Back to the Ming Dynasty to be a tyrant

Emperor Chongzhen always believed in the wise saying that hatred should not be overnight, and even believed in the sage's words that revenge for ten generations can still be avenged.

In a word, it's wise to hold grudges.

After Zhu Chunchen, Zhang Zhiji and others said their goodbyes, the narrow-minded Emperor Chongzhen also wandered out of the palace.

Destination, Ministry of Railways.

The last time they got 40 Tatars to work as coolies, according to their itinerary, they should have arrived in Daming early, but now they don't know what to do.

Influenced by Emperor Chongzhen, there is also a huge map hanging behind the lobby of Hong Chengchou's office in the Ministry of Railways.

It is very different from the one hung by Emperor Chongzhen with all kinds of markings. The one hung by Hong Chengchou just simply marked the direction of the railways in various places, and marked the construction sites under construction in the shape of small flags.

Hong Chengchou, who was laying his head between the cases, heard the sound of someone coming in. When he looked up, he found that it was Emperor Chongzhen. He hurriedly pushed aside a pile of documents, got up and saluted Emperor Chongzhen.

Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand with a smile, stopped Hong Chengchou who was saluting, and walked directly to the map behind Hong Chengchou.

Seeing this, Hong Chengchou hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, this map of my minister only shows the direction of the railway, nothing else."

Emperor Chongzhen hummed and said: "Okay, you don't need to explain this to me, I know the benefits of hanging such a map."

Hong Chengchou couldn't do without an explanation - the act of hanging a map in the lobby depends on how he thinks about it.

It doesn't matter if you don't think about it in a wrong way, but who can say accurately about people's hearts?Once you think about it, what do you want to do with the map?

Seeing that Emperor Chongzhen didn't pay much attention to the map, and said he knew the usefulness and benefits of hanging the map, Hong Chengchou was relieved.

After looking at the map for a long time, Emperor Chongzhen found that he couldn't understand it at all-what did these messy things above represent, and he was completely blindsided.

After thinking about it, Emperor Chongzhen simply asked: "Hong Aiqing, what is the progress of the railway?"

Hong Chengchou bowed and said: "Your Majesty Qizuo, the railway from Beijing to Nanjing has been completely built, but there is a need for a ferry to and from the Yellow River, and the railway cannot be directly built to go there.

If you want to build a railway across the Yellow River, I am afraid that the construction period will be delayed until Chongzhen for about 20 years before it can be completed. "

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said: "Repair! First use the ferry, but this kind of railway bridge must also be built.

As long as the Yellow River is repaired, it will be much easier to repair it in other areas in the future! "

Hong Chengchou bowed and said, "Yes, the Ministry of Industry is already preparing to start construction of a bridge across the Yellow River, and will only start building the railway bridge after the bridge is completed and heavy vehicles can pass through.

However, Wei Chen is worried that the cost will be quite high, and the manpower required will be countless? "

Emperor Chongzhen laughed and said: "Spend the money that should be spent, and spend the manpower that should be spent, and I will approve it. Don't use this method to test again in the future, and you can speak directly if you have something to say!"

Hong Chengchou hurriedly bowed to answer, and quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead when he got up.

Throughout the ages, I have never heard of any emperor who is the same as today. He doesn't care about any routines or routines. It is useless to take those things from the officialdom, and he can do whatever he thinks.

From this point of view, it is indeed much stronger than other emperors in history—or is His Majesty Yang Er the same as His Majesty today?

Chongzhen pointed to the map and said with a smile: "Hong Aiqing then told me that I am very concerned about the railway."

Hong Chengchou bowed in response, then walked up to Emperor Chongzhen, pointed to the map and said: "Your Majesty, the double track from Shanhaiguan to the capital has been built, and the single track from Shanhaiguan to Shenyang has been built. There is no need for double track right now, so we have already completed the construction of the double track." Temporarily suspended.

One line has been built on the road section from Beijing to Nanjing, and the second line for reciprocating has started. This is the first road section.

