Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 820 Three Years Later
Spring went and autumn came, time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed, and it was the fourth year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty (971 AD).

It has been seven years since Su Chen traveled to this historical era. Now at the age of twenty-five, he is in the prime of his youth, full of passion and vigor.

After three years of experience, he not only handled local government affairs with ease, but also commanded 300,000 soldiers of the Wu Kingdom, becoming the most powerful man in the land of Wu.

During these three years, Jinling City became more prosperous under his governance, with busy streets, dense population, and merchants. There were not only merchants from the Western Regions, bringing with them exotic treasures and spices; there were also merchants from the Liao Kingdom, bringing with them specialties and customs from the north; and there were merchants from Southeast Asia, who came across the oceans, bringing with them abundant products and business opportunities. They traded and communicated here, making Jinling City a commercial center that integrated the four seas and connected the past and the present.

There were also monks who came from Fusang to the mainland to worship Buddha. There were 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, and many towers were shrouded in mist and rain. There were also many temples in the south. After three years of trade, merchants, gold diggers, and believers from foreign countries came to the Central Plains again. This time they mainly came to the south of the Yangtze River to pay homage to the prosperity of the Wu Kingdom.

Therefore, the city of Jinling became more prosperous, because under Su Chen's governance, it was even more magnificent than the capital of the Wu State.

In addition, there are monks who traveled across the ocean from Japan. With their devout belief in Buddhism, they set foot on this ancient land. There are 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, and countless towers in the mist and rain. There are many temples in the south, and the melodious bells of ancient temples attract countless believers and seekers of Dharma.

As trade became more frequent in the past three years, merchants, gold diggers and pilgrims from foreign countries once again set out on a journey to the Central Plains. However, this time, their destination was no longer the capital in the north, but the vibrant and dynamic land of Jiangnan, just to witness the prosperity of Wu under Su Chen's governance and feel the grandeur and magnificence that surpassed the capital of Wu.

Jinling City, this ancient yet young city, has radiated unprecedented brilliance under Su Chen's careful planning and governance. It is not only the economic center of Wu State, but also a bridge for cultural exchange, attracting visitors from all directions.

Those towering buildings, prosperous streets and bustling crowds all show the prosperity of this city.

Especially when night falls, Jinling City presents a different view, with the city open all night and brightly lit. The Qinhuai River flows slowly and directly into the city, with brightly lit boats and pleasure boats sailing leisurely on the water, like stars falling into the mortal world, reflecting the sparkling river surface, which is beautiful beyond words.

Crowds of people are surging on both sides of the river, some riding horses, some sitting in sedan chairs, and some walking, all holding lanterns, shuttling back and forth in an endless stream. The interweaving of light and shadow, the fusion of people and scenery, constitutes a flowing picture scroll.

The commercial atmosphere and cultural heritage of Wu State are fully displayed at this moment, rich but elegant, bold but not stingy. In the pavilions along the way, the sound of stringed instruments is melodious, like the sound of spring water and the spring breeze; the shouting of vendors in shops is one after another, lively and harmonious, interweaving together to form the night scene life of Jinling City.

Su Chen was sitting in a boat with his family, enjoying the scenery of the Qinhuai River at night. Lanterns were hung on the river bank and many buildings were brightly lit, which contrasted with the river surface and was indeed very beautiful.

Following him on the boat were Peng Jingjing, Zhou Jiamin and Princess Yongning, who were by his side, watching the night scene with great joy.

Bai Suzhen and the talented Xu Wanqing did not come because they were both pregnant and were staying at home to take care of the fetuses and were about to give birth.

Su Chen looked at the scenery outside through the cabin window and sighed in his heart that he had been in this world for seven years and had completely integrated into this role. It was like a dream, illusory and unreal.

Sometimes he wondered if he was in a dream and might wake up at any time and return to the modern era.

"Don't think about it. Since I'm still here, I'll just focus on completing the goals I set!"

