Ying Zheng nodded and said, "Bring it up."

Then, Zhang Lang was led by a small eunuch and entered the Political Affairs Hall.

He knelt nervously in the hall, and even trembled all over his body in fear.

Ying Zheng and the court officials saw this situation too much, so they didn't care.

Li Shui said to Zhang Lang: "I asked you to come today, not to interrogate you, but to introduce you to the situation of steaming cars. What are you afraid of?"

Zhang Lang responded and relaxed a little.

After hearing Li Shui's words, Chunyu Yue said in confusion: "Exiled Immortal, we are just discussing the affairs of the Peacock Kingdom, and there is no conclusion yet. Why are you suddenly talking about steaming cars again?"

Li Shui smiled slightly and said to Chunyu Yue: "Steaming cars is related to the Peacock Kingdom."

He said to Zhang Lang: "You can introduce it to Your Majesty and you all."

Zhang Lang responded and began to introduce the situation of steaming cars and railways.

After Zhang Lang finished speaking, Li Shui said to Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty. According to what Zhang Lang said, once the railway is completed, the distance between the Great Qin and the Peacock Kingdom has not been shortened, but the time has been greatly shortened."

"From Xianyang, tens of thousands of people can arrive at the Peacock Kingdom in at most three or five days and nights. Their accompanying them are also food, grass and weapons."

"In this way, after occupying the Peacock Kingdom, the people in the Peacock Kingdom want to rebel because they are too far away, so this worry no longer exists."

"When steaming cars only needs to burn coal, they can run along the railway to the Peacock Kingdom. The so-called deserted desert is not a barrier."

"Not only that, the railway can also practice all over the central plateau. From then on, why does Your Majesty need to raise so many soldiers? Why does Your Majesty have to worry about the soldiers rebelling on the frontier?"

"If there is any change anywhere, just take a steam car and the army can rush over continuously."

All the civil and military officials in the court were stunned.

Ying Zheng even stood up.

He suddenly realized that Li Shui had brought him something wonderful.

Since unifying the world, Ying Zheng has been vaguely worried.

Because before him, the world had never been like this now. The capital issued an order and then all regions had to abide by it.

During the three dynasties of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, thousands of years, they were all divided into feudal systems and founded nations.

The emperor lived in the capital, and then the vassal states expanded their territory.

After the Qin Dynasty unified the world, although Ying Zheng followed the suggestions of his ministers, he also took some measures to consolidate the world.

But this was unprecedented after all, and he was actually a little uneasy.

But the railway proposed by Li Shui today gave Ying Zheng the hope of complete unification of the world.

Why is the world divided? It’s just because it’s too big. The emperor’s decree will take several months to get there.

And because the world is too big, the customs and languages ​​are not understood in different places.

These factors are very likely to cause division.

But with railways, these are no longer a problem.

After the railway is built, the distance between various places will not be shortened in space, but it will be greatly shortened in time.

Moreover, the people come and go frequently and gradually merge.

The Qin Dynasty is no longer inseparable.

Ying Zheng nodded with satisfaction and said to Li Shui: "Okay, very good."

Some of the ministers nodded, some shook their heads, and some showed doubts.

Finally, someone stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the railway sounds good. But... can this kind of thing be really done?"

Li Shui said quietly: "Didn't this lord hear it just now? Zhang Lang has made it clear that the railway has been successfully trial operation in Beidi County."

Another courtier stood up: "Even if this railway can be made,... it may cost a lot."

Li Shui said helplessly: "Everyone, have you listened carefully just now? Zhang Lang has already said that the railway is expected to make a profit in the second year. What's more, even if the railway suffers losses?"

"If there is a rebellion in a certain place, thanks to the railway, the rebellion can be suppressed in three to five days. Without the railway, how long will it take? How much does Haifei cost and food?"

"There is a drought in a certain place, and thanks to the railway, the food can be transported over within a few days. If there is no railway, how many people will starve to death?"

The courtiers stopped talking.

Ying Zheng looked at Li Shui with satisfaction: "Do you have any detailed plans for building the railway?"

Li Shui bowed and said respectfully: "Yes."

He said to Ying Zheng: "I beg your Majesty to take out gold from the national treasury, send craftsmen to build it. And select some officials to form a railway courtyard."

