The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 503 Good News from Northern Frontier
At the end of September, the rice and wheat in northern Zhili gradually turned golden, and the harvest season had arrived again.

Because there are many water wheels in Shuntian Prefecture, the farmland is well irrigated and the growth of rice and wheat is quite gratifying.

The farms of the Beijing army soldiers were filled with laughter and joy, and the joy of the harvest was on everyone's face.

Wanli also brought little Zhu Changxun out to experience the joy of the harvest.

At about 4 p.m. that day, Wanli ordered Shan Sinan to select hundreds of elite imperial guards, and then changed Zhu Changxun into a small imperial guard uniform. He then rode out of the Acropolis south of the Mountain Resort with a group of people, and slowly headed towards the capital along the avenue.

However, they were not returning to the capital.

As soon as they arrived at a rice field that was being harvested, Wanli raised his hand and ordered the team to stop.

Then he dismounted, personally carried little Zhu Changxun to the rice field.

This time he did not disturb the soldiers and their families from the Beijing camp who were harvesting. He even ordered the real officers of the imperial guards to go up and tell them to continue and not to bother with them.

He held little Zhu Changxun and stood there silently for a while, then asked, "How is it, Xun'er, how do you feel?"

How do you describe this feeling?

Little Zhu Changxun pondered: "They seem very happy."

They are naturally happy.

Wanli nodded slowly and patiently taught: "Food is the most important thing for the people. This is very important.

It can be said that this is the first priority of being an emperor. No matter what, the emperor must ensure that the people under his rule have enough to eat. If this cannot be done, a dynasty cannot expect to be stable and prosperous.

Therefore, you must ensure that the people under your rule have enough food and clothing. Otherwise, the peaceful and prosperous times will be fake and may collapse at any time."

Oh, you want to ensure that the people under your rule have enough food and clothing, right?
Little Zhu Changxun nodded slowly and said, "I will remember this."

Today, your father doesn't just want you to come and watch them harvest. He also wants to teach you something crucial.

Wanli pointed at the soldiers of the Beijing Camp who were using a simple harvester to push rice ears and asked, "What do you think of the simple harvester they are using?"

Why is Father suddenly asking this again?
This time, little Zhu Changxun pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "Father, the book seems to say that harvesting is done with a sickle. Pushing this way should be much faster than harvesting with a sickle, right?"

Yes, Not Bad.

In fact, most children speak without thinking.

The reason why Xiao Zhu Changxun spoke like this was the result of his teaching.

Because the emperor's words are golden, he has to think carefully before saying anything. Otherwise, if he regrets what he has just said, it will damage his dignity as an emperor.

Of course, young Zhu Changxun was not the emperor yet.

He is now just cultivating little Zhu Changxun's speaking habits.

This little guy has gotten into the habit of thinking before he speaks, and that's all.

He nodded with some satisfaction and said, "Yes, harvesting like this is indeed much faster than using a sickle.

However, this is not fast enough. Moreover, this is manual harvesting, and people will get tired, whether they push the land like this or cut it with a sickle. Therefore, they can only harvest a few acres of land a day.

Also, you see, the thresher in the middle has to be operated by manpower, which is very tiring. The threshed grains have to be packed into sacks, and then carried to the roadside by manpower and loaded onto ox carts or horse carts, which is also very tiring.

You haven't seen plowed land yet. If you use manpower to dig, you will be exhausted to death after turning over an acre of land in a day. Using an ox to plow is better, but the ox will also get tired, and the person following behind to plow will also get tired.

Now we are not short of land, but we are short of manpower. If we can solve this problem, the food problem will be completely solved and there will be no famine in the future.

You should think carefully about how to solve this problem now."

Well, this is a bit beyond Zhu Changxun's ability.

He pondered for a long time, then shook his head helplessly and said, "Father, I can't think of it."

It's normal that you can't think of it. Your father just wants you to think about it carefully.

There is a big difference between wanting and not wanting.

If you don't think about anything, your head is empty, and you just listen to the teachings, then you won't have any impression and probably won't be able to remember them in the future.

It’s different if you don’t think about it after thinking about it. This way it will be more memorable and you will remember to do it in the future.

Wanli nodded slightly, then pointed to the waterway in the distance and said, "Xun'er, look, does that look like a big wheel?
If the wheel could turn on its own like a waterwheel, without being pushed by people or pulled by cows, wouldn’t this problem be solved?
Think about it again, what is the steam engine used for?"

That's enough of a hint.

Zhu Changxun thought about it carefully, and soon he suddenly said: "Oh, I understand. If a steam engine is made, it can drive the wheels to rotate. In this way, we can use the cart to push rice and pull the plow to turn the land.

Moreover, the steam engine can also drive the threshing machine and carry the harvested rice all the way to the other side of the road, so there is no need for people to carry it."

Well, you finally thought of it.

However, getting there isn't as easy as you might think.

