Hongwu Survival Guide

Chapter 313 Pocket Watch

Zhu Yuan sent Wu Tong to carry his master away after he had fainted. Looking at the broken bow again, he was a little confused. Is this a 'Tigress' or a 'kitten'?

Soon I didn't care about it.

Because news came from the concierge that Jin Dahu from the watch workshop and Wei Ye from the spring workshop arrived together.

To send engraved watch.

This was something that he had been waiting for. Hearing the news, Zhu Yuan gave up his plan to go back to the inner house to take a nap, and hurried to the outer courtyard.

As soon as he turned into the outer courtyard from the corridor, Zhu Yuan saw two-foot-square wooden boxes in the courtyard.

Inside the box were obviously the first batch of engraved watches that I was looking forward to.

Seeing Zhu Yuan appearing, Jin Dahu and Wei also stepped forward to salute, Zhu Yuan waved his hand, went straight to those boxes, and ordered: "Open it, let me see?"

Jin Dahu and Wei also followed. Hearing Zhu Yuan's order, the two stepped forward and opened a box near Zhu Yuan.

Inside the box was an engraved watch carefully wrapped in straw and sackcloth.

Compared with the simplicity of the wooden box, this engraved watch in the shape of a house is much more refined. Although the mahogany shell is not as good as a certain crystal engraved watch, the carving is also very exquisite. The whole engraved watch after painting It has a deep red color and looks quite classy.

Of course, this is not what Zhu Yuan cares about.

The inside is the key.

Jin Dahu carefully placed the engraved watch on the closed wooden box, and Zhu Yuan had already seen that the engraved watch was moving.Although it is only a pointer, it can be clearly distinguished. The current time is about [-]:[-] in the afternoon.

It should be the present moment.

Zhu Yuan looked at it and asked Jin Dahu: "How is the accuracy? How much is the error every day?"

Jin Dahu said: "I personally tested it in the past few days, and the accuracy...or better than what I said before, the daily error will not exceed half a quarter of an hour."

Zhu Yuan remembered what Jin Dahu said to himself earlier, the first batch of ten engraved watches, after adjustment, the error will not exceed a quarter of an hour, that is, about 15 minutes later, this level of error will not exceed hundreds of years later It must not have been seen, but now, it is already rare and accurate.

Obviously, Kim Dae-hoo left room for himself at that time.

The engraved watch in front of me has an error of less than half a quarter of an hour per day. In this age, it can already be described as accurate.

Nodding in satisfaction, Zhu Yuan looked at the other boxes around and said, "Since this is the case, it just so happens that the day after tomorrow I can choose one as a New Year gift to my ancestors."

Xieyi had reminded before that at the Grand Meeting on Zhengdan, His Majesty the Emperor will host a banquet to entertain the officials, but at the same time, all the officials will also present New Year's gifts.

This is not required.

It is also an annual gift for poor civil servants to write a poem to His Majesty the Emperor.

Zhu Yuan had ordered the glass workshop to make a set of colorful tea sets using the glass of different colors fired there, which was regarded as an annual gift.However, that is just a spare, what is really waiting is the first batch of engraved watches here.However, because I didn't want to force Jin Dahu and the others to rush to work, so as not to cause things to go wrong, I didn't say it before, thinking that if it can be delivered, I will use this year's gift, and if I can't, I will use the spare tea set.

Jin Dahu didn't expect this to happen, and asked with uncertainty in his surprised expression: "Your Excellency... said...to give it to His Majesty... as an annual gift?"

"Yes," Zhu Yuan nodded with a smile, and then signaled to the surroundings: "Just send one as a gift. It happens to be made by you. You can see which one is suitable."

Jin Dahu subconsciously looked at the pile of boxes around him, for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Why didn't you say it earlier, my lord?

Wei Ye who was next to him thought the same thing: "My lord, this... the day after tomorrow, will it be Zhengdan?"

Zhu Yuan glanced at the two of them: "Why, don't you have confidence in the things you made?
The two shook their heads together.

Seeing that Jin Dahu was still hesitant, Zhu Yuan said with a smile: "Since everyone is confident and I don't know which one to choose, I'll just pick one at random. My ancestors won't care about these details, the key is this." The meaning behind the engraving."

Jin Dahu thought for a moment, and said: "My lord, why don't you call the officer to come over and confirm it before you send it off at that time."

Zhu Yuan nodded: "Alright."

Wei Ye asked another seemingly crucial question: "My lord, will I only give... one?"

"Yeah, just to show my ancestors," Zhu Yuan said, seeing the two of them looking at the surrounding piles together again, he continued to explain with a smile: "Probably, I will keep one for myself, and give the ancestors one, and the others will be the same as the others." After discussing with my ancestors, I plan to send all of them to Mingzhou. Such a timing tool can play a great role in sailing, and even save lives."

After the new year, the sea transportation of grain in the second year of Hongwu will gradually start.

Last year, an important variable that plagued simultaneous maritime surveying and mapping during long-distance grain transportation was time.

This year, with this batch of relatively accurate engraved watches, we can go further.

This too is just the beginning.

