serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 486 Trials
  It's just getting dark.

Two eunuchs came over carrying long poles and lanterns, and then used long poles to carry the lanterns to the eaves of the Qianqing Palace and hang them up.

The little fat man walked out of the palace.

The two eunuchs hurriedly knelt down and said, "I'm here to see the steward."

The little fat man: "Go and get busy." He looked at the gate of Qianqing Palace.

The two eunuchs got up and said, "Yes." They replied and retreated.

At this time, two young eunuchs came in from the palace gate carrying a carriage.

The little fat man quickly walked down the steps and greeted him.

The white-haired Jiao Da was sitting on the carriage in trance, thinking about the information sent by Yiluan Division from Moscow.

Since two years ago, Jiao Da has been rewarded with a double carriage in the Forbidden City. This is a treatment that Jia Shedu, as the chief minister, has never enjoyed.

"Master, the manager is here to welcome you." The little eunuch in front of him reminded in a low voice.

Jiao Da came to his senses and quickly told the young eunuch who was carrying the father: "Quick, help me down."

"Master is here!" From a distance, the little fat man raised his hands.

Jiao Da supported the young eunuch's men to lift him up, cupped his hands and said: "General manager!"

The little fat man came forward with a smile on his face and held Jiao Da's arm, "Your Majesty heard that the Grand Master was coming, and specially ordered the Za family to come to greet the Grand Master."

"Oh?"

Jiao laughed and looked at the little fat man, "The emperor's kindness is so great. I will kowtow to the emperor in a while, but the manager can't stop me."

"Don't."

The little fat man helped him go up to the study, "When did His Majesty take back what he said? If you always kneel down and kowtow, His Majesty will be unhappy again."

Jiao smiled and nodded.

In the study room, Jia Hu was sitting in front of the imperial desk writing something.

The little fat man walked in with Jiao Da on his arm and said softly: "Your Majesty, Mr. Jiao is here."

Jia Hu didn't raise his head but was still writing quickly while saying: "Sit down and serve tea."

The little fat man responded, helped Jiao Da sit down on a chair beside him, and gave him a bowl of tea.

Jiao Da took the tea with both hands and looked at Jia Hu intently.

Jia Hu felt it from the corner of his eye. Without raising his head, he asked, "Is your old body okay now?"

Jiao Da came back to his senses and bowed: "Your Majesty, I am concerned that as people get older, they will have more and more minor problems."

"I also asked the imperial doctor, and he said that you just need to rest peacefully and recuperate because of your old illness. Some things can be left to the people below, and I can sit in charge and strategize."

Jia Hu put down his ink pen and said with a smile, "Is there news from the Rakshasa Kingdom?"

Jiao Da: "Yes. Yi Luansi just sent the eight hundred miles urgently from Moscow." After saying that, he took out a secret letter from his sleeve and presented it to the little fat man.

The little fat man took it with both hands and presented it to Jia Hu.

Jia Hu took it and looked at it, his heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Jiao Da in surprise.

Jiao Da smiled bitterly: "Jiao Da translated the code book three times, and it was correct!"

Jia Hu picked up the secret letter and read it again, then put it down gently. No wonder he couldn't find Shuixun. He ran to Moscow and became Yeka's mistress. The face of his eighteenth generation ancestor of the Hong family. He was completely embarrassed!

Sure enough, it is passed down from generation to generation. Back then, Hong Chengchou fell under Xiaozhuang's skirt and became a traitor. Now Shui Rong has become Yeka's mistress. What a family!
  Jiao Da: "Should we send someone to get rid of Shui Xun? This kid is very proficient in military science and tactics. If he teaches these to the Rakshasa people?"

Jia Hu raised his hand: "The art of war and tactics are very important, but the level of military equipment between the two warring parties must be consistent, at least not very different. Our weapons and equipment have put a big distance between us and the Rakshasa people. The Imperial Royal Family The teachers and students of the college are studying new weapons and have produced several sketches, which the Ordnance Bureau is building. Once the test is successful, it will completely change the future war situation!"

Having said this, he smiled and said, "Chinese art of war, foreigners will never understand it!"

Jiao Da was startled at first, and then smiled.

Jia Hu looked at Jiao Da: "Let the spies of Yiluan Division pay close attention to the situation in Central Asia."

Jiao Da: "Yes."

