Steel Dynasty - Chapter 736

[Chapter 735 Replacing rubber with steam engine]

Qingzhou.

Brandon is still making a last-ditch effort to buy a steam engine. If he fails this time, he will have to return to the Netherlands with regrets.

So after begging Pang Yukun for a whole day, he finally got the opportunity to stand in front of the Emperor of Chongqing in the Imperial Study Room.

When he got up this morning, Brandon put on his most luxurious silk dress, sprayed on perfume and then went to the royal study.

At this time, Xiao Ming was already waiting for Brandon in the royal study. The persistence of the Dutch envoy really made him feel helpless.

“Your Majesty, Brandon is here.” Qian Dafu’s voice sounded.

Xiao Ming was sketching on a piece of paper when he said, “Let him in.”

In response, Qian Dafu turned and left. Not long after, Brandon appeared in the royal study.

Glancing at Brandon, Xiao Ming said directly without waiting for him to speak: “Envoy Brandon, you are really dedicated to the steam engine.”

“Dear Your Majesty the Emperor, this steam engine is really too fascinating, not only for me, but also for me. Everybody in Europe is going crazy about it,” Brandon said.

Today, there is a technological craze in Europe, and even kings and nobles are very concerned about it, so the emergence of any new technology will arouse their pursuit.

Xiao Ming raised his eyelids, “But this is not the reason why I sold the steam engine to you.”

Brandon fell into silence and hesitated for a long time before saying: “Your Majesty, your Majesty, we in Europe now have something for you. I must be very interested. Maybe we can exchange for this.”

“Oh?” Xiao Ming raised his eyebrows and said, “I hope your words can change my mind.”

Brandon said seriously: “Rubber. This is a magical material discovered by Europe in South America. Maybe His Majesty the Emperor will be interested in it.”

Xiao Ming’s hand holding the pen froze for a moment. Brandon observed this keenly, which gave him confidence, and then he continued. “I wonder if His Majesty the Emperor knows that there is a magical continent called South America in the distant southern seas. The people here use rubber balls to make games and sacrifices. When a European navigator arrived in America two hundred years ago, I saw the local indigenous people playing with a black ball. This ball bounced very high when it fell on the ground. It was made of wood taken from the tree. After that, Spain and Portugal conquered the Black West. In the process of traveling to and from South America, rubber was brought to Europe one after another. Now many magical items are made from rubber in Europe. “

I have to say that Xiao Ming is very excited. In fact, rubber was used in the second industrial revolution. Played a very important role.

Without rubber, there would be no tires, sealing rings and a series of other products.

In the history of human technological development, technology is constantly updated with the discovery of materials. Without coal, there would be no steam engine, and without oil, there would be no internal combustion engine.

Although Xiao Ming now has a lot of technology, it has to be said that he is trapped on an island of civilization. Without rubber, many things with mature technology cannot be realized.

“Rubber is indeed a magical thing.” Xiao Ming made no secret of his knowledge of rubber. “So Earl Brandon can provide rubber for the Great Chongqing Kingdom?”

He had mentioned this to Blake more than once during the trade with Blake. There was a question of rubber, but Black refused on the grounds that rubber was scarce and he could not provide it.

Now that Brandon has taken the initiative to bring up this matter, he naturally does not want to miss this opportunity, because for a long time Europe has been closed to rubber.

This is also the reason why Europe has been able to maintain its technological leadership in modern times. By controlling an important part of the material in the technology tree, they can naturally do it with ease.

“Yes.” Brandon nodded, “We in the Netherlands have our own colonies in South America, and we also have our own rubber plantations.”

Xiao Ming nodded, thinking that compared to steam engines, rubber is obviously more important now, and there are technological crystals. Shi Zai could quickly improve the performance of the steam engine to another level.

But rubber is very deadly, because for a long time rubber was only available in South America.

So it’s really not easy for Xiao Ming to get rubber.

“Okay, I have to say that I am very interested in this thing, but I not only want rubber, but also the seeds of the rubber tree.” Xiao Ming said.

It has to be said that America is very far away. With the current technological level of Great Chongqing, it will be very difficult to fight with Western powers in America, and the supply line will be too long.

So in order to prevent the West from imposing a rubber blockade on him, he felt it was necessary to obtain some rubber seeds for planting on Hainan Island.

Brandon suddenly laughed, “Dear Your Majesty the Emperor, this is really a wise decision, so the trade of steam engines and rubber is settled.”

“Of course, but the premise is that I need to see these things before I can use the steam engine .

Here you go.” Xiao Ming said.

Even if a deal is reached this time, Brandon will have to go back and forth for more than half a year, which is enough time for him to update the steam engine.

And to him, steam engines are nothing at all. After all, he knows everything about internal combustion engines and the like, and they pale into insignificance in comparison.

Although Brandon wanted to take the steam engine back now, it was obviously impossible based on the look on the face of the Emperor of Great Chongqing.

So he said: “I hope this trade can come true.”

After agreeing on this matter, Brandon’s knot was finally revealed. Although rubber was precious in Europe, in his opinion, it could not be compared with steam engines.

Each thought they had taken advantage of the other, and Xiao Ming and Brandon were both happy. After sending Brandon away, Xiao Ming could even imagine a series of modern industrial products such as bicycles, tricycles, and rickshaws.

After thinking about it for a while, Xiao Ming gradually calmed down. At this time, he looked at what was written on the paper.

After the New Year, the weather gradually gets warmer, and in a month it will be spring plowing.

Since the introduction of potatoes and sweet potatoes, Xiao Ming has used tuber seedling technology in the past two years to help Kuiwu build a large seedling base.

Nowadays, the seedlings planted by ordinary people are purchased from seedling nurseries every year. With the successful promotion of potatoes and sweet potatoes in six states, the number of ordinary people planting these two things is increasing every year.

However, despite this, the yields of potatoes and sweet potatoes in each household are inconsistent due to the fertility of the land.

So after the New Year, Xiao Ming went through the knowledge in the science and technology library and found the method of making Tujia fertilizer to prepare for promotion.

After becoming the emperor, he paid more and more attention to the development of agriculture. After all, the food and clothing problem in Dayu has not been completely solved, so he had to pay attention to this issue.

Food is the most important thing for the people. This industry is important, and food is equally important. After all, transportation in this era is troublesome, and buying food from outside is unreliable.

(End of chapter)