The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 273 The Awakened Frederick II

In later generations, there was a very literary and refreshing saying: "In the past, cars and horses were very slow, and letters were far away. There was only enough time to love one person in a lifetime. Now that the lights are bright and can be heard for thousands of miles, how many hearts can be read?"

If Prince Friedrich, a young and artistic young man from the second grade of Form 2, took a train for the first time, he would definitely be deeply moved by this oriental sentence with artistic conception. If I'm interested, I might change this sentence a little bit.

"In the past, carriages and horses were very slow, and letters were far away. There was only enough time to love one person in a lifetime. Nowadays, the railway is speeding, and you can arrive in an instant, and you can see your loved one even if you are so far away!"

When Prince Friedrich arrived at Guizhou Railway Station and prepared to go to Chang'an, when he saw the long train lying on the track for the first time, he was full of curiosity and wonder, and his mood could not be calm for a long time.

He boarded the train and saw that there were soft beds and comfortable leather chairs in the special compartments, as well as exclusive wardrobes and cabinets. The walls and floors were made of board-like wood and covered with a layer of luxurious velvet.

Prince Friedrich was very surprised. The floor of the box was actually covered with expensive Persian carpets. There were lavender velvet curtains hanging on one side of the window with beautiful tassels hanging below. Hot drinks and hot drinks were provided on the tables. Snacks, as well as a dozen newspapers and books. Such exquisite and thoughtful service reminded him of the luxury hotels he stayed in during his travels.

After the train started, he felt a slight jolt as the wheels rolled on the rails.

While the train was traveling, he saw boundless grasslands, forests and mountains. In the fields outside the window, there are windmills, farmers in the fields, and herds of cattle and sheep. The farmers, wearing straw hats on their heads, are farming hard, turning a blind eye to the trains passing by on the railway.

On the road that accompanies the railway, there are speeding carriages and horseback riders, each one like a character on a scroll, slowly disappearing from sight. However, this kind of scenery cannot last forever, because the train is getting faster and faster, and the scenery disappears in an instant.

"Railroads triggered major changes in technology and organization. Railway construction not only stimulated economic development, but also completely reshaped the face of the land."

People are bustling on both sides of the street, and there are all kinds of shops with goods from all over the world. The dazzling array is overwhelming.

The center of the city is a broad street, flanked by tall buildings, stacked lofts and towers, glass curtain walls and stone facades, decorating the bustling scene of the city.

It is said that Qi State has built more than 45,000 kilometers of railways in Hanzhou itself. It can be said that except for the inland desert areas, it basically covers more than 80% of the organized counties in the mainland.

In contrast, in Europe during this period, if you wanted to take a long-distance trip at any time, the only means of transportation you could choose were horses, wooden boats and your own legs. If the road is not good, he will have to walk for several days or even longer to reach a place that is not far away from the perspective of Qi people.

Speed ​​has become faster, distances have become shorter, time has become less, and the way to travel has become simpler.

Railways and trains may become symbols of human destiny. History is like the cold rails under the steel behemoth of the train, stretching into the infinite distance.

When the traveler comes to Qi, he will be surprised to find that Qi, which has achieved industrialization and urbanization, has completely changed everything.

The distance from Guizhou to Chang'an is more than 4,700 kilometers. If you take a carriage, it is estimated to take more than two to three months. If you walk on two legs, uh, even half a year? Or a year?
But by train, Prince Friedrich and the accompanying Prussian delegation took less than eight days, an astonishing speed.

In this world, before the appearance of trains, the fastest speed that humans could move was the running speed of a horse, which was about sixty kilometers per hour. However, this speed could not last long, and the appearance of trains increased this speed by one degree. More than 130 times - yes, the people from Qi who accompanied them categorically said that their newly developed train can reach a speed of up to kilometers per hour. As long as the steam engine is running well and there is sufficient coal and water, in theory, the train can reach a speed of kilometers per hour. It can run without stopping.

Prince Friedrich suddenly felt a little scared. Will the speeding train break off the tracks at such a rapid speed and rush into the boundless wilderness, causing a terrible rollover accident?

However, he felt that this ride experience was a completely new feeling. The speed of the train reminded him of horses galloping in the fields and birds flying freely in the sky. It quickly took his body and mind to distant places, which he was far away from. Another amazing experience back home.

Chang'an City, the capital of Qi State, gives all visitors the first impression of majesty, which fully demonstrates the profound heritage and grand momentum of a big country, making people feel the country's wealth and power.

Moreover, after the train enters the Gobi and deserts, the land seems to become infinitely wider. As far as the eye can see, except for the vast wilderness, there are only two parallel rails extending endlessly ahead, giving people the feeling that the future road is unpredictable.

