Zhao Gou, who had been managing the Maritime Trade Office of the Song Dynasty for five years, was well aware that if merchant ships and warships could indeed be propelled by such steam engines as the emperor claimed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Whether it's Hangzhou, Quanzhou, or Guangzhou, these coastal areas are all plagued by pirates.
The imperial ships could only repel pirates, but it was difficult to sink or capture their ships.
But with a steam engine, things would be completely different. And with the cannons on the warships, he believed that no pirate or enemy warship in the world could stand against the Song Dynasty's navy.
As Zhao Gou thought about it, he became more and more excited.
However, there is also some pessimism: this thing is too troublesome to manufacture and too expensive, so it would be difficult to equip it on a large scale.
In fact, during this period in the Song Dynasty, people had virtually no concept of steam engines.
Apart from the Academy of Sciences using steam engines to smelt iron during experiments, virtually no one has ever used it.
Only Zhao Huan, the time traveler, firmly believed that the steam engine could lead the Song Dynasty into a completely new era.
The experiment has already begun. Someone started to light the coal in the steam engine. After a while, the heat inside was sufficient, smoke began to billow from the chimney, and sounds came from inside—the steam engine was running.
After a short while, the steam locomotive began to move slowly.
However, it quickly came to a stop and could not move an inch further.
The designer was very embarrassed.
Subsequently, other steam locomotives began to add coal one after another.
Thick smoke billowed from the chimney, and the steam locomotive began to run, making a sound.
The surrounding people stared at the steam locomotives as if they were monsters.
Someone exclaimed in astonishment, "It really can move! Without horses or anyone pushing it, it moves on its own!"
"I know!" another tofu shop owner exclaimed excitedly. "These people must be reclusive masters living deep in the mountains; they possess magical powers!"
When he said that, everyone else clearly agreed.
Many people in the Song Dynasty believed in Taoism, worshipped the Jade Emperor, and believed that there were immortals in the deep mountains.
If it's not an immortal, how could this giant iron crutch suddenly start moving?
Immediately, the crowd began to discuss it.
Some even knelt down, clasped their hands together, and kowtowed, saying, "The Emperor is wise, the immortals have appeared, blessing all the people! Blessing all the people!"
Then more people knelt down and worshipped the heavens.
"Those black stones were actually magic stones!"
...
Zhao Huan was somewhat taken aback by this scene.
However, he quickly came to his senses. For people in ancient times, it was normal to describe phenomena they did not understand as divine intervention or the birth of immortals.
It seems that education in the Song Dynasty has a long way to go!
Han Gonglian, Sima Qi, and Chen Gui exchanged glances, then looked at the slowly moving steam locomotives and heard the piercing noises coming from inside. They knew that these locomotives wouldn't go far either.
Sure enough, they all stopped soon after, and no matter how much coal was added, they wouldn't move.
The last car to start, just as it started moving, many people thought it would stop after traveling a short distance, but it didn't stop.
They stopped after walking nearly a hundred meters, covering most of the open space in front of the Academy of Sciences.
Then it was turned around and started walking again.
The person sitting on it only needs to hold the strange turntable with both hands and turn it to adjust the direction.
Roujia pointed down with her small, jade-like finger and said, "Daddy, it really keeps moving. I really want to ride it too."
Zhao Huan was immediately dumbfounded: "That thing isn't a horse, you can't just sit on it."
"I'd like to sit there too."
"Roujia, don't worry. Father will have someone make you an even better and more beautiful one in a while."
Roujia was overjoyed, which melted Zhao Huan's heart.
The people on top stopped the steam locomotive and then got off.
This was a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with an undisguised smugness on his face.
Indeed, thanks to his modifications, the steam locomotive ran slightly faster than the previous one, and it did not stop.
In fact, this person was Sima Qi's last student. His name was Zhong Yu, and he was a rare engineering prodigy.
He pretended to bow to Han Gonglian, Sima Qi, and Chen Gui.
Han Gonglian stroked his white beard, seemingly quite satisfied.
Although he was looking at Zhong Yu, his attention was focused on the emperor in the pavilion.
Look, Your Majesty, the steam locomotive has been improved. Are you satisfied?
Han Gonglian, Sima Qi, and Chen Gui all thought the same way; they all cared a lot about the emperor's attitude from the attic.
Furthermore, they were all quite certain that the emperor would be very satisfied now.
This arduous task is finally completed, and the Academy of Sciences has at least not lost face!
The ministers in the Prime Minister's office also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Churen stood up and walked over, saying, "His Majesty has decreed that anyone who can get a steam locomotive running normally will be rewarded with 200,000 strings of cash!"
Zhong Yu was overjoyed; he had suddenly reached the pinnacle of his life.
However, I can't keep all 200,000 strings of cash by myself.
At least half of them must be given up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Huan watched his own ministers perform below, feeling quite disdainful.
It seems that the people at the Chinese Academy of Sciences are getting increasingly greasy and are starting to imitate politicians like Xu Churen by putting on a show.
They thought that as long as they handed over what satisfied me, everything would be fine.
Zhao Huan glanced at the steam locomotive with great disdain. It was moving like a tortoise; what was there to be proud of?
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