Duke of Zhenguan

Chapter 96 is finished.

Men are always powerless against a sledgehammer. Cheng Yaojin watched with great interest as the sledgehammer struck the slowly turning dark red iron block again and again, stroking his beard and exclaiming, "This thing is pretty good!"

Qin Qiong, watching with great interest, said with a smile, "If we made more of these, it would not only save manpower but also greatly speed up the forging of swords. Truly excellent!"

"Uncle Cheng, Uncle Qin, this is just a test subject. This is not what I want to make. What I really want to make is much bigger than this. The giant hammer on it should weigh several thousand kilograms!"

Just imagine, if we could use water power to drive a hammer weighing several thousand kilograms, and prepare the casting molds, just like the two-piece armor used in the military today, we could hammer out a piece with just one hammer!

"Would our Tang Dynasty soldiers ever lack armor?" Lin Chuan said with a smile.

"hiss----"

Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong both gasped in surprise, asking with skepticism, "Can it really be done?"

"As you two have seen, as long as we enlarge this thing and forge the right steel, the heavy hammer I mentioned can be made!" Wa Chuan said with a smile.

Cheng Yaojin nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said seriously to Lin Chuan, "The Gewu Research Institute can do it!"

Having gained Cheng Yaojin's approval, Gongshu Qi, who was standing to the side, also smiled. In order to create this transmission system, the Gongshu family had used all their best skills.

Now that the water-powered forging hammer that Lin Chuan mentioned has been successfully made, the reputation of the Gongshu family has not been disgraced.

The only thing the Gewu Research Institute produced was a water-powered forging hammer. After Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong saw it, they left, and Zhang Anan was also in a hurry to return to the palace to report to Li Shimin.

After seeing the three off, Lin Chuan summoned Gongshu Qi and Steward Li San to his office. Smiling, he said to Li San, "According to the regulations we just established, Steward Li, the First Research Laboratory's due bonuses must be paid! Also, you'll need to draft the official document regarding the water-powered forging hammer and submit it to His Majesty!"

Zhang Anan will definitely report, but the Gewu Research Institute also has its own tasks to complete. Lin Chuan wants to promote the water-powered forging hammer, but he can't do it without Li Shimin's help.

"I'll take care of it right away!" Li San bowed and replied.

Not only are there bonuses, but also unlimited raw materials. People from the Gongshu family can openly do things they wouldn't dare to do at home. They are working enthusiastically at the Gewu Research Institute.

Lin Chuan was relieved. Fearing that the Gongshu family might be bored, he discussed with them how to improve the crossbow, as it was a powerful weapon on the battlefield.

Since the initial goal was to develop military products, we might as well produce more.

The ancestors of the Gongshu family initially studied weapons of war, so they readily agreed to openly manufacture crossbows.

The officials from the Imperial Workshop and the Ministry of Works were waiting to see Lin Chuan make a fool of himself, and Lin Chuan was also waiting to see them make a fool of themselves.

Watching them make a fool of themselves was just a side effect; Lin Chuan's real goal was to incorporate the Imperial Academy of Crafts into the Institute of Physics.

The Imperial Workshop (Jiangzuojian) oversees four schools and manages over a thousand craftsmen, all of whom are treasures in Lin Chuan's eyes.

When Li Shimin heard Zhang Anan's report and received the official document personally presented by Li San, he immediately summoned the chief officials of the Directorate of Works and the Ministry of Works to the palace.

The Minister of Works, Qu Tutong, had just passed away. The current head of the Ministry of Works was Vice Minister Lu Yigong, while the head of the Directorate of Works had always been Yan Lide. On their way to the palace with the eunuchs, the two exchanged a glance and both sensed something was amiss.

Sure enough, as soon as they entered Xiande Hall, Li Shimin had an attendant bring them an official document to see.

As the Vice Minister of Works held a high position, Lu Yigong received the official document first, glanced at it, and then awkwardly handed it to Yan Lide.

Yan Lide took the official document, glanced at it, and immediately bowed to Li Shimin, saying, "Your subject is guilty!"

Lu Yigong remained calm and collected, as the Ministry of Works did not concern itself with the specific construction work, and this matter had little to do with him.

Li Shimin waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "I don't mean to blame you, but a few days ago General Chai of the Left Guard and General Xue of the Left Cavalry Guard complained to me that the army's armor and weapons were insufficient!"

The water-powered forging hammer that Lin Chuan has come up with might work. Go and take a look yourself. If it does, I'll have Lin Chuan arrange for some to be made!

"Yes!" Yan Lide bowed and replied.

He secretly groaned inwardly. When Lin Chuan went to the Imperial Workshop to poach people, he wasn't very polite to Lin Chuan. He never expected that in just over a month, he would be asking Lin Chuan for favors.

Yan Lide dared not delay and went straight to the Institute of Physics after leaving the palace.

However, Lin Chuan had already left the Gewu Research Institute by this time.

Yan Lide naturally felt that Lin Chuan was avenging his previous neglect. Although he was furious, he could only suppress his anger and go home, planning to come back to find Lin Chuan the next day.

The next day, Yan Lide arrived at the Gewu Research Institute early. With Li Shimin's decree, Li San and Gongshuqi and others dared not delay and took Yan Lide to see the water-powered forging hammer.

Yan Lide could immediately see the immense value of the water-powered forging hammer, but when he asked if more could be made and sent to the Imperial Workshop, both Li San and Gongshu Qi shook their heads, not daring to make a decision.

Yan Lide's plan to bypass Lin Chuan failed, and he could only wait awkwardly at the Gewu Research Institute.

Unfortunately, they waited from morning till evening, but Lin Chuan never showed up.

Left with no other option, Yan Lide had to go to Lin Chuan's house to find him.

When the house was being repaired for the Lin family, the craftsman was sent by Yan Lide. He knew that the Lin family lived in Tonghuafang, but when he arrived at the Lin family's house, he was told that Lin Chuan was not at home.

Yan Lide naturally felt that Lin Chuan was deliberately trying to embarrass him. Although his rank was not as high as Lin Chuan's, he was still a fourth-rank official. Why should he be so humble?

After leaving the Lin family, Yan Lide became increasingly angry and decided to go to the palace early the next morning to complain to Li Shimin.

Lin Chuan wasn't really ignoring Yan Lide. He didn't even know that Yan Lide had gone to the Gewu Research Institute. At the moment, he was drinking with the Cheng family and their two sons at the Cheng family home.

He and Cheng Chumo were on one side, while Cheng Yaojin and Cheng Chuliang were on the other.

The competition wasn't about poetry or songs, but about pitch-pot.

Lin Chuan was the one who dragged the team down. Cheng Yaojin was obvious, and Cheng Chumo and Cheng Chuliang had also practiced martial arts since childhood. They could throw more accurately than Lin Chuan even with their eyes closed.

However, since there was no one else at the table, they didn't drink too much. When they were halfway through their drinks, Cheng Yaojin suddenly laughed and scolded Lin Chuan: "How come I never noticed before that you have such a thick skin? You're not even married yet and you're already running into my daughter's room all the time!"

"Hurry and find Second Brother Qin to finalize the marriage. I will go and ask His Majesty for a royal decree tomorrow!"

"It's over!

'

Lin Chuan inwardly groaned, but dared not hesitate for a moment, and quickly bowed, replying, "I will go and invite Uncle Qin tomorrow!"

Cheng Yaojin picked up his wine cup with satisfaction: "That's more like it! Let's drink!"