Great Qing Dynasty talker

With the approval of Your Majesty, Songjiang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture were officially merged to become Jingji Prefecture.

but,

There is still a difference inside.

Due to its special location, Songjiang Prefecture undertakes diplomatic, entertainment, and a large part of industrial functions.

The scenery along the Huangpu River changes with each passing day.

The number of foreign envoys, merchants, and immigrants who have lived on the East Coast for a long time has exceeded 5000. This is still inferior to Guangzhou, where the foreign population has exceeded 10.

……

The Huangpu River can realize river-river-sea combined transport, which is a major benefit for large factories.

The side effects of the Industrial Revolution were huge.

As a time traveler, Emperor Wu still has some basic common sense.

From the beginning, avoid any trouble that can be avoided. Place factories downstream, and residential and commercial areas upstream.

Your Majesty, the greatest urban planner of the 18th century.

……

Waibaidu Wharf.

A group of tired-looking foreigners walked down the gangway of the ship. Most of them were failed inventors, depressed artists, and heretical intellectuals from Europe.

now.

Many people are silently thanking God~
It is not easy to travel 20,000 miles alive.

Songjiang New City, not far away, has a huge visual impact on first-time visitors.

In particular, a nine-story concrete and steel building under construction in the center is particularly eye-catching.

Translated by Deyi:
"That's Songjiang Building, a symbol of imperial civilization. Even a big typhoon can't blow it down."

For a building with a concrete and steel structure, 9 floors is not the limit. It is only built with 9 floors because there is no elevator.

Any higher, it’s meaningless.

Li Yu hopes to subtly change the architectural habits that have been passed down for thousands of years.

The empire does not have enough wood to build houses for everyone, so cement bricks and tiles will be the mainstream for the next one or two hundred years.

……

on the pier,
People from the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been waiting for a long time and even rolled out the red carpet.

Such specifications are only intended to win over as many people as possible.

Wu Ting will continue to provide funding for these talented people who come to him to continue their scientific research.

This matter can be seen as a business in essence.

If you make 100 inventions and produce only one successful one, you can break even.

If you can produce 100 out of 3 inventions, you will make a lot of money.

Money is the mother of scientific research.

If you are willing to pay, it's our mother, if you are not willing to pay, it's his mother~
……

Li Yu had long seen through that high-end talents are not cultivated by schools, but are gifts from nature.

Since it is a gift from nature.

Then you should use the golden sickle to cut it.
ruthlessly cutting off Europe's native talent.

Today, the Songjiang Branch of the Royal Academy of Sciences has attracted a team of more than 300 foreign talents, covering various fields.

The dean of the branch is very clear about his mission:

“Discover and retain real talents, and try to naturalize or win them over.”

For genius, funding is plentiful.

Geniuses are likely to have unknown hobbies. You can cater to their preferences and provide men or women.

The Royal Academy of Sciences does not discriminate against the orientation of its researchers, it only discriminates against idiots.

We should understand and respect the quirks of geniuses.

Frankly speaking~
If sacrificing a few beautiful women and men can keep the heart of a great scientist, it would be a great deal.

……

A few more days passed,
The Waibaidu Wharf was crowded with people and white flags were like a forest.

A huge crowd was ready to welcome the body of Mr. Voltaire, the Frankish Enlightenment thinker.

Mr. Voltaire had a rough life. He offended the Louis dynasty, the Catholic Church, and spent half his life wandering.

After finally returning to Paris, he ignored his old friend's advice and insisted on visiting Wu. He wanted to see what the "ideal country" in his mind looked like.
As expected, the old man died during the voyage.

The body was sealed in a wine barrel by the crew and preserved for more than half a year.

The State of Wu held an extremely grand state funeral for him. The funeral procession was led by 500 cavalrymen and escorted by 500 soldiers, with people from all walks of life participating.

One hundred strong men took turns carrying the coffin, and they carried the golden nanmu coffin from Songjiang Prefecture to Shangfang Mountain.

