Chapter 291: Little Lu?? Good buddy Pang Kaige really got carried away, bro

An aircraft carrier is, on Earth, one of the representatives of humanity's highest technology.

Even a plain, ordinary buckle on it embodies enormous human wisdom.

However, this is a modern aircraft carrier.

On Earth, only a few countries can independently build modern aircraft carriers.

In fact, during World War II, aircraft carriers actually did not have that much high technology.

I suppose someone must have seen many statistics.

In World War II, countries with aircraft carriers—for example, the island nation to the east had dozens of carriers, and the United States also had dozens.

Many people sigh, lamenting that they already had dozens decades ago, marveling at how large the gap is.

Actually, there's no need to sigh.

Being able to possess dozens of aircraft carriers back then was indeed impressive, but those carriers didn't have much high-end technology.

Even so, at that time there were even examples of converting freighters into aircraft carriers.

At that time, an aircraft carrier was simply a large platform for aircraft to land.

If one speaks of technology, there indeed was some, but not much.

After all, that era was the age of battleships, the age of big-gun giants; all sorts of high-end, formidable things were on battleships, not on carriers.

And the aircraft carrier that Lu Yuan wants to build is similar to those of the World War II era.

Of course, it's not the kind that simply converts a freighter into a carrier with no technical content.

In the future, the Great Zhou Dynasty will certainly produce a genuine, high-tech aircraft carrier.

Lu Yuan's idea is to gather all the currently advanced things of the Great Zhou Dynasty onto this carrier, to build the dynasty's most advanced super carrier.

Later, it will be gradually upgraded.

From this carrier, it will be gradually upgraded to the modern aircraft carrier like those on Earth.

It is also mainly to cultivate a batch of aircraft carrier personnel.

These days, Lu Yuan spends his daytime at school leading a group to work on this, and after coming home at night and finishing his meal, he continues to ponder it.

Now, it's roughly ready; we can begin preparations for construction.

The current plan is for the shipyard in Haijin to build battleships and destroyers, while the shipyard in Liaobei is preparing to research and develop an aircraft carrier.

How long to build a huge aircraft carrier? Well, about half a year.

Don't rush for now.

Half a year's time does not include various tests.

It's just about building this aircraft carrier.

After all, speaking frankly, there isn't much high technology on it.

Although it should be built within half a year, of course more time will be needed afterward to conduct several sea trials.

It also needs testing under various extreme weather conditions, which may take one or two years.

The greatest high-tech content of this aircraft carrier is the steel used, which is the kind of steel Lu Yuan himself invented earlier at the Linglan Sword Sect.

And now there is also purple gold.

On the outside, we can also apply another layer of purple gold.

In that case, even cultivators cannot casually sink this aircraft carrier.

Of course, once an aircraft carrier is caught off guard by the enemy, it becomes useless.

Applying purple gold, plus special materials, also helps prevent damage from magical beasts and such when out at sea.

Currently, Lu Yuan is considering it this way.

After these few days, once the matters of battleships and destroyers are sorted out, Lu Yuan will prepare to have the Liaobei shipyard build this aircraft carrier.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan, who was just scooping a spoonful of porridge for her husband, looked bewildered and said:

"An aircraft carrier?

"What is that?"

After Lu Yuan gulped down a mouthful of porridge with a gurgling sound, he looked at his wife, smiled, and blinked his eyes, saying:

"Something impressive."

Hearing her husband's words, Gu Qingwan gave him a charming white-eye, then slightly pouted and coquettishly said:

"Just like before, that battleship was said the same way, and that destroyer was also said the same way.

"Really annoying~

"Every time big sister asks you something, you always give this kind of answer~"

Lu Yuan then raised his eyebrows and laughed, saying:

"Didn't I say? This battleship fires shells, this destroyer fires missiles."

Gu Qingwan then immediately replied in a sweet voice:

"According to your younger brother's saying, missiles are more powerful than shells, so why build only two destroyers but so many battleships?"

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, ate his rice while shaking his head and swaying, saying:

"Because our guided missiles have just been researched, the technology isn't very mature yet.

So we first build two destroyers to test, test them, and once our guided missile technology matures later, we can produce more destroyers.

Of course, we can't have too many, because guided missiles are too expensive—one missile's worth equals a hundred or even a thousand shells; for our current enemies, the battleship's big guns are sufficient.

