In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, I wrote my will in the examination hall.

Chapter 80 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

"Don't talk nonsense, kid! This isn't something I came up with!"

Seeing Yang Yan's look of disbelief, Yang Jun seemed to realize how astonishing this thing was, and quickly waved his hand, sobering up a bit from the alcohol.

He looked around, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "A few years ago in Bingzhou, I accidentally received an ancient book from a down-on-his-luck Taoist priest. He said it was a fragment of the Mozi from the Warring States period, copied in ancient seal script and decorated with strange illustrations. The silk scroll was brittle, badly damaged by insects in many places, and the words were jumbled and incoherent. It contained illustrations of crossbows, kites, and wind-powered mechanisms, but most of the key parts were missing, and it was only a small portion of the scroll, so much of the information was vague..."

"I just copied what others were doing and figured it out by guesswork, and that's how I managed to cobble this thing together."

Fragments of the Mohist school of thought?

The last trace of doubt in Yang Yan's heart completely disappeared, replaced by an even more overwhelming joy.

This explanation makes perfect sense!

In this era, although most of the classics of the various schools of thought were lost, it is not surprising that some were occasionally preserved among the people.

But this only proves Yang Jun's value!

For the average person to obtain a diagram of Mohist mechanisms would simply treat it as an incomprehensible book, and might even use it to start a fire.

But Yang Jun not only understood it, but also restored it, and even made improvements to adapt it to the current materials and environment!

"Third Uncle, books are inanimate, but people are alive."

Yang Yan took a deep breath, his gaze fixed intently on the plump King of Qin before him. "Of all the countless people in this world who have read books, perhaps only you have transformed those inanimate objects on those tattered scrolls into this living, moving, and water-lifting 'miracle'!"

"That's talent! It's a gift from God!"

Yang Yan has made his decision.

We must turn Yang Jun into our "exclusive tool" and the cornerstone of the Sui Dynasty's industrial revolution!

If just now, the way he looked at Yang Jun still carried a hint of scrutiny and calculation.

Now, his eyes were filled with nothing but utmost sincerity, fervor, and adoration.

That look in his eyes was like that of a devout believer who had witnessed a miracle in the desert, or a lost traveler who had found a lighthouse in the darkness.

It's an emotion that can instantly break through human psychological defenses—it's called "being understood."

"Third Uncle!"

Yang Yan's voice trembled with barely suppressed excitement.

He suddenly took a step forward, stretched out his hands, and tightly grasped Yang Jun's hand, which was still holding the blueprints and was stained with a little ink.

His strength was astonishing; his knuckles turned white from the force, and Yang Jun's hand was throbbing with pain as he gripped him.

"Huh? Yan'er, what... what are you doing?"

Yang Jun was startled by this sudden action and instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but found it wouldn't budge.

"Third Uncle! I understand! I understand everything!"

Yang Yan did not loosen his grip; instead, he tightened it even more.

He looked up at Yang Jun, his eyes even welling up with a thin layer of mist, and his eyes gleaming with an almost manic light.

"Third Uncle! The Book of Changes says: 'What is seen is called an image, what is formed is called a vessel, what is made and used is called a law!' You are not playing with toys, you are making vessels and establishing laws! What my grandfather and the other gentlemen saw was merely a 'vessel,' but what I see is the 'law' behind it—the law of Heaven that uses the power of nature to relieve the labor of all people!"

He raised their hands, which were clasped tightly together, high above the huge windmill, as if making a vow to some unseen god.

"Your imperial grandfather said you were indulging in frivolous pursuits, but that was due to his limited perspective; the court officials said you were neglecting your duties, but that was because they were jealous of your talent!"

"What others see are mere wooden and bronze artifacts; what I see is the divinely bestowed ability in your hands to turn the rotten into the miraculous, to turn stone into gold!"

These words resounded like a great bell in Yang Jun's mind.

A true friend!

This is a true confidant!