Su Chen's eyes became much more determined. He was neither obsessed with his current achievements nor content with enjoying himself.

Although he accompanied his wives on a tour of the Qinhuai River, his heart was not attached to worldly matters and his ambitions remained unchanged.

In the past three years, Wu State has been developing rapidly, with abundant food reserves, tens of thousands of war horses, and excellent weapons. In this regard, thanks to Su Chen's drawing of the hydraulic forging machine, he then found a group of craftsmen with the highest skills in Wu State to build it, to manufacture levers, gears, large hammers, large blades, lathes, chains, and put them together.

The hydraulic forging machine is used to create charcoal in wrought iron during iron smelting. Although the current iron smelting technology has been greatly improved after the development of the Han and Tang Dynasties, there are still many problems. The impurities in weapons are still very high because the fire temperature is not high enough during quenching, hammering and casting, the forging force is not enough, the labor efficiency is low, and batch standardization cannot be formed.

Now the Wu State has begun to use water conservancy to replace manpower, which will be a great progress. Hydraulic casting machines, hydraulic bending machines, etc. can solve the impurity problems in iron smelting and manufacturing, mass production, standardized sizes, military industry, and weapon equipment. It has begun to far surpass the north and foreign countries.

The city of Jinling is close to the Yangtze River and the Qinhuai River, so it can make use of the resource of water power. Su Chen linked the modern development of Europe to the hydraulic lathe, which was so closely related to it that it even served as a milestone.

According to the history of European industry, the earliest water hammer appeared in the 15th century. Siegelland in Germany was the first to use a lever hammer or drop hammer. The water wheel shaft was parallel to the hammer rod, and the end was a cam, which raised the hammer rod to between the fulcrum and the hammer head. The working speed of this hammer was 70 times per minute, and it could lift a larger hammer head. Later, the tail hammer appeared, with a forging speed of 200 times per minute and a hammer head weight of 50 to 250 kilograms. It greatly solved the forging process and made mass production possible, thus opening the prelude to industry.

At the end of the 15th century, hydraulic presses, hydraulic casting machines, etc. appeared one after another, providing the material conditions and possibilities for the later invention and creation of the steam engine.

Su Chen felt that inventing the steam engine was like building a castle out of thin air. It was not just a matter of accepting the theory, but the corresponding parts were not available at all, or even did not meet the requirements. Bearings, pistons, steel structures, etc. were needed, and in the Tang and Song dynasties, iron did not meet the requirements.

Now that steel was being mass-produced, plate armor was gradually created, which was much harder than any other armor in ancient times.

The deck covering the entire body is connected with steel joints. This steel tortoise shell can give the soldiers of the Wu State the strongest protective ability, and also has the highest flexibility against the soldiers of other princes wearing heavy armor. Just imagine, an elite group of warriors covered in plate armor, invulnerable to swords and guns, charging forward, not afraid of bows and arrows, how fierce they will be, sweeping through thousands of troops and being invincible.

Thinking of this, Su Chen was full of confidence in the Northern Expedition.

After three years of accumulation, Su Chen felt that he was strong enough to launch an attack on the Northern Song Dynasty.

"Husband, what are you thinking about?" Zhou Jiamin asked gently.

Su Chen said: "I'm thinking, if the world is unified, there will be no more wars, and the people can live and work in peace and contentment, that would be a prosperous age."

Princess Yongning said, "Under your husband's rule, the Jiangzuo area has become prosperous and wealthy, and the people's lives are much better than before. No other dynasty can compare to this."

"My husband has great merits and will definitely be favored by God and complete the great cause of unification!" Peng Jingjing said with a smile.

"I hope so!"

"My husband, are you ready for the Northern Expedition?" Yongning was at home. Seeing that some generals had frequently come to Su Chen to report on things, she felt that a storm was about to come.

Su Chen nodded slightly and said calmly: "Soon."

He was calm and composed, and was ready for the upcoming Northern Expedition to the Central Plains.