The fugitives mentioned by the envoy actually mainly refer to Xu Huizu's family. The Ming court hopes to get Xu Huizu's family back, but Wan Lei will not agree.
Although Xu Huizu's family is of little use to him, they can still be regarded as residents of Beipingxing Province. He will never sacrifice his people in exchange for so-called peace, let alone engage in a fraternal policy. This is the national character and the There is no room for retreat on the issue of dignity.
Wan Lei refused to back down, and the envoy could not make a final decision, so he had to send someone back to the court to return his orders and wait for new instructions from the court before further negotiations could be carried out. During this period, Wan Lei did not restrict the personal freedom of the envoy. Send a few elite guards to follow them. As long as they don't break into the military zone, they'll be fine.
Perhaps he wanted to find out what was true, so as soon as he returned to the hotel where he was staying, he went out for a stroll and visited Hejian County, and did not come back to rest until dark.
In terms of urban prosperity, Hejian County is incomparable to Beiping City, but it is also full of businesses and dazzling products, even more so than those in Suzhou and Hangzhou. It makes everyone feel bad when it comes to economics alone. In terms of military and military affairs, regardless of territorial area, the so-called Peking bandits are indeed more powerful than the Ming Dynasty. It is difficult to say who will rule the world in the future.
Seeing the prosperity of the province, some of the envoys in the envoys could not help but have some doubts. Some even secretly inquired about the situation of the military and political officials in the province, hoping to make connections as soon as possible. However, they did not know that apart from the identity of the military generals, they had no influence on the people. In addition to keeping confidentiality, the identities of government officials at all levels are made public, and their resumes are posted on the bulletin wall for anyone to see. They foolishly asked people to ask questions, which in vain provoked a burst of ridicule.
However, even if they know the names and addresses of administrative officials at all levels, they cannot operate behind the scenes, because officials at all levels follow one rule: it is okay to accept bribes, but it is not okay to use power for personal gain. Therefore, as soon as these wallflowers come to visit, these officials Report the matter and the conspiracy turns into a conspiracy, and it will be surprising if it succeeds.
In addition, this delegation only stayed in Hejian Mansion for one night. Early the next morning, Wan Lei arranged for them to take a train north to Beiping City. In Beiping City, there were naturally people to receive them and at the same time let them see what Beiping City had to offer. How prosperous and powerful the parallel provinces are makes these wallflowers swing even wider.
Like Beiping City, Hejian County also has a bell tower. Although it is not as tall as Beiping City, the bell of dawn still rings throughout the city. At five o'clock in the morning, these messengers were woken up and they washed up in a daze. After that, before I could figure out why I got up so early, I was taken to the train station in the north of the city.
The whistle sounded, and people in the station rushed toward the platform. Most of these people were ordinary people going to Beiping City for sightseeing and shopping. Since the Beibaohe Line was opened, taking the train has immediately become fashionable, and each person spends a lot of money. For twenty-five copper coins, you can buy a hard-seat ticket to Peiping.
The round trip only costs fifty copper coins, which is just a small amount of money for ordinary people, so many people want to experience it first even if they have nothing to do. Moreover, the people of Hejian Prefecture have longed for the prosperity of Beiping City for a long time. They had long wanted to see it with their own eyes, but now that there is a train, distance is no longer a barrier. They even dressed up early and went to the station to buy tickets and wait for the train as if they were attending a temple fair.
Because there were too many people going north, the train had ten carriages and more than 2,000 seats to carry so many passengers. And this was just Hejian County, and it would pass through many towns along the way. By then, I'm afraid there will be more passengers, more carriages will need to be loaded, and there may even be the need to run additional temporary special trains.
Fortunately, the Railway Department, which is responsible for railway operations, had already anticipated the peak passenger flow. It temporarily stopped the trucks and converted the freight cars into passenger cars, so as to maximize the response to the peak passenger flow. Wait until a few more sets of locomotives are built, and then It's not too late to rush to transport coal and iron.
As a visiting delegation, Gao Weishan and his party certainly did not have to squeeze into the same carriage with ordinary people. They were fortunate to ride in a higher-grade soft sleeper carriage. The interior decoration of the soft sleeper carriage was very luxurious, and the transparent glass windows could clearly see the scenery along the way. The gorgeous The curtains are used to block the sun. The large comfortable sofa is covered with high-grade leather. The small coffee table is made of steel with a sky blue tablecloth. In addition to the teapot and cups on the coffee table, there are more than a dozen novels on the side. Passengers can relieve their boredom. Moreover, there are two flight attendants, one male and one female, in the carriage to provide various services to passengers at any time.
