Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 3: Black Strange Road, Strange Man on the Bridge [Please collect and read]

After Zhu Biao issued the order according to Xu Da's suggestion, he entered the city through Yifeng Gate with Xu Da and other generals, preparing to climb the city wall to wait and see.

As a result, just after passing Yifeng Gate, scouts from the personal army came to report.

"Your Highness, we've discovered that the bridge splits into two... roads after crossing the south bank."

When talking about the road, the scout was obviously unsure and hesitated.

Then he continued, "A strange black road extends to the northeast of Loujiang Gate, outside the outer city wall, about a hundred steps away from the city wall."

"The next strange road separates from the bridge and heads southeast, passing the outer city wall and seemingly heading towards Xuanwu Lake."

"When the flag came down, Captain Chen had already sent cavalry to explore the end of the road. Furthermore, Captain Chen personally led a hundred cavalrymen to explore the bridge along the strange black road."

There was a lot of content in the scout's words. After Zhu Biao, Xu Da and others digested it, they all frowned.

Zhu Biao asked first, "You said that strange road below passed through the outer city wall? How did it pass through?"

The scout said, "Go straight through. The small section of the city wall directly above the strange road has disappeared. Your Highness will know when you go over and take a look."

At this time, Xu Da coughed and frowned, saying, "Didn't His Highness tell you to be cautious? Why did Chen Hu go straight onto that strange black road?"

The scout said, "Captain Chen has tried it before. He found the strange black road to be incredibly solid. He said it didn't seem dangerous, so he led his men up it."

An extremely solid black strange road?

Zhu Biao became even more curious after hearing this, so he said to Xu Da, "Duke Wei, we can talk about Chen Hu later. Since that strange road is near Loujiang Gate, why don't we go and take a look?"

Xu Da nodded, "That's exactly what I meant."

So Zhu Biao took generals such as Xu Da and Tang He to Loujiang Gate.

Yifeng Gate, Loujiang Gate and Zhongfu Gate are flanked by Lion Rock, and the city wall connecting the three gates is crescent-shaped, so the three gates are not far apart, and the straight-line distance between Yifeng Gate and Loujiang Gate is less than one mile.

Zhu Biao and others were all riding horses. Although they did not run, they still arrived outside Loujiang Gate very quickly.

This place was closer to the cross-river bridge, and the fog had completely dissipated. Zhu Biao, Xu Da and others subconsciously looked up and felt that the bridge was majestic and shocking, as if it did not exist in this world.

The group walked northeast along the outer city wall. After only about 300 steps, they saw the strange black road that led directly to the base of the city wall.

Zhu Biao dismounted and took a closer look. He saw a strange black road extending to the bridge deck. It seemed to be made of some black mud. Although it was not smooth, it was extremely flat.

The road is divided into three parts. The middle part is the widest, about five meters wide, and is further divided into four parts by yellow and white lines.

There are white-painted iron fences on both sides, and outside is a brick and stone path less than two steps wide.

Further out, there is a foundation that is about half a foot higher than the surrounding road surface. The edges are extremely smooth, as if they were cut by a huge sharp blade.

Zhu Biao noticed that whether it was the strange black road, the brick and stone path, or the white-painted iron fence, they were all clean and tidy, giving people a brand new feeling.

After observing for a while, Zhu Biao recalled his previous speculation and thought: If this cross-river bridge is really a fairy bridge in the sky, the middle must be the path for the emperor's dragon carriage and the heavenly soldiers and generals to travel, and the two sides must be the paths for fairies such as fairies to pass through.

But then he felt that although this road was strange, it lacked the charm of immortals - if the iron fences were replaced with jade railings, and the road surface was paved with jade, and filled with clouds, it would be almost the same.

So this bridge may not be a fairy bridge in heaven.

After collecting his thoughts, Zhu Biao prepared to embark on the strange black road.

"Your Highness, don't do that!" Xu Da, who had dismounted, grabbed Zhu Biao and said, "Be careful of the danger!"

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "Duke Wei, it's just a strange road. Chen Hu and the others have tried it and it's not dangerous."

Xu Da said: "Chen Hu and the others have not returned safely yet. How can Your Highness know that they are not in danger? What if..."

