Chapter 993: Chapter 991: Grand Craftsman
"Alright, alright," Ye Xinyan genuinely didn’t fear this double compensation.
Having been here for quite a while, Ye Xinyan almost understands the craftsmen here. They are very perceptive, with a strong desire for knowledge, and she does not keep secrets. As long as one is a craftsman, as long as they are willing to learn, there’s nothing they can’t learn.
As for making fakes to trick her, Chen Dahui wouldn’t dare. Can’t even learn the skills of civilian craftsmen, what kind of Director of Imperial Workshops can he be? Return all the official salary fraudulently obtained over the years, double! Give the emperor a small fortune. Let’s see if you won’t cry yourself to death!
"Regarding the steam engine technology, your record of work is detailed. Present the account books, and according to the various monthly expenses you put in, I will pay you an extra fifty percent fine of silver a month."
The emperor saw Ye Xinyan wanted to speak and waved his large hand. "This is what you just mentioned, selling to the court at a favorable price. In a regular business, where is there a pure profit of fifty percent input?"
Ye Xinyan blinked, but isn’t this an ordinary business?
With the emperor’s cold expression, that’s why we give you fifty percent.
Ye Xinyan lowered her eyes sullenly. Okay, you are the emperor, you have the power of life and death, you win.
The other few people watched from the side, not daring to breathe. They only waited for the eyebrow fight between the old and young to end, and when the emperor waved his hands to dismiss them, they scurried out quickly.
Ye Xinyan had just taken two steps back when she heard the emperor leisurely say, "Have you heard of the phrase, ’The vast land under the heavens is none other than king’s land, the shores of the land are none other than the king’s subjects’?"
"Ah?" What does this mean? Who are you talking to? Not even calling a name?
Ye Xinyan glanced around, instantly speechless. Speaking of which, do these guys really need to leave so quickly? The Old Emperor is rather nice, do they have to act like they’re escaping for their lives? Bullying her because she can’t run as a pregnant woman?
Ye Xinyan stopped in her tracks in annoyance, stopped running. These words, were clearly meant for her.
The emperor with a cold face, "You, a woman, actually bargaining with the Son of Heaven in the Imperial Study Room, truly inappropriate. Go back and explain clearly to Duke An and Jiang Yifan, receive your punishment at home?"
"I," Ye Xinyan opened her mouth. Burning bridges once across the river, doing things this way? It took all her wits to squeeze out a sentence, "Your Majesty, isn’t your lady subject still going to the Mechanical Workshop to work?"
The emperor didn’t even look at her, impatiently waved his hands, shifted to a stack of memorials to start reading, ignoring her.
Oh dear, still an emperor, but doesn’t understand etiquette at all.
It was still that little eunuch leading her, accompanied by a middle-aged female official, to see Ye Xinyan out of the palace gate.
Jinrong who exited earlier was just talking with Jiang Yifan. Lian Gui stood next to them.
The news is quite well-informed, huh. The emperor just said let her find Duke An and Jiang Yifan to receive punishment, they came to pick her up.
There are quite a few people passing by both near and far here. Jinrong saw both Jiang Yifan and people from the Duke’s Mansion coming to pick up Ye Xinyan so he greeted them and left with Hongzhi and others.
Lian Gui moved forward to salute Ye Xinyan, then asked Jiang Yifan, "Sir, Duke dispatched this humble one to inquire why did His Majesty summon Great Aunt. Otherwise, would you and Great Aunt like to return to the Duke’s Mansion for lunch together, my lord, does that work for you?"
Ye Xinyan thought about the emperor’s words. Since the emperor already said, then together with Jiang Yifan she would return to Duke An’s Mansion. She conveyed these words to the two, as for the punishment, Old Duke An naturally understood the emperor’s ways better than her and Jiang Yifan.
Mr. and Mrs. Jiang Yifan paid respects to Duke An and sat down.
