Ming Dynasty: A centenarian madman criticizes the Grand Secretary and brings his coffin to court!

Above the sky, although the golden light had faded, the spark of the industrial revolution in the Ming Dynasty had been completely ignited by that madman Gu who hand-wrapped the steam engine!

Nanjing, a secret workshop of the Ministry of Industry.

The steam engine, codenamed "Gu's No. 1," was roaring day and night.

"Rat-a-tat-tat—"

Thick black smoke billowed and steam filled the air.

With each rotation, it proclaims to this ancient empire:

Times have changed!

but.

What good is an engine if Gu Canghai doesn't have one?

We need to get it moving!

We need to get it running!

It must carry the Ming Dynasty's army, grain, and cartloads of silver across the land of China—

hurricane!!!

【Ding--】

[Time: Summer of the fourteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1388)]

Location: Fengtian Hall, Nanjing.

[Event: A story about "To get rich, build roads first," which completely overturned the transportation landscape of the Ming Dynasty]

[Infrastructure powerhouse holds press conference!]

In the scene (in reality).

early morning.

Gu Canghai carried his iconic black coffin and strode into the main hall.

At this point, he was no longer the homeless man he had been when he was first arrested.

He wore a purple python robe, had an imperial sword hanging at his waist, and held a...

Pointer!

"Snapped!"

Gu Canghai lashed his pointer hard across the enormous "Complete Map of the Unified World of the Ming Dynasty".

Pointing to the long curve from Nanjing to Beijing (then called Beiping).

"His Majesty!"

"Dear colleagues!"

"Our current speed..."

"Too slow!"

Gu Canghai looked disgusted.

"It takes a month to travel from Nanjing to Beiping by water, and half a month by horse!"

"If fighting breaks out in the north, what will happen when our reinforcements arrive..."

"The daylily is all cold!"

"so!"

Gu Canghai suddenly drew a straight red line on the map!

Running through the north and south!

With overwhelming momentum!

"I've made up my mind!"

"We need to build a road!"

"A path not for humans to walk on, nor for horses to walk on, but for—"

"The train is taking a strange route!!!"

"I've already thought of a name, it'll be—"

[Beijing-Jinhua Railway!]

"With this road..."

Gu Canghai held up three fingers:

"Troop transport, three days!"

"Transport grain, three days!"

"If Your Majesty wishes to go to Beiping for Peking duck..."

"It only takes a nap!"

boom!!!

The entire audience erupted in uproar!

three days?

From Nanjing to Beiping?

Are you flying?

"Grand...Grand Tutor..."

The Minister of Works stepped forward, trembling.

"This...how is this possible?"

"What kind of road can it travel that fast?"

"and……"

The Minister of Works looked at the red line and swallowed hard.

"This route...crosses countless mountains and rivers!"

"We'll even have to cross the Great Wall!"

Could it be...?

"You're going to tear down the Great Wall?"

"dismantle?"

Gu Canghai rolled his eyes:

"Why would you take that thing apart?"

"That's a treasure left by our ancestors!"

"we……"

Gu Canghai revealed a maniacal smile:

"We're next to the Great Wall..."

"Build another 'reclining Great Wall'!"

"Pave the road with steel!"

"Use a steam engine to pull the cart!"

"These two capitals and sixteen provinces..."

"Give me the railway tracks—"

"Sew it up!!!"

……

These words shocked the entire court!

Paving roads with steel?

How much iron would that take? How much money would that cost?

This is going to drain the Ming Dynasty's coffers!

however.

Before they could even feel the pinch of the money.

An even more serious and nerve-wracking problem has erupted!

"No! Absolutely not!"

The Director of the Imperial Observatory (an official in charge of feng shui and astrology) knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Grand Tutor!"

"This act... is contrary to the principles of morality and justice!"

"Laying railway tracks on the ground is like driving steel nails into the earth!"

"That would be—"

"The dragon vein has been severed!!!"

"And this steam engine, spewing out clouds and mist, that's fire magic!"

"If we let this monster run on the dragon vein..."

"The Ming Dynasty is in grave danger! The nation is in grave danger!"

"I beg Your Majesty to reconsider your decision, even at the cost of my life!"

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that opinion!"

In an instant, most of the civil officials knelt down.

In ancient times, feng shui was considered politically correct!

Anyone who dares to disturb the dragon vein will be a sinner for all time!

Even Zhu Yuanzhang, sitting on the dragon throne, frowned when he heard the words "severing the dragon vein".

Although he believed in Gu Canghai, he also believed in feng shui!

"Ergou..."

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated:

"How about...we try another approach?"

"This dragon vein..."

"Screw you!"

Gu Canghai immediately swore!

What he hates most are these pedantic scholars who use feudal superstition as a shield!

"bass--!!!"

The Emperor's Sword is drawn!

A cold light flashed!

Gu Canghai, carrying his sword, walked step by step to the front of the Imperial Observatory Director.

The murderous aura emanating from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood (in the future) made it hard for the supervisor to breathe.

"you say……"

"Bad feng shui?"

"you say……"

"Will it sever the dragon vein?"

Gu Canghai sneered and patted the supervisor's face with the back of his sword:

"I'll tell you!"

What is Feng Shui?

Gu Canghai turned around abruptly and pointed to the several newly built red-coated cannons outside the hall:

"That's true feng shui!"

"As long as my cannons have a long enough range!"

"As long as my gun barrel is thick enough!"

"The whole world..."

"This is all excellent feng shui!!!"

"Who dares to object?"

Gu Canghai kicked the supervisor to the ground:

"Anyone who objects can go and build the road!"

