Daming: After self-explosive time travel, Lao Zhu's mentality collapsed

Chapter 1032 Brainstorming

Chu Ze and his entourage arrived at the palace in a grand procession. A eunuch led the way and took them to the imperial study.

"Your Majesty, Prince Chuze comes to see you." The eunuch reported.

"Announce." Zhu Yuanzhang ordered. He put down the memorial in his hand, straightened his dragon robe, and sat upright.

Chu Ze stepped in, bowed deeply in front of the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, I am Chu Ze, and I kowtow to you. I wish you good health!"

"No need to be polite, just stand up." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, signaling him to stand up.

"My dear Minister Chu, you have come from afar and have worked hard." Zhu Yuanzhang spoke in a gentle tone with an approving smile on his face.

Chu Ze hurriedly replied: "It is my duty to share the worries of His Majesty and to seek benefits for the people. Moreover, we are very comfortable on the Enterprise, so it is not hard at all."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked with great interest: "Is this 'Enterprise' the new steam railway locomotive made in Fengyang? I heard that it can travel a thousand miles a day and is very fast. Is it your invention?"

"That's right." Chu Ze nodded and said, "This vehicle uses coal as fuel, which is heated by a boiler to generate high-pressure steam to drive the piston and wheels. Its speed and load capacity are far superior to livestock and boats. It can be said to be a major revolution in land transportation."

"Good! Good!" Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly and praised: "The court is worried about the poor land transportation and sluggish trade. If we can vigorously develop this railway, wouldn't it be able to gather goods from all directions? The country will be rich and the army will be strong in no time!"

Seeing that the emperor was interested, Chu Ze struck while the iron was hot and said, "That's right. I have built trains and railways in Fengyang, and now we have opened lines connecting several surrounding states. On the one hand, we can transport more raw materials such as coal, and on the other hand, we can sell the artifacts made by craftsmen to other places. With the development of business exchanges, people's livelihood will also prosper."

"Not only that, the railway connects all directions, and cultural exchanges are more convenient and frequent. Local products and customs can be shared. In the long run, won't it be able to eliminate barriers and strengthen the centripetal force of various places?" Chu Ze talked eloquently, listing all the benefits of the railway.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded his head repeatedly and said yes. He stood up and said excitedly: "I have long wanted to unify the world not only in terms of territory, but also in terms of trade and culture. Your railway is exactly what I want! In this case, it is time to promote it throughout the country."

He paced around the room, imagining with great excitement: "If railways are built in various places, connecting the inland hinterland with coastal ports, it will no longer be a dream to have ships from the south and horses from the north, and to transfer grain from the south to the north. If railways are built to the north, the threat of the barbarians in the northern desert can be resolved and the border can be consolidated..."

Chu Ze was overjoyed when he heard the emperor's decision, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is wise! I dare to think that in order to build railways across the country, the court needs to approve the project and allocate funds, and mobilize manpower and material resources from all over the country. At the same time, a special department should be established to coordinate management, and related industries such as iron and steel making should be actively developed. Only in this way can the railway network be formed as soon as possible."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "It's rare that you, a boy, have thought about this matter so thoroughly! I will make arrangements for what you said. But for now, I still need you to take more care to promote Fengyang's experience in various places and set an example for other counties. What are your plans?"

Chu Ze replied solemnly: "I have been planning for a long time. At present, Fengyang's mineral resources are still limited, and they need to be purchased from other places, which is quite costly. I intend to solve the source of raw materials first, and plan to develop coal and iron industries in Nanyang and Runing, which are rich in mineral resources. The second is to increase the efforts to train professionals and provide manpower support for railway operations in various places."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in approval and said, "Your consideration is very thorough. How about this? You go back to Fengyang and start making arrangements to lay the foundation for the national railway network. As for the court, I will allocate funds for the project as soon as possible and select capable officials to assist. By then, I hope you can give me more guidance."

Chu Ze was overwhelmed with emotion and bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang: "I will obey your orders and do my best to live up to your trust!"

After the audience, Chu Ze and his entourage left happily. They didn't expect that the emperor not only agreed with the new policy, but also wanted to promote it throughout the country. With such vigorous and resolute measures, the Ming Dynasty railway era is just around the corner!
On the way back, Chu Ze admired the scenery outside the car window while thinking in his mind. Now that the court has agreed, all work must be carried out as soon as possible: mineral resources must be explored first, with priority given to mining in Nanyang, Runing and other places; railway lines must be reasonably planned, connecting inland and coastal cities as much as possible; professional talents must be widely recruited and trained intensively...

All of a sudden, countless grand plans unfolded in his mind. Chu Ze knew that although the Enterprise had achieved great success, there was still a long way to go to truly realize his ideal of railways and let steam locomotives run on the land of China.

The laying of every inch of railroad track, the construction of every bridge and tunnel, and the training of every technician are the result of the hard work of countless people.

He is not only a reformer, but also an organizer and a doer, turning the grand blueprint into reality step by step.

Modern history has proven that railways are the most critical link in a country's modernization process. They can drive the industrial revolution and give birth to the buds of capitalism; they can open up economic cycles and reshape social division of labor; they can become the cornerstone of national prosperity and the backbone of national rejuvenation.

In ancient times, its significance was self-evident.

Perhaps, from the day when the Enterprise was launched, the Ming Dynasty was destined to move towards a brand new future. And I am the leader of this great change.

Thinking of this, Chu Ze's heart was filled with emotions and tears welled up in his eyes.

This is a complex emotion mixed with mission, excitement, urgency and nervousness, and it is the surging passion of an aspiring young man standing at the pinnacle of the torrent of the times.

Chu Ze wiped his eyes and looked out the window intently. Mountains and rivers passed by one after another, and fields, villages, towns, and post stations outlined a magnificent picture of the Ming Dynasty.

In the future, this painting will depict the chimneys of modern industry, the tracks of railways, and the high-rise buildings of modern cities. The Enterprise is carrying the Ming Dynasty towards that dazzling future.

Although the road ahead is long, as long as you remain determined, one day, the train of your dreams will reach the other side of success!

Chu Ze clenched his fists and swore secretly in his heart.

On the way back to Fengyang, Chu Ze summoned Zhao Si, Li Changji, Li Si and other confidants and held a meeting in the carriage of the "Enterprise".

He recounted the details of his audience with the emperor and announced a grand plan for the development of railways across the country.

Everyone was extremely excited when they heard this.

"Oh my god! This is really epoch-making good news!" Zhao Si almost jumped up with excitement. "With the support of the court, we can build railways across the country. Why worry about lack of manpower and materials? As long as the planning is appropriate, it won't take long before a railway network covering China will be built!"

Li Changji couldn't help but sigh: "Your Majesty's visit to Beijing has opened up a vast world for our railway industry! In the future, all places will have to rely on our Fengyang experience when building roads and cars. Aren't they going to come to learn from us?"

Li Si also smiled and said: "By then, we will not only be the leader of reform, but also the birthplace of technology. Where will we be afraid of losing face?"

(End of this chapter)