As the temperature of the Aquapyro Engine’s boiler rose and the control valve was pressed, the flywheel started moving slowly. The moving flywheel used its gears to move the huge metal wheel on top of the hydraulic coin press. As the huge metal wheel rotated, the connecting rod between the metal wheel and punch moved downward too. The feeder also automatically fed the materials…
In just the blink of an eye, there were crashing noises.
As the sweet melodious sound rang out, shiny silver coins came flowing out of the hydraulic coin press’ dispenser and into the container below.
The sound was as pleasing as the sounds of nature and instantly stirred up a commotion in the surroundings.
“They came out, they came out! The coins really came out…!” The worksmiths at the side immediately cheered in unison.
As the Aquapyro Machine ran, the hydraulic coin press ran too. Since the materials were prepared ahead of time, the silver coins came flowing out of the coin dispenser every one or two seconds.
“We really made it! So it was that simple!” Qian Su’s eyes were wide as saucers as he stood watching from the side. Even if the coin making machine and the Aquapyro Machine were constructed in the manufacturing bureau, it was still extremely magical to watch his own men put the two machines together to turn silver into coins. Qian Su was almost intoxicated by the magical rhythm between the two running machines. Making coins was originally a very difficult process, yet it became so simple in Yan Liqiang’s hands.
In just a flash, the container under the coin dispenser was filled with hundreds of shiny silver coins. Qian Su bent over to pick up one of them. He admired the shiny coin and exclaimed in amazement, “So beautiful! It’s so beautiful! How is it possible to produce such an intricate coin? It’s even more intricate than a woman’s jewelry and more beautiful than a painting…!”
The diameter of the silver coin on his hand was about the same as a wine cup. Compared to the existing silver ingots and fragments, these coins were far more beautiful. The main material of a silver coin was of course silver itself, but a small amount of copper was added to the silver. Hence, there were great improvements to the durability, hardness, luster, and texture of the silver coin compared to ordinary silver ingots.
“Ah…!” Qian Su was stunned as he was unable to keep up with Yan Liqiang’s pace. “Making coins for the imperial court?”
“Yes, it’s just an idea that I have. I still need to think about it. If we are going to this, even a five percent profit can amount to a huge sum…” Yan Liqiang vaguely said.
The face of the silver coin had the image of Mount Qiyun, surrounded by a ring of neat-looking Han characters —’Printed under the supervision of the Great Han Empire’s Qiyun Protectorate’. The face value of the coin was indicated below the image of Mount Qiyun, it read ‘One Mace’. Below that was the time of the year —’16th year of the Yuanping reign’.
On the back of the coin was the image of an adorable fluffy sheep, and the face value of the coin was indicated below the sheep.
There were fine ridges on the side of the silver coin. The images on the coins were so well embossed that they were like a work of art.
It was not an exaggeration to say that such intricate coins never existed on the Silver Continent.
Looking at the silver coin on his hand, Qian Su couldn’t stop himself from taking out a copper coin distributed by the Great Han Empire to compare. The crude wordings and smooth edge of the copper coin… The comparison was no different than comparing an elderly woman from a village to a stunning beauty…
Qian Su looked at Yan Liqiang and said, “This silver coin is so intricate! If such fine silver coins were to be distributed to everyone, no one could possibly bring themselves to use them! I’m sure normal people would collect something like this rather than use it…” .
Yan Liqiang was also holding up a silver coin. At this moment, he felt a strange sense of pride because the teacher who taught him how to paint in his previous life told them that the most talented artist with special skills would be able to print their drawings on banknotes or coins. When the mold for the images on the silver coins were being created, Yan Liqiang’s drawings and writings were used.
Teacher, I bet you didn’t expect that the day for my drawings to be printed on coins would come! Yan Liqiang thought to himself secretly.
Yan Liqiang was initially thinking of putting his own face on the back side of the coins. After some careful consideration, he felt it would be a little too pompous of him to do that and thus settled on the image of an adorable sheep.
After returning to Pingxi City from White Stone Pass, Yan Liqiang spent his days holed up in the manufacturing bureau. Under his personal supervision and guidance, the manufacturing bureau finally constructed the hydraulic coin press. Truth be told, making this wasn’t as complicated as the Aquapyro Machine since its structure and components were relatively simpler. Since there was no real sample, the worksmiths at the manufacturing bureau couldn’t quite get some parts right based on Yan Liqiang’s sketch, especially the clamp and the press. This time, with Yan Liqiang personally guiding them, they were finally able to make it.
Although the coin press still seemed crude, especially how some of the few metal components still looked a little cumbersome, it worked well without a doubt.
When Yan Liqiang heard Qian Su, he tossed the silver coin he was holding into the container, then smiled at him. “If only a small number of coins were issued, then people would definitely collect it. If they were issued in large quantities, then people would eventually get used to them and naturally start using them. I think in another few months’ time, the salary for officials and military funds in Qiyun Prefecture should be ready to be paid in silver coins. Just one coin press is not enough — we will need to set up another coin factory and put a hundred of these machines there to raise the production rate…”
“By the way, what are these fine ridges on the side of the silver coin for?” Qian Su rubbed the ridges of the silver coin in his hand, puzzled.
“If someone tries to do something funny on these silver coins by grinding even a tiny bit of silver out of these, it would be easily detected by the uneven ridges!”
“Oh, I see!” Qian Su looked at the worn out edges of the copper coin in his hand before realization dawned upon him. He slapped his own head, then exclaimed, “Amazing, amazing! Liqiang, you can really think ahead! Ahem, ahem… with this coin press, it shouldn’t be hard to manufacture more units. However, people are bound to find out about this coin press. If someone wants to buy one, will we sell it to them?”
“Of course not! The secrecy of this coin press is on the same level as the coil spring in the manufacturing bureau. I’ll have to ask Uncle Qian to keep an eye on this!”
While speaking, Yan Liqiang walked outside and left the place to the other worksmiths. Qian Su watched Yan Liqiang leave, then put away the silver coin and followed him. “The coin press is a very useful object. It will definitely sell well and be more profitable than the Aquapyro Engines! Why are you unwilling to sell it, Liqiang?”
Seeing that there was no one else around them, Yan Liqiang winked at Qian Su. “The imperial court is losing a lot of resources to cast copper coins. I heard they can only produce six or seven taels with every jin of copper. Uncle Qian, do you think the imperial court will be happy if I offer to take over the casting and minimize half of their losses?”
“Ah…?” Qian Su was stunned by Yan Liqiang’s bold idea as he struggled to keep up with his pace. “Making copper coins for the imperial capital?”
“That’s just an idea I have. I still have to think about it. If I can pull this off, the profit will be a thousand times more than the wool business…” Yan Liqiang vaguely said.
“Speaking of the wool business, news from White Stone Pass has it that the Shatu people are still unwilling to submit after three consecutive days. By now, there are already seventy or eighty Shatu caravans gathered outside there. The remaining wool at Yingwei County’s border trading post were sold out over these two days. The merchants who came and weren’t able to buy wool stirred up a little trouble…”
Yan Liqiang smiled. “Those Shatu people still have a bit of luck. They’re waiting for their master’s news. Just wait and see, Uncle Qian… As long as we carry our tasks out properly, those Shatu people won’t be able to last a few more days…”
