Chapter 19
To be able to solve the problem of the fuse in just over two months was not something an ordinary person could achieve.
"On that note, I must mention someone. Among the craftsmen, there's a man who claims to be a student of the Mohist School. I believe his name is Gongsun Zhi. He was the one who helped us solve this problem," Li Lin said after a moment of thought.
"A Mohist disciple?" Lia was somewhat surprised.
Speaking of the Mohists, historically, the Mohist School was a philosophical school during China's Eastern Zhou period and one of the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Along with Taoism, represented by Laozi, they constituted the three major philosophical systems of ancient China. In ancient times, the Mohist School was always considered a branch of the Taoist lineage and was deeply influenced by Taoism.
The founder of the Mohist School, Mo Di, is said to be a descendant of the Lord of Guzhu. His original surname was Motai, which was later changed to Mo, and he is also known as Mozi.
Mozi was the only philosopher in Chinese history from a commoner background. He founded the Mohist teachings, which had a significant influence during the Pre-Qin period and were known as a "Prominent School" alongside Confucianism.
The members of the Mohist School were primarily commoners. It could be described as an organization or a collective, led by a leader known as the "Giants."
When speaking of the Mohists, one must mention the Mohist Art of Mechanics.
Just how miraculous was the Art of Mechanics?
The miraculous nature of Mohist mechanics can be traced through archaeology and historical records. After falling from nobility to commoner status, Mozi worked as a craftsman making tools.
Not only did he use the principle of leverage to develop the Shaduf for drawing water, but he also manufactured windlasses and pulleys for production and military use. Mozi also conducted systematic research on plane mirrors, concave mirrors, and convex mirrors, deriving a series of basic principles of geometric optics.
It could be said that these are all things that would be called great inventions in modern times.
If Mozi were placed in modern society, he would be a scientific madman. Unfortunately, Emperor Wu of Han later "dismissed the hundred schools and honored only Confucianism," leading to the decline of Mohism, which eventually vanished into the long river of history.
Hearing that there was a Mohist disciple under her rule, Lia was naturally a bit surprised.
"Merlin, bring him to see me," Lia said after some thought.
If the other party had inherited the ultimate techniques of the Mohist School, they might be of great help to her.
Merlin nodded.
After receiving the notice, Gongsun Zhi, with Merlin's help, quickly traveled from the arms development base to the Liang Province Prince's Mansion.
The moment he saw Lia, Gongsun Zhi was stunned for a moment. However, he quickly connected her to the deeds of the Rebel Leader and immediately understood who the person before him was.
"This humble one, Gongsun Zhi, greets General Long," Gongsun Zhi said respectfully.
This respect was absolutely genuine and heartfelt because what Lia had done was something other rulers could not achieve.
"Your name is Gongsun Zhi, and you are a disciple of the Mohist School?" Lia asked curiously.
The man before her was in his thirties and had a very ordinary appearance. Even if he were thrown into a crowd, one wouldn't find a single distinguishing feature.
"Yes. In my early years, I saved a member of the Mohist School. To repay the favor, he taught me much about the Art of Mechanics. Later, he told me his identity and left shortly after. I haven't seen him since."
Gongsun Zhi explained.
"I see. I wonder how many of the Mohist ultimate techniques Mr. Gongsun has mastered?" Lia asked after a moment.
"Actually, I haven't mastered that many..." Gongsun Zhi said, a look of embarrassment on his face.
"Then, does Mr. Gongsun understand this kind of thing?" Lia thought for a moment, then took a piece of paper, placed it on the table, and drew two gears, one large and one small, representing a gear set and a pulley system.
Gongsun Zhi walked to Lia's desk and leaned over to look. A shocked expression appeared on his face. "Is this... a Ratchet gear? It should have been developed by our Mohist predecessors. Could it be that you are also, General!"
One must know that Ratchet gears existed in the early Western Han Dynasty but later disappeared. Seeing what Lia had drawn, Gongsun Zhi was very shocked.
"No, I am not a member of the Mohist School. I just know a little bit about mechanics," Lia shook her head.
Gongsun Zhi felt a bit disappointed upon hearing this, but he quickly composed himself.
Since this female general could draw such a thing, and it was said she also developed that gunpowder, it meant her hobbies weren't the traditional arts like the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting, but rather leaned toward craftsmanship. There should be no reason for her to make things difficult for him.
"Do you know the function of this thing?" Lia asked.
If he knew of it but didn't understand it, then his skills would be considered lacking.
Chapter 44: Scholars, Farmers, Artisans, and Merchants
One must know that gears, though just two iron wheels, are indispensable in modern technology. Once the use of this thing is mastered, it can reduce a great deal of human labor.
For example, a giant boulder that requires many people to lift can be moved by a single person once this device is used. It can be said that this is an absolutely epoch-making invention.
"The use of this thing... my master told me about it before, but I didn't have the ability to manufacture it."
Gongsun Zhi felt a bit ashamed saying this. Although he had learned many Mohist things, he was too poor. Additionally, he didn't know how to recommend himself to rulers, so he never had a chance to show his skills.
