Chapter 128 This is not a water weapon, what is it?

Everyone is even more puzzled!

Obviously, everyone was asked to come and see the ship, but there was no ship, and there were a few more trucks full of goods.

But everyone didn’t ask any more questions and just watched quietly.

Then, under Lin Beifan’s command, the students began to get busy.

One of the trucks was filled with long and short wooden sticks, which were quickly spliced ​​together by the students to form a huge wooden frame, somewhat similar to the keel of a ship, but spread out flat.

Another truck was actually filled with airbags for making big balloons.

It’s just that these airbags are much smaller than the big balloons after they are blown open. They are only as big as two people hugging each other.

The students quickly filled the small air bag with air, sealed the hole, stuffed it into the wooden frame, and tied it firmly.

Inside each wooden shelf is a small air pocket, like neat air bubbles.

Then, a wooden board was placed on it.

This scene left everyone in a fog.

It said it was building a ship, but it didn’t look like a ship at all.

It’s not a boat, how do you get into the water?

Someone couldn’t help asking: “Lin Siye, what are you doing? Why can’t I understand after watching it for a long time…”

Lin Beifan smiled mysteriously: “Lord Zhao, please be calm and calm, I will understand soon!”

So, everyone can only watch it patiently.

In this way, about an hour later, Lin Beifan directed the students to create a huge flat plate with a length of 5 feet and a width of 5 feet, and then pushed it into the river and floated on the river.

Lin Beifan reported loudly: “My Majesty, this is the hovercraft, a powerful water weapon developed by my minister, please take a look at it!”

The Empress was dumbfounded, and all the officials were dumbfounded!

Looking at the huge board floating on the river, everyone was stunned!

After a long time, the Empress pointed to the huge wooden plank on the river and said, “Lin Aiqing, is this what you call a sharp weapon on the water?”

“Exactly!” Lin Beifan smiled slightly.

Qian Yuanshen, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, pointed at the big board on the river with a confused face: “Lin Siye, didn’t you say that you want to build a giant steel ship? This is what you said… a giant steel ship?”

Lin Beifan’s face straightened: “Master Qian, you may have misremembered! This official has always been talking about sharp weapons on the water, and never promised to build a giant steel ship! Besides, it’s only three months, and the time is so short. It’s because you can’t even afford the steel for shipbuilding, where do you want me to go to build you a steel ship?”

Hubu Shangshu was suddenly at a loss for words!

It seems that the other party has been emphasizing the sharp weapon on the water, and never said that they want to build a giant steel ship!

It’s just that when it comes to water weapons, everyone can’t help but think of giant steel ships!

Because only a giant steel ship can be called a sharp weapon on the water!

But now another problem arises.

“Lin Aiqing, you said this is a water weapon, but how can it look like a water weapon here? What can it do?” The empress was very conflicted.

It said it was a hovercraft, but it didn’t look like a boat at all.

It looks like wooden planks are spliced ​​together, and a few big waves can break it up.

Baiguan couldn’t help but nodded.

Lin Beifan smiled and said: “Your Majesty, don’t look at him as simple! But in fact, it can carry goods and people! I can assure you that this hovercraft will not sink even if there are hundreds of people on it~!”

“Are you serious?”

“Your Majesty can give it a try!”

The empress waved her hand immediately: “Let 10 people take a look first!”

Immediately, 10 soldiers stepped onto the hovercraft, safe and sound.

“Ten more!”

Another 10 soldiers set foot on the hovercraft, but they were still unharmed.

“Add 20 directly!”

20 soldiers stepped on the hovercraft and were still unharmed.

In this way, the number of soldiers kept increasing, but the hovercraft was still floating steadily on the river.

Until it reached 100 people, there was still no tendency to sink.

This time, everyone finally looked at each other differently.

“On this square inch, it can actually carry hundreds of people!”

“These are all grown-up men. Each one weighs 150 catties, so they have a load of 150,000 catties! It’s scary!”

“It doesn’t look like a boat, why can it carry so many people?”

“What’s the reason? Could it be those airbags?”

……

Lin Beifan smiled and said, “Your Majesty, there are still many places up there, why don’t you send some more soldiers up there and see how many people can stand there!”

“Ai Qing is right!” The Empress waved her hand.

Then, another 10 soldiers stood on the hovercraft.

In this way, the number of people keeps increasing.

110!

120!

130!

……

Until the end, there were almost 200 people standing.

Everyone was standing shoulder to shoulder, and there was no place to stand. The hovercraft still didn’t sink.

“This…is really a miracle!”

“A boat built with so few planks can carry more than 200 people!”

“Its load capacity is already comparable to that of an ordinary big ship!”

“How on earth is this done?”

……

Everyone was shocked.

