Daming: I asked you to supervise the country, Daming is all crazy?

Chapter 129 Yuanfang, what do you think?
Zhu Zhanji briefly talked to Zhu Gaochi about the problems encountered in the construction of cement roads.

After Zhu Gaochi finished listening, he pondered for a moment alone and nodded.

It's not that he doesn't understand the truth, but sometimes he likes to admit death, and he knows that his son is right.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhanji didn't say anything more.

Many things are too much, let my stupid father know the benefits of building cement roads, mainly so that my stupid father will not prevent him from building cement roads in the future, and even support him.

As for the difficulty of building cement roads, it is to comfort the silly father and tell him not to rush.

And just as Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Gaochi were talking, the carriage used by the Ministry of Industry to test the cement road appeared in everyone's sight again.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhanji glanced at the sandalwood that was about one-third left, and raised the corner of his mouth slightly.

According to the timing of the Ministry of Industry, the time for a stick of incense is about half an hour, and two-thirds is 10 minutes. It is four miles from Yifengmen to the Yangtze River Wharf, and one round trip is eight miles.

In this way, the speed of the carriage during this distance is almost twelve kilometers per hour.

This is still in the case of loading five hundred catties of stones and a driver weighing more than 100 catties.

Although this speed does not seem fast, you must know that the general speed of carriages in this era is only about five to ten kilometers per hour.

Although the fastest speed can reach more than 20 kilometers per hour, it is obviously only a short-distance burst and cannot be sustained. After all, horses are not machines, and they always need to consume physical strength.

In this way, the speed of twelve kilometers per hour is naturally not slow.

"Prince, His Royal Highness, the test results from the Ministry of Industry have come out."

Zhou Chen walked over with a paper with the calculated results from the Ministry of Industry.

After glancing at Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Gaochi, he said excitedly:
"According to the calculations of the Ministry of Industry, a carriage loaded with a weight of about four stones can travel at least 150 miles in an hour on the cement road, and once the speed of the carriage on the cement road is increased, it is extremely labor-saving. In an hour, excluding the time for rest and meals, you can travel [-] miles. If you are in an emergency, no matter the cost, and on the premise of damaging the horses, even if you travel two to three hundred miles in a day, you can barely do it."

"Is this data accurate?"

When Zhu Gaochi heard Zhu Zhanji's words earlier, he had actually decided in his heart that no matter what the price of the cement road was, he must build a cement road that should be in harmony with the sky.

After all, according to what Zhu Zhanji said, the cost of building cement roads for service areas and toll stations will definitely be paid back sooner or later.

In this way, even if some money was lost at the beginning, there is no pressure for Daming now.

Although Zhu Zhanji said these things casually now, Zhu Gaochi still admires his son's ability to make money.

So there is no doubt about the earning power of this cement road.

But when he heard Zhou Chen's words, he was still slightly shocked.

In fact, the results given by Zhou Chen are really surprising.

You must know that even if the carriages of this era go all out, they can only travel forty or fifty miles in a day.

Unless the carriage is not dragged, the horse can run more than one hundred miles in a day.

But right now, the concrete road is just a different road. How can the speed of this carriage be increased by four or five times?

If this was changed to transporting money and food from the south to the north, wouldn't it save several times the time, not to mention the loss on the way?
When Zhou Chen heard the prince Zhu Gaochi's question, he immediately explained: "His Royal Highness, these are all speculated by the Ministry of Industry based on the test results. There won't be too much difference."

"Then try again!"

Before Zhu Gaochi asked anything, Zhu Zhanji who was on the side heard Zhou Chen's words, and said directly.

After all, it is the first cement road, and it is necessary to have accurate data.

Only the most rigorous results can be used as a reference,
It can more clearly reflect the advantages of cement roads, and can also be used as a benchmark for latecomers to consider.

Zhu Zhanji thought for a while, then told Zhou Chen:

"The result of one test may be accidental, then test it twice, three times, four times, and pass it on, let the Ministry of Industry prepare a few more carriages of the same style for testing. In addition, the same carriage needs to be tested multiple times during the test. The weights loaded each time also need to be adjusted, and the results are recorded separately, and this example must be respected for all inspections and experiments in the future!"

"The minister leads the order!"

Zhou Chen was slightly taken aback, and immediately nodded.

