“It might be a bit difficult to replicate this object, but I suppose we can make one if we give it a try…!” Qian Su swept his gaze all over the single-cylinder steam engine, then spoke in a very professional tone, “The most difficult components to make are this steam cylinder and these cranks that connect the parts. The blacksmiths won’t be able to hammer this out, so we’ll need to create a mold and use the casting technique. Once casted, we’ll polish it. There has always been a foundry in the manufacturing bureau. If we’re going to make this, we’ll just need to start the furnace in the foundry workshop and prepare some tools…”
“Right, that’s what I think so too. We’ll have to prepare a mold to cast these vital parts in the Aquapyro Engine, then polish them afterward. It seems like they will require higher precision and extra special care. We’ll need to pay particular attention to the cylinder and the few circular metal pieces that move inside. If the pieces are too big, they won’t fit. If they’re too small, there’ll be leakage. The circular metal pieces and connecting rods shouldn’t be made with cast iron, but steel. As for the rest of the pieces, we can use brass!” As a blacksmith, Yan Dechang had his own opinions when he looked at the Aquapyro Engine which he had never seen before. “We should be able to produce this too if we make some modifications to our blacksmith workshop!”
“Father, if you want to produce this steam… Aquapyro Engine, then you can bring Brother Tiezhu to the manufacturing bureau and work with Uncle Qian and the rest. It’s more spacious at the manufacturing bureau and they already have a foundry workshop there. It’ll be more convenient!” Yan Liqiang spoke too quickly and nearly called the engine a steam engine. The people gathered in the courtyard were all acquaintances, so there was no need to keep anything a secret. On the contrary, Yan Liqiang wished more people would know about it and hence, this was discussed openly.
Qian Su and Yan Dechang exchanged looks with each other before nodding. Yan Dechang then said, “Well, alright. I’ll discuss with your Uncle Qian!”
“I think that this will be a useful invention, but I can’t think of what it can be used for at the moment.” Qian Su scratched his head.
“Hahaha, you’ll just need to make the other parts work with this thing to make it useful. It can be used for threshing, milling rice, sawing timber, extracting oil, and some other things. After we build these, we can start a mill and a sawmill in Liuhe Town first. We won’t be using any livestock in the mill, but we’ll be using this Aquapyro Engine to turn the millstones. The same goes for the sawmill,” Yan Liqiang casually suggested.
“I guess using it to turn millstones is simple enough if we’re using belts and wheels. But how can we use this to saw timber? It won’t be easy to move the saw!” Yan Dechang asked in puzzlement.
“It’s simple to use it for sawing timber. Of course it won’t work with a normal saw, but it’ll work if we make the saw blade into a round disc!” Yan Liqiang casually suggested another new ‘invention’.
“From now on, the Aquapyro Engine will be produced in the manufacturing bureau. The blacksmith workshop in Liuhe Town can produce the other parts that will be used together with this engine, like the round saw blades…”
“Oh, a round saw blade… Why did I not think of that…!” Yan Dechang gave his own head a hard slap.
Not only Yan Dechang, but the other disciples from the Soul Mountain Sect’s Thousand Engineering Hall also immediately widened their eyes in shock when they heard Yan Liqiang mention the round saw blades. They were secretly thinking to themselves that Yan Liqiang was indeed an impressive individual for being able to so quickly think of using the Aquapyro Engine for sawing timber…
“This Aquapyro Engine is very useful. Apart from these, we can also connect it to a water wheel and use it for drawing water. It will be useful for the blacksmith workshop too. If we can use it to temper steel, we’ll be able to save a lot of manpower, and produce things quicker and better!”
Yan Liqiang’s words evoked everyone’s thoughts, and the artisans started a lively discussion on the other uses of this Aquapyro Engine. After all, this was indeed a convenient invention as it would keep moving as long as water was being boiled. It was more powerful than humans and animals, and could last for a longer period of time. It would definitely come in handy. Not only that, but the boiler wasn’t picky on the fuel. It would work with either firewood or coals…
…
From day to night, countless people came pouring into the Yan Residence’s blacksmith workshop. Later, when the townsfolk from Liuhe Town caught wind of the news, they too came over to gasp at the engine.
