My Imperial Advisor is ChatGPT

Chapter 106 Knowledge is Wealth: The Patent Law of the Qin Dynasty

Xianyang West Market, the most bustling snack street.

Recently, a small stall called "Zhang Ji Fei Mian" has become popular. It's not just because of the chewy noodles, but also because of the strange thing the owner, Zhang Daqiao, has in his hand.

That wasn't an ordinary kitchen knife, but a mechanical device connected to a foot pedal. Zhang Daqiao only needed to pedal like riding a bicycle, and the iron arm on the device would swing up and down rapidly, the blades flying out like snowflakes, slicing the dough into the boiling soup pot with a "swish swish swish".

It's fast, produces uniform thickness, and—it's extremely visually appealing.

"Wow! Boss Zhang's 'mechanical flying noodles' technique is simply divine!"

The restaurant was packed with diners, their coins clinking together. Zhang Daqiao wiped his sweat, a broad smile spreading across his face. He was a failed disciple of the outer sect of the Mohist school, and although he hadn't entered the Qin Academy of Sciences, his skills were enough to keep him a living in Xianyang.

However, the good times did not last long.

Only three days later.

Across from Zhang's shop, a large shop that used to sell steamed buns suddenly put up a new sign – "Wang's Super Flying Noodles".

Zhang Daqiao was astonished to discover that the guy opposite him was operating the exact same machine! The only difference was that the other guy's machine was painted red, making it look more festive.

Don't miss out! Wang Ji Flying Noodles, half price! Half price now!

The other side is wealthy and powerful, so they directly launched a price war.

Zhang Daqiao rushed over to argue: "Manager Wang! How...how could you steal my skills? That machine was designed after three months of working through the night!"

Shopkeeper Wang picked his teeth, a roguish look on his face: "Steal? Boss Zhang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. This machine was something my blacksmith dreamed about last night. What, you're allowed to be smart, but others aren't allowed to dream?"

"You...you're shameless!"

"Shameless? In the laws of Qin, stealing money is illegal, stealing cattle is illegal, but stealing 'appearances' is not illegal," Manager Wang sneered. "Go ahead and report me to the Court of Justice if you dare!"

Zhang Daqiao was trembling with anger, but there was nothing she could do.

Less than half a month later, "Zhang's Flying Noodles" went out of business. Zhang Daqiao, carrying his rusty machine, sat at the head of Xianyang Bridge, looking at the rolling Wei River, wanting to jump in, but unable to bear giving up his skills.

Just as he was about to throw the machine into the river to make a sound, a black Hongqi sedan (a low-end version of the Zulong) slowly stopped at the bridgehead.

The car window rolled down, revealing the face of the national advisor, Wang Jianguo, who was wearing glasses.

"Hey buddy, this machine has a pretty ingenious structure, cam drive? Why throw it away?"

Zhang Daqiao was stunned for a moment, then knelt down and wailed, "Grand Preceptor! This world... leaves no way for clever people to survive!"

Xianyang Palace, Imperial Study.

Ying Zheng looked at the "automatic noodle-shaving machine" placed on the imperial desk, and then at Zhang Daqiao, who was kneeling in the palace with her eyes swollen from crying.

"Founding a Nation, is this the 'important matter' you wanted to tell me by stopping me?" Ying Zheng pointed at the machine. "A cooking machine?"

"Your Majesty, this is not just a machine," Wang Jianguo said solemnly. "It is the lifeline of Great Qin's industry."

Wang Jianguo picked up the blueprint for the noodle-slicing machine—it was a rough sketch drawn by Zhang Daqiao, though crude, it was full of ingenuity.

"Your Majesty, Zhang Daqiao spent three months designing this, the cost of countless sleepless nights and dozens of failures. Meanwhile, that Manager Wang only needs to glance at it and can replicate it in three days. If this becomes the norm, who will bother inventing? Who will bother innovating?"

"Everyone waits for someone else to do it, and then—copies it."

"Once 'copying' becomes more profitable than 'creation,' the Qin Dynasty's technological tree will wither and die."

Li Si, standing beside him, stroked his beard thoughtfully: "The Grand Preceptor is right. According to Qin law, those who steal others' property are tattooed on the face and have their toes cut off. But this... stealing someone else's 'ideas' is indeed not covered by any law. After all, ideas are invisible and intangible."

"Then make it 'visible'," Wang Jianguo said decisively.

"Little G," Ying Zheng murmured to himself.

[Yes, Brother Zheng.]

How did later generations solve this problem?

[Brother Zheng, this is called the "patent system." The famous President Lincoln once said, "The patent system is like adding fuel to the fire of genius."]

In simple terms, it's like the state and the inventor signing a contract: the inventor discloses the secrets of their technology to the state, and in return, the state protects the inventor, granting them exclusive use or licensing of the technology for a certain period (e.g., 20 years). Anyone who dares to copy it will be punished by the state, facing financial ruin.

The first modern patent law originated in Venice or England, and it was the true catalyst for the Industrial Revolution. Without it, Watt might still be repairing umbrellas instead of improving the steam engine.

"To ignite the fire of genius, add the oil of profit..." Ying Zheng pondered these words, his eyes gleaming.

