"I have never seen such a shameless person since I was a child. No wonder he was called the 'the leader of the four evils in Chang'an City' before. It's really easy to lie and not make drafts, and never stop talking."

Changsun Chong felt that he wanted to grab an inkstone and throw it on Li Kuan.

Such a big news was released just now, and I don’t know what Li Kuan will say next.

Don’t get over the matter of plagiarism awards at that time, Li Kuan will also gain a reputation.

"Brother Changsun, let's not mention anything else. Li Kuan's level of speech is really higher than that of ordinary people. No wonder so many people in Guanshishan Academy treat him like a god. I heard that in the dormitory of some students, two portraits were hung directly, one was His Majesty's full-body portrait, and the other was Li Kuan's."

Zheng Hai continued Changsun Chong's words with emotion.

"What is this ability to change topics? Li Kuan thought that everyone would not be confused about the matter of Investigation Awards in this way? I just see what he can say. If it is very disgusting, I think it is on the spot to question it."

Changsun Chong felt that he shouldn't come here to seek suffering today.

This kind of performance of watching Li Kuan's glorious performance on stage, but he couldn't do anything underneath.

The entire Tang Dynasty Royal Science and Technology Award has become a one-man show for Guanshishan Academy.

...

"Industrial Revolution? This is the first time I heard of this word. However, it is really exaggerating to say that His Highness, the King of Chu, wanted to subvert the past agricultural social model as soon as he came up."

Cen Wenben sat next to Fang Xuanling, and after hearing Li Kuan's words, he couldn't help expressing his own opinions.

"I still don't understand what the Industrial Revolution means. However, it is not wrong to say that the Tang Dynasty and even the dynasties before were agricultural society. Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, agriculture is the basis of national stability. In the dynasties more than ten years ago, the tax revenue of the Ministry of Revenue was mainly obtained from farmers and farmland, so it is also right to say that those dynasties are agricultural society."

Fang Xuanling's performance is relatively calm.

He was a minister in the court who had a lot of contact with Li Kuan and knew Li Kuan's style of speaking.

Since Li Kuan dares to say this, there will definitely be some practical information later.

"The statement from Fang Xiang is correct. His Highness the King of Chu is still very capable of summarizing and summarizing. He can point out many problems like the finishing touch."

Cen Wenben is not that close to the Chu Prince's Mansion.

There is no hatred or much interest between each other.

So he looked at Li Kuan objectively.

...

"Haha, Yuchi, look, my son-in-law is good. Everyone has a lot of opinions on the announcement of the Gewu Award, but in a few words, he shifted everyone's attention to something else."

Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong naturally wouldn't miss such a lively event.

"It's not too late to express your opinions after listening to the speech. When you speak loudly, how can you let others listen?"

Yuchi Gong glared at Cheng Yaojin unhappily.

This old man always shows off his son-in-law in front of him.

If you have the ability, please pull your son out and show off.

"I have heard of that steam engine many times from Jingwen. Kuan'er attaches great importance to it. Just wait. He will definitely introduce to everyone what a steam engine is and what its use is."

Cheng Yaojin knew more than Yuchi Gong, so he naturally had more confidence.

...

"Under the wise leadership of His Majesty, Chang'an City has undergone earth-shaking changes in the past decade. There are countless workshops outside the city, attracting tens of thousands of craftsmen to work there, providing countless people with the opportunity to make a fortune.

Everyone estimated that the value of the things produced in the workshop is much higher than the things produced on the same area of ​​land. The court can receive more taxes and craftsmen can receive more wages.

This is actually the charm of industry. Although it is still a very basic industrial level, it has left agriculture and entered another world."

Li Kuan ignored everyone's reaction and continued to speak at his own pace.

"Why do I set the subject of the speech today as the 'industrial revolution'? Why did I associate the steam engine with the industrial revolution? Everyone must have many questions in their minds, but don't worry, let me talk about a few assumptions first, imagine what the world we are in if that scene becomes reality."

Although Li Kuan did not prepare in advance and did not give a speech according to the traditional routine, it was not difficult to describe the world after the emergence and popularity of steam engines.

As long as he is willing, Li Kuan can talk here for three days and three nights without pause.

"For a long time, the society we rely on for survival has used the most animal power. Horses, cows, mules, camels, and these animals have contributed a lot to everyone and will continue to contribute. Of course, some people may also say that my cotton workshop uses water trucks. This water truck is not animal power, right?

Yes, the utilization of water trucks is an improvement, but compared with steam engines, its limitations are still very large. Not to mention the drought conditions like the previous few months, water trucks will become useless, but there are abundant water sources every day and there are many restrictions on water trucks.

You can't use a water truck in a place where there is no river passing by? You can't run like a horse, right?"

"Although the emergence of steam engines cannot replace horses and cattle, and cannot completely lose their uses, it can provide everyone with a continuous power, a driving force that pushes the Tang Dynasty society forward, a driving force that pushes the operation of mechanical equipment, and a driving force that improves production efficiency, travel efficiency, and energy efficiency."

"Many people may have heard that a two-mile-long railway is being built in Guanshishan Academy for use for steam engines. Some people think that Guanshishan Academy is wasting money. If these road-building steels are used to make farm tools, how many farmers can use better sickle hoes?

