Chapter 206: with translation of chapter title

Lu Yuan looked at Gu Qingwan and blinked.

Afterward, Lu Yuan had no expression, very calmly looking at Gu Qingwan and said:

"Tomorrow wear white high heels, I'll come find you."

Lu Yuan's calmness left Gu Qingwan somewhat at a loss.

For a moment, Gu Qingwan, whose face had been slightly flushed from her own earlier action, now had a face that was alluring and tempting.

After regaining her composure, Gu Qingwan immediately stepped away from Lu Yuan, letting out a soft hum and said:

"You want me to wear it, I will, but I refuse!"

Having said that, Gu Qingwan immediately blushed and hurried away.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, watching Gu Qingwan's retreating back, somewhat amused.

Still coming to tease me like this?

Just this level?

Not good enough either.

At noon, Lu Yuan's home was lively; after eating, Gu Qingwan left.

Recently Gu Qingwan has been busy; today, knowing Lu Yuan's mother-in-law was coming, she specially came to say hello, but she couldn't stay all day as before.

In the evening, the Su Clan people—second uncle, third uncle, Changliang, Changyu, and others—also came over.

They finished eating in a lively manner.

It was already around seven or eight o'clock at night.

The mother-in-law had come the night before at two or three a. m. to rush; after everyone ate, they didn't say much, tidied up and dispersed, letting the mother-in-law hurry to rest and sleep.

The next day, early morning.

After eating, Lu Yuan was going to Bing Jia Chang to work on that spirit ore refining device.

The spirit ore refining device isn't very difficult; the only hard part is the steam engine components.

But those steam engine parts, the Great Zhou Dynasty already has them.

Now there are matching suppliers for all of them.

So, the spirit ore refining device doesn't need much time.

If any part is missing, just go to those factories and ask for it.

If luck is better today, Lu Yuan could in one day produce the basic core of the ore refining device.

So, after leaving, Lu Yuan first went to the palace.

Of course... not because of the high heels.

Mainly, Lu Yuan thought he would make two pieces of spirit ore and take them to Bing Jia Chang.

Once the basic core of the ore refining device is made, Lu Yuan will test it on the spot.

However, spirit ore cores are strictly controlled by the Great Zhou royal family.

Ordinary people cannot obtain them.

Of course, Lu Yuan is not an ordinary person; the soldiers at Xiaoqingshan also know him.

Lu Yuan going to get one or two pieces and coming back is still easy.

However... some matters naturally need to be agreed upon beforehand.

Because Lu Yuan doesn't just want one or two pieces; he will need to take them frequently.

A palm-sized spirit ore core is worth several thousand coins; such a precious thing avoids others accusing him of impropriety.

Moreover, the ore refining device comes not only in a steam turbine version but also in an internal combustion turbine version.

The internal combustion turbine is more efficient; Lu Yuan might need to take a dozen or so pieces per day for testing.

These items, once taken, could amount to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of coins per day.

Having agreed with Gu Qingwan beforehand, this avoids being accused of corruption or the like.

Soon, Lu Yuan rode his vehicle and arrived at the palace gate.

Just as he was about to enter, the Imperial Guard elder at the gate hurriedly stopped Lu Yuan, curious:

"Eh eh eh, Sir, are you going in to see the Emperor?"

Hmm?

Lu Yuan blinked, then handed over a cigarette and smiled:

"This isn't nonsense; I came here not to see the Emperor, could it be to chat with you?"

The Imperial Guard elder froze, took the cigarette, then hehe laughed:

"Sir, I didn't mean that; the Emperor went early today to the northern train station.

Before leaving, he specifically instructed that if you have anything to discuss, you needn't come; just decide yourself."

Oh?

Hearing this, Lu Yuan's expression turned odd as he looked curiously at the Imperial Guard elder:

"Why did the Emperor go to the northern train station?"

The Imperial Guard elder startled, then waved his hands anxiously:

"Oh dear, who can fathom heaven's will? But... likely it's because more train heads arrived at the northern train station this time.

I heard three train heads arrived today, and a new railway line was built; perhaps the Emperor was pleased, so he went."

That's how it is...

Lu Yuan nodded, also feeling that Gu Qingwan couldn't be avoiding him because of yesterday's white high heel comment.

After all, what could I really do?

I was just joking yesterday.

Since that's the case, then Lu Yuan will wait until next time to talk about it; for now, let's first go to Little Green Mountain to get two spirit power cores.

Lu Yuan also wasn't in a hurry anymore, following the Imperial Guard older brother here to finish smoking before speaking.

At this moment, the Imperial Guard older brother was smoking while gazing at Lu Yuan and sighing:

"Lord Lu, you really are this."

"Huh?"

Lu Yuan turned his head to look, and the Imperial Guard older brother gave a thumbs up.