However, the fare for the soft sleeper carriage is very high. From Hejian County to Peking, it costs 500 copper coins, and a round trip costs one silver dollar. Government officials can ride for free when they are on official business, which is actually an additional benefit for officials. treatment.
Of course, some rich people don't care about this little money. The so-called ferry that has been built for a hundred years and being able to go with the officials is also a rare social opportunity. If you chat a few common things on the way, you might be able to establish a good relationship. relationship, so many wealthy businessmen are still happy to spend this money.
No, the remaining tickets for the soft sleeper carriage had already been sold out, and there were only a dozen seats left for the mission, barely enough for ten envoys and five accompanying elite guards. However, when the envoys headed by Gao Weishan saw This train is like an "iron centipede" and spits out black smoke. It's like seeing a ghost, and you just don't dare to get on the train.
"Everyone, the train is about to leave. Get on board." The person in charge of receiving these people was Wan Lei's trusted guard captain Li Ran. He received instructions from Wan Lei not only to protect the safety of the mission throughout the entire process, but also to try his best to ensure the safety of the mission. They showed the powerful side of the North Parallel Province and convinced them to gain greater initiative when the peace talks actually started.
"Brother, what does this thing called a train do?" Gao Weishan's voice was trembling. Obviously, the long iron lump in front of him frightened him.
"A train is a kind of vehicle. Like a carriage, it can carry people and load things. But unlike a carriage, a train is pulled by a steam engine, and the train only runs on flat tracks, so it is smoother and more comfortable to sit on. The speed is also faster. This is the most important invention presided over by our Mr. Wan. With the train, people can travel to various places and goods can reach various cities. In short, it is hundreds of times more convenient than the Grand Canal."
"A hundred times more convenient than the Grand Canal?" The envoys present were dumbfounded. They were all in the officialdom and knew that convenient transportation was no more than an artery that supplemented blood for a country. Even the Ming Dynasty had Great efforts have been made to repair post roads and canals, of course to maintain the smooth flow of arteries.
Now, Beiping Province has developed a horse-less carriage, so that people's curiosity finally defeated their fear, and they boarded the train one after another. As soon as they got to their seats and sat down, a loud whistle sounded. As soon as the sound sounded, they felt waves of shaking on the floor, and then the trees and people outside the window slowly retreated.
"It's really like a horse-drawn carriage, it can run." Gao Weishan looked at the buildings retreating faster and faster outside the window, and finally believed that there was a car in the world that could run without a horse. However, he was still nervous He huddled in his seat, still very scared of this train that was beyond his understanding.
"Of course. The train you are riding on was invented by Mr. Wan. The fastest speed can reach 120 miles per hour, which is 30 kilometers per hour. From Hejian County to Beiping City, it only takes three minutes at most. An hour. If the railway opens to Jinling, it will only take one day to travel between the two places." Li Ran said proudly.
"Impossible, let alone whether this train can really run that fast, how can such a big iron lump cross the Yellow River and the Yangtze River?" Hu Guang immediately retorted. He failed in the debate with others yesterday and was ridiculed. He said to the North It's normal to feel unfavorable.
"Haha, this official doesn't know something. Our Mr. Wan can even invent a train, and building a bridge across the river is a piece of cake. When the train reaches the Marco Polo River, you will understand. It is several hundred meters long. A large iron bridge spans the river, and the natural moat can also be used as a road." A young man sitting not far away laughed. Hu Guang wanted to refute, but was stopped by his accompanying colleagues.
"Master Li is right. There is nothing in this world that Mr. Wan cannot accomplish. I have also heard that Mr. Wan is still in charge of inventing the steamship. From now on, large ships will sail on the sea, driven by steam engines, even if they go against the wind and the current. When traveling across the sea, the sea must find a new way." Another young man agreed.
"Young Master Liu is really well-informed. I heard about it so quickly. By the way, I heard that your father has gone to sea and will be back soon. I think Mr. Liu is here to greet you when he returns to Peking this time." The young master named Li smiled. When he came over, the person sitting next to him was very friendly and gave him a seat.
"The fleet has returned a long time ago, but the snow in the Bohai Bay has not yet melted, so it has not been able to dock. I heard that this trip made at least 500,000 taels of silver. Mr. Li's family holds the shares of Huayuan Company. You don’t have to do anything with your shares, and every time you pay out dividends, you get hundreds of silver dollars, which is the envy of others.”
"I went to Peking this time to share dividends, but I'm afraid it will make Mr. Liu laugh when I say it. My father only holds two thousandths of the shares of Huayuan Company, and he won't get much money after one year. Compared with those tycoons in Beiping City, In comparison, it is really shabby." The young man named Li shook his head and said with a bitter smile.
