Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

"Build a short train track first?"

Zhu Di narrowed his expression and asked curiously: "Where is Guo Qing going to lay the train track?"

"Your Majesty, what do you think about the construction going to Songjiang Mansion?"

"Songjiang Mansion?"

Zhu Di was stunned.

Guo An continued: "The train station is built in Zhelin Township, Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, next to the Jinshan Guard Station."

Zhu Di wondered: "Why should it be built here?"

"Your Majesty, Songjiang Prefecture is prosperous, has a developed textile industry, and is relatively close to the capital.

The most important thing is that after we, the Ming Dynasty merchants, returned from Southeast Asia and the West, we no longer had to wait for river boats or carriages to transport goods outside Yingzhou Island.

Instead, you can park the ship on the sea, put it directly in the warehouse of the train station, and then transport it to the capital by train! "

"Using trains to transport maritime merchants' goods?"

Zhu Di's eyes lit up, "In this way, as time goes by, maybe we can really get back our money."

"It's natural!"

Guo Andao said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. As long as the trains and rails are laid and officially put into operation, the money will be fully recovered in less than two years!"

"Really?"

Zhu Di was shocked and didn't believe it, but thinking about Guo An's past methods of making money, he couldn't help but feel a little hopeful.

"Your Majesty, it is true."

Guo An looked certain, "If it's done well, there can be more!"

"Very good!"

Zhu Di looked overjoyed and asked again: "So, what does Guo Qing need to build this railway?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the most important things are steel, craftsmen and land!"

Zhu Di asked again: "How much land is needed?"

Guo An replied: "Your Majesty, in the capital, we need an open space of three to four hundred acres to build a train station.

Then, leading all the way to Songjiang Prefecture, Zhelin Township, Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, also needs such a large open space to build a train station.

In addition, the train tracks laid between the two places will also need to occupy open space and may even damage some farmland, for which compensation may need to be paid to the people..."

"Occupying farmland?"

Hearing this, Zhu Di frowned immediately.

"This is not easy to handle!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Guo An said slowly.

Zhu Di said calmly: "However, no one in the Ming Dynasty understands this, so this matter needs to be left to Guo Qing!"

"..."

Guo An's face suddenly stiffened.

"Your Majesty, would you let me take charge of this?"

"naturally!"

Zhu Di nodded solemnly. He was not kidding.

"But Weichen..."

Before Guo An finished speaking, Zhu Di continued: "If you are short of manpower, we can also send you any officials you like. In addition, if you think the prince also needs to know these, we can also ask the prince to assist you!"

"Wei Chen doesn't dare!"

Guo An quickly said, "Wei Chen can handle this matter!

As for His Highness the Crown Prince, Wei Chen felt that if the Crown Prince was not too busy, Wei Chen would like to invite His Highness the Crown Prince to come and take charge! "

"Ok!"

Zhu Di nodded slightly, and then realized something.

He hurriedly stared at Guo An, "How much money will it cost this time?"

"This……"

Guo An smiled coquettishly, "Your Majesty, this time it's just paving roads and building trains. It shouldn't cost much money!"

"..."

Zhu Di looked at Guo An with disbelief.

Guo An said a little aggrievedly: "Your Majesty, I really didn't lie. This time it really didn't cost much money!"

Zhu Di curled his lips and said with some disdain: "Whenever you have to do a big project or spend a large amount of money, don't you drag the prince to do it with you?"

Guo An couldn't help but froze. How many times had he done this in total?

Zhu Di said with a tone full of disgust: "We don't know what we have done to make you the king of my Ming Dynasty. You are still so cautious in your actions. You hide in the house all day without saying anything. When you do something, you have to involve the prince..."

Guo An hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty has misunderstood. If Wei Chen was just a small official in Prince Yan's palace, Wei Chen could sometimes have no scruples.

However, Wei Chen is now the king of Ming Dynasty, and his every move attracts much attention.

If you fail to do a good job in any aspect, those people will seize the opportunity, and the impact will be greater. I don't dare to be careless! "

Zhu Di waved his hand and said nothing more: "Okay, the prince's main focus during this period of time is reviewing memorials. After we go back, we will let him find you when he has time!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Guo An quickly thanked him.

Zhu Di said with a serious face: "I really want to thank you for saving money this time. Most of our money was spent on laying those cement straight roads, and now we are laying out railway tracks, even if there are a few silver mines like those in Japan." , gold mine is not enough for you to spend like this!"

