The most arrogant in history

Chapter 297: Stick to the old ways.

Sun Yi was speechless.

Ye Kun said again:

"Lüshi Chunqiu said it well, why don't the superiors follow the laws of the ancient kings? It's not that they are unvirtuous, but that they follow them because they are unattainable. The military strategists said that there is no constant state of war, and there is no constant shape of water; the Confucians said that if you can improve yourself every day, you will improve yourself every day, and you will improve yourself every day; the Taoists said that change is infinite, transformation is endless. These are all emphasizing flexibility. If we, the Mohists, don't change, stick to the old ways, and cling to the old ways, we will be left behind by other schools of thought, right?"

The idiom "stick to the old ways" comes from Mozi.

At first, this word was not derogatory, but now it has become a derogatory term, referring to someone who is inflexible.

Sun Yi couldn't argue with Ye Kun, and sighed, "Brother, it's not wrong for me to make something that our ancestors made."

"You're right, but it's not practical."

Ye Kun continued to reason: "It is very expensive to manufacture a large crossbow that can fire 60 rounds. It can only be used for city defense and placed on the top of the city. However, if I use a pulley crossbow, three or five arrows can destroy your large crossbow. Your arrows are all specially made, and they can't be used elsewhere, which will cause waste."

Ding Ding reasoned, saying, "Brother Ye is right. His chariot pulley crossbow can indeed destroy the ancestor's crossbow. Because the crossbow is huge and is placed on the top of the city wall, it is easy to be shot."

Sun Yi shrugged: "Then I won't make a crossbow, but I don't know how to make firearms."

"Then let's study machinery together with Junior Brother Pang Jia." Ye Kun did not force it and advised his two junior brothers:

"Remember, the direction of research must be suitable for current production, life and war, and must be suitable for use by most people. Workers can operate it after simple training. If it is too complicated or not very useful, don't research it... For example, the wooden man of Junior Brother Pang Jia."

Pang Jia grinned and said, "Brother, my wooden man didn't offend you."

"It's not that you offend me, but that you are wasting your time." Ye Kun rolled his eyes:

"And that thing is not fun. The basic principle is a gravity swing device. Junior brother, if you have the ability, I will let you make something. If you make it, I will reward you handsomely."

Pang Jia asked, "What is this thing that Senior Brother is talking about?"

"A timer is like a clepsydra. It can be carried with you and can tell time accurately."

Ye Kun drew a picture of a clock face, with twelve scales, as well as the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand, and briefly introduced Pang Jia:

"Legend has it that there are skilled craftsmen who can use some gears and a bowstring-like traction line to make a timekeeping tool called a clock. The clock can run stably and the time is clear at a glance. It will not be affected even on rainy days or in the middle of the night."

Pang Jia took a look and frowned, "This looks like... a sundial?"

The Dading Kingdom also had a precise instrument for measuring time, called a sundial, or sundial.

The principle is to determine the time by observing the position of the sun's shadow.

The ancients used sundials on sunny days and clepsydras at night to tell time.

Ye Kun nodded: "The sundial cannot be carried, such as when we are at war. It cannot be used on rainy days or at night. I want something that I can carry with me."

Pang Jia smiled and said, "Brother, don't worry. I'll go back and give it a try. I'll work with Junior Brother Sun Yi and we should be able to figure it out!"

should?

Ye Kun sneered in his heart, you little brat, you think the clock is too simple!

The predecessor of the clock was the water-powered instrument, also known as the water-powered astronomical observatory, which was developed by astronomers such as Su Song during the Northern Song Dynasty.

The Water-Powered Observatory is driven by water power. It can not only observe and record time, but also observe and demonstrate celestial phenomena through the armillary sphere. It is composed of many complex mechanical devices and is actually a very precise small observatory.

The water-transporting instrument is very large, equivalent to the size of a two-story building.

Later, the drawings of the water-powered instrument were stolen by Westerners, and based on them, they developed the clock.

