The person in charge of the railway is Yang Pu.

He, the young Yin of the Taiping Mansion, is quite weak in local governance and a little powerless.

Therefore, Zhang Anshi simply arranged special affairs for him first.

The construction of the railway must be led by a person of sufficient rank, and on the other hand, this person must also have the will to work tirelessly.

Of course, the most important thing is that Yang Pu still has a lot of administrative experience, and he may not be able to deal with the myriad of local affairs, but he can collect labor and supervise the project, but he can always be regarded as good.

For Yang Pu, building the railway is actually a river control project in this era, as long as the principle is understood, the people are requisitioned, and then divided into many sections, some skilled people are gathered, and they can take the people to the construction in sections.

Of course, there are still a lot of troubles, because there are too many people involved, and it is very complicated, coupled with the difficulty of different sections of construction, the steel, sleepers, and equipment ordered may not be able to arrive as scheduled at any time.

Fortunately, Zhang Anshi gave enough money and food, and has already trained a group of young engineering talents, many workshops are businessmen after all, businessmen in this era, after all, their status is humble, but they are not bold enough to dare to be a close minister of the prince like Yang Pu, and the head of the young Yin of the Taiping Mansion is short of two catties.

So things are going well.

For more than half a year, Yang Pu shuttled through various construction sites, coming and going in the wind and rain, and he had lost a lot of weight.

This time, he returned to Qixia from Jing County, one of the counties of Ningguofu, where the terrain is more complicated, so he deliberately went to take a trip.

Just returned to the mansion Yin Ya.

It happened that Liu Ji, the county leader of Wuhu County, came to Fuzhong on business and came to visit Yang Pu.

This Liu Ji saw Yang Pu and said, "Bachelor Yang ......"

Yang Pu was very happy to see Liu Jilai, swept away the tiredness of many days of hard work, and said with a smile on his face: "Haha, Wenchang is actually here." What, what's going on in Wuhu? ”

"For the approval of the county's mines, another big mine was discovered, and there are a lot of minerals in Wuhu." After a pause, Liu Ji continued: "Just wait for the next step in the house." ”

Yang Pu bowed.

This Liu Ji, like Yang Pu, was once a person from the Zhan Mansion, and like Liu Ji, who could enter the Zhan Mansion, he was often selected from the Hanlin Academy. This Liu Ji also has an identity, which is the editor of the Hanlin Academy.

At this time, Liu Ji also looked like a servant, and his complexion was not as fair as before.

The dignified Hanlin, the left official of the Zhan Mansion, is actually a county magistrate in the county, which is really aggrieved.

Yang Pu glanced at Liu Ji deeply at this time, and then said, "How is it, have you gained knowledge in Wuhu County?" ”

Liu Ji smiled bitterly: "There are so many things that are really disturbing, and the lower officials are only getting a glimpse of the door until now." ”

Yang Pu smiled and said, "There's still a lot to learn." ”

"Yang Gong, Xia Guan heard that Yang Gong has been running around recently......"

Before Liu Ji's words were finished, Yang Pu waved his hand and said: "For official business, it is not considered to be rushing, but walking around, I have also met a lot of colleagues from Zhan Shifu, who are also quite hard in various prefectures and counties." ”

Liu Ji couldn't help but sigh: "Hey...... When I was in Hanlin and Zhan Shifu, I always felt that it was easy to do things, as long as I did. Now that it has really come to the bottom, I know that what I said in the temple has arrived in the place...... It will take countless officials to work for it for a year and a half, and it may not be successful. ”

Yang Pu said: "Most of the things in the world are like this, those who don't do things think it's easy, and those who do things know that things are difficult." I heard that you did a good job in Wuhu County, and the local county magistrate was full of praise for you, and finally did not embarrass our Zhan Shifu. ”

Liu Ji said, "Yang Gong...... You railroad ...... I heard that there were a lot of debts...... This...... Will it be ......"

Yang Pu looked at Liu Ji's worried look.

He immediately understood that Liu Ji had unwittingly entered the role under the Governor's Mansion.

