Established a millennium family since King Wu defeated Zhou

Chapter 988 Steam (End of Volume)
The grand wedding came to an end under the witness of thousands of people in the capital.

The new emperor, a young man full of vigor and vitality, ascended the throne under the attention of all the people.

But what attracted everyone's attention the most was the figure sitting on the queen's throne.

Luo Xianzhi's sudden transformation was shocking, and then there was inner peace.

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Long live Her Majesty the Queen!"

The empire's bureaucrats prostrated themselves like a tide in the square in front of the Tianshou Hall in the Daming Palace.

This is a political marriage, but it is more than just a political marriage.

Luo Xianzhi told everyone that the Li and Luo families would unite closely again, just like they had done in the countless years before, to make the Tang Dynasty great again. Anyone who wanted to destroy the Tang Dynasty would have to step over the corpses of both the Li and Luo families.

Are there such powerful people or groups in this world?

No!

Thus, the Tang Dynasty was indestructible.

……

The Tang Empire that Luo Xianzhi and Li Cunxu faced faced an extremely serious problem.

Even if victory is achieved in military power, the contradictions are there. The empire may be forcibly subdued by the powerful military force of this generation, but it will soon fall apart again because there is a strong centrifugal force within the empire.

as well as.

The weakness of the empire has been completely exposed to everyone after this chaos. Regardless of whether all the lost territories of the empire can be recovered in the end, the territories around the empire will in fact become politically independent.

A man from Rome explained his ideas to Luo Xianzhi.

In the history of Rome, the empire faced collapse many times. There had been powerful emperors who achieved great military victories and recovered almost all the land, but as soon as the emperor died, the empire collapsed again.

Luo Xianzhi was very confident that the Tang Dynasty could achieve another military victory.

But she had to face a fact.

Within the Tang Dynasty, when chaos arose, a large number of de facto separatist regimes emerged.

Most of these separatist regimes did not appear in the narrow Central Plains, but in the frontier provinces that the empire found difficult to fully control.

The provincial system is a first-level administrative agency established above the state level by Luo Xianzhi after he came to power in order to coordinate the rebellion wars across the empire and reduce internal friction and redundant officials within the empire.

The Penglai Province, the Andong Province including the Jizi Peninsula, the Jiangnan Province and the Lingnan Province are all filled with a large number of separatist forces.

The Holy Alliance came from the Far West, and they brought not only support but also military threats.

It would not be an easy task to make the Holy Alliance give back the benefits they had gained from the lands they had already recovered.

The empire also had to face huge contradictions between the Central Plains and the vassal states. In the imperial system, some vassal states, mainly Yan State, were marginal and could not benefit from the development of the empire, which exerted a strong centrifugal force on the empire.

Even a short-term military conquest will be followed by continuous rebellions, which, if not properly resolved, will inevitably drag down the empire.

As for implementing the conquest policy that was once implemented in the State of Yan, that was not feasible. The Tang Dynasty was no longer just a pure feudal dynasty state. As a whole, the national consciousness and universal consciousness of the Chinese nation had made great progress.

In a nutshell, the Tang Dynasty was transforming into a nation-state.

This certainly brought huge advantages to the revival of the Tang Dynasty.

The negative effect is that the empire's actions are difficult to cover up, and some actions will put the empire in greater crisis.

If these problems are not properly resolved, the empire will find it difficult to calm down.

The real difficulty lies in the lack of productivity, which causes inconvenience in communication and transportation. The imperial power at the center of the empire cannot completely penetrate time and space and pierce the rule of the feudal ruling class, which leads to the current unfavorable situation.

Luo Xianzhi presented the series of theories she had obtained to Li Cunxu. Li Cunxu was a little confused. He understood some parts, but was completely confused about most aspects and had no idea what Luo Xianzhi was talking about.

"Empress, I don't understand these things very well, so I'll leave them to you. Don't think too much about those difficult problems for now. You can tell me what I should do next. If you don't have anything else to do, I'll start preparing to clean up the rioters in Hedong and Hebei."

Luo Xianzhi paused for a moment after hearing this, and then slowly said: "The emperor should start preparing to recover Hebei, and I will arrange the next court affairs."

……

There are many talented people in this world, and many of them can see the problems facing the empire now. If there are problems, they must be solved. Many people have begun to offer their opinions, hoping to put forward their own views at this time.

