I will never be Renzong

Chapter 167 She's Back
In the fifth year of Tiansheng, on the first day of March, the sun was shining, the spring was warm and flowers were blooming, and the green willows were shaded. A group of lively and lovely ducklings were playing happily in the Bian River.

"Drive, drive!"

On a concrete road 0.2 meters thick, 10 meters wide, and 500 meters long, a team of heavy cavalry was galloping back and forth. After the heavy cavalry ran back and forth for three rounds, another team was holding a long card and fully armed. The heavy armored infantry drove past in a neat line, and then the horses and horses escorting food and grass passed by.

Today, after the dispersal of the dynasty, Zhao Zhen invited several assistant ministers and military generals to the martial arts arena. The ministers thought that they came to the military camp to watch the military exercise. Heavy armored cavalry and heavy armored infantry walked back and forth, and then there were even carriages and horses escorting food and grass back and forth.

Prime Minister Zhang Zhibai took the lead and said: "I don't know what the officials called the ministers to the barracks today. Could it be that they just want to see these soldiers riding horses?"

Zhao Zhen glanced at the ministers of civil and military affairs, and said to a military general beside him, "Let the soldiers disperse!"

"It's an official!"

The general responded and went away, directing the soldiers to return to the camp.

"All the ministers also go to the place where the soldiers walked just now, take a look, and maybe you will understand what I mean!"

Zhao Zhen said lightly.

Seeing this, the civil and military ministers all walked towards the section of the road that the soldiers had just passed with curiosity in their hearts.

The process of making cement by local method is not difficult. There are many skilled craftsmen in the Ministry of Industry. It took a few days to successfully develop the cement. Then Zhao Zhen sent people to the barracks to repair the first one in the Song Dynasty. cement road.

Let all the sergeants walk back and forth on it today, just to test the quality of the cement road.

The civil servants and military generals walked around on the cement road before returning to Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen took the lead and said, "You guys, do you know what I mean?"

Yan Shu, Minister of the Household Department, said: "Officials! I just passed this road and found that after the brigade of horses and horses passed by, there was no damage at all, and there were no potholes at all. Presumably the official asked me to wait here to see this road! "

Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "What Yan Qing said is true. This section of road was made by the Ministry of Industry with newly invented cement. The road surface is smooth and comfortable, and the load-bearing capacity is extremely strong. The current one can bear a load of about a thousand catties. And it will not be damaged easily, and it is not afraid of wind, sun, rain and snow."

The Deputy Prime Minister Wang once said: "Officials! If all the official roads in the Song Dynasty are replaced by this concrete road, then the imperial government's decrees will be quickly conveyed to the world, and it will be beneficial to commerce and transportation!"

Prime Minister Zhang Zhibai said: "Officials! I don't know how much this cement will cost? If it is as labor-intensive, time-consuming and expensive as marble, even if it can be built, I'm afraid it will be difficult to promote it in our country."

Zhao Zhen said to Zeng Gongliang, the chief officer of the Artillery Department: "Ming Zhong, you come to answer this question for all the ministers!"

All those present today were important officials of the imperial court, all of whom were dressed in purple court uniforms, at least high-ranking officials of the third rank or above. Only Zeng Gongliang was a junior official of the seventh rank in green court uniform-the head of the Artillery Department.

But the few assistant ministers did not dare to underestimate this young official. If he could be directly shouted by the official, he was afraid that he would have a bright future.

Zeng Gongliang bowed to Zhao Zhen, and then said to everyone: "My lords, cement is mainly made of lime, clay, and ironmaking waste, which is much simpler than roads paved with marble and green bricks. The disadvantage may be that it consumes a little more coal, but the overall price is less than a quarter of that of green brick paving."

After the ministers know that the cost is not high, they will not waste money and waste people's money by building a cement road, so they naturally strongly support the construction of the cement road, but how to build the road and where to build the road first is the reason why Zhao Zhen called everyone to come. After all, there are many people and strength Well, if you all brainstorm, you will be able to come up with a reasonable plan.

The news of the imperial court's invention of cement spread like wildfire. Zhao Zhen didn't intend to hide it from everyone, but for this reason, the court ministers, Xunguimen, and even wealthy businessmen and businessmen were all talking about it.

The royal family and many ministers believe that the official roads in Kaifeng should be changed to cement roads first. After all, when they go shopping or even go to court, most of them take carriages on blue brick roads. Although they are better than dirt roads, they are still better. It's a bit bumpy, and since Kaifeng is an imperial city, good things must first be used in the capital of a country.

The generals believed that cement should be used to build military fortresses, or build a few concrete roads leading directly to the border, so that in the event of a war, the imperial army can quickly march to the frontier, and with cement-reinforced military fortresses, it is generally difficult for the enemy to conquer.

Wealthy merchants think that official roads should be built to make it easier for them to go to various places for trade. Although Kaifeng’s waterways extend in all directions, ships basically rely on manpower or wind power, and the speed of sailing is limited every day. The river was frozen, and the goods were often unable to reach Kaifeng or be transported to various places.

Of course, there are also those who are not in favor of road construction, that is, ordinary urban residents in Kaifeng, because coal is needed for road construction, and they are worried that the price of coal will rise, which will increase their expenses and affect their living standards.

For a while, there were constant disputes inside and outside the court, and everyone was waiting for Zhao Zhen's final answer.

In a luxurious mansion in Kaifeng, Shen Moran, who had just returned from Jiezhou, was listening to the servants report on the year she left, the operation of the Royal Chamber of Commerce and so on.

Suddenly, a maid in blue came in, and then whispered in Shen Moran's ear: "Miss! Your Majesty is coming! It's in the backyard wing!"

The corner of Shen Moran's mouth twitched, and then he said to everyone: "During the time when the president is away, you have managed the affairs of the chamber of commerce well. The president should reward you for your merits. You all go down to receive the reward!"

"Thank you, President!"

Everyone hurriedly responded, and then retreated.

In the wing room where Shen Moran lived, Zhao Zhen was looking at a picture hanging on the wall. This picture was given to Shen Moran by him. Unexpectedly, she was hanging in the boudoir.

"Official!"

A familiar voice came, and before Zhao Zhen turned around, Shen Moran had already wrapped his arms around his waist from behind.

"Wife!"

Zhao Zhen hurriedly turned around and hugged Shen Moran tightly in his arms, feeling the familiar fragrance and warm embrace.

After a brief hug, the two looked at each other with affection in their eyes. At this moment, no amount of words could express their deep miss for each other.

A lover reunited after a long absence is like dry wood and fire, which can be ignited at the slightest touch.

(End of this chapter)