Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 18: Cell Phone Captures Soul, Hongwu Borrows Car [Seeking Follow-up Reading]

Liu Kuan knew that as long as he used a mobile phone, Zhu Biao or Zhu Yuanzhang would definitely know about this magical tool, so he had no intention of hiding it.

Because his mobile phone, tablet, and computer all need his fingerprint and password to unlock, even if Zhu Yuanzhang forcibly asked for them, he would not be able to use them.

What's more, Old Zhu and Little Zhu might think that this thing recognizes him as the master and no one else can use it.

In response to Zhu Biao's question, Liu Kuan said, "This is one of the high-tech achievements of later generations. It's called a 'mobile phone,' which means 'hand' as in 'hands and feet' and 'machine' as in 'mechanical.' It's a communication tool."

"Communication tools?" Zhu Biao wondered.

Although he understood the word, he didn't understand how such a delicate and ingenious "box" could be used for communication.

Liu Kuan said, "This is a rather complicated matter. Later generations believed that human speech transmitted information through sound waves, so they studied this and created tools that imitated the transmission of information through various waves."

"The first was the telegraph, then the telephone, and then the mobile phone and other high-tech communication tools."

"However, mobile phone communications rely on satellites suspended in the sky and numerous communication base stations on the ground."

"The Ming Dynasty doesn't have these, so my phone has lost its communication and internet functions. Now it can only be used as a player. I have to be careful not to break it, otherwise there will be no place to repair it."

Although Liu Kuan tried his best to explain the principles related to mobile phones in a "simple and easy to understand" way, Zhu Biao still looked confused.

He found that he could understand every word Liu Kuan said, but when they were put together, he did not understand the meaning of many words or even entire sentences.

He wanted to ask, but found that there were too many words and sentences he didn't understand, and he didn't know where to start.

He was worried that asking him one by one would annoy Liu Kuan, so he simply asked, "Then what is the use of this mobile phone in the Ming Dynasty?"

What's the use?

There was nothing else on his phone except some novels, photos, a small amount of music and videos.

In this way, mobile phones are not as useful in the Ming Dynasty as tablets and laptops, especially the latter, which contain a lot of useful "information".

Thinking of this, Liu Kuan smiled and said, "We can use our mobile phones to take pictures on this viewing platform as a souvenir."

"Take a photo?" Zhu Biao said he had no idea what the word meant.

Liu Kuan didn't explain, but directly turned on the camera function of his mobile phone. Then he stood aside and took a picture of Zhu Biao next to the railing with the rolling Yangtze River and the sky as the background.

Then he took out his phone and showed it to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao was horrified when he saw this. His face turned pale instantly. He said nervously, "Master Liu, how did I...how did I end up inside this phone? Did you use this thing to capture my soul?"

Chen Hu and other personal soldiers were watching curiously from a few steps away.

Upon hearing this, they all drew their swords and surrounded Liu Kuan vigilantly and nervously.

Liu Kuan was speechless.

He explained, "Your Highness, this is the camera function of a mobile phone. It's like a painter taking a picture of you and drawing you on paper."

Zhu Biao still couldn't understand it for a moment and questioned, "But the me on this phone looks like a real person, how could I be a painting?"

Liu Kuan said: "It's not painted, so it's called a photo, not a portrait..."

Liu Kuan wanted to explain the principles of photosensitive photography, but found that he might not be able to explain it clearly, and Zhu Biao might not understand it either.

So he simply took out his cell phone and took a picture of himself.

Seeing his action, Chen Hu and other personal soldiers suddenly became extremely nervous and almost rushed up with knives to fight for their lives.

Fortunately, Zhu Biao was still rational and stopped him in time.

At this time, Liu Kuan had already taken a photo of himself and showed it to Zhu Biao.

"Your Highness, please look, I just took a picture of myself. How could my soul be taken away?"

"Your Highness just saw your own photo for the first time and was shocked, which is why you feel uncomfortable."

"Is that true?" Zhu Biao was skeptical.

"We can also take a photo together." Liu Kuan stood with Zhu Biao again, and in order to get closer, he simply put his arm around Zhu Biao's shoulders.

Chen Hu and other personal soldiers on the side wanted to say something, but ultimately did not speak - they felt that Liu Kuan was different from ordinary people after all, and it seemed nothing special for him to be arm in arm with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

In this way, Liu Kuan hooked his arm around Zhu Biao's shoulder and took a photo of the two of them.

Zhu Biao saw that the two of them were talking on the phone together, and his initial heart palpitations subsided. He really didn't feel anything unusual, and finally believed what Liu Kuan said.

So, curiously, "Mr. Liu, could you teach me how to take...take pictures with this phone?"

"no problem."

Then, Liu Kuan taught Zhu Biao how to use the camera function on his mobile phone.

After learning it, Zhu Biao first took photos of Liu Kuan, Chen Hu and others, and then took photos of the Yangtze River, the cross-river bridge, and the capital city.

It was as if I had turned into a child and was having a lot of fun.

Although Zhu Biao was very careful when using it, Liu Kuan still felt a little distressed when he saw it - he was not used to lending his mobile phone to others in later generations, let alone in the Ming Dynasty.

So when Zhu Biao's interest had died down a bit, he said, "Your Highness, since this South Bridgehead is empty, there's nothing to see. Why don't we go back?"

Zhu Biao nodded, "Okay."

After saying this, he reluctantly handed the phone back to Liu Kuan. Coming out of the South Bridgehead, Zhu Biao couldn't help but ask, "Master Liu, if the Ming Dynasty promotes science and develops technology, when will we be able to create this phone?"

