Chapter 451: It Just Keeps Getting Better

Oxford Academy was filled with celebration following the successful development of the compound steam engine.

Simon’s decision to award the entire physics academy a collective honour medal had further ignited the students’ enthusiasm. The academy was more lively than ever, with discussions about the new invention breaking out in every corner.

Some students debated how to improve the engine’s efficiency, while others discussed how it could be applied to different machines. Even those who had contributed little to its development were eager to participate in the next stage of research.

The compound steam engine had become the academy’s greatest achievement.

Of course, the happiest person was Simon himself.

After leaving Oxford Academy, he returned to his castle with an irrepressible smile. He had spent years laying the foundations for Brambleford’s industrial development, and now, at last, he could see the results.

The industrial revolution was no longer a distant ambition.

It was about to begin.

"What good news has made Your Highness so happy?"

Elin greeted him with a smile when he returned to the castle.

She had noticed his cheerful expression from the moment he entered. Although she had no idea what had happened, seeing him so delighted naturally lifted her own spirits.

Simon approached her and took her hand.

"My lady, you might not understand what a steam engine is, but I have some wonderful news to share with you."

He smiled mysteriously.

"Come. Let me explain."

Elin looked at him curiously as he led her toward a comfortable sitting room.

Simon then described the physics academy’s latest achievement, explaining how the compound steam engine worked and why it was so important. To make the principles easier to understand, he also brought out his technology crystal and used its knowledge to give her a brief lesson.

At first, Elin struggled to grasp the unfamiliar concepts.

However, as Simon patiently explained how steam could drive a piston, how mechanical motion could be transmitted to other components, and how a single engine could power several machines, the picture gradually became clearer.

By the time he finished, her expression had changed from curiosity to astonishment.

"If what My Lord says is true, then this steam engine is extraordinarily important to Brambleford—and perhaps even to the entire empire!"

She looked at him in disbelief.

"One machine can perform the work of more than a hundred people? That’s terrifying!"

Simon nodded.

"Exactly."

He sat back and continued, "Brambleford’s greatest weakness has always been its small population. We have abundant resources and plenty of plans, but there simply aren’t enough people to do all the work."

He turned around.

"Steam engines can change that. Instead of relying entirely on human and animal labour, we can use machines to handle much of the work. One person operating a machine could potentially accomplish what would otherwise require dozens or even hundreds of workers, depending on the task."

Simon paused before adding, "The textile industry, in particular, is about to undergo an enormous transformation."

At the mention of textiles, Elin immediately became interested.

"My Lord, what does the steam engine have to do with textiles?"

Simon smiled.

"Because there is a type of textile machine that can take full advantage of steam power. Once we combine the two, the amount of cloth we can produce will increase dramatically."

He leaned forward.

"Think about it. What currently takes several women an entire day to accomplish might eventually be completed by a machine in a fraction of the time."

Elin’s eyes brightened.

"My Lord, the new textile machines you introduced to Brambleford have already amazed everyone. Are you saying that you have something even better?"

"Of course."

Simon had already begun considering the next step.

The spinning jenny was one of the inventions that helped transform the textile industry during the historical Industrial Revolution. By allowing a single operator to spin multiple threads simultaneously, it dramatically increased productivity.

For Brambleford, introducing such a machine alongside steam power could produce extraordinary results.

Simon explained, "There is a multi-spindle spinning machine that allows one worker to spin several threads at once. The basic design has eight spindles, and it can process cotton, wool, and hemp."

Elin blinked.

"It can spin wool and hemp as well?"

Simon nodded.

"That’s only the basic model. With further improvements, the number of spindles can be increased to forty."

He smiled as he imagined the possibilities.

"Just imagine a forty-spindle machine powered by a steam engine, operating throughout the day. Think about how much thread it could produce compared with traditional hand spinning."

For a moment, Elin appeared fascinated by the prospect.

Then, as she considered the consequences more carefully, her expression gradually changed.

"My Lord, if these machines become widespread, what will happen to ordinary people who make their living spinning thread and weaving cloth?"

Simon paused.

Elin continued, her tone growing concerned.

