!”
Yinreng squeezed the brakes, and after the bicycle came to a steady stop, he raised his hands and rubbed them vigorously.
I should have brought a pair of gloves earlier.
Seeing this, Yinzhen immediately surrounded them.
"Brother, can you let me try?"
"Okay, but you haven't learned how to ride a bicycle before. This bike is not easy to use. Be careful not to fall!"
"What's so difficult about this?"
Seeing Yinreng riding so easily, Yinzhen thought he could do it easily too, but the reality was -
“Hey hey hey…”
“Crack!”
"Hey, get out of the way!"
"Hold it steady for me!"
"Bang!"
"What a crap thing! It's not fun at all!"
Yinzhen kicked the bicycle angrily, and the rebound force made his face twisted.
Yinreng watched the show for a long time, and seeing that Yinzhen was a little angry, he said with a smile,
"I told you, this bike is not that easy to use."
Yinzhen curled his lips and said with disdain,
"Brother, you're not going to sell this bike, are you?"
He is such a smart person, but he still couldn't learn how to ride after half an hour. Others must be worse than him. If they can't learn, this bicycle will be just a decoration and no one will want it even if he sells it!
"Of course!"
Yinreng pulled Yinzhen to the warm room and had someone serve hot tea. After the two brothers warmed up for a while, Yinreng told them his purpose.
"This bicycle is just a toy for wealthy people, but for those who can't afford a horse, it can become an important means of transportation."
Yinreng put down his teacup and carefully explained the advantages of the bicycle to Yinzhen.
"You know, in the market, a very ordinary horse can sell for 17 or 18 taels, which is almost the annual expenses of an average family of five."
"A slow horse can run fifty or sixty miles in an hour, and a bicycle can do the same. Besides, a bicycle doesn't need to be fed with grass; it relies solely on human power."
Yinzhen frowned.
"But civilians generally don't need horses, right? They usually stay within a ten-mile radius. Walking takes time, but it saves money!"
"Besides, that bicycle is made entirely of steel, so it must have cost a lot. If my brother is right, that black stuff wrapped around the wheels is the rubber you sent the fleet searching all over the world for. How much manpower and resources did we waste just looking for that rubber?"
Yinzhen has always been perceptive. After seeing the bicycle, he quickly guessed that the tires were made of rubber. This is also the main reason why he was not optimistic about this business.
Not to mention that the bicycle frame is made of steel, just the two rubber tires must be worth a lot of money.
Bicycles are novel, but for rich people, they are useless. Who would want to ride a bicycle when they have a horse?
Poor families couldn't afford it, so Yinzhen thought the bicycle was just a useless thing gathering dust in the warehouse.
Yinreng shook his head when he heard this.
"There's a saying that scarcity makes things valuable, just like the glass window business. Now that the market is saturated, the price isn't as high as it was initially. I didn't intend to sell this bicycle at a bargain price right from the start."
Yin'er raised his eyelids when he heard this, and said indifferently,
"Even if you set a high price, someone has to buy it! If no one buys it, it's useless to make it."
"Have you ever heard of the celebrity effect?"
"Celebrity effect? What does that mean?"
Soon Yinzhen understood what celebrity effect was.
After Yinreng asked him to come over to see the bicycle that day, he was determined to teach him how to ride a bicycle.
Yinzhen was unwilling, so Yinreng took a ruler and watched him from the side.
He wanted to shirk responsibility by saying that he was busy with work, but Yinreng didn't give him a chance. He sent people to guard his door every day. Even if he managed to escape, there were people guarding the commercial street.
Yinzhen had no choice but to grit his teeth and learn. After three or four days of study, he was able to stagger on his way.
When Yin'er has completely mastered the essentials of riding a bicycle, it will be time for Yinreng to leave Beijing with Yinzhi and go to Weihaiwei.
At the Imperial Household Department, Yinreng supervised the construction of a new painted car, which was then sent to Yin'er's residence.
Yinzhen looked at the beautifully designed new bike, and his resentment about learning to ride a bicycle finally dissipated a lot.
After Yinreng left Beijing, Yinzhen became like a street urchin, riding his bicycle around the imperial city whenever he had free time.
What kind of people live in the imperial city?
But they are all royal relatives and have plenty of money.
Yinzhen wandered around more and more, and some people became jealous...
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