Before Lu Yuan could say anything, the Imperial Guard older brother said:

"I'm from the south; I've been a soldier for thirteen years, and I've never gone home once—it's really too far."

"Now that we have trains, I can go back for holidays and such, bringing my wife and kids to see my mother."

"My mother still doesn't know what my wife and kids look like."

Hearing the Imperial Guard older brother's words, Lu Yuan curiously asked:

"Older brother, where are you from?"

The Imperial Guard older brother laughed and said:

"My hometown is a contested land for military strategists."

Lu Yuan nodded, oh, I understand.

No wonder this older brother's speech—Lu Yuan always feels like he's listening, oh yo, look at my new snake~

After finishing smoking with the Imperial Guard older brother, Lu Yuan greeted him and then headed to Little Green Mountain.

Now Little Green Mountain over there has been completely sealed off.

Before, there were some villages etc. inside Little Green Mountain, but now the villagers have all been sent to live in settlement houses outside Huangcheng.

This counts as a blessing in disguise.

Although the original home is gone, but being able to live in settlement houses outside Huangcheng—what is this?

This is like modern people from Langfang moving into the East Third Ring.

In the future, Huangcheng will definitely be expanded.

Moreover, with steam engines, and later Lu Yuan will come up with gas turbines, oil turbines, cheap power conversion can produce excavators, tower cranes, etc.

By then, the Great Zhou Dynasty here will need to build skyscrapers from flat ground.

At these people's current positions, in twenty years, a single room might cost hundreds of thousands!

Of course, this is assuming the Great Zhou Dynasty's money doesn't depreciate.

That is, if Huangcheng in the future builds skyscrapers from flat ground, then should the city walls of Huangcheng be torn down……

Hmm……

Lu Yuan won't get involved in this.

Regarding tearing down the city walls, if you get involved, you will definitely be scolded.

If a city wants major development, changing from rural appearance to urban appearance, the city walls are truly an obstacle.

Some people, once they're full, just start nostalgically mourning the past.

Speaking of Huangcheng in the Great Zhou Dynasty, it's already the best place in the dynasty.

But when it rains or snow melts, the city ends up flooded.

Moreover, the city's garbage and human waste are also dumped randomly.

Really not looking like anything.

From Lu Yuan's modern perspective, some parts of Huangcheng are messy and chaotic, just like a big countryside.

Of course, Lu Yuan comes from modern times, so judging by his perspective is bound to be biased.

But the problem is……

Lu Yuan is developing technology according to what he has in mind, within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

So, the future technology tree of the Great Zhou Dynasty will definitely point toward that side of Earth.

If it points toward Earth…… then the city walls will have to be torn down.

If torn down, there aren't many people scolding now; if there are, they're just some Confucian scholars and such.

Ordinary commoners wouldn't think this is destroying famous historic sites; it's just……

After all, ordinary people can't even eat enough or stay warm—what historic sites?

As long as development keeps getting better, everyone will definitely support it.

But after thirty or fifty years, when the Great Zhou Dynasty is urbanized, everyone will be clean and sanitary, well-fed and warm.

I reckon there will be a group of historians and a group of affected people jumping out to scold you.

If not handled well, you'll be infamous for ten thousand years.

Anyway, taking Earth's capital as an example……

The old men and women living in dilapidated siheyuans inside the Second Ring see those experts saying their houses are historic buildings that must be protected and not demolished.

They wish they could grab a knife and hack those experts to pieces.

Some things have no absolutes; anyway, we need genuine urbanization in the future.

This wall really does need to be torn down; without tearing it down, large machinery can't get in, which is unfavorable for development.

However…… we can preserve some less important parts for future generations to visit and such.

Anyway, Lu Yuan won't get involved in this; do whatever you want—this matter is highly controversial.

As for Lu Yuan's thoughts, they can borrow the original words of a native elder from the capital back then: tearing it down is truly a pity, but it's good that it was torn down early.

No need to think further; from now on, this is the affair of the Urban Planning Department under the Ministry of Works.

Lu Yuan rode his vehicle into Little Green Mountain.

Little Green Mountain is now completely sealed off, heavily guarded.

No idle miscellaneous persons are allowed to enter.

But Lu Yuan is an idle miscellaneous person, right?

Lu Yuan is a lord.

Now who doesn't know that the spirit power ore of Little Green Mountain was discovered by Lu Yuan?

So, just go in.

After Lu Yuan entered, he directly went to find the person in charge here.

Now Little Green Mountain has been completely taken over by the Ministry of Works.

The Ministry of Works personnel are mining ore.

And the highest person in charge here at Little Green Mountain is a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.

The Ministry of Works has two Vice Ministers in total, and this person seems to be called Rong Xiaozhong.