"Most families in the empire depend on farming, raising livestock, or producing goods by hand. Many women spin thread and weave cloth to supplement their household income. If Brambleford can produce enormous quantities of cloth at a much lower cost, how will those families compete?"

She looked directly at him.

"Handwoven cloth will become more expensive than machine-made cloth. Merchants will naturally choose the cheaper products. What will happen to the people who lose their livelihoods? Won’t they resent the new machines?"

Her questions struck a nerve.

Simon’s smile gradually faded.

He had been so focused on the possibilities offered by steam power that he had temporarily overlooked one of its most immediate consequences.

Disruption.

He remembered how early textile machinery had provoked fierce resistance from workers who feared losing their traditional occupations. For families whose survival depended on their labour, an invention that increased productivity could also threaten their source of income.

The same problem could emerge in Brambleford.

The compound steam engine might bring unprecedented prosperity, but its benefits would not necessarily reach everyone at the same time.

Some merchants would become wealthier.

Some workshops would expand.

Yet some traditional workers could find themselves unable to compete.

And in a society where most families relied on small-scale farming and household production, such changes could easily create instability.

Elin’s warning had come at precisely the right moment.

Simon fell silent for several seconds before answering.

"Even so, the textile industry must eventually change."

His tone was firm, although his expression remained thoughtful.

"We cannot refuse to advance simply because people may initially struggle to understand the benefits. If we do, Brambleford will remain trapped by the limitations of its current production methods."

He looked at Elin.

"However, you’re right about one thing. We cannot ignore the people who might be affected."

Elin nodded slowly.

She understood Simon’s ambitions. She also knew that he rarely abandoned a plan once he had decided it was necessary.

But she hoped he would consider the consequences before moving forward.

Seeing that he had fallen into deep thought, she decided not to press the matter further.

"I’ll leave you to your thoughts, My Lord."

With that, she returned to her chambers.

Simon remained seated, rubbing his forehead.

The successful development of the steam engine should have been a cause for nothing but celebration. Yet Elin had reminded him that technological progress was never merely a matter of inventing better machines.

It also changed people’s lives.

And if those changes came too quickly, the resulting disruption could undermine the very prosperity he hoped to create.

The Eldorian Empire was still predominantly an agricultural society.

Across the countryside, men worked the fields, raised cattle, and performed other forms of manual labour. Women managed their households, spun thread, wove cloth, and sold their products whenever they could earn additional income.

Most families produced at least some of what they needed themselves.

They grew their own food, made or repaired their clothing, and depended heavily on the land around them.

Their lives were simple, but the system had endured for generations.

Now Simon intended to introduce machines capable of transforming that entire way of life.

The compound steam engine could provide the mechanical power needed to establish large workshops and factories. The spinning jenny could dramatically increase textile production. Other machines would eventually follow, making it possible to manufacture goods on a scale previously unimaginable.

Brambleford could gradually move from a small-scale, self-sufficient agricultural economy toward an industrial society.

But Simon understood that the transition would not be painless.

Once merchants discovered the profits available through mechanised production, capital would naturally flow toward the most profitable industries. Workshops would expand, factories would multiply, and workers would begin moving toward towns where employment was available.

Urbanisation would accelerate.

Traditional occupations would change.

Landowners, merchants, craftsmen, and labourers would all face new opportunities and new pressures.

Simon could not predict every consequence.

More importantly, he could not afford to let the entire territory descend into disorder simply because he had introduced a revolutionary invention.

He was a vassal prince, not merely an inventor.

His responsibility extended beyond increasing production and accumulating wealth. He had to maintain stability while ensuring that Brambleford continued to develop.

After considerable thought, he reached a decision.

For the time being, he would not allow private merchants to acquire steam engines freely.

Instead, the government would establish its own steam-powered workshops and carefully control the initial expansion of mechanised production.

This would allow Brambleford to benefit from the new technology without immediately triggering a chaotic race among merchants to replace traditional labour.

The government could gradually expand production, create new employment opportunities, and introduce machinery into industries where its benefits were greatest.

As factories became more familiar and ordinary people began to see that industrial employment could provide a reliable livelihood, Simon could gradually open the technology to private merchants.

