My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 299 Steam trains are too difficult to make, so let's make steam cars first!
In the past, when the national treasury was empty, in order to maintain the operation of the court, Emperor Chongzhen had to put aside his imperial dignity and borrow money from wealthy merchants, gentry, civil and military officials, and nobles.

But in total, he only borrowed a little over a million taels of silver, and that was only after the emperor himself swallowed his pride and begged for it.

He even lost the life of one of his sons!
This led to Emperor Chongzhen developing a psychological aversion to borrowing money; he would feel fear at the mere mention of the word "borrow money."

Seeing Chongzhen's expression, Zhu Cilang knew exactly what Chongzhen was thinking.

He could only patiently explain the difference between the Ming Dynasty's national debt and borrowing money once again.

“Father, the Ming Dynasty bonds are different from ordinary loans because they are issued by the imperial court and have a very high credit rating.”

"Moreover, those who buy government bonds can not only obtain certain interest income, but also contribute to the country. Merchants can also use them to offset taxes. This is completely different from previous loans, because the current court has enough strength and credit to guarantee the timely repayment of government bonds."

"If the Ministry of Revenue's funds are insufficient to repay the debt, then the imperial treasury will be used. In short, I will never be a person who breaks faith and betrays trust!"

After hearing these explanations, Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cilang with a complicated expression, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he asked:

"You've come to me with this matter; it can't be as simple as just giving a heads-up. What do you want me to do?"

Zhu Cilang secretly admired him. Sure enough, Chongzhen was very clever and guessed his thoughts in one go!
Zhu Cilang then continued:
"In order to encourage merchants, civil and military officials, and gentry to purchase Ming Dynasty bonds, I think that for any purchase of bonds of more than five thousand taels of silver, the Emperor should personally sign them."

"This would be tantamount to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty personally guaranteeing the national debt of the Ming Dynasty, which might encourage them to buy even more."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen agreed without hesitation.

"Alright, I agree."

In Chongzhen's view, since he had nothing to do anyway and was bored in the palace every day, why wouldn't he be willing to sign his name for five thousand taels of silver?

Subsequently, Zhu Cilang and Chongzhen discussed the details, such as the issuance scale of national bonds, interest rate settings, repayment methods, and so on.

After everything was settled, Zhu Cilang got up to take his leave.

Next, we just need to wait for the Treasury to design and print the Ming Dynasty bonds, then they can be issued smoothly.

After leaving the palace, Zhu Cilang did not return directly to the Eastern Palace, but instead planned to visit the Firearms Research Institute.

After all, the only thing he truly cared about in this capital city was the Firearms Research Institute.

For him, the Firearms Research Institute was not just an ordinary institution. All the research and breakthroughs here directly determined the future development of the Ming Dynasty. Its rise and fall depended on it.

At this moment, in a building of the Firearms Research Institute, Bi Maokang was completely immersed in his research. The other researchers around him were also busy with their own work, never stopping for a moment.

The room was filled with a tense yet hopeful atmosphere, as if a great revolution was about to be born here.

In the past few days, Bi Maokang has made significant breakthroughs in rifle research.

He studied day and night, constantly experimenting, and each experimental verification brought him one step closer to his goal.

He knew that once the rifle he was developing was successful, it would bring about a revolutionary change to the military power of the Ming Dynasty.

Just then, a person rushed in in a panic.

He ran while shouting loudly:

"My lord! My lord! Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"

The sound was sharp and piercing, instantly shattering the tranquility of the room.

Bi Maokang was focused on his research when he heard the sudden shout and quickly looked up.

His brows furrowed, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, before he said in a deep voice:

"What's going on? Why are you making such a fuss? What kind of behavior is this!"

Although his voice was not loud, it carried an undeniable authority.

The man, panting heavily, said breathlessly:

"My lord, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

what?
Upon hearing this, Bi Maokang was momentarily taken aback.

Although he didn't have to attend court and focused on his research, he was still aware of some of the things happening in the court.

