Chapter 184: This prince and Lu Yuan are really an eyesore!!

Lu Yuan was a bit dazed.

Rebellion is absolutely impossible.

Lu Yuan, who wouldn't even want to be a workshop foreman, you want the system to stir up rebellion?

Moreover, Gu Qingwan has no issue with me.

So, rebellion is impossible.

Then this thing...

Lu Yuan wanted to take it out to look; after thinking, this might be some treasonous book.

If Gu Qingwan were to see it...

Would I then just drop dead instantly?

Forget it; better wait until tonight to go home and glance at it a few times—that would be safe.

As for the rest, forget it.

But Gu Qingwan's five-star reward.

Earlier, Lu Yuan was curious that his relationship with Gu Qingwan wasn't bad, so why hasn't he given himself a reward?

Lu Yuan even thought Gu Qingwan was nothing special, with no outstanding traits, so there was no reward.

So one needs to know this person's true identity?

Hmm...

Lu Yuan also couldn't figure it out, but it didn't matter; his relationship with Gu Qingwan was good, and it wasn't about the reward.

"Sleepy? Go rest a while in the elder sister's side hall."

Gu Qingwan's voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Lu Yuan startled, then walked toward Gu Qingwan.

Forget it; how could Lu Yuan possibly go to Gu Qingwan's bedroom?

Where would he sleep if he went there?

Could it be that he'd sleep on Gu Qingwan's bed?

Immediately, Lu Yuan returned to Gu Qingwan's dragon throne and sat down again.

Lu Yuan now also has things to do.

Gu Qingwan has already entrusted Lu Yuan with full authority over the steam engine matter.

There are indeed some matters ahead.

For example, what kind of thing to manufacture, how to meet standards, etc.

Tomorrow, Lu Yuan will have to go find the Ministry of Works to resolve it.

After sitting down, Lu Yuan began taking out his own design drawings, separating them one by one.

Later, the parts for each section will be sent down to the various workshops of the Forging Bureau.

First, make a sample.

Although, Lu Yuan's designs are basically usable as long as the drawings are out.

But to be safe, naturally we still need to first make one, confirm it works, then mass-produce.

As for the train, there's also another thing: the rails.

Although Lu Yuan can build trains, how to build this railway is not something he can figure out.

This matter must be considered in light of the Great Zhou Dynasty's national conditions.

Where does this railway run from and to?

As for how to lay the railway network in the future, that's something Gu Qingwan should decide.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan watched Lu Yuan sitting beside her, pulling out the papers one by one, her eyes full of indulgence.

"How, are you shy?"

"Elder sister has slept in your bed; what's there to be shy about sleeping in elder sister's bed?"

Gu Qingwan pursed her lips, smiling, and looked at Lu Yuan as she spoke.

Lu Yuan then pursed his lips and said:

"I'm not sleepy."

But Gu Qingwan let out a soft hum and said:

"Not sleepy?"

"Not sleepy? That's impossible—you nap every noon; do you think I don't know?"

Lu Yuan didn't take the bait; instead, he turned his head to look at the smiling Gu Qingwan beside him and suddenly said:

"Railways and such… elder sister… how do you want to handle them?"

Railways?

Gu Qingwan looked at Lu Yuan with a strange expression and said:

"What railways?"

Lu Yuan also raised his hands, full of question marks, holding the drawings and said:

"It's the dedicated road for this train; I've written it all in here—you didn't see it?"

Gu Qingwan blinked and said:

"I didn't see it."

Hmm...

Lu Yuan fell silent, then exclaimed: "You don't know anything, yet you let me do it?!"

While Lu Yuan was blushing, Gu Qingwan curiously looked at him and said:

"What is a railway?"

After Lu Yuan pursed his lips, he said:

"It's just the road specially used for trains..."

Lu Yuan said this, seeing Gu Qingwan's clueless expression, he also knew this couldn't be blamed on Gu Qingwan.

As for the train, Lu Yuan never told Gu Qingwan about it when he was at home.

Because he thought telling Gu Qingwan would be pointless, a waste of words.

He just explained the steam engine's principle, but Gu Qingwan still didn't know what a train was or how it runs.

Before this, Gu Qingwan had agreed completely, but only because she fully trusted herself.

When he just handed over that thick stack of steam engine and train design drawings plus explanations, Gu Qingwan hadn't looked at any of them.

Afterwards, Lu Yuan told Gu Qingwan what a train is, how it runs, and that it needs tracks laid.

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, Gu Qingwan put down the memorial, leaned sideways on the throne toward him, and nodded seriously.

And Lu Yuan continued:

"Not only does this railway serve as a road for trains to run, more importantly, it can drive the economic development of the cities along its route."

