Chapter 336 A Little Shock From the Industrial Revolution

The end of the year in the sixth year of the Qingli calendar arrived not long after the drizzling rain.

This year, God was kind to the end of the year. It snowed in Hebei, but only a freezing rain fell in Henan.

The southern regions of Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang and other places were sunny and windy, and Guangdong was even warmer, with temperatures that people could wear short sleeves.

This is also a clear proof that the climate has gradually warmed up after the third Little Ice Age.

At least until the fourth Little Ice Age in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the Song Dynasty had a period of good weather and no major disasters for three or four hundred years.

Not long after the rain stopped, the New Year arrived.

Although the rain has stopped recently, the weather is gray, even at noon, it is cloudy, and it was not until the New Year's Eve that it cleared up a little bit.

The Emperor Zhao Zhen of the Song Dynasty held a grand sacrificial ceremony on the 30th.

According to convention, the Song Dynasty arranged that the days before the New Year were a national celebration, with lights and decorations in the streets and alleys to welcome the New Year.

Then, on New Year's Eve, fireworks were set up on the city tower to celebrate with the people. The whole city was filled with the sound of firecrackers, and the New Year was celebrated in a lively manner.

On the first day of the New Year, there was a grand ancestor worship ceremony, including worshiping heaven and earth, worshiping ancestors, and other activities.

Zhao Jun participated in it every year in recent years, following the emperor and the civil and military officials to burn incense to the ancestors of the Zhao family, which can be regarded as the descendants of the old Zhao family who have not lost this filial piety.

But this year is different. The worship ceremony was changed to the 30th day, and the first day of the New Year was another arrangement.

There was also a rumor in the court recently.

It is said that the steam train is finally officially available. The government attaches great importance to this matter, so it decided to go out of the palace to watch the ceremony in person when it was tested on the first day of the first lunar month.

This news was not only known to the whole court, but also to the envoys of other countries.

Because officials from the court's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed them a few days before the New Year that they should come to participate on the first day of the New Year.

The first day of the Lunar New Year is actually the time for all parties to congratulate the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. Every year, when the sacrificial activities on the first day of the Lunar New Year are over, envoys from all parties come to congratulate the emperor.

Unexpectedly, this year the process was changed and directly involved in another event, which also surprised many foreign envoys.

But they had no ability to change and could only accept it.

As for the court, there were voices of opposition before the New Year.

It was not against the trial run of the train, but against Zhao Zhen leaving the palace to watch the ceremony.

Many officials said that the emperor was the most important tripod of the country and needed to guard the palace to keep the world safe. He could not leave the palace without permission.

This set of rhetoric was believed by Zhao Zhen in history.

Moreover, he had not left the palace for more than 40 years in history. He was firmly imprisoned in this deep walled courtyard and could not leave.

But no one can stop him now.

Because in the past, it was the bureaucrats headed by the prime minister who dissuaded him.

Now the prime minister has changed sides, and most of the senior bureaucrats below have been replaced by the prime minister's people.

The court formation that was originally formed into cliques and each side had its own camp would sometimes become an iron plate, and a few opposing voices would naturally not make any waves.

In this rolling torrent, the seventh year of the Qingli period arrived.

At four o'clock in the morning on the first day of the Lunar New Year in the seventh year of the Qingli period, Zhao Zhen got up early and began to dress up.

Don't think that the emperor doesn't take care of himself. In fact, as an emperor, he pays more attention to his image, so he has to dress neatly and meticulously every day.

Just combing and washing his hair, wiping it clean, and putting on a hat takes almost an hour.

In fact, it is not necessary to be so troublesome at ordinary times.

It was just an early morning court session. During the early morning court session, the sky was still dark, and candles were lit in the room. It was not clear to look up at the emperor, so there was no need to dress up every day.

What's more, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, when he rests, and he doesn't need to attend the early morning court session.

But today Zhao Zhen took special care of himself. The palace maids and eunuchs came and went to make him clean.

Not only because he wanted to see the birth of the Song Dynasty steam locomotive with his own eyes, but also because this was the first time that Zhao Zhen had left the palace since he was born to see the outside world.

I have to say.

Sometimes being an emperor is also a sad thing.

