The leader of the craftsman is called Tian Hua, about 50 years old, he led a group of craftsmen to make the steamship successful, and he now takes over the development of the train.

Tian Hua said with a smile: "Your Highness Qiqi, we also participated in the manufacture of this cultivator, and the linkage shaft in the middle was also made by us, the principle of the train is actually the same as it, but it is a little more complicated, it is estimated that in another year, the train will be able to come out." ”

"What's the difficulty with trains now?" Fanning asked again.

"There are three main places, one is the material, the second is the steam engine, and then the railroad tracks."

"Can you elaborate on that?"

Tian Hua waved his hand, "Why don't Your Highness go down and take a look at the real thing!" ”

Fanning happily followed him into the backyard, into a compound surrounded by high walls, Fanning's eyes lit up, and an old-fashioned locomotive stood in the courtyard, which surprised and delighted him.

Tian Hua introduced to Fan Ning: "This is made according to the drawings drawn by His Highness, but unfortunately it is still just a shell, and many places still need to be improved." ”

Fanning gently stroked this black and red steam locomotive, the pinnacle of the steam age, is it finally coming out?

"Tell me more about it, what are the questions?"

"First of all, the material of the shaft, the strength of ordinary pig iron is not enough, the hardness of stainless steel is enough, but it is easy to break, and now we are considering the refined iron forged after re-smelting with ordinary iron, which should be fine."

Stainless steel is actually high-carbon steel, the iron ore in the North Island is of high grade, the smelted pig iron has fewer impurities and greater density, but although high-carbon steel is very hard, it is easy to break at the same time, so a little control of the amount of toner can get hard but not brittle fine iron.

Fanning nodded and asked, "The material has been settled, and then what?" ”

"Then there is the steam engine, the cultivator is installed with a single-cylinder steam engine, although it is very small, but the power is too weak, we want to install a three-cylinder medium-sized steam engine on the train, that is, the kind that drives the five-thousand-stone boat, which is slightly smaller than the 10,000-stone ship, and now it is still a little bigger, and now we are still trying to reduce it, and use rubber to seal it to prevent steam leakage, and now it is almost successful, and it will be built in a few months."

"In fact, there was a fastening problem before, we used to use molten iron to fix, the shipyard invented screws and buckles, this is a good thing, we continue to improve it, find a way to increase production, use it to make fasteners, and solve the fastening problem that has been bothering us."

"I just heard you say there are railroad tracks?"

"That's right! The biggest problem is the rails, we can now cast a zhang long rail, and then we can use two pieces of iron to clamp the screws and screws, connect and fix the two rails, now the problem is, we don't have so many screws and screws, we have to find a way to increase the output, it really doesn't work We can also use the old way, with copper water to pour, and another is how to solve the problem of vibration? And how to solve the problem that the rail is fixed and not displaced? ”

Fanning squatted down, grabbed a handful of sand and spread it evenly on the ground, "first ram the ground flat, then spread gravel on top, just like this handful of sand." ”

Fanning found a thin branch and folded it into several sections and placed it on the sand, "If people sleep without pillows, they feel very hard and uncomfortable under their heads, and the same is true for the rails, so we will make pillows for the rails, use slightly softer wood, lay them under the rails, and lay one horizontally every three feet, called sleepers, and the sleepers are placed in the gravel to ensure that the ground is flat, so that the train is not easy to shake when traveling on the tracks, and the rails can also be fixed on the sleepers with large iron nails to ensure that the rails will not be displaced, which has a great effect." ”

The craftsmen nodded their heads one after another, "This is a good way, you can give it a try." ”

Tian Hua was overjoyed and hurriedly said: "If this can solve the problem, maybe our test train will come out in half a year." ”

Fanning nodded, "I'll see!" ”

At this time, an official from the Chu Palace's palace hurriedly ran in and saluted Fan Ning: "There is an urgent pigeon letter from the imperial court, it seems to be an edict from the Son of Heaven. ”

Fanning nodded, "I know, I'll go back right away!" ”

He took out a drawing from his arms, handed it to Tian Hua and said with a smile: "Last time you complained, the axle of the steam locomotive wears out too quickly, I pondered it, it is better to use a ball shaft, make a steel cage and set these balls, this is just my idea, as for how to do it, you can figure it out yourself." ”

Tian Hua took the drawings and looked at them, bowed down and said, "Let's find a way to build it as soon as possible." ”

Fan Ning then left the Shengong courtyard with his son and returned to the palace of the king of Chu in a carriage.

Fan Ning asked his son to go back to the Houfu first, and he himself walked into the official office of the Chu Palace, the official office of the Chu Royal Palace was beginning to take shape, divided into six divisions and one bureau, a total of thirty officials, the long history is Ouyang Hua, in fact, it is the function of the government office, and the five counties below are in charge.

According to Fanning's idea, he planned to evolve the Presbyterian Church into a parliament-like legislature, renamed the People's Chamber, and the people voted for their representatives.

