"Ah Yuan, what is this?"
Helian Jue asked a question, feigning curiosity.
He was toying with two Go stones carved from black jade in his hand, which made his snow-white skin stand out even more.
Helian Jue's appearance was already extraordinary, but his coma and recuperation during this period had kept him almost out of the light of day, making his already extremely fair skin even paler.
At this moment, his beauty carried a hint of morbidity.
Only in his eyes did he show tenderness and doting affection, with no trace of the madness and ruthlessness hidden beneath.
"Coal stove!"
Xie Yuan only remembered when she heard Helian Jue's voice that she was still playing chess with her husband, and then—
Xie Yuan snapped out of his daze, and all he could see was a messy chessboard.
The black and white chess pieces that were originally intertwined were now scattered to the side.
"Your Majesty, I apologize! I was rude!"
Xie Yuan spoke words of apology, but he did not show any fear or trepidation towards the king.
This is also her forte: she has respect, love, heartache, and persistence towards Helian Jue, but she has no fear of him.
To her, Helian Jue was her husband, her lover, and her wise ruler, not a tyrannical emperor.
Seeing Xie Yuan's slightly apologetic expression, Helian Jue felt relieved. "It's alright! I know you must have thought of some important matter concerning the country and its people again!"
"Come, tell me, what exactly is this?"
Helian Jue smiled and asked the question again.
Xie Yuan then realized why she had brought the blueprints to Helian Jue and was pointing at the diagrams, explaining, "Your Majesty, this is a coal stove!"
"It can be burned with coal or wood!"
"This is a chimney; it can be made by rolling up sheet metal."
"The chimney is connected to the coal stove and can vent the flue gas out."
"This smoke isn't just smoky and toxic, it's also poisonous!"
Xie Yuan emphasized at this point: "In winter, people close doors and windows and burn braziers inside their homes to keep warm."
"If ventilation is not done properly, it is easy to suffer from smoke poisoning, and in severe cases, it can even be fatal!"
In ancient times, people did not know how dangerous carbon dioxide was and simply considered it an accident.
In fact, this is a tragedy that could have been avoided and prevented.
And a chimney is the best solution.
"In addition, chimneys can also provide heating."
Xie Yuan paused for a moment, then used an analogy: "It's somewhat like the chimneys or firewalls in the palace, which all use combustion to increase the temperature."
Adding a chimney can also enhance the heating effect.
Helian Jue was very intelligent and had a good memory. Several years ago, when the couple was in Yuezhou, they had mentioned things like heated brick beds and underfloor heating.
At that time, he and Dugu Xiong were still "allies".
Thanks to Xie Yuan's many ingenious ideas, Helian Jue further consolidated his cooperation with Dugu Xiong.
After all, cooperation is based on mutual benefit.
Instead of relying on the remaining influence of the deposed crown prince.
"Ah Yuan still thinks I, the deposed crown prince, am powerful. Little does she know, her appearance has helped me a lot!"
In this world, besides him, probably no one else knows what a rare treasure Xie Yuan is.
He didn't know how important A Yuan was to him.
Even A-Yuan himself didn't know.
She loved him too much and praised him too highly.
But they underestimated themselves.
How could Helian Jue not love A Yuan, who loved so humbly?
"Hmm, you mentioned it back then, and I even had Dugu Xiong promote it in the Northwest."
"However, you didn't mention coal back then!"
Helian Jue composed himself and continued chatting softly with Xie Yuan.
"Coal is a treasure; it's no exaggeration to call it 'black gold'."
Xie Yuan hadn't forgotten that in later generations, the most famous way to describe someone as rich was "having a mine at home".
What kind of mine?
Coal mines, of course!
Coal mine owners have become synonymous with nouveau riche who spend money like water.
Coal is an industry with great potential for development.
Moreover, the vigorous mining of coal was also accompanied by the process of industrialization.
Xie Yuan knew that with his own strength, it would be difficult to change the entire world.
But she can seep in little by little, like a butterfly flapping its wings.
One day, even a tiny butterfly can cause a hurricane powerful enough to change the world!
“Coal alone can generate an entire industrial chain.”
"The imperial court, powerful clans, merchants, and ordinary people can all benefit!"
As for the pollution caused by burning coal, it is basically negligible.
In fact, pollution still existed in ancient times, even without industrialization.
It's just not as domineering as it was in the industrial age.
A single coal-burning dynasty, and a single Zhou dynasty, cannot affect the global environment.
Most importantly, the birth, promotion, and popularity of an emerging industry all require a process.
It could be a few years, or it could be more than ten years.
Xie Yuan is not yet able to consider things that far ahead.
At present, Xie Yuan believes that promoting the combination of iron furnaces and coal is definitely more beneficial than harmful!
"Very well! Then I will send someone to give it a try!"
Helian Jue gazed intently at Xie Yuan.
He loved Ah Yuan's radiant appearance.
Confident, radiant, flamboyant, and vibrant, she seemed to be glowing.
"I will draw up all the blueprints for the iron furnace, chimney, etc., and I will also mark the coal and several coal mines!"
Over the past few years, Xie Yuan has become accustomed to their collaborative model of "I provide the ideas, you handle the execution."
She would give an inspiration and point out a direction.
The rest is left to the "professionals".
If it needs to be made, then find a craftsman.
If overall planning and management are needed, then find people who can manage it.
If you need to start an industry, just go directly to the big boss, Helian Jue!
"Yes! I trust the Empress to handle things!"
Not to mention Xie Yuan, who was used to it, Helian Jue also thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of "husband and wife in harmony".
They are each other's one and only in this world, and the most compatible soulmates.
Without each other, neither of us is complete.
Only the appearance of the other party can completely fill one of my gaps.
Helian Jue lacked love and being cherished, and Xie Yuan twice risked his life to make up for it.
Xie Yuan needed understanding and support, so Helian Jue ascended to the pinnacle of power, making himself Xie Yuan's greatest protector.
"Ah Yuan, go ahead and pursue your ambitions. No matter how many obstacles or difficulties you encounter, I will help you!"
She gave him love, she gave him power!
The Zhou dynasty was originally established by the couple together.
Therefore, Xie Yuan also has a share of all the rights and honors.
Therefore, when the army returned to the capital in a grand procession, princes, members of the imperial family, and civil and military officials lined up outside the city to welcome them.
To their astonishment, they found Helian Jue and Xie Yuan sitting side by side in the emperor's carriage.
The couple did not distinguish between ruler and subject, nor between superior and inferior, but accepted the kneeling and reverence of the common people as "equals".
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