The Ming Dynasty’s Prodigal Son - Chapter 1816

[1816. Chapter 1727 Greed for Heaven’s Merits]

Zhu Houzhao excitedly found the person and asked, “Are you ready?”

“Okay, we specially arranged the train in advance today. Your Majesty, this car has been inspected and it should not be… What’s wrong, just to prevent it before it happens…”

Before the man finished speaking, Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: “What to prevent it from happening, bastard, believe it or not, I will slap you.”

Seeing His Majesty raise his hand to hit you, this station. The webmaster looked stunned. The emperor he imagined should not be like this!

Fang Jifan said seriously: “Your Majesty, it is important to test the car.”

Zhu Houzhao just put his hands behind his back and said: “How many carriages are mounted on this car?”

“According to the instructions and rules, eight carriages were mounted, with thirty people in each carriage. .”

Zhu Houzhao nodded.

This number is the maximum full load value of a steam train. In the past… this number was terrifying. One train could carry 240 people. Such a transport capacity could only be achieved when it was fully loaded.

However, under normal circumstances, steam locomotives running in Beijing are often fully loaded. Not only are they fully loaded, there are even many people on board the train.

After all… there are so many people, especially during peak passenger traffic.

So… the train began to struggle at this time. Just hearing the roar, it moved very slowly, at a speed of twenty miles per hour, which is good.

But even so, this kind of speed is extremely amazing for this era where people basically rely on walking when going out. Ordinary people have long been accustomed to relying on trains to travel. On the one hand, there are a large number of workshops. Many people have become farmers from farmers. After becoming workers, people gradually began to have a sense of time. On the other hand, although the railways of this era were not very friendly to passengers, they were still very cheap.

Zhu Houzhao first helped Queen Mother Zhang out.

Empress Dowager Zhang asked doubtfully: “Is this designed by He Ling and Yan Ling…they?”

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: “Exactly, exactly. Queen Mother, please wait here while I go to test the car first.”

Someone brought a seat to Queen Mother Zhang and served tea.

Empress Dowager Zhang was not in a hurry. She did not dare to go into this iron knot. She always felt that it was very scary. Although she knew that she was generally safe, she took a sip of tea, but she was thinking about when her two brothers started to fight. I’m just thinking about this.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but look at Fang Jifan.

This steam locomotive is said to be closely related to the emperor and his successors. The emperor has always disliked his two uncles. Although she tried to persuade her, but when the two brothers were mentioned, the emperor became itchy with hatred. This… is very disturbing. Queen Mother Zhang was worried.

Therefore…the matter of the two brothers building a steam locomotive must have nothing to do with the emperor, so…could it be the successor to the vassal?

In the eyes of Queen Mother Zhang, Fang Jifan was a steady and loyal person. She still remembered that the last time Fang Jifan went to greet her, she mentioned these two uncles and showed her concern, so that Fang Jifan took good care of her. In the blink of an eye…

Empress Dowager Zhang was thinking in confusion, and couldn’t help but feel a little worried. Not only were these two brothers incompetent, they were also unreliable.

But at this moment, Zhu Houzhao had already pulled Fang Jifan into the car. Fang Jifan looked out the window through the glass, and then… at the front of the car, the coal shoveler started to burn the boiler, and with a roar, the car began to vibrate.

As a guinea pig, Fang Jifan was a little nervous, but Zhu Houzhao sat with his legs crossed.

Immediately afterwards, the vibration became more violent, and the steam locomotive finally started to move. Through the glass window, you could clearly see that things outside the window began to move backwards, and then… the steam locomotive began to run wildly.

Fang Jifan didn’t have much awareness of this.

But at this moment, Zhu Houzhao suddenly became energetic: “This energy is not small, Lao Fang… This energy is not small.”

Suddenly his eyes lit up. He was indeed an expert. He knew the difference just by feeling it.

Along the railway tracks, the steam locomotive was still running wildly, seemingly full of power.

On the locomotive, thick smoke billowed out of the chimney.

The steam locomotive with eight carriages began to speed faster and faster, so that… the vibrations in the carriages became more and more obvious.

Fang Jifan looked at the scenery passing by faster and faster outside, and felt that it was normal.

Zhu Houzhao started dancing: “Quick, so fast. Lao Fang, this is so fast. Have you ever been on such a fast steam car? It’s really done, it’s done…” He rubbed his hands excitedly.

Fang Jifan felt calm and thought to himself, not only has he ridden on it, but he has also ridden on something many times faster than this. This thing is worse than an antique.

In fact… in other carriages, there were mostly people from the research institute and the station. At this moment, they all felt incredible.

Under such a fully loaded situation, it ran as easily as if there was no trailer at all.

Many carriages were already boiling.

For researchers, this is obviously…a new door opening in front of them. In this new direction, perhaps… countless results are about to appear.

But for the people at the station… what they saw… was money.