He even felt that traveling by train on the Hanzhou continent might be the most spectacular and exciting trip in his life.

As the whistle of industrial civilization, steam engine trains are unprecedentedly shocking to all those who come into contact with them for the first time.

If commerce is the blood of industrialized Qi, then railways are the arteries and veins of Qi.

At night, he only had dim oil lamps or candles for lighting. In such a traditional society, where the vast majority of the population were farmers, he rarely met literate people.

In the past ten years alone, Qi State has built more than 10,000 kilometers of railways and expanded to overseas territories, forming a dense criss-crossing railway network across the entire Hanzhou continent, providing the most convenient way for the movement of people and materials in this country. Fast and convenient transportation.

Every corner of the city reflects the prosperity of the city and the strength of Qi. The city's architectural style also shows the country's traditional Chinese cultural heritage and oriental art level.

“As the most powerful single factor in economic takeoff in history, railroads are undoubtedly a symbol of humanity’s great triumph through technology.”

The environment and atmosphere of the entire city make people deeply feel the magnificence and grandeur of a capital city with developed industry and prosperous commerce.

Although what he saw and heard along the way made Prince Friedrich truly feel how developed and advanced Qi was, their ability to dominate the East, dominate the Indian Ocean, and then extend their influence to the European continent was indeed due to their strength. But what really made him realize the power of Qi was when he personally experienced the Qi Emperor's coronation ceremony, and then spent more than a year inspecting and traveling in Hanzhou.

There were many foreign missions coming to attend the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Qi. Almost all major countries in the world sent important representatives to attend the meeting, and there were even many countries where the king himself traveled thousands of miles to attend.

For a time, the city of Chang'an was covered with crowns like clouds and crowns were everywhere.

Qi is a secular country that is not controlled or influenced by any religion. The emperor's coronation (enthronement) ceremony is naturally not like that in continental Europe, where senior clerics put the crown on the crowned emperor's head.

On the day when the grand ceremony was held, the interior and exterior of the Taichu Palace were extremely grand and magnificent. The palaces and pavilions were all covered with gold foil, the silver candles shone brightly in the night sky, and the curtains embroidered with various colors of silk and silk fluttered in the wind, showing the wealth and power of the Qi Empire. .

In the palace, gold and jade shine together, and a dazzling array of rare and exotic treasures are displayed, reflecting the royal dignity and glory.

At the enthronement ceremony, all the officials gathered, all dressed in gorgeous official uniforms, and lined up on both sides. Envoys and kings from various countries dressed in formal attire lined up on the side. The scene was solemn and solemn.

The Emperor of Qi wore a Gonglong robe with a five-clawed golden dragon pattern, a twelve-pointed crown on his head, and held a sacred weapon to govern the country. He completed a series of complicated and sacred enthronement ceremonies according to the ancient Zhougong rituals. In terms of music, palace musicians played elegant and passionate music, creating a strong royal atmosphere of a great country.

Afterwards, there was a grand and majestic military parade.

In the wide and flat square, the momentum is unprecedentedly spectacular. More than 5,000 soldiers will be reviewed by the emperor. On the square, groups of mighty troops were neatly arranged, giving people a distinct sense of the iron-blooded military atmosphere.

In the queue, the soldiers' guns raised high, their tough postures and resolute eyes made people feel their coldness and determination.

Groups of neat and orderly Qi officers and soldiers were dressed in majestic uniforms and shining decorations. Under the sunlight, these soldiers seemed to radiate a dazzling light. They stood proudly in the queue, each with focused expressions, firm eyes, and pride and solemnity on their faces.

A team of drummers played their iconic military march melody in unison, and countless horns played beautiful music while breathing. The rhythm of the big drum follows the tense atmosphere filling the air, and the deafening noise passes by the ears, as if depicting a battle scene in which a country is going all out.

A passionate trombone sounded, and the anticipated military parade began. On the throne viewing platform where the emperor was sitting, a series of soldiers began to march.

The soldiers walked past one by one, their sharp bayonets shining coldly, and their sonorous steps were uniform, firm and powerful. The sound of iron boots stepping on them in the dust was particularly eye-catching, which fully demonstrated their perseverance and well-trained skills. .

The mighty big cap, the fancy shoulder ribbons, the medal of honor on the chest, the armed belt around the waist, and the solemn military posture are all eye-catching.

Behind the parade were huge tanks one after another, carrying powerful artillery pieces.

The majestic cavalry formation advances like a wall, giving people a strong sense of oppression.

There were more than a dozen brightly colored hot air balloons floating in the sky in the square, and colorful flags and flags were hung from the hanging baskets below, with slogans congratulating the emperor written on them.

In the second half of the military parade, the most memorable scene was the scene where the Emperor of Qi was reviewing the parade.

