Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 269 Huo Qubing's New Toy—The Spider Crane! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Early in the morning, Zhou Yi had just finished preparing breakfast when he received a call from Zhang Yuqiang:

"Master Zhou, we're setting off with the crane now. Is there anything I can bring? There's a large machinery market right next door; they have everything."

Zhou Yi didn't want to trouble him, but thinking that Wu Meiniang needed a cutting machine for cutting expansion joints, he said:
"How about you bring me a concrete cutter?"

"No problem, I'll go buy it now."

After hanging up the phone, Huo Qubing was still dreaming about the crane:

"I don't know how big it is. The micro-wind generator in Weiyang Palace hasn't been installed yet. If it can be installed with a crane, I'll bring it over this time to show my uncle what it's like."

Zhou Yi was also curious about what kind of crane Zhang Yuqiang would donate. If it could lift a large weight, it would be good to buy a few more wind turbines with higher power.

For example, a small wind turbine with a power of 20,000 to 30,000 watts, once put into use, can generate tens of kilowatt-hours of electricity per hour, enough to power some small industrial or household machinery. For the ancient world, this was a landmark advancement.

Li Qingzhao asked:
"With the crane, can we install some streetlights in our area?"

It's true that we can buy a batch of solar streetlights, but how to allocate them needs further consideration... Fortunately, with Wu Zetian around, Zhou Yi doesn't need to worry about these things; he just needs to figure out how to transfer money to Hunyuan Palace.

At 9:30 a.m., a flatbed trailer arrived at the mountain, with a tracked crane that looked like a toy on the trailer.

Zhang Yuqiang got out of the passenger seat of the flatbed truck and excitedly introduced it to Zhou Yi:

"This is our factory's new mini spider crane. It has rubber tracks, so it won't damage the ground. The maximum lifting capacity is five tons, the boom is thirteen meters long, it can be powered by either oil or electricity, and it can also be controlled by a remote control... What do you think, Master Zhou? Pretty cool, right?"

Seeing this toy-like crane, Zhou Yi thought it could lift at most one ton, but he didn't expect it to be five tons.

Times have really changed. I remember when I was a child, Sun Erfa built a crane to lift precast concrete slabs. He called it the "Three-Ton King," and the whole town came to watch.

Nowadays, a five-ton crane is actually called a mini crane, which was unthinkable in the past.

In addition to the crane, there is also a brand new fuel-fired cutting machine that can be used with diesel fuel.

The team first unloaded the cutting machine, then lowered the height of the flatbed truck, and then lowered the rear outriggers, slowly driving the spider crane down.

Huo Qubing stared at the thing as if he had seen a giant toy.

Especially when Zhang Yuqiang held the remote control and operated it, it looked exactly like the remote control toys in the mall.

He demonstrated the function of extending and retracting the outriggers, which can also automatically level itself. After the four sturdy outriggers extend, they support the entire body of the crane.

Then, the large arm slowly extended, and the small toy quickly became a giant object more than ten meters long.

Zhang Yuqiang also introduced the strength and maximum tensile force of the steel cable, the front and rear tilt angles, and the maximum weight that can be lifted at various angles. Then he demonstrated the operation of the spider crane.

Huo Qubing stood next to him, watched for a while, then took the remote control and started operating it, finding it very fun.

After studying the remote control, he sat down at the control panel and studied it all over again. The more he practiced, the more he wanted to hang on something, much like a modern person who would want to hit anything with a hammer.

After learning everything, Zhou Yi asked:

"How much is this crane? I'll give you an invoice, and the price of the cutting machine too. I'll transfer the money to you."

Zhang Yuqiang didn't ask for the price of the cutting machine, but only quoted the price of the spider crane, which was just over 30,000 yuan, completely refreshing Zhou Yi's understanding of cranes.

This is the horror of industrial society: such a versatile crane only costs 30,000 yuan, but if it were exported to deindustrialized Western countries, it would cost more than 30,000 US dollars.