When Jin Dahu makes a more accurate engraving watch with minute and second hands, or even a pocket watch that is easy to carry, then Zhu Yuan thought that he would have to wait a long time before he could measure some things, such as longitude, and he can start directly next year. .

At that time, it will only be a series of precise timing tools, which will even affect the territory of Ming Dynasty, surveying and mapping, navigation, marching and other aspects.

Through these, Daming can understand the world better.The more you understand the world, the more you can develop the world.

In this day and age, all the boxes in the yard are considered precision instruments. Zhu Yuan saw one, but he didn't let Jin Dahu and the others open it one by one, and let people carefully carry it into the house to talk.

In the main hall, when the two servants put the engraved watch on the table beside Zhu Yuan, Jin Dahu did not sit down, but brought up a small wooden box instead: "My lord, there is one more thing. You said that the pocket watch, Xiaguan recently tried to make one, but... Xiaguan's craftsmanship is still not good, and it can barely move around for the time being."

Are pocket watches made?

Zhu Yuan was a little surprised, got up and took the wooden box escorted by Jin Da, and couldn't wait to open it.

Sure enough, inside the wooden box lay a round pocket watch with a diameter of less than two inches.

Pick it up and look at it.

It's pretty heavy to buy, with crystal on the front and sterling silver on the back.

Then, there's the dial.

The pure white dial is divided into twelve scales. At the same time, what surprised Zhu Yuan the most is that this pocket watch has three pointers of different lengths, all of which are moving at the moment, and at different speeds. It is obviously the same as the one that Zhu Yuan and Jin Dahu described before. The 'hour hand', 'minute hand' and 'second hand' of the past.

Looking at the time again, it was already around [-]:[-].

Turning his head and glanced at the large clock next to him, the pointer was barely past three o'clock in the afternoon.Apparently, this pocket watch had been adjusted before coming here, and it was not as bad as Kim San-hoo said.

After simply looking at it, Zhu Yuan also began to fiddle with it further.

Unlike the pocket watch that usually only has one dial in memory, this one in my hand has two dials on the upper end.

Zhu Yuan, who understands the principle, can roughly guess its purpose without thinking about it.

Jin Dahu also explained: "My lord, the one on the left winds up and the one on the right is used to adjust the time. The lower officials are also incapable. They want to hide the setting needle on the watch body, but the time is limited, so I can only do it for the time being." That's it."

Zhu Yuan imagined Jin Dahu's train of thought, and he understood that it was probably the kind that retracts the dial needle into the shell so that it won't protrude and obstruct the eyes.However, in this case, if you want to adjust the time or wind up, you can only use an external tool like a screwdriver.

It's more or less troublesome.

Thinking about it, Zhu Yuan fiddled with the clockwork needle, feeling the clicking sound inside, and suggested: "You can also try another solution, combining the two needles into one, and can wind the clockwork at the same time. To adjust the time, the change to be made is to pull out some of the setting needles, or press some, so that there is only one setting needle, and it does not have to be hidden. Hidden inside, and carry another adjustment tool with you , I'm afraid it's not convenient."

Jin Dahu thought for a while, nodded and said: "Your Excellency has a better idea, I will try it when I get back as an official."

Zhu Yuan turned the clockwork and set the needle a few times, seeing that the time on this pocket watch was still quite accurate, so he was reluctant to move the pointer, and continued to play with it in his hand, while asking: "This... there is always some accuracy. Well, how about it?"

Jin Dahu said: "The problem with the pocket watch is mainly because the adults said that the hairspring escapement, the escapement mechanism in the pocket watch, I don't know how long it can last, it's just for the adults to see fresh. As for the accuracy, it needs to be adjusted every hour. , about a third of a quarter away."

Zhu Yuan said with satisfaction: "It's already pretty good."

Two hours and five minutes, one day... Well, all in all, pretty good.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuan smiled and said: "This is the world's first pocket watch, which is very commemorative. Although the accuracy is not good, but... Well, after I play for a few days, in the future, it can be placed in a museum and become our watch. A historical node in the development of China's science and technology. You must know that being able to measure time conveniently and accurately will change too many things, even our entire world."

Jin Dahu knew about the museum, but he didn't expect to make this pocket watch by himself... Actually, it wasn't the first one, but he just picked the best one and sent it to him.

Now, why are you going to the museum?
That's a museum!
Although I still don't quite understand the specific meaning of the museum, but I just heard the boy Pingzhang's few words, it is a "historical node" and a "change the world". Said: "My lord, I can't do it. It hasn't been done yet. It's a defective product. Let's wait a little longer, I promise... within half a year, no, within three months, I will make a more accurate one and release it again." Then... the museum, okay?"

"You don't understand, it's semi-finished products like this that are more commemorative," Zhu Yuan said: "If you make something that is accurate to every second, put it in a museum, and then tell future generations that it was created by our ancestors." The first pocket watch, do you think they believe it? If they don’t believe it, it’s meaningless.”

Jin Dahu felt that he didn't quite understand, but when Zhu Yuan said this, he thought about it, and then he simply admitted: "My lord, if that's the case... This, this is not the first one, this is the third one. Two, worse than this."

