Chapter 282: Results From All Area
Rules, in ancient times, the word referred to two different tools: the direction and the distance. The direction was a compass, and the distance was a straightedge used for drawing lines.
These two instruments were the ancestors of ancient measurement tools.
Because of this, Simon didn’t have to rack his brains figuring out how to make compasses and rulers. The Eldorian Empire already had them.
Now, unifying weights and measures was simply an improvement, not a complete overhaul.
So, Simon asked Bjorn to bring him a compass and a ruler. He then used them to measure out millimeters, referring to the scale in the system. By walking the compass along the ruler one step at a time, each mark became one millimeter. At each point, he made a dot.
When he had walked one full meter, he stopped. Then, he began drawing vertical lines, clearly marking millimeters and centimeters, and labeling them.
To ensure precision, he worked for a full hour before finally finishing the ruler.
He then compared it against the ruler shown in the system and found it almost perfectly matched; there were only microscopic errors, which he couldn’t help.
For Brambleford’s current level of industry, this ruler was more than sufficient. At this stage, no machinery could be completely free of error anyway.
Once the ruler was completed, Simon handed it to Bjorn and instructed him to use it as the standard for all production and to distribute it across all workshops in Brambleford.
"My Lord, is it really okay to change the entire empire’s system of measurement like this?" Bjorn asked. He was still more comfortable with the traditional system, and the new ruler made him uneasy.
Simon explained. "This isn’t just about measurement; it’s about industry. If Brambleford’s industrial goods are produced using this precision scale, others won’t be able to easily copy our products unless they adopt the same standards. And once we start making cutting tools and the lathes are running, we’ll soon be producing even more precise parts. Without fine measurements, how could we ever manufacture them? Even the tools on the lathe will need engraved measurements."
Bjorn nodded slowly. "Ah, I see. Forgive me for being slow-witted."
Then, he asked. "My Lord, you seem very focused on making cutting tools. Do you have another invention in mind?"
His question stirred a wave in Simon’s mind. It was already the 18th century. In the modern era, the West had long replaced matchlock guns with flintlocks. Yet in the Eldorian Empire, not even crude firearms existed. The gap in development was massive, like the First Dynasty still using sail ships while the West had steamships.
The urgency behind making cutting tools was that once the lathe had reliable tools, he could start producing precision seamless steel pipes.
That’s right, he possessed the knowledge of how to forge rolled steel into tubes. This technique could also be used to produce firearms.
But producing cannons, steel, glass, and other industries had already stretched their slave labor thin.
So at the time, he had to choose between building cannons or guns. In the end, he chose cannons. Technically, they were easier to manufacture. Using cast-iron molds, cannons could be mass-produced.
At that time, crafting guns required smiths to painstakingly forge each one by hand. Even then, the best they could manage were matchlocks. In the Battle of Dunmere, they had only a few hundred matchlocks to fend off an army of 100,000 reavers. On the walls, those matchlocks were hardly better than bows and arrows. Historical records showed a trained matchlock shooter could fire two shots every three minutes.
That dreadful rate of fire was exactly why Simon had no intention of mass-producing matchlocks. With the West already having discarded them, why invest in backward weaponry?
His goal was to jump straight to flintlock rifles, closing the technological gap and avoiding wasted time on outdated arms.
Still, the matchlocks could serve a purpose. Once flintlocks were developed, other factions in the empire would surely begin scheming. At that time, the matchlocks could be pushed forward as a decoy.
Even though Simon had this plan in mind, he knew flintlocks were far more complex. The barrel was just one part; they also required springs and firing mechanisms.
And those components were no easier to manufacture than the barrel itself.
Because of this, Simon didn’t answer Bjorn’s question directly. Instead, he chuckled and brushed it aside.
After all, Bjorn was a civil official, not a technician like Fjord. Explaining further wouldn’t help.
After finishing the orders regarding tool molds, Simon returned to the royal castle. By the time he arrived, it was already midday.
As he passed through the Eastern Market, he suddenly heard a familiar melody. Hearing it made him smile; Ysabeau had done well.
The Eldorian Empire’s version of The White-Haired Girl was now being performed among the people.
"Thomas, William, want to go see it with me?" Simon asked with a smile.
During the Festival, Thomas and William had gone home for the holiday and missed the drama performance. They had heard about how impressive it was and had been eager to see it.
They’d even heard snippets of the play’s opening lines. Upon hearing the music now, they instantly realized what it was.
"Your Highness, this must be The White-Haired Girl!" Thomas and William said excitedly.
Simon nodded. "That’s right. You missed it during the New Year, but now you have a chance to watch it."
The two of them nodded eagerly.
And so, the three of them made their way toward the theater stage in the Eastern Market.
Simon wasn’t going just for entertainment. He wanted to observe the public’s reaction. He was counting on The White-Haired Girl to spread across the vassal states through grassroots channels.
Only then could his goals be achieved.
"Other girls wear flowers in their hair, but my father is too poor to buy one for me..."
By the time they arrived, the character was finishing her solo. A crowd of citizens had already gathered around the stage.
They watched with wide eyes. In this era lacking entertainment, there were few ways to pass the time. So when something this novel appeared, no one could bear to look away.
"What’s this play? I’ve never seen it before."
"Yeah, the singing is strange... But it sounds good."
"That’s Honest’s troupe. They used to perform opera. Why are they doing this now?"
"..."
The murmurs from the crowd reached Simon’s ears.
On stage, the actress finished her opening song, and the play entered its storyline. At this moment, the crowd quieted, fully drawn in by the drama. Its down-to-earth characters and setting quickly captured their empathy.
Simon never watched the stage. Thomas and William, however, were completely entranced.
Seeing their expressions and the audience’s response, Simon nodded with satisfaction. This new form of drama clearly had a strong chance of spreading widely among the people.