The Ice Fountain is an old-fashioned steam paddle steamer with a top speed of 28 miles per hour.

It has been in service on the "Li Gong River" for hundreds of years, even if it has undergone several renovations, even if its main material is Yunzhou Aoki, which is known as "not rotten for thousands of years", it still can't hide the smell of "decay" on the hull.

At this time, Zhao Chen, who was standing on the deck, raised his head and looked at the chimney with white smoke at the top of the cabin, his eyes full of doubts.

"What are you thinking?" A voice came from behind him, and Zhao Chen didn't need to look back to know that it was Senior Brother Feng.

But he still turned to salute, and then asked casually: "I wonder what the so-called 'steam engine' burns and why it produces so much power." ”

Although the original owner also had steam machinery in his memory, and even knew that there was a steam train station leading to the inland states in Zhangye, the state was completely unclear...... The original owner's experience was mainly spent on piano, chess, calligraphy and painting.

"I don't understand why motivation arises, after all, this kind of knowledge involving principles is 'toxic' and no one will easily teach it...... But I still really know what it burns. Senior Brother Feng responded with a smile.

"Burn what?" Zhao Chen asked curiously.

It's not going to be coal anyway...... First, the color of the smoke is wrong; Second, the smoke coming out of the chimney was full of aroma, and I didn't know it was coal or something.

"The fuel used in today's steam engines is charcoal, which is made from 'warm sun wood'.

"It's very resistant to burning, and the heat it generates is amazing, and a small piece of 'warm sun wood' the size of an arm is enough for this 'Ice Spring' to go back and forth between the county town and the Chijin area."

Perhaps because Zhao Chen's "Five Immortals Spiritual True Qi" has not been completely contained, Senior Brother Feng did not sell Guan Zi, but said knowingly, "This kind of wood was originally cultivated by the Flower God Sect, one of the upper sects, and has been promoted to the entire Great Xia in the last few hundred years.

"In a land like Ganzhou, where the climate is not very adaptable, there are many farmers who plant this kind of tree and sell it for money.

"Of course, this is also due to the fact that the imperial court can supply unlimited red millet rice, so that farmers are more inclined to grow some cash crops."

The Flower God Sect is so generous? Zhao Chen was a little surprised at first, but then he thought of something, and asked tentatively, "The Flower God Sect is holding the sapling of the 'Warm Sun Tree'?" ”

"Isn't that a matter of course? Only the saplings provided by the Flower God Sect finally got the best burning effect of the 'Warm Sun Wood', and the difference between the cuttings and the cuttings in private was more than ten times worse. Speaking of this, Feng Cang also sighed, "My former neighbors didn't believe in evil and cultivated their own cuttings, but as a result, not only did the burning effect of the 'warm sun wood' not meet the standard, but even the entire land was destroyed, and no other crops could be planted for more than ten years." ”

Really...... Great Xia has lasted for more than 8,000 years, even if the development of various ideas is slow, but it is only for ordinary people, Shangzong and Shijia, who have the existence of "ascending Xuan" and can resist the forces of "toxic" knowledge to a certain extent, will definitely not be too backward......

Thinking so in his heart, Zhao Chen looked at the chimney on the ship again, and said as if unintentionally: "I read a book before that the steam engine 'eats' coal, so it turns out that it is fooling people. ”

"Haha, it's not a fool!

"I've heard the master say that the steam engine really burned coal in the first place...... But nearly 3,000 years have passed since the first steam engine was built, so as early as 1,000 years ago, coal mines everywhere were dried up one after another. Senior Brother Feng Cang laughed a few times, and then asked Ao, "What, Senior Brother is interested in machinery?" ”

"It's just the first time I've seen it, and it's just a curiosity." Zhao Chen shook his head and said.

"It's okay to be curious, but don't go deep into the inner essence, otherwise you may also attract demons." At this time, Master Huang Xianjun's voice sounded beside the two of them, "The matter of studying these principles of Karakuri is still left to the masters of the 'Tiangong Pavilion' and the 'Baiqiao Academy', we just need to enjoy the convenience brought by their results." ”

"I've seen the master." Seeing the master approaching, Zhao Chen hurriedly saluted, and then spoke again after a slight sigh, "'Tiangong Pavilion' and 'Baiqiao Courtyard'? Are they also the upper sect? ”

"Feiye...... 'Tiangong Pavilion' and 'Baiqiao Yuan' are two independent institutions established by the Great Xia Imperial Court and the masters of various sects and families who like to study the principles of heaven and earth, and they are dedicated to studying the academic ...... that they named 'science' And the steam engine, the firecracker, and so on are just by-products of these two institutions.

"In addition, it is said that after seeing the 'scientific' achievements of my Great Xia, the Taixi countries also formed a similar organization, called the 'Steam School', and carried out a 'Westernization Movement' for more than 100 years, which is also quite effective now."

Speaking of this, Huang Xianjun paused, glanced back and forth on the two apprentices a few times, and found that except for Zhao Chen, even Feng Cang listened to it with relish, so he shook his head and said: "You two are poor, there is nothing in a remote place like Bingquan Town, and when you enter the county town, I am afraid that you will be laughed at."

"It seems that the teacher has to make up for you in this area, so that you don't know the importance and provoke people who shouldn't be provoked in Yumen."

Zhao Chen was already in a stupor when he heard the master talk about Taixi's so-called "Westernization Movement", but when he heard the other party's words, he immediately came back to his senses and faintly looked forward to it.

Who would have thought that Master Huang Xianjun did not "show off", but dumped two copies of each of them......

"Magazine"?

Zhao Chen looked at the two volumes of books in his hand titled "Ganzhou Fengyunlu (No. 3112)" and "Yumen Renjie Bang (February 8113 of the Great Xia Calendar)", and was stunned again.

He suddenly realized that his understanding of the world was still too one-sided, and the level of development in various places may be even more uneven than he imagined.

"However, this kind of entertainment ranking can only be used as a reference, and you can't completely believe what is written above, you have to make your own judgment......" Master Huang saw that Feng Cang couldn't wait to open one of them, so he admonished.

"Entertaining ...... Master, there is no official ranking or list of monks in the Great Xia Mansion? Zhao Chen asked suspiciously.

There is no heavenly list, earth list, and people list? Or lists such as hidden dragons, young phoenixes, beauties, magic weapons, etc.?

According to the routine, shouldn't the Great Xia Imperial Court use similar things to provoke infighting among the forces in the rivers and lakes?

"The official rankings? Isn't that creating contradictions? Unless the Great Xia court is crazy, why do that? Huang Xianjun glanced at the apprentice a few times in a strange way, and his thoughts were incredible, "As for the list...... There is one, but it is not set up purely for the sake of fame and fortune...... And only Divine Realm cultivators are eligible to compete for a spot on this list.

"That's why it's called the 'Star Constellation List'."

……

At night, Ice Springs guards the mansion.

With a howl that resounded through the night sky, a monster with a human face and a body like a giant jackal fell from the sky and fell into the backyard of the mansion, spitting out a black light from its mouth.

In an instant, before a few soldiers on night patrol could raise the muzzles of their muskets, they were pierced by black light and died.

Just as the monster was about to break into the back house and kill all the people inside, an old man with a thin body suddenly stood in front of it.

"Evil beasts! Hugh hurts! ”