Video Editor

The grand ceremony of presenting captives in the eighth year of the Tiangong era was far more magnificent than that of the Hongwu and Jianwen reigns.

The captured Oirat nobles and their symbolic spoils of war...

Including the captured Oirat king's flag and golden seal, amidst the cheers of thousands of Nanjing citizens, Emperor Su Ning, sitting atop the Chengtian Gate tower, was already enjoying immense prestige.

On the city tower, high-ranking cabinet ministers, nobles and members of the imperial family lined up on both sides, looking down at the thunderous roar of "Long live the Emperor!" Their expressions varied, but deep in their eyes was awe.

During a break in the ceremony, Minister of Rites Chen Di whispered to Fang Xiaoru beside him, "Grand Secretary, in ancient times, emperors might need ten or even several decades to establish unparalleled prestige. Yet Your Majesty, since ascending the throne, has accomplished this in just eight years. You first stabilized domestic affairs, then pacified the northern deserts, sweeping away enemy strongholds. Your military achievements rival those of Emperor Taizu! What's even more remarkable is that Your Majesty has not been one to engage in endless wars. The country's railways, factories, and new policies are also progressing rapidly. Such civil and military achievements are rare throughout history."

Fang Xiaoru stroked his beard and nodded, looking at the young yet already dignified figure on the throne with a complex expression.

As a representative of traditional Confucian officials, he had some doubts about some of Su Ning's "unorthodox" actions, but the undeniable facts left him no choice but to admire them.

"His Majesty is a sage of unparalleled talent," Fang Xiaoru said slowly. "His ambition is not to maintain the status quo, but to expand and create an unprecedented and glorious Ming Dynasty. As his subjects, we should follow the trend of the times and do our best to assist His Majesty in achieving this great undertaking."

Their conversation also represented the sentiments of the vast majority of people in the imperial court.

Su Ning inherited the throne in order of succession, thus possessing the rightful legitimacy, unlike Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) who had the hidden worry of "illegitimate accession" and needed to constantly prove himself through external military achievements and suppress dissent.

Suning's foreign wars are more purposeful and better prepared; they are not wars for the sake of war, but rather a key part of its grand blueprint.

The swift and thorough pacification of the northern desert not only resolved the border troubles but also, in an undeniable way, deeply imprinted his authority and will in the hearts of every subject.

At this moment, there was no longer any dissenting voice daring to question his decisions, whether in government or among the public.

……

Qianqing Palace, Imperial Study.

The main generals of the Northern Expeditionary Army, such as Tie Xuan and Ping An, have returned to the capital to report on their duties and receive rewards.

After the grand celebration, Suning quickly refocused its efforts on domestic development.

On this day, he summoned key officials from the Cabinet, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Royal Trading Company, and the Imperial Crafts Institute.

"The northern deserts are now pacified, and the border troubles have temporarily subsided." Su Ning got straight to the point, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness. "However, this is not the end, but a new beginning. The strength of the Ming Dynasty should not be limited to the vastness of its territory and the sharpness of its military, but should also lie in the prosperity of its people and the strength of its nation, in the pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment, and in the advancement of its systems."

His gaze swept over the crowd: "Ministry of Railways, what is the progress of the Yingtian-Beiping trunk line?"

The newly appointed Minister of Railways, Wu Zheng, immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the northern line project has crossed the Yellow River and is progressing smoothly. It is expected to be fully completed by the end of the tenth year of the Tiangong era. At that time, the two capitals, north and south, will be closely connected by a steel network!"

"Excellent!" Su Ning praised. "Once this road is completed, the planning must not stop. The next step is to start planning railway lines from Beiping to Liaodong, to Datong, and even to the newly established cities of Dingbei and Anxi! I want this railway network to be like the blood vessels of the human body, reaching every limb of the empire!"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Then, Su Ning looked at Zheng Yi, the Minister of Works: "Minister Zheng, the construction of the national highway network is the top priority of the Ministry of Works. We must speed up the progress and ensure that all provincial capitals are connected by new concrete highways within five years! 'To get rich, build roads first,' this is a wise saying!"

"Your Majesty is wise; I will certainly do my utmost!"