The grandeur of the scene and the huge cost left everyone dumbfounded.

Especially the paper money flying all over the sky~
Many people along the way who did not know the truth were so frightened that they thought Emperor Wu had died and cried bitterly.

……

one year later,

Paris newspapers.

Bold headline on the front page:

"One ton of paper money was scattered into Voltaire's heart."

The reporter wrote with passion and the readers were moved to tears.

This article had a great influence and it can be said that it completely changed the aspirations of a generation of European intellectuals.

Crossing the sea to the east gradually became a fashion.

After the funeral, the shrewd Emperor Wu even ordered that Voltaire's granddaughter, who was accompanying him, be kept in the Xishan Palace.

3 years later.

And caused her to become pregnant.

Ah ~
civilization!

Ah ~
Thousands of dollars to buy horse bones.

Ah ~
Eastern learning spreads to the West, and Western talent spreads to the East.

……

Under the Treaty of London.

The Wu State exported a large number of metaphysical masters, consumption masters, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to Europe.

Europe exported a large number of intellectuals, scientists, businessmen, retired military officers, ambitious people, and Ji women to the State of Wu.

In this global movement of people, the Wu State was the highland and other regions were the lowlands.

the reason is simple.

The deep-rooted empire mentality of thousands of years has made everyone look down on the barbaric lands overseas. For the Wu Kingdom in the 18th century, it was impossible for talents to leave. Only those who could not survive would immigrate.

……

It was different for European countries that had never been unified. Europeans were fully willing to go to a foreign country to make a career, just like the talented scholars of the Wei State in the Warring States Period who served as generals and ministers in the courts of various countries.

Such behavior is not objectionable ideologically or morally.

European countries, aware of the trouble, have also taken measures.

They couldn't arrest people directly, so they could only resort to democracy to increase cohesion.

Do this~
The effect is obvious.

The cost is low.

The prospects are good.

But they never imagined that this thing was a double-edged sword. Wherever the sword touched, the ice and snow melted and the wild beasts retreated.

Spring, it’s coming.

……

In recent years, the industrialization and free trade of Wu State gave rise to a special group.

Second generation of business!
Songjiang New Town on the Huangpu River, Hangzhou New Town on the West Lake, and Guangzhou New Town on the Pearl River are their main bases for consumption and entertainment.

Over time.

These people were no longer satisfied with the sensory stimulation obtained from ordinary entertainment. Therefore, a brothel in Songjiang Prefecture quickly launched the "Encirclement and Suppression of the Eight-Nation (Female) Alliance" project.

Once launched, it attracted a lot of attention.

All the new cities in the empire followed suit, and the city was in chaos for a while.

……

That's not even outrageous.

The people of Jiangnan have taken out their traditional hobby - wearing strange clothes.

A group of young people from families that were neither rich nor poor, dressed as neither men nor women, were wandering around the new city of Songjiang. Among them were some of the Eight Banners descendants from the old city on the north bank of the Wusong River.

When it comes to having fun, they are indispensable.

After several years, the fear in the hearts of these people basically disappeared, and they became accustomed to the new dynasty and new life.

In the words of the Fifth Master:
Although the Qing Dynasty has fallen, life must go on as usual.

Wu State is good, Gyeonggi Prefecture is better, this place is especially suitable for everyone who loves life.

He actively joined the group of people wearing strange costumes.

……

Some Confucian officials in Wu's court were quite dissatisfied with this.

At the court meeting, he suggested taking action to suppress it.

Li Yu is quite open-minded about it. It's just the Citywalk of the 18th century, cosplay.

He simply told his ministers:
"The fathers of these young masters made a fortune every day. If they didn't spend their money like a drunkard outside, wouldn't the money never come out?"

"As for the strange clothes, let them be. It is indeed a bit absurd, but there is no need to call for war and killing."

