Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 325 Ban Chao: If we make things difficult for the foreign tribes, they'll understand! [Seeking monthly votes]

A couple of days ago, I looked up information about bridge construction using the I Ching and found that before the liberation, several modern steel cable suspension bridges were built in China using only manpower, with a capacity of over ten tons, allowing cars to drive across them directly.

If it could be made before liberation, then with steel cables, it certainly wouldn't be a problem in the ancient world either.

Therefore, Zhou Yi planned to ask Zhang Yuqiang if he could obtain some steel cables for building cable-stayed bridges. If the crane equipment factory could provide them, Hunyuan Palace would be able to build several bridges for the ancient world within the next year.

For example, the Silk Road Yellow River Bridge that Emperor Yuan and Emperor Wu wanted to build, and the Pubanjin Yellow River Bridge that Emperor Zhenguan and Emperor Kaiyuan wanted to build, could be constructed by the other side through the provision of steel cables.

Several worlds lack everything except labor for building bridges... Even if there really isn't enough, just go to the grasslands and the northwest to find some, it's very simple.

Zhang Yuqiang said:
“We have plenty of these in our factory. Our third factory specializes in making steel cables, and we can make all kinds of models… Master Zhou, why are you suddenly researching this stuff? Are you planning to build a cable car on the mountain?”

The Book of Changes neither confirms nor denies:

"It's just that when we're not busy, we do some random research, just to prepare for the future. If Hunyuan Palace becomes popular in the future, we need to have multiple development models."

Zhang Yuqiang patted his chest and assured him:
"Just let us know when you need our assistance, and we'll be happy to assist you."

Several engineers in the factory also made various promises, saying that manufacturing steel cables was a piece of cake for them and no problem at all.

Zhou Yi seized the opportunity to ask:

Do you think it would be difficult to build a steel cable bridge across a river that spans more than 100 meters using only manpower?

For engineering students, this kind of topic is much more interesting than empty pleasantries, especially for an engineer surnamed Xu, who, upon hearing Zhou Yi's words, immediately said:
"It's that simple. The towers are built with stones. After the towers at both ends are built, the steel cables are pulled up one by one by manpower. The sag is calculated, and finally the steel cables are tied together. Then the suspension cables and bridge deck can be installed... It can be done entirely by manpower. There's no need to worry about mechanical problems."

Another engineer, surnamed Zheng, adjusted his glasses and offered a different perspective:
“The difficulty of building a cable-stayed bridge is still too great. If we could build a pylon, we could just build two bridge piles in the riverbed and erect a temporary truss steel bridge, just like the Bailey Bridge during World War II. It would be simple to operate, highly durable, and easy to construct, much easier than pulling steel cables.”

This was the first time Zhou Yi had ever heard of a Bailey bridge. After searching online, he discovered that it did indeed seem very simple: prefabricated steel Bailey panels were assembled together, and then steel plates were laid on top to form the bridge deck. Since its invention during World War II, it has become the preferred method for building temporary bridges.

In recent years, high-strength steel bridges have been frequently seen in disaster relief operations, enabling them to be opened to traffic in a short period of time.

If modern trucks can pass, then ancient horse-drawn carriages can certainly pass as well. Moreover, the bridge surface is made of steel plates, so a horse-drawn carriage could run over it without any problem... Zhou Yi thinks this is a good way to build bridges in ancient times, and it is worth studying.

Zhang Yuqiang looked at Zhou Yi and asked:

"Does Master Zhou need anything? If so, our second workshop specializes in making crane trusses. If we're producing Bailey panels, we don't even need to change the blueprints."

Ever since the last time we had Zhou Yi perform a ritual, everything in the factory seems to have suddenly become smoother. We recovered some outstanding payments, signed several crane contracts for inland river ports, and distributed high-temperature subsidies. The workers are all smiles, and their enthusiasm has increased by an order of magnitude.