As Hanlin, Ben looked down on these things.

And now that you are deeply involved in it, you probably already know the rules of operation here, although there are still people who are full of complaints, but at least they will not be too hostile to the new deal.

Of course, there are also many people who are worried that the new deal will be unsustainable, such as this railway, which is too scary, with so much debt, and the silver invested in previous years, but the cash income of the imperial court for several years.

Just to fix this...... What a terrible thing it is to have these debts burst out.

People in an agrarian society cannot imagine such a loan, only desperate people will borrow.

And under normal circumstances, once you borrow, the end is extremely miserable!

Because the vast majority of them can't be repaid, in the end the family is enslaved and exploited for generations.

Yang Pu restrained his smile and said, "Speaking of which, in fact, the old man is also a little worried, this matter...... There are many people who are worried. ”

Liu Ji hesitated for a moment, and then said: "I have many colleagues in the Hanlin Academy, who have mentioned this matter, but there are quite a few of them, all gloating, and they all say ...... Yin eats grain, and he has never heard of a good end. ”

He shook his head.

Yang Pu didn't pay much attention to this, but cheered up and said: "No matter what, we have to do our own thing, the operating rules of this new deal, we have just glimpsed the tip of the iceberg, now to think more, what's the use?" ”

Liu Ji had no choice but to nod: "Yang Gong is right, I'm in Wuhu County...... I can also perceive the many benefits of this new deal, so to speak...... Hey......"

Yang Pu smiled and said, "Oh? You say come and hear it. ”

Liu Ji said: "Don't talk about anything else, just talk about the people...... Now the New Deal is thriving, the wages are rising, the industry is flourishing, and there are more things for sale on the market. ”

Yang Pu smiled and said, "If the old man remembers correctly, you had a lot of complaints about the new deal at the beginning. ”

Liu Ji smiled bitterly and said: "Xiaguan is from Shandong, and there are quite a few fields at home, can you not be in a hurry when you think that they want to check and copy the fields and properties of Xiaguan?" ”

"But how do you figure it out now?" Yang Pu cheered up and looked at Liu Ji with blazing eyes.

Liu Ji said: "When I was studying, I had a brother for one year, when he was in the township, and the lower officials were considered gentry families, but he had bad luck, when he was thirteen years old, his father died early, and the family suffered an accident, so the family fell into the middle of the road, and in the end, he became a beggar, and the lower officials visited him and wanted to help, only to know that he had died of illness. ”

Yang Pu: "......"

Liu Ji seemed to be a little depressed because he remembered the past, and continued faintly: "At that time, I only thought that he had bad luck, but now when I am in Wuhu, think about it carefully, the gentleman's Ze, the fifth generation and beheaded, who can guarantee that his family can prosper forever?" Not to mention anything else, even if there are many royal descendants in the Song Dynasty, by the end of the Song Dynasty, they were all at the end of their ropes, so Liu Xuande was even more after Liu Bang, but when he was born, wasn't his family in the middle of the road? ”

It can be seen that people should not only think about the wealth of the present day, but also think about what it will be like for future generations to fall into the most difficult time. Now these fields in the family, even if they are not confiscated because of the new policy, who dares to guarantee that they will belong to my Liu family for generations? ”

Yang Pu listened to it and kept bowing his head.

When Liu Ji said this, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and then smiled and said: "So, I want to open it now, but it's better to do this, rather than give my children and grandchildren a lot of land, it's better to ...... Give your children and grandchildren a poor world! No matter how difficult it is at home, it is better to reliably cultivate and support yourself, so that your children can go to school and study, and you can go to the city to work, so that you will not fall into the state of poverty and poverty, which is better than guarding some land now. ”

Yang Pu listened and couldn't help laughing: "You have such insight, and the old man never thought of it...... Knowing this, I will teach you to do the right thing and preach the benefits of this new policy. ”

Liu Ji smiled: "Don't dare, don't dare." ”

Yang Pu sighed: "But having said that, it's not easy to make people want to open these, robbing people of money is a matter of killing parents after all, so ah...... We must be more cautious in our actions, and we must not make any mistakes and give others a handle. ”

Liu Ji said: "Yes." ”

At that moment, Liu Ji said goodbye and needed to rush back to the county.