Especially when an emperor is like Zhao Zhen, it is even more sad.

Historical records show that after he was born, his father Zhao Heng ordered him to leave his biological mother Li Chenfei and be raised by Empress Liu.

Later, even after Liu E died of illness, he never left the palace after he succeeded to the throne.

It is a bit sad that an emperor has wasted decades in that small palace, never went out to see the outside world, and only heard about the lives of the people from other people.

Of course.

From the perspective of future generations, there is no need to feel pity for an emperor who is dressed in fine clothes and eats delicious food.

But for Zhao Zhen himself, he thinks today is an extremely important day, whether it is leaving the city or the importance of trains to the Song Dynasty.

"Officials, all officials have arrived."

At the beginning of the morning, that is, around seven o'clock in the morning, when the sky just got light, Wang Shouzhong came to report to Zhao Zhen.

At this time, Zhao Zhen had just finished washing and dressing up, and put on a solemn fiery red dragon robe.

In addition to him, Empress Cao also put on a lotus crown, phoenix hairpin, step-shaking hairpin, and wore the queen's dress of a large-sleeved skirt.

"Let's go."

Zhao Zhen took a deep breath after hearing Wang Shouzhong's words, and walked out of the newly built bedroom in the back garden with Empress Cao.

It had been raining for a few days, so the ground was dry, but the dew in the grass in the back garden was still a little wet in the morning.

The couple left the back garden and came to the Daqing Hall in the front palace. The Daqing Hall had always been the place for holding celebrations and meeting foreign guests in the Song Dynasty.

But now the originally wide square in front of the Daqing Hall is missing a small half, because after Zhao Jun expanded the departments, he needed to arrange some official offices.

He saw that the parade ground in front of the Daqing Hall was quite wide, so he occupied a part of it as the official residence of the other departments.

However, the parade ground in front of the Daqing Hall was originally large, and dozens of acres of open space were reserved in the past to show its grandeur. Now even if part of it is occupied, the ceremony can still be held.

But today it was not held here. As Zhao Zhen appeared behind the Daqing Hall, all officials and many envoys saluted, and then Zhao Zhen gave an order-leave the palace!

All officials and envoys followed the order and left from the Daqing Gate to the south, and then went out of the Xuande Gate.

Outside the Xuande Gate is the wide Imperial Street.

At this moment, the streets had been cleared. A huge carriage was parked at the gate of the palace, with various umbrellas and palace plaques held high, and thousands of guards cleared the way on both sides.

Zhao Zhen and Empress Cao boarded the carriage, and the guards on horseback on both sides protected the carriage three layers away.

"The emperor has left the palace."

"That's the emperor's guard of honor."

"It's so majestic."

The pedestrians on both sides of the Imperial Street have been squeezed almost to the edge of the shop.

But this did not prevent them from stretching their necks to see.

If it was during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the people would have a chance to see what the emperor looked like when he left the palace.

After all, Zhao Heng had also left the palace several times, such as going to Chanzhou to "lead the army in person" and going to Shandong to "offer sacrifices to the gods at Mount Tai".

However, Zhao Zhen had never left the palace in the 24 years since he ascended the throne, and even when he was not yet on the throne and was still the prince, he had never left the palace.

The people of Bianliang had not known what the emperor looked like for decades, so everyone wanted to take a look.

But unfortunately, it was too far away, and only two people in red robes could be vaguely seen getting on the carriage, and then they disappeared.

"Did you see the emperor's appearance?"

"No."

"Yes, how can the emperor see it?"

"Over the years, the emperor has been strategizing in the palace, and the world is well governed. He is really a saint sent from heaven."

"Isn't it? Now our Song Dynasty is prosperous, even the Liao Kingdom and the Western Bandits dare not underestimate us, but I don't know when we can avenge Chanzhou."

The people were talking about it.

The people under the emperor's feet are different from the people in ordinary counties and villages.

Even before the appearance of newspapers, gossip was everywhere, and all kinds of things in the court and the country were spread very well.

After dinner, the people dared to talk about everything and discuss everything.

Even after the candlelight and the axe sound, there were people in the folks who spread the news that Zhao Guangyi killed Zhao Kuangyin, so Zhao Guangyi asked the Wude soldiers to inquire about the news and arrest people everywhere to try to shut up the world.