After saying that, Zhou Chen turned around and went down to order again. It was not difficult to find a few carriages, and five similar carriages were ready in a short time.

The five carriages were exactly the same, and there was a flag of the same style on them. They should have been temporarily recruited from the merchants who were moving goods nearby.

The style and size of the carriages, and even the horses that pull them are almost the same.

After the five carriages were ready, they lined up directly this time according to the previous procedure.

The concrete road with a width of more than 20 meters is obviously more than enough for five carriages abreast, and there are even many gaps.

After the people from the Ministry of Industry quickly conducted a round of inspection on the cement road, Zhou Chen immediately ordered:

"start testing!"

As the order was issued, the drivers of the five carriages raised their whips almost simultaneously.

With the sound of driving horses, the five carriages started to move forward together.

There is not much difference between the five carriages, even the horses that pull the carriages are of the same rank. Except for some asynchronous operation of the driver, which caused a slight difference, the five carriages are almost in no particular order.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but looked at Zhu Zhanji and shook his head and said, "Son, these carriages are all the same, and the test results may not make any difference. Should we change to some different carriages?" Come test."

"Old monk, what do you think?"

Zhu Zhanji smiled when he heard what the silly father said, and then asked Yao Guangxiao who had been thinking about something.

Yao Guangxiao obviously didn't expect Zhu Zhanji to ask himself, he was slightly taken aback when he heard this, and then immediately said:
"The old monk thinks it is very good. If there is no difference between several carriages, it proves that the test results are more accurate."

Zhu Zhanji couldn't help laughing when he heard Yao Guangxiao's words. The old monk understood it.

But what he said was vague.

Seeing that Zhu Gaochi was still a little puzzled, Zhu Zhanji explained in a low voice: "Only the carriage is the same. After measurement, even if there are special circumstances, there are more carriages as evidence. In this way, we can control it well." , it will not be impossible to compare and distinguish because the carriages are different."

Zhu Gaochi is not stupid. Hearing Zhu Zhanji's explanation, he only thought about it for a while, and then he understood, with an embarrassed smile on his face and said:
"That's it, I'm thinking about it."

"Actually, what you think is fine. Use different carriages to measure, and you can also test the impact of concrete roads on different carriages."

Zhu Zhanji smiled when he heard what the silly father said, and said:
"However, this is more time-consuming, and it is more troublesome to collect different carriages in a short time. This matter can be handed over to Zhou Chen, so that Zhou Chen can test it later."

During the conversation between the few people, as time passed, it was about two to ten minutes. When the sandalwood burned two-thirds again, the first carriage appeared in everyone's sight again.

And following the first carriage, the second carriage appeared again almost in no particular order.

The Ministry of Industry quickly tested the results again, and Zhou Chen walked over with the things immediately.

"how?"

Zhu Gaochi was more concerned about the situation of the cement road, so he was the first to ask.

Zhou Chen immediately bowed and said, "Back to Your Highness, the test results are the same as before. The fastest carriage can travel more than 25 miles in an hour, and the slowest carriage can travel [-] miles. above."

"it is good!"

Hearing Zhou Chen's affirmative answer, Zhu Gaochi showed a happy smile on his face, looked at Zhu Zhanji with satisfaction and said:

"Zhanji, now that the test results of the concrete road have come out, the construction of the cement road should be stepped up immediately. We must solve the problems of some cement bridges as soon as possible."

"Yes, Dad!"

Zhu Zhanji smiled and nodded.

Knowing that this is the stupid father who wants to implement the construction of the cement road from Yingtian to Shuntian as soon as possible.

He said to Zhou Chen: "Zhou Chen, I will leave this matter to you. The Ministry of Industry can also immediately start building other cement roads in Yingtian, and at the same time choose a bridge for surveying and mapping."

Zhou Chen nodded immediately when he heard the words, and said: "The minister leads the order!"

"Ah."

Zhu Zhanji nodded, and said with a smile: "As for the concrete road in front of you, I will personally ask the emperor for your credit, although you don't have to think about the promotion, after all, you just became a member of the Ministry of Industry. Zuo Shilang, if he is promoted again, he will be Shangshu, that old man Huang Fu will definitely trouble me, but some gifts are still acceptable."

Zhou Chen also smiled when he heard Zhu Zhanji's words, and said respectfully: "Thank you, Your Highness, Grandson, for your kindness!"