The same is true for Luo.

The marriage of Luo Xianzhi and Li Cunxu was another strategic decision for the Luo family.

In the Luo family, a voice has gradually emerged that the old path cannot be followed anymore.

“For the past two thousand years, we have always been following a path that seemed extremely bright and seemed to be able to solve all problems.

He tried his best to expand outward and seize more living space, and tried his best to solve the internal administrative problems of the empire to slow down the corruption of the empire. He also cracked down on land annexation many times, and even implemented the land-based tax system and the unified tax payment for officials and gentry, so that the tax revenue of the empire was always sufficient.

We even have money, a weapon that surpasses everything else and allows the empire's economy to continue to prosper.

But what's the final result?
There has not been any fundamental change. In just three hundred years, the empire has fallen into a huge crisis. Facing natural disasters, we are still so fragile. All the prosperity is like a palace built on the beach. It has no strong foundation and is not solid at all.

What was the Empire's final solution to the problem?
The problem can only be solved by relying on large-scale wars and famines, causing large numbers of people to starve to death.

What should we do if the population of the empire increases significantly again? We can also foresee that there will be another great famine in the future.

Because there is only so much land, and each acre of land can only produce so much grain.

We own almost all the land suitable for farming. According to our calculations, with our current population growth rate, even if we acquire as much land as we do now, we still will not be able to feed the population of the empire in another hundred years.

We are also extremely dependent on God. Once it doesn't rain or there are other climate changes, we will have to bear the unknown consequences.

The path we have adhered to for the past two thousand years, the path of wise monarchs, may no longer be enough.

The dynasties of the past were unable to achieve such a rule, so countless people had expectations for it.

But in the Tang Dynasty, with the help of the Luo family, we have reached the end of this road, and at the end, we are faced with the inability to change the current situation.

Finding a new path is an urgent matter.”

The voices coming from within the Luo family were deafening, tearing apart many people's fantasies of warmth and love. The current problem could no longer be solved by a wise ruler and capable ministers.

"What kind of road?"

When such a question was asked, some people remained silent while others became excited.

Most of these excited people were researchers from the Luo Institute. They pushed forward a person and said loudly, "It's very simple. Use the principles of heaven and earth to replace the principles of man, and use the power of heaven and earth to make up for the deficiencies of man."

What is the principle and power of heaven and earth.

A huge monster first appeared inside Luo's house. It looked somewhat majestic and somewhat strange. It looked like a furnace but different. It was made of steel.

What is this?
This is something produced by the research institute, it must have magical effects. The Rockwell Research Institute has developed many good things in the past, all of which are magical. What effect does this have now?

This iron machine was brought to the river, where a waterwheel was placed.

"This waterwheel won't work."

Someone said this.

The Luo family is very familiar with various agricultural tools. Waterwheels are driven by water power, or by human or animal power.

Although there is no concept of conservation of energy and no law of conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy, it is still clear that a waterwheel needs another force to drive it to deliver water.

The location where this waterwheel is placed is completely useless.

Everyone turned their eyes to the people in the research institute, wanting to know what they were up to, while the researchers' faces were filled with excitement.

This epoch-making product, the greatest invention produced by their mechanics, is about to show its power to the whole world.

As the rumbling sound rang out, ordinary people could not imagine that the seemingly shapeless steam could have such a powerful force that could push the steel to rotate with the strength of nine oxen and two tigers.

When the huge waterwheel began to rumble and turn without any external force, those who saw it for the first time were stunned as if they were struck by lightning.

"My fellow tribesmen, this is the result of the research institute's work over the past few years."

"We call it a steam engine!"

"As long as there is fuel, it will have a force generated from within that will change everything. As long as it is given enough fuel to make it bigger, the force it generates will be greater than that of a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand people!"

"The first thing it will change is all the water conservancy in the world. With this thing, we can extract enough water from any river to irrigate the fields."

"The second thing it can change is smelting. In the past, we had to rely on manpower to hammer it continuously, but now, look at the power it possesses. As long as it is spinning and smashing down from high to low, it is equivalent to 10,000 times of hammering."

"It rotates so fast that the machines that used to be spun by human hands will be much more efficient."

“What else does it do?

I don’t know yet, but I know that such a powerful machine that can move autonomously will change the world.”