If he hadn't thought of trying his luck when Li Lin was recruiting craftsmen, he would never have had the chance. Solving the fuse problem for the hand grenades was also done using the knowledge he had acquired.
Lia then asked Gongsun Zhi many more questions. Some he could answer, and some he couldn't.
However, the results were still somewhat satisfying to Lia. This fellow was a rare talent for this era. With a little bit of training, he would be a qualified engineer.
He understood the principles behind many things; he just didn't quite know how to apply them, but as long as he could build them, it was enough.
"Very good, Mr. Gongsun. From now on, I will have someone organize a department called the Ministry of Works. You will be the Minister of this department, specifically researching things beneficial to the state and innovating them!"
Lia directly promoted him to the head of the craftsmen to research everything on her behalf.
In fact, Lia could have compiled what she knew into a manual and handed it over to him.
But after some consideration, she felt that was too risky. One can know a person's face but not their heart. It was better to have him research things as she needed them. Otherwise, if he ran off with her modern knowledge one day, it would be a huge loss.
"Um, General, what is a 'Minister'?" Gongsun Zhi asked curiously.
"You can understand it as the head of this organizational department," Lia smiled.
"Thank you, My Lord!" Gongsun Zhi said hurriedly. He had truly risen to the heavens in a single bound!
"Alright, go back and wait for further notice. I'll have Li Lin coordinate with you later," Lia said.
After Lia let Gongsun Zhi leave, Li Lin asked curiously, "My Lord, you seem to value him highly. Is there something extraordinary about him?"
In Li Lin's eyes, the man was just a craftsman. Although he had solved the fuse problem, was he worth such high regard from Lia? He had been promoted directly from an ordinary craftsman to the level of the head of all craftsmen.
"Li Lin, you must not look down on craftsmen. Although many Confucian scholars say these things are mere 'Frivolous tricks,' in reality, it is precisely these 'Frivolous tricks' that can improve the standard of living." Seeing the disdainful look on Li Lin's face, Lia knew these people had been poisoned by Confucian ideology.
Things like 'a gentleman should not do this or that'—of course, the level of this era was just like that, so she couldn't blame them.
"Is that so? But My Lord, what is 'productivity'?" Li Lin asked curiously.
Not just Li Lin, even Merlin was somewhat curious.
Because humans must first satisfy their basic needs for food and drink before they have the conditions to do other things, ancient people viewed agriculture as paramount.
Merchants, craftsmen, and actors did not farm for themselves, nor did they hold the power controlled by officials. They couldn't stop people from talking, so they faced open discrimination.
In the eyes of ancient people, probably only being an official or a farmer was the proper path. That is why the hierarchy of 'Scholars, Farmers, Artisans, and Merchants' was arranged that way.
Seeing this, Lia could only explain to the people here what productivity was.
"In the development of human history to this day, it can be said that these four types of people are all extremely important. Whether it is the soldiers who protect the home and country, the farmers who produce food, the craftsmen engaged in manufacturing, or the merchants who travel everywhere. As well as the teachers and Confucian scholars who pass on culture, the Ministers who manage the state, and the emperor who commands and constrains the Ministers—"
"They each perform their duties. If any one of them is missing, the state is incomplete and unhealthy."
"However, aren't there many countries in this world? Not to mention those far away, just look at our neighbors: the Wei State, the Song State, Goryeo, the thirty-six states of the Western Regions, and even further lands."
"Like the Han Dynasty of old, they are all independent nations with their own emperors, Ministers, merchants, farmers, and craftsmen... But why are some of these countries strong while others are weak?"
"This..." After hearing Lia's words, the group was completely bewildered.
How should the strength of a nation be standardly defined? By the size of its territory? Military power? Numerical superiority? Or something else?
Seeing everyone lost in thought, Lia smiled slightly. It felt quite good to be a teacher. She continued, "It's actually very simple. If two sides were to fight and their numbers were equal, wouldn't it then depend on the tools they use?"
"Is that where the importance of craftsmen lies?" After hearing Lia, everyone began to understand.
Lia nodded. "Of course. You must realize that craftsmen can produce tools, smelt iron, manufacture weapons and farm implements, build houses, and construct cities... These are things that neither farmers, Ministers, nor merchants can do."
Merlin showed a look of sudden realization, a smile spreading across his face. "I see. Without craftsmen to make weapons, soldiers cannot defend against foreign enemies. Without craftsmen to make farm tools, farmers cannot till the land effectively. Without craftsmen to build houses, everyone would be homeless..."
After Merlin finished speaking, he couldn't help but feel a bit self-deprecating. These were clearly simple concepts, yet he hadn't understood them and needed Lia to explain. He felt he was quite an inadequate teacher.
Lia nodded and continued, "Exactly. These things can all be called productivity. Only when craftsmen produce weapons will soldiers not be empty-handed, and military power will increase accordingly. When craftsmen produce farm tools, farming becomes less time-consuming and labor-intensive for farmers, and grain yields will increase... A nation's"
strength or weakness depends on its level of productivity."
"Of course, productivity also evolves and iterates over time. Before the Han Dynasty, most weapons used by soldiers were cast in bronze, which broke very easily."