However, the Aquapyro Engine only stayed in the Yan Residence’s blacksmith workshop for a day. The very next day, Yan Liqiang brought the engine and headed to Huanglong County’s manufacturing bureau with Yan Dechang, Zhou Tiezhu, Wen Zhaolun, and a group of Soul Mountain Sect disciples.
As soon as the steam engine was deposited at the Huanglong County’s manufacturing bureau, Yan Liqiang brought Wen Zhaolun and the other Soul Mountain Sect disciples to tour around the four-wheeled carriage’s assembly line. Despite their vast knowledge and experience, they were still stunned by the assembly line. They had never expected that the production of a four-wheeled carriage could be broken down into so many stages and processes, and then be produced this way.
Wen Zhaolun and the rest didn’t stay long in Huanglong County as they had completed their mission by delivering the steam engine to Yan Liqiang and helping him dissolve the threat from the Soaring Heaven Sect by using the Soul Mountain Sect’s reputation. With that, they left Huanglong County for the Soul Mountain Sect with six units of four-wheeled carriages as gifts from Yan Liqiang to their sect, as well as a handwritten letter from Yan Liqiang to Zhang Yourong.
In the letter to Zhang Yourong, Yan Liqiang first thanked him and the Soul Mountain for providing help in his hour of need. He then talked about the use of gears, followed by a long list of applications for the Aquapyro Engine. He was generous with the praises for the first Aquapyro Engine created by Zhang Yourong and the Soul Mountain Sect, and he also offered extremely positive comments.
Although he had only met Zhang Yourong once, Yan Liqiang felt as though he had made a like-minded penpal and it was extremely interesting.
After Wen Zhaolun and the other Soul Mountain Sect’s disciples left Pingxi Prefecture, Yan Liqiang started replicating the steam engine with Yan Dechang and some artisans in the manufacturing bureau with great passion.
Yan Dechang and the group of artisans in the manufacturing bureau weren’t capable enough to invent a steam engine, but given a sample, they would be able to replicate it with their skills. They might encounter some difficulties, but those could be solved. The manufacturing bureau didn’t lack materials, skills, manpower, or money. Moreover, Yan Liqiang would also be there, so all they had to do was copy…
Yan Liqiang returned to Pingxi City with the triumph of defeating the Soaring Heaven Sect and thus securing his reputation as the best archer of the northwest. His reputation soared and his name shook the entire region. When he was in the manufacturing bureau over the past few days, countless people of all kinds flocked to the manufacturing bureau to pay their respects. However, Yan Liqiang declined all of their visits with the excuse of training in seclusion, and fully immersed himself into the construction of the steam engine. To Yan Liqiang, the significance of constructing this steam engine was definitely more important than training in seclusion. In another sense, this was also another form of training in seclusion.
Decomposing, dismantling, measuring, drafting, molding, casting, failing, reviewing, refining, casting again, failing again, reviewing, refining, improving, rinse and repeat…
The group of people worked through twenty sleepless nights. By the time spring quietly arrived once more, the manufacturing bureau had finally constructed their first-ever steam engine. The millstones and circular blades were relatively simpler, so they were already completed a week ago. Both items had been tested on the steam engine that the Soul Mountain Sect sent and turned out to be quite good. The efficiency of the new milling and sawing methods was many times greater than the traditional method and also saved a lot of manpower.
The artisans in the manufacturing bureau cheered in excitement when they saw the flywheel begin to spin at a steady speed after a fire was lit. Yan Liqiang wiped the soot from his face, then grinned at Qian Su. “The manufacturing bureau has found yet another profitable business. Apart from the four-wheeled carriages department, we’ll need to set up another Aquapyro Engine department…”
Qian Su smiled too, “I’m afraid we’ll need some more time to sell them.”
“As long as it’s profitable in the sense that buying this will bring in more profit, word about this will definitely spread faster than a four-wheeled carriage. People will line up at the manufacturing bureau to buy one. Soon after that, influential organizations in other places will start replicating this thing…” Yan Liqiang spoke confidently.
“Indeed.”
“Let’s produce two units first. I will be sending them away as gifts in two days!”
“Huh, to whom?”
“The Lu Clan!”
Qian Su was taken aback for a moment before bursting into laughter…