Moreover, the news of Zhu Cilang's return to the capital caused a sensation throughout the city; it was impossible for him not to know.

Moreover, he actually led some officials from the Firearms Research Institute to welcome Zhu Cilang yesterday.

However, they were standing too far away and the crowd was too dense, so Zhu Cilang didn't notice them at all.

He had originally planned to visit Zhu Cilang in person after he finished his work in the next few days.

After all, Zhu Cilang, who had just returned to the capital, must have many things to deal with, and he didn't want to disturb him at this time.

But he never expected that Zhu Cilang would actually come to his door today.

This sudden turn of events left Bi Maokang feeling completely bewildered.

But he quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly said:

"Take me there quickly!"

However, just as Bi Maokang reached the door, he saw Zhu Cilang walking over with a beaming smile.

"Long time no see, Lord Bi."

Zhu Cilang greeted him with a smile, his voice cheerful and friendly, as if they were not ruler and subject, but old friends who had not seen each other for a long time.

Upon hearing this, Bi Maokang quickly bowed, leaning slightly forward and clasping his hands in a fist salute, saying:
"Your Highness, I pay my respects!"

"Your Highness, why didn't you give me any advance notice before you came? I could have led a group of officials to welcome you."

"Your sudden visit has truly caught me off guard."

Bi Maokang's tone carried a hint of helplessness.

Zhu Cilang waved his hand and continued to laugh:

"I just suddenly felt like coming over for a stroll, so I didn't give you any prior notice. What, aren't you going to invite me in for a seat?"

Zhu Cilang's smile remained bright, with a hint of teasing in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Bi Maokang quickly said:
"Your Highness, please."

He slightly turned his body to the side, making an inviting gesture, and then Zhu Cilang walked directly into the room behind Bi Maokang.

Meanwhile, the officials in the room gathered and paid their respects to Zhu Cilang.

"Your Highness, we pay our respects!"

Zhu Cilang casually waved his hand and said:
"No need for such formalities. I've just come to take a look. You can all do what you need to do and don't need to feel restrained because of my presence."

Upon hearing this, everyone relaxed and went about their own business. However, with His Highness the Crown Prince present, they couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous.

Every now and then, he would glance at Zhu Cilang, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and awe.

Zhu Cilang didn't care about their gazes and plopped down in the main seat, his posture casual and natural.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Cilang saw all sorts of blueprints laid out on the table.

The drawings covered the entire table, with crisscrossing lines and complex, mysterious patterns that immediately caught his eye.

Because he could tell that these drawings were indeed rifle drawings.

Zhu Cilang hadn't expected that Bi Maokang had already researched the matter to this extent after he had only mentioned a general idea.

This filled him with admiration and he sincerely admired Bi Maokang's research abilities.

Seeing Zhu Cilang staring at the blueprints on the table in front of him, Bi Maokang explained from the side:

"Your Highness, I have been trying new methods and ideas recently. After countless failures and improvements, I have finally made some breakthroughs. I think that in another year or two, I will be able to develop this automatic rifle."

"Once this thing comes into existence, it will be another revolutionary change. It will completely change the way the Ming army fights, making the Ming army even more invincible on the battlefield and an unbeatable force."

Bi Maokang's voice was full of confidence and anticipation, as if he could already see the scene of rifles shining brightly in the Ming army.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang exclaimed "Good!" three times, his excitement barely contained.

It's important to know that automatic rifles were supposed to appear gradually three hundred years later, which was a product of technological development reaching a certain level.

But now, thanks to Bi Maokang's efforts, it's about to appear!
It is no exaggeration to say that if this thing were actually developed, the military power of the Ming Dynasty would undergo a qualitative leap, and the whole world would tremble under its feet.

At that moment, he seemed to see the magnificent sight of the Ming army, rifles in hand, galloping across the battlefield, invincible and unstoppable.

After looking at the blueprints on the table again, Zhu Cilang discussed other issues with Bi Maokang.