Li Yu thought to himself:

Citywalk is indeed weird, and I can't find any good adjectives to describe it. But it is still a hundred times better than citylecture, cityfxxk, and citygank~
Since Your Majesty is so tolerant, naturally no one will mention this matter again.

only,
There is still an unwritten rule: just stay in Songjiang Prefecture and don't cross the border to the west. Otherwise, you will be arrested and thrown into the most expensive prison in the world.

...With your majesty setting an example, the atmosphere within the empire gradually eased, and everyone truly believed that your majesty really didn't care about these trivial matters.

The Minister of Justice silently burned all the files of the "Henan Yanjin people eating carp major case".

As the situation changes,

Some of the former old Confucian scholars also gained new life.

The empire recruited some of the old Confucian scholars as local taxation inspectors and third-party factory-based tax commissioners.

Supervision!

Find fault!

It is difficult to get promoted, and it is basically a job that offends people.

However, if you really have a righteous spirit, then this job is truly worth it.

For a moment, many middle-aged Confucian scholars burst into tears and shed tears of gratitude.

Honestly speaking, among the Confucian scholars, there are those who are upright and righteous, as well as those who are despicable and greedy.

In short, Songjiang Special Prison is overcrowded.

Expanding every year.

Even Mr. Huang was sentenced to two years in prison for a not-so-small crime and was sent to the No. 2 Prison, which was under the jurisdiction of the warden.

He persisted in spending in prison, setting a record of 20 taels of silver per month, and made a huge contribution to the empire's cheap medicine business.

……

1789, early spring.

The new Ottoman Sultan Selim sent his most trusted minister.

"Your Majesty, long live the Emperor Wu."

Li Yu's heart skipped a beat, realizing that the battle situation might have changed.

As expected, the envoy spoke sincerely:
"Your Majesty, please send troops to support our dynasty as soon as possible."

Army Minister Lin Huaisheng took over the conversation and asked:
"Your Excellency, has the situation in Crimea changed?"

"Yes. According to reliable intelligence, the Europeans are planning a huge conspiracy. The Saxons will provide money, the Franks will provide officers, and the Prussians will directly send troops. They want to help Russia retake Crimea."

There was an uproar in the palace.

The important officials were discussing this.

However, Li Yu stared at the envoy calmly, trying to find out some clues. He always felt that something was wrong here.

……

After the court meeting.

Li Yu stared at the huge map for a long time.

In recent years, the empire has been selling weapons abroad, including guns, swords, spears, gunpowder, and everything else, and making a lot of money.

The situation is similar in Western European countries.

The warring parties were emaciated, while the countries behind the scenes were beaming with joy.

The war in Crimea has been going on for many years, from fierce fighting to a stalemate.

Now, are there new changes coming?
As a matter of common sense, the Saxons should be extra wary of the Russians moving south.

the reason is simple.

Once the Russians move south, they will threaten the Indian Ocean shipping routes and thus threaten the Saxons' maritime lifeline.

Therefore,
What exactly was the Saxons' purpose? What good would it do for them to defeat the Ottomans?
……

Li Yu's vision extends from the South Asian subcontinent all the way to the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Looking back again~
It eventually landed in the Suez Canal.

(It had not yet been excavated and belonged to Ottoman territory.)
suddenly,
He shuddered.

He paced back and forth in the hall excitedly.

Wonderful, wonderful.

If he controlled this area in advance, wouldn't that open up the Ren and Du meridians? Would he have controlled the world's two major weaknesses, transportation and oil?
"Someone is coming."

The guard pushed open the heavy door and walked into the room, his boots tapping the ground rhythmically.

"His Majesty?"

"Summon Jinghai Gong Shi Bingren and Navy Commander Liu Wu back to the court."

……

Dongshan, Army Officer School.

The Empire's young cadets are taking live-fire lessons.

The bastion, built on a one-to-one scale, was genuine, and billowing smoke and dust was created by rockets ignited by the cadets themselves.

The smoke cleared.