Zhu Yuan asked with a smile, "Did you lose those two?"

"No, why did you lose it?" Jin Dahu shook his head, "They are all good things."

Jin Dahu said, and looked at the pocket watch in Zhu Yuan's hand again.

To be precise, the other two... can't be considered complete two, but just a patchwork of parts. As for the reason, it's very simple. Any part of this pocket watch, even the case, is not cheap.

Even with Zhu Yuan's support, the Ministry of Industry did not restrict the supply of materials, but they also sent special personnel to supervise them.

This is also an external reason.

Jin Dae-ho himself, it is impossible to throw away those expensive parts at will.

Hearing what Jin Dahu said, Zhu Yuan was inspired again, and said: "Then put them all together, and then make a special pocket watch showcase in the museum. This one is complete, and the other two can be disassembled so that you can see it." You can clearly see various internal structures, such as escapement, such as gears, such as clockwork. Well, of course, there will be a special text introduction, including you, the producer of the pocket watch.”

When Jin Dahu heard what Zhu Yuan said, a word came to mind.

His name is left in the annals of history.

History!
Even Wei Ye, who was at the side, was full of envy in his eyes.

Seeing Wei Ye's envious look, Zhu Yuan casually said, "Old Wei, you are the same, you made this clockwork steel, and you can add a name to it in the future."

Wei Ye immediately backed off and said, "Don't dare, dare not, how can I be a low-ranking official?"

Saying so, Wei also made up his mind that when the time comes, he must put his name in as much as possible.

Seeing the performance of the two, Zhu Yuan thought of Tan Zao and Tan Qu brothers.

When they said they were going to send the red glaze to the museum, the two were too excited.

Therefore, Zhu Yuan's thoughts turned to the museum he had been planning, and he began to think that it would be embarrassing if there were not enough collections for the museum to be built.

Now, Zhu Yuan is not worried.

Just looking at the reactions of the Tan brothers and Jin Dahu, there will definitely be people scrambling to deliver things.

I have to say that this land, this nation... loves fame too much.

Zhu Yuan felt that this was not good.

Just like later, when other people were rogues and confident, but I... I framed myself as a gentleman.

The gentleman suffers too much.

Continuing to fiddle with the pocket watch in his hand, Zhu Yuan was distracted for a while, and quickly continued, provoking the two people on the side again: "There is nothing to dare, these are just the beginning, if you two can make more achievements in the future, in the future, Even if it is to leave a biography in the history books, it should."

Jin Dahu: "..."

Wei Ye: "..."

I don't dare to think about it!

Zhu Yuan also laughed: "I don't think about it for the time being, but the "Daming Monthly" can already be published. After all, this matter is of great significance. Well... this month is too late, so next month. Just right, After I gave the New Year’s gift to my ancestors, I will spare time next month to carefully consider the impact of the appearance of engraved watches on the times, and write an article."

"Da Ming Monthly"? !

Thinking about the influence of that magazine in recent months, Jin Dahu couldn't calm down again. This is so close at hand, he couldn't help asking: "My lord, but... are you going to write it yourself?"

"I don't have that much time," Zhu Yuan shook his head, and said, "However, take the time, I will give some ideas, you try to write it yourself first, after all, you made the engraved watch, and you are more familiar with it. Wait for the article to write Alright, let Editor-in-Chief Song polish it up."

Seeing that Zhu Yuan didn't plan to write the pen himself, Jin Dahu was a little disappointed, but he nodded quickly after hearing the young Pingzhang's suggestion.

Mr. Pingzhang can give ideas, and he...and Wei Ye helped, thinking carefully in private, he can also write.

What's more, there is Mr. Song Lian Song who checks.

Zhu Yuan had said this, so enough was enough, and returning to the pocket watch in front of him, he said to Jin Dahu: "This is very small, very good. However, I'm talking about making an engraved watch that can be carried in your arms, but you also You don’t have to limit yourself too much. In order to pursue accuracy, it’s okay to be a little bigger. What we should do now is to accumulate and explore, rather than thinking about getting it right in one step.”

Jin Dahu nodded humbly: "Your Excellency is right."

Zhu Yuan asked some more details, then turned to the large engraved watch on the side, asked Jin Dahu to dismantle it on the spot, and discussed the various structures inside together, as well as the production plan for the second batch of engraved watches.

After more than two quarters of an hour, the two of them bid farewell and left.

After seeing off Jin Dahu and Wei Ye, he looked at the pocket watch in his hand, the time has passed 03:30.

After ordering the servants to carefully move all ten engraved watches to the treasure building in the East Garden, Zhu Yuan walked towards the backyard of the inner house.

The pocket watch in his hand is equivalent to Jin Dahu's annual gift to Zhu Yuan.

Wei Ye didn't come in vain.

Before leaving, he said that according to Zhu Yuan's instructions, Wei also took the time to make a set of sofas in private that the boy Pingzhang had given the design. It was still the same as the mattress last time. It was quietly shipped in through the back door.

(End of this chapter)