For a researcher, there has never been a brighter and more glorious moment than now, as he introduced this big guy to everyone.

“This is an invention that embodies the wisdom of everyone.”

The steam engine invented by Rockwell had solid theoretical knowledge, so many aspects were taken into consideration when designing it. It can be said that the design is very complete.

It is not a bulky machine that can only be used to pump water, but one that can be used as a prime mover.

"This news must be reported to the head of the family immediately."

"We must organize family members to go to the Divine Capital and inform the head of the family of this matter. The empire needs this weapon."

……

Luoyang Imperial Palace.

When Luo Xianzhi heard the news, she couldn't hide her shock, and then she suddenly looked up at the sky, "It's really God's blessing."

Facing a group of researchers from Rockwell Automation, she asked a question, "Since the steam engine can make the water wheel turn, can it make the wheel turn by itself?
Since the steam engine can make the water wheel turn much faster than animal power and water power, can it make the wheel turn faster than a horse pull? "

As soon as these two questions were asked, the hall fell silent, with only the researchers of the Luo family becoming more excited than each other.

"Master, of course!"

"Master, what you said is something we have never thought of, but in principle, it is not difficult. As long as we design more wheels and make the front or rear wheels move, we can get a car that does not need horses to pull it."

No need for horses to pull carts. This was a huge improvement for the empire and could greatly save the empire's food consumption.

"But Master, I just thought about it for a while. There are still many difficulties that need to be solved. For example, the steam engine is not safe enough and there is a risk of explosion. If the speed of the wheels is too fast, the current wooden wheels and axles will not be able to withstand it and will break. If the speed is too fast, the road will be extremely bumpy. These are all things that can be thought of with a little thought."

Once your thoughts start to diverge, you will be able to think of more and more things.

"I am not in a hurry. I believe that Luo's research institute will give me a satisfactory answer.

There are many talented people in the world, let them all get involved, such a tool that can change the world should be put to use as soon as possible. "

The surprise that Luo brought to Luo Xianzhi was not just the steam engine.

Although this thing is very useful, it is also one of the cornerstones and needs time to develop before it can play its role. It gives Luo's hope of solving future problems.

The real threats facing the empire now are the refugees from the Central Plains and the forces that have already established their own regimes in the surrounding areas.

Luo Xianzhi and Li Cunxu had originally planned to half-attack and half-win over these forces. After all, it was impossible to really resort to force. If they really did that, the Tang Dynasty would surely fall apart again. Not to mention the border provinces, even the Central Plains would explode.

But what the Luo family brought made Luo Xianzhi see another way.

This thing is a cannon.

The cannon is more powerful than all previous firearms. Although it is limited by the power limit of black powder and is far from being as terrifying as modern ones, it is enough to be used in this era.

When a weapon that can break through the city walls appears in this era, there is no need to say more.

Every technological innovation in the Central Plains will change the situation of the war, and now Luo Xianzhi has seen that the situation of the war has changed again.

"The Daredevil Warriors and the Temple Army are coming to an end."

Luo Xianzhi suddenly said with emotion.

Luo fell silent upon hearing this. The strength of the Warriors and the Temple Army was due to their strong individual strength and strict coordination, so they had the ability to dominate the battlefield.

But if one day, the role of humans in war becomes smaller and smaller, then the role of the elite will become smaller and smaller.

If one day, equipment can indiscriminately cause massive casualties to people on the battlefield, and the difference in skills and tactics between elite and non-elite becomes extremely small, then the brave warriors, a type of military force that requires a lot of time and money to train, will lose its necessity to exist.

When artillery appeared, it was time for the brave warriors to withdraw from the stage of history. Otherwise, one shot would cause some brave warriors to die.

It's not just the brave warriors who are about to exit the stage of history.

All beings who rely on armor to gain powerful combat effectiveness will have to withdraw from the stage of history, such as those noble lords or fierce generals charging on the battlefield.

Luo Xianzhi had no time to lament the drastic changes that were about to happen in the world. She was a very pragmatic person, and she invested money in the research of all equipment that could improve combat effectiveness at present, as well as things that would be of great use in the future.

Firearms were her current focus.

Transportation is something she is concerned about in the future.

……

As the Luo researcher told Luo Xianzhi, it is not difficult to install a steam engine on a carriage, and it is not difficult to make the car run on its own.