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will be careful and save money!"

Guo An also responded with a serious face.

Then he said: "Your Majesty, I remember that when Zheng He and others first went to Southeast Asia and the West, they found a lot of silver mines, gold mines, copper mines, and iron mines along the way. Didn't you send someone To mine?”

"I've sent people to mine it!"

As he said that, Zhu Di couldn't help but glared at Guo An fiercely, "Is it possible that you even want to pursue those mines?"

"Wei Chen doesn't dare!"

Guo An quickly denied it.

He just wanted to confirm how much Zhu Di's internal funds were now.

After a while, Zhu Di also wanted to understand something and glanced at Guo An warily.

"Although we have a lot of internal funds, we still have to support a lot of people, and our annual expenses are even higher. Don't have any bad intentions!"

"Wei Chen is unjust... Please rest assured, Your Majesty, Wei Chen is definitely not like those civil servants who spend all day thinking about His Majesty's money!"

Guo An hurriedly promised with a solemn expression.

"Ok!"

Zhu Di nodded slightly, "After entering the city, I will put you down. You can go back by yourself!"

"...Yes, Your Majesty!"

Guo An nodded helplessly.

As for this, guarding against him like a thief?
really.

Just after entering the capital city gate, the carriage stopped, and Zhu Di directly drove Guo An out of the carriage.

"what?"

Seeing the carriage going straight away, Xu Yong was suddenly filled with surprise.

"Your Highness, why...why did Your Majesty just leave?"

"Your Majesty, do you have to control what you want to do?"

Guo An glanced at Xu Yong and walked straight back.

"But...Your Highness, you..."

He opened his mouth and saw Guo An's fast footsteps. Xu Yong could only catch up first.

"Your Majesty, is your Majesty angry?"

"no!"

Guo An shook his head.

Xu Yong breathed a sigh of relief.

Guo An said again: "I'm just stingy!"

Xu Yong: "..."

Immediately, he started to speak but stopped.

However, Guo An looked comfortable. After sitting in a carriage for a long time, I occasionally come out and stroll around the streets, which is quite comfortable.

It would be better if it wasn’t so exposed!

Thinking about it, Guo An could only follow those people and walk along the eaves on both sides.

However, as I walked, I was forced out of the shade under the eaves.

It wasn't that he met someone of higher status than him, it was just that the person in front of him was sitting or lying down sleeping.

After all, there are more and more people in the capital.

There are also countless people working on the streets in the hot weather to earn a living.

Guo An can't just drive away those poor people just to find a shady place for himself!
From the city gate to the Shunde County Prince's Mansion, Guo An walked for more than half an hour.

I was sweating all over, but I also saw a lot of new things.

"I have been here in the capital for so many years, but I have never been so serious about visiting the capital now!"

Guo An said while drinking a cold drink.

However, Guo Ang on the side looked distressed, "Your Highness, please stop talking and take a rest first.

You don't want to take a carriage, or go to a teahouse to drink tea. Ask General Xu to send someone back to tell me that I will drive to pick you up in person. Look how hot you are..."

"How can it be so pretentious!"

Guo An waved his hands indifferently.

"Come, Your Highness, the iced watermelon is here, have a bite..."

Guo Ang took another cut watermelon, placed it in front of Guo An, and continued.

"Your Highness, even if you can't ride in a carriage, there are many vendors selling herbal tea, cold drinks, and frozen cheese on the street. Buy a few and eat them while walking. It will not only quench your thirst, but also relieve the heat. Why go through such a big pain? …”

"Forehead!"

Guo An's face froze, he really didn't expect it.

On the side, Xu Yong also had a sneer on his face. He could feel that Manager Guo was also complaining about him.

His Highness doesn’t understand those common senses, how can you, a personal guard, not understand them?

However, who would have thought that His Highness, who looked very weak, would walk like a tiger, and it took him all his strength to keep up.

"It doesn't matter. Sweat more and detoxify. I'll prepare some warm water later. I'll take a bath and squeeze my back!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Only then did Guo Ang stop and hurriedly went down to make arrangements.

……

Half an hour later, there was a period of scrubbing, pumping, and kneading and massaging.

Guo An was wearing cool and loose clothes, lying on a wicker chair and thinking quietly.

Laying train tracks is a troublesome task.

However, he and Zhu Gaochi severely punished the Songjiang Mansion. It has not been a few years, and the gentry and common people should not have forgotten them.

