Chapter 16 Wuyang Hou
Liu Chang could no longer continue to make textile machines in the Pepper House.
Because now he is no longer alone.
Liu Bang sent the eunuch Duan Shun to his side. Liu Chang didn't like this guy at first, but after a few conversations, the two became familiar with each other. This guy had the same interests and hobbies as Liu Chang. They both liked these machines, and he could understand some of the mechanical principles that Liu Chang told him.
During the conversation with him, Liu Chang finally learned that the imperial palace actually had its own manufacturing department.
The largest manufacturing department was the Shaofu, which was one of the Nine Ministers and was responsible for the royal finances and royal supplies. Under the Shaofu, there was a Shangfangling, who was responsible for forging weapons and manufacturing utensils needed for the palace.
The Shangfangling was a department of eunuchs, and there were eunuchs and some excellent craftsmen in the department. Liu Chang didn't know that there was such a department in the palace. If he knew a little more about history, he would know that in the near future, there would be a very famous Shangfangling named Cai Lun.
"What a pity! If you were not from the royal family, you could be promoted two levels just for this item."
Duan Shun shook his head and said.
Liu Chang didn't care. He was a young master, and when he grew up he would be a prince, and he could not be promoted any further. If he were to be promoted to a prince one more step... well, he would have to go to the underworld.
Liu Chang was making a textile loom in Shangfang Mansion at this moment. Here, he didn't even have to do it himself. There were more than 20 skilled craftsmen here, each of them was an extremely excellent old craftsman. These were the best craftsmen Liu Bang had found from all over the country. Liu Chang's skills were no match for them.
On the first day he arrived here, an elderly craftsman looked at the simple mortise and tenon joints, shook his head helplessly, and made a bitter face.
Perhaps because of Liu Chang's status, when Liu Chang asked him about his craftsmanship, he just said, "Very thoughtful."
They made another one, still following Liu Chang's idea, but the loom they made was two times longer than Liu Chang's. When Liu Chang was making it, he was thinking about how to save wood, so many parts were almost next to each other, but these craftsmen were pursuing efficiency and stability, so the loom was a little larger.
Liu Chang began to fall into a situation of doing nothing. Every day he just watched the craftsmen. The idea of improving the textile machine was originally very simple. The craftsmen already knew the principle when they took apart the semi-finished product for the first time. They did not give Liu Chang any chance to show off and just started to build it.
Liu Chang's only entertainment was chatting with these craftsmen.
Liu Chang didn't like chatting with the eunuchs. It wasn't that he looked down on these people, but they had been in the palace for too long and had their own set of words to say. In order not to leave any handle, he would say less if possible and would never say anything if possible.
But these simple craftsmen were different. They were a little afraid of Liu Chang at first, but when they found that the emperor's son was similar to their own annoying kid, they let go. They would occasionally use the remaining wood to make some small toys for Liu Chang, and would chat with him about family matters with a smile.
"There are four children in the family, six of whom died young, leaving only these four... The oldest is sixteen years old, and it's time for him to get married."
No matter when, letting their children get married seems to be the biggest wish of parents. But the difference is that in this era, if a child reaches a certain age and has not started a family, he will be fined. It can't be said to be a fine, but he has to pay additional taxes.
This system was established by the tyrannical Qin Dynasty. The Han Dynasty pushed back the marriage age by one year to show that it was completely different from the tyrannical Qin Dynasty.
These craftsmen admired Liu Bang very much. They believed that Liu Bang must have some great power. Although their lives were not very good, they were still very satisfied. According to them, in the previous dynasty, they were not paid for making tools for the emperor's family, but now they are given a certain amount of compensation. This is the greatness of Liu Bang in their eyes.
If so, Liu Bang's greatness seems a little insignificant. The peasants in ancient China were easily satisfied. A little bit of favor from the ruler would make them grateful. If they met an emperor who had been benevolent throughout his life and did countless good things for the people, they would even be grateful for hundreds of years, just like the taciturn fourth brother.
"With the grace of His Majesty, I have enough to live on, but I can't go out here, and I miss my family a little bit... I haven't seen my family for four years, and I have to ask someone to help write letters for me."
Liu Chang listened to them carefully and sometimes expressed his own opinions, but he never had the chance to interfere in the affairs of the textile machines again.
Of course, Han Xin still has to continue his courses here.
Han Xin had already been broken by Liu Chang, and all the flowers and plants in Han Xin's front yard had been destroyed by Liu Chang. At this moment, he had automatically switched to Liu Bang's state towards Liu Chang, and was no longer testing the edge of action, but had already started to really take action.
Of course, before taking action, Han Xin wrote a memorial to Liu Bang, in which he talked about the problem of teachers educating their disciples, and used Confucius and others as examples, and talked about it for thousands of words. Liu Bang's reply to him was very simple, just one word, "beat".
Then, Han Xin's servants would often see Han Xin raising his shoes and chasing the Han prince in the courtyard.
"You built a new spinning wheel?"
Han Xin narrowed his eyes and looked at Liu Chang suspiciously.
"Master, what's with that look in your eyes? I really made it. In two days at the latest, my father will officially announce it... That machine is really amazing. When you see it, you will be shocked."
No matter how Liu Chang explained, Han Xin just didn't believe it.
Liu Chang had already completed half of his basic courses when Han Xin began to simulate battles with him, usually listing famous battles in history and occasionally drawing on actual events.
"If you are good at attacking, you must be able to defend first. If you were appointed as the Minister of Defense, how would you deploy your defense?"
Liu Chang thought seriously and replied: "I will deploy two-thirds of the troops at the East Gate, near the Wutai and Gouyi Palace, because the area outside the East Gate is very open. There will be fewer soldiers at the North Gate, because Changle Palace can act as a buffer, and the enemy will not attack the palace from here..."
"You are looking down on Wang Ling's deployment..."
"Who is Wang Ling?"
"Lawyer's Order."
"So the doctor-in-chief's name is Wang Ling. He has no ability. The soldiers deployed for defense are always a bunch of people, all gathered at the South Gate, and they don't know how to rotate..."
"Okay, let me ask you again, if your camp has no food and is surrounded by enemies on three sides..."
While they were teaching, Gu suddenly walked in and said in a muffled voice, "A guest has arrived. Marquis Wuyang wants to see you."
Han Xin raised his head, thought for a moment, and then said, "Let him in."
Just when Liu Chang was thinking about who Wuyang Hou was, a sturdy man who was even stronger than Gu walked into the room. The sturdy man standing there was scary, he was . Although he was tall and looked difficult to mess with, he had a fake smile on his face, and his momentum was reduced by a few points.
"Your Majesty, I, Fan Kuai, pay my respects to you."
"Um."
Han Xin was rather cold towards him, but Fan Kuai did not think it was a big deal and knelt respectfully beside him.
"Are you Fan Kuai?"
Liu Chang widened his eyes and looked at the muscular man in front of him.
"Seventh Master, I am Fan Kuai."
Fan Kuai didn't look fierce at all, and he didn't have the aura of the man in the textbook who ate raw pork and made Xiang Yu convinced. Liu Chang reached out and touched his arm. Fan Kuai's arm was thicker and harder than Liu Chang's thigh. Fan Kuai smiled and let Liu Chang do it.
Han Xin, however, acted in a businesslike manner, with a cold face and said nothing.
"Did you really eat raw pork at the Hongmen Banquet?"
“Yes.”
"How is the taste?"
"forget."
"Then why don't you try it again? I can treat you to a meal."
Seeing the two idiots chatting in front of him, Han Xin was angry and interrupted their conversation, "Marquis Wuyang suddenly came to visit, but what's the important matter?"