It is not known how long it will take to develop a steam engine that can be used to plow fields and harvest rice.

I actually just want you to pay attention to the application of steam engines, so as to promote the continuous development of Ming Dynasty.

Wanli nodded slightly, then said solemnly: "Yes, the steam engine has a lot of uses. It can be said that once the steam engine is applied, the entire Ming Dynasty will undergo earth-shaking changes. For example, food, clothing, housing and transportation, which are closely related to everyone.

In terms of clothing, you have seen spinning machines and looms. Not to mention the spinning machines, if the looms are driven by steam engines, the weaving efficiency can be increased by at least dozens of times.

In this way, the cost of weaving will become lower and lower, we will weave more and more cloth, and cloth will become cheaper and cheaper. In the future, it will be possible for every ordinary family to have dozens or even hundreds of sets of clothes.

In terms of food, you can now see how slow manual harvesting is. If we can use machines driven by steam engines to plow the land, sow seeds, and harvest, the efficiency can be increased by at least dozens of times.

The key is that it saves labor. If a family has such a set of machines, they can easily farm hundreds or even thousands of acres of land.

In this way, the amount of land we can cultivate can be increased at least tenfold, and we will have more and more grain, so much that we can't eat it all, so much that we can use it to make wine, and so much that we can use it to raise pigs, chickens, and ducks. The people will not have to worry about food and clothing at all.

In terms of living, we can use steam directly for heating in winter, and in summer we can also use steam engines to drive large fans, so there is no need for people to shake them, and the wind is stronger and cooler.

We can also use steam engine-driven machines to make bricks, tiles, and even saw wood, which will make building houses faster. We can also use steam engine-driven machines to make daily necessities and even furniture, so that people will definitely have more and more things in their homes.

In terms of transportation, it is even more amazing. Once steam-powered ships are built, ordinary people will be able to travel around the world. And with steam-powered cars, traveling thousands of miles a day will not be a problem.

As for making weapons and equipment, that goes without saying. Using machines driven by steam engines is faster than water wheels.

In short, you must remember to attach great importance to the application of steam engines in the future. Steam engines are the foundation of our Ming Dynasty's continued prosperity."

This steam engine has many uses.

Upon hearing this, little Zhu Changxun carefully comprehended it, then slowly nodded and said, "Your son will remember this."

As they were chatting, a group of courier riders suddenly came galloping from the south towards the capital.

After a while, a postman with an urgent order on his back came over quickly, knelt on one knee, held up an envelope and said in a loud voice: "Report, Your Majesty, an urgent message from the Nurgan Regional Command, 800 miles away."

Nurgandusi?
I hope nothing has happened to Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan and Northern Prince Zhu Changxu!
Upon hearing this, Wanli took the envelope, opened it quickly, and was overjoyed.

It turned out that this urgent news was sent by the Minister of Works Zeng Tongheng, that the Songliao Grand Canal was fully connected!

It is truly a great joy that the great cause has been accomplished.

He was secretly delighted, and then he handed the urgent report to Xiao Zhu Changxun, and then asked him, "Xun'er, do you know how significant this Songliao Grand Canal is?"

Songliao Grand Canal?
I don't think you've told me this yet.

When Xiao Zhu Changxun took the urgent report and looked at it, a look of doubt appeared on his face.

It’s not that he can’t understand the urgent news.

By this time, he had already finished learning the "Thousand Character Classic" and could barely read the Four Books and Five Classics and the book of military strategy. Naturally, he could understand the simple sentence in this urgent report.

The problem is that he doesn’t know the significance of the Songliao Grand Canal.

How could he, at such a young age, consider such long-term issues?

How do you say this?

He pondered for a while, then said honestly, "Father, I don't know."

It’s okay if you don’t know.

No one knows about the Little Ice Age yet.

Besides, you haven't been to Nurgandusi, so you don't know how big the plain there is.

Cognition determines vision.

This is a great opportunity to open your eyes.

Wanli thought for a moment and simply asked, "Xun'er, do you want to go to Nurgandusi to see the Songliao Grand Canal?"

I like looking around the most.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhu Changxun nodded excitedly and said, "I want to, I want to."

Then I'll take you to see it.

Wanli nodded slowly and said, "Okay, Father will take you there tomorrow morning, and your sister and brothers and sisters will go with you."

Great.

Little Zhu Changxun nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay, okay."

Alas, children are still children after all.

Wanli shook his head slightly and said, "Xun'er, you forgot again. You should think before you speak. Don't forget everything when you get happy.

Many treacherous ministers are good at flattery. They can make you happy with their flattery, and then take the opportunity to slander you. This is their most common tactic.

You have to remember that no matter how happy you are, you should think carefully before speaking."

Uh, I really forgot about this.

Little Zhu Changxun quickly calmed his excitement, then slowly nodded and said, "Your son will remember this."

(End of this chapter)