Wei Zheng and Fang Er's conversation took place with Li Shimin standing by, eagerly anticipating the true potential of long-distance communication.
For someone of his martial background, the timely delivery of information was paramount.
Even more so for the ruler of a nation.
He wished he could contact every official in his empire at any moment, to inquire about the lives of his people everywhere!
Watching Wei Zheng depart, Li Shimin waved his hand, "Let's go, to the workshop! It's more spacious there!"
Thus, everyone left West 13, heading towards the workshop.
Seeing this, the guards in the courtyard smartly followed, carrying the telegraph machines with them.
Along the way, Fang Er pulled Li Tai aside and asked, "I didn't get a close look just now, have you solved the electricity problem?"
Although the structure of the telegraph machine was simple, he hadn't spent days and nights pondering it like Li Tai, so it wasn't that he hadn't looked closely, he simply hadn't understood it at all!
"Hehehehe, Master, rest assured!"
"Although this King couldn't create the type of power storage blocks you gave me, I've added a small generator to the replicated telegraph. As long as the operator cranks it a few times, it will work."
Fang Er stared speechlessly at Li Tai. This brat was only 11 years old, yet his mind was so monstrously advanced.
"Master, don't be angry. I'm making progress on those power storage blocks, and I'll definitely be able to replicate them within half a month!"
Li Tai, thinking Fang Er was displeased with his progress, quickly explained.
"Well!"
His explanation only made Fang Er feel even more dejected!
Without batteries, he simply added a generator. What was this kid thinking?
Damn it!
Yuan Tiangang was a miracle, and Li Tai was a bug!
Together, they were the perfect chemistry and physics representatives!
With these two, the empire could be pacified!
Tsk tsk tsk, what a shame, it seems the historical Li Shimin didn't utilize these two men to their full potential.
Yuan Tiangang was assigned to stargazing every day, and Li Tai was spoiled into a bratty child. It was truly a waste of talent!
Upon reaching the workshop, Fang Er was once again stunned.
There had been only one helicopter here before; now there was another.
Its gleaming aluminum alloy shell, compared to the wooden casing beside it, was simply out of this world!
Seeing everyone arrive, Zhang Tian bowed and said with a smile, "Please wait a moment, Duke Wei. The new machine is undergoing final inspection, with only one part left. Once it's done, we can take this new aircraft into the sky. By the way, this is its maiden flight!"
Wei Zheng's initially excited heart plummeted.
"A maiden flight! What if it falls?"
After a moment's hesitation, he decisively walked over to Fang Er and, with an awkward yet polite expression, said,
"Uh, Duke Fang, you see, I'm quite old and prone to dizziness, could you possibly arrange for another way for me to get to Panjin? A rickshaw, a tractor, if not, even a horse would suffice. I'm willing to ride a horse."
Clang!
A wrench slipped from Zhao Gang's hand, hitting the bluestone floor with a crisp sound.
Clang!
A screwdriver dropped from Zhang Tian's hand.
Like the prelude to a symphony, a series of tinkling sounds followed throughout the workshop.
All the craftsmen glared at Wei Zheng with ill intent.
With each clang, Wei Zheng's face twitched, until he regained his composure. Fang Er smiled at him.
"Duke Wei, this is rather disappointing to the artisans' hard work day and night. Look at this grand aircraft, how majestic and imposing!"
"I... I... I... Can I have a parachute?"
Wei Zheng was close to tears. Why did the new plane have to be completed right at this moment!
Li Tai chimed in slyly from the side.
"Duke Wei, listen to my advice. Those things are unusable for the untrained."
Wei Zheng could only look to Li Shimin for help: "Your Majesty~~~"
But Li Shimin not only ignored him but began circling the helicopter, his hand caressing the cold fuselage, sighing with admiration.
"This aircraft is truly magnificent! I like it!"
He then looked at Fang Er, "Anzhi, calculate the price later. I want to buy it! Buy it in large quantities!"
