Chương 648: The Train Arrives in Chang'an

Zhao Ben stayed close by, occasionally reporting instrument readings, his tone gradually shifting from initial tension to genuine admiration:

"Steam pressure is good, water level is in the green zone, the heat is just right... After the culvert ahead, there's a straight section where you can accelerate..."

"I see it..." Liu Ce glanced at the milestones rushing past the window, "Push it to the middle section."

Zhao Ben swallowed hard and did as instructed.

With a low roar, the Shenwu ship increased its speed visibly, and the scenery outside the window flew by even faster.

Inside the carriage, the water in the teacups in front of the ministers only rippled steadily without spilling... indicating that it was running smoothly, far superior to a horse-drawn carriage.

After stopping at a station, Liu Ce patted Zhao Ben on the shoulder:

"Alright, I'll leave it to you. I'm going back to sit for a while and enjoy the scenery. Drive carefully and steadily, don't spill my tea."

Zhao Ben opened his mouth, intending to praise, "Your Majesty, you drove wonderfully," but in the end, he only managed to stammer, "... Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust! As long as I am here, the carriage will stand!"

Liu Ce smiled and returned to the first private compartment.

The train restarted...

Liu Ce then pushed the window open most of the way.

The wind blew in, carrying a hint of coal smoke, but mostly the scent of the April fields: freshly turned soil, budding wheat seedlings, and the fragrance of willow buds by the riverbank, all mixed together, so refreshing that it went straight into my nose.

The "click-clack" of the iron wheels striking the rails has a rhythm as even as a heartbeat, or like a silent song.

The occasional lingering sound of a ship's horn in the distance startled a flock of egrets, which swooped past the side of the car window.

He leaned back in his chair, his arm resting on the window frame, watching the scenery outside the window slowly transition from the Luoyang Plain to the foothills of the Xiaoshan Mountains. Those treacherous mountain walls that had troubled armies and caravans for thousands of years were now cleanly and decisively cut open by a steel road.

Above the deep ravine, stone arch bridge piers are firmly rooted on both sides, and the railway tracks smoothly cross over them, like a gray ribbon tied around the mountainside.

The train rattled along, passing by effortlessly, faster than a bird in flight.

Human determination can overcome nature.

These aren't just four words written in a book to fool people; they are genuine, forged with steel and sweat.

Liu Ce reached into his sleeve pocket, pulled out a piece of milk candy, and popped it into his mouth. It was sweet and melted on his tongue.

He crossed his legs, looked out the window at the rapidly receding mountainside, and murmured:

"It was worth it."

The voice was very soft, mixed in with the clatter of the rails, and it was unclear who it was being spoken to.

......

It was around 4 p. m. in the afternoon.

"Ugh—!!!"

The sound of the ship's horn echoed over Baqiao Bridge, carrying far and wide, startling a flock of water birds.

A slight deceleration was felt in the carriage. It wasn't an emergency stop; Zhao Ben had started reducing speed half a kilometer in advance by compressing the air during the compression stroke. He was very professional, and even the people in the carriage barely felt any shaking.

The view outside the window changed from fields to rammed earth walls and battlements, and the majestic outline of the city in the distance became increasingly clear...

Changan.

The Shenwu train slowly glided into Chang'an Station.

Although it's called a station, it's actually a newly built station area near Baqiao Bridge in the east of Chang'an City. It has temporary platforms and blue brick waiting sheds. It's smaller than Luoyang Station, but it's clean and tidy, with gravel paving the ground so rainwater doesn't accumulate.

The platform was already packed with people: officials left behind in Chang'an, local gentry, and ordinary citizens who had flocked there upon hearing the news, all crowding outside the three police lines, craning their necks to look in this direction, a sea of heads...

The train came to a steady stop, and the last aftershock traveled up the tracks and slowly dissipated.

Liu Ce stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked to the car door.

The step landed with a "thud" on the edge of the platform. The cast iron grille felt cool and hard underfoot, carrying the unique sense of stability of railway tracks.

He stepped off the bus, and the first thing he stepped on wasn't mud, but a cast iron platform grille with anti-slip patterns.

Take a deep breath. The air in Chang'an is different from that in Luoyang. It's drier and crisper, mixed with the earthy smell of ancient city wall bricks and the Wei River beach, as well as the aroma of roasted flatbread wafting from the streets, with a smoky, caramelized scent that's very tempting.

He turned to the officials who had followed him and smiled:

"The train departed from Luoyang at the beginning of the morning and arrived in Chang'an at the third quarter of the afternoon. In less than four hours, it covered a distance that would have taken ordinary people seven or eight days or even half a month to travel."

He pointed to the Shenwu, which was still emitting white steam. On the front of the motorcycle, the three gilded characters "Shenwu" shone brightly in the setting sun.

"This thing is called a means of transportation. From now on, it will be a standard feature of our great Han Dynasty. It will connect every part of the world."

The officials followed his finger to the steel behemoth, then looked at the outline of Chang'an in the distance. For a moment, no one was in a hurry to flatter him; they were all silenced by a more primal shock.

After a long while, Shen Wansan suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse but clear:

"... Four hours. Based on the price of a fast horse at the post station... how much profit can be made from this trip?"

Liu Ce chuckled and turned to look at him: "Don't worry, I know the ticket prices. It's much cheaper than a horse-drawn carriage, ten times faster than traveling by post road, and the profits will be enough to support the entire line with some left over. I'll have Song Yingxing give you a detailed breakdown later. Not only will your Ministry of Revenue not have to pay out of pocket, but this railway will become one of the most lucrative sources of revenue for the court within three years. I guarantee it."

Shen Wansan finally broke into a smile, not the polite smile of officialdom, but a genuine smile of relief.

He cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing more, just three words: "Your subject... will wait."

Liu Ce was not in a hurry to go to the temporary palace. In fact, the temporary palace in Chang'an had long been abandoned, and he had no intention of moving in.

He led his officials and swaggered from Ba Bridge to the city gate, entering the outer city of Chang'an.

The outer city was built during the First Five-Year Plan, expanding upon the former Chang'an city. The outer city was several times larger than the inner city, with wide streets and shops on both sides. Although not yet prosperous, it was much better than the ruins.

Liu Ce walked on the bluestone pavement of the outer city. The banners of the shops along the street fluttered in the evening breeze. The aroma of roasted flatbread mixed with the smell of spicy vinegar soup wafted over, full of the lively atmosphere. There were also a few children playing shuttlecock by the roadside.

The people knelt in a distance, but many young people secretly looked up, their eyes shining like stars, staring at Liu Ce and also at the traces left by the steel dragon in the distance. Although the railway was broken in the eastern suburbs, the shock of "it had been here" had spread out in circles like a stone thrown into a lake.

As he walked, Liu Ce suddenly stopped, looked up at the sky, and saw that the sky in Chang'an was higher and bluer than that in Luoyang. The sunset was ablaze, red like fire, and had dyed half the sky.

"Minister Song," he called out.

"Your subject is here." Song Yingxing quickly stepped forward.