With Pang Jia and Sun Yi's current level of knowledge and materials, it's probably going to take them a hundred years to figure it out!

Ye Kun didn't care. He just started the project and let them have fun.

In order to show his seriousness about the project, Ye Kun also asked Lao He for support and assigned more assistants to Pang Jia and Sun Yi.

Pang Jia and Sun Yi had completed their mission and left excitedly.

Gongsun Erniang asked, "Brother, do you have any mission for Ding Ding and me?"

"Yes." Ye Kun nodded and said:

"Junior Sister Gongsun, please continue to train the workers and promote the ventilation stoves throughout Yizhou. I require that within three months, every household must have a ventilation stove. Junior Sister Dingding, continue to teach everyone the techniques of hunting and fishing."

Ventilated stoves save firewood and grass, make life more convenient, and can also be used to accumulate fertilizer through wood ash compost. They must be strongly promoted.

Fishing and hunting can improve farmers' survival skills and supplement food and nutrition.

Ye Kun originally had 300 death warriors under his command, all of whom were strictly trained talents. Now there are more than 200 left, all of whom have been recruited as disciples of the Mohist School and handed over to Gongsun Erniang and Ding Ding.

Gongsun Erniang adhered to the spirit of Mohism and was happy to serve the people. She smiled and said:

"Brother, rest assured. I will cooperate with Master Qin Chou and Master Ye Qingyang to promote the ventilation stoves throughout Yizhou!"

Qin Chou and Ye Qingyang are now in charge of Yizhou's agricultural production and agricultural technology promotion.

Gongsun Erniang's joining with a large number of talented people was a great help to Ye Qingyang and Qin Chou.

Ding Ding clasped his fists and said, "Brother, it's no problem for you to let me do the work, but I have one request."

Ye Kun nodded: "You say."

"We will be able to reach many people by promoting our technology. I ask my senior brother to allow us to recruit Mohist disciples!"

"Of course you can." Ye Kun was very happy and said with a smile:

"It is my mission to develop Mohist disciples and revive the reputation of Mohist. But Junior Sister, please remember that we in Mohist only want people with good character, not trash. We want people who are wholeheartedly dedicated to benefiting the people, who can endure hardships, and who have firm faith."

In the past, a school of thought was equivalent to a political party.

He established the Mohist party, advocated universal love and non-aggression, equality and friendship, developed science and technology for the benefit of the people, and built a harmonious society. He was definitely a pioneer in thought!

Even two thousand years later, this school of thought is not at all outdated!

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Gongsun Erniang and Ding Ding smiled at each other and bowed deeply to Ye Kun.

Ye Kun returned the greeting and said with a smile: "I should be the one thanking you. I am the head of the sect, but I have to make you work so hard for the affairs of the Mo family. I am really ashamed."

"Since you are a disciple of the Mohist School, you are not afraid of hard work!"

Gongsun Erniang and Ding Ding clasped their fists together.

In the next few days, Ye Kun was busy inspecting each workshop, proposing the next step of technical research and development, and making production arrangements.

Wen Qi and Sang Buyi sent a letter from Hanzhong, saying that the local gentry in Hanzhong were making things difficult and government orders were difficult to implement.

Ye Kun read the letter, called Ma Zhao, Zhuge Feng, and Guan Yafu, and asked, "My three lords, what do you think should be done?"

Ma Zhao and the other two looked at each other and said in unison, "Kill!"

Ye Kun nodded slightly:

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Since the three adults think so, let's set off tomorrow and head to Hanzhong to kill all the leading gentry!"

Fighting for the world is not about treating everyone to a dinner or being under the moonlight. It cannot be so gentle and elegant.

Yizhou is too big, and the relationship between officials and gentry is complicated, so Ye Kun dare not act rashly.

However, Hanzhong is a small place with a population of only tens of thousands, so it is much easier to govern.

A population size of this size is just a town in later generations.

It can be said that Ye Kun can kill anyone he wants to kill!