As a result, the government and the people were furious, and all the officials attacked, forcing Zhao Guangyi to take back the power of Wudezu.

Now Zhao Zhen's image is no longer the puppet emperor of Empress Dowager Liu.

From the initial strong support for Zhao Jun's decisive killing, the people all thought that Zhao Zhen was a good emperor with determination and perseverance to carry out reforms.

Later, when Zhao Zhen invented fertilizers, cement, glass, hybrid broad beans and other messy things, the wind was different. Some people said that he was not doing his job, and some people said that he was for the country and the people. Anyway, everyone had different opinions.

In recent years, with the support of Zhao Zhen, Fan Zhongyan made five Qingli New Deals, and his reputation soared to the extreme.

In particular, Zhao Jun and Fan Zhongyan often pushed their political achievements to Zhao Zhen, and the result was that the people of the world were all grateful. The people's evaluation of Zhao Zhen can be said to be endless, and many places have built ancestral temples for him.

In the final analysis, the people have a scale in their hearts. Fan Zhongyan's reforms over the years may not benefit everyone in the world, but they will definitely benefit most people in the world.

Most people can feel the changes in life.

In the past, taxes were heavy and people lived in poverty. Now taxes are reduced and life is getting better. It may not be very rich, but it is much better than before when people starved to death.

Therefore, most people see this change in their hearts.

Just like in later generations.

Serving the people has never been an empty word. It is not for officials to serve tea and water to the people and send warmth.

Instead, you need to show enough courage and wisdom to change and benefit!

Really change the lives of the general public.

If you do it, your prestige will increase, and your name will be remembered by the people.

Just like the foresight of the great man and the chief designer.

At this moment.

Under the gaze of the people, Zhao Zhen and his wife slowly headed south in the carriage.

The officials also had their own carriages, and thousands of guards formed a huge convoy, leaving the city of Bianliang in a mighty manner.

In the imperial carriage, Zhao Zhen curiously pulled the curtains of the carriage and looked out.

Queen Cao wanted to stop it.

Because the emperor had to maintain his dignity, if the people saw him secretly lifting the curtain and peeking out half of his face, it would not be a good look.

But thinking that the emperor had never left the palace, he couldn't bear to do so, so he didn't say anything.

After a while, Zhao Zhen took the initiative to lower the curtain and said, "I didn't expect the city to be like this."

"Are you disappointed?"

Empress Cao asked.

"No, I am pleased with the changes in the Song Dynasty now."

Zhao Zhen shook his head.

He had been in the palace for a long time, but it didn't mean he knew nothing.

In fact, just like Zhang Zeduan, there were painters in the palace who would draw scenes outside the palace for him to see.

But now Bianliang is changing too fast, and sometimes you can even see concrete high-rise buildings and new buildings outside the palace when you stand in the palace.

This is completely different from his impression of Bianliang.

Empress Cao praised him rarely, saying: "This is because the government benefits the people."

"Yes, throughout history, how many emperors have such courage as me."

Zhao Zhen did not take credit for it.

Because he really didn't need to take credit for it.

There were emperors who were willing to give up power and hold real power, such as Liu Chan.

But Liu Chan did not succeed after all.

And he succeeded.

And in the future, it is very likely that he will achieve unprecedented achievements.

This is enough to leave a name in history and be praised by the world.

After all, if it was another emperor, Zhao Jun would definitely not be so free to reform as he is now.

The motorcade slowly left Bianliang City.

There was already a huge team behind him.

In addition to the civil and military officials and the imperial guards, there were also envoys from all directions and guests from various countries.

Then came the people of Bianliang who came to watch the excitement.

There must be tens of thousands of people, like a surging ocean, coming to the suburbs of the south city.

The suburbs had already set up stands and fences were pulled around the train station.

After Zhao Zhen's motorcade arrived, it was led to the stands. The officials went to the stands and looked at the station not far away.

I saw that a brand new steam locomotive had been installed in the station. Its appearance was made of silver-black steel, like a ferocious beast, which made people feel stunned and shocked.

No one thought about how this steel beast was born and what it was doing there. They only knew that it seemed to have a huge mouth of the abyss, as if it wanted to swallow everyone.