Spider-shaped cranes use 380-volt three-phase electricity, which was unusable in ancient times, so diesel fuel was the only option for the time being.

Zhou Yi glanced at the crane's fuel tank capacity, which was less than fifty liters. He planned to find some time to buy a large 300-liter fuel drum and store the diesel fuel in the Hunyuan Palace.

After using the crane, you can refuel it yourself without having to run up and down the mountain.

After handing over the crane, Zhou Yi led Zhang Yuqiang to the God of Wealth Temple. He first lit incense for the statue, then wrapped the statue of Guan Gong in layers of yellow silk, had Zhang Yuqiang hold it in his arms, and sent him away from Hunyuan Palace.

Now, Zhang Yuqiang's entire family carries peace amulets with them, and with Guan Gong (a deity associated with peace) guarding their home, everything will be peaceful and safe.

Next, Zhou Yi had Huo Qubing, Li Qingzhao, and Wu Meiniang practice in turn. He then rode his motorcycle to the town's gas station and inquired about the details of buying oil drums.

The gas station owner, Liu Lei, is Liu Peng's cousin. He spends all his time playing with a pair of walnuts. Although he's only thirty, he makes himself look old and middle-aged, like a recently retired cadre.

"Xiao Yi, what are you doing with so much diesel fuel?"

The Book of Changes says:

"The Hunyuan Palace isn't finished yet, right? A believer donated a small crane that runs on diesel. I think it's perfect for repairing the palace, but the fuel consumption is a bit high. It's too much trouble to run up and down the mountain. I'm thinking of putting a barrel of oil on the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Liu Lei pointed to a small oil tanker truck modified from a Dongfeng chassis in the corner and said:
“This is the gas truck I bought last year, intending to hitch a ride on the highway. But the other guy brought his own oil tanker... If you need it, just fill up a tank and drive off. Just don’t drive it around aimlessly, or other gas stations might report you for selling smuggled oil.”

Zhou Yi, unwilling to let Liu Lei suffer a loss, pointed to the tanker truck and asked:
"What is the capacity of this refueling truck?"

"It's over four thousand liters. The company recommended an eight-ton tank, but I thought it was too big, so I got a four-ton tank instead. Now I regret it so much, because the small tank is too hard to sell."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi said:

“Sell it to me. In the future, when believers drive diesel trucks up the mountain, I can sell the oil at a high price under the guise of the Heavenly Master’s blessing.”

Liu Lei chuckled: "Well done, Xiao Yi. You've actually learned how to swindle money from believers. You really didn't waste your university education. But be careful with your pricing. Don't end up like Shi Yongxin and get arrested. Otherwise, we won't be able to find anyone to help us with house feng shui in our town."

Zhou Yi nodded:

"Don't worry, I only accept money for incense."

With all the necessary paperwork in place, and being the two of them, they immediately drove to the vehicle management office to complete the transfer of ownership.

These tanker trucks also require a special vehicle qualification certificate. Liu Lei has connections and helped Zhou Yi enroll in a driving school. After passing the exam, he can receive the certificate.

The two ate a plate of chicken near the vehicle management office. Zhou Yi saw that there were wholesale potatoes available at a pretty cheap price, so he ordered a whole truckload and left the address of Hunyuan Palace, asking the owner to deliver them to the mountain.

Potatoes can be used as a vegetable or a staple food. Once they sprout, they become seeds, so you should buy as many as possible.

After buying the potatoes, Liu Lei showed off his walnuts, which he had been playing with for almost three years, to Zhou Yi:
"Xiao Yi, do you think my pair of walnuts are top-quality? I bought them for several thousand yuan, and I heard they've gone up to thirty thousand now."

Zhou Yi didn't know much about these things, so he took them, tapped them, and shook them. He thought that the pair of walnuts were perfect in both shape and size.

But it was too perfect, which made Zhou Yi a little suspicious. Liu Lei's luck was average, and he shouldn't have such good fortune to find something he didn't need.