A test on the cement road was over, and officials from various ministries, including Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Gaochi, who came to watch the ceremony, also started to return.

After all, they also have their own things to deal with.

As for the side of the cement road, Zhou Chen and the people from the household department will naturally handle it.

The main thing is some follow-up matters, such as the settlement of the final payment of the project, the discussion of the maintenance and repair of the cement road, and the official opening of the cement road.

But these little things are no longer within the scope of Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Gaochi's concern.

Zhu Zhanji is concerned about whether the cement road can adapt to this era and the advantages it brings, while Zhu Gaochi is concerned about how much money and food the cement road can save in the process of transporting money and food to Suncheon after the capital is moved in the future.

So after getting the result, several people planned to go back, but when Zhu Zhanji was about to leave, he was held back by Zhu Gaochi, and then Zhu Gaochi motioned to the side.

Zhu Zhanji followed the trend and saw that at some point, Yao Guangxiao had walked to the cement road again. After pulling a craftsman to ask some questions, he squatted on the ground and kept observing the cement road in front of him.

As if thinking about something.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhanji smiled, walked over directly, and asked curiously:
"Old monk, did you find anything?"

Yao Guangxiao didn't seem surprised when he saw Zhu Zhanji, he smiled and said, "Aren't you going back?"

"I was planning to go back, but I saw you here, old monk, so I came over to have a look."

While talking, Zhu Zhanji also imitated Yao Guangxiao, squatted on the ground, then knocked on the hard and firm ground of the concrete road, with a satisfied smile on his face and said:

"Old monk, you haven't answered me yet, have you discovered anything?"

Yao Guangxiao nodded, then shook his head again, then said after a pause, "If this thing had appeared a few years ago, maybe your grandfather is still the former King Yan."

Zhu Zhanji: "..."

What are you saying, as if I would travel a few years earlier?
Zhu Zhanji was a little speechless. If it wasn't for the appearance of time travelers like him, cement would have to wait until at least the eighteenth century, and it would not be invented until the nineteenth century.

However, he was still quite curious about how an existence like Yao Guangxiao, who is almost the peak wisdom of this era, would think of things like cement. After a pause, he asked, "Old monk, what do you say? You must know that you It was said to give my grandfather a white hat, which made my grandfather choose you."

"The old monk was just feeling emotional for a while."

Yao Guangxiao shook his head when he heard the words, and then said with a serious expression:
"However, there is one thing, the old monk still has to remind you. The matter of cement must be kept secret and must not be circulated. Every batch of cement produced must be strictly registered for its use, whereabouts, and quantity. There's bound to be some chaos."

"Well, old monk, don't worry. I'm not stupid. You don't need to remind me about this matter. Of course, I have already made arrangements!"

Zhu Zhanji smiled.

Regarding the matter of cement, he naturally couldn't fail to think of some other abilities of this thing.

Especially for this hodgepodge era where hot and cold weapons have just begun to alternate.

Once the defensive ability of cement is applied to the battlefield, it is still very impressive.

For example, if you build a concrete bunker or something, it is basically impossible to take it down without consuming a certain number of lives.

However, when cement is applied to the battlefield, it has advantages, but it also has disadvantages.

The biggest disadvantage is that cement construction takes time, and even if it is completed, it can only be used as a defensive project.

If others do not call, basically the role of cement is equal to nothing.

In Daming's situation, the defense that cement can bring is actually just icing on the cake.

After all, even at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty was established because someone opened the door from the inside.

But having said that, it would still be a very troublesome thing if some restless people in Ming Dynasty got cement and built some military fortresses.

Therefore, Zhu Zhanji had made arrangements for the cement matter early in the morning, including Liu Zhe, who was in charge of cement production, and several Jin Yiwei were in charge of monitoring 24 hours a day.

And those craftsmen are strictly controlled. For these things, the operation is not complicated, and there will be no problems in a short time.

As for the long time, when the cement matter leaked, Zhu Zhanji felt that the craftsmen he arranged in Ji Gang's yard had already replaced Daming's firearms several times.

At that time, what kind of cement bunker can still stop the cannon from washing the ground?
Even if it was stopped, what would be left of the cement-built fortifications?
And it really doesn't work, poisoning, setting fire, flooding, there are not too many ways to deal with a living target that can't move.

The only trouble is to waste some energy.

(End of this chapter)