“The process of obtaining this box is actually very complicated.”
Xia De said slowly, and opened the locks on both sides of the box with a click. He was not afraid that there was a self-destruct device in the suitcase. At worst, he could use the Breath of Time to go back.
"I guess this must be a very important item. For example... a troop distribution map of the southern border of Delarion."
"For example, the construction drawings of the kingdom's most advanced warships or the smelting methods of special alloys."
Ajelina also guessed.
"For example, the personal privacy of the king's politicians or the detailed list of bribes received by civil servants in various departments."
Leicia said casually, and the three of them looked at the black suitcase on Shad's lap.
"In this era, there shouldn't be anything more important than these, worthy of so many top agents stealing them, right?"
Xia De thought in his heart.
Outsider, do you really think these are the most important
"She" asked softly. In the slightly narrow carriage, it felt very strange to have someone talking in your ear.
“Civilization is the most important thing, but how can civilization fit into a suitcase?”
Xia De responded in his mind and opened the lid of the box. Just as he thought, it was full of paper materials, file bags, official papers, letters, drawings and other messy things piled together, and even two books.
This makes the suitcase look less like a secret and more like the luggage of an old professor on a business trip.
"What's this?"
He muttered curiously, picked up the first document, and then read out the title of the document under the light of the gas lamp on the bridge outside the window:
"The design principle and schematic diagram of the second generation simple mechanical integrator - data storage area"
Both Lecia and Ajelina looked at Shad curiously, because Shad's eyes widened and even his hands holding the documents began to tremble.
"Huh? This is..."
He took the document in his hand, and was stunned for a long time. Then he hurriedly rummaged through the other documents in the briefcase, looking through the schematics and theoretical books, and finally threw all the papers back into the box. He slapped his cheek in disbelief.
"Oh, I know the kingdom is researching this. I heard it's a confidential project."
Leicia asked.
"Sister, is this a more important document than the troop distribution, ship parameters, and political secrets?"
Ajelina asked curiously while holding the cat.
"Yes, they are all important. This is the prototype diagram of the Difference Engine... I gave it the name Difference Engine. It should be a large mechanized gear calculator."
Xia De nodded and looked at the night view outside the window. With so many manpower and material resources mobilized, and the layout started at least in the spring of 1853, he finally understood what Carsenrick was planning.
I originally thought that no matter what was in the box, so many people died in this operation and so many secrets were exposed to MI6, the operation itself was a failure.
But now he understood, completely understood that Carsenrick didn't care about the losses of this operation at all, because as long as the box successfully fell into the hands of the Angevin royal family, it would be a victory.
"This is... ... "
He took a deep breath:
“The Progress of Civilization.”
The starlight outside the window shone on Shade's face. The knowledgeable foreigner understood better what the information in his hand meant to this civilization that was following the path of machinery and steam:
"This is the prototype of the next generation of civilization..."
He couldn't help but want to praise Gray Gloves and the kingdom located in the south of the Old World. This box was worth taking at any price.
"I don't understand. It's just a calculator. There are calculators that can do addition and subtraction quickly, but they are just to assist calculations."
Ajelina shook her head, and the cat looked at Shad curiously. It had never seen Shad with such an expression.
"No, Ajelina, no, that's not it."
He carefully closed the box, then placed his arms on it and said softly:
“Think about it, when calculators can realize multiplication, division and integration, and then realize more complex operations and control instructions, what can 0 and 1, which represent on and off, become?”
An extremely miniaturized steam engine has already appeared here, which cannot be achieved with the technological level of the stranger's hometown. He does not mind using his richer imagination to imagine to what extent this civilization that has embarked on another technological path can develop.
"What does it represent?"
Leicia asked curiously.
“It represents the beginning of the next industrial wave.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly. The value of the suitcase in his hand was far more than the 200 pounds he paid for it.
A simple look at it made him realize that the prototype of this advanced computing-aided machine had actually been designed. Although it was only the most basic computing machine, when people discovered the qualitative changes brought about by miniaturization and integration, the information in this box would become a priceless treasure.
"Imagine a steam factory assembly line that calculates the output of machinery, pushes levers and grips, and replaces workers with repetitive pressing tasks. Imagine that when the steam network spreads around the world, it connects this machinery, converts the input steam pressure into input numbers, and through the reasonable distribution of the calculation machinery, the output numbers are converted into thrust control valves using mechanical principles; imagine..."
