Chapter 368 Locomotive
In mid-autumn, an article titled "The Reiki Locomotive Is About to Be Trial Run" quickly spread in Yu State.
According to the article, the team of Dr. Xuegong Su Feng has developed a mechanical vehicle powered by aura. It can tow cargo much heavier than the body, and travel long distances at a speed comparable to that of a galloping horse.
And today is the day for the test run of the Lingqi locomotive.
West of Chang'an, Baqiao Station.
As the main road of transportation to and from Chang'an City, it is said to be a post station, which is similar to a market.
On both sides of the ten-carriage-wide road, dense buildings are distributed. There are restaurants and mansions for business travelers to rest, as well as tile markets and teahouses for entertainment. Of course, the most common ones are warehouses for storing and transshipping goods.
"Ladies and gentlemen, chill the fermented glutinous rice."
The fat shopkeeper of the restaurant carefully opened the door and walked into the wing room on the third floor, and gently placed the wooden food box on the table.
The teenagers and girls who were chatting in the room were gorgeously dressed and wore gold, silver and jade ornaments all over their bodies. It was obvious that they were either rich or expensive.
Ordinarily, the children of Chang’an yamen who come out to play will bring guards and entourages, ranging from a few to as many as a dozen.
Those without followers like this are likely to be disciples of the academy.
"Trouble shopkeeper."
Li Ang lifted the lid of the food box, took out a porcelain bowl of fermented glutinous rice from inside, and distributed it to his companions. ,
Seeing that the shopkeeper of the restaurant was still standing there, he asked casually, "Is there anything else?"
The shopkeeper of the restaurant came back to his senses, "Uh, it's okay, the weather is hot, do you need an ice basin?"
The so-called ice basin is to put a large piece of ice in two nested copper basins to emit cool air to lower the room temperature.
"Don't bother, we'll just use this."
Li Ang shook his head, took out a cool wind talisman and pasted it on the table, and immediately a cool breeze blew in the room.
Sure enough, he is a disciple of the academy.
The shopkeeper's heart was moved, the price of a basin of ice cubes was only two hundred coins, and the price of a cool wind talisman that could only be written by a high-level rain-level talisman master was as high as two hundred guan.
For a moment of coolness, a person who can throw two hundred sticks without blinking his eyes even likes cold street drinks like iced fermented glutinous rice.
The shopkeeper of the restaurant exited the wing room, gently closed the door, and smacked his lips a little anxiously.
I always feel that the appearance of this little man is somewhat similar to the statue in the Temple of the King of Medicine. Could it be that he is the one who is famous all over the world?
The shopkeeper slapped his forehead, and quickly asked the restaurant guy to go to the neighbor's house to borrow a portrait of the little medicine king god.
If the person in the wing room is really Mr. Li Xiaolang, then you have to put away the bowl that has been filled with fermented glutinous rice today—something used by the little medicine king god, which can bless children and mothers.
"Hey, Risheng, you have become a holy monk now, and there are people rushing for even bowls."
Yang Yu jokingly said: "In the future, if there are any broken pots, pans, pens, inks, papers and inkstones in your house, don't throw them away. I will bring someone to collect them."
"Go! Go! Go."
Li Ang rolled his eyes.
Due to the improvement of people's health concept in recent years, coupled with the widespread application of new drugs such as penicillin, artemisinin, and allicin, the child mortality rate has dropped significantly, and there are also more and more temples of the King of Medicine built by the people in various state capitals. .
Li Ang himself hoped to build fewer temples, build more wards, and train more doctors.
"coming."
He Fanshuang sipped the fermented glutinous rice and looked out the window.
Only hearing the sound of firecrackers and the sound of gongs and drums, a huge steel creation slowly approached from the corner of the street.
It is two people tall, nearly three feet long, and the main body is a cylindrical boiler.
The wheels are connected by connecting rods.
"Haotian is above,"
Li Wei took a breath and almost choked on the small ice cubes in the glutinous rice, "Is this the Lingqi locomotive? It's so big? How much steel does it cost and how much does it cost?"
steel? Steel is only a small part of the cost. The main body of the spiritual energy machine inside alone cost the academy 600,000 guan.
Li Ang said silently in his heart.
Although he had been mentally prepared for a long time, he still couldn't help being excited when he saw the monster-like steel mechanical creation appearing in his sight.
"Everyone be careful."
Following next to the Reiki locomotive, Ou Zhiyuan, the Neo-Confucian teacher of the academy, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and shouted to his companions.
Aura locomotives are too heavy and heavy, and will easily sink into rammed earth roads, even bluestone roads and cement roads cannot bear it.
Therefore, a dozen or so Nian masters from the Academy could only jointly release the Nian power and drive it across the street.
A large number of Chang'an citizens who came to see the excitement followed behind,
From the windows on both sides of the market street, dark heads also protruded.
Bang!
Accompanied by a dull sound, the front part of the Lingqi locomotive was put into the rails laid on the bank of the Bashui River.
"Get in the car!"
Ou Zhiyuan shouted, and the Nianshi pushed the spiritual locomotive forward for a certain distance, and moved six iron carriages equipped with wheels, which were connected by couplers.
Several teams of laborers moved grain, oil, cloth, tea and wine and other goods out of the warehouse and transported them into the carriages. He even pulled out a few cows and horses, blindfolded them, and led them into the carriage.
"Is this testing load?"
In the restaurant, Ji Linglang frowned slightly.
"Well, the aura locomotive is quite expensive. If it can't be better than the horse-drawn carriage team, it is meaningless."
Li Ang said: "In addition to comparing the load with the carriage team, there is also a speed comparison."
As he said, on the official road not far from the aura locomotive, there are three carriages and three horses parked—they will be used as a control group for comparison with the aura locomotive.
"call"
After everything was ready, Dr. Su Feng stood at the front of the car, exhaled slowly, and pulled down the lever slowly and firmly.
Hum!
The divine evil cloud pattern on the surface of the aura machine emerges with bright streamers,
Severe heat waves, generated in boilers,
Water is vaporized when heated, and the expanding steam violently pushes the piston, which turns the locomotive wheel through the connecting rod and rocker.
Bang! clang!
Accompanied by regular sounds, the heavy front of the car moved forward slowly.
When the onlookers saw this huge machine moving forward, they couldn't help but exclaimed.
But amidst the exclamation, there was also a bit of ridicule—the carriage and the horse, which set off at the same time, had already galloped wildly and rushed far in front of the locomotive.
Even, in a certain high-rise building, many court ministers who came to watch the ceremony frowned—at such a slow speed, let alone compete with horses, even mules can’t compare.
However, the jeers didn't last long.
The clang of the locomotive became more and more urgent,
Billowing pale steam spewed out of the chimney, the front of the car was getting faster and faster, dragging the heavy carriage, and rushed forward along the rails, directly surpassing all the carriages.
(end of this chapter)