Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 271 What a fast ship!
In Chen Xu's writing, the protagonist drew two blueprints: one for a dragon-bone waterwheel, and the other for water diversion from high mountains.

Waterwheels were not a rare sight in the Dali Dynasty.

However, modern waterwheels are just small tubular carts, which can only draw water from high levels during the high-water season.

However, it is impossible to draw water using a waterwheel when the water level is low.

However, in Chen Xu's story, the protagonist actually developed a completely new type of dragon-bone shaped waterwheel.

The waterwheel is made of long wooden chains, with one end tilted downwards and connected to the lower part of the river, and the other end erected next to the higher part of the field.

The rolling of two gears generates power, which drives the chain and scraper below, allowing the river water at a lower level to flow upstream.

Putting everything else aside, this one act of going against the current is truly a miracle!

However, many vernacular stories contain exaggerations and clever tricks.

Therefore, no matter how outrageous the objects created by the characters in the story, they can all be regarded as "artistic writing" by the storyteller, just for the sake of making the story exciting.

When Wei Yuan and A Shi, the two little demons, first read Chen Xu's storybook, they only thought that Chen Xu's dragon bone waterwheel belonged to the category of "artistic fabrication".

After all, no matter how vividly and realistically the principle is described in words, it is extremely difficult to actually realize such ingenious things in reality.

In reality, most people who read storybooks only see the strange objects in the stories as interesting anecdotes and would never fantasize that they actually exist.

But at this moment, the little mouse, who was squatting on the table and flipping through Chen Xu's manuscript, was stunned.

It stood motionless on the table, its two paws holding one of the manuscript papers, its face showing a shocked expression as if it had witnessed the sunrise and sunset.

The mouse paused for a moment, then hurriedly went to look at the other manuscript papers.

The movements were both urgent and careful, and the rat's face showed such a rich variety of expressions, with such intense shock and disorientation, that it was impossible for Wei Yuan not to notice.

Wei Yuan was truly at his wits' end; he wished he could rush to the mouse's side to look at the manuscript.

But it was grinding ink for Chen Xu, a task it had worked so hard to get, so how could it give up halfway?

Acting in this way would be unfair to Brother Chen!

While secretly increasing the speed of grinding ink, Wei Yuan barely suppressed the urge to crane his neck.

It was itching to find out what the mouse had seen.

However, as the mouse flipped through the sheets of paper one by one, Wei Yuan could only occasionally see, through the tilting of the paper, what appeared to be the outlines of flowing lines in the drawings.

These aren't manuscripts, but rather sketches?

Wei Yuan almost doubted whether he had seen correctly, when he heard the mouse squeak and finally asked excitedly:

"Squeak! Scholar, these blueprints, these blueprints for the dragon bone waterwheel, are so detailed. Could it be that the dragon bone waterwheel can actually be successfully made?"

Yes, it turns out that Chen Xu did not only write about the protagonist in the storybook drawing detailed waterwheel blueprints.

In reality, he actually hand-drew several drawings in one go.

These drawings include not only a complete view of the keel waterwheel, but also detailed diagrams from various perspectives, including diagrams showing the actual slope and the angle adjustment of the waterwheel's traction rod, as well as specific calculation methods, and so on.

The completeness of the structure and the clarity of the underlying principles in the drawings are so profound that it is as if a dragon-bone waterwheel is standing solidly in front of the mouse.

No, there isn't a waterwheel standing in front of me.

Instead, if given a river, a field, and some materials, the mouse would even think it could build a dragon-bone waterwheel!

Little Ashi was so excited that his whole body trembled, and a light golden light flickered between his gray fur.

Its excitement infected Wei Yuan, who finally finished grinding the ink. It quickly and carefully put down the ink stick and tiptoed over to examine the drawing in Ashi's little hand. The drawing was very large, and Ashi was very small, almost completely covering the little mouse.

Wei Yuan finally saw the contents of the blueprints, and his suspicions and shock were finally put to rest.

The little hedgehog exclaimed in surprise, and couldn't help but repeat the mouse's question: "It really is a blueprint, a dragon-bone waterwheel... What kind of waterwheel is this? Brother Chen, can this waterwheel be built?"

The two little demons looked at Chen Xu expectantly.

Chen Xu shook his head slightly.

Just as the two little demons were feeling disappointed, they heard Chen Xu say, "We're still missing a few blueprints for the pedal axles, the water tank, and the wooden links."

Only by drawing all the blueprints in detail can this object be made accurately.

Of course, there are always some craftsmen in this world who can create the most ingenious things through repeated trial and error. Therefore, it is not necessarily true that something could not have come to be created without more detailed drawings.

However, it's always good to avoid detours...

The two little demons barely heard what he said next.

Wei Yuan was still somewhat confused, but Xiao Shu, who had read the backstory of the story in detail and knew the significance of the dragon bone waterwheel, was already excitedly screaming.

"Squeak squeak squeak!" The little mouse really hated that it didn't have wings.

Driven by its intense emotions, it leaped high into the air and pounced on Chen Xu.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak! Scholar, are you really writing a storybook? Can the dragon-bone waterwheel in your storybook really come to life?"

Wow!
The mouse jumped into Chen Xu's arms, and Chen Xu reached out and caught the little guy.

Awooooo, squeak squeak!
The usually timid mouse almost rolled around excitedly in Chen Xu's palm.

Chen Xu stroked the fluffy little creature, placed it on his shoulder, and said with a smile, "Ah Shi, don't rush. Let me finish drawing the rest of the blueprints."

Wei Yuan stood on the table and quickly and cleverly helped Chen Xu lay out the new paper.

At this moment, the setting sun slanted in through the window lattice of the ship, casting half of its light and shadow on the table and the other half on Chen Xu's hand holding the pen.

His hands are large and long, with distinct knuckles.

The way he held the pen seemed relaxed and composed, yet his hands appeared to possess boundless, mysterious power.

It can be used to create beautiful works that can be sung throughout the world, or it can be used to draw and calculate, using a pen and ink to depict the hardships of people's lives on this small piece of white paper.

The two little demons stared at his hands, seemingly mesmerized.

Just then, a loud commotion was heard coming from outside.

The deck of the ship was usually bustling in the evening. Chen Xu's room was on the second floor, east side, and it was a top-class room that cost two taels of silver a day.

This room could have been a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle, being some distance from the first-floor deck, where one could choose to listen to the noise outside or ignore it.

However, at this moment, the two little demons in the room could no longer ignore the commotion outside.

All that could be heard were screams like a raging storm, and outside there was a chaotic cacophony of shouts: "Heavens! What is that?"

"Look, what a fast ship!"

"No, that's not a boat. That's an arrow, a very vicious arrow."

"Run! Hide! Ahhhhh—"

(End of this chapter)