"Using missiles on destroyers would be wasteful."

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Gu Qingwan, somewhat curious, looked at Lu Yuan and blinked her bewitchingly large eyes, saying:

"When will our missile technology mature? Back when we were in Liaobei, weren't we researching missiles?"

Lu Yuan wanted to explain to his wife what a ballistic missile is and what a guided missile is.

But after thinking about it, I still decided to let it go.

Explaining it would be too troublesome.

Over these four months, my wife has basically stopped concerning herself with state affairs.

Not to mention reading memorials, my wife doesn't even live in Chonghua Hall anymore; she stays all day in the big manor, taking care of nothing.

Now my wife basically knows nothing.

So I won't explain; I'll wait until after the child is born and my wife takes charge of state affairs again, then let her check it out herself.

Immediately, Lu Yuan gave a wicked smile and looked at his wife, saying:

"Wait until you're as mature as you are, then it's fine."

Gu Qingwan was startled, then a rosy flush rose on her stunningly beautiful face, and she gave Lu Yuan a stunning look, saying:

"Don't provoke me, sis; I can't wait on you right now. If you provoke me, you'll be the one who suffers~"

Lu Yuan grinned, then continued eating.

After finishing his meal, Lu Yuan looked at Gu Qingwan, who was tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, and said:

"Let's find two people to help you, to help wash the dishes and tidy up the house."

Just as Lu Yuan finished speaking, Gu Qingwan directly shook her head and refused, saying:

"No, I've been managing this household just fine; I'm not like an ordinary pregnant woman who can't lift or carry anything."

Seeing Gu Qingwan unwilling, Lu Yuan let it be.

That's true; if we really needed to tidy up, either of my two wives could snap their fingers and make the whole house spotless, dust-free.

But it seems my two wives actually like doing the housework themselves.

Speaking of which, it's turned into a kind of pleasure.

Maybe it's also because my wife usually finds it hard to go out.

Although we're outside the palace, we still have to be careful not to be seen by anyone.

Lu Yuan is out every day now; sometimes he can't keep her company, so naturally she gets bored at home.

Afterward, Lu Yuan looked at his wife and said:

"Let's go to the department store today; we haven't been out in a while."

Gu Qingwan, who was tidying up, suddenly froze upon hearing this, standing there a bit stunned, and said:

"Now? What if…"

Lu Yuan then grinned and said:

"Nothing to worry about; most offices have moved to Xin Cheng District, there's nothing left in our old city area, and besides, it's work hours now, so no one will be out wandering around. It's fine."

It's fine.

There was never anything to worry about; you said before the two of them had even confirmed their relationship, Gu Qingwan used to follow Lu Yuan around all the time, and no one ever saw them.

Now it's even less likely.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan appeared somewhat excited; since returning from Liaobei, Lu Yuan has been immersed in various research.

Although Gu Qingwan really wanted her husband to accompany her out for a stroll, seeing how seriously he was researching, she naturally wouldn't ask him to accompany her at this critical juncture.

Moreover, Li Yan had returned a few months ago, so naturally she needed to take more care of Li Yan.

Now that Lu Yuan is willing to take her out, Gu Qingwan is naturally delighted and immediately nodded happily, saying:

"Then sis will go change clothes~"

Lu Yuan nodded, took out his recliner, half-reclined in the courtyard, settled in, brewed a pot of clear tea, crossed his legs, and relaxed.

Now this courtyard is completely roofed, with glass sealing the top.

It's freezing outside, but with this glass the courtyard isn't cold at all; the sunshine streams in, making it warm and cozy, especially since the courtyard has Kang heating ducts.

Lu Yuan sipped his tea and said:

"Don't rush, take it slow."

Gu Qingwan was walking toward the bedroom at the same time, happily asking:

"What should we buy today? Let's write it down so we don't forget~"

Lu Yuan, with his legs crossed, was swaying in his recliner and said:

"Buy a radio; that way you can listen to lots of fun stuff at home every day, plus opera and news."

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Gu Qingwan looked somewhat startled and said:

"A radio, what's that?"

Lu Yuan grinned and said:

"You'll find out when we go."

…………

Department store.

Lu Yuan had his hands in his pockets; Gu Qingwan had one hand lightly resting on her belly and the other linked with Lu Yuan's arm.