They shouldn't be as difficult to deal with as they will be in later generations, right?

……

Imperial Palace, Wenlou.

After Zhu Di entered the palace, he was exactly the same as Guo An, drinking cold drinks and eating iced watermelon, but he did not have the extravagant bathing and massage in broad daylight like Guo An.

Then a eunuch with a strange look came in from outside the palace and whispered a few words in Yishiha's ear.

Yi Shiha hurriedly stepped forward and reported to Zhu Di in a low voice: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Prince of Shunde County got off the carriage and walked all the way back to the house from the city gate!"

"Ok?"

Zhu Di looked up suddenly, still a little bit in disbelief.

"He actually walked back?"

"Exactly! The people below reported that His Royal Highness the Prince of Shunde County was walking very fast and seemed to be in high spirits..."

"What's wrong with this? He's such a lazy person, but he's actually like this..."

Zhu Di murmured to himself with a face full of surprise.

Another moment passed.

Prince Zhu Gaochi walked in from outside the palace.

Seeing the dense beads of sweat on Zhu Gaochi's forehead, Zhu Di's heart moved again.

However, nothing was said.

Instead, let’s talk about the train directly.

After hearing this, Zhu Gaochi's eyes widened.

"A cart made of steel that is one foot high and dozens of feet long? Can it run faster than a horse?
Dad, the teacher actually built such a magical car? "

“If we hadn’t experienced it ourselves, we wouldn’t have believed it!”

Zhu Di nodded with emotion, but then his face became distressed.

"Although this train runs fast and carries a lot of people and goods, it is all made of steel and needs to be laid with steel tracks. It costs no less than the two cement straight tracks you are building now!"

"Too!"

Zhu Gaochi nodded with deep approval.

If you are not involved in paving roads, you don’t know how much money can be spent on paving a road.

Looking at the money spent every day, he also felt a little distressed.

"Dad, what do you mean?"

Zhu Di said: "Whenever you are free, go to the King of Shunde to discuss how to pave the road."

Zhu Gaochi was shocked and nodded quickly, "Yes, dad! The child will go tomorrow."

As for so many memorials every day, they were naturally handed over to the Emperor of Ming Dynasty for personal review!

It has to be said that Zhu Gaochi has learned more and more about the evil in his heart over the years!

Zhu Di glanced at Zhu Gaochi and waved his hand casually.

"Okay, if you have nothing else to do, go and review the memorial!"

"Yes, Dad!"

Zhu Gaochi left with excitement on his face.

It was really refreshing to know that he was given a leave. Even when he was reviewing memorials, Zhu Gaochi was full of motivation, with a smile on his face. He looked at the cabinet ministers Zhu Fu and Huang Boqian around him, full of curiosity.

The best thing is that Huang Boqian couldn't help it and asked with some expectation: "Your Highness, I wonder if some happy event has happened, and you are in such a good mood?"

Zhu Gaochi pursed his lips and said quietly: "Tomorrow, I will go out for a trip, and these memorials will be handed over to His Majesty for approval!"

"..."

Hearing this, Nie Zishi, Zhu Fu, Fang Xiaoru and other seven cabinet ministers could not help but twitch the corners of their eyes slightly.

Is it because of co-writing that it makes you so happy?

Zhu Gaochi ignored these hardworking social beasts and still reviewed the memorial happily.

The next day.

After attending the morning court, he went to Wenyuan Pavilion to check for a while. He estimated that his teacher should get up at this time, so Zhu Gaochi left the palace directly.

When they arrived at Shunde County Prince's Mansion, it happened that Guo An had just gotten up.

"I have met His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"teacher!"

After greeting each other, Zhu Gaochi explained his intention.

"Teacher, my father said, are you going to build a steel track?"

"Ok!"

Guo An nodded slightly, "The iron pillar, about four feet long, has been running horizontally, from the capital shop to the foot of Songjiang Mansion.

In this way, it is considered as one track, but two tracks need to be laid. "

"hiss……"

Zhu Gaochi took a cold breath and opened his eyes.

"Teacher, how much steel does this cost and how much money does this cost? Does my father know?"

Guo An said slowly: "Your Majesty only knew that the track was to be laid, but he did not know such details!"

Zhu Gaochi is stupid!

How can I be on vacation?

This is jumping from one pit into another bottomless pit!
This cost would be more than the cost of building a cement straight road from Beijing to Sichuan!
When the time comes, can Father spare him? (End of chapter)