"What a convenient way to profit!"

Ying Zheng suddenly stood up and walked to Zhang Daqiao.

"Your name is Zhang Daqiao?"

"This humble subject is here..."

"I understand your grievances. From this day forward, no one will dare take your things for free." Ying Zheng's voice echoed in the hall. "Li Si!"

"Your subject is here."

"Draft an edict. Promulgate the **Great Qin Patent Law**."

"First, all citizens of the Great Qin Dynasty may apply for protection from the 'Great Qin Patent Office' if they have any new inventions or technologies."

"Second, those who pass the review will be issued a 'patent certificate'. It is valid for twenty years. During this period, only the certificate holder may produce, sell, or authorize others to do so."

"Third, anyone who imitates without permission will have all their illegal gains confiscated, be fined ten times that amount, and not only will they have to pay compensation, but they will also have to repair the Great Wall!"

"Fourth," Ying Zheng pointed to the noodle-slicing machine, "this machine is Qin's **Patent No. 1**."

Zhang Daqiao was dumbfounded. He never imagined that his bowl of noodles would actually produce a complete set of Qin Dynasty laws.

"Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

The promulgation of the "Qin Patent Law" caused an uproar in Xianyang.

At first, the people were skeptical. But when the shopkeeper Wang, who had plagiarized Zhang Daqiao, was shut down by the Court of Justice, his shop and his embezzled goods were seized, he was ordered to pay Zhang Daqiao a full five hundred taels of silver, and finally he was driven out of Xianyang City wearing only his underwear, everyone's eyes turned red with envy.

"See that? Zhang Daqiao's old noodle-making machine, she's licensed it to someone else to make, and she's making money off it without even lifting a finger!"

"Wow, so the ideas in my head can actually be turned into money?"

"I've got an idea! I'm going to be rich!"

Overnight, a near-frenzied "invention craze" swept through Xianyang.

The newly established "Great Qin Patent Bureau" (located next to the Shaofu) sees long queues forming at its entrance every day before it even opens.

The line included Mohist disciples, blacksmiths, carpenters, and even an old lady with a rolling pin.

The director of the patent office was concurrently held by Gongshu Huai. At this moment, this chief mechanic of the Qin Dynasty was looking at the mountain of application documents on his table, his head spinning.

"What is this?" Gongshu Huai picked up an application form and asked a down-on-his-luck scholar in front of him.

"Sir, this is an 'automatic book-turning machine'!" The scholar gestured excitedly. "It uses wind power to turn the pages, freeing up your hands! Readers can eat biscuits while reading!"

Gongshu Huai: "...What if the wind blows the book away? Rejected! Not practical enough!"

"Next!"

A blacksmith with a face covered in soot and smoke entered.

"Sir, this is a 'steam-powered back scratcher'! It uses a steam piston to drive an iron hand, specifically designed to scratch those hard-to-reach areas on your back! It's incredibly powerful!"

Gongshu Huai's lips twitched: "Immense strength? Are you trying to break my spine? Rejected! Extremely unsafe!"

Although there are many oddities, there are also some truly valuable ones among them.

Someone invented the "spring-shock-absorbing saddle", someone invented the "multi-layer folding food box", and someone else invented the "chain-driven foot-operated threshing machine".

These inventions, though seemingly insignificant, are gradually changing life in the Qin Dynasty.

In this frenzy, there was one man whose sense of smell was even more acute than that of a hunting dog.

Liu Bang.

As the richest man in the Qin Dynasty and the chief trader of the royal family, he keenly sensed that there was a gold mine hidden in the queue at the patent office.

So Liu Bang set up a stall at the entrance of the patent office and hung up a sign: [Great Qin Angel Venture Capital Bureau].

"Come on over! Don't miss out! You have a great idea but no money to build it? Look no further than me, Liu Ji!"

"As long as your patent passes examination, I'll provide the funding, you provide the technology, and we'll split the profits 50/50!"

On this day, a ragged little carpenter stood timidly in front of Liu Bang's stall, holding a strange model.

"Sir... how about this?"

Liu Bang glanced at it while eating melon seeds and asked, "What's this?"

"This is... an 'automatic mahjong machine'," the young carpenter said shyly. "I saw that everyone got tired of shuffling the tiles when playing mahjong, so I designed this. It has magnets and a lift inside..."

Liu Bang's eyes widened instantly, and he even dropped the melon seeds.

Holy crap! That's a genius!

Liu Bang grabbed the carpenter's hand, as if they were long-lost brothers.

"Brother! I'm investing in this project! Money's no problem! We're going to free up all the mahjong players in the Qin Dynasty! This is an invention even greater than a tractor!"

With Liu Bang's encouragement, the combination of capital and technology further fueled this invention craze.

However, taking too big a step can easily lead to trouble.

Among the many inventions, one project called "Fully Automatic Steam Cleansing Machine" (commonly known as an automatic bathing machine) caught Zhao Gao's attention.

The inventor was a mad craftsman known as "Master Lu". He claimed that this machine allowed people to lie inside and automatically complete the entire process of rinsing, scrubbing, soaping, and drying, which was "the ultimate enjoyment of aristocratic life".