If this money is used to build cement roads, how many people can enjoy the benefits? Why is it was wasted?"

As soon as Li Kuan started, he threw out a small-scale message circulating in Chang'an City.

...

"This... the second brother really uses stainless steel to build the railway?"

Yizi had heard of this statement before, but she thought it was a rumor.

"He said so, it must be true. Besides, the railway is in Guanshishan Academy. If you don't believe it, just wait and visit it."

Li Zhi was a little confused about what Li Kuan was going to say today.

Would he be bragging about that railway?

The left and right are just experimental railways built inside Guanshishan Academy. What's there to brag about?

...

"Li Kuan actually made such a grand comment on the railway built in Guanshishan Academy. It seems that Guanshishan Academy is preparing to build a railway connecting the China Unicom Workshop City and Chang'an City. This rumor is likely to be true."

Zheng Hai frowned, thinking about what benefits the Zheng family could get behind this matter.

"Hmph, if he really does this, I'll thank him well."

Changsun snorted coldly.

I really look forward to Li Kuan creating such a railway.

Not to mention anything else, at least the iron smelting workshop of Changsun’s family will definitely benefit.

"The cement roads are now very useful, and the four-wheeled carriages run very smoothly on them. Especially the four-wheeled carriages produced by the Mercedes-Benz Carriage workshop have added a shock absorption system, which makes the comfort of the carriage a step at once. In this case, what's the point of spending a lot of money to build a railway?"

"Who knows that the Chu Prince's Mansion is as rich as a country. Some time ago, I got a lot of gold back from India. I guess I think it's too much money."

Changsun Chong couldn't figure out the meaning of Li Kuan doing this, so he could only complain without hesitation.

...

"Some people may have seen the first time a steam engine was walking on a railway. They were puzzled by a big iron lump, which was walking slower than a person, and pulled less than a carriage. What's the point?

But have you ever thought that if a steam engine pulls goods on the railway, faster than horses, and more goods pulled at one time than hundreds or thousands of horses, then what will happen? What will the impact on our Tang Dynasty?"

Li Kuan began to slowly bring the topic on the right track.

"The principle of the steam engine is actually not complicated at all. It just converts the power of water vapor into the power to drive the machine forward. It eats coal, does not need to rest, and does not need to pay it wages. Once the situation I just mentioned can be realized, then from Chang'an to Luoyang in the future, you can reach it within one day.

Ordinary people only need to spend a few dozen cents to quickly reach Luoyang by railway. A large amount of goods can be transported easily, and the cost may be less than 10% of the current one. And this railway can operate regardless of day or night.

A continuous stream of people and goods can be continuously transported on the railway. It is like a person's blood vessel, making great contributions to the development of the Tang Dynasty.

Just imagine, if all the cement roads are built on railways now, will the transportation of goods still be a problem? Countless new business opportunities will naturally appear in front of everyone.

Some things that were originally inconvenient to transport will also become very simple. Both for the people and for merchants, the meaning is extraordinary.

We can even use railways to transport soldiers and horses, so that our army can appear all over the Tang Dynasty in the shortest time, and make the Tang Dynasty's country last forever."

With Li Kuan's words, some people began to feel excited.

Of course, some people also disdain this.

"How much steel does it take to lay all the places where Datang has cement roads? Even if the current steel production doubles, it will not solve this problem. Not to mention how much money it will cost after doing this."

After hearing Li Kuan's words, Kong Yingda felt that it was meaningless and was just drawing big cakes there.

"Although the tax revenue of the Ministry of Revenue has been very high in recent years and the growth rate is also considerable. However, if the railway is to be built, this tax is not enough. I have calculated it very roughly. If I want to build a railway from Chang'an City to Luoyang, at least 10 million kilograms of fine steel is needed. The annual steel output of the entire Tang Dynasty is not enough to build such a railway, right?

Not to mention that buying these stainless steels requires a lot of money. A railway from Chang'an City to Luoyang City is like this. If you want to build a railway like a cement road, the Ministry of Revenue will probably vomit blood."

Sima Caizhang obviously also thought that what Li Kuan said was very unreliable.

The steam engine is really as good as you said, so what's the use?

Building a railway is simply an unreliable thing.

"So, Li Kuan said these words at all, there is no meaning. He avoided the importance and said the meaning behind the steam engine, but he did not respond directly to the issue of this year's Essay Awards."

Kong Yingda felt that if Li Kuan had the spare money, it would be more meaningful to build Confucius Institutes around the world.

...

"Father, if the railway could really be as my second brother said, as the main prefectures of the Tang Dynasty, then the significance would be too great."

As the prince now, Li Zhi's perspective on things is naturally different from that of a group of people.

He was very interested in things like this that were beneficial to the Tang Dynasty's country and stable rule.

"Well, a cement road has already made Datang enjoy many benefits. If the construction of a railway can make transportation more efficient, then the meaning is really extraordinary. If the construction of a railway is made using stainless steel, the cost is too high. Unless the price of stainless steel can be reduced to a very low level."
To be continued...