Countless amounts of money…

Theoretically speaking, the loss of the same pot of coal brings different transportation capacity, which means different profits.

The current railways are actually not very profitable. On the one hand, they require a large number of personnel and waste a lot of coal. They even include many expenses such as maintenance and depreciation.

But once… In a certain aspect, money can be greatly saved, or the same train can bring greater transportation capacity, which means… profit…

With profits, more people can have meat to eat.

The steam locomotive began to run as hard as it could, without stopping all the way, like a bull, running along the track with great recklessness.

Zhu Houzhao held the handrail and kept praising: “Quick, too fast, oh, Lao Fang, I’m going to fly.”

Fly, your uncle…

Fang Jifan still sat like an old monk, and couldn’t help but complain in his heart, is this called flying? The green cars of later generations can beat you.

After one train, finally… the steam train followed the circular line and returned to the starting station of Xishan.

When the train slowly began to slow down, amid the smoke, it gradually came to a stop.

Zhu Houzhao had already jumped out of the car.

Several academicians who were accompanying him had arrived in a hurry.

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”

Zhu Houzhao’s face glowed red and he asked excitedly: “How long did it take?”

The person who replied was also very excited: “It took four quarters of an hour to go around the new city. Your Majesty, it’s a full time.” The previous steam locomotive was almost twice as fast, and this was still fully loaded… If it were empty, it would be even more shocking.”

Fang Jifan was listening and making calculations in his mind.

Calculated in this way, the speed has reached more than forty miles per hour. Compared with the speed of an old ox pulling a cart before, it is indeed terrifying to do this with a full load.

Zhu Houzhao said in surprise: “Twice as fast?”

“Yes.” The academician who kept the time said firmly: “My clock is the most accurate. If your Majesty doesn’t believe it…”

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: “This is good, this is Okay, let’s talk about it…how can my two uncles be so capable? Come on, come on, call them back to the capital, I want to wait for them to come back and ask for advice.”

As he said this, Zhu Houzhao put his hands behind his back. Looking left and right, he said, “Where is the Queen Mother? Where is the Queen Mother?”

He looked around for Queen Mother Zhang.

Queen Mother Zhang was still sitting there, with people waiting on her side. She heard the roar of the steam locomotive at the entrance of the station, and saw countless people cheering and rushing in that direction. Queen Mother Zhang felt strange.

After a while, Zhu Houzhao came excitedly, looked at her happily and said: “Queen mother, this is amazing, this is amazing, does your mother know how amazing this is? This is nothing more than re-inventing the steam locomotive, and the two uncles are worthy of it.” He’s my uncle, haha…”

Seeing Zhu Houzhao’s excited look, Queen Mother Zhang was stunned.

She couldn’t understand what was so great about this.

But at this moment, someone had already slipped out excitedly and ran all the way towards the exchange.

Fang Jifan suddenly woke up: “No, Your Majesty… It’s bad now, we are making too much noise.”

“What, what do you mean?” Zhu Houzhao looked at Fang Jifan, unable to react for a moment.

Fang Jifan said: “With such a huge commotion, someone must be asking about it. I’m afraid that as soon as this news comes out, such a major benefit, Xishan Jianye’s railway stocks on this exchange will skyrocket.”

Zhu Houzhao replied. I understand this too, but after listening to it, I suddenly realized something.

He trembled violently, his eyes widened, and he shouted hurriedly: “Yes, yes, Liu Banban, Liu Banban.”

Liu Jin hurriedly stepped forward: “My slave is here.”

Zhu Houzhao quickly ordered: “Quickly , hurry up… go to the exchange and inquire about it. I’m afraid it’s too late to buy back the stocks now, but… if it rises sharply, it may not be a bad thing. When those merchants see business opportunities, they will still be reluctant to invest money. Is it? The steam locomotives running on the same rails can double the transport capacity or double the speed. This is a pot of coal carrying twice the goods and people. In this way… the future railway operation will be truly profitable. I have a plan, don’t worry about them not investing money, Lao Fang… The future of railway construction in the Ming Dynasty is promising.”

Liu Jin listened to Zhu Houzhao’s instructions, quickly prepared a fast horse himself, and went to the exchange like crazy.

For Zhu Houzhao, a huge prospect has appeared before his eyes.

In the past, what was the purpose of planning these railways and asking for money? Isn’t it just that…many people think that the return of payment for railway construction is too slow and the profit is not enough?

But once…this situation changes, it will mean…that countless people will start to be optimistic about the railway.

And this… is truly a major event that benefits the country and the people.

“Mother, I can’t wait any longer. I want to go to the exchange in person.” Zhu Houzhao said anxiously: “I want to see…if it is as I guessed. If so…I can sit back and relax. Mother knows I don’t know, this is more beneficial than me training 100,000 elite soldiers.”

Queen Mother Zhang: “…”

(End of this chapter)