Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 999 Opening of Steam Locomotives

  Since you have the king's order, how can you hesitate.

   This is a matter of attitude.

  If Fang Jinglong's ability is questionable, then his attitude will never be the slightest problem.

   This is exactly what the imperial court appreciates about him.

  The **** who read out the decree saluted Fang Jinglong, not even daring to take a sip of tea.

  Once upon a time, Fang Jifan wandered off in the capital, and he spoke of my father, Fang Jinglong.

  Now, everyone knows that Fang Jinglong has a son named Fang Jifan.

  When the **** saw him, he was like seeing a plague god, so how dare he beg for tea.

Fang Jinglong held the imperial decree in his hand. What he was thinking about now was not whether to go to the Golden Continent, but how to get there. When it came to the question of how to act in the Golden Continent, first of all... he had to know the geography and astronomy of the Golden Continent, as well as Daming's placement there. Situation.

  …

  The last railway track was finally paved into the inner city.

  Before the laying of the railway tracks, a huge station in the inner city, near the Forbidden City, has been built.

  The biggest advantage of concrete is not that it has any advantages over other building materials.

   There are advantages, but whether it is a mansion with civil or masonry structure, after thousands of years of continuous evolution by people, it has already reached a high level.

  The biggest advantage of concrete is that it can guarantee the progress of the project on the basis of ensuring firmness and durability.

Zhu Houzhao was sweating. The last rail was laid by him himself. He drilled a huge screw into the preset hole of the sleeper, and then used a wrench to fix the fastener firmly. Among the sleepers.

   This huge project was finally completely completed after eight months of hard work.

  The 41-mile-long railway track and eight platforms connect the new city and the old city. With the efforts of more than 6,000 craftsmen, the cost of each mile is as high as 93,000 taels of silver.

Not only that, for the laying of the early stage, the newly built steel workshop, the newly built fastener and screw workshop, and the sleeper workshop, as well as the research and manufacturing costs of steam locomotives, and even...if the cost of purchasing a large amount of land is added, then ...This number is likely to increase many times over.

The silver tax for a year in Ming Dynasty is probably less than 20% of this huge project. From a blueprint, to the overcoming of difficulties one by one, to the maturity of each craftsman, to more and more students, slowly Understand how it came from, why it can drive, from upstream to downstream, 70,000 to 80,000 people work, produce, and think around this railway.

  Zhu Houzhao slumped down on the sleeper mixed with gravel, looking weak and weak. After nearly three years...finally...from a concept to the rails under his feet, finally...completed!

   What you step on under your feet is a road paved with silver, the accumulation of blood and sweat of countless people.

Then, he stood up tremblingly, looked around, there were raw workers, craftsmen, hard workers, all kinds of people around, looking at His Royal Highness, Zhu Houzhao waved his big hand: "Go back and rest, traffic will open tomorrow! "

  Then, Zhu Houzhao got into the carriage and returned to Xishan all the way.

  Fang Jifan was grimacing, in Zhen Guo Mansion, holding a pen, staring at the copy in a daze.

  What else is missing?

   This is my dear father.

  I always feel that something is missing.

Canned food, by the way, it’s canned food, this canned food… you need to bring more, this time… the fleet will try its best to transport less cargo, and there will also be hundreds of newly built ships joining the fleet. This scale is extremely large The fleet will carry countless supplies and carry Daming's hope for the new world, all the way westward.

   That is to say, the purpose of this voyage is not to bring wealth. Although I don’t mind, grab some and bring it back as a souvenir, but the real mission is to bring a large number of people to the Golden Continent.

There are nearly a thousand large and small ships, and the estimated number of military households is 110,000. Not only that, they will also bring their families. If they do not have enough medicines and supplies, or if they are unlucky and encounter a storm, they may all be counted. Buried in the belly of a fish.

   In order to avoid risks, the fleet will depart in five batches, every other month...

  Fang Jifan always felt that there might be something missing from what he brought.

Now, the workshops producing 'kitchen utensils' are producing day and night. Pig iron is enough. After tempering steel, they can forge half-foot-long kitchen knives, one-foot-long bird-repelling sticks, and tiger-hunting sticks. The bows and crossbows they used for hunting, of course, along the way, they also made some firecrackers for the immigrants to express their inner joy after they arrived.

  Of course, the firecracker battle is a bit bigger, but after escaping death and arriving in the new world, the joy in my heart is always higher than that of the New Year. These are all explainable and excusable.

  Even...have to prepare a lot of farm implements and tools.

  A large number of immigrants must immediately carry out reclamation. By the time they are self-sufficient and able to produce farm tools, time is too late.

  After all, everyone hopes that their starting level is 999, and there will be a golden set when they disembark. Could it be that his father, leading a group of guys in common clothes and holding wooden sticks, ran to the world thousands of miles away?

  Fang Jifan searched hard, wishing to pack up the whole Xishan and let his father take it away.

   "Old Fang, Lao Fang..."

   Zhu Houzhao came in a hurry.