"It's like a grand canal usable year-round; the various stops along the way are places for loading and unloading goods, perfectly boosting the economy everywhere."

So how to lay out this first railway, where it should go from and to, all need careful planning to maximize benefits.

What is most similar to a modern railway in ancient times? Actually, it's just like a canal.

Or, in Lu Yuan's words, a modern railway is an upgraded version of a super grand canal.

And laying a railway is far, far simpler than building a canal.

How simple is it to lay a railway?

And maintaining it is also very simple.

But a canal is not like that.

Digging a canal requires considering far too many things, and a canal isn't something you can just dig a ditch wherever you want to go.

If it's dug poorly, then when it breaches or whatever, it's like the southern winter floods.

But a railway is just whatever you want to connect; the provinces it passes through can be arranged casually.

And like a man-made grand canal, each year you have to spend huge sums to dredge and clear silt.

But a railway is just too simple.

So, how to lay out this railway network needs planning.

Lu Yuan knows nothing about the Great Zhou Dynasty; not to mention the south, even in the north here, he only knows the imperial capital.

He doesn't know any other places at all.

So this matter should be left to professionals.

After Lu Yuan finished explaining the railway's importance, Gu Qingwan put down the memorial in her hand and thought seriously.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Qingwan suddenly looked at Lu Yuan and said:

"Brother, look, this first railway from the imperial capital to..."

But before Gu Qingwan could finish, Lu Yuan quickly waved his hand and said:

"Eh, don't, sister, I really don't know what to do about this; I don't understand anything about the outside world."

You'd better consult professionals together; I really don't understand, I only know how to make these little gadgets.

Gu Qingwan stared, looking at Lu Yuan before her holding various design drawings, she blinked; in her indifferent, unfeeling beautiful eyes, fondness and affection grew stronger.

Now Gu Qingwan's gaze toward Lu Yuan's eyes was about to overflow with tenderness.

Finally, Gu Qingwan couldn't help but look at Lu Yuan and speak in a coquettish voice:

"Come over, it's already past one in the afternoon; sister knows you'll get sleepy around this time, come over and rest your head on my lap for a nap."

Lu Yuan: "????"

Seeing Gu Qingwan pat her own raised beautiful leg, Lu Yuan's face was full of question marks.

Instantly, Lu Yuan gave a speechless look and said:

"No need... I'm really not sleepy..."

Just as Lu Yuan finished speaking, Gu Qingwan slightly lifted her chin, her expression instantly turning cold, and said:

"Huh?"

"You won't obey my orders?"

Lu Yuan: "..."

Well... never mind, don't say anything else.

Finally, Lu Yuan lay down on Gu Qingwan's throne.

This throne is like a bed, big.

Of course it's not as big as the two-by-one-point-eight-meter bed at Lu Yuan's home, but at least it's rectangular, so you can stretch out.

Lu Yuan then lay down like that, his head resting on Gu Qingwan's soft thigh.

The fabric of this imperial robe is smoother than silk.

Pressing his face against it is extremely comfortable, making one want to rub against it involuntarily.

And Gu Qingwan, who was just looking at the last memorial, suddenly blushed, then lowered her head, her beautiful face slightly red, and looked at Lu Yuan speaking coquettishly:

"No rubbing around, hurry up and sleep!"

Lu Yuan also didn't dare to fool around, he lay on his side with his head on Gu Qingwan's soft thigh.

Facing Gu Qingwan's soft abdomen, he soon drifted off.

Gu Qingwan lowered her head to look at Lu Yuan, the smile at the corner of her mouth growing ever gentler.

Her jade hand curled around Lu Yuan from behind, lightly patting his back, as if lulling a child to sleep.

Gu Qingwan finished reading this last memorial, then looked at the grand eunuch below and said softly:

Send these memorials to the cabinet, then bring over a map.

The grand eunuch below, hearing Gu Qingwan's faint voice, kept nodding.

He came silently to Gu Qingwan's dragon desk, gathered up these memorials one by one, preparing to send them to the cabinet.

On the way, the grand eunuch glanced at Lu Yuan, face buried in the emperor's soft abdomen asleep, and quickly looked elsewhere.

It's unbearable to watch.

The emperor and Lu Yuan are really unbearable to watch!!

……

It was half past four in the afternoon, approaching five.

After Lu Yuan, head pillowed on Gu Qingwan's thigh, let out an extremely comfortable sound from his throat.

Then, as usual, he stretched, rubbing his head back and forth on this warm, soft thigh.

After Lu Yuan finished stretching and opened his eyes.

He saw Gu Qingwan, her face slightly flushed, glaring at him and saying coquettishly:

Done rubbing? If you're done, get up quickly, it's five o'clock.

