Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

The prototype was successful.

What followed was a natural progression for the Mohist artisans, who were already obsessed with technology.

Less than three months later.

Li Chengqian then mysteriously sent an "invitation" to Li Shimin, inviting the Tang emperor and all the civil and military officials to go to the royal hunting grounds outside Chang'an to "see the dragon".

"To see a dragon?"

Li Shimin held the invitation, his forehead covered in big question marks.

"What real dragon is there in this world? Chengqian is just making things up again."

Even so, I still think about how my son always manages to come up with some amazing and unusual gadgets.

Li Shimin, still extremely pleased, skipped the morning court session and, accompanied by Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and other important officials, headed in a grand procession to the royal hunting grounds.

However, after arriving at the hunting grounds...

The emperor and his entourage did not see any ferocious dragon.

Instead, they saw an extremely strange "black iron strip" laid straight across the flat grass.

It was a simple railway track that was a kilometer long.

The sleepers were made of heavy hardwood, and two wrought iron rails with a faint glow were fixed on them, extending all the way into the depths of the hunting grounds' dense forest.

"Your Highness, what is this? Could it be a special racetrack for horse racing?"

Changsun Wuji stroked his beard, looking at the railway tracks on the ground with great curiosity.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a light black outfit, was standing on a makeshift platform at the end of the railway tracks.

Upon hearing this, he simply smiled mysteriously.

"Uncle, don't worry, the show is about to begin."

Li Chengqian raised his hand, and immediately a member of the Imperial Guard next to him blew a sharp copper whistle.

"Ugh—!"

A piercing and extremely shrill scream suddenly came from the depths of the dense forest in the distance!

The sound didn't resemble any wild beast from the human world at all; rather, it sounded like some kind of enormous, ancient monster roaring angrily.

Followed by.

"Rumble... Rumble..."

The ground began to tremble violently.

This kind of vibration is a hundred times more terrifying than a thousand heavily armored cavalry charging at the same time.

All the civil officials present were terrified, their faces turned pale, and their legs trembled. Even several military officers instinctively gripped the swords at their waists.

"What's that noise? Could there really be a ferocious beast?!"

Li Shimin's expression also changed slightly. His intuition, honed by years of battlefield experience, told him that an extremely terrifying behemoth was approaching.

next second.

The trees at the edge of the dense forest were smashed open with extreme brutality.

A colossal steel beast, entirely black and spewing thick smoke and high-temperature white steam, burst into everyone's sight with a terrifying roar, like a demon emerging from the abyss of hell!

The enormous cylindrical boiler, the huge steel wheel that spun rapidly, and the black "dragon's breath" that kept spewing out of the chimney.

All of this seemed like a living myth to these ancient people from the feudal era!

"Oh my god! It's a monster!"

One timid civil official was so frightened that he sat down on the ground with a thud, his crotch instantly becoming soaked.

Even prime ministers like Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, who were used to seeing big scenes, were so frightened that their legs went weak, and they had to support each other to avoid collapsing.

"A dragon! A black dragon! It really is a black dragon descended upon the world!"

Someone shouted in extreme fear, and the entire viewing platform instantly descended into chaos.

Even with his immense courage, Li Shimin was terrified when faced with this steel monster that was completely beyond his comprehension.

He suddenly drew the Tian Ce sword from his waist and bravely stood in front of the crowd.

"Protect the Emperor! Quickly, protect the Emperor! Where are the Hundred Cavalry Commanders?! Stop this demonic dragon for me!"

Looking at my dad's extremely comical appearance, as if he were facing a formidable enemy and preparing to fight the locomotive hand-to-hand, I was struck by his expression.

Standing on the platform, Li Chengqian finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

"Father! Please put your sword away quickly, lest you hurt your back!"

Li Chengqian laughed so hard he could hardly breathe, pointing at the steel behemoth that was slowly slowing down and finally stopping with perfect precision in front of the platform.

"This isn't some black dragon at all, it's the new ride I've prepared for you—the 'Great Tang Number One' steam locomotive!"

"Fire...train?"

Li Shimin gripped his sword with extreme vigilance, staring intently at the iron lump that was still hissing out white steam.

He discovered that although the monster looked extremely ferocious, it seemed to be lifeless, and had no eyes or mouth.

Moreover, that guy who peeked out in such a lewd manner, his face covered in coal dust, grinning at him like an idiot, looked so familiar.

"Mo Ju?! What are you doing inside this monster's belly, you bastard?!"

Li Shimin's eyes widened as he finally recognized the man who was excitedly blowing the horn in the driver's seat.

Mo Ju quickly jumped off the locomotive, wiped the black ash off his face, and proudly puffed out his chest.

"Your Majesty! This is the steam locomotive that His Highness the Crown Prince instructed us to build using pig iron and refined steel!"

Li Chengqian jumped into the locomotive's cab and skillfully pulled the thick whistle rope.

"Ugh—!"

Another deafening roar rang out, startling the ministers who had just approached, causing them to retreat again.

"Father, don't underestimate this lump of iron."

Li Chengqian patted the extremely hot boiler shell and proudly began to explain things to the group of country bumpkins.

"It doesn't need to eat grass or meat; it only needs to burn coal and drink water to generate endless power."

"Wherever the railway tracks can be laid, it can travel a thousand miles a day and eight hundred miles at night!"

"If you attached it to the back to haul goods, one locomotive would be equivalent to thousands of extremely strong draft horses!"

Li Shimin was stunned, and the sword in his hand clattered to the ground.

Doesn't need to eat grass? Possesses immense strength? Can travel a thousand miles a day?

If this were used to transport grain and supplies, wouldn't the Tang army be able to attack wherever it wanted without ever having to worry about logistical support?

This terrifying strategic value instantly made the eyes of the General of Heavenly Strategy shine like two small suns.

He swallowed hard and stepped forward with extreme caution, even a hint of awe.

Li Shimin reached out a trembling hand and tentatively touched the extremely rough, yet extremely hot, black boiler.

"Ouch—it's so hot!"

Li Shimin withdrew his hand as if he had been electrocuted, but instead of being angry, he grinned like a child with extreme excitement.

He turned his head and looked at Li Chengqian, his eyes filled with an extremely fanatical light.

"Chengqian, tell me the truth."

"This thing... really doesn't need to be fed hay?"