Chapter 192 Iron and Steel Ambition 4
Chapter 192 Iron and Steel Ambition 4
Guy Burns didn’t answer Paul right away, he pondered quietly as if he didn’t know where to start.
After a long time, he said, “Lord Earl, have you ever scrutinized windmills and watermills?”
“Windmills? Watermills? Oh, aren’t those all very common things, our blower is going to be driven by a waterwheel.”
“Yes, they’re all very common things, everyone thinks so.”
A sudden flash of excitement came over Burns’ face.
“Yet I think they are all very great inventions, and it’s a shame that the people who invented them didn’t even get their names in history. When I told my peers what I thought of these common instruments ……”
“Met with ridicule?”
“Yes, it was laughed at. What kind of people do you think we Charmsmiths are all a bunch of, Lord Earl?”
Paul pondered seriously and stated his opinion, “A group of people full of whimsical ideas and dexterous minds.”
Burns, however, laughed in a self-deprecating manner.
“Haha, whimsical? Mindfulness? It’s true, we often get strange ideas in our heads and then tinker with something that seems incredibly magical to the casual observer. But ……”
Burns paused, “I think the profession of whimsical mechanic is moving in the wrong direction.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You know what? The way we judge each other’s superiority nowadays is not to see who produces something more useful, but to see who produces something with a more complex and elaborate structure.”
“Ornate and impractical?”
“That’s right; the small, the fine, and the complex gain esteem, and the large, the coarse, and the simple are discarded.”
“Too much emphasis is placed on the ‘odd’ aspect.”
“You really hit the nail on the head. But what exasperates me even more is the fact that the whole industry works to please the upper classes, who go to great lengths and trouble to produce elaborate toys just so they can obtain an invitation to a nobleman’s banquet. They would rather use their knowledge to make useless contraptions than to take a little time to consider what the multitudes really need.”
“Windmills? Watermills?”
“Yes, it’s things like windmills and watermills that bring convenience to ordinary people as well; they’re simple in structure, but they can push stone mills and irrigate fields, and they’re much more useful than something like an octave box that plays three kinds of music. The nobles and the rich have plenty of slaves to work for them, but the lower classes have to rely on their own hands. If we make something that allows them to easily do the work they rely on to support their families, what a meaningful thing that would be!”
“You mean to say that knowledge and technology should benefit the majority of the people and not be reduced to a plaything in the hands of a few!”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean, and that’s what I’ve wanted for a long time.”
Burns had an instant feeling of knowing Paul, and he slapped his thighs, as if he was about to bounce out of his seat in excitement.
Paul suddenly felt that the man in front of him was very honorable, and what Burns hoped for was very close to the “universal values” of the Industrial Party in the previous world – to let the whole world enjoy the fruits of industrial development.
He shouted: “Bona, bring the wine!”
The chief secretary quickly brought two glasses of wine for the two men.
“Mr. Burns.”
Paul raised his glass to Burns, “I’ll drink to you!”
Burns was flattered and hastily picked up his own share, “My lord, you are overstating your case ……”
He didn’t know what he should say, so he had to follow Paul and drink the wine in his cup.
Bona on the side immediately poured wine into the empty cups of the two of them.
Paul patted Burns on the shoulder and said, “Your philosophy coincides with mine.”
“The reason why I want to build an iron factory and increase the production of iron is so that I can make iron available to most people, you know, many farmers in my territory are still using wooden plows and hoes, I don’t know how they put up with it.”
“My lord, ever since I saw your harvester, I knew you would agree with me.”
The two clinked glasses again, and Bona continued to fill them. “So, let me guess, that’s why you’re teaching those poor children?”
“Yes. After I taught them the knowledge, they were able to make and improve tools to suit their immediate needs, not things that are ornamental and to be played with, but tools that actually work and solve real problems.”
“And I don’t think that knowledge should be kept private, there are many people in our industry who would rather take their craft to their coffins than take it out and share it with others, I respect their personal wishes, but I would never agree with that.”
“Well said, let’s drink another toast!”
……
After a few drinks, both men were a little tipsy and Paul shook Burns’ hand.
“Like you hold an enlightened philosophy, not a …… not a supervisor is really a pity, the director of the Lakewood Township Machinery Factory – is to manage the size of the machinery factory for me, the seat is still empty, are you interested? ”
“Ah?” Burns was surprised, he immediately excused himself, “No no, Lord Earl, this is too difficult for me, I’m a person who’s only suitable for messing around with technology, tinkering with machinery and whatnot.”
“I will arrange for a sufficient number of clerks to work under you, all you need to do is to decide the direction on the big things, and continue doing what you like the rest of the time.”
“This ……”
“After becoming the factory manager, you will be able to deploy more resources oh.”
“Earl-sama, I will definitely not fail you.”
“Hehehe, now you have the power to learn about the other things being developed inside the factory, I’m sure it will be of interest to you.”
“Honestly, I can’t wait.”
“However, you just said that ‘knowledge shouldn’t be kept private’, and while I strongly agree with that statement, at this stage it could jeopardize my territory if certain technologies were to be leaked, so it’s important to keep what should be kept secret from those who aren’t related to it, or else I’ll just have to have Cecil pay you a visit. ”
Burns’ heart fluttered, Supervisor Cecil appeared to be managing the intelligence side of things for the Count, which also included catching spies.
He raised his hand and swore, “Lord Earl, I memorized the secrecy regulations before transferring to the factory, and as you are now my employer and lord, I will naturally be able to afford my salary and fulfill my obligations.”
Paul was very satisfied.
“Squeak-squeak-squeak.”
As it happened, the kettle propped up in the fireplace boiled water, the lid squeaking as it was toppled straight upward by the steam.
Burns saw a playful smile on Paul’s face.
Only the earl pointed to the kettle and said, “Burns, do you see the way the kettle boils?”
“Hmm? Oh!”
“You can look at it more often when you’re not doing anything, you might be able to see something. Oh …… it’s too early for that.”
“Uh …… yes!”
Burns was a bit puzzled, confused as to what the other was trying to say.
Paul stared at the lid of the pot for a moment, then suddenly turned his head.
“Well, Burns, I’ll leave you alone for now and get back to work.”
“Yes, I’ll take my leave then.”
After the odd mechanic walked out of the office, Secretary Burns heard the Earl let out a sigh.
“Ugh~ It’s still one step at a time.”
(End of chapter)