With the government's support for inland shipping, the demand for lifting equipment at small and medium-sized docks will see a significant increase. Zhang Yuqiang decided to seize this opportunity to reverse the losses of the lifting equipment factory.

In addition to lifting equipment, he also plans to use the chassis of the spider crane to make some portable pile drivers. These pile drivers can be hammered or drilled and are supporting equipment for the construction of photovoltaic equipment.

We don't care how many we can sell; we'll be grateful if we can just lower the cost of the spider crane chassis.

The Book of Changes says:

"When you need it, I'll tell you how to issue the invoice, and I'll make sure you don't lose out."

Uncle Ming, who had been silent all along, suddenly asked:
“Master Yi, just let me know when you need it, and I’ll place an order for you through Boss Zhang. Consider it a donation from me.”

Yesterday, Uncle Ming consulted the oracle for himself and discovered that in the past two weeks of working with Zhou Yi, his good fortune had significantly increased, bad luck had disappeared, and everything was turning for the better.

If it were someone else making a donation, Zhou Yi would try to stop them, but not Uncle Ming. His grandfather had ruined his life, so now he could earn good fortune from ancient times by donating some supplies. This is a good thing!

Once all the dishes were served, everyone started eating. Tomorrow, another ritual will be performed, and the statue of the First-Rank Blessing Heavenly Official will be officially completed. Next, a general meeting of all worshippers will be held... Tsk, it sounds like a pyramid scheme meeting.

The Book of Changes intends to set the tone for the development of each world. Some technological gaps should be addressed by updating them. For example, the steelmaking technology of the Song Dynasty was passed on to the Han Dynasty, and the cavalry tactics of the Tang Dynasty were shared with the Han and Song Dynasties.

Despite being in the middle, the Tang Dynasty's cavalry tactics were still very strong, more effective than the Song Dynasty's "iron turtles" ramming tactics.

After the meal, the steel mill's office director gave Wu Meiniang and Xi Shi each a shopping card. Zhou Yi was too lazy to make any more trips, so he drove directly to the shopping center in Lushan County and, with the two beauties, spent all 20,000 yuan.

They mostly bought small items that could be used in ancient times, which made the supermarket staff think they had encountered a wholesaler.

After finishing his shopping, Zhou Yi went to the parking lot, folded down the third-row seats of the Leopard 8, and stuffed all the small items worth 20,000 yuan into the car. To prevent the talented woman from feeling wronged by eating instant noodles, Zhou Yi also bought some donkey meat and several flavors of roasted chicken wings, including honey, extra spicy, and New Orleans.

While the three were rushing excitedly towards Hunyuan Palace, on the other side, in the world of Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han Dynasty, in the Western Regions of Shache Kingdom.

The stone tablet commemorating Ban Chao leading thirty-six horsemen out of Yumen Pass has been carved. Military Commander Xu Gan stroked the hastily made tablet, his face full of emotion:

"We have been out of the pass for fourteen years. Of the thirty-six riders who followed the envoy back then, ten are now buried in the Western Regions... I was quite aggrieved at first, but now that there are immortals who care about me, I can die in the Western Regions. This is the land of the Han Dynasty, and I am proud to die here!"

Back then, Xu Gan was a famous handsome young man in Luoyang. When he heard that Ban Chao had volunteered to go to the Western Regions to open up the frontier, he volunteered without hesitation. Ban Chao felt that he was too young and too bookish, and not suitable for going to the Western Regions.

However, Xu Gan repeatedly pleaded with Ban Chao, eventually persuading him to become the military commander.

Fourteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. The once handsome young man has become a middle-aged man with a full beard, and he acts very casually. You can hardly tell that he was once a melancholy scholar.

All I can say is that the environment really does toughen people up!
Ban Chao unscrewed the cap, took a sip of the tea Ban Yong had brewed, and said to Xu Gan:
"It wouldn't be appropriate to meet the pilgrims from the Immortal Master empty-handed for the first time. Tell the nobles of Shache to gather a thousand warhorses for me before nightfall. I'll take them to the Hunyuan Palace to greet the pilgrims from other worlds. If I bring too few, they'll look down on me."

