Vientiane Throne of Civilization

Chapter 1601 Great Change
At the same time, in Da Zhou...

Zhou Xu didn't know yet that a huge change was brewing invisibly.

They had just received news from Copperforge regarding the steam engine.

In order to prove their innocence, Tonglue Fort notified Da Zhou as soon as the Saint Laurent Empire came to inquire.

Zhou Xu didn't care about this.

The dwarves of Copperforge are not fools either, they can also see the value of steam engines.

At this stage, whichever country masters the manufacturing technology of steam engines will greatly improve its development efficiency!
From this perspective, Copperforge would not want more countries to have steam engines like them.

After all, some things, if everyone has them, it means they don’t have them!
Only when I have what you don’t, can the advantage in development efficiency be reflected!
Although the dwarves look big and strong, they are a race that can create advanced technology. Can you say they are stupid?
Zhou Xu doesn't need to worry about the steam engine for the time being, and he really doesn't have the energy to do so recently.

You know, his government affairs have been quite busy recently.

Needless to say, the fundamental reason is that their Great Zhou has added a new Baton Islands overseas, in addition to the Mithril Island they occupied before.

At this moment, the internal development pressure is increasing rapidly.

In addition, in the past few years, they have to develop the southern region, upgrade factories, build steam ironclad ships, lay rails, increase the number of steam trains, and carry out various new research and development projects...

Even though they are still making money from foreign trade, they can't afford all this hassle.

In the short term, internal financial funds are completely unable to make ends meet.

And it was precisely for this reason that at the new day's court meeting, the Minister of Finance was holding a rope and killing everyone, while Zhou Xu was sitting on the throne with a headache on his face.

"Then let's put the subsequent laying of rails and adding more steam trains on hold."

Anyway, in the southern region, the second railway track has been laid.

Although the New South District, New North District, and Northeast Region still have only one railway track, the area and current development pressure are not as large as those in the southern region. In the short term, it is enough to get by.

Hearing this, Song Jinyu calmed down a little, but she still didn't put down the rope in her hand, which made Zhou Xu's eyelids twitch.

"The steam car project has also been cancelled!"

Steam cars are large in size, inefficient, and complicated to operate. Even Qin Fen, an avid fan of steam engines, feels that they are a dead end.

According to Qin Fen at the time, steam trains and steamships were available for long-distance travel, while horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws were sufficient for short-distance travel within the city.

Instead of spending a lot of effort on developing steam cars, it would be better to wait for a few years, wait until the internal combustion engine is developed, and then build cars directly.

Under this premise, the reason why there is such a project is, to put it bluntly, to allow them to slowly accumulate experience in car manufacturing.

When this project was determined and put on the agenda, the Barton Islands were not yet theirs, and the financial pressure was far less than it is now, and they even had some flexibility.

Now that the financial pressure has been completely exhausted, Zhou Xu canceled the project without saying a word to appease the emotional Minister of Finance.

Afterwards, Zhou Xu picked out a few relatively less urgent projects and cut funding, which made the Minister of Finance put down his rope and thus avoid the other party's plan to hang himself in the court hall.

After leaving the court, Zhou Xu immediately ordered...

"From now on, when you come to court, check each of you one by one! No one is allowed to bring in any ropes!"

"Neither will a series of other related items!"

"Especially Song Jinyu, check him carefully!"

"What a mess!" After leaving the court meeting hall, according to convention, Zhou Xu had to go back to the bedroom first to change into his court clothes, and then go to the Qinzheng Hall to start the day's work.

But a small accident happened today.

A document was not sent to the Qinzheng Hall, but was instead handed to him in advance.

This is the document sent by Qin Fen. Simply put, it is an application for research and development funds.

Zhou Xu had mentioned before that if there was any progress in the research and development project of steam-powered armor, he should be reported to him immediately, which led to the scene before him.

After opening the file and taking a look at it, Zhou Xu immediately gave the order.

"Summon Qin Fen to the palace for an audience."

Qin Fen arrived quite quickly after receiving the summons.

Compared to the last time I saw him, he had obviously tidied himself up, at least he didn't look like he was about to get moldy.

After seeing the person, Zhou Xu didn't waste any words and asked right away...

"Have you studied the design?"

Faced with this question, Qin Fen really didn't dare to say too much.

"We still have to test it slowly during the research and development process, but this design does have some substance and gave me a lot of inspiration."

When talking about this matter, Qin Fen's face showed obvious excitement, and when he got the chance, he talked a lot to Zhou Xu.

But to be honest, Zhou Xu didn't know much about this kind of professional field and only understood part of it.

"In other words, the manufacture of this steam-powered armor requires the use of special metals?"

"Yes, I'm afraid ordinary metals can't meet that requirement. The materials used are listed on the design drawing. There are many unfamiliar names. We have to do more research to see if we can find a suitable substitute."

Zhou Xu was mentally prepared for this situation. Once the research and development began, the investment would inevitably be huge.

Looking at Zhou Xu who was lost in thought, Qin Fen couldn't wait to ask...

"By the way, when can Minister Zhuang come to my project team? I really need her here!"

When Zhou Xu heard this, he rolled his eyes.

"Mengdie is not you. She is busy recently and will go when she is free. Just do it first! As for the use of special metals, I will ask someone to notify Li Gan and ask the Ordnance Forging Department to cooperate with you in the research and development of new metals."

After saying this, Zhou Xu quickly sent the man away.

After that, after a busy autumn, time quietly entered winter.

With the weather getting colder and colder, one morning, the deafening shouts of killing broke the tranquility of Copperfurnace Fort. Saint Laurent I was armed to the teeth and, relying on his powerful strength at the level of Zongheng Realm, he broke in like a hot knife through butter.

"Saint Laurent I! Do you, the Saint Laurent Empire, want to tear up the agreement and start a war?!"

Amidst the roar, a war hammer fell from the sky and smashed towards Saint Roland I who was charging forward and quickly breaking into the territory of Copperforge Castle.

King Baron rushed to the battlefield as quickly as possible. Seeing the corpses of his tribesmen all over the mountain, he was immediately furious!

On the other hand, Saint Laurent I remained calm and looked at King Baron as if he was looking at a dead man!
(End of this chapter)