As the largest distribution terminal in the country for goods directly to the capital, more than [-] watercraft from the imperial court and government officials docked here every year. Needless to say, there was congestion on the river, and the crowds of people and trucks coming to pick up the goods at the dock were even more noisy. But today the pier was vacated, and there were officers and soldiers with guns and knives everywhere. People were crowding on the banks on both sides of the pier, and even the weeping willows on the river embankment were crowded with people watching the excitement.

There were several officials standing on the pier. Their official uniforms and the cloaks on their shoulders were all in bright red. This was the color only used by first- and second-grade officials.

Both these officials and the people watching the excitement were all looking at the strange, even ugly boat in the river.

It was a wooden-hulled boat about thirty feet long. A large coal-burning steam boiler was placed in the main part of the boat. It looked very heavy. There were wheels on both sides of the boat, and part of the wheels was exposed on the water.

The principle of this kind of steam ship is to use the steam engine to drive the paddle wheel to rotate the paddle wheel, and the blades on the paddle wheel move water to push the ship forward.

On the ship, Wang Hongcheng led the students and sailors to make final preparations.

Wang Hongcheng was one of the first batch of unsuccessful students who passed the exam. After three years of hard work, he is now a fourth-grade student of the Imperial Academy.

On the pier, Jia Lian said to Liu Fang beside him: "Mr. Ge, can this ugly guy really run on the river?"

Liu Fang looked at the ship: "I hope so."

Liu Kun, the Minister of War, smiled: "Since they dare to invite His Majesty to come and watch the trial sea trial, they must be fully confident."

Before he could say anything, there was a commotion from the direction of Chaoyang Gate, and then a large number of people fell to their knees.

A group of Forbidden Army cavalry came over guarding the tall chariot.

Liu Fang led Liu Kun, Jia Lian and others to greet him.

The chariot stopped.

Liu Fang: "I respectfully welcome the Emperor. Long live our Emperor!"

Everyone knelt down to greet the officials and shouted: "Long live! Long live! Long live!"

The people who were watching never expected that Jia Hu would surrender in person, and they all knelt down.

On the tall chariot, the door opened.

Jia Hu's tall figure appeared in front of the car door. His eyes first turned to the ugly steamboat on the river, and then he slowly glanced at the officials kneeling to greet him. He stretched out his hand to give some support: "Everyone, get up."

In chaos, everyone got up.

At this time, Jia Song walked out of the carriage, and then the door was closed from the inside.

Jia Lian was so close that he immediately saw Lin Daiyu, Tan Chun, Xichun, and seemingly Jia Jinxuan and Rong Shou sitting in the carriage.

As soon as they saw Jia Song coming out, everyone hurriedly knelt down and saluted.

Jia Song got off the carriage, stood next to Jia Hu, stretched out his hand to help him: "Sit down."

All the officials said, "Thank you, Your Highness." They all got up in confusion.

At this time, Wang Hongcheng came over in a hurry and knelt down on the ground: "Your Majesty, Wang Hongcheng, is here to see the Emperor, and to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Jia Hu looked deeply at Wang Hongcheng, then nodded: "Let's get started."

Wang Hongcheng responded, stood up and walked off the pier.

Jia Hu looked at Wang Hongcheng's back, then at the chariot, and then smiled.

Soon, billowing black smoke came out of the big chimney, the steam engine roared, and the oars on both sides began to paddle under the drive of the machine. The ship slowly left the dock and moved forward.

The people on the pier and river embankment cheered, but they stopped after not going far.

The officials looked at each other in blank dismay.

Time passed little by little, and the crowd began to commotion.

At this moment, the steam engine sounded again and the ship started moving again.

Amidst the roar of the machine and the splashing of the waves, the steamship moved forward faster and faster, and soon disappeared from everyone's sight.
  Jia Hu put down his clairvoyance and smiled. This steam ship is the beginning. Steam ships equipped with propellers are already being designed. As long as there are breakthroughs in propeller and other manufacturing technologies, more advanced steam ships can be built.

This has far exceeded the speed of traditional sailing ships.

Everyone began to realize the great potential of steamships in navigation, especially Liu Fang, who was also the Minister of the Navy.

Since wooden warships could not withstand the bombardment of increasingly powerful artillery shells, at Jia Hu's reminder, the Navy thought of wrapping the wooden warships with thick iron armor to resist attacks.

Steam engine drive, coupled with auxiliary sails, can definitely allow the ironclad ship to catch up with the speed of traditional sailing ships!
  Thinking of this, Liu Fang's eyes flashed.
  (End of this chapter)