Bringing the Railway to Daming

The Tiangong Institute has been working on a research project involving setting up telephones for over ten years.

Actually, the technology behind telephones isn't that difficult; it's just that some material issues were involved in order to improve the call quality, which is why the project has been delayed for so long.

Of course, the research institutes have not been without achievements over the past decade or so—they have made breakthroughs in at least a few materials technologies.

Upon hearing Zhu Xiong Ying's inquiry, Liu Kuan recalled the relevant circumstances and replied, "Your Majesty, barring any unforeseen circumstances, a wired telephone that can be developed and put into practical use should be available within the next two years."

"Good!" Zhu Xiong Ying was delighted to hear this. "Then, teacher, please have the relevant researchers work hard. Once they achieve results, I will certainly reward them handsomely!"

"Yes."

After leaving the palace, Liu Kuan returned to the Imperial Workshop. After processing a few official documents, he sat there in a daze, holding his teacup.

He was thinking about one thing.

He has been in the Ming Dynasty for over thirty years and has worked diligently ever since. Now he is almost sixty years old.

Although in later generations men worked until the age of sixty-five before retiring, he felt that in the Ming Dynasty, he didn't need to wait until then.

Other officials might be greedy for power and position, staying in high positions until they can no longer perform their duties or the emperor hints at retirement, at which point they might consider retiring.

However, Liu Kuan's status and wealth are not closely related to his current official position. Even without the titles of Director of the Imperial Workshop, Grand Councilor, and Minister of Works, he is still the Duke of Ningguo, the son-in-law of the Hongwu Emperor, the brother-in-law of the Wenlong Emperor, and the teacher of the Yongle Emperor.

In addition, although Tianjin Institute of Technology has expanded significantly, under his leadership for two or three decades, its various rules and regulations have become quite comprehensive, and it has also cultivated a great deal of talent.

He was certain that even without him, the Da Ming Institute of Technology and its core technology and industrial system could continue to develop smoothly.

As for the court, his knowledge and abilities in politics, military affairs, and diplomacy are not necessarily comparable to those of the ministers cultivated by the Ming Dynasty in the past two or three decades; at most, he is just more knowledgeable than them.

'Perhaps it really is time to retire and enjoy my old age.'

'But how can I convince Zhu Xiong Ying that I genuinely want to retire and enjoy my old age?'

'And how can we get him to release them?'

Liu Kuan sipped his tea and began to ponder.

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Before we knew it, it was March of the ninth year of the Yongle reign (1414).

Liu Kuan, holding a completed memorial, arrived outside the Fengxian Hall with a joyful expression.

After the eunuch announced his arrival, he entered the hall, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Rise." Zhu Xiong Ying looked Liu Kuan up and down and said with a smile, "Seeing the happy look on your face, and that you've come to see me on your own initiative, is there some good news?"

Liu Kuan: "Your Majesty, I have good news to report—the wired telephone system has been successfully developed!"

Zhu Xiong Ying stood up excitedly upon hearing this and asked, "Is it true?"

"How dare I deceive Your Majesty?" he said, handing over the memorial in his hand. "This is a memorial written by the ambassador of the Telephone Research Institute. In addition, the preparations for the telephone experiment are all complete, and Your Majesty can inspect it at any time."

Zhu Xiong Ying first took the memorial and quickly read it through.

These researchers' reports have a bit of the flavor of "technical papers," but of course, they are not many; they mainly focus on describing the difficulties of the research and claiming credit.

After reading it, Zhu Xiong Ying said, "Since the experimental preparations are all done, let them conduct the experiment. I want to personally test the call quality of this telephone!"

Although Zhu Xiong Ying had seen Liu Kuan's mobile phone and watched many movies and videos of people using mobile phones and telephones in later generations, he was still full of anticipation for the use of the first telephone in the Ming Dynasty.

After Zhu Xiong Ying gave the order, the relevant officials and researchers immediately sprang into action.

Because the imperial city had long been electrified, and the power lines had even been replaced several times, they were now constructed using the best quality and technology in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the installation of the two telephones used for the experiment was quite convenient.