“As you can see!” Lin Beifan smiled and said: “One of the biggest advantages of my hovercraft is that it can carry loads! Even if there are twice as many soldiers, it will not necessarily sink! Here, I would like to ask Your Majesty and all the adults. One question, how much silver do you think it takes to make such a hovercraft?”

Everyone couldn’t help but fell into thinking.

Among them, Wang Rushui, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, spoke first: “To build a large ship that can carry 200 people, judging from the cost of our Ministry of Industry, it will cost more than 1,000 taels in total! If it is handed over to a private boat workshop, the price will be higher. About 1,400 taels! Taking an intermediate number, the official guesses that it needs 1,200 taels!”

Lin Beifan smiled and shook his head: “No, guess again!”

Qian Yuanshen, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, stood up and said, “This hovercraft looks so simple, so it shouldn’t cost so much! So I guess, it will cost about 500 taels!”

Lin Beifan shook his head again: “No, there are too many, guess again!”

“500 taels is too much?” Everyone was shocked.

An old minister stood up and said, “My official guesses that it will take 300 taels to build this ship!”

Lin Beifan shook his head again: “It’s still too much!”

“Lin Aiqing, don’t be foolish, tell me the amount of expenses quickly!” the Empress couldn’t help asking.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Lin Beifan said with a proud smile, “It took less than 100 taels to build this hovercraft!”

Everyone turned pale with shock.

“Such a hovercraft that can carry more than 200 people cost less than a hundred taels?”

“Even less than 10% of the cost of an ordinary large ship!”

“Lin Siye, are you joking?”

“How is this possible?”

……

“It’s true!” Lin Beifan explained in detail: “This hovercraft looks ordinary, mainly composed of wood and airbags! Among them, the wood for the ship’s frame and ship boards cost less than ten taels of silver!”

“The most expensive ones are those airbags! Because those airbags are made of the airbags used to make big balloons! The airbags are tough, waterproof, gasproof, and fireproof, so the cost is relatively high, costing 80 taels!”

“So, the total cost of this hovercraft is about 90 taels!”

This time, everyone finally believed it!

It really took less than a hundred taels to build this hovercraft that can carry more than 200 people!

“Your Majesty, and my lords, I will ask you another question!” Lin Beifan smiled and said, “How long does it take to build such a hovercraft?”

It was Wang Rushui, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, who first said: “` “According to the information of our Ministry of Industry, it will take three months to half a year to build such a large ship that can carry 200 people!”

“It should take a month!” said Gao Tianyao, Minister of the Ministry of Officials.

He played a trick, because Lin Beifan delivered it within a month.

So obviously, the shipbuilding time cannot exceed one month.

Everyone agrees with this time period.

“In less than a month, a large ship capable of carrying more than 200 people was built, saving more than 60% of the time! Lin Siye, great skill!” A minister gave a thumbs up.

Lin Beifan shook his head and raised a finger: “My lords, you all guessed wrong! In fact, it only takes a week!”

Everyone was shocked again: “Can it be done in a week?”

Lin Beifan explained: “For example, the wooden frame for building a hovercraft has standard specifications, and it is easy to manufacture! If you hand it over to a few skilled craftsmen, you can make it within a week! Those airbags also need exactly one week to manufacture! When these two are built, as you have seen just now, they can be built within an hour and float steadily on the river!”

This time, everyone finally believed it!

In one week, a hovercraft carrying more than 200 people can be built!

This result moved them!

“Your Majesty, and my lords, you can build a hovercraft that can carry more than 200 people in less than a hundred taels and less than a week. Do you know what this means?”

“What does it mean?” Everyone had already thought about it, and their hearts jumped up.

“It means…” Lin Beifan’s eyes were frantic: “We can quickly manufacture a batch of hovercraft in a short period of time, sailing in various waterways, and even coastal areas! Rapidly increase the strength of our navy and dominate the major water systems!”

Everyone was short of breath.

“In wartime, logistical support can be strengthened!”

“Fighting is about logistics. As the saying goes, food and grass go first before the armed forces move! How to transport a large amount of food to the front line in the shortest time is a problem we have to consider all the time!”

“And our logistics transportation mainly depends on water transportation! In the past, due to the limitation of ships, the transportation volume has never been able to increase! But now with the hovercraft, it is different, and more grain and grass can be transported at the same time!”

“So, won’t the logistics be stable?”

Everyone’s breathing became more rapid.

“In addition, it can also promote economic development and increase the court’s income!”

“You know, we have a water system extending in all directions in Great Wu! Our transportation mainly depends on water transportation! However, due to the impact of shipbuilding capacity, the transportation volume is not large!”

“Nowadays, as soon as the hovercraft comes out, it can transport more goods and promote economic and trade development! With the economic development, everyone’s life will be better, won’t the court’s income increase?”

Lin Beifan pointed to the hovercraft, and said in a sonorous voice: “Everyone, this hovercraft has so many benefits! If it’s not a weapon on the water, what is it?”.