Chapter 279: How Is That Calculated?
Young Master Bai chuckled, "Just how big is this boulder you need to move?"
Teng Yifeng replied, "It's roughly two *zhang* long and one *zhang* wide, a massive, solid rock. The laborers can't budge it at all; it's truly a challenge for us. We're also hesitant to ask the Saintess to trouble the Heavenly Lord again. But the foremen from Gao Family Village said Young Master Bai has a way to move heavy objects."
Young Master Bai burst into laughter. "Haha, such a small stone! With a bit of physics, you can easily drag it away."
The speaker's words were casual, but the listener took them to heart.
When Song Yingxing heard this, he furrowed his brow, thinking to himself: *To move such a massive stone? I do know a method: using giant wooden gears, one vertical, one horizontal, meshed together. If oxen pull the vertical gear to rotate it, that will turn the horizontal gear, and the heavy object can be moved.*
*But very few people know my method. Could this mere child, whose down hasn't even fully grown, already know it? What is this 'physics' he speaks of? Should I ask him about it?*
Just then, Daoist Ma, who was ahead, greeted Madam Bai and Young Master Bai. "Ah, isn't this Madam Bai and Young Master Bai? This humble Daoist offers his respects."
The mother and son were also quite pleased to see Daoist Ma. "Daoist Ma, it's been a long time! We heard you were traveling on the Heavenly Lord's command. Have you returned?"
Ma Tianzheng smiled. "Fortunately, I did not fail in my mission. I have finally completed the Heavenly Lord's instructions. Tomorrow, this humble Daoist plans to return to Gao Family Village to meet the Heavenly Lord in person."
Ma Tianzheng gasped in surprise and quickly looked up. Sure enough, he saw a small, low cloud floating in the sky. He hastily brushed the dust from his clothes, then prostrated himself, bowing deeply. "Your disciple, Ma Tianzheng, greets the Heavenly Lord."
The low cloud rippled gently, as if responding to him.
Ma Tianzheng was overjoyed. *The Heavenly Lord responded to me!*
Just as he was about to say more, Song Yingxing grabbed his arm. "Daoist Ma, you know this young master? Please, I beg you, introduce me. I have many things I wish to discuss with him."
Only then did Ma Tianzheng remember the important matter. He quickly pulled Song Yingxing over, introducing him to Young Master Bai, and by extension, to the Heavenly Lord. "This is Mr. Song Yingxing, from Fengxin County, Jiangxi."
"And this is Young Master Bai from Bai Family Fortress."
When Li Daoxuan heard the name "Song Yingxing," he was instantly overjoyed. *He's here, he's here! He's finally here! Hahaha, the foremost scientist of the late Ming Dynasty! I've practically got him hooked now. Once he's within my field of view, he certainly won't be leaving. I have a thousand ways to convince him to stay.*
*Excellent. First, let Young Master Bai and Song Yingxing converse. Even though Young Master Bai has only just learned second-year middle school physics, it's already enough to open up a whole new world for Song Yingxing.*
Song Yingxing cupped his hands to Young Master Bai. Though the young man was nearly thirty years his junior, Song Yingxing dared not show any disrespect. "Young Master, I just heard you say that you could move such a large stone using methods of physics. May I ask what approach you intend to use?"
Young Master Bai curiously sized up the middle-aged man before him. Seeing his eager, inquisitive expression, it seemed he was genuinely interested in scholarly discussion, which secretly delighted Young Master Bai. He had learned physics so rapidly that there was no one left in Gao Family Village who could converse with him on the subject. Now, with someone who appeared keen to talk, why wouldn't he seize the opportunity to show off a little?
Young Master Bai smirked and revealed the knowledge he had just acquired: "Gears!"
"Gears, indeed?" Song Yingxing was greatly pleased. "Hey, my own thoughts also gravitated towards using gears."
Young Master Bai: "Oh? You understand gears too? Have you studied the Heavenly Book of Physics?"
Song Yingxing: "What is the Heavenly Book of Physics?"
Young Master Bai: "So you haven't studied it! Phew, you startled me. I thought someone outside Gao Family Village also knew the Heavenly Book of Physics. Hehe."
Song Yingxing, a touch curious, asked, "What exactly is the Heavenly Book of Physics?"
Young Master Bai: "That's not something I can explain in a few words. Let's go examine that boulder first."
Before long, the group arrived at the construction site outside the city. There, a massive boulder lay sprawled across the road. They either had to move this stone or reroute the path. Undoubtedly, for the smooth operation of the solar-powered buses, moving the stone was the correct solution.
Young Master Bai asked, "Have you determined the weight of this stone?"
Teng Yifeng respectfully replied, "We lack the means to weigh such a large stone, so we do not know its exact mass."
Song Yingxing smiled, thinking to himself: *One could only use the method of Cao Chong weighing an elephant to determine this stone's weight... But an elephant can move; one can drive an elephant onto a boat. This stone, however, cannot be moved. There's no way to get it onto a boat, so it cannot be weighed.*
Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw Young Master Bai pull out a tailor's tape measure. He measured the boulder's diameter, then took out paper and brush, calculated furiously, and looked up. "Roughly 60,000 *jin*," he declared.
Song Yingxing: "!!!"
Young Master Bai continued his calculations on the paper, scribbling rapidly. A moment later, he looked up again. "To move a stone weighing over 60,000 *jin*, you'll need at least one large gear made to XX diameter, supplemented by a smaller gear of XX diameter... Let me calculate further... Hmm, yes, these values are about right. Go summon the blacksmiths; have them make several gears according to my specifications. They can only be larger than what I've set, never smaller, otherwise, even two oxen won't be able to pull it; it won't be enough force."
"Set up the gears here, use oxen to pull, and on the other side, have workers use iron bars to pry with force. That will move the stone."
Song Yingxing was utterly astonished. *I know gears can lift large stones, but I cannot precisely calculate what size gears are needed, or how many oxen it would take to pull them. I could only make the gears as large as possible. How can this child calculate with such precision?*
When in doubt, ask. Song Yingxing quickly pressed him. "Pray tell, Young Master Bai, how do you accurately calculate what size gears are needed to lift an object of a certain weight, given the strength of two oxen?"
Young Master Bai chuckled, "The difference in diameter between the large and small gears determines the multiplier of their amplified force... If you take the approximate strength of two oxen and the difference in the diameters of the two gears, and calculate it... Oh dear, I can't quite explain this verbally. Here, I'll give you a formula; you can see for yourself."
He picked up the brush and swiftly scribbled a formula onto the paper.
But Song Yingxing couldn't understand it at all, and for a moment, he was dumbfounded.
*This is terrible*, he thought. *I always believed I knew everything, but I never expected that coming here, I would discover there's always someone better, a higher heaven beyond this one.*
"I have an impertinent request," Song Yingxing said, his face flushing slightly. "That... Heavenly Book of Physics... I wonder if you would allow me to peruse it?" He added, "I can offer substantial remuneration."
Young Master Bai, however, cared nothing for "substantial remuneration." As long as someone was willing to learn, these things could be taught freely—those were the Heavenly Lord's exact words. So, he would simply give him the book.
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