Subsequently, Su Ning addressed Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue, and Zhou Chen, the General Manager of the Royal Merchant Guild: "The newly annexed areas in the southern and western deserts are sparsely populated. In addition to military settlements, we should vigorously encourage people from the interior to migrate to the border regions. The court can provide land, seeds, farming tools, and even exempt them from taxes for several years. The Royal Merchant Guild should establish branches there to purchase furs and livestock, and sell daily necessities to stimulate the economy. At the same time, we should establish primary schools in the newly annexed areas, promote Mandarin, and teach farming and craftsmanship skills so that the people gradually adopt Chinese customs and identify with the Ming Dynasty."

Xia Yuanji and Zhou Chen accepted the order in unison, understanding that this was a much longer "digestion" process than military conquest.

Finally, Su Ning said to the officials of the Tiangong Institute: "We must continue our efforts in the research and development of internal combustion locomotives and automobiles. I have heard that there is progress on small agricultural internal combustion engines. If this can be promoted, it will bring about a revolutionary change in agricultural efficiency! Also, I have discussed the principle of the telegraph machine with you. We must speed up the testing and strive to achieve long-distance communication as soon as possible, with messages sent in the morning arriving in the evening!"

A meeting outlined the development blueprint for the Ming Dynasty over the next few years, or even decades.

From transportation networks to frontier development, from economic penetration to technological innovation, Suning's vision is clear and ambitious.

The officials who left the Imperial Study were filled with enthusiasm and a sense of mission.

They knew perfectly well that by following this brilliant and ambitious emperor, they were participating in a truly great process of "recreating the Ming Dynasty," far surpassing the rise and fall of previous dynasties.

At this moment, Su Ning was unshakeable; his will was the direction in which the Ming Dynasty moved forward.

……

October of the eighth year of Tiangong.

Under the golden autumn sun, the mighty Yangtze River flows eastward like a giant dragon.

Outside Yingtian Prefecture, on the widest stretch of the river, stands an unprecedentedly magnificent building, like a steel rainbow, spanning north and south, standing tall and imposing...

The first Yangtze River bridge built during the Ming Dynasty has been officially opened to traffic!

On this day, the riverbanks were packed with people, and banners were waving.

Emperor Su Ning personally led all members of the cabinet, the heads of the six ministries, representatives of meritorious nobles, and meritorious craftsmen specially summoned from all over the country to this huge bridge that embodies countless efforts and wisdom.

The bridge is wide enough to allow eight horse-drawn carriages to travel side by side.

On both sides are stone railings carved with dragon patterns and cloud decorations, and underfoot is a solid reinforced concrete ground. Supporting this miracle that spans the natural chasm are several huge bridge piers with steel frames and concrete pouring. Like the arms of giants, they are deeply rooted in the rock strata at the bottom of the river and steadily support the bridge body that is several miles long.

Minister of Works Zheng Yi and the chief bridge architect, an elderly man with gray hair but vigorous spirit, excitedly introduced the bridge to the emperor and his ministers: "Your Majesty, esteemed officials, this bridge is 1,200 zhang long, with a main span of 360 zhang. The bridge deck is 15 zhang higher than the normal water level, so even during the flood season, 160,000-ton ships can pass safely! The steel bars and cement used are all from the new steel plants in Longjiang and Ma'anshan, and their strength far exceeds that of stone and wood!"

Suning leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance, the river breeze caressing his face, the rushing river flowing beneath his feet, and the picturesque landscape before him.

He tapped the cold railing lightly with his fingers and nodded with satisfaction: "A bridge spans north and south, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare! From now on, the south and north of the Yangtze River are connected as one! The benefits of this bridge will last for generations!"

Grand Secretary Fang Xiaoru gazed at the rolling Yangtze River below, filled with emotion: "In the past, Cao Mengde, spear in hand, composed poems, desiring to unify the country but failing, ultimately suffering defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs. If there were a bridge like this, what need would there be for such a natural barrier? Your Majesty's ambition far surpasses that of the ancients!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wu Zheng, the Minister of Railways, reported: "Your Majesty, with the completion of the Yangtze River Bridge, the southern section of the Yingtian-Beiping Railway has been successfully laid to Xuzhou! Construction on the Jiangbei section is also being accelerated. It is expected that by this time next year at the latest, the entire north-south railway artery will be open to traffic! At that time, the land journey from Yingtian to Beiping will be shortened to within three days!"