"That's true. I heard that the assets of the veteran members of the Yan Chamber of Commerce are all over 100,000 silver dollars, and the assets of the Zhao family, the Liu family and the Zhou family are over one million. It's incomparable." The young master surnamed Liu was also filled with emotion. His father was the captain of a merchant ship and could only receive one thousandth of the shares.
"The success our family has today is due to hard work. When Beiping City was in its most difficult times, they worked together with Mr. Wan. Later, they spared no effort to support Mr. Wan. Now that they have earned money, they have not sold their land to buy land, and they are still scooping up land. Come out to set up industry, seniors like them are the role models for our younger generations." Another man in rich clothes sitting aside said.
"Young Master Zhou is right. We in Beiping Province value fairness the most, and you can get what you pay for. By the way, Young Master Zhou, I heard that your father has contracted a Tiexu Mountain in Liaodong and sent you to run it. Is this true?
"The young master named Liu asked.
"Well, I just passed through Peiping this time, and then transferred to Liaodong. Nowadays, all the money-making businesses in Peking Province have been divided up by the seniors. We, the seniors, can only go to other places to find other business opportunities. Fortunately, our Peking Army
We have a strong army and a strong horse, and the expansion speed is fast enough. We are in the market, and whoever can follow up quickly will make a fortune."
"Yes, there is a saying in the shopping mall: those who arrive soon eat meat, and those who arrive late can only drink soup." Several people nearby also agreed. They all come from wealthy families, and their family members are in the political and military circles.
Those who work hard in the business world belong to the rich and powerful upper class.
People with good family backgrounds and high education levels naturally know more than others. These people talked freely, and the Mingshi who were traveling with them listened to their ears, but their hearts were churning. Because what they saw was not only a novel train, but also a new train.
From a few words, I could tell how prosperous and powerful Beipingxing Province was. Even the people in Beipingxing Province were very different from those in the Ming Dynasty.
As far as these people traveling with me were concerned, they never talked about money and looked like the most vulgar businessmen, but they were all filled with strong confidence and pride. While these people were laughing and chatting, the train passed several stations.
We stopped several times along the way and many passengers got on the bus.
There were stops and starts along the way. At about ten o'clock in the morning, the train passed Baoding Prefecture, entered Shuntian Prefecture, and soon reached the Lugou River. A steel bridge appeared in front of everyone like a dragon. But for the first time
Everyone who saw this bridge could not help but exclaim. Even Hu Guang, who had always been disbelieving, was completely dumbfounded.
"Everyone, this bridge is called Yongding Bridge. It was designed and constructed under the supervision of chief engineer Kuai Fu. It started construction last summer and was completed and opened to traffic at the end of last year. It is the first steel bridge built in our northern province. This bridge uses steel as its skeleton and is load-bearing.
Tens of thousands of tons, it is expected to be used for two hundred years." Li Ran explained with great pride.
"Steel bridge?" Looking at the giant thing in front of him, the well-informed Gao Weishan was so frightened that he opened his mouth. He knew how much iron was produced in the Ming Dynasty in a year. Even if it were all scooped up, it might not be enough to build this bridge. Just that.
Based on this bridge, he could imagine that the steel production in Beiping Province in a year was several times that of the Ming Dynasty, maybe even more than ten times.
A province with a population of just over one million can produce several times more steel than the Ming Dynasty. Anyone who sees this will be shocked. However, the Beiping Province has not launched a nationwide steel-smelting movement. From the clothes of the people
Judging from their facial expressions, these people are well fed and clothed, which shows that people's livelihood is also developing in a balanced way.
"Yes, the entire bridge is made of steel, and the bridge piles are made of reinforced concrete. Even if it encounters a flood that has not happened in 500 years, it will not be destroyed. Chief Engineer Kuai, who is in charge of this project, is designing designs for large rivers such as the Linghe River and the Liaohe River.
And build a bridge across the river. This year, this year, we will also build the Pingluo Railway to Liaodong." Li Ran was even more proud, and when he came to the word Chief Engineer Kuai, he raised his tone a few times.
"Chief Engineer Kuai?" Gao Weishan frowned and asked.
"Chief Engineer Kuai is Kuai Fu, who was once your chief carpenter in the Ming Dynasty. Mr. Wan had a keen eye for talents and specially invited him here. His son Kuai Xiang was even chosen by Mr. Meng Wan and accepted him as his direct disciple. This is really You can't even envy me." Li Ran looked at the envoys with a half-smile, and the implication was naturally that he was persuading them to change jobs.