Five o'clock?

Immediately, Lu Yuan shot up with a whoosh, then rubbed his eyes and said:

Well then, sister, I'm heading home.

Lu Yuan is leaving?

Gu Qingwan blinked, then involuntarily said:

Just stay a little longer.

Lu Yuan directly shook his head and said:

No, my wife is about to get off work; I've just been ennobled, and she'll surely rush home to cook for me.

After Gu Qingwan earnestly nodded at Lu Yuan, she suddenly said:

Sister is coming too.

Huh?

Lu Yuan startled, then said, "Whatever."

Immediately, Lu Yuan nodded and said:

All right, I'll head back first.

Having said that, Lu Yuan hurriedly walked out.

Gu Qingwan watched Lu Yuan's hurried back and couldn't help calling out softly from behind:

Take it slow on your way back, don't fall.

While saying that, she gently rubbed her thigh; this little rascal had slept for two or three hours, making her thigh go numb.

Lu Yuan, without turning back, said:

Got it, sister.

Lu Yuan now calling her 'sister' really rolls off the tongue.

What is this called?

This is what it means for a true man to be able to yield and stand firm!

Not to mention Gu Qingwan making Lu Yuan call her 'sister'; even if he called her 'grandma', it would still roll off the tongue.

Having said that, Lu Yuan pulled open the door and walked out.

After Gu Qingwan rested a while on the imperial throne, she looked down at the grand eunuch and said coldly:

Find my clothes.

…

Yes, Your Majesty.

……

Lu Yuan had just woken up, feeling refreshed; he rode out of the imperial palace on a swift horse and went straight to the Threshing Machine Factory.

This was just about time to knock off work.

To go pick up his wife after work~

When Lu Yuan arrived at the Threshing Machine Factory, just as he got there, the off-work bell rang.

Soon, the artisans of the Threshing Machine Factory filed out one after another.

Soon, Su Liyan in the crowd, seeing her husband riding on that tall horse, immediately pushed her cart forward in delight and ran over.

By now, basically everyone in the Forging Bureau knows that Lu Yuan was ennobled today.

After all, Lu Yuan is now quite famous, having a beautiful wife and having produced all these things.

How could he not be famous?

Besides, Lu Yuan is the first person ennobled in this new dynasty; although it's only a baronetcy, it's still the first.

Naturally, many people know this.

If Lu Yuan's baronetcy were in the previous dynasty, it would surely be impressive, but in this dynasty it's not much.

After all, the baronetcy's benefits aren't much different from those of the current artisans.

Of course, the free two hundred coins given each year still make everyone envious.

However, speaking of which.

As for Lu Yuan, this guy, when he's free he messes with this, when he's free he messes with that, this Lu Yuan doesn't even lack that two hundred bucks a year.

Moreover, although Lu Yuan is now a baron, in everyone's heart they don't feel any different about him.

After all, what's the big deal about a baron? A baron is just a title, not some big official.

Besides, even if it were a high official, if they made a mistake or did something wicked, they'd still get punished.

This isn't the previous dynasty.

What's a baron worth?

So, although Lu Yuan is now called a baron, no one has deliberately come over to cozy up to him.

With those Lu Yuan knows, he greets them; with those he doesn't know, he pretends not to see them, not bothering to engage.

"Brother~ All done for today?"

Su Liyan rode over on her bicycle, lifted her head, and sweetly asked her man.

Lu Yuan nodded and handed over a small red box, smiling.

"Yeah, they just gave me a medal, nothing much."

Su Liyan quickly took the small red box, opened it, and her face filled with pride.

Immediately, Su Liyan looked around, then took her man's medal and trotted into the crowd, saying:

"Sister Liu, look at my man's medal~"

Lu Yuan sat on his horse, watching his exultant wife, and he couldn't help feeling a bit proud.

Actually, Lu Yuan didn't find that thing all that great to hold.

But seeing his wife so happy,

Instantly, Lu Yuan's heart felt great as well.

He didn't ask for anything else; just seeing his wife happy made him happy too~

Thanks to Qing Xin Bai Lu Lao Ge for the 1500, 1500 book coins reward, thank you very much~

Thanks to Nuan Yi Nan Lao Ge for the 1500 book coins reward, thank you very much~

Thanks to Wo Zhen De Bu Xihuan Guai Dongxi Lao Ge for the 600 book coins reward, thank you very much~

Thanks to San Guan Jue Chen Kuai Dian Geng Xin Lao Ge for the 500 book coins reward, thank you very much~

Thanks to A Ba A Ba A Ba Gua Gua Gua Lao Ge for the 100 book coins reward, thank you very much~

(End of chapter)