NOVEL NEXT Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Lin Beifan, the First Person to Fly!
On the second day, the empress and all the officials came to the Imperial Academy to witness the miracle of flight.
The students and teachers of the Imperial Academy also skipped classes and came together to watch.
In the square, under the operation of several students, the large balloon that had been made was beginning to spread outwards, larger than a basketball court.
At the other end of the balloon was an opening, connected to a basket, and several students were busy holding torches to heat up the balloon, making it expand.
The empress was puzzled and asked, “Sir Lin, what is the meaning of this? When can the balloon fly?”
Lin Beifan stood beside the empress, looking at her exquisite face, and smiled, “Your Majesty, the students are heating up the balloon with hot air, just like with a Kongming lantern. When it has absorbed enough heat, it will expand and fly!”
“I see!” The empress nodded, still curious.
After a while, she asked anxiously, “Can this balloon really fly with people?”
“Your Majesty, rest assured, it will definitely work!” Lin Beifan was confident.
The balloon he had made was completely modeled on the most mature hot air balloon.
In terms of material, although the balloon was made of fabric, after being treated with a special method by him, it not only became more durable and airtight, but it was also highly resistant to heat, with more than enough material to make the balloon.
In terms of ropes and baskets, he had also made elaborate arrangements.
Even the fuel had been made with the most durable substance, which could burn more vigorously and last longer.
With all of these preparations, how could it not be successful?
After about two sticks of incense, the balloon finally inflated, forming a giant sphere that was three or four stories high.
Just this scene alone was very shocking, leaving people in awe.
And at this moment, the balloon had a tendency to rise.
If a few students did not hold it down, it might really take off.
The time to witness a miracle had come!
Everyone was very excited, and the empress was excited, “The time has come, who will fly? Come out quickly, let me see!”
Lin Beifan stood up and said with a smile, “Your Majesty, the person who will fly is none other than me, a humble servant!”
The empress and officials were dumbfounded!
The first person to fly was actually Lin Beifan?
This…this…
It was something they had never imagined!
The empress asked in surprise, “Sir Lin, why you?”
Lin Beifan smiled and said, “Your Majesty, from the production of the balloon to its flight, I was fully involved! No one knows hot air balloons better than I, so naturally, I will be the one to try it!”
In fact, there was another reason; he wanted to be the first person to fly!
This flight experiment was basically successful, and it was bound to become famous in history and be remembered for generations to come!
With such a rare opportunity to show off, how could he let it pass?
Besides, he was powerful enough to escape danger in case of an emergency, what was there to be afraid of?
“But it’s too dangerous. You are an official of the court and have a heavy responsibility. You should not be in such a dangerous situation! Sir Lin, please let someone else do it!” A minister couldn’t help but say.
“Your Majesty, please rest assured, all of you please rest assured, I dare to be the first person to fly because I am fully prepared and there will be no danger!” Lin Beifan said with a smile.
The empress knew Lin Beifan’s ability and nodded, “Go ahead, be careful.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Lin Beifan nodded and then came to the bottom of the balloon and jumped into the basket.
He nodded to the students next to him, “You may release it now!”
“Yes, Director!” they replied.
As everyone let go, the balloon slowly ascended.
Everyone was very excited and shocked.
“It’s flying!”
“He really is flying!”
“What a feat!”
…
The empress looked at the sky in shock. “It’s really flying!” At this moment, the hot air balloon was already 20 meters off the ground and about six stories high, with a rope attached so it wouldn’t fly too high.
Lin Beifan sat in the basket, waving to the crowd below. “Your Majesty, rest assured, everyone can rest assured, I’m fine!” The empress shouted, “Director, please be careful!”
Lin Beifan nodded and waved again to the students below. They received the signal and let go of the rope, causing the hot air balloon to slowly rise once again. Unknowingly, it had already risen 80 meters off the ground.
This height was already very impressive, equivalent to the height of an 18-floor building today, far surpassing the tallest building in the capital, standing out in the sky.
Many people in the capital saw the gradually rising hot air balloon and were instantly surprised.
“What is that? So huge and it can fly too?”
“Could it be a monster?”
“Truly, it is a strange object. Could it really be a monster? If it is, then the officials and soldiers would not sit still!”
“I see someone up there!”
“Me too, it’s the top scholar!”
“The top scholar is flying!”
Everyone saw it as a miracle and immediately called their friends to come and see the hot air balloon. In Lin Mansion, Dali ran back excitedly. “Mistress, come and see, young master is flying away!”
Li Shi Shi, Mo Rushuang, Guo Shaoshuai, and others were disturbed by the noise.
“Dali, what’s going on? You said my husband is flying away, how could he fly?” Li Shi Shi asked suspiciously.
Dali slapped his thighs. “Alas, I can’t explain it! Look up at the sky, and you’ll naturally understand!”
Following Dali’s direction, they saw a huge object rising into the air. Underneath the huge object was a basket with a person standing inside. The person was the owner of Lin Mansion, Lin Beifan.