"Three days!" someone among the nobles exclaimed in a low voice.

In the past, even with the most urgent courier service, the journey from Nanjing to Beijing, involving changing horses but not the riders, would still take ten days.

Arriving in three days was an unimaginable speed in the past.

A relieved smile appeared on Suning's face.

The Yangtze River Bridge and the North-South Railway were the core projects for him to build the three-dimensional transportation network of the Ming Dynasty.

Their successful progress signifies that the Ming Dynasty's infrastructure construction capabilities have reached a whole new level.

And all of this is just the tip of the iceberg.

After leaving the Yangtze River Bridge, the emperor's entourage did not return directly to the palace, but instead headed towards the emerging industrial area outside the city.

The scene is even more breathtaking here.

Towering chimneys billowed white steam, and massive factory buildings stretched as far as the eye could see. At Longjiang Steel Plant, blast furnace No. 3 was tapping iron, and molten iron flowed out like a golden waterfall, turning half the sky red.

Inside the Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, which was under the jurisdiction of the "Great Ming Heavy Industry Bureau," the emperor and his ministers witnessed an even more refined scene.

A series of machine tools powered by water, steam, or internal combustion engines...

Simple lathes, milling machines, and drilling machines are being used by craftsmen to precisely process metal parts.

These parts, from the firing pin of a firearm to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, are far more precise and efficient than anything that can be achieved by hand-hammering.

A young official from the Imperial Workshop pointed to a machine that was being tested and emitting a buzzing sound, and introduced it: "Your Majesty, this is a prototype generator that was developed based on the principle of 'electromagnetic induction' that you suggested! Although it is not yet perfect, it can already generate current stably! The lit filament next to it is the 'electric light' that is lit by electricity!"

Although the light from the filament was still somewhat dim and unstable, everyone present understood what it meant...

A brand new "electrical age" has already begun to emerge on the horizon!

Su Ning addressed the accompanying officials and craftsmen: “Do you see this, everyone? Steel is the skeleton, railways and highways are the blood vessels, and these machines and this electricity are the muscles and nerves that make the Ming Dynasty active and strong! We no longer need to grope in the dark for hundreds of years like our predecessors. I have pointed out the direction, and you, with your wisdom and sweat, have turned that direction into reality! Skipping that long period of exploration and directly climbing to the pinnacle of industry, this is the fortune of our Ming Dynasty and the fortune of China!”

He surveyed the vibrant industrial zone, his voice ringing out: "Keep going! Expand steel production, improve machine tool precision, and perfect power generation technology! Let the roar of machines resound throughout every province of the Great Ming, and let the light of electric lamps illuminate the nights of every town! What we are building is an unprecedented and unparalleled industrial Great Ming!"

The emperor's words, like war drums, resounded in everyone's hearts.

The ministers and artisans were thrilled. They knew they were living in a magnificent and turbulent era, and each of them was a creator of this era.

The opening of the Yangtze River Bridge was a landmark event, officially announcing the maturity of the Ming Dynasty's industrial power.

Next came the moment when this power would fully erupt and completely transform the face of this ancient empire.

Railways are extending, highways are being woven, factories are roaring, and laboratories are gleaming with the light of the future…

A new era driven by steel, machinery, and electricity has begun.

……

In the ninth year of Tiangong, in the spring.

With the continuous advancement of various projects and the popularization of new technologies, the lives of ordinary people under the rule of the Ming Dynasty are undergoing profound changes unseen in a thousand years. These changes are subtle yet ubiquitous.

On the train on the already completed Yingtian-Songjiang Railway, the carriages were filled with all sorts of passengers.

A silk merchant from Suzhou remarked to his companion, “Brother Wang, do you remember? In previous years, when we escorted goods to Songjiang via the Grand Canal, we would encounter headwinds or shallow waters, and it would take anywhere from five or six days to ten days, filled with anxiety. But now? We board the train in Suzhou in the morning, and by noon we can inspect the goods and load them onto the ship at the Songjiang dock! This half-day saves not only time, but also a great deal of money and effort!”

His companion, a shrewd tea merchant from Huizhou, nodded in agreement: "More than that! I heard the railway from the north will soon reach Beiping. In the past, it would take months of arduous travel to trade goods in the north, but now I hear it will only take three or four days! This makes us even more confident in our business!"