  Fang Jifan looked up and looked at Zhu Houzhao.

   Zhu Houzhao's eyes were red.

  Recently... It seems that everyone is sentimental, and there are more people who cry.

  Could it be that he was also moved by his insane campaign against the West.

  Fang Jifan's scalp felt a little numb, couldn't he, the chicken blood prince also ate it?

   Without further ado, Zhu Houzhao stepped forward and gave Fang Jifan a hug: "It's done, it's done!"

  Fang Jifan: "..."

Zhu Houzhao said excitedly: "The rails, the rails... have been laid, the stations everywhere have also been completed, and six trains of steam locomotives have been produced, each with eight carriages...Lao Fang... I finally put the rails on the rails. , it was paved."

  Fang Jifan was a little dazed.

   became...

  A few years ago, Fang Jifan thought this was an impossible task.

  Even when he proposed the idea of ​​the steam locomotive, he just hoped that the "brain hole" he had developed could inspire future disciples and grandchildren to move towards this great idea.

  He was willing to spend money to try. On the one hand, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince showed great interest, and on the other hand, he seemed to be happy to do so.

  After all, even if money is thrown in, even if it is unsuccessful, something can always be researched. The so-called predecessors plant trees and future generations enjoy the shade, money will not be spent in vain.

  But now...the steam locomotive is successful, and the railroad track...is finally laid successfully.

  Although it was only a short period of forty miles...but for Fang Jifan, these forty miles were already a remarkable feat.

   "Your Highness is mighty." Fang Jifan patted Zhu Houzhao's back excitedly.

Zhu Houzhao gritted his teeth and said: "It's you and me who are mighty, haha, it's done...it's finally done, since I started to study this steam locomotive, how many people are watching the jokes of this palace, old Fang...it will open to traffic tomorrow, and tomorrow, I will personally Drive the steam locomotive from the new city to the old city!"

  Fang Jifan's eyes rolled suddenly: "It's better to be more lively, and invite some people."

   "Who are you inviting?" Zhu Houzhao was a little speechless, he looked at Fang Jifan.

  The crux of the problem is, if you invite someone, will anyone come?

   After all, no one is interested in a moving car.

The officials were not interested in this. They believed that this was a clever and obscene skill. Unless they saw it with their own eyes, they would never agree with the steam locomotive. Chaos God'.

  Emperor Lao Tzu...According to the news from the palace, His Majesty has been wanting to smoke His Highness the Crown Prince for a long time now. He has a lot of work to do, so where does he have time, what interest does he have in this thing.

   "I'm afraid I won't be able to invite you."

  Zhu Houzhao seemed to have no confidence: "Why don't we wait until after the opening to traffic, they hear something, and then..."

  Fang Jifan shook his head: "For such a big event, we still point to relying on it to make a fortune. Of course, the more sensational the better, the first is to make it auspicious, and the second is to let the people in the capital see... I have a way."

   "What can I do?"

  Zhu Houzhao felt a pain in his head, and he was indeed inexperienced in this regard.

Fang Jifan looked at Zhu Houzhao as if he was mentally retarded, and said with a smile: "Your Highness, this is the benefit of using your brain more. Don't worry, just do what I say. Guaranteed, everyone will come when the traffic opens tomorrow." Join us!"

  Zhu Houzhao looked at Fang Jifan excitedly, he knew that Fang Jifan would always find a way.

   "Of course... this way, there will be a little risk!"

  Zhu Houzhao puffed up his chest: "I am...not afraid!"

  …

  Fang Jifan appreciates Zhu Houzhao's courage the most.

  Some people are born with courage.

   Such a person is either called a hero by others, or he is despised as a piece of shit.

In order to ensure that the traffic was opened correctly, Fang Jifan had to put down what he was doing, and together with Zhu Houzhao, he arrived at the departure station. Here, it is still close to Miyagi and all the important ministries and yamen in the new city. This is the first railway line , There are three sites in the new city, most of which are densely populated areas or future golden locations.

  Many craftsmen are overhauling the steam locomotive overnight.

  Zhu Houzhao was afraid of any accident, so he personally carried the lantern and checked every position of the steam locomotive.

Fang Jifan boarded the carriage. The construction of the carriage is simple. It is just an iron sheet with wheels that can be connected to the front of the car. Except for the seats in the first and second carriages, the rest of the carriages have no place. How good it is to stand. It would be nice to have a steam locomotive for you to sit on, but what kind of seat do you need...

  Fang Jifan can almost imagine that this carriage will be like a can of sardines in the future...but...it's good.

  He fell asleep for a while, and in the morning, Zhu Houzhao had changed into new clothes and was about to enter the palace. Fang Jifan personally sent Zhu Houzhao out and patted him on the shoulder: "Your Highness, take care!"

  Zhu Houzhao grinned with the fearless spirit that all heroes have: "Yes."

   "Something went wrong..." Fang Jifan urged: "Don't confess to the minister, the minister's child is still young."

  (end of this chapter)