"After iron-smelting technology developed, the Han Dynasty's military power advanced by leaps and bounds, establishing the prestige of the Han people in the Central Plains!"
"In the late Tang Dynasty, people even created the Curved Shaft Plow, and the use of Norias and rotating waterwheels for irrigation became widespread, leading to an unprecedented increase in the nation's grain output... It can be said that these improvements in productivity are what make a nation stronger, and none of these things can happen without craftsmen."
Chapter Forty-Five: Taking the Title of King
"My Lord, I understand. You mean we should raise the status of craftsmen so they can better improve productivity. When productivity increases, the nation will become strong!"
Thinking Lia had said so much to emphasize the importance of craftsmen and productivity, Li Lin thought he had grasped Lia's thoughts.
To his surprise, Lia nodded and then shook her head.
Lia looked at the confused group and smiled as she spoke. "Productivity cannot be raised by craftsmen alone. While we should value craftsmen and give them better treatment, they only provide and create the tools of production."
Seeing the others stunned again by her words, Lia had to continue explaining. "Although productivity affects every aspect of a nation, merchants doing business and paying taxes to create economic value for the country is also a form of productivity."
"For example, even if craftsmen produce farm tools, if farmers do not work hard, grain yields will certainly not increase."
"Besides craftsmen, merchants and farmers also affect every aspect of a nation's productivity and are equally vital."
"My point is that in today's society, the scholars should not be the only dominant class. Everyone contributes to the nation, so there shouldn't be such a vast disparity in social status."
"The industry engaged in by craftsmen is the source of a nation's productivity and is of paramount importance, so it should be valued and changes should be made. But at the same time, we should also look at those merchants and farmers; they are also very important and should not be classified as lowly occupations."
In Lia's view, the Scholars, Farmers, Artisans, and Merchants—Scholar, Farmer, Artisan, and Merchant—should not be ranked, nor should there be a hierarchy of disdain. Everyone is equal, just performing different roles.
Everyone looked at Lia with admiration; it was truly a case of 'listening to your words is worth more than ten years of study!'
Since she had mentioned the Curved Shaft Plow, Lia thought she could bring its schedule forward, so she began drawing on the table again.
Everyone watched curiously as Lia wrote and drew, knowing from her past inventions that it wouldn't be just simple scribbles.
As expected, a few minutes later, Lia had drawn the latest model of the Curved Shaft Plow she had seen in her past life.
"My Lord, what you've drawn is a plow, right? But it's a bit different from the ones I've seen." Li Lin looked at Lia's finished drawing for a while before confirming it was a plow.
The plows of the Han Dynasty were basically standardized, but they were long, straight-shaft plows. They weren't flexible when turning, required a lot of effort to lift the soil, and were not very efficient.
"Yes, I call this the Lia Plow. It's much more advanced than the straight plows currently used by Common People. It's probably the pinnacle of handicraft in this era!"
Lia shamelessly attached her own name to the invention. Of course, she did this because it would significantly boost her prestige.
Once her prestige among the people reached its peak, even if she ascended the throne as Empress, no one would have anything to say.
Although she could use force to make people submit, the Central Plains valued the idea that 'the virtuous shall rule,' so she preferred not to use force if possible.
Furthermore, if she created many inventions beneficial to the people and named them after herself, how would history record her?
The first great Empress of all time?
If she truly recovered the Central Plains lands that had been ruled by foreign tribes for so long and elevated the nation's civilization from a feudal society to an industrial level in one leap, surely no one could compare to her.
Figures like Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han would just be stepping stones for her! Just thinking about it made Lia feel great!
Of course, this was just Lia's daydream for now; how she would be evaluated was a matter for future generations.
The plow Lia had now was actually the long Curved Shaft Plow that appeared during the Tang Dynasty. That plow was so effective it was used in China until the era of Reform and Opening-up.
Because it was flexible, the plow body could swing during operation, making it maneuverable and easy for deep plowing. It was light and agile, making it easy to turn and greatly increasing productivity.
Hearing Lia describe the function of this tool, the room full of people looked at her with almost worshipful eyes.
In fact, Li Lin and Merlin were no longer the only ones in the room; there were many other generals and civil officials, though they didn't have names yet.
"Li Lin, go and help Gongsun Zhi establish the Ministry of Works in a moment. Then, hand this drawing to him and have him manufacture a Lia Plow to test for any issues. If there are none, we can begin large-scale production."
Lia folded the drawing on the table and handed it to Li Lin.
"Yes, My Lord." Li Lin took the drawing and stepped aside.
Lia thought for a moment; the waterwheel, an automatic water-lifting device, should also be made so there would be no need to worry about the impact of the dry season on the paddies. As for the name, it would be called the Lia Wheel!
Lia looked at the dozen or so people in the room and said, "Everyone, now that I have brought the entire Liang Province under my name, I intend to take the title of King. What do you all think?"
Lia considered the issue of her title. To put it bluntly, she was currently a commoner, making it difficult for others to address her. It would be better to take the title of King first.
Once she became King, she could formally grant official ranks to her subordinates, which would put those following her at ease.
However, her subordinates were currently mostly military officers.