Chapter 136: How About Starting an Industrial Revolution?

Yan Ning began to ponder where it would be best to use such a large sum of money.

How about starting an industrial revolution?

Not to mention, she actually had quite a lot of information about the industrial revolution on her iPad.

Yan Ning told her father about this matter.

Yan Ze watched the videos of the industrial revolution with her, as well as the methods for making a Steam Engine, and it was indeed quite troublesome.

However, Yan Ze said: "It doesn't matter, if it doesn't work the first time, we'll try a second; the industrial revolution is a good thing."

Yan Ning smiled with her eyes curved: "Father, Automatic Loom, Steam Train, Steam Ship... just thinking about it is quite fun."

Yan Ze said happily: "When the time comes, I'll take you all to various fun places to play."

He even made a plan: "When your younger brother grows up a bit more, I will let him help with the regency, and it will be convenient for us to go out and play."

Yan Ning, however, said: "Yan Qing must also be taken along to play. Didn't ancient emperors like to travel incognito? We can do that too."

Yan Ze was thinking about the feasibility.

Yan Ning said: "Let's get the industrial revolution started first, then we can go play."

Both Yan Ze and Yan Ning felt that the industrial revolution was feasible.

So, at the morning Court the next day, Yan Ning brought up this matter: "I saw in a book that one can make a thing called a Steam Engine, which converts steam into kinetic energy, and can be used to make a Steam Train and an Automatic Loom."

It was just that they recognized every word Yan Ning said, but they couldn't understand them when put together.

"What is a Steam Train?"

"Does an Automatic Loom mean the Textile Machine can move by itself and weave cloth on its own? That is too mysterious."

"What is called a Steam Engine?"

Yan Ning explained to them one by one: "A Steam Engine is similar to a boiler; a Steam Train is a train that uses a Steam Engine to pull several Carriages along. An Automatic Loom can indeed use a Steam Engine to start weaving."

Yan Ning also didn't know how to explain the Steam Engine clearly to people of the ancient era.

The ministers were not optimistic.

They didn't understand other things, but making a weaving machine move by itself was impossible even if a deity came to do it.

Yan Ning sighed; as expected, she knew the ministers would not agree.

But it didn't matter; she was just mentioning it: "If you don't understand, forget it. I will find people to research it with me."

"Anyway, I have plenty of silver; the Liuli Fang branch sent five million taels yesterday."

At this moment, the Minister of War heard that she had earned so much money and hurriedly stood up.

"Your Majesty! I would like to request that Your Majesty arrange armor for the soldiers at the border; I heard yesterday that a soldier died on the front line."

Yan Ning was stunned: "How could he die? Don't you have Explosive Packages?"

The Minister of War sighed: "There are indeed Explosive Packages, but the people of the Northern Rong come in small groups, and they all brought people skilled in archery; one person died on the front line, and five others were seriously injured."

Yan Ning frowned and said to them: "Then we should indeed make armor. Let's make it better; would one million taels of silver be enough for you?"

The Minister of War hurriedly said: "Enough, enough."

At this time, the Minister of Works stood up: "This humble official heard a few days ago that there are cracks in the dam of Qingyang County..."

Yan Ning: "I'll give you five hundred thousand taels of silver."

The Minister of Works hurriedly said: "Your Highness, five hundred thousand taels might not be enough."

Yan Ning was very straightforward: "Then make it one million taels."

"Your Highness, officials' salaries have doubled, and with the addition of the Integrity-Nurturing Silver, the national treasury is somewhat insufficient."

Yan Ning: "..."

So they were all coming to cry poverty because they saw she had money.

Anyway, this silver was all going into the national treasury; it was just that how this portion of silver was used depended on Yan Ning's mood.

Yan Ning looked at the eager gaze of the Minister of Revenue and sighed: "I'll give you two point five million."

"Your Highness—"

Yan Ning immediately said: "Don't shout anymore; I don't have any money left either. I need to use the remaining five hundred thousand to research the Steam Engine."

The Minister of Revenue spoke again: "Your Highness, I really don't want more; three hundred thousand, no, two hundred thousand. This is silver prepared for disaster relief; many refugees have come from the south, they came suddenly, and there is no silver for the moment..."

Yan Ning sighed and distributed another two hundred thousand to the Ministry of Revenue.

Now she only had three hundred thousand taels left in her hands, but this money was enough.

That evening, the Minister of Personnel told his wife and son about the events at Court as a joke.

"Her Highness even said she could make a Textile Machine weave cloth automatically; this is simply impossible!"

The young man sitting opposite him suddenly looked up, his eyes full of surprise: "Father, what did you just say?"

The Minister of Personnel had drunk some wine and didn't notice his son's shock, so he said: "An automatic weaving machine, and something about a boiler and a Steam Engine; I just said this matter is impossible."

Yun Shu said: "This matter is possible to complete. It is just relatively troublesome."

The Minister of Personnel laughed heartily: "Then let us father and son make a bet to see if Her Highness can actually do it."

Yun Shu's eyes rolled: "Then the stake will be my marriage; if I win, I won't have to listen to your arrangements to get married."

The Minister of Personnel: "You little brat, fine, the period is one year; if it can't be done, you will obediently marry and have children for me."

"Why are you so resistant to marriage? It's strange; whose family doesn't arrange a marriage at fifteen or sixteen?"

Yun Shu was silent.

He didn't expect that after being chased and urged to marry in the modern era, upon coming to the ancient era, before his fifteenth birthday had even passed, his father wanted to arrange a marriage for him.

Yun Shu returned to his room and lay on the bed, unable to sleep no matter what.

He felt that the Crown Princess must be a transmigrator.

For the past few days, Yun Shu had skipped class and had been lying in wait for Yan Ning.

But every time, before he could reach Yan Ning, he was pushed away by others, and he could never see her.

This time Yan Ning returned to the palace, he wanted to gamble, but he did not expect to be knocked unconscious and sent to the Eastern Palace.

One guard shook Yun Shu violently, while another stood by his side, ready to draw his blade at any moment.

After Yun Shu woke up, he saw that he had already arrived at the Eastern Palace.

Yan Ning asked, "Speak, why have you been following me recently?"

Yun Shu was somewhat anxious. He hurriedly said, "His Highness, I... I... I was just..."

In front of so many palace servants, Yun Shu did not want to be exposed.

Yan Ning then asked, "Are you going to talk or not?"

The tone was full of threats.

Yun Shu sighed, then suddenly he thought of something and said to Yan Ning, "Odd changes, even stays?"

A flash of surprise crossed Yan Ning's eyes, but she quickly returned to normal and said to the few guards, "You all go out first."

The guards were somewhat anxious, "But—"

Yan Ning said, "It's fine, he has no weapons on him."

Only then did the guards withdraw.

Yan Ning asked, "Where did you come from?"

Yun Shu then blurted everything out: "My name is Yun Shu, I transmigrated three months ago, my identity in my past life was a graduate student at Tsinghua University, and in this life, I am the son of the Minister of Personnel."

"His Highness, I have no malicious intent, I am just interested in the Steam Engine. Although I am from the Mathematics department at Tsinghua University, I am also very interested in Physics, and I can work on the Steam Engine with you."

Yan Ning revealed a smile: "You are truly bold, to not even fear being silenced."

Yun Shu was stunned, "His Highness, why would you want to silence me?"