"Wait, Shade, is this really possible?"
Leicia frowned and asked, and Shade nodded seriously:
"That's a little simpler. Compared to simple mechanical computers that can only perform addition and subtraction, this kind of mechanical computer that can perform multiplication, division, and even integration will speed up the development of industries such as metallurgy, machinery manufacturing, shipbuilding, and weapon design by more than one level... Of course, the premise is that large steam computers can be manufactured."
What he had in his hands were just principles and prototypes. Although they looked quite realistic, the titles of those documents also said that these were just temporary ideas and models.
“Oh, yes, it’s valuable!”
Fire Jumper Larus III attached great importance to the education of the Cavendish family. Leicia and Ajelina were also girls who had received a high-level systematic education. Although they still didn't quite understand Shade's initial "crazy idea", they all understood the significance of large-scale computer-assisted machinery.
"What a vision! The people of Carsenrick really have a good vision."
Xia De couldn't help but praise him, but he also knew where he stood:
"So what do you do with this suitcase? Don't dump it in my basement this time."
"Of course not."
Leicia said, and after thinking for a moment, she asked again;
"Since you got it from Gray Glove, can you give it back?"
"sure."
Shad nodded. The "last words" left by Professor Higgins's soul mentioned the handover method tomorrow.
So Leicia took the suitcase:
"Tonight I will organize some people to copy all the information in this briefcase. Afterwards, I will have people find out the specific source of these materials. It is impossible for such information to be lost without any trace. As for the original documents in the box, Shade, return the gray gloves to you."
"Hmm? Why?"
Shade asked in surprise.
"I've heard about this research. It's a cooperative project between the Kingdom and the Church of Creation. At the same time, the Church of Creation is also working with Carsonrick on a similar topic. Now it seems that this cooperation is not completely shared, and Delarion's progress is a little faster."
Leisia raised the corner of her mouth:
"After the people I found have identified these documents, I will extract one or two key pages and replace them with other content. Since you named it the 'Difference Engine', I will forge a few more letters in the name of 'John Watson', the secret mechanical expert of Delarion, to convince Carsenrick that this is the Difference Engine... This will be very interesting. In this way, this box of documents can not only help Carsenrick's research, but also confuse them. This is not a bad thing, but a good thing... It is good for both countries."
Xia De nodded. He didn't care who got the documents.
"And what about the transcript? You're going to keep it for your own research?"
"Of course not. How could I possibly compete with the research progress of the church and the kingdom? Now that we have found the important documents that the kingdom has lost, we naturally have to let Father Wang know that this is my contribution."
Although this was someone Xia De had asked for, Xia De didn't want to get involved in such a dangerous matter, so it would be better to leave it to Lecia.
"I'll take care of it, it's valuable."
The princess smiled, and then suddenly looked at Xia De. Xia De was very familiar with this look in her eyes.
Sure enough, the red-haired princess reached out and hooked Shade's chin, then leaned over and kissed him:
"very nice."
"Sister, can you use this merit to exchange for me not having to marry someone I don't like?"
The little princess holding the cat asked cautiously. Leisia looked at her, and that look made Ajelina seem a little scared.
"Don't worry, Ajelina, as long as you are willing to listen to me, you will not be married to anyone as a political tool."
Leicia turned her head slightly to look at her sister, and her tone was not as gentle as when she talked to Shade. Shade could only see half of her face illuminated by the gas lamp on the bridge outside the window. He had to admit that if those witches were not counted, Leicia should be one of the most delicate girls Shade had ever met.
"Okay, sister."
The sixteen-year-old princess nodded and looked at Shade again:
"Detective, you'll help me too, right?"
"Yes."
Xia De smiled and nodded. Compared with the dangers and troubles he faced, the troubles of this little princess were not difficult:
"Lecia, I need to pass the suitcase out tomorrow morning."
"No problem. I'll send someone to return the suitcase to you tomorrow morning. Shade, you really brought something good this time."
Shade shook his head and said nothing more. However, he really felt that he had touched the progress of civilization at this moment. In this world with steam gears and mystical elements, ring wizards were running and fighting for different goals, and the civilization of ordinary people did not stagnate because of this.
This era is more dynamic and interesting than he thought.