"Oh my god, what is this?"

"What a huge beast, is it the Nian beast?"

"Why is there such a thing here?"

Not to mention the people of Bianliang, even the civil and military officials were stunned and looked at its existence in surprise.

Although the steam locomotive was not particularly confidential, it was limited to a small circle.

The three places of the Political System Institute, the Ministry of Industry, and the Institute of Physics.

Even the workers who laid the railway tracks did not know what these railways were used for.

So for most people, it was the first time they saw its existence.

This was undoubtedly a huge shock.

The envoys of various countries opened their eyes wide, wondering what this thing was.

For a while, whether it was the stands or the people watching the excitement on the left and right, they were talking about it, and the sound of discussion was endless.

At this time, Su Shunyuan, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Industry, ran over to report to Zhao Zhen: "Your Majesty, the train has been inspected and can be officially launched."

Zhao Zhen had long wanted to see the train pass with his own eyes, so he immediately said: "Start!"

"Yes!"

Su Shunyuan raised the small flag in his hand.

Seeing this, the flag bearer in the distance also waved a small flag, and then the departure officer blew the whistle and waved the flag, saying: "Departure!"

"Departure!"

The officials of the School of Physics who were responsible for driving the train began to shovel coal and light the fire.

The train has just been tested, and tickets have not even been officially allowed to be purchased, so naturally there is no such thing as the Ministry of Railways and train drivers.

Including the on-site command and dispatch are all done by the Ministry of Industry, and the departure of the train is done by scholars and officials from the School of Physics who study steam engines.

Among them, Su Song is now the departure driver, and he is blowing the whistle again.

"Woo woo woo woo!"

As the fire in the boiler burned more and more vigorously, more than ten minutes later, steaming white smoke came out of the chimney.

"What is this strange sound?"

"It's still emitting white smoke."

"It's terrible."

The many people watching were shocked, which was very similar to the situation when the train first appeared in the public eye during the Qing Dynasty.

People at that time also didn't know what this monster was. Even the highest ruling class, the old Buddha, thought it was very terrible and would damage the dragon veins of the Qing Dynasty, so they did not allow the use of steam locomotives, but chose to pull the train with horses.

At this time, when the steam in the boiler finally reached a certain pressure, Su Song opened the engine valve, and the wheels below began to turn slowly and moved slowly forward.

The onlookers were all horrified, and some even retreated, thinking that the monster had resurrected and was going to eat people everywhere.

Even the Liao envoy, who had a Mediterranean-style head and two small braids on both sides, was scared to death. The envoys of other countries around were not much better, and they all looked at all this with shocked eyes.

"What on earth is this? Did the Song Dynasty create a huge monster?"

"You must report it to your majesty, report it immediately."

"We must tell the king as soon as possible that the power of the Song Dynasty can no longer be stopped."

The envoys of the Liao Dynasty and the Western Xia Dynasty whispered privately.

The Goryeo envoy boldly came to the stage of Zhao Zhen, bowed and said: "The minister of the country, Jin Zuoren, meets the emperor of the Song Dynasty."

"What does the envoy want?"

Zhao Zhen asked.

Jin Zuoren hurriedly said: "I want to ask what this is?"

Zhao Zhen laughed and stood up from his chair, raised his hands, looked at the train rolling forward in the steaming white smoke in the distance below, and said excitedly: "This is the most important weapon of our Song Dynasty, the steam train! This thing can travel a thousand miles a day, and it can travel between Bianliang and Weishi in an hour!"

"This is a divine object, long live the Song Dynasty! Long live the emperor of the Song Dynasty!"

Jin Zuoren was even more excited than others when he heard this. He also raised his hands high and knelt down to Zhao Zhen.

Everyone knows that Goryeo has now re-allied with the Song Dynasty.

As long as the Song Dynasty is more prosperous, Goryeo will be as stable as a mountain in the face of the threat of the Liao Dynasty.

The envoys of other countries below were all different.

Especially the envoys of Xixia and Liao.

They were already pale.

After Jin Zuoren's words, all the officials shouted: "Long live the Song Dynasty! Long live the emperor!"

For a time, the mountains and the sea cheered, which was spectacular!