Zhao Gao was intrigued upon hearing this. As a "plaster-wielding official" with obsessive-compulsive disorder, he loved taking baths, but he also disliked the uneven pressure applied by the bath attendants.

"That's great! If it really works, we'll buy one and present it to His Majesty!"

So Zhao Gao volunteered to become the first user (guinea pig) of this machine.

Test location: Master Lu's workshop.

It was a huge, upright wooden barrel connected to a complex network of steam pipes and pulleys. The barrel walls were covered with stiff brushes (supposedly made of pig bristles).

"My lord, please come in." Master Lu said confidently, "Just press a switch, and you'll be enjoying yourself."

Zhao Gao stripped down to his underwear, carefully climbed into the wooden tub, and sat on the stool in the middle.

"Master, this brush looks a bit stiff..."

"It's hard to get rid of the mud! My lord, hold on tight! Start!"

Master Lu pulled down the switch.

"Buzz—!!!"

The steam engine roared, and the pulley spun rapidly.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of brushes inside the wooden tub began to spin wildly at industrial-grade speeds.

"Ouch! Ouch! It hurts! It hurts so much!"

Zhao Gao let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. That wasn't just a back rub, it was like having its scales scraped off!

"Water! Turn on the water quickly!" Master Lu frantically turned on the water valve.

"Whoosh—"

The high-pressure water gun (originally used to clean boilers) sprayed directly onto Zhao Gao's face, almost choking him to death.

"Stop! Stop it! Help!" Zhao Gao struggled desperately in the barrel, but the machine was designed to be too "safe," trapping him inside to prevent him from slipping.

Even more terrifying, the "automatic soap-making" function was activated. A large bucket of slippery soap solution was poured over his head, and Zhao Gao instantly turned into a slippery loach, unable to even crawl out.

"Dry it! Drying it might work!" Master Lu pressed the last button, his forehead covered in sweat.

A blast of scalding hot air (nearly 100 degrees Celsius) blew out from the bottom.

"Awooo—!!!"

Zhao Gao was ejected from the bucket, like a monkey whose bottom had been scalded, and he slipped and fell to the ground, his whole body red and still steaming.

"Master Lu...Master Lu..." Zhao Gao, prostrate on the ground, pointed at Master Lu and said in a trembling voice, "Is this...is this a bathing machine...or a pig-slaughtering and hair-removing machine...?"

Ultimately, the patent office rejected this "automatic bathing machine" application, citing the reason that it "could not be approved because it might cause the user to become thoroughly accustomed to it."

As a result, Zhao Gao stayed in bed for three days and vowed never to believe in anything "fully automatic" again.

Despite the ongoing farces, the influence of the Qin Dynasty Patent Law is spreading at an astonishing rate.

Several months later, in the Imperial Study.

Ying Zheng looked at the thick stack of patent certificate copies and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"One thousand three hundred and twenty-six items," Wang Jianguo reported the numbers. "Your Majesty, in just six months, the number of novelties born in the Qin Dynasty is more than in the previous three hundred years combined."

"Although 90% of it is garbage, the remaining 10% is enough to change the world."

Ying Zheng picked up a patent—"An Improved Scheme for Manufacturing Long-Distance Communication Repeaters Using the Principle of Electromagnetic Induction." The applicant was surprisingly an eighteen-year-old student at Epang Palace University.

"In the past, I thought that governing the country relied on strict laws and severe punishments, and on the emperor's mind and strategy."

Ying Zheng walked to the window and looked at the bustling city of Xianyang outside.

"But now I have discovered that the most terrifying power in the world is actually hidden in the mind of every commoner."

"In the past, they used their intelligence to farm and to scheme against their neighbors. Now, I have given them a way to turn their intelligence into machines and into money."

"Little G".

[Yes, Brother Zheng.]

"Tell me, if everyone in the world started inventing and creating, what would the Qin Dynasty eventually become?"

Brother Zheng, that will be an era of "exponential growth."

When knowledge can be monetized, innovation becomes instinctive. The Qin Dynasty will no longer be a classical empire built on agriculture and warfare, but a technologically driven super-civilization. The 'patent' seed you plant today will one day grow into a towering tree, and perhaps even... a vine reaching to the stars.

"A path to the stars..."

Ying Zheng raised his head and looked at the deep night sky.

"I am waiting for that day."

The night market in Xianyang was brightly lit.

Zhang Daqiao's "Zhang's Flying Noodles" has reopened. This time, his signboard bears a gleaming gold plaque: "[Certified by the Qin Dynasty Patent Office - The Originator of Flying Noodles]".

Business is booming even more than before.

Across from him, the shop that once copied his business now has a new owner and is selling "Liu's Automatic Mahjong Machines".

A young apprentice was sitting by the roadside, using the light of the street lamp, holding a book called "Principles of Qin Machinery" in his hand, gesturing as he read.

His eyes gleamed with a light—a longing, an ambition, an impulse to change the world.

He had no idea that the book in his hand and the ideas in his mind had become priceless because of that law.

This is the patent era of the Qin Dynasty.

It locked away wisdom, but gave the future a key.