The department store is completely different from before; it now has escalators.

It's somewhat like a prototype of an Earth mall.

And the items inside the department store are dazzlingly varied.

Many of the things are newly released recently.

Qingbei now has many, many divisions, some handling military affairs, naturally also handling people's livelihood.

Recently Qingbei has begun researching projectors.

At Qingbei's pace, probably less than half a year before we can screen movies in the factory for viewing.

The two took the elevator straight to the third floor, which is where high-end appliances are sold.

Now, here in Huangcheng, every household already has electricity.

Spirit-energy lamps have all been replaced with electric lamps.

Since the ore refiner appeared, every bit of spiritual energy in the spirit stone can be squeezed dry, making full use of it, so there will no longer be any spiritual-energy residue left to make spirit-energy lamps.

Now there are electric washing machines, electric fans, radios, and even the latest models of electric sewing machines.

There really are quite a lot of things.

As for televisions,

Actually, Qingbei has long been capable of making televisions; however, the problem is that televisions are not like radios.

With a single base station, one person can just read a script.

But televisions need programs, right?

So we still have to wait another half year; only after programs are available can they go on air.

Besides that, the thing that brings the greatest change to ordinary people is the telephone!

Now the Great Zhou Dynasty has already begun laying telephone offices.

Every sizable city has already opened a telephone office.

For two mao of money, you can call from Huangcheng to Liaobei, or to the south.

It's just that making a phone call now is rather troublesome; you need to go through various transfers at the telephone office, then find the other party's factory, then their worker number, name, and so on.

But no matter what, it's absolutely much faster than writing letters.

While the two were chatting and strolling, they happened to run into an old acquaintance.

Pang Kaige.

He really is an old acquaintance.

Speaking of which, the two of them really haven't seen each other in half a year.

However, although they haven't seen each other for half a year, Lu Yuan knows Pang Kaige's movements.

It's not that Lu Yuan had people investigate or surveil Pang Kaige; it's mainly because this kid is quite capable of stirring things up in the south.

This kid has now made it big.

He's made a fortune!

Now, on the Great Zhou Dynasty's railways, basically every station has a shop belonging to Pang Kaige's family.

Besides that, Pang Kaige also put together a motor fleet and started running transport.

This kid now just lies at home and money comes in.

He's caused quite a stir; Lu Yuan has seen Pang Kaige's name, and his company's name, several times in cabinet reports on southern development.

Since they know each other, naturally the impression is deep.

Every time he sees those three characters 'Pang Kaige', he deliberately stops to take a close look.

However, this kid previously was always developing in the south.

When did he come back?

Lu Yuan first spotted Pang Kaige; this kid now has a big pompadour, wears a red leather jacket, his belly protrudes, and his shirt is tucked into his belt.

He shows signs of beginning to gain weight in middle age.

But upon reflection, this kid is just over twenty.

However, with that swagger and demeanor, he must have drunk at least eight hundred bottles of Maotai in the past half year; otherwise he couldn't maintain that aura.

Beside Pang Kaige there is also a woman; this woman……

Lu Yuan blinked, and it seemed to still be that little vixen from before.

However, the Great Zhou Dynasty's daily renewal isn't just about many novel home appliances and such; cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, and the like have also increased greatly.

That little vixen is dressed so flirtatiously that Lu Yuan didn't even recognize her at first glance.

He even thought Pang Kaige had changed wives again.

But after thinking it over, that also seems impossible.

Pang Kaige's current status surely owes a lot to the father of that little vixen behind the scenes.

That little vixen's father is an Attendant Minister in the Ministry of Works.

Moreover, a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works will retire next year; once that Vice Minister retires, it will be this little vixen's father who steps up.

That Vice Minister is essentially the second-in-command of the Ministry of Works.

This gives Pang Kaige a hundredfold courage, yet he still wouldn't dare treat this little vixen the way he treated the Jade Orchid girl.

While Lu Yuan was dazed, Pang Kaige also spotted him; his eyes lit up instantly, and he then waved and greeted him, saying:

"Yo, Xiao Lu, what a coincidence, you're here too!"

Lu Yuan: "???"

"Xiao Lu??"

"Good grief, Pang Kaige really got full of himself, he doesn't even call me 'brother' anymore?"

(End of chapter)