The single line from the capital to Taiyuan Prefecture, through Yan'an Prefecture to Xi'an Prefecture has also been built, and the double line has not yet started.

As for the line from Xi'an Prefecture to Lintao Prefecture, it is still in the state of just completed testing, and construction has not yet started.

The two lines from Lingzang, the former residence of King Zanshan, to Lintao Mansion and Yongning Mansion have already been started first, but the preliminary measurements have not been completed, and additional measurements are needed later.

The last is the southern Zhili areas. Several short lines from Yingtianfu to Suzhou, Wenzhou, and Quanzhou have been completed, and they are now preparing to repair the lines.

The first single line from Yingtianfu to Nanchangfu is ready to start construction, and several lines from Nanchang to Guangzhoufu, Yuanjiangfu and Yongningfu have also been measured and compared, and the construction of the first single line is ready to start. "

Through Hong Chengchou's description and gestures on the map, Emperor Chongzhen finally had the most intuitive understanding of the progress of Daming's railway construction, which was much more intuitive than what he had seen on the memorial.

After thinking about it, Emperor Chongzhen simply asked, "Apart from manpower, what else does Hong Aiqing need here?"

Hong Chengchou bowed and said: "Your Majesty Qizuo, the biggest problem with the construction progress of the railway is the problem of manpower.

In fact, not only labor for building railways, but also small officials for testing, communicating with places, supervising materials and labor, etc. are in short supply.

In addition, the speed of the steam locomotive, although it has been improved again and again, but the speed of the fastest locomotive at the moment is only half of the charging speed of the war horse, or even less. "

After the Emperor Chongzhen hummed, he looked at the map in front of him fixedly, and did not speak again.

The problems Hong Chengchou mentioned naturally exist, especially the problem of personnel.

Daming is not a later generation. In later generations, millions of college students can be produced a year, which is perfect for coolies.

But what about Daming?

Even though Emperor Chongzhen had decreed to change the imperial examination to once a year to select more minor officials, but in fact, the manpower is still not enough!

Just take the construction of the railway as an example, from the terrain survey to the start of construction to the final opening to traffic, there are too many people who need to be able to read and write in each link, and what Daming lacks is scholars!

Of course, Daming does not mean that there is a real shortage of scholars, but that there is a shortage of scholars who can directly work!

Not only the Ministry of Railways likes those scholars who are well-qualified and understand the ways of the world, but also several other departments. Every year, these departments will rob each other.

Emperor Chongzhen pondered for a while, and then asked, "Does Hong Aiqing intend to join the cabinet?"

Hong Chengchou was taken aback, wondering why Emperor Chongzhen would suddenly ask this question.

Entering the cabinet, that must refer to the cabinet. As long as I enter the cabinet, I can be regarded as having truly entered the power center of Ming Dynasty. In the future, the chances of meeting Emperor Chongzhen will be countless times higher than now, and even one day I will aspire to be the chief assistant. The location isn't out of the question either.

But what should the Ministry of Railways do?

Hong Chengchou found that during the past few years in the Ministry of Railways, he has gradually liked the job of the Ministry of Railways.

Not only seeing the Daming railway gradually taking shape in his own hands, but also because there are the most barbarians in this yamen, the most exhausted barbarians, and the most inhumane!

Of course, Hong Chengchou never thought that he was inhuman - so what if there were more barbarians exhausted to death?What's the matter with Guan Daming?

A heavenly kingdom like Daming was born to be in the center to guard against barbarians. It is their honor for the barbarians to have the opportunity to shed blood and sweat for Daming!

But what should I choose now?

His Majesty asked, it must be because he really intended to let him enter the cabinet, but after he entered the cabinet, the Ministry of Railways must be put down, otherwise his energy would not be able to take care of so many things.

Don't you see, Wen Tiren now looks older than Shi Fenglai who is more than ten years older than him!

After thinking about it, Hong Chengchou still bowed and said, "Your Majesty Qizuo, although I intend to join the cabinet, but the matter of the Ministry of Railways has not been fully settled, I dare not let it go."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said: "Then just wait, let's talk about it after the Ministry of Railways is settled in a few years."