From childhood to adulthood, he lived under the kindness of his elder brother Yang Yong and in the shadow of his younger brother Yang Guang's intelligence.

He liked woodworking, iron smelting, and watching gears mesh and turn.

But in everyone's eyes, this is a "lowly profession," a "neglect of one's duties," and a disgrace to the royal family.

His father scolded him, his mother sighed, and even the servants looked at him with disdain.

He could only do it secretly in Bingzhou, a place far from the emperor's reach, like a thief.

But now, this nephew, who is not usually close to him, is holding his hand and telling him—you are right, you are a genius, you are an auspicious omen for the Sui Dynasty!

Yang Jun felt a lump in his throat, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.

The pent-up resentment, unwillingness, and longing for recognition that had been building up for years burst forth at this moment.

He was so excited that he trembled all over, grabbed Yang Yan's hand with his backhand, his lips trembled violently, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

"Yan'er...you...you really...think that way?"

Yang Yan looked at him, who was so moved that he was about to cry, and sneered inwardly, but on his face he still maintained that fervent and sincere expression, and even nodded vigorously.

You must not only deceive the enemy, but also your teammates first.

If even a "simple" tech geek like Yang Jun can't handle it, how can he possibly handle that old silver coin Yang Guang?

"Third Uncle, every word I said comes from the bottom of my heart! If even half of it is false, may I be struck by lightning!"

Yang Yan made a firm and resolute vow.

Then, his expression changed slightly.

The fervent gaze gradually cooled, replaced by a perfectly balanced mix of confusion, regret, and deep sorrow.

"only……"

Yang Yan released his grip, took a half step back, and his gaze darted back and forth between the huge windmill and Yang Jun's face.

"There's something I don't understand, and I really have to get it off my chest."

Yang Jun, still basking in the warmth of being recognized, quickly wiped his eyes and said eagerly, "Yan'er, tell me! Whatever your third uncle knows, I'll tell you without reservation!"

Yang Yan sighed, his tone heavy with sorrow: "Since Third Imperial Uncle possesses such extraordinary talent, capable of harnessing the power of heaven and earth, why... why doesn't he use it to benefit all people, but instead uses it only to irrigate this mere garden of flowers and plants?"

This is like trying to peel an apple with a dragon-slaying sword!

Upon hearing this, Yang Jun paused for a moment, then a bitter smile appeared on his face, and his newly risen ambition instantly deflated.

"Benefit all people? Yan'er, don't tease your third uncle."

Yang Jun pointed to the huge windmill, then to the earth dragon under his feet, and helplessly spread his hands.

"You have no idea how expensive this thing is!"

"Just the transmission gear on the central shaft alone—to ensure it's wear-resistant, I used the finest brass and hired seven or eight experienced craftsmen who spent three whole months grinding it until it meshed perfectly!"

"And the wood used for the windmills is ironwood, transported from Lingnan; it's waterproof and rot-resistant!"

"It's no exaggeration to say it's a waste of resources and manpower... how can it be considered a benefit to the people?!"

Although Yang Jun loves to have fun, he's not stupid.

Cost control is his biggest pain point right now.

"Third Uncle, in the past, when Yu the Great controlled the floods, he dredged the waters instead of blocking them, which benefited the world."

Yang Yan pointed at the windmill, speaking rapidly and persuasively: "Using this windmill in the Prince's mansion would be a waste of time and energy, because it only allows the flowers and plants in the garden to be grown without human intervention, producing nothing more than scenery."

"But what if we used it on the edges of arid farmland? Or on the high, sloping lands of Guanzhong that are difficult to reach by irrigation canals?"

"A single windmill, working day and night, can irrigate hundreds of acres of fertile land! How much labor can that save? How much more grain can it produce? It's a meritorious act that saves countless lives!"

Yang Jun was stunned, and subconsciously retorted, "But...but this is too expensive! How could ordinary people, or even an entire village, afford to build something like this?"