Liu Kuan said, "Although everyone will have at least one mobile phone in the future, it is a high-tech product. With the current scientific and technological foundation of the Ming Dynasty, even if it develops for a hundred years, it would probably be difficult to manufacture it."

Zhu Biao was obviously disappointed after hearing this.

He also wants to have a mobile phone of his own.

As for taking Liu Kuan's mobile phone to play with himself, he was not so shameless as to do that.

Liu Kuan noticed Zhu Biao's expression and added, "However, if the science and technology of the Ming Dynasty develop rapidly enough, perhaps a telegraph can be manufactured within a few decades."

Zhu Biao had heard Liu Kuan mention the telegraph before, so he asked, "How does the telegraph communicate? Doesn't it require coordination between satellites in the sky and base stations on the ground?"

Liu Kuan said, "The telegraph transmits information through the conversion of electric current and radio waves. This is actually similar to the principle of beacon fire communication. However, it uses radio waves instead of fireworks, so the transmission distance is extremely long."

Similar to Beacon Fire Communication?
Zhu Biao felt that he understood a little, but also seemed to understand nothing at all.

Then he realized the other key point in Liu Kuan's words and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "People in later generations can actually control thunder and lightning?"

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "It's not about controlling lightning, but knowing how electricity is generated and how to use it in a certain way."

Liu Kuan didn't say much, because some of the knowledge of later generations could be discussed for days and nights.

The most important thing is that even if he explained it clearly to Zhu Biao, it would not be of much use - Zhu Biao was going to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the future and it was impossible for him to become a Ming Dynasty scientist.

Even if he wanted to explain this scientific knowledge in detail, he would do so to a group of "students" who had the talent to become scientists.

Fortunately, Zhu Biao saw that Liu Kuan was unwilling to elaborate and did not ask any further questions.

···
When Liu Kuan followed Zhu Biao back to the imperial city, he was stopped by a young eunuch inside Xihua Gate.

"Master Liu, your servant Zhao You has been ordered to lead you to the mansion granted by the Emperor."

When Liu Kuan heard the voice, he looked and found that the person calling him was a young eunuch with an ordinary appearance.

In addition, there were fifty personal soldiers standing nearby.

The burly officer in the lead clasped his fists towards Liu Kuan and said, "Wang Guangyue, the general of the Yiluansi, has been ordered to come and protect Young Master Liu!"

Liu Kuan immediately bowed and greeted them, "Eunuch Zhao and General Wang are honored."

After he said this, he saw Zhao You had a strange expression on his face, as if he was at a loss for a moment.

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "We don't call eunuchs 'gonggong' here. Young Master Liu, you can just call him by his name."

Only then did Liu Kuan realize that he had been influenced by later Qing palace dramas and had made a fool of himself.

He laughed and said, "Then I will go to the residence that His Majesty has given me first, and then visit Your Highness in the East Palace another day."

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "Young Master Liu, please go ahead. I will come to congratulate you on your housewarming day."

Liu Kuan dismounted, looked around, and asked, "Where's my bicycle?"

Zhao You replied, "The Emperor specifically ordered me to tell Master Liu that he would like to borrow the carriage for a few days of entertainment."

Hearing this, Liu Kuan couldn't help but think of the scene of Zhu Yuanzhang riding in the Forbidden City, and his expression became strange.

Zhu Biao felt that Zhu Yuanzhang's forced borrowing of the bicycle was unkind. Seeing Liu Kuan remained silent for a moment, he thought he was dissatisfied, so he coughed lightly and said, "Master Liu, my father was just in a whim. He will return the bicycle after a few days of fun."

Liu Kuan came back to his senses and smiled, saying, "That's fine. Your Majesty, you can ride as many days as you want. When we make bicycles in the future, everyone can have one, and we won't have to borrow them all."

After hearing what Liu Kuan said, Zhu Biao felt relieved.

The two then said goodbye and went their separate ways.

After exiting the Xihua Gate of the Imperial City, you will reach Taiping Street.

Liu Kuan rode a black horse that Zhu Yuanzhang asked Wang Guangyue to bring, and walked north along Taiping Street. Soon he crossed the bamboo bridge.

The bamboo bridge is actually a stone bridge. It was called a bamboo bridge because it was originally built with bamboo, and it is still used today.

After crossing the bamboo bridge, Liu Kuan and others walked north for another two or three hundred steps and arrived at a mansion that looked to be quite large.

The gate of the mansion was open, and a team of personal soldiers were already "standing guard" outside.

Zhao You stepped forward and showed his badge, then said, "The one riding on the black horse is Master Liu."

The leading officer immediately clasped his fists before Liu Kuan and said, "Lü Hu, a small flag officer of the Tiance Guard under the command of the Imperial Guard, greets Young Master Liu!"

Liu Kuan clasped his fists in return, "Thank you, Lu Xiaoqi."

Zhao You and Wang Guangyue were both surprised. They didn't expect that Liu Kuan would not neglect Lu Hu at all just because he was a small flag, but treated him as politely as before.

Considering the rumor that Liu Kuan was a banished immortal who came with the "Immortal Bridge", several people couldn't help but feel a little admiration for Liu Kuan.

When Liu Kuan entered the mansion and passed through the corridor, Zhao Cheng, who was directing the servants inside, also heard the news and came to greet him.

"I didn't expect Master Liu to come so quickly. There are still more than half of the rooms in this mansion that have not been cleaned."

Liu Kuan said, "That's fine. I'm alone now anyway, so I don't have many rooms. By the way, I see this mansion is quite large. Does Eunuch Zhao know how much land it occupies? How many courtyards and rooms does it have?"

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(End of this chapter)