Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 865: Chapter 22: Concave and Convex Lenses (Part 2)

He Lianfang heard Zhao Yao talk about glasses, "Have the glasses been made?"

"The concave-convex lenses have been made, and in a few days, the glasses will be made."

He Lianfang hurriedly asked, "What about the clairvoyance you mentioned?"

"Of course, it will be made too."

He Lianfang had previously heard Zhao Yao talk about the magical properties of clairvoyance. Now, knowing that it would be made soon, he was naturally filled with anticipation.

"Once it’s made, let me have a look. I want to see if it really is as magical as you say."

"Rest assured, Second Uncle, it will not disappoint you." After Zhao Yao finished speaking, he went behind He Lianfang and pushed his wheelchair back two zhang. "Second Uncle, sit here and look in the direction I point."

He Lianfang didn’t quite understand Zhao Yao’s intention and asked in confusion, "The direction you’re pointing?"

"In the direction of this ’E’." Zhao Yao pointed to the largest ’E’ at the bottom and said, "You see, this is pointing upwards. Can you see it clearly?"

He Lianfang understood Zhao Yao’s intent, nodded, and said, "I can see it clearly."

"Alright, then I’ll continue pointing."

After testing, it was roughly measured that He Lianfang was nearsighted by four or five hundred degrees. However, to precisely make glasses of four or five hundred degrees was not very feasible. For now, they could only make a rough approximation for He Lianfang to use.

Lian Daci worked quickly, and by the next day, had made a magnifying glass, glasses, and a telescope, though they were simple versions.

Zhao Yao tested the telescope, and it worked quite well. Of course, compared to the telescopes in Zhao Yao’s dream world, it was far inferior. However, in the Great Zhou, it was definitely sufficient because the telescope’s range was within thirty zhang.

He Lianfang could not believe that such a small thing in his hand could see so far and so clearly.

"No wonder it’s called clairvoyance."

"Second Uncle, how is it? Didn’t it meet your expectations?"

"No." He Lianfang marveled, "This little thing used on the battlefield could be a great weapon."

Zhao Yao nodded and said, "I made it precisely for use on the battlefield." The Xiongnu hadn’t moved south for the time being, but that didn’t mean they would always behave. There was bound to be a battle between the Xiongnu and the Great Zhou, and when that time came, clairvoyance would prove very useful. "However, the current clairvoyance’s range is still a bit small." Thirty zhang seemed far, but compared to the telescopes in Zhao Yao’s dream world, it was significantly lacking.

On hearing Zhao Yao say this, He Lianfang couldn’t help but reveal a look of astonishment: "About thirty zhang, and that’s still small?"

"It’s small. My minimum requirement is one hundred zhang."

"One hundred zhang?" He Lianfang gasped, looking at Zhao Yao with shock, "What you’re saying sounds fantastical."

"I’m not talking nonsense." Zhao Yao said seriously, "One hundred zhang can definitely be made." He remembered the first telescope in Zhao Yao’s dream world covered a distance of three hundred meters, roughly equivalent to one hundred zhang. "Next year, I’ll have Lian Daci and the others improve it."

He Lianfang couldn’t imagine the earthquake-like effect the clairvoyance in his hand would have on the battlefield if it could indeed see a hundred zhang as Zhao Yao said.

"Can a hundred zhang really be made?" He Lianfang didn’t realize his tone was trembling slightly.

"A hundred zhang is the minimum requirement," Zhao Yao said, "In the future, perhaps we can make it up to two hundred zhang, three hundred zhang, or even five hundred zhang is not impossible."

"Don’t think about five hundred zhang, making a hundred zhang would be good enough." He Lianfang dared not hope for five hundred zhang, on the battlefield a hundred zhang would be more than enough.

"Let’s first make a hundred zhang."

He Lianfang suddenly thought of something, and his expression immediately turned solemn.

"Are you going to use this clairvoyance for business?"

Zhao Yao knew why He Lianfang asked this. He deliberately teased He Lianfang, "Sell it, of course, sell it. This is a great treasure, and even if I sell one for a thousand pieces of gold, people will scramble to buy it."

He Lianfang said sternly, "You can’t sell it, it’s a powerful weapon on the battlefield. If it is sold among civilians and ends up with the Xiongnu, it will become a weapon against us."

"Second Uncle, I’m just joking with you, how could I possibly sell it." His previous statement wasn’t wrong; if he really intended to sell clairvoyance, even at an astronomical price, people would scramble to buy it. "Once we make a hundred zhang, I’ll send some to the emperor for distribution to the generals in various army camps."

"Good not to sell it." He Lianfang thought this clairvoyance shouldn’t be cheaply given to the emperor, and hastily added, "You could sell it to the court for a thousand pieces of gold each."

"Second Uncle, are you suggesting I fleece the court’s money?"