Chapter 27 Section IX

Shen Kuo was quite depressed. When Shi Yue walked into the living room of Shen's residence, he found a copy of "Bianjing News" on a table. A corner of the newspaper was severely pinched and crumpled. "Thank you for coming to see me, Ziming." Shen Kuo forced a smile after seeing Shi Yue, but his mood was still low. Shi Yue squeezed out a smile and said, "Brother Cunzhong, don't be so depressed." The corner of Shen Kuo's mouth twitched, but his eyes fell on the newspaper involuntarily.He sighed heavily, and said, "Ziming, thank you for taking good care of me. This time I acted carelessly, and it was my own fault. Ken Enzhun, that’s all for now. I also want to serve in the Yanzhou army and leave this place.” Sun and his father are Sun Gu.

Shi Yue bowed deeply to Shen Kuo, and said calmly, "Brother Cunzhong, I'm the one who got you involved." Shen Kuo shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Don't say that, Ziming, you have a bright future, so take care. I can't help you with a career, but instead dragged you down. I feel very sorry." Shi Yue sighed, and said: "Brother Cunzhong, with my brother's talents, going to other counties will eventually give in. Right and wrong, there will be a day when the truth will come to light. Why don't you temporarily stay in Baishuitan and wait for this day to come?"

"I thought so too, but when this report came out, I felt ashamed to face my students." "You did nothing wrong!" "People's words are awesome, Ziming, people's words are awesome!" Shi Yue was silent for a long while before he said: "Brother Cunzhong, the northwest is not a place where you can show your talent. I hope you can stay in the capital and help me." Shen Kuo seemed a little surprised, and said, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Ziming?" Shi Yue nodded vigorously, and said: "Not only to help me, but also to help yourself. Brother Cunzhong is required to preside over many projects of the weapon research institute. In addition, since the emperor has ordered you to return to Baishuitan, you are still Dean of the Gewu Academy. As long as you can achieve results in the Weapons Research Institute, the emperor will definitely reuse you. If you can stay in the capital, all the conspiracy and rumors will slowly disappear. Everything will be found. Proven."

Shen Kuo was originally a man of fame and wealth, Shi Yue's words were indeed reasonable, and he couldn't help but be moved.But when he thought about going to Baishuitan to face the suspicion of the students, the embarrassment when meeting Sang Chongguo, and being scolded by the people, all thoughts disappeared immediately.He hesitated and said, "Ziming, I'm afraid I can't help you." Shi Yue knew what he was worried about, after all, sometimes, the issue of face was more important than anything else.He said sincerely: "Brother Cunzhong, I know what your scruples are. In this way, I will build you a special research institute in Baishuitan, and you can choose your most proud students to help you. You are still the dean of Gewu Academy Long, whenever you want to take classes, you can go to class. In a short time, you can concentrate on your knowledge and research. Just give some guidance to the Armament Research Institute. The members of the Weapon Research Institute have worked with you for so long, they are I know the inside story of this matter."

Shen Kuo was a little shaken at first, and Shi Yue continued: "If there is any achievement at that time, it will be a great contribution to the country, and the emperor will definitely reward him. Today's matter will naturally disappear. This is also a great favor to me." Looking at Shi Yue's sincere eyes, Shen Kuo couldn't help being moved, and said: "Ziming, since you value it so much, if a scholar dies for his confidant, brother Yu dares to refuse again. Just to tell you the truth, the steel you mentioned in the research institute The blast furnace and open hearth furnace smelting methods have been tested dozens of times, and the improvement from coke to blower has been accumulated step by step. Although it is hard to say when it will succeed, success is inevitable. The improvement of Zhentianlei, the granulation of gunpowder The experiment, as well as the idea of ​​nitroglycerin and musket you mentioned, without me, those students are equally capable of experimenting. What they need is time and experience. If you keep experimenting and sum up experience, you will succeed. I can help It's really limited."

Seeing that he had already agreed, Shi Yue felt relieved, and said with a smile: "Brother Cunzhong, you don't have to be too modest. You have contributed a lot to today's achievements. This cannot be erased by others. You only need to do the things of the weapons research institute. Guidance is enough, I would like to ask you to do experiments on several other subjects." Shen Kuo looked at Shi Yue suspiciously. Shi Yue smiled slightly, and walked to an hourglass in the corner of the room, only to see the fine sand slowly leaking from the tiny hole, and the outside was a scale indicating the hour.He stared for a long time, then looked back at Shen Kuo who was puzzled, and took out something from his sleeve with a smile.

This is a round ball with a string attached to it. Shi Yue tied one end of the rope to a shelf, gently moved the ball, and the ball began to swing left and right... Shen Kuo looked at the ball swinging left and right in bewilderment, and a thought flashed through his mind. He seemed to have discovered something, but he couldn't grasp it, and didn't understand what it was. The ball gradually stopped swinging and hung down still. Shi Yue walked over and flicked it lightly again, and the ball began to swing left and right again... "Brother Cunzhong, pay attention to the time and range of the ball's left and right swings." Shi Yue reminded gently.

Shen Kuo concentrated on observing the left and right swings of the ball, and found that the amplitude and time of the left and right swings were almost the same. "The time and amplitude of the left and right swings are almost equal." Shen Kuo murmured. "Yes, they are equal, but not every time." Shi Yue affirmed Shen Kuo's judgment. Shi Yue took out another piece of snow-white paper from his sleeve, opened it and placed it in front of Shen Kuo. There was an escapement drawn on the paper. Shen Kuo was no stranger to this. bell.On the escapement, two catches are connected to a main shaft. The main shaft makes a 90-degree turn, which is a pendulum suspended by a rope. Above the rope is a cycloid splint.This is actually a schematic diagram of an old-fashioned pendulum clock. Shi Yue once had one at home. He was very interested in this thing, so he remembered it quite clearly.

On the top of the figure, there is a scale diagram and an outline diagram of a pendulum clock. Shen Kuo held the picture and looked at it for a long time, then asked in disbelief: "Ziming, what is this?" "This is the schematic diagram of the pendulum clock I designed." Shi Yue said lightly. "Schematic diagram of the pendulum clock? Are you saying that the principle of the pendulum is used to make a timekeeping instrument?" Shen Kuo is indeed a very intelligent person. "I think it's quite feasible, but you need your experience in making instruments." Shi Yue nodded with a smile, "Look here, a single pendulum swings faster on a short arc than on a long arc, and this cycloid splint can solve the problem." This problem, when the cycloid swings and is blocked by this thing, it will no longer follow an arc, but a cycloid..."

Shen Kuo looked at the blueprint, and while listening to Shi Yue's explanation, his eyes were straightened. "I can make this thing!" Shen Kuo said while clenching his fists.The vigor that had been hit by the Military Weapons Supervision case suddenly came back to him. Shi Yue grabbed Shen Kuo's shoulder and said: "I not only need you to make it, but to save your experience in making astronomical instruments and have enough support, it is naturally not a problem to make this pendulum clock. But I want you to come from Baishuitan College. Among the third-year students of Gewu Academy, select the outstanding ones to make this pendulum clock together. To make a precise clock, you need to do a lot of observation and measurement. You take these students and let them learn to experiment and observe. Learn to record and make, I hope that the students of Baishuitan Gewu Academy will be real talents."

"Ziming, don't worry, I will live up to your trust."