Yang Pu did not send each other, at this time he was concerned about the problem of steam locomotives, the first railway in Taiping Mansion was about to be completed, this railway, it was convenient to repair, it was to connect the original Taiping Mansion and Ningguo Mansion, and then connect Qixia.

This is the first railway to penetrate, and it is very important, at the moment of the breakthrough, if the purchased steam locomotive cannot be delivered in full, then the previous rush will be in vain.

The manufacture of steam locomotives is the responsibility of the military workshop.

The military workshop was placed under the Qixia Academy of Sciences.

This academy of sciences was established under the instruction of Zhu Di, gathering scholars from various disciplines, and this steam power was in charge of Xu Jingchang.

Install the latest version. 】

These days, Xu Jingchang tried to improve the power of some steam locomotives, and after repeated improvements, this steam locomotive was finally stronger than the original.

Of course, this is also due to his strictness with various suppliers, the higher the strength of the steel, the greater the reduction in the amount of steel.

To a certain extent, it also greatly reduces the weight of the steam locomotive and increases the transportation capacity.

In addition, it was still in the boiler and cylinder, and after repeated experiments, the latest steam locomotive was finally finalized.

The next step is manufacturing, and how to mass-produce some components has become a problem, which has to be done by the machine workshop to improve the lathe.

Naturally, in the face of these countless needs, both workshops and research institutes are now willing to find ways to improve the process, after all...... Any bit of progress means lower costs and more order revenue.

Xu Jingchang soaked in the Academy of Sciences almost every day, and he may not have been interested in these things at first, but ...... In the process of learning and research...... He found in it a feeling that he had never felt before, and that was an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

As a minister, a relative of the emperor, Xu Jingchang's childhood was almost spent in fun.

Maybe it's because the achievements of the fathers are too big, and in Xu Jingchang's opinion, he can't compare with them no matter what.

Since it can't be compared, then it can't be compared, isn't it fragrant to eat and wait for death?

But when he began to study steam power, he suddenly began to find an indescribable sense of accomplishment, he saw this big guy move in his hands, and then received the envious eyes of countless people, this feeling, as if suddenly opened a box in the depths of his heart.

Originally...... Myself...... It can also be ......

For most of the past six months, no one has locked him up in the military workshop anymore.

But Xu Jingchang put his mind on this almost day and night, taking dozens of students and repeating the experiment again and again.

Occasionally, he would come up with a new idea and ask for funding from the institute.

Sometimes he disliked that the speed of approving funds for the institute was too cumbersome, so he simply paid the money directly.

He has always taken money very lightly, after all, for a noble son who was born without worrying about food and clothing, and always has countless slave clothes, these possessions are not worth mentioning.

It's early summer......

Zhang Anshi's side has received a report after report.

The first railway is about to be completed.

Zhang Anshi took the report, and hurriedly said as soon as possible: "Ask someone to prepare a horse and enter the palace." ”

This first railway is of great significance, and Zhang Anshi does not dare to take it lightly.

Therefore, Zhang Anshi entered the palace in a hurry.

When he arrived at the Wenlou, Zhu Di was discussing with the ministers.

"Minister Zhang Anshi has seen Your Majesty."

Zhu Di looked at Zhang Anshi with a smile, and said with a smile: "Say Cao Cao Cao will be ......."

Zhang Anshi's face changed, and he said: "Your Majesty, the minister is Xun or, not Cao Cao." ”

Zhu Di laughed and said: "Look, Zhang Qing's family seems to be good at literature and history." ”

Everyone laughed dryly.

Zhang Anshi said: "The minister occasionally reads......

"Anyway, what is the matter today?"

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty has been on the throne for 12 years, and the government is harmonious, and now the minister has a great joy to play......"

