Chapter 1 The Partnership

Qi Zhentao's partnership proposal was impossible for Ye Tao to refuse. Qi Zhentao would invest 200,000 taels of gold as capital for the partnership with Ye Tao to "research" and produce pendulum clocks and spring clocks. He would hold half the shares, but for the first 10 years, he would take 65% of the profits from the manufacture and sale of the two types of clocks. Ye Tao, as the other partner, would have to come up with a plan within a month, finalize the product design within three months, and officially begin production within six months—almost the standard timeframe for the shipyard. The Ye family, besides production and research, wouldn't have to invest a single tael of silver. Furthermore, there was an additional clause: Qi Zhentao would lend the Ye family 600,000 taels of silver interest-free, to be repaid in installments of 100,000 taels per year for six years, starting from the second year. Qi Zhentao and the Qi family wouldn't inquire about how the money was used. The gold-to-silver ratio was currently about 1:6, so 100,000 taels of gold was equivalent to the value of selling Chun Nuan Ju, enough for Ye Tao to get started in the capital.

Even more interesting was that Qi Zhentao had the foresight to specify in the partnership agreement that 50% of the annual profits from the sale of clocks would be reinvested in research and development of more accurate timekeeping products and in expanding the network of stores. The remaining 50% would be divided between the two parties, and it was further stipulated that if either party wanted to transfer their shares, the other party would have the right of first refusal.

Qi Zhentao was simply a natural venture capitalist. In this era, clock production was undoubtedly a high-tech industry. Since Qi Zhentao was considering not only profits but also future research and development, Ye Tao could only be impressed. Compared to him, Qi Zhentao knew almost nothing about the principles of pendulum clocks and spring clocks; he had come up with these ideas almost instinctively. Moreover, it was Qi Zhentao who had proposed the additional clause that could solve almost all of his worries.

Without contract law, such an agreement in this era would at most be kept as a backup by the local government to avoid future disputes. But after Peng Detian had a copy of the agreement made and stamped his Governor-General seal on both original copies and the copy kept in the Governor-General's office, he was also filled with emotion. Not everyone had this kind of boldness and determination; no wonder Qi Zhentao, while not exactly wealthy enough to rival a country, could be considered a local strongman. Afterwards, he almost immediately copied the agreement again and sent it to the capital via express delivery at 400 li per day. Every move of Ye Tao was now being watched by the Dongping ruler, so Peng Detian naturally didn't dare to be negligent.

In fact, Qi Zhentao even solved the problem of how Ye Tao would transport a large sum of money to the capital. No banks, no Piaohao (traditional Chinese financial institutions)? No problem. The largest merchants had long used established cooperation among themselves to solve this problem, it was just that Ye Tao's Ye family, which he led, was not yet qualified to enter that circle. With Qi Zhentao's letter, Ye Tao could withdraw the 600,000 taels of silver from the Zuo family in the capital at any time.

Under the pressure of the contract, Ye Tao threw himself into his studio, now relocated to Chun Nuan Ju, and began a new round of research.

The main problem wasn't design, but craftsmanship. And to improve the level of craftsmanship, the most fundamental thing was measuring instruments. Ye Tao missed the era when he could go to any store and buy vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauges. Even the basic stainless steel ruler that he always kept in his pencil case would probably be considered luxuriously precise in this era. Now, these problems were all on his shoulders, which was really annoying.

In the absence of armament repair work, the armory workshop opened, and the best apprentices and Ye Tao's fellow apprentices were all gathered together. Finally, in the first month, they produced a complete set of vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauges, improving the measurement accuracy to a level of 1/25th of a millimeter.

What followed was product finalization. Qi Zhentao didn't require that both types of clocks be made at once, so Ye Tao decided to start with the pendulum clock. At this time, a proper pendulum clock, not the shoddy goods used to deceive distant foreign merchants, also arrived at Ye Tao's studio. The escapement mechanism used in the pendulum clocks that Frank could produce was a pinwheel escapement. In Ye Tao's memory, it seemed that the pendulum clock in the original era had started with this structure. However, since he had more mature and advanced structures in his mind, there seemed to be no need to learn this pinwheel escapement, and then have to bear the reputation of imitation. Between the almost wear-free grasshopper escapement and the more widely used anchor escapement, Ye Tao chose the latter. It was the anchor escapement that made longcase pendulum clocks popular for a time, and in this time and space, it should have the same effect, right? And the first type of pendulum clock that Ye Tao finalized was superior to any pendulum clock produced by Frank, because it didn't just have the function of timekeeping. Ye Tao added fixed-point time reporting and hourly time reporting functions to the pendulum clock. The time reporting could even be chosen to be either the deep, traditional chime or the melodious music from Ye Tao's specially made 16-chord 4-timbre music box. Of course, customization of music was not available for the time being, that was for sure. And subsequent development plans included incorporating a moon phase display and an annual tide chart into the clock. These auxiliary functions all needed to be wound separately, and internally they were all connected to the timekeeping central mechanism with lightweight escapement mechanisms. In fact, after the core part of the timekeeping was finalized, the extensions that Ye Tao had in his mind for this clock were far more than these, but it was better to release them gradually. Just for this undoubtedly high-tech product of this era, the already thin Ye Tao lost even more weight.

