"Steam locomotive?"
"What is that? This Lin Wentao is truly an oddball. I wonder what he's conjured up this time."
"He dares to say it in court, so it must be something very important."
"..."
Officials in the council hall discussed animatedly. In their eyes, people like Lin Wentao had always been mysterious, and since these people didn't participate in government affairs, they didn't pay much attention to Lin Wentao.
The officials didn't understand, but Xiao Ming did. Having overcome the challenge of the steam engine, Lin Wentao had shifted his focus to applying the steam engine.
During this time, Xiao Ming had been in Qingzhou. Whenever he had free time, he would go to Lin Wentao's machinery department to discuss various steam-powered machines with him.
The steam locomotive and steamship were naturally the focus of their discussions. However, ironclad ships powered by steam engines were difficult to build without modern shipyards, so he focused on the steam locomotive.
Having lived here for five years, one of Xiao Ming's deepest observations was how terribly transportation was in this era.
Both military and material transportation were extremely slow, and this slow pace severely constrained industrial development.
Due to the emergence of the steam engine, Qingzhou's consumption of industrial materials had risen by more than one level, while the efficiency of transportation had hardly changed.
So he personally guided and used the technology crystal to teach Lin Wentao. With sufficient industrial capacity, the steam locomotive was successfully manufactured.
"My dear ministers, I presume you do not understand what a steam locomotive is. Today, I shall take you all to witness it," Xiao Ming said.
Now, Qingzhou's steam engine and steelmaking technology had made a leap. This meant that Qingzhou could produce the steel components required for the Western Industrial Revolution.
Thus, the logical next step would be the explosive appearance of various steam-powered machines, and this was precisely what he intended to do next.
With the fall of Prince Yan, the north was gradually stabilizing. His desire to establish a complete industrial system was also to be realized step by step.
For this, besides handling government affairs, Xiao Ming prepared to personally participate in the construction of the industrial system. Five years of talent preparation had also provided him with a group of capable individuals.
"Your subjects obey the command!" the ministers said. They were also very interested in the steam locomotive.
Nodding, Xiao Ming led the officials to the steam machinery department with Lin Wentao.
"Your Imperial Majesty, this is the steam locomotive," Lin Wentao said excitedly.
At this moment, the steam locomotive was stopped on a hundred-meter-long track. The instant he saw the locomotive's front, Xiao Ming suddenly felt a familiar sensation.
This object was now a modern steam locomotive, commonly known as a "cylinder car."
Simply put, this steam locomotive was a horizontally placed steam engine fixed onto a wheeled vehicle. The reciprocating motion of the connecting rod crankshaft combined with the flywheel drove the wheels to rotate, allowing the locomotive to move along the tracks.
"Your Highness, this steam locomotive took us more than half a year," Lin Wentao said with emotion. During this time, they researched, produced, and assembled day and night.
Now this steam locomotive could finally move forward along the tracks. Although in his opinion the speed was not very fast, its future potential was definitely huge.
"Isn't that just a big iron can?" Fei Ji squinted.
Pang Yukun also nodded. Xiao Ming and Lin Wentao both looked excited, but they were confused.
In contemporary times, the world's first steam locomotive was invented by the British George Stephenson in 1814. If judged by the current Western standards, such a thing would probably appear in forty or fifty years.
However, he was now the first person to manufacture a steam locomotive. Although this steam locomotive was still somewhat rough and crude, it didn't matter if it was ugly, as long as it could run.
Lin Wentao, seeing the contempt of many officials, said, "This is indeed a large iron can, but it is a large iron can that can walk."
Then, without further explanation, he directly said to the two artisans who usually drove the steam locomotive, "Now, you two operate the locomotive for His Imperial Majesty."
The two nodded and climbed onto the steam locomotive. One artisan took a shovel and added coal to the boiler, while the other artisan watched the steam pressure gauge.
This pressure gauge was made by artisans at Lin Wentao's instruction when he was developing the steam engine, and it could now be used on the steam locomotive.
This allowed the locomotive driver to monitor the boiler pressure and adjust the steam pressure accordingly.
The railway tracks in the workshop were naturally made by Lin Wentao at Xiao Ming's instruction. These tracks formed a circle along the wide workshop, allowing the locomotive to move in this circle.
However, these railway tracks consumed a large amount of his steel, which made his heart ache.
But now with the steam locomotive, all this was worth it, because his next step was to build railways along the mining areas, which would allow coal and iron ore to be continuously transported to Qingzhou.
"Woo woo woo..."
The steam pressure inside the steam locomotive grew higher and higher. At this moment, the artisan pulled the whistle, and with a "chug-chug" sound, the steam locomotive slowly moved forward along the tracks.
This scene immediately startled the officials. They all kept their distance from the steam locomotive, fearing that this steel monster would harm people.
Lin Wentao finally smiled upon seeing these officials' disheveled appearance. Who told these officials to point fingers at the steam locomotive when they knew nothing about it?
"Chug, chug..." The connecting rod of the steam locomotive tilted up and down, driving the wheels to rotate through the flywheel and crankshaft. At this moment, the cumbersome wheels finally moved.
And as the locomotive moved, its speed gradually increased. In the first lap, the locomotive was as slow as a person walking, in the second lap, it was like riding a bicycle.
By the third lap, it was like a galloping steed.
Under such immense power, the expressions of the officials were a sight to behold. At this moment, they might have truly been convinced by science from the bottom of their hearts, rather than any ancient philosophy.
Xiao Ming brought them here this time precisely to let them witness the true power of technology. Otherwise, these officials would cling to Confucian classics and still fundamentally disregard technology.
What he wanted was for them to suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, thinking of this steel monster.
"Your Highness, is this steam locomotive acceptable?" Lin Wentao said excitedly.
Xiao Ming nodded. This locomotive was designed to achieve the maximum power currently feasible in Qingzhou. After all, if the steam engine's efficiency couldn't be improved, the locomotive's speed also couldn't be increased.
Lin Wentao had merely improved the Watt steam engine, slightly increasing its efficiency. So, this level of locomotive could only be compared to original locomotives. However, for Xiao Ming, it was sufficient.