Ye Xinyan narrated the events once over and asked, "Grandfather, what do you think His Majesty means by this? We’re all family, closing the door, whether punished or not, what’s the difference?"
Duke An felt especially appreciative hearing Ye Xinyan saying ’we’re all family’.
He chuckled and said, "This demonstrates that His Majesty is at a loss with my granddaughter, feeling you are excessive and yet can’t bear to punish you. Hence he speaks these ambiguous words to warn you a little. No matter, just keep it in mind thereafter. Always hold reverence for His Majesty’s authority, and it shall be well."
Duke An instructed Ye Xinyan to revere the emperor’s authority, but felt doubtful inside. The emperor stood high above all, having been monarch for over thirty years, revered and respected by all for decades. As he aged, he likely began to reminisce about the true emotions one should have as an ordinary person.
Luckily, his granddaughter was someone with true emotions, also exceptionally gifted and skilled, showing great courage on important matters... This granddaughter, though a girl, when it comes to capability, no young man or woman in the capital could compare.
As for punishment... Duke An said, "Copy several volumes of scriptures, send them to the emperor to suffice." Psh! Just some pages of scriptures would surely delight the Old Emperor.
Hmph, that’s his granddaughter, scouting the entire capital, who else’s descendants could present themselves as honorably in front of the emperor?
..........
Chen Dahui didn’t stand on ceremony at all. Early the next morning, he brought ten craftsmen of his choice to the mechanical workshop in North City.
The emperor was eager to see the results of the steam engine application, so Ye Xinyan truly planned to focus here. Since craftsmen from the Imperial Workshops Bureau had arrived, there was no reason not to use them.
Regarding the arrogance of the Imperial Workshop craftsmen in front of civilian artisans, it doesn’t exist. No matter how high the status of the Imperial Workshop craftsmen, could it be higher than Ye Xinyan?
In case of real urgency, Chen Dahui would have to yield three points when confronting her. Her grandfather is Duke An Ye Tang!
And truly, the craftsmen from the Imperial Workshops Bureau have some skills.
These people who work for the court, usually aren’t hurried, but their craftsmanship is truly excellent. Although lacking innovation, the tasks they handle are exceedingly intricate and perfect.
The mechanical workshop is currently trial-producing all components of steam engines and blast furnaces, essentially relying on manual forging and polishing. With a batch of craftsmen coming to assist, it greatly helps.
Because the starting point of the steam engine production is high, without years of constant trials, without exploration and improvement during trials, they were directly cutting into mature working principles and structures, making the formation very easy.
Shi Yin even used his exquisite machinery techniques to make speed regulators and safety valves.
Currently, Wong Qiao is leading people in perfecting the condensation, insulation system, and piston lubrication work. Shi Yin is handling the blast furnace production.
These two tasks require precise and meticulous forging and grinding techniques as many components have strict gaps requirements. Chen Dahui, with a humble learning attitude, divided people according to mechanical workshop’s requirements, specifically by craftsman’s specialty.
The piece Wong Qiao is overseeing is a perfection task. With Chen Dahui’s assistance, it’s enough and doesn’t need Ye Xinyan. She is currently working with Shi Yin on the operational parts of the blast furnace.
Aside from the power part, the most critical aspect of the blast furnace is the angle of the impeller and blades.
Ye Xinyan vaguely remembered that this subject was touched upon in university, but it was merely a brief mention. After graduation, her work had nothing to do with the basic structure of the equipment, so all her originally superficial knowledge was returned to the professor.
Thus, what Ye Xinyan can provide Shi Yin are only rough outlines of the blast furnace, impeller, and blades. She wouldn’t dare articulate it too clearly but mostly lets Shi Yin conceive and draw on his own.
Moreover, the dialogue with Shi Yin involves the discussion of wind speed and blade shapes regarding the resistance encountered in wind delivery. What blade angle can more smoothly and abundantly deliver sufficient and robust wind volume into the iron-smelting furnace.
However, for a grand craftsman with major achievements in machinery and ingenious devices, these are already quite enough.