Lu Yuan had previously seen Rong Xiaozhong; when Lu Yuan was driving the train in the Double Splendor Hall, Rong Xiaozhong was sitting in the rear carriage.

"Oh, Lord Lu Yuan, why do you have time to come today?"

Upon seeing Lu Yuan stop his bicycle, Rong Xiaozhong hurried over to greet him.

The officials below, such as the Forging Bureau, the Agriculture Bureau, namely Director Xu and Lin Fusheng, merely know that Lu Yuan is quite formidable now.

They all seem to be favored individuals in the presence of the current Emperor.

However, Director Xu, Lin Fusheng, and the like do not know the specific circumstances.

But Rong Xiaozhong is different.

Rong Xiaozhong knows just how much the current Emperor dotes on Lu Yuan.

Therefore, his attitude is naturally very, very good.

Lu Yuan cannot be treated as an ordinary baron.

After Lu Yuan stopped his vehicle, he looked at Rong Xiaozhong and said:

"Vice Minister Rong, I've come today to get some spirit power core."

Get spirit power core?

Rong Xiaozhong didn't quite hear that clearly.

Immediately, Lu Yuan also laughed and said:

"I am currently making something that needs spirit power core, so I came here to get some."

Rong Xiaozhong blinked.

Hmm…

Spirit power core is extremely precious; anyone, of course, except the Emperor, who is the Son of Heaven.

Anyway, besides the Emperor, anyone who wants to obtain spirit power core must have an approval slip.

One must have an approval slip from above.

This Lu Yuan…

Rong Xiaozhong thought for a moment, then immediately broke into a grin and said:

"Alright, Lord Lu Yuan, follow me."

There's no need to follow this Lu Yuan.

If Lu Yuan truly needs an approval slip, he can just go back and tell the Emperor directly.

The Emperor will certainly agree.

Why bother making Lu Yuan go back and forth?

Today, however much Lu Yuan takes, just remember it and report it later.

Immediately, Lu Yuan followed Rong Xiaozhong to the storehouse.

The storehouse here really has a guard every three steps and a sentry every five steps.

The guards are extremely strict.

After entering the storehouse, Lu Yuan almost had his eyes dazzled by the blue light emanating from the spirit power cores filling the room.

Wow, the whole room is full of them.

And after Rong Xiaoguang opened the door, he stood at the doorway without going in, and immediately looked at Lu Yuan and smiled, saying:

"Lord Lu Yuan, what specifications do you need? Go in and get them yourself."

Lu Yuan nodded, picked up two palm-sized spirit power cores, and prepared to come out.

However, just before coming out, Lu Yuan saw in the corner a basket holding many fingernail-sized spirit power cores.

Looking at these scattered spirit power cores, Lu Yuan blinked.

Hmm…

Afterward, Lu Yuan looked at Rong Xiaozhong and said:

"I want the whole basket; Vice Minister Rong, could you have someone send it to Bing Jia Chang?"

If we compare spirit power cores to large batteries, then these scattered spirit power cores cannot be placed on large machinery for use.

Such scattered spirit power cores are basically made into fans, lamps, and such.

It's a pity to make unused spirit power cores into fans, lamps, and such.

Lu Yuan's ore refining device that he wants to make can gather these scattered spirit power cores together and finally refine them into a large piece.

So, Lu Yuan also wants this basket.

Rong Xiaozhong naturally had no problem, and immediately nodded and said:

Alright, I'll have someone send it over right away.

Lu Yuan also tossed the two palm-sized spirit power cores he was holding into the basket, and only then did he leave Little Green Mountain.

North of Huangcheng, Huochezhan.

Gu Qingwan looked at the three locomotives decked with big red flowers and was very satisfied.

The trains have already started running; the railway's maintenance, upkeep, and all that, plus adding signal lights at intersections and so on—all sorts of miscellaneous things.

Everything is running according to the document Lu Yuan originally gave.

So far, there hasn't been a single problem; it can be called perfect.

The southern railway has already been laid.

And the speed is extremely fast, after all, this is a construction effort mobilizing the entire nation.

This construction speed goes without saying.

Moreover, to increase local jobs, the number of people participating in the construction is unprecedented as well.

Now the treasury is full, allocating more funds to the people—there's nothing wrong with that.

In ten days, Gu Lie will return to Huangcheng; he might even be able to come back directly by train from the south.

Gu Qingwan slightly lowered her head to glance at the beige high heels on her feet, her face faintly flushing.

I wore them for nothing—this little brat won't get to see them today~

Thanks to elder brother Keze1112 for the 500 book coin tip~ Thank you very much~

Thanks to elder brother Yanbei for the 100 book coin tip, thank you very much~

Thanks to elder brother A Quan for the 100 book coin tip, thank you very much~

Going to watch the ball game, late, hahaha

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(End of chapter)