Shengjing. The Imperial Palace.
Hong Taiji sat on the throne with a grave expression, scanning the ministers gathered in the hall.
"Regarding methods to deal with the Great Iron Wagons, does anyone have any better ideas?"
Fan Wencheng stepped forward and cupped his hands.
"We could also pour large amounts of fire oil onto the ground in areas where trenches cannot be dug in time. When the Great Iron Wagons approach, we ignite the oil. A large area will burst into flames, and the wagons will naturally be unable to advance. Otherwise, the people inside the iron wagon would feel as if they were trapped inside a steaming pot."
Hong Taiji thought carefully for a moment and nodded.
"Feasible. Record this plan for future use."
Next, Dorgon stepped forward.
"Although the Great Iron Wagon is sturdy, its wheels appear to be made from some relatively soft material. We could scatter large numbers of iron nails and caltrops across the ground to obstruct its movement."
Hong Taiji nodded again.
"Feasible. Record this plan as well. Have the blacksmiths begin forging large quantities of iron nails and caltrops."
Ajige stepped forward.
"If burning fire oil can stop the Great Iron Wagon from advancing, we could also organize a group of fearless warriors willing to sacrifice themselves. They would carry oil pots, rush forward, crawl beneath the Great Iron Wagon, and hang the oil pots underneath it before igniting them."
Hong Taiji frowned slightly.
"Feasible, but this tactic should not be used unless absolutely necessary."
The ministers continued offering suggestions.
Yet every proposal was purely defensive. Not a single one could be used for offense.
Hong Taiji felt his head throb.
"Does this mean that whenever the enemy brings out the Great Iron Wagon, all we can do is hide behind piles of messy defensive fortifications and tremble in fear?"
The ministers fell silent.
At that moment, a subordinate burst into the hall from outside, shouting excitedly.
"Your Majesty! Good news! Excellent news! The 'Jiang Gan Steals the Book Operation' has succeeded! The Jinzhou commander has escorted our spy team back, and they have brought with them the manufacturing blueprints for the Great Iron Wagon!"
The moment these words were spoken, Hong Taiji's face lit up with joy.
The entire court burst into excitement as well.
Hong Taiji's body trembled slightly.
"The manufacturing blueprints for the Great Iron Wagon have returned?"
"Yes!"
"The same Great Iron Wagon that left us completely helpless?"
"Yes!"
Hong Taiji could barely contain his excitement.
"Quick. Quickly bring the blueprints in so I can see them."
The civil and military officials all rushed outside. The rougher generals could not contain their curiosity and wanted to see the mysterious plans immediately.
In truth, Hong Taiji also wanted to rush outside and look.
But he was the emperor after all. He had to maintain some dignity and could only sit there and wait.
Soon a series of loud exclamations erupted outside the hall.
"What? This many blueprints?"
"You must be joking. The plans for a single wagon filled more than ten carts?"
"What in the world are these drawings?"
"Is this the blueprint for a single nail? Why are there more than ten drawings for one nail?"
Hearing all this, Hong Taiji's expression turned strange. His curiosity scratched at his mind like an itch he could not reach, yet he still forced himself to maintain composure.
After a long while, Fan Wencheng finally entered the hall, holding a single sheet of paper.
"Your Majesty, please examine this. It is the blueprint for the connecting axle of the Great Iron Wagon's left rear wheel."
Hong Taiji stared.
"The connecting axle for the left rear wheel requires its own blueprint?"
Fan Wencheng quickly waved his hand.
"No, no. The connecting axle for the left rear wheel has a total of thirty-two drawings, depicting it from thirty-two different angles. The one I brought in is merely one of them."
Hong Taiji froze.
This was utterly ridiculous.
"Bring all the blueprints inside. Let me see them."
Soon stacks upon stacks of drawings were carried into the hall. They quickly piled up along both sides of the chamber.
Each official picked up a sheet and examined it over and over, scratching their heads until they nearly grew lumps on them. Not one of them could understand what they were looking at.
Hong Taiji himself picked up a drawing and studied it carefully.
After a moment he set it down again.
He understood absolutely nothing.
So he asked, "Where is the man who stole these blueprints? Ask him to explain what exactly this is about."
Soon Binsheng was summoned into the hall.
As he stepped inside, he saw everyone flipping through the blueprints, yet not a single person looked at him with encouragement or praise.
A cold snort rose silently in his heart.
When he had achieved success at the Chang'an Factory, how had he been treated?
At the Model Worker Commendation Assembly, how glorious he had been.
But here in Manchu territory, he had accomplished such a tremendous feat, yet these high officials could not even be bothered to look at him.
In their eyes he was merely a lowly Ujen Chaoha spy.
A disposable tool.
Garbage to be thrown away once used.
Heh.
Hong Taiji spoke from the throne.
"You are the person responsible for the 'Jiang Gan Steals the Book' operation?"
"Yes."
Hong Taiji did not even ask his name.
"What exactly is the meaning of these blueprints?"
Binsheng replied calmly.
"The Great Iron Wagon is the crystallization of an entire industrial system. It involves countless technologies and requires multiple workshops…"
Hong Taiji interrupted.
"What is a workshop?"
"That is the Han people's term. It means a factory. Several factories are needed, each responsible for producing a specific component. In the end, all the parts are assembled together."
He picked up a drawing and pointed to it.
"For example, this component would be produced by one specific workshop."
Hong Taiji immediately sensed that the matter was far more complicated than expected.
"Then why does each component have dozens of drawings?"
"Because the parts are extremely complex and require very high precision. Otherwise problems will occur during assembly. Therefore every single surface of the component must be drawn clearly to ensure absolute accuracy."
The rough generals understood none of it.
But cultured officials like Fan Wencheng understood and nodded.
"That makes sense. Every surface of every component must indeed be clearly drawn. Otherwise craftsmen in different workshops would rely on their imagination and randomly shape the unseen sides. That would create chaos."
Hong Taiji frowned deeply.
"If so many drawings are required just to build a single Great Iron Wagon, then if we wanted to build one ourselves…"
Binsheng replied frankly.
"That would certainly be somewhat difficult."
Hong Taiji's face stiffened.
Depressing.
Just moments earlier he had been delighted.
He had assumed that once they obtained the blueprints for the Great Iron Wagon, they could manufacture their own and use them to fight back.
Just like in the past when they acquired the Ming dynasty's cannon-making technology and began producing cannons of their own to duel against Ming artillery.
But now he realized things were not so simple.
This entire room filled with drawings…
How many craftsmen would be needed to handle all this?
Binsheng cupped his fists.
"Your Majesty, while I was in Ming territory, I did not merely steal the blueprints. I also learned some of the basics. I can organize craftsmen to attempt building Great Iron Wagons."
Hong Taiji's eyes lit up.
"You can do this? Excellent."
"But I require a large number of workers."
"Take as many as you need."
"Our own craftsmen alone will not be enough. I have heard that after we conquered Korea, we captured five hundred thousand Korean slaves. Among them there must be many skilled craftsmen. I request permission to select some of them for use."
Hong Taiji immediately agreed.
"Approved. Carry it out at once."