"F-fly!"
"It's really, really, really possible to take off!"
"Your Majesty, it's successful! It's successful!"
…
Seeing a hot air balloon the size of a house hanging in the air, the craftsmen were full of excitement and murmured to themselves. If it weren't for the emperor's presence, they would all jump up and cheer!
Wang Chengen was also extremely excited and whispered: "Your Majesty, it's successful!"
"It's just successful so far!"
Although Chongzhen was excited, he still kept calm: "It's just empty now. Whether it can fly with a weight of four to five hundred kilograms is still unknown.
Secondly, can it be raised to a height of 200 meters? If not, the intended effect will not be achieved.
Third, after carrying the weight, how long can the fuel carried by the burner last after it rises to an altitude of 200 meters? If the time is too short, it will be meaningless.
Finally, there was such a big flame, and the temperature inside the hot air balloon was extremely high. Would it ignite the tung oil cloth?
There are also conditions such as use in extreme weather. This is up to an altitude of two hundred meters. Once something goes wrong, the people riding on it will definitely die.
Moreover, it also carries twenty or thirty thunderbolts. If an accident occurs, it will definitely have catastrophic consequences. "
What Chongzhen said was not a ladle of cold water, but a direct throw of everyone into the ice water well.
The crowd who were still cheering fell silent instantly, with a look of disappointment in their eyes.
Chongzhen was also very funny when he saw this scene: "Everyone, the emergence of any new thing will go through countless fiascos. It's not scary to have problems. What's scary is that there is no progress.
Now, thanks to your efforts, there have been amazing breakthroughs. The next step is the process of continuous experimentation and improvement. A little progress is progress, and over time, it will be completed. "
Having said this, Chongzhen looked at the burner that was still breathing fire, then looked at the surroundings, and gave up the idea of continuing the experiment.
A behemoth rises tens of meters and can be seen by the entire city of Beijing. Let alone exposure, it will easily cause panic in the whole city.
Maybe there will be theories about monsters, ghosts, etc., and then the explanation will be unclear.
"Everyone, everyone has worked hard recently. Each of you will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver. You will have a good rest for three days and think about whether there is anything you need to modify.
Three days later, I took all the tools to the Western Mountains and found a valley to continue the experiment. If successful, each person would be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and be promoted to three levels in each supervisory bureau.
Let me tell you something ugly, this hot air balloon is a secret of the Ming Dynasty. Anyone who dares to reveal even a word of it, the Yi Tribe, the Zhu Jiu Tribe, and the Zhu Jiu Tribe who dare to leak the technology should be dispersed! "
All the craftsmen saluted in unison and extinguished the burner. Without the heat supply, the hot air balloon slowly fell, and Chongzhen's heart also fell.
After the craftsmen finished cleaning up, Chongzhen looked at Cao Bianjiao: "In a moment, you will go to the Forbidden Army Commander's Department, and transfer two thousand households to go to the Xishan Mountain to select the valley, clean up the test site, seal the valley, and issue a sealing order.
Three days later, I will go with them to witness the real miracle! "
"I obey the decree!"
Three days later, Chongzhen, dressed in casual clothes, was escorted by Cao Bianjiao and others, and rode straight to the experimental site in Xishan.
By the time they reached the valley, the craftsmen had already prepared the hot-air balloon, and two ten-meter-high simple watchtowers had also been set up. Two ropes connected the hot-air balloon. This was a protective facility for the lift-off. If it fell, it would still be safe. There is a ten meter buffer.
Everything is ready, just waiting for the emperor's order.
Chongzhen looked at the middle-aged man standing next to the hanging basket and said in a deep voice: "Tao Dayong, at an altitude of two hundred meters, if something goes wrong, even the gods will not be able to save you. If you fall, you will be a pile of rotten meat. You have to think carefully." ”
"Your Majesty, you are not afraid of poverty, but are you afraid of death?"
Tao Dayong shook his head: "If the common people die, and they have a thousand taels of pension money to give to their sons, and with the care of the court, they will have no worries in this life, and can even change their destiny. The common people's life will be worth it."
Speaking of this, Tao Dayong's face suddenly became solemn, with a light in his eyes: "In addition, the common people also have selfish motives. During the reign of Taizu, Wanhu tied forty-seven rockets and two kites on a chair, thinking As it rose into the sky, unfortunately the rocket exploded,
Now I have the opportunity to go to heaven to take a look and become the first person in history to go to heaven. The ordinary people will die without regrets.
Furthermore, this burner was made by Cao Min himself, and only Cao Min knows it best, so it is most appropriate for Cao Min to go to it. "
"Well done!"
Chongzhen patted Tao Dayong on the shoulder, and then said in a deep voice: "Let's start!"
After hearing the emperor's order, Tao Dayong took out the Huozhezi burner and it was instantly ignited. The hot air balloon slowly inflated, and then he pulled up the hanging basket.
The craftsmen who had been waiting for a long time quickly carried the sacks containing sand prepared in advance into the hanging basket.
The moment the sacks were put into the hanging basket, the hanging basket fell sharply, the hot air balloon shook violently, and the craftsmen panicked.
"Don't panic, slowly increase the intensity of the fire!"
As the burner knob was adjusted, the fire pillar also began to rise, making a huge whirring sound, and slowly raised the hanging basket again. It was not until it reached a height of twenty meters that Chongzhen stopped it.
The hot air balloon was just suspended in the air, and the black balloon was like a giant beast, giving everyone a strong sense of oppression.
"Tao Dayong, how do you feel?"
"Your Majesty, this feels great!"
"Then just do it yourself. Stop if you feel something is wrong and pay attention to the changes in the balloon!"
"The common people obey the decree!"
As Tao Dayong's voice fell, everyone only heard the flames from the burner getting louder, and the hot air balloon began to rise slowly again.
Thirty meters, forty meters, fifty meters...hundred meters...the hot air balloon was pulled by the safety rope.
Everyone on the ground looked up at the hot air balloon, which was already as big as a millstone. Their hearts were rising and hanging in the air, feeling envious and frightened.
The sergeants patrolling in the mountains were full of surprise when they saw this scene. They subconsciously clenched the weapons in their hands, as if this could give them a sense of security.
But the sergeants halfway up the mountain were different. They were watching a sphere the size of a millstone slowly grow larger in their field of vision. The most important thing was that this huge black ball was still spitting fire and smoking, which was even more scary.
Especially flying things like this. They dare to fight fierce enemies and die together, but they are afraid of unknown things. This is human nature.
"Put down your flintlocks and relax!"
Seeing the nervous look of the sergeants, the leading general shouted loudly and angrily, waking up the frightened people, and slowly lowered his flintlock gun.
The leading general just wiped his sweat. It would be great fun if some bastard used a firearm to shoot him down!
Tao Dayong in the hanging basket was even more frightened than them. There was nothing to focus on, a very small figure on the ground, his legs were a little weak, and he felt so helpless for the first time in his life.
But he did not forget his mission, lying on the side of the hanging basket and shouting downward: "Your Majesty, the current condition is very good, you can continue to rise."
Great, great, great... rising, rising...
The sound echoed in the valley, and everyone below breathed a sigh of relief. The safety rope was relaxed again, and the hot air balloon slowly rose again...