Hearing that there was a happy event, Zhu Di raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "What kind of happy event?" ”

"The railway ...... of the counties of Taiping Province Through! This is the first railway in the world since Pangu opened the world. The governor's mansion of the right capital, by the grace of His Majesty, therefore, in order to repair this railway, all of them have worked hard and died. Now...... The railway is through, this is the blessing of the common people, the luck of the people, and the proof of His Majesty's great rule of the world, this unprecedented grand event, will surely be immortal......"

After hearing this, Zhu Di also came to the spirit: "Then spread the steel on the ground...... Do you really spread this iron to the counties? ”

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty has seen the railway with his own eyes, how can he say that the iron will be paved on the ground?" ”

Zhu Di said: "It's nothing, it's just that someone ...... Also on the ......"

Zhang Anshi said: "I don't know what it is? ”

"They say that what I have done is...... imitated Emperor Yang of Sui. ”

Zhu Di did not hide Zhang Anshi.

Zhang Anshi looked surprised: "Emperor Yang of Sui...... Your Majesty...... This...... What is this allusion? ”

Zhu Di said: "It seems that you only read half of your fucking reading, and this Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty once had an allusion, that is, wrapping a tree in silk to show the wealth of the Sui Dynasty." He is a tree wrapped in silk, but I am paved with iron on the ground, which is to ridicule my great achievements. ”

Zhang Anshixin said: "Your Majesty, since you know that they are sarcastic about you, you still don't want to cut them down?" ”

"This ......" Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, such a person...... has no knowledge, only knows how to find chapters and excerpts, and sell the so-called words, which is really useless, why should Your Majesty pay attention. ”

Zhu Di said: "I didn't pay attention to it...... But ......"

Zhu Di deliberately mentioned this matter, in fact, there was a hint of it.

You must know that steel is in this era, but it is a luxury, paving the road with steel, even Zhu Di listens to the pain in his flesh, and then thinks that Zhang Anshi's money is still borrowed, he can't put his mind at ease, and even for several days, he always can't sleep.

If you borrow money, even if it's to give me the borrowed money, it's fine.

Now listening to Zhang Anshi's response, Zhu Di couldn't help but smile: "Since this railway has been built, it will be built, but it's just ...... How much did it cost? ”

Well, that's what he wants to know the most.

"The railway?" Zhang Anshi said.

Zhu Di bowed.

"If there is only this one, the total length is four hundred and thirty miles, and the cost is ...... It's probably between 290 and 3.2 million taels. ”

When Zhu Di heard this, he immediately gasped.

Yang Rong and the others were obviously taken aback by this number.

That's it...... How much did it cost?

Zhang Anshi said: "But this is the first one, on the one hand, it is to catch up with the construction period, and on the other hand, it is not skilled, so the cost in the early stage is huge, and it will ...... in the future If you continue to build, you can spread these costs evenly, and the cost will gradually decrease. ”

Zhu Di snorted and held back the pain in his heart.

He saw that Zhang Anshi was in good spirits, but it was not easy to pour cold water on him: "Qing is still relieved." ”

"The minister is here in the hope that His Majesty will promulgate the auspicious day for the opening of traffic, and the time will come...... The minister intends to hold a huge opening ceremony on the auspicious day of the opening of the railway, so that everyone in the world knows such a feat, if His Majesty can go to Qixia to watch the ceremony, it would be better, so that the officials, businessmen, and people who built the railway this time will be able to boost their morale when they see His Majesty so loved. ”

Zhu Di glanced at Yang Rongren and waited: "What do you think?" That's it, let the Jin Qing family have an idea, the Jin Qing family is good at this kind of pretending to be a ghost. ”

Jin Zhong: "......"

Jin Zhong felt a little speechless, His Majesty seemed to have a little misunderstanding of his profession.

But at the moment, he was indeed a little embarrassed, so he said: "Your Majesty, is this railway through, is it a housewarming, or a relocation, or is it an opening of the market, prayers, and opening a warehouse?" ”

Yes, there was no railway in the past, and from the concept of auspicious days of the zodiac, I have never heard of a railway through.

But to say it's a housewarming is not right, because this thing moves.