"Ye boy, I still underestimated you?" After moving the first pendulum clock to Zhenhai Villa, the excited Qi Zhentao invited Governor-General Peng Detian, Naval Commander Min Yue, and Ye Tao's friend Du Fengchi. He also invited all the Ye family workshop members who had been studying the principles and manufacturing process of this clock for the past two months to participate in this luxurious banquet, a "launch and celebration conference" type of event. When the pendulum clock opened with a deep and melodious chime, drawing a chorus of praise, Qi Zhentao, disregarding Ye Tao's young age, raised a full glass to him. At this time, he also couldn't care about his little fiancée Dai Qiuyan's concerned persuasion as she tugged at his sleeve, and Ye Tao had no choice but to drink it all.

"Old Master, are you satisfied with this thing?" Ye Tao's smile seemed a little tired, but his spirits were very high. Putting all his heart and soul into one thing and finally achieving success, the sense of accomplishment was indescribable.

"Of course I'm satisfied. This thing is much better than the one in my study." Qi Zhentao couldn't find any fault with it for the moment. Of course, in this era, this was almost something to be worshiped as a technological achievement. When this pendulum clock could be officially produced and "re-exported" to Europe, when those clockmakers discovered that the mechanism inside was very different from the pinwheel escapement that they were smugly keeping secret, but had higher precision and better reliability, who knows how shocked they would be. However, these past two months had been a huge drain on money; 20,000 taels of gold had been thrown into it. The best craftsmen, the best quality materials, the most careful manufacturing process, and even the scribes who recorded the procedures were among the best of the apprentices. Although the manufacturing process was absolutely confidential, even Ye Tao himself had learned a lot from it.

"Old Master, I've been working like crazy these days, and I finally got it done for you on time. Can you let me rest for a few days? The rest is to continue making measuring tools, lathes, and to teach another group of people how to make this thing. Otherwise, only me and my fellow apprentices understand this thing now, which is really too few people," Ye Tao took this opportunity to beg for mercy.

Qi Zhentao chuckled and said, "The agreement is just a formality, but am I an unreasonable person? Even if you didn't make it in three months, seeing how hard you've been working these days, would I blame you? You call me an elder with your mouth, but you don't treat me as one of your own in your heart, do you?"

Ye Tao said, "Of course I treat you as one of my own. We've already formed a partnership, how can we not be one of our own? ... However, it will really take at least three months for this clock to be mass-produced. Even if there are some delays at that time, there's nothing to be done."

Even with the systematic technical training at the Ye family workshop, the number of apprentices who could now competently make pendulum clocks was extremely limited. Of course, it wasn't impossible to have the original team that participated in the research and development mainly responsible for manufacturing, while also training apprentices, but the production capacity would be a problem. According to Ye Tao's estimation, with this method, the output would not exceed two units per month. With this production capacity, not to mention external sales, it would probably be difficult to satisfy even the network of relationships between the two families in half a year.

Qi Zhentao said understandingly, "It's okay. Since you say so, you can arrange everything. I don't understand this."

That day, everyone no longer treated Ye Tao as a teenager. After pouring several cups of wine into him, Ye Tao, who couldn't hold his liquor, passed out drunk. When he woke up, he was already in his own bedroom in Chun Nuan Ju. Dai Qiuyan's petite body was nestled in his arms. The little girl had no awareness of avoiding suspicion, and on this large bed, behind him, Su Fei was sleeping soundly.

"Young Master," Ye Tao's slight movements were enough to wake the sensitive Su Fei, and she called out softly.

"Su Fei, keep sleeping, it's okay." After two years of getting along, Ye Tao also knew that Su Fei was not the kind of woman who constantly did things to show her existence. The clever her didn't need to do this. Indeed, as Su Fei herself thought, Ye Tao was actually using her as a secretary. And Su Fei also knew that this young master didn't want her to be busy with trivial matters all day long.

"Last night, someone from the capital came to find Young Master. It was that Miss Zhuo's subordinate. You were still at Old Master Qi's place at that time, so I had him stay in the back courtyard first." After a pause, Su Fei continued, "That person, he brought an eagle."