The implementation of the New Deal brought about earth-shaking changes in Ming Dynasty, the most intuitive manifestation of which is the railway.
On the map, a huge railway network is being rolled out, with the two capitals as the center, connecting major cities across the country.
One of them extends to the southeast, has passed through Chengdu, and reached the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
The other one goes straight into the hinterland of Mobei, leading to Beihai.
Before the last section of the road was opened to traffic, King Ning submitted a memorial to the capital and asked the Holy Driver to go on a patrol.
The general idea is to let the emperor walk around along the newly built railway.
This move is not only to increase the sense of ceremony, but more importantly, to show that the emperor attaches great importance to railways and trains, thereby ensuring that the railway bureau's business is booming.
After all, the railway bureau in the hands of King Ning is already quite large. Although it is not as good as the railway bureau of the imperial court, it is still one of the best among the vassals.
When Zhu Qizhen saw the memorial, he immediately agreed. During this period of time, there were no strong enemies around who could defeat him, and a bird appeared in the capital. Taking advantage of this opportunity, why not go out for a walk! p>
The cabinet and the Ministry of Rites are naturally reluctant. In their eyes, as an emperor, you must stay in the capital and cannot run out easily.
What if something happens?
However, Zhu Qizhen finally caught the opportunity, so how could he give up so easily?
Censor, in the court hall, Bei Lin, the president of the Academy of Sciences, reported that under the new policy of the imperial court, all industries are prospering, and the emperor should go out and take a look.
Immediately afterwards, Tang Xinggu, the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, began to talk, which probably meant that this could happen!
As a result, the Ministry of Rites became passive.
Because both the Ministry of Rites and the Metropolitan Procuratorate supervise and restrain others, if they each insist on different opinions on etiquette and law, it will just be a tie in the end, and no one can do anything to the other.
On the cabinet side, Yu Qian was presiding over the new policy in Uzang. Cao Nai and Zhang Yi came out to oppose it, but were immediately opposed by a large number of officials.
Nowadays, everyone is smarter. Unlike before, they either speculate on the emperor's thoughts every day, or rely on contradicting the emperor to gain reputation.
The emperor has a thorough understanding of his thoughts. As long as he does his job well, anything can be said easily.
Otherwise, there is no point in trying to figure it out.
As for the clear name... Haha, look at Tang Xinggu, he has to choose the thickest one when holding his thighs!
In the end, the cabinet and the Ministry of Rites were defeated, and Zhu Qi began his tour in a grand manner. Bei Lin from the Academy of Sciences, Tang Xinggu from the Metropolitan Procuratorate and others accompanied him, and the Jin Yiwei escorted him throughout the process.
Now it is easier to leave Beijing. You can take the train directly and go to Nanjing first.
Zhu Qizhen, Fan Zhong, Bei Lin, Tang Xinggu, Yuan Bin, and Huai En sat in the first carriage. The other accompanying officials sat in the second carriage according to their official positions.
After everyone was seated, a censor suddenly appeared and said that this arrangement was unreasonable, and then ran to the first carriage.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report to you, Censor Li Yan."
Zhu Qizhen first looked at Tang Xinggu, and then asked: "What's going on with the Qing family?"
Behind him, Tang Xinggu also looked puzzled. If you have anything to do, let me know in advance. Why would you just run up to the emperor and join in the fun?
Li Yan said respectfully: "I think that the emperor is the most powerful person in the world. How can those cart drivers and furnace workers be in front of you? This behavior is against the rules of the emperor and his ministers and is not in line with etiquette!"
Zhu Qizhen's expression changed. He thought to himself that this guy was deliberately looking for trouble, right?
Tang Xinggu was ready to drive people away, but after hearing this, he fell into deep thought.
Obviously, he was involved.
Li Yan's reason is very simple. Before the first carriage, there is a locomotive. Inside are the driver responsible for controlling the car, workers filling the coal, and some craftsmen responsible for body maintenance. These people are ordinary people. According to the
The rule is that you cannot sit in front of the emperor.
But the problem is, if the driver doesn’t drive in front, how will the train run?
However, that is not what the censor cares about. After all... As a censor, his duty is to cause trouble. Only by causing some discomfort to others can he show his sense of existence.
In an era when monarchy was more important than anything else, this so-called etiquette was indeed a problem.
Zhu Qizhen knew that Tang Xinggu might not be able to react for a while, so he said: "You mean... let me drive the train?"
Li Yan hurriedly said: "What I mean is, can I put the front of the car in the back?"
Finally, Beilin couldn't help it anymore, stood up and said: "You mean, let the locomotive push the train? How about this? You go home, turn the carriage you are riding upside down, and let the horse push your head.
The car is moving. After all, you are also a royal censor, and the horse is a beast. You let the beast run in front of you. It is so unruly. Where can you put the face of the inspector?"
Li Yan was scolded, and his face suddenly felt dull. Tang Xinggu also looked at Beilin with a resentful look, thinking that this is a person from our procuratorate. When you scold someone... at least leave some for me.
What a face!
Zhu Qizhen didn't want to get too entangled in this matter, so he waved his hand and said: "Get off, the train is about to leave!"
Li Yan seemed to want to persist and said: "The emperor's identity..."
"The emperor asked you to go down, didn't you hear?"
Bei Lin did not save face at all and said directly: "I usually ask you to study more natural sciences, but you don't want to. Now you don't even know what a train is. The imperial court spent millions of taels of silver to build the railway.
I’m not letting you bunch of well-fed officials with nothing to do mess around!”
Li Yan's face was sprayed like pig's liver, so he had to leave in disgrace and return to his second carriage.
Tang Xinggu looked confused and seemed to be asking, who am I and where am I...
After experiencing this small episode, the train made a long beep and started slowly.
Zhu Qizhen was secretly amused. In fact, in this era, there are not a few people like Li Yan.
In the late Manchu and Qing Dynasties, the Qing government built a railway in Xiyuan, Beijing. The Empress Dowager Cixi even abandoned the steam locomotives introduced by the Germans and used eunuchs and mules and horses to pull the railway because the driver was sitting in front of her. p>
At the time, this kind of behavior was incomprehensible and unethical. It was disrespectful to Cixi for the train driver to sit at the front of the car and drive.
This situation, or this sadness, is entirely due to the complacency of those in power.
It was not until later that Cixi understood that the train driver must sit in the front and drive, but he made two strange rules:
First, all craftsmen on the train must dress like eunuchs.
Think about those train workers, wearing black satin boots, round-neck brocade robes, and umbrella hats on their heads, sweating profusely next to the coal pile. What kind of funny scene is it?
Second, everyone on the train, except Cixi, can sit, and everyone else must stand.
That's right, even the train driver has to stand while driving. I don't know how miserable the driver was at that time.