"Oh, and install those pheasant necks too!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, flying over the enemy formation and just blasting them, that feeling, just thinking about it makes me feel great!"
Li Xiaogong was also examining the new aircraft, even measuring its dimensions with his steps.
"Your Majesty, shouldn't the Dengzhou Prefectural Office also be equipped with two of these? I feel this thing can be mounted on the Wuya warships!"
Before, when it was still a wooden casing, Fang Er had said it was a prototype and needed improvement, so no one had mentioned purchasing it.
Now that the aluminum alloy shell had appeared, they understood that this contraption was considered mature. What were they waiting for?
When the fruit is ripe, you eat it; when the technology is mature, you buy it!
Li Shimin stroked his beard, nodding continuously. He was already picturing the scene.
A fleet of Wuyi warships anchored by the enemy shore, with swarms of helicopters taking off from the deck, dropping a round of bombs first, then using the pheasant necks to eliminate the remaining enemies.
Nation conquered with zero casualties!
They wouldn't even need to deploy large armies; with shipwrights and pilots, no more than one person would be needed to achieve the objective!
That scene was too beautiful, too thrilling, too satisfying!
*Bang!*
Thinking of this, Li Shimin slapped the outer shell of the helicopter, unmindful of his trembling hand, and looked at Fang Er with anticipation.
"Boy, tell me, how much does one of these helicopters cost?"
"Don't worry, I won't ask for credit this time, and I'll even settle all the previous debts owed to you by the Ministry of Revenue!"
"You know, Minister Fang is rich now!"
Fang Er was speechless. The conversation had gone off track.
"Your Majesty, shouldn't we test the radio equipment first? We can discuss the helicopters another day?"
Li Shimin reluctantly waved his hand, then glared at Wei Zheng with displeasure, "Hurry up and go, finish the test quickly so I can talk price with this kid!"
Wei Zheng stood outside the cockpit with a pained expression. Looking at Li Shimin and Li Xiaogong, he gritted his teeth and climbed in.
Then, less than three seconds later, he jumped out again and said to Fang Er with great distress, "Duke Fang, do you have paper and pen?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Before Fang Er could reply, Li Tai, who was nearby, ran into the workshop, asked Mo Ming for them, and handed them to Wei Zheng.
Old Wei became more and more despondent as he thought. Finally, with teary eyes, he wrote something on the paper.
"Duke Wei is truly righteous! He's only just experienced it for a moment, and he's already recording his feelings. With him here, all the problems with the helicopter will surely be identified!"
Li Ji couldn't help but praise Wei Zheng's actions.
Meanwhile, Chai Shao nudged Fang Er and whispered in his ear.
"Anzhi, don't you think we should consider giving Old Wei something as a token of our appreciation?"
Li Shimin, however, shook his head, "In my opinion, Duke Wei is writing a poem!"
"In this situation, you should all learn from Duke Wei, learn from his composure in the face of adversity, and his courage to be the first in the world!"
Fang Xuanling: "Duke Wei is truly worthy of being the model of civil officials in our Great Tang. He never forgets to compose a poem, no matter the time. Brave!"
Du Ruhui: "Old Wei's courage is extraordinary. I am ashamed of my own inadequacy!"
Li Xiaogong: "I have decided to learn from Old Wei from now on. I will go climb mountains and jump off cliffs to train my courage."
Fang Er, closest to Wei Zheng, was struggling to contain himself, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Upon hearing their words, Wei Zheng's expression changed rapidly, from pale to a flush, and finally to a deep red as if he had applied rouge.
As he wrote, he suddenly crumpled the paper into a ball. Just as he was about to throw it away, he quickly tucked it into his waist.
He handed the pencil back to Li Tai, then climbed into the cockpit and said to Zhang Tian, who was in the pilot's seat.
"Alright, let this Duke witness the might of this iron-clad aircraft!!"