Everyone entered the bastion to check it out, but they were not very satisfied with the results.

Instructor's judgement:

"It can cause damage, but it can't kill with one strike."

"The enemy's combat effectiveness in the bastion still exists."

"Continue with the next subject."

Soon, there was a rumble of artillery fire.

Veterans with rich experience on the battlefield could tell that the bombardment was unusual, with loud noises and large movements.

If you get closer and see it, you will be shocked.

The 3-pounder gun has the power of a 10-pounder gun.

The answer is: shrapnel and breech-loading gun.

It was jointly developed by the Military Industry Bureau and Ma'anshan Heavy Industry.

……

The principle is similar to that of the Armstrong breech-loader, which is a combination of a vertical wedge breechblock and a screw breechblock, but it is not a true screw breechblock.

But it is indeed relatively advanced.

The difficulty of breech-loading guns lies in their design and processing.

The difficulty of shrapnel bombs lies in the slow-burning fuse and bullet support design.

With Wu Ting's current industrial and financial strength, all these problems have been solved one by one.

The principle of slow-burning fuse is to compact the gunpowder powder inside the fuse as much as possible without leaving any gaps, so that the ignition speed becomes slow.

The Military Industry Department has conducted repeated tests to ensure reliability.

The ignition time can also be roughly estimated based on the length of the fuse cut off.

The wooden cartridge case is simpler and is just a breakthrough in design concept.

Shrapnel exploded, and the air was filled with smoke.
After firing 20 rounds in one breath, the cadets entered the bastion again to check the situation.

……

on the hill.

Li Yu turned his head and smiled at the young man beside him:

"Zhang Chengye, you did a good job."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Chengye was delighted and lowered his voice, "Your Majesty, in fact, we have also tried to make a horizontal wedge breech block. It is difficult to process and the output is slightly low, but we can make it."

"Don't be impatient. We don't want to be too far ahead, we just want to be one step ahead of the enemy. We should slowly research the horizontal wedge breechblock and the screw breechblock suitable for heavy artillery. Even if we succeed, we don't need to use them for the time being."

"Your Majesty is holy."

Down the hillside
The non-commissioned officers began the third subject of the day - earthwork, approaching to attack the bastion.

From a distance, it looked like a group of groundhogs, with shovels flying and dust rising.

They dug the tunnel as close to the bastion as possible and then set up the mortars.

One shrapnel shell after another fell into the bastion, with a devastating effect.

The defenders of the bastion had very few countermeasures. They could not shoot or throw bombs. They could only use mortars to achieve a less than ideal killing effect.

……

The instructor stood on the bastion wall and looked out repeatedly, constantly pointing out which tunnels had people exposed.

On the battlefield, if you are exposed you will be shot.

Therefore, the cadets need to have a clear idea of ​​the depth and width of the tunnel.

The summary is:

Rockets, shrapnel shells, and earthworks are all effective against bastions.

but,

Shrapnel is the most moderate method.

Rockets require logistics, and earthwork takes time.

Officers can decide on their own which siege method to use based on battlefield conditions.

……

The war with the Russians several years ago made Wu Ting realize that he could not fight the European army with the same mentality as he fought the Qing army.

The Siberian bastions are the worst bastions in the world.

Even so,

It also caused considerable damage to Wu's army.

If the Wu army one day needs to attack the stone bastions designed by Marshal Vauban's disciples along the Mediterranean coast, how many people will die?
Even if they don't care about the lives of the soldiers.

Given the transportation conditions in the 18th century, the Wu army's expedition must take an elite route, and the human wave tactic was unrealistic.

Therefore, we need to make breakthroughs in both weapons and concepts!

……

Li Yu also proposed a subject:
Today you are on offense, tomorrow you may be on defense.

The spear should be sharp and the shield should be thick.

If I attack with rockets, shrapnel, and earthworks, how will you, as the defender, respond?

Everyone was stunned for a moment. (End of this chapter)