On the Yangtze River, Zhong Fan took a boat down the river, standing on the deck and looking at the Yangtze River waterway in front of him.
With the dredging of rivers and the construction of ports, large ships can also be seen on the Yangtze River going east and west. There are steam ships with black smoke, accompanied by the sound of steam whistles, fully loaded with goods or guests.
There are also new types of internal combustion engine ships, which are very powerful and can still travel very fast even against the current.
You can also see small fishing boats, small wooden boats and the like driving slowly on the river. The fishermen on the boats are struggling to swing the oars. However, the speed of the boats is still limited. From time to time, they cast a net and catch some fish.
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The entire river looks very busy. The Yangtze River's shipping is constantly being used. A large number of ships can go directly upstream to Hanyang.
The convenient transportation also promoted the development of areas along the Yangtze River. Along the way, Zhong Fan saw factories and workshops that did not emit billowing black smoke.
You can also see some docks built next to the river bends. There is a ship moored here, which looks extremely busy.
"We still need to develop technology and machinery. If it weren't for steam engines and internal combustion engines, it would be very difficult for a ship to go upstream. If you sail against the current, you will retreat if you don't advance."
"With steam engines and internal combustion engines, it still doesn't matter if you go against the current."
"The Yangtze River is a real golden waterway, running through the south from east to west. It's just a pity that it can't connect to Chongqing and Sichuan. It's too steep and difficult to pass."
Zhong Fan looked at everything in front of him and was constantly thinking in his heart.
When I think of the Sichuan and Chongqing regions, I feel even more pity. The Yangtze River has reached its limit at the Jingzhou section, and beyond that is the Three Gorges region. With the current technology and conditions, it is simply impossible to go up any further.
The White Emperor's farewell speech is among the colorful clouds. Thousands of miles of rivers and mountains are returned in one day.
The things mentioned in Li Bai's poems are limited to small boats, and are simply not applicable to large ships and the like.
Unless, like later generations, a Three Gorges Dam is built here, the shipping value of the Yangtze River can be extended to Chongqing.
Going down the river, Zhong Fan was going to Jinling this time.
After several years of construction, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was finally about to be completed and opened to traffic. The imperial court sent Zhong Fan to personally go to the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge to preside over the completion ceremony.
Thinking of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, Zhong Fan became slightly excited again.
For the Ming Empire, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was another iconic super project, costing tens of millions of taels of silver.
Building a bridge across the Yangtze River is an unprecedented undertaking. It is something that no one in the past dynasties has dared to try, and it is also something that is simply impossible to accomplish.
But now, the people of Ming Dynasty have done it.
The ships kept going south at a very fast speed. In just 2 days, Zhong Fan arrived at Jinling from Huguang.
Standing on the boat and looking at the river ahead, I saw a long dragon flying north and south on the wide river. The bridge was more than 40 meters high from the river, which was very tall.
The piers supporting the bridge are very thick and strong, like giants. Half of them are buried deeply in the river, and the other half carry the giant dragon of the Yangtze River.
"One bridge flies from north to south, and the chasm becomes a thoroughfare!"
Zhong Fan looked at the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in front of him and sighed.
The bridge is very majestic. Only when you are inside can you feel the majesty and vastness of the bridge. It is designed with two floors, and underneath is a two-way railway track, which is specially used for trains.
The upper level is a wide two-way eight-lane lane, as well as a specially designed sidewalk for pedestrians to walk. The pier in the middle of the bridge is a hundred meters high, and the long cables are like a huge net. People's feelings are completely different.
The design of the Yangtze River Bridge adopts a mixed design, which has the support of the piers and the pulling of the cables. This design is to fully ensure the safety and long-term use of the bridge.
For this reason, the Yangtze River Bridge alone uses more than 100 million kilograms of steel. If it weren't for the large number of steel plants in Ming Dynasty and the increasing output, just using this steel would be enough to give people a headache.
Went to the bottom of the Yangtze River Bridge in the form of a boat, looked up and looked at the bridge in front of us. We saw a real giant dragon. The shadow cast by its huge body covered a large area.
After getting off the boat, Zhong Fan immediately drove non-stop to the Yangtze River Bridge. The car drove on the spacious road at a very fast speed, and successfully passed the wide Yangtze River in just a few minutes.
In the past, if you wanted to cross the Yangtze River, you had to go to a special ferry and wait for a boat. Crossing the Yangtze River by boat was not only troublesome, but also took a lot of time. The key is to cross the river by boat. There is nothing you can do. If you bring too much stuff, you will be charged extra.
If you want to cross the river with your car or carriage, it will be even more troublesome. Ordinary boats and small boats cannot be used. You have to take a big boat to cross the river.
When taking a big ship, you have to go to a special pier to take the boat. You can only stop at the special pier, and the cost of taking the boat is not low.
"Not bad~ Not bad!"
“The chasm becomes a thoroughfare!”
"From now on, traveling between the north and the south of the Yangtze River will be much easier. Trains can pass, and cars and carriages can also pass. It is fast and convenient."
Zhong Fan repeatedly praised that such a big bridge cost 40 million taels of silver.
But it is not a wasted flower, but a major project that has real contributions to the present and will benefit the future. With this bridge, the traffic conditions on this side of the Yangtze River will be greatly improved.
The trains built to Nanjing can also be connected to the trains in the south. From now on, you can directly take trains from Beijing to Songhu, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, which is fast and convenient.
The richest areas of the Ming Dynasty, the Beijing-Tianjin region and the Jiangnan region will be completely connected, playing an immeasurable role in the exchanges between the north and the south.
"Boom~Boom~"
"Crackling~"
The next day, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was accompanied by firecrackers and fireworks. Amidst the beating of gongs and drums, Zhong Fan presided over the completion and opening ceremony of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge.
Just like when the construction started, Zhong Fan read a memorial poem of thanks to God for blessing, to the Dragon King of the River and the Water God for their support and convenience, so that the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was successfully completed.
From then on, the natural chasms between the north and south of the Yangtze River were opened, and the natural barriers of the Yangtze River could no longer block traffic and exchanges between the north and the south. In order to thank God, the Dragon King Water God, the River God and the like for their help and blessing, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge will be opened on this day every year. One day of worship.
"Sacrifice!"
Following Zhong Fan's order, three cows, six pigs, nine sheep and a large number of tributes were pushed into the river.
"Open to traffic!"
After the sacrifice was completed, Zhong Fan gave another order, and bursts of fireworks immediately went off. At both ends of the bridge, business travelers who had been waiting to go south and north through the bridge also walked toward the bridge.
In the blink of an eye, the originally empty bridge was filled with traffic and people coming and going. At the same time, on the lower railway, the train was like a giant dragon, driving past quickly, making bursts of whistles.
ps: It gets very noisy on weekends, and people almost collapse~