He also gave it to Liu Lei, reminding him:

"If someone wants to buy it, sell it quickly. Don't try to raise the price, or you might end up with a bad deal."

Liu Lei didn't believe it:

"No way, I carefully selected these; I plan to raise the price to 50,000 before selling them..."

As he spoke, he casually tossed a walnut in his hand. He had practiced this many times before, but today, when he tossed it, his fingers blocked it, and the walnut didn't land in his palm but fell to the ground.

With a "crack," the walnut split in two, and an irregularly shaped piece of lead fell out. The plastic pattern was clearly visible on the inner wall of the walnut...

Zhou Yi patted Liu Lei on the shoulder and said:

"Who sold it to you? Go find him and get your money back!"

Without hesitation, Liu Lei took out his phone, snapped a photo, and sent it to a WeChat friend. After chatting for a few minutes, he made a phone call, his tone becoming increasingly suggestive.

By the time Zhou Yi was about to drive the gas station truck back, Liu Lei had also gotten a preliminary result: the other party had refunded one-third of the money.

"Damn it, if I'm not busy, I'll drive to this bastard's house and block him. If he doesn't give me the money, his whole family will never live a normal life!"

Money is a minor issue; the main problem is that for the past two or three years, he has been boasting to almost everyone he meets about how valuable and high-quality his walnuts are, only to find out they are actually made of plastic. This is simply unacceptable.

Upon arriving in Yunwu Town, Zhou Yi went to his gas station to fill up the tanker truck with gas, told him not to get angry, and then drove back up the mountain.

As soon as the car entered the courtyard of Hunyuan Palace, Li Qingzhao surrounded it:
"Why is there another new car? Did you trade it for a motorcycle?"

The Book of Changes says:

"We bought a gas station truck, and the motorcycle is at the gas station in town. Have you all learned how to use it?"

Li Qingzhao nodded:
"I've learned them all. At noon, Sister Meiniang even tried making sausage rice, and it was quite delicious."

Zhou Yi thought it was just another lunch he bought in town, but he didn't expect that Her Majesty the Empress had actually learned to cook. That's good, she won't go hungry anymore.

He inspected all the parts of the crane, carefully read the maintenance manual, and changed the batteries in the wireless remote control.

Huo Qubing, carrying an oil can, scooped half a barrel of diesel from the tanker truck and added it to the crane. Looking at Zhou Yi, he asked:

"Master, may I take this back with me? Our wind turbines haven't been installed yet."

The Book of Changes says:

"Sure, remember to bring some diesel fuel in a plastic bottle when you leave, so you don't run out of fuel and be caught off guard."

Huo Qubing agreed and immediately began preparations to return.

At this moment, the potato deliveryman arrived. Zhou Yi asked him to unload the potatoes directly into the courtyard of Hunyuan Palace, then paid the remaining balance and asked him to deliver another truckload in a few days.

The potato vendor readily agreed and drove down the mountain back home.

The potatoes were all packed in snakeskin bags. Huo Qubing carried twenty bags without saying a word, along with 40 liters of diesel fuel and a crane, back to the world of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty.

On the other side, in the Spring and Autumn Period, on the north bank of the Huai River.

Zigong looked at the Confucian classics, which had been altered beyond recognition, and was furious:

"The words of my teacher, a sage, have been distorted and corrupted. And what about the descendants of Confucius? Is there no one who can stop it?"

Xi Shi said calmly:
"They were the ones who led the revision of the classics. When the Tartars entered the pass, they even took the initiative to revise the surrender document, shave their heads and change their clothes, and took the lead in singing praises to the Tartars."

After she finished speaking, she took out a picture of Confucius with a coin and a rat tail that she had saved on her phone and showed it to Zigong.

Zigong was instantly filled with righteous indignation, and his voice became hoarse with anger:
"How can such shameless scoundrels have the face to call themselves descendants of sages? Kill them all! I would rather my teacher's line end than have the Confucius family become such scum!"

(End of this chapter)