He thought, what if this strange black road could suck away people's souls without them noticing?
But he didn't say these unlucky words after all.

At this time, experienced and prudent generals such as Tang He and Fu Youde also persuaded Zhu Biao not to take risks.

Everyone in the court knew that Zhu Yuanzhang valued Zhu Biao.

If something happened to Zhu Biao in front of them, they would definitely be in trouble.

Under the persuasion of the generals, Zhu Biao showed a helpless look, "Okay, I won't go up."

Just as he finished speaking, Zhu Biao noticed that Yongchang Hou Lan Yu had walked onto the strange black road at some point, and had walked more than ten steps away and was touching the iron fence on the side of the road.

Then he drew out his sword, as if to chop the iron fence.

Zhu Biao quickly shouted, "Marquis Yongchang, you can't do that!"

Only then did generals Xu Da and others notice Lan Yu's unusual behavior and stopped him.

"Don't move!"

"Lan Yu, come back soon!"

Under the crowd's shouts, Lan Yu smiled awkwardly and said, "I just wanted to test whether this iron fence is strong. It's strange that there are so many iron fences on the road. If I could pull them out, I'm afraid I could make a lot of steel knives."

Everyone present was speechless after hearing this.

This cross-river bridge seemed to have fallen from the sky. Before they could even feel awe, Lan Yu actually wanted to dismantle the iron fence on it to make a steel knife.

How audacious.

However, although Lan Yu spoke, he did not ignore Zhu Biao's order. He put away his sword and walked down.

Not long after Lan Yu came down from the strange road, a scout from the personal army came running back from the strange road.

Hearing the clattering sound of horse hooves on the strange road, Xu Da and other steady and cautious veteran generals and civil officials felt as if their hearts were squeezed tight, fearing that the horse's hooves would break through the strange black road, get stuck in it, and be eaten whole.

Fortunately, the scout rode safely to the front of everyone.

The scout then dismounted, came in front of Zhu Biao, and knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, Captain Chen led us to the tall building at the bridgehead. We saw many strange things, but nothing was lost. We also discovered a strange individual there."

wack?

Zhu Biao and others were surprised and curious when they heard this.

Zhu Biao then asked, "What kind of weirdo?"

The scout said, "That strange man has cut hair, wears strange short clothes, rides a mechanical iron horse, and carries a bundle... In short, everything about him is strange, he doesn't look like a Ming Dynasty person."

After the scout finished speaking, the civil servants and clerks behind Zhu Biao couldn't help but whisper to each other.

"Could it be the immortal who fell to the mortal world along with the immortal bridge?"

"Can a god cut hair?"

"Maybe he's a Buddhist arhat?" "Shouldn't immortals ride on clouds and mist? Why are they riding mechanical horses?"

"Maybe it's a banished immortal..."

Zhu Biao didn't pay attention to these comments, but asked anxiously: "You didn't hurt that person, did you?"

After hearing this, the scout murmured in his heart: How dare we?
He said directly, "No. Captain Chen is leading his light cavalry and confronting them from a distance of several dozen steps."

Zhu Biao breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself: Fortunately, Chen Hu is not reckless again.

He then turned to Xu Da and said, "That man is so strange, and he appeared on the bridge. He must be unusual. I would like to invite him to question him. What do you think, Duke Wei?"

Xu Da nodded, "That's exactly what should be done."

Zhu Biao then said to the scout, "Hurry and pass on my order. Have Captain Chen invite the guest to see me. Remember, do not use violence."

The scout was also quite clever. He first responded with "Yes, sir," but then asked, "Your Highness, what if that person doesn't want to come?"

Lan Yu at the side couldn't help but ask, "With so many of you, can't you tie him up and bring him here?"

Zhu Biao glared at Lan Yu helplessly, then said, "If he doesn't come, come back and report. In any case, don't use force, and don't hurt him."

"As ordered!"

After the scouts left, Zhu Biao and others waited patiently by the strange black road.

At this time, Xiping Hou Mu Ying, who had been silently observing the strange black road for a while in the crowd, came to Zhu Biao.

"Your Highness, this strange black road reminds me of something."

Zhu Biao asked curiously, "What is it?"

