"It's on the train! It's on the train! The child ran around in the crowd, clapping his hands happily and shouting loudly. The adults gathered in twos and threes and talked about it. The people of Xiongzhou have heard about the train for a long time, and today it finally leads here.

People all over the city ran out to see the newly built station. When I built the city, I didn't expect that there would be such a thing as a train in the world. The layout of the city could not accommodate the station into the city, so it could only be built outside the west gate.

Ma Huaide and Zhang Qi sat next to the station together, with tea and fruit on the middle table, chatting and waiting for the arrival of the train.

Looking at the crowd around him, Zhang Qi said: "Over the years, the people have also known the benefits of the train, and they have gathered here to see the opening of the train today." ”

Ma Huaide said: "It is the season of spring flowers, and by watching the train, the whole family comes out to go out. After a winter, the people also have to come out and walk around. Not to mention, many people are going to come to see the strangeness. ”

Xing Yuanwai, who opened the quality shop on the side, said: "What Zhizhou said is true. We, ordinary people, have seen very few things, so of course we have to take a look. I've heard of the train for a long time, but unfortunately I haven't traveled far and haven't sat on it. ”

Ma Huaide said: "The station in Honshu has been repaired for a long time, so it should not be strange. ”

The pharmacy grandson said: "I only saw the road being repaired and the good iron was laid on the ground, but I didn't know what car could run on it." The people who live in these border roads are not as well-informed as the people of the Central Plains, and many of us have never been a hundred miles away from home in their lifetimes. ”

Xu Yuanwai, who sells silk, said: "I have taken the train. When I went to the Daimyo's Mansion before, there was a train there, but I didn't see it, so I deliberately sat in Xiangzhou, and I saw it once. I've only seen that once, though. ”

Xing Yuan on the side said: "Yes, there are less than ten of us in the city, and only less than ten people have taken the train, which shows that this thing is rare." In the future, the train will pass here, I don't know what is the benefit? ”

Xu Yuanwai shook his head and said: "This matter is like electricity, just using coal, and there is no need to prepare water, food and grass on the road, which is very convenient." Later, the train will pass here, and goods from other places can be brought in. Even if it is as far away as Gangneung, it will only be there in a few days. At that time, there will be everything from the south in winter. It's not like the old days, and there are no green leaves in winter. ”

The crowd was amazed. I only heard that in the winter in Kaifeng Mansion, you can still see all kinds of fruits, and you can also do it if you don't want to be here.

Ma Huaide looked at everyone and whispered to Zhang Qi: "These ordinary people only know that with the train, it is much more convenient for things from other places to be transported in, but they don't know that local things are also convenient to be transported out. As soon as the train passes, a place can be turned upside down. ”

Zhang said: "For me, these are not important. The important thing is that when the train is opened, Xiongzhou has become a military town on Hebei Road. Zhendingfu, Dingzhou, Baozhou and Xiongzhou are connected by railway and go straight to Kaifeng. Later, it was impossible for the Khitan cavalry to enter the south again. ”

Ma Huaide nodded: "What the captain said is right, the most important thing is this matter." Otherwise, Zhongshu would not be in such a hurry to build this railway. As soon as the railway is passed, soldiers and horses can be quickly mobilized along the line, and it is useless for the Khitan cavalry to go around the back. As long as the railway is there, it is useless for many people to go south, they will be blocked in the south, and there will be no return. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Yes, the railway has been opened, and since then the imperial court has more than enough rules for the Khitan on Hebei Road." The soldiers and horses of the imperial court were arranged along the railway on the Hebei Road, and only the Hejian Mansion behind guarded the back road. Hebei is a horse Pingchuan, in the past, the Khitan went south, and you can choose any road. After that, there was only one way, and that was to go south along the railway. Otherwise, you will be copied. ”

Ma Huaide nodded. He was a pacification envoy along the border, and of course he knew what Zhang Qi meant. The railway is a major transportation artery, and the soldiers, horses, grain and grass in the rear can be transported quickly. To the east of Xiongzhou, there are large ponds and marshes, which are not conducive to military operations. The train went to Xiongzhou, and the Song Dynasty used the railway to connect Hebei Road, which was equivalent to a circle of fences. If the Khitans wanted to go south, they had to follow the railway line, and there was no use elsewhere. If one is not good, the Song Dynasty will transport troops from the railway, blocking their back road.

The current railway only leads to Kaifeng Mansion and connects Hebei Road with the Central Plains. If the difficulties are overcome later, and the railway is built from Hebei Road to Jingdong, it will be difficult for the Khitan national strength to pose a threat to the Song Dynasty.

In this era, the Yellow River flowed into the sea from the north. The downstream river is volatile, often breaching, and there are many ponds. From Hebei Road to Jingdong Road, it is not easy to build a railway, and it is easy to be washed away by a flooded river. The most reliable north-south passage is along the foothills of the Taihang Mountains, which is also the artery of north-south traffic at this time. This is the case with the railway line from Kaifeng Province, which only heads east after arriving at Zhending Province. It is very different from the traffic pattern of later generations.

In the traffic situation of this era, Hebei Road and Hedong Road are more closely connected. Once there is a military operation, it is often along the Taihang Mountain, in front of the mountain and behind the mountain interaction. Unlike the later generations of Hebei Zhixia Qilu, wars often took place on the west side of Hebei Road.

The deployment of troops in the Song Dynasty was based on the geographical situation, from Zhendingfu to Dingzhou, and then to Xiongzhou, basically along the Taihang Mountain. In the event of a war with the Khitan, forces were quickly concentrated along the railway. The center of the competition between the two sides is the area from Baozhou to Xiongzhou. The railway was repaired to Xiongzhou, marking the completion of the military deployment of the Song Dynasty and already having the upper hand.

At noon, a whistle was heard, and the crowd was excited. Although most people don't know what the whistle means, anyway, when they see the people next to them excited, they follow suit.

Ma Huaide got up and said, "The whistle sounds, and it won't be long before the train arrives." We get ready for the train. ”

Zhang Qi and the group of gentry next to him stood up, straightened the sleeves of their robes, and stood beside Ma Huaide. Today's first train, in addition to railway officials, is mainly Zhang Qi's subordinates. Zhang Qi's department defended the area from Baozhou to Xiongzhou, and the railway was opened, and the transportation was convenient.

With the sound of the whistle, the sound of the situation slowly came. I saw a huge monster lying on the railway, emitting white smoke, and walking towards the station. The commanding soldier waved a small flag and ordered the crowd of onlookers to retreat, and for a while the chickens and dogs barked.

Where have the people ever seen such a thing? For a while, someone screamed, someone shouted, and everything was done.

Xing Yuanwai's mouth opened wide, and after a long while, he said, "This is the train?" It's scary! There was a puff in front of him, was that a nose? How much grain and grass does such a big monster have to eat in a day to be fed? ”

Xu Yuanwai said: "What did you say! The train does not use grain and grass, but burns coal! As long as there is coal, you can run non-stop. ”

Xing Yuanwai remembered that he had said earlier that the train did not eat grain and grass, and he was a little sneering. Fortunately, no one around him paid attention to him, and they all looked at the train and felt novel. There is such a monster in this world, square, but faster than a galloping horse.

Just as the train entered the station and came to a slow stop. When I saw the train stop, I watched the lively crowd cheer.

Ma Huaide and Zhang Qi, together with the officials of the state, stepped forward. His own soldiers led him to a carriage.

The door of the carriage opened, and the railway officials who escorted the train stepped out of it and saluted everyone.

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