Not only has long-distance travel been transformed by railways, but new sights are also emerging on the newly paved, wide concrete "highways" within cities.

Besides traditional sedan chairs and horse-drawn carriages, a two-wheeled machine called a "bicycle" began to appear on the streets. Although it was still a rare item for wealthy young people, its characteristics of not requiring animal power and being easy to control had already attracted the attention of many people.

Some bolder carriage companies began experimenting with modifying horse-drawn carriages with small internal combustion engines. The "putt-putt" sound and faster speed foreshadowed an even more dramatic change in transportation.

As night falls, in the bustling streets of Yingtian City, a new type of "gas lamp" (using gas produced by the dry distillation of coal) begins to replace traditional lanterns and oil lamps, illuminating the streets as bright as day, making the night market even more lively and extending its business hours.

In the imperial palace and the residences of a few nobles, experimental electric lights had been turned on, and their stable and bright glow was regarded as a symbol of supreme honor and status.

The variety and quantity of goods in the shops are also far greater than before.

Transparent glassware from Longjiang Glass Factory is no longer prohibitively expensive and is beginning to enter middle-class households; the workshops under the Royal Trading Company produce a wide variety of products, including "Ming Soap," cologne, standardized clothing, clocks, and even some small metal tools.

These products mostly bear the mark of standardized production, with stable quality and increasingly affordable prices due to large-scale production.

In government-run and private workshops across the country, the pace of production is changing.

The water-powered spinning and weaving machines roared, and the output of a machine supervised by one worker far exceeded that of dozens of hand weavers in the past.

In the newly built shipyard, the use of machinery such as gantry cranes and steam hammers has greatly accelerated the construction speed of ships.

More significant changes have occurred in mines and large construction sites.

Small steam engines or early internal combustion engines-driven water pumps, winches, and cranes greatly reduced the burden on manpower and accomplished many projects that were previously unimaginable.

Although these machines are not yet widely used, the efficiency and power they represent have already deeply resonated with people.

Many traditional apprentices, in addition to learning the craft, have begun to be required to understand simple mechanical principles and blueprints.

Change is not limited to cities.

In rural areas along railways and highways, farmers have noticed an increase in merchants transporting grain and vegetables, and prices are more reasonable than before due to reduced transportation costs.

Some farmers near the workshop area have begun to try planting cash crops such as cotton and mulberry trees, either to provide raw materials for the workshops or to work in the workshops and earn a stable wage, thus reducing their dependence on the land.

The "farmers' associations" promoted by the imperial court also began to introduce some simple new agricultural tools, such as iron-cast plowshares and improved waterwheels.

Although the "agricultural internal combustion engine" is still just a concept on the blueprints of the Tiangong Institute, the seeds of change have already been sown.

The biggest change may lie in people's thinking.

Emperor Su Ning's advocacy of "investigating things to acquire knowledge" and his emphasis on the "Tiangong Academy" led to an unprecedented rise in the status of craftsmen.

Excellent craftsmen can not only receive generous rewards, but may even be granted official positions.

The public's enthusiasm for learning "new subjects," including arithmetic, geometry, and basic physics and chemistry, is at an all-time high.

Some traditional private schools also began to teach these practical subjects in order not to be left behind by the times.

In teahouses and taverns, people no longer only talk about the harvest and local anecdotes, but also about the speeding trains, the bridge spanning the Yangtze River, and the "telegraph machine" that is said to be able to "transmit sound over a thousand miles" and is under development.

A sense of pride in technological progress and anticipation for the future began to spread among the people.

Of course, change will inevitably bring growing pains.

Traditional artisans are impacted by machine production, and some are facing difficulties; rapid urbanization has brought about some management challenges; and clashes between old and new ideas occur from time to time.

But in any case, the wheels of time are rolling forward, and the strength of the Ming Dynasty is growing stronger and stronger.

From modes of transportation to lighting conditions, from types of goods to modes of labor, from rural economy to social concepts, every aspect of Ming Dynasty society was undergoing profound and irreversible changes under the influence of this industrial wave driven by the emperor himself.

A new era that is more vibrant, more prosperous, and more complex has already arrived on this ancient land of China.

...(End of chapter)