So everyone was dumbfounded. “What is that? How can Mr. Lin be flying up there?” Mo Rushuang asked incredulously.
“Flying so high, how did he do it?” Guo Shaoshuai asked, stunned.
“Did Young Master fly directly to the sky?” Xiao Cui was shocked.
Two monks were equally shocked and worshipped, “Amitabha, this is a miracle!”
Li Shi Shi said excitedly, “My husband told me he’s been researching a human-carrying flying device lately, called a hot air balloon. It should be this thing, and I didn’t expect him to succeed so quickly!”
At this moment, Lin Beifan, who stood on the hot air balloon, was very excited. Flying with his self-made hot air balloon was very fulfilling! Especially in a world without much technological background, making a human-carrying flying hot air balloon and successfully flying it was even more fulfilling! In the future, this feat will surely be recorded in history!
Lin Beifan, the first person to fly in the sky!
At this time, the hot air balloon was already 80 meters off the ground, and the first successful manned flight of the hot air balloon could be considered a complete success.
However, Lin Beifan was still not satisfied, wanting to fly higher and farther. So once again, he waved to the students below to signal that they should let go of the rope.
The students were stunned, their faces turning pale. When the empress asked about it, one student said nervously, “Reporting to Your Majesty… Director Lin has asked us to release the rope holding the hot air balloon!”
The Empress was puzzled: “What danger is there in releasing the rope? Why have you all changed your expressions?”
The student trembled and said: “Your Majesty, if we release the rope, the hot air balloon will lose its restraint and we do not know where it will fly! This is the first manned flight, no one has operated a hot air balloon before, there is no previous experience to refer to, it may bring many uncertain dangers! Also, the fuel on the hot air balloon is limited, if it runs out, he will fall…”
The Empress’s expression changed slightly as well.
But at this moment, Lin Beifan could not wait any longer and cut the rope himself.
Losing the restraint of the rope, the hot air balloon flew higher, as if it really was going to fly to the sky!
The people of the city were stunned, and exclaimed that he must be a god!
Many ignorant people even knelt down and worshipped!
Gradually, the hot air balloon actually flew away from the capital and no one knew where it was going to fly to.
“Hurry and fetch him back! If something happens to him, I will hold you responsible!” The Empress shouted.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Everyone complied.
A large number of soldiers left the city and chased the hot air balloon.
At this time, Lin Beifan was extremely comfortable.
Sitting on the hot air balloon, he saw the whole city, as well as the mountains, rivers, lakes and seas at his feet!
He shocked the Empress and the officials, and was worshipped by the people!
It can be said that he succeeded in pretending to be great!
“However, the fuel is not enough, so I can choose a vacant plot of land to land on!”
As the fuel gradually depleted, the hot air balloon’s hot air was insufficient, and it slowly descended.
Finally, it landed safely in a vacant grassland.
This meant that the first flight in this world had been a complete success.
Soon, some powerful generals and court experts all rushed over.
Seeing that Lin Beifan was safe and sound, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sir Lin, the Empress has commanded us to escort you back!”
Lin Beifan nodded: “It’s alright! However, after I put away the hot air balloon, I will go back with you!”
“Of course! Do you need my assistance?”
About an hour later, Lin Beifan brought the hot air balloon back to the imperial academy.
The Empress hurried over, saw that Lin Beifan was safe and sound, and finally let go of her heart, scolding him: “Sir Lin, you scared me! From now on, do not do such dangerous things!”
Just now, she was really scared because she was afraid that Lin Beifan would not return!
If something unexpected were to happen, it would be too late to regret!
She found that she had become somewhat dependent on Lin Beifan!
She would rather not succeed in flying to the sky than let Lin Beifan get into trouble!
Looking at the concern in the Empress’s eyes, Lin Beifan’s heart warmed, and he bowed and said: “Your Majesty, I have caused you to worry. I will not do such adventurous things again in the future!”
“Good, remember your words! If you do it again, I will take off your head!” The Empress scolded.
Looking at the hot air balloon behind him that had already been put away, the Empress was extremely excited: “Sir Lin, come forward and receive the decree!”
“I’m here!” Lin Beifan bowed.
The Empress loudly proclaimed: “Lin Beifan created the great invention of the hot air balloon, and presided over the successful first manned flight, paving the way, benefiting the country and the people, with a very significant contribution! Therefore, I will award you…”
“Promote you to the next rank, as a Fifth-Rank Official, and continue to serve as a Director at the Imperial Academy!”
“Reward you with one hundred acres of fertile land!”
“Reward you with ten thousand taels of gold!”
…
This was followed by a series of luxury rewards.
However, the most enviable and jealousy inducing reward was the promotion to the next rank, as well as the one hundred acres of fertile land.
The promotion to the next rank gave him even more power.
The one hundred acres of fertile land could be passed down as a family wealth for generations, ensuring that the family would not decline.
“Thank you for your grace!” Lin Beifan loudly proclaimed.