Xu Gan agreed and was about to set off when Ban Yong, who had just turned eight this year, asked:

"Father, we counted over ten thousand warhorses from the prisoner-of-war camp yesterday. Why do we still need to collect them from them?"

Ban Chao patted his son's head and explained:

“Those warhorses are spoils of war to be handed over to the imperial court. I cannot give them away as gifts, so I can only make things difficult for the foreign tribes. Fortunately, they understand and I don’t need to say much.”

Tian Lu, standing nearby, suppressed a laugh, thinking that the Great Demon King of the Western Regions was being overly cautious in front of the child.

Let alone giving gifts, even without a legitimate reason, if the military commander of the Western Regions wanted a horse, could they refuse?
It's estimated that if they refuse, they will become one of the small countries in the Western Regions that are destroyed.

Now that the royal family of Shache has been eliminated, and Khotan and Shule have completely submitted, the region east of the Pamir Mountains is gradually becoming stable. The next step is to mobilize troops and begin an attack on Kucha.

Kucha was relatively strong during this period. It not only supported seven or eight small countries as a shield, but also brazenly occupied Wulei and Luntai, where the Protectorate of the Western Regions was located. The people of the Protectorate had long been killed, and the small detachment led by Ban Chao became the only remaining force of the Han Dynasty in ruling the Western Regions.

Xu Gan and his men were initially unsure about attacking Kucha, but after trying out the walkie-talkies and drones, they suddenly realized that destroying Kucha was nothing, and they should continue westward to make contact with the Romans.

With Parthia destroyed, the Silk Road would be unobstructed, allowing the Han Dynasty's influence to extend into Central Asia and even West Asia. Social conflicts within the Eastern Han Dynasty would also be alleviated. With money and territory, who would want to engage in ideological struggles in the Central Plains?

Once this goal is achieved, Taoism will naturally spread to Rome. When the Roman emperor makes a hand gesture and says "May the Heavenly Venerable grant me boundless blessings," it will surely be quite amusing.

To ensure the smooth implementation of this plan, Ban Chao looked at Tian Lü and asked:

"Do you dare to go to India in the name of an envoy of the Han Dynasty?"

Sindhu was the predecessor of India. During the Han Dynasty, they were skilled at making sugar. The rock sugar that Cao Cao's family loved to eat at the end of the Han Dynasty was yellow rock sugar made by Sindhu people.

Now that we are going west, we need the approval of the imperial court, and if we get approval, we have to offer some benefits... The sugar-making technology of Sindhu was one of the benefits that Ban Chao offered to the imperial court.

The Han Dynasty had sugarcane, but its sugar-making technology was lacking. It wasn't until the Tang Dynasty, when Wang Xuance brought a group of sugar-making artisans from India, that the technology was successfully transmitted back to China.

Now, Ban Chao no longer intends to wait for Wang Xuance to make a move; he will acquire the technology ahead of time so that the artisans of the Han Dynasty can be passed down from generation to generation.

By evening, a thousand warhorses were ready. The nobles of Shache even gave them dozens more Akhal-Teke horses and ten Akhal-Teke stallions, which was so considerate it was heartbreaking.

When King Guangde of Khotan heard that he wanted to present precious horses to the immortal's cave, he also sent two hundred warhorses as a token of his appreciation. Ban Chao was very pleased and rewarded him with a bag of salt, which made Guangde so happy that his eyes filled with tears.

Meanwhile, in the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, Granny Gongsun rode her electric scooter into the palace and said to Li Longji:

"Marquis Ban Chao of Dingyuan went to Hunyuan Palace, penniless but still steadfastly guarding the borders of China..."

Li Longji waved his hand, interrupting the girl's spellcasting:

"Grandma, please make your story short. What kind of support do you want for him? I'll do it right away... Marquis Dingyuan is my childhood idol!"

(End of this chapter)