"Fierce oil," Mu Ying said. "Fierce oil is as black as ink, and after burning, it solidifies into black soil."

After hearing this, Zhu Biao looked at the strange black road in front of him again and thought that it might really be related to kerosene.

In this case, it is even less likely that this cross-river bridge is a fairy bridge.

After all, the road surface, bricks, stones, and fences are all human things, but they are made with extraordinary craftsmanship.

However, if this bridge did not come from the sky, where could it come from?
···
After hearing the scout's instructions, Chen Hu rode forward a few steps and said in the heavily accented Jianghuai Mandarin, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has ordered us to come and have a talk!"

Liu Kuan blinked.

He found that although the accent of the "Ming army general" opposite him was strange, he could probably understand him.

Then I started thinking about it.

The prince invites me?

If it were the historical Ming Dynasty, there seemed to be only two princes in Nanjing.

One was the crown prince Zhu Biao during the Hongwu Dynasty, and the other was the crown prince Zhu Gaochi during the Yongle Dynasty before the capital was moved.

No matter who he is, it means that he traveled to an era when the Ming emperor had great power and the Ming army was very powerful.

Therefore, regardless of whether he can travel back in time, it is better to establish good relations with these Ming Dynasty people first.

At least he couldn't let the cavalry on the opposite side attack him.

After a moment's thought, Liu Kuan spoke slowly in modern Mandarin, "I came to Daming via this bridge, and I cannot leave it for the time being. If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Daming wishes to meet, you may come here."

Later generations of Mandarin originated from the Beijing dialect in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. Although it was closer to the Hebei Han dialect at that time, it was not particularly different from Nanjing Mandarin.

In addition, Liu Kuan spoke slowly, so Chen Hu and others roughly understood what he said.

Then they looked at each other.

No one expected that even in the name of the prince, this person could not be invited.

Chen Hu thought to himself: This person is so arrogant, could he really be a god? But he doesn't look like one.

He even had a feeling.

He could rush over on horseback and capture the strange man alive from his iron horse, and then bring him to see the prince.

But thinking of the prince's order, he didn't do it after all, but asked the scout to go back and report...

The south end of the bridge road.

The scout knelt on one knee to report to Zhu Biao.

"Your Highness, the man's accent is a bit strange, a bit like northern Chinese. We only understood the general idea. He said... he came here because of this bridge and can't leave it. If Your Highness is interested in meeting him, please go see him."

After hearing this, no one around Zhu Biao called him "bold".

After all, many people suspected that the strange man on the bridge was a god or a banished immortal.

If he is really an immortal or god, it is hard to say who is higher in status than Zhu Biao.

Besides, the reasons they gave were quite reasonable.

In the 14th year of Hongwu, Zhu Biao was only 26 years old. Although mature, he still retained the curiosity of a young man.

At this moment, he really wanted to meet the strange man and talk to him.

Therefore, after hearing what the scout said, he said, "Since this man cannot leave the bridge, I will go and see him."

Xu Da grabbed him again, "Your Highness, you can't do that!"

Zhu Biao was helpless and said, "Duke Wei, our personal troops have ridden on this road several times and found nothing unusual. This proves that this is an ordinary road and there is no danger in traveling on it."

Lan Yu, who was standing by, suddenly thought of something and chimed in, "Yeah, I went up there just now, and look, nothing's wrong now."

As he spoke, Lan Yu patted his chest to show that he was as strong as ever.

He continued, "If the Duke of Wei is worried, then the Marquis of Xiping and I will accompany His Highness. If anything unexpected happens, even if it means risking our lives, we will definitely ensure that His Highness the Crown Prince returns safely!"

Mu Ying didn't expect Lan Yu to involve him, and rolled his eyes speechlessly.

But he did want to take a look at the bridge, so he didn't object.

Xu Da glared at Lan Yu and scolded him, "If His Highness is truly in trouble, even if you risk ten lives, it will be useless!"

At this time, Zhu Biao took advantage of Xu Da's inattention and stepped on the strange black road.

Then he smiled at Xu Da and said, "Duke Wei, please see, I have already embarked on this path. There is no need to persuade me."

　The new book is in urgent need of collection and reading. Please raise your hands to support it, thank you!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)