But if it is said to be a relocation...... Again, no, as for the opening of the market...... It seems that it is a little difficult to match, so you can't pick a suitable day for marriage, right?

All of a sudden, everyone was in trouble.

Zhu Di frowned and said, "You come to ask me about this?" ”

Jin Zhong thought for a while and said, "The ninth day after tomorrow is the day when it is appropriate to make a bed. The minister thought that this connection was the same as the bed, which was the last step before the housewarming, when the new house was repaired, and before the housewarming. This railway runs through ...... Then, the ninth hour of the first day is two o'clock. It is an auspicious day of the zodiac. ”

Zhu Di said: "That's it, what does Zhang Qing think?" ”

Zhang Anshi said: "This is very good, Jin Gong is really professional, but ...... Since this auspicious day was chosen by Jin Gong, then tomorrow's Di Bao will ask Jin Gong to write an announcement to announce it to the world? ”

Jin Zhong's face was ugly, said that you really treat the old man as a gentleman who tests words?

He said solemnly: "I am the secretary of the military department, how can I do such idle things in a grand manner." ”

Zhang Anshi said: "It's okay, it's okay, let's settle for the second, let me find someone to write on my behalf, and then only add the name of Jin Gong, so as not to bother Jin Gong." ”

Jin Zhong: "......"

Zhang Anshi said again: "I implore Your Majesty to go to Qixia the day after tomorrow and personally preside over this breakthrough ceremony, Your Majesty...... This is a first-class event in the world, which will surely last through the ages, and it is also a clear proof of His Majesty's rule over the world...... Such a grand event...... It would be a pity if Your Majesty was absent......"

Zhu Di hesitated a little, he still felt sorry for the silver, but in the end, he still said: "Anyway, it cost so much silver...... How can I not go? I agreed to this. ”

Seeing that Zhu Di agreed, Zhang Anshi was overjoyed, Zhu Di was a little tired, so he ordered the ministers to retire.

Zhang Anshi went out of the Wen Building, and the scholars of Wenyuan Pavilion had to go to Wenyuan Pavilion to be on duty, and Zhang Anshi and the others went in the direction outside the palace.

Jin Zhong looked depressed.

As for Jin Chunren and others, Zhang Anshi is not very familiar with them.

However, Zhang Anshi saw that Xia Yuanji also had a stinky face, and he muttered in his heart.

So he walked side by side with Xia Yuanji unhurriedly, and said in a low voice: "Xia Gong, you don't have a good face." ”

Xia Yuanji raised his head and smiled reluctantly: "Hmm......"

Zhang Anshi said again: "Isn't it sick?" ”

Xia Yuanji couldn't help it: "You're sick!" ”

Zhang Anshi was shocked. That's not right. In his memory, Xia Yuanji has always been a humble gentleman, why is he like a tiger and wolf today?

So Zhang Anshi said very innocently: "Xia Gong...... What's wrong with you, I'm kind ......"

Xia Yuanji wrinkled his brows, as if he was trying very hard to hide something, and said, "It's nothing, don't ask." ”

Zhang Anshi said: "If there is any difficulty, just tell me, don't worry, I'm Zhang Anshi......"

"There's a little bit of a difficulty." Xia Yuanji looked at him seriously and said, "I'm afraid of this...... Is Wei Guogong really willing to solve it? ”

Zhang Anshi patted his chest and said, "What are these words, Xia openly speaks, I, Zhang Anshi, go to the soup and fight the fire......"

Before he could finish his words, Xia Yuanji said: "Here's the thing, I don't know if the emperor and grandson were instructed by a guy who lacked virtue and whose ancestral tomb was smoking, and actually forcibly sold the land. My son happened to be on duty in the young army, and he was also bought dozens of acres according to his head, Wei Guogong, you know the old man...... Old man ......"

Before Xia Yuanji's words were finished in this next round, Zhang Anshi's face was tense, and he hugged Xia Yuanji and said: "Wait, Xia Gong, I just thought that the soup at home has not been extinguished, so I have to go home quickly and put out the fire and say goodbye!" ”