A golden luxury carriage slowly passed by. The gorgeous carriage faced the wind with waving flags and marched around the square. The soldiers lined up on both sides of the carriage all paid tribute to the emperor and empress, making people involuntarily immersed in the atmosphere. In the atmosphere of imperial glory and solemnity.

At the climax of the military parade, the sky was filled with cannon fire and smoke. In orderly formations, the soldiers chanted the slogan "long live the emperor and the empire will last forever", expressing their loyalty to their emperor and their empire.

At this moment, Qi's military parade ground seems to have become the most spectacular spectacle in the world. Solemn, solemn, and powerful, a military force standing on top of the world will also become a permanent memory in people's hearts.

At the end of the military parade, Prince Friedrich, like countless guests, was still immersed in it, forgetting his name, his past, and where he was, only for the excitement and enthusiasm just now. Hard to extricate myself.

Undoubtedly, this was an unparalleled visual feast and catharsis that left him fresh in his memory and made everyone feel that they were in a country full of power, passion and glory.

It turns out that the army can be so passionate and soldiers can be so glorious.

A fierce warrior and an iron horse, capable of swallowing thousands of miles like a tiger!
At that moment, the iron-blooded will of the Hohenzollern family hidden deep in Prince Friedrich's heart seemed to be awakened all of a sudden.

Our army of the Kingdom of Prussia should also become the most powerful armed force in the world like Qi State, and I, as the ruler of the Kingdom and the commander-in-chief of the army, will also enjoy the prestige and glory of the Emperor of Qi State.

In the past, he had resisted and resisted in every possible way against his father, Frederick William I, who forced him to study and receive military education. He even despised soldiers, believing that this was extremely inconsistent with his "literary temperament" as a royal noble.

However, when he watched a grand and passionate military parade of Qi State, and watched the Emperor of Qi in military uniform riding a white horse, walking through the parade line one by one to receive the enthusiastic cheers of the soldiers, he was simply crazy with jealousy, and his eyes were filled with tears. Revealing countless little stars.

As a man, you should do this!
After the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Qi, Prince Friedrich did not return to Europe with the Prussian envoy as planned, but stayed in Hanzhou.

Previously, he had only wanted to escape from Prussia to avoid his father's rough education and ruthless control. He just took the opportunity to lead a group to Hanzhou, and planned to find a way to stay here for a long time.

However, now he has no intention of doing so.

The main reason why he still stayed in Qi was that he wanted to inspect and study this country in depth, understand their development and rise path, and learn the endogenous reasons for their strength, so that he could learn from their successful experience and integrate Prussia into the country. The kingdom also became a rich and powerful country.

In Chang'an, he was warmly received by the Emperor of Qi, and because of their similar age and habits, the two quickly became friends.

He would accompany the Emperor of Qi to hunt in the countryside, attend various banquets held in the palace, and even wear the uniform of the Imperial Guard of Qi to accompany His Majesty the Emperor on inspections of surrounding prefectures, counties, villages and towns.

In his spare time, he would travel around Chang'an in the carriage and security guard provided by the Qi royal family, visit the markets, universities and various art museums.

Prince Friedrich not only had profound attainments in music, but also was involved in many aspects such as architecture, design, philosophy, art, etc., and was extremely talented. After discussions and exchanges with relevant scholars in Qi, he was able to Quickly comprehend and make very constructive conclusions.

In addition to the above-mentioned amazing skills, he is also a language master. When he was in Prussia, in addition to mastering his native German, he could also speak relatively fluent French and English, and even Spanish and Portuguese. Generally understood. After arriving in Hanzhou, in less than three months, I was able to have simple conversations with people.

During his travels and inspections of Qi, he also did not forget to appreciate and collect art.

Relying on Qi's advanced industrialized production and commercial channels all over the world, you can buy any goods you want in Hanzhou. In addition, Qi has also established vast colonial territories overseas, and has also used this to collect the world. The richest and most diverse collection of antiquities and artworks in the world.

From Chinese civilization, Indian civilization, Persian civilization, Arabian civilization, and even Mediterranean civilization's collections of ancient books, historical relics, and a large number of folk collections, you can find your most satisfying works of art in many commodity trading markets in Qi. .

As a typical art collector, Prince Friedrich seemed to have opened the world's largest treasure house in Qi, and he collected his favorite works of art one by one, ready to take them back. Prussia, enriching its collection.

Spending money feels good for a while, but if you keep spending money, you will always feel good.

However, poor Prince Friedrich did not have such strong financial resources to "keep spending money."

He had only stayed in Chang'an City for less than three months, and before he was ready to start traveling around the Hanzhou continent, his financial steward told him with a worried look on his face.

Our money is gone.

(End of this chapter)