"This courtyard is built in the form of business by merchants. After completion, it will be operated by the railway courtyard. If there is a surplus, it will fill the treasury. If there is a casual loss, the treasury will be subsidized."

"In this way, the railway will be firmly in the hands of the court. As long as the court grasps this lifeline of the country, I, the Qin Dynasty, will be safe forever."

Ying Zheng nodded with satisfaction, and then he looked at the civil and military ministers: "Who is willing to go to this railway courtyard?"

The courtiers all gave in a little.

The Railway Court must be led by a minister.

But... what did the minister become when he arrived at the railway courtyard? As the exiled immortal said, he was responsible for the business? Didn't he become a merchant?

Although the status of merchants is much higher than before, in the eyes of these powerful people, merchants are still very lowly.

Everyone has titles and goes to the court to discuss affairs every day, and is superior to others. How free? Suddenly they have to go to business? That is even more painful than being dismissed from office.

So the court officials said they had no experience in this area.

In addition, they also recommended Li Shui to take on this important task.

The courtiers’ idea is very simple: You Huaiguzi are shameless anyway and don’t mind doing business. And you proposed this railway courtyard, so you can take the lead.

But Li Shui refused.

He said to Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty, my Shangjun Villa has taken care of too many things. Printing factories, flour mills, and paper mills. Now I have another railway courtyard? I really can't get rid of it."

"Since you all don't want to do it, I suggest that Your Majesty... this position shall be held by the prince."

Ying Zheng was slightly stunned and suddenly found that Li Shui had made another good suggestion.

Railways are indeed the lifeblood of the world. If this lifeblood is in the hands of some ministers, he would even be a little worried.

If the prince presides over the railway courtyard, it will be much more reliable.

The problem is... the princes have been enfeoffed and become vassal kings, but only Fusu and Hu Hai are left.

Fusu likes to be kind and righteous, does not like to do business, and is leading troops in the Western Regions.

However, Fu Yao, although he is a little younger, has a very talented business skills. It is said that he has earned a lot of money from running newspapers.

Ying Zheng nodded and said, "Then Fu Yao will preside over the Railway Courtyard. And I have to set rules that the railway court will only be presided over by the prince in the future."

All the ministers agreed.

At this time, Ying Zheng's candidate for the prince had already been tilted to Fu Yao's side.

Ying Zheng even had an idea that after choosing Fu Yao as the crown prince, he would promulgate another rule. The president of the Railway Academy is the candidate for the future crown prince.

In the Railway Academy, you can become familiar with national affairs in advance so that you will not be too busy and at a loss after becoming the emperor.

The Railway Court is different from the court, and cannot make friends with ministers and form cliques, posing a threat to the old emperor.

Well, wonderful!

The establishment of the railway courtyard was decided like this.

Next, it was determined that a railway would be built between Xianyang and Beidi County as a trial operation.

If the railway really makes a profit and does not even lose too much, Ying Zheng plans to completely promote the railway.

After discussing the railway matter, Ying Zheng said: "Let's continue to discuss the matter of sending troops to the Peacock Kingdom."

The ministers stared blankly, and no one could speak.

What are you talking about? How are you talking about?

The exiled immortal moved out the railway, and the reasons for opposing troops that he had thought of before were useless.

The courtiers were defeated again, shook their heads and sighed and walked outside.

Now the court officials are a little tempted to go to Shangjun Villa to listen to the class, but they really find that they can't keep up with the times.

At the same time, an envoy rode a fast horse and ran towards the Western Regions.

They wanted to convey Ying Zheng's edict and ordered Fusu and Meng Tian to prepare to send troops to the Peacock Kingdom.

The messenger's horse ran quickly along the flat avenue. After a few days, he had arrived at the camp in Fusu.

After reading Ying Zheng's edict, Fusu and Meng Tian were both silent.

After seeing off the envoy, Fusu said to Meng Tian: "General, what do you think?"

Meng Tian sighed and said, "I have sent someone to the Peacock Kingdom to investigate and find that this country has a large population, but it is slightly inferior to my Daqin."

"If the battle starts, both sides will suffer losses. In addition, Shatilie and Maodun's Xiongnu Kingdom have been eyeing the West and don't know when they will come."
To be continued...