Then the current traders' chamber of commerce will be split into three, one is called the Gold and Silver Assets Reserve Bureau, similar to the central bank, the other is called the Overseas Economic Strategy Department, which is in charge of overseas trade and overseas industrial operations, and the other is called the Investment Promotion Bureau, which specializes in various investment management in the North Island.

There is also a Department of Criminal Prisons as the Court of Final Appeal, and there is also a Department of Pacification Envoys, that is, the military office.

When these institutions were slowly established, the prototype of a state emerged.

There is no urgency in these matters, and Fanning is ready to build them up one after another within three years.

Fanning walked into his official room, and Zhang Yun, who consulted with the army, handed him a pigeon letter.

Fan Ning sat at the table and slowly opened the paper scroll, and took out a magnifying glass to look at the small characters on the paper scroll, of course, these small characters are not Zhao Ji's handwriting, the key is a handwritten seal at the back.

The pigeon letter said that the situation of the Liao State campaign had taken a sharp turn for the worse, Datong Mansion was difficult to keep, and Yanshan Mansion was facing a huge threat, and hoped that Fan Taishi would immediately return to Beijing to participate in the discussion of military aircraft, and the specific will would wait in Luzon Mansion.

The pigeon letter does not mention the time when the army suffered a defeat, but if it had not been for the great defeat of the army, how could the situation have taken a turn for the worse?

In fact, even if Zhao Ji does not come to urge him back, Fan Ning plans to return to Beijing in February next year, urging Zhao Ji to fulfill his promise to immigrate to 100,000 households in Beidao, and to change the name of Beidao to Chu State, he will also propose it to Zhao Ji.

Fan Ning pondered for a moment and said to Zhang Yun: "Send a pigeon letter to the imperial court, and say that I will leave on the same day and return to the Great Song Dynasty." ”

"Does Your Highness want to go back?" Ouyang Hua walked into the room and asked.

Fanning nodded, "The original plan was to go back, but just a little earlier." ”

After a pause, he added: "I'm not in the North Island, all government affairs are running normally, if there is a major decision, it will still be voted on by the Council of Elders, and then reported to the princess for approval." ”

Reporting to the princess for approval is actually reporting to Fan Ning's son for approval, just because Fan Jing is not yet an adult, his mother temporarily exercises the right of approval instead of him, which is the political tradition of the Central Plains Dynasty, and Fan Ning is no exception, and everyone does not contradict it.

Ouyang Hua nodded, "My subordinates understand." ”

Fanning explained a few more words, and then returned to the back house.

He came to his study, and after a while, Juppi walked in and asked with a smile, "Husband has something to do with me?" ”

Fanning nodded and smiled, "Let's sit down and talk." ”

Zhu Pei sat down on the side, and Fan Ning smiled apologetically: "There is still half a month to go before the New Year, I originally wanted to spend the New Year with everyone, but after receiving an edict from the Son of Heaven, the situation in the Liao Campaign took a sharp turn, and he announced that I would enter Beijing immediately!" ”

Zhu Pei was a little unhappy and said: "He drove his husband away at the beginning, and now he begs his husband to enter Beijing, is he embarrassed?" ”

"It's emotionally understandable, but I can't say that, after all, I'm still the king of Chu, the prince, the scholar, and the first important minister of the Great Song Dynasty, besides, we still have to ask him to fulfill his promise to immigrate, so we have to keep a low profile."

Zhu Pei sighed, "Anyway, my husband has to go back in early February, so I should be more than a month in advance!" As for the New Year, the relatives and elders of the family are here, and my grandmother is also here, so we should all be very happy, so husband, let's go with confidence! ”

Fanning said: "There is another big thing I want to tell you, when I am not there, if there is a major event, the elders will vote on it, and then it will be approved by the prince, but Jing'er is still young, so you will exercise this approval power for him." ”

Zhu Pei was stunned for a long time, "What does the husband mean is that I will approve it?" ”

Fan Ning nodded and said: "In fact, the Fan family and the Zhu family each have a veto power in the Council of Elders, and it is up to you to decide whether to use these two vetoes, which ensures that the real decision-making power is in your hands, if you think it is inappropriate, you can let the Zhu family and the Fan family vote for the veto, this is a way, or you simply don't approve it, hold it down, and wait for me to come back to decide, this is also a way." ”

Juppe thought for a while and said, "Don't use the veto vote lightly!" If I don't think it's appropriate, I won't approve it and delay it until you come back to make a decision. ”

Fanning comforted his wife again: "This only happens when there are major decisions, such as war, single expenditure of more than 10,000 taels of silver, appointment of officials above the county order, etc., generally there will not be too many major situations, and the daily affairs of ordinary times will be handled by Changshi, so you don't have to worry about it." ”

Juppe nodded, "I remember!" ”

.........

Two days later, Fanning boarded the ship of the King of Chu, a huge ship of 20,000 stones, and he left Beidao with a fleet of 30 ships of 10,000 stones, returning to the Great Song Dynasty.