The process would take longer, but it would give society time to adapt.

There was another advantage.

By limiting access to the technology, Brambleford could keep the details of its steam engines secret for longer. The fewer people who possessed the machines, the easier it would be to control the spread of their designs.

In an era when technological advantages could determine the fortunes of entire nations, secrecy was valuable.

Having settled on a preliminary plan, Simon finally exhaled.

Being a vassal prince was far more complicated than simply issuing orders and watching them succeed.

Every major decision carried consequences.

He had to balance industrial growth against social stability, private profit against public interests, and immediate benefits against long-term risks.

He could not suddenly abandon the people who had sustained his territory for generations simply because a new economic system promised greater wealth.

Nor could he halt progress altogether.

The answer was to manage the transition carefully.

Once industrial knowledge became more widespread and people understood the opportunities created by the new technology, the Industrial Revolution could advance without tearing Brambleford’s society apart.

At least, that was his hope.

Simon had just begun considering how to organise the first government-operated steam workshops when a servant entered the room.

"Your Highness, Gru Simpson from the military workshop has arrived. He says he has brought you a rifled gun."

Simon immediately looked up.

"A rifled gun?"

Surprise flashed across his face.

Ever since his recent journey to Ashenford, Brambleford’s technological development seemed to have accelerated dramatically.

First came the compound steam engine.

Now the military workshop had produced a rifled firearm.

What else were his craftsmen developing while he was away?

Simon had expected the spread of technical knowledge to produce a wave of new inventions, but witnessing it happen so quickly was still astonishing.

The more knowledge he shared, the more the scholars and craftsmen learned to experiment independently. Instead of waiting for him to provide every solution, they were beginning to explore new possibilities on their own.

This was exactly what he had hoped to achieve.

"Let him in," Simon ordered.

His curiosity had been thoroughly aroused.

He wanted to see what Simpson had accomplished.

A short while later, Gru Simpson entered the room carrying a flintlock rifle.

He approached Simon and respectfully presented the weapon.

"Your Highness, this is the new rifle developed by the military workshop. We produced it by following the technical books you provided."

Simon accepted the firearm and examined it carefully.

At first glance, it resembled an ordinary flintlock musket. However, the barrel had been modified.

He looked through the muzzle.

Inside, he could see numerous closely spaced grooves running along the bore. They appeared to follow a slanted pattern, resembling the spiral rifling used in more advanced firearms.

Simon examined the barrel for a while.

Then he understood what had happened.

The craftsmen had managed to produce a rifled barrel, but the manufacturing method was probably crude and labour-intensive.

He turned toward Simpson.

"Tell me honestly. How long did you spend cutting those grooves with a hooked tool?"

Simpson froze.

For a moment, he stared at Simon as though wondering how the prince had seen through the entire process with a single glance.

Then he gave a wry smile.

"Nothing escapes Your Highness’s eyes."

He sighed before continuing.

"Yes, we used a hooked tool to cut the grooves inside the barrel. The process is extremely slow. It took several days to produce a single barrel that met our requirements."

He glanced at the rifle in Simon’s hands.

"And even after all that work, the weapon still has a serious problem. The rifling makes loading the bullet much more difficult. At present, its loading speed is only about one-third that of an ordinary smoothbore musket."

Simon’s expression grew thoughtful.

The military workshop had succeeded in creating a rifled firearm, but the result was far from satisfactory.

The grooves inside the barrel could help impart a spin to a properly fitted projectile, improving its stability in flight. However, the method of manufacture and the difficulty of loading meant that the rifle could not yet replace the ordinary musket in widespread military service.

Still, Simon wasn’t disappointed.

On the contrary, he felt a surge of excitement.

The craftsmen had already crossed the first hurdle.

Now they needed to overcome the limitations of their manufacturing process.

Simon slowly lowered the rifle and looked at Simpson.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"That’s a good start."

He tapped the barrel lightly with one finger.

"But if it takes several days to produce a single barrel, we won’t be able to manufacture these rifles in meaningful quantities."

His gaze sharpened.

"We need to solve the problem of rifling production."

The military workshop had brought him another surprise. And Simon was already thinking about how to turn it into the next breakthrough.