"Just what we needed to fill the hole!"

"I'll bury you there as a roadbed..."

"Let me check the feng shui here—"

"It's sure to be a hit!!!"

"ah?!"

The supervisor was so frightened that his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

Seeing this, the other ministers immediately shut their mouths tightly.

joke!

Talking about feng shui with Crazy Gu?

He really dares to turn you into "feng shui"!

"His Majesty!"

Gu Canghai turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang, his eyes resolute:

"This road..."

"It must be fixed!"

"To get rich, build roads first!"

"This is an eternal truth!"

"Once this road is open, the bloodline of the Ming Dynasty will be unblocked!"

"At that time..."

"Let alone Beiping."

Even in the northern deserts! Even in the western regions!

"Our ironclad warships..."

"We can drive that way!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Gu Canghai's fanatical eyes.

The passion within me was reignited!

"good!"

"build!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the dragon table:

"Who cares about dragon veins!"

"Our country..."

"It was earned through fighting! Not through feng shui!"

"Grand Tutor Gu!"

"We'll give you the imperial sword!"

"Who dares to stop me...?"

"cut!!!"

……

then.

A momentous event, one that could change the history of human transportation—

The Great Ming Railway Movement!

it has started!

Grand Tutor Gu personally took command!

Prince Yan, Zhu Di, was responsible for supplying coal and steel (the Xishan Coal Mine and Ironworks were operating at full capacity)!

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was in charge of raising money (continuing to confiscate property, issue bonds, and even sell "railway stocks")!

Countless artisans, laborers, and those captured corrupt officials and Japanese prisoners.

They were all sent to the construction site!

"Jingle bells—"

"Heave-ho, heave-ho—"

The railway tracks are extending!

The roadbed is being compacted!

This is more than just a road.

This is the vital artery leading the Ming Dynasty to industrialization!

……

Six months later.

Outside Nanjing city, at the foot of Qixia Mountain.

A strange, dark road paved with steel winds its way north, stretching as far as the eye can see.

And at the starting point of the track.

There was one parked there...

Huge, billowing black smoke, and with an extremely ferocious appearance—

Steel behemoth!

This is the first steam train of the Ming Dynasty.

【Hongwu!】

Although it is very simple.

Although its wheels are not quite round yet.

Although its carriages were just a few large wooden crates pieced together.

but!

It represents—power!

"Your Majesty! Please!"

Gu Canghai, dressed in a train conductor's uniform (which he designed himself), stood at the front of the train and gestured "please" to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"this……"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the monster that was spewing clouds and mist, and swallowed hard.

I felt a little uneasy.

"Ergou."

"This thing..."

"Can it really run?"

"It won't explode, will it?"

"rest assured!"

Gu Canghai patted his chest and guaranteed:

"Absolutely safe!"

"I test drove it myself!"

"Aside from a slight tremor..."

"No other problems!"

"Get on the bus!"

Under the horrified gaze of the civil and military officials.

Zhu Yuanzhang, steeling himself, led Zhu Biao and Zhu Di onto the so-called "dragon carriage".

"Hold on tight!"

Gu Canghai roared and pulled down the red control lever!

"Ughhhhhh!!!"

The mournful sound of the steam whistle echoed through the sky!

The surrounding warhorses were so frightened that they knelt down!

Followed by.

"Besides! Besides! Besides!"

The huge rotating wheel began to turn!

The friction between steel and steel produced a teeth-grinding sound!

The car body began to shake violently!

It moved!

"It really moved!"

Zhu Yuanzhang gripped the handrail tightly, watching the scenery outside the window begin to rush past.

The speed is getting faster and faster!

Faster and faster!

Although in later generations, this speed is about the same as riding a bicycle (30 kilometers per hour).

But in the eyes of the Ming people.

This is called—

Lightning fast!

"Ouch! Ouch!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was jostled so hard his buttocks felt like they were about to split open, and his internal organs were churning.

This is hardly a car ride.

This is like riding a wild, mad horse!

"Ergou!"

"Slower!"

"I...I'm going to throw up!"

"vomit--!!!"

at last.

The Hongwu Emperor, a great emperor, could not withstand the first impact of the Industrial Revolution.

Holding onto the window frame.

I vomited so badly I felt dizzy and disoriented!

I threw up the whole way!

……

Half an hour later.

The train stopped in a wilderness (although it had only traveled a few dozen miles, it was already a miracle).

Zhu Yuanzhang was pale and his legs were weak. He was helped off the carriage by Zhu Biao and Zhu Di.

"His Majesty!"

Gu Canghai jumped off the hood of the car, his face beaming with excitement:

"How is it?"

"Was it good?"

"That speed..."

"It's alright, isn't it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang wiped the filth from the corner of his mouth.

Looking at that giant steel behemoth that was still steaming.

It was very painful.

I feel like throwing up.

but!

His eyes, however, shone with an unprecedented light!

He pushed away his son's help.

He shakily raised his thumb:

"Cool!"

"That was fucking awesome!"

"It was a bit bumpy though..."

"It was a bit noisy..."

"but!"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the enormous thing, his voice trembling:

"This thing..."

"Wow, that was fast!!!"

"With it..."

"Our Ming Dynasty's army..."

"Then you'll be able to grow wings!"

"build!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, his heroic spirit soaring to the heavens:

"Keep fixing it for us!"

"Repair it to Beiping!"

"Build it all the way to the northern desert!"

"Let's get it repaired all the way to... Europe!"

"We're going to sit in this thing..."

"Go and inspect our territory—"

"The world is a land where the sun never sets!!!"