They discussed the design principles of rifles, the manufacturing process, and future directions for improvement.

Each topic was full of depth and breadth, allowing Zhu Cilang to gain a deeper understanding of rifle research.

Afterwards, Zhu Cilang went to the steam engine department.

The scene here was equally bustling, with researchers gathered around a steam engine, carefully observing its operation and recording various data from time to time.

Upon discovering Zhu Cilang's arrival, Wang Wei hurriedly led everyone to pay their respects:
"Your Highness, I pay my respects!"

Zhu Cilang quickly helped him up, then said with a smile:

"Get up quickly, there's no need for such formalities."

Then, Zhu Cilang looked at the steam engine not far away.

The steam engine was enormous and imposing, exuding a powerful sense of strength.

Sure enough, the research on steam engines progressed much faster than he had imagined; a steam engine that could even be matched with a steam train had already been successfully developed.

The piston of the steam engine moved rhythmically up and down, driving the flywheel to spin rapidly, emitting a series of roaring sounds, like a roaring beast.

However, the imperial court has no plans to lay railways at present, so the steam engine can only be left to gather dust for the time being.

However, this statement seems somewhat inaccurate.

Now that the steam engine has been developed, is it possible to build a steam-powered car first?

Once the thought came to him, Zhu Cilang suddenly couldn't stop himself from pursuing it.

However, he didn't really know much about this aspect and didn't know whether it was easier to manufacture a steam train or a steam car.
However, this is not something he should worry about. He only needs to express his thoughts and leave the rest to Wang Wei.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang quickly pulled Wang Wei down to sit, then asked with a smile:

"Lord Wang, do you think it's possible to use this steam engine in horse-drawn carriages so that they can run without horses?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wei paused for a moment, then said:

"Your Highness, how is this different from the steam train you mentioned before?"

A look of confusion crossed his face, as if he didn't quite understand Zhu Cilang's idea.

Zhu Cilang said with a smile:

"Actually, there isn't much difference. It might be slightly smaller, and instead of laying railway tracks, it would need to install something like a helmsman to control the direction. It might also need to add some brakes or similar devices."

"But the principle is the same as the steam train mentioned earlier, and it is more convenient to move around."

"Just imagine how convenient it would be for people's travel if carriages could run without horses! And it could also have great military applications, such as the rapid transport of supplies and personnel."

As he spoke, Zhu Cilang's voice was filled with passion and longing, as if he could already see steam-powered cars speeding across the land of the Ming Dynasty.

Wang Wei thought about it and suddenly felt that this idea was really novel, even more novel than the steam train before.

After all, steam locomotives are designed to run on rails and do not need to change direction; their running trajectory is fixed.

However, the novel device that Zhu Cilang just mentioned needs to be equipped with a helmsman to control the direction and a braking device, which requires solving many technical problems.

To be honest, this was a completely new field for him, full of challenges.

But coincidentally, he enjoys this kind of challenge!
Thinking of this, Wang Wei quickly said:
"Your Highness, I think it's worth a try, but it may take some time and cost a lot of money."

"After all, I have never studied this kind of thing before, and it requires a lot of research and experimentation."

Zhu Cilang listened and said with a smile:

"Don't worry, just go ahead and try. I can provide you with whatever people or materials you need. As for the money you need, I will support you no matter how much it is."

"Here's what we'll do. I'll give you 200,000 taels of silver for preliminary research. If that's not enough, just come to the East Palace and find me."

Upon hearing this, Wang Wei immediately became excited.

He quickly cupped his hands in greeting to Zhu Cilang and said:

"In that case, Your Highness, I thank you. I will certainly live up to Your Highness's expectations and do my best to conduct research so that this steam car can be put into production as soon as possible."

Seeing Wang Wei like this, Zhu Cilang was naturally very pleased.

Moreover, he had a vague feeling that perhaps the steam car was built before the steam train was built.

That would be so much fun!

After all, being able to drive a car in ancient times was incredibly impressive!

(End of this chapter)