Even after several checks to ensure the experiment's success, a telephone was still installed in the Meridian Gate Tower (where the Cabinet was located) and the Hall of Ancestral Worship within two hours. Zhu Xiong Ying, looking at the "machine" before him—which resembled some telephones in later films—was quite excited and asked, "Teacher, how do you use this telephone?"

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "There are only two telephones now, so there's no need to draw a number. You can just pick one up and make a call. Or, Your Majesty can wait for the telephone at the Meridian Gate to initiate the call."

Just as Liu Kuan finished speaking, the phone rang.

Zhu Xiong Ying didn't need to choose; he simply picked up the microphone and heard a voice come from the other end, "Your Majesty, I am Jian Yi. Can Your Majesty hear me?"

Zhu Xiong Ying took a breath and said calmly, "Jian Qing, I can hear you."

On the other side, Jian Yi, who was already the Minister of Personnel and a cabinet minister, said excitedly, "Your Majesty, this phone call is truly amazing! The Meridian Gate and the Fengxian Hall are several miles apart, yet Your Majesty's voice sounds as if it were right next to me!"

Zhu Xiong Ying laughed, "Technology is indeed so amazing, why are you surprised, Jian Qing? Alright, now Jian Qing hang up the phone and let me initiate the call to try it out."

"Yes."

When Zhu Xiong Ying heard that there was no sound from the other end, she put down the microphone and picked it up again under Liu Kuan's guidance.

Soon, Jian Yi's voice came from the other end again, "Your Majesty, I heard the bell."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled and nodded, "Good, very good—let's leave it at that for now, I still have something to discuss with the Duke of Ningguo."

"Yes."

After the call ended, Zhu Xiong Ying took a deep breath and asked, "Teacher, what was the cost of this telephone set?"

Liu Kuandao said, "Now that the telephone has been developed, as long as it is mass-produced, the cost is not high. It is estimated that the cost can be reduced to less than 100 guan per unit, or even 50 or 60 guan per unit."

"However, building a telephone network and call relay institutions in the future will require a lot of money and manpower."

"Of course, currently only a portion of the cities at the prefectural level in the Ming Dynasty have electricity, and telephones are based on electricity, so it will probably take a long time to promote them."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded in agreement, then said happily, "Wireless telegraphy has only been available for civilian use for two or three years now, so why would I be thinking about promoting and popularizing telephones?"

"However, as the teacher said, it would be fine to install them in the government offices of various provinces and prefectures first—telephone calls are much more convenient than wireless telegraphs."

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "It is much more convenient. In addition, the emergence of telephones should also promote the local government to speed up the construction of the power grid and bring electricity to the area as soon as possible."

"exactly."

Afterwards, Liu Kuan and Zhu Xiong Ying chatted for a while about the telephone conversation and the construction of the Daming power grid. Then, he took out another memorial that he had prepared in advance.

Zhu Xiong Ying took the document, opened it, glanced at it, and immediately his expression changed. He asked in surprise, "Why does Master want to retire? Could it be that you are dissatisfied with recent events in the court?"

Liu Kuan looked at Zhu Xiong Ying frankly and said, "Your Majesty, I have no complaints about the affairs of the court. It's just that I have been serving as an official in the court since I came to the Ming Dynasty, and it has been thirty-three years now."

"If I do the math, I'm already sixty years old now—over the years, apart from a few holidays and days off, I've basically had no rest."

"Now that the Tiangong Academy has a well-established system, the science and technology and industry of the Ming Dynasty are thriving, and there are many good ministers and capable officials in the court to assist Your Majesty, I have no worries at all."

"Therefore, I wish to retire while my health still allows—so that I can travel with my family throughout the Ming Dynasty and do some things that I enjoy. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission."

After listening, Zhu Xiong Ying held the memorial in her hand and looked at Liu Kuan without saying a word.

Liu Kuan waited patiently.

After all, they had been teacher and student for many years, and they knew each other well enough that their feelings for each other were extraordinary.

Therefore, seeing that Liu Kuan's expression did not seem feigned, Zhu Xiong Ying pondered for a few minutes and then asked, "If Master retires, who would be suitable to serve as the head of the Heavenly Crafts Academy?" (End of this chapter)