However, it is very difficult to use the car normally. Even on a smooth straight road, the car cannot run smoothly.

The steam power installed in the car was not enough to allow the car to really reach a speed that surpassed the horse-drawn carriage. It was a rather failed invention.

And according to theoretical calculations, the main problem is actually that the efficiency of the steam engine is low after all, and the conversion ratio it can achieve is too poor.

This is a device that requires a lot of force to work miracles. It is basically impossible to ask it to handle such a small object and exert a lot of force.

There are too many difficulties that need to be solved by cars, but difficulties cannot defeat smart people.

If the power was not enough, they would increase it. Huge steam boilers were then cast. And because the steam engines were so large, they had even bigger carriages. In this way, trains were invented before cars were even invented.

Solving the problems of trains is much easier than solving the problems of cars. At least the two biggest problems of trains have been solved.

First, it can run, and live up to expectations, almost as fast as a horse-drawn carriage, but it does not need to rest or eat.

Second, it is powerful. Rockefeller attached several carriages to a steam engine. This thing is really much more useful than a horse-drawn carriage.

When the train was invented, researchers at Rockwell thought that it would be horrific if it was used to transport troops and military supplies.

No one on the road eats the horse's biscuits.

The distance that can be transported far exceeds the current Central Plains of the empire. If trains can reach every part of the empire, how much will the scope of the empire's direct jurisdiction expand?

No one could have guessed.

Many things are difficult at the beginning. When the train appeared, Luo soon realized that special tracks should be built for the train to run.

This is not something that Luo can handle.

So the steam locomotive was delivered to Luo Xianzhi's desk. Luo Xianzhi did not expect that the Luo family would actually create such a means of transportation.

"Building a dedicated track for steam locomotives can effectively prevent vibrations and damage to the locomotives during travel, and preparing firewood and coal in the cities along the way, as well as enough water, to replenish energy for the steam engines along the way."

Luo Xianzhi agreed with a stroke of his pen.

At this time, Li Cunxu had already quelled the chaos in Hebei and was leading his army southward. As for the Song army, they had been in a state of panic for a long time. Seeing that the rebellion within the empire had been basically quelled, how could they not be panicked?

But considering that the Song State had a powerful navy and was far away from the imperial mainland, the empire had been in chaos and was severely damaged. It was impossible for it to have the ability to wage a war with hundreds of thousands of people far away from the imperial mainland.

So I wasn't so scared anymore.

……

All the surrounding vassal states were unaware of the drastic changes that were taking place within the Tang Dynasty.

Even most people in the Central Plains were still unaware of these exchanges between the Luo family and the royal family.

These things have not yet been rolled out to the world.

Li Cunxu was fond of artillery, and when this weapon appeared on the battlefield, he quickly created new tactics for it.

After the artillery was fully deployed, those heavy armors really became a burden.

For Luo Xianzhi, artillery is important, but more important is the steam locomotive, or train.

She was determined to build tracks throughout the Tang Dynasty.

Another thing that happened during this period was that wooden tracks were previously used, but they were soon abandoned. When iron tracks were used, the pig iron used at first was too fragile, so wrought iron was eventually used.

If we want to lay railroad tracks based on the amount of cast iron produced in the Tang Dynasty, it would not be an easy task.

But with the steam engine, these things became much easier.

There is the Grand Canal connecting the north and the south. Luo Xianzhi is not particularly urgent about transportation along the Grand Canal, nor is it particularly urgent for coastal cities. Now the Tang Dynasty can use sea transportation.

Her pressing demand for the railways was a demand for domination.

The capital of the Tang Dynasty was in Luoyang, and with the Grand Canal, the country had relatively strong control over Hebei, Jianghuai, and Jiangnan.

However, the Tang Dynasty’s control over Guanzhong, Hexi, and the Western Regions was much weaker than when Chang’an was the capital.

Therefore, the first railway that Luo Xianzhi wanted to build was from Chang'an to the Western Regions to strengthen the empire's control over the west.

The second railway is the control over Karakorum.

After suppressing the rebellion of Yan State, Luo Xianzhi and Li Cunxu decided to abolish the administrative system of Yan State and set up Lingbei Province in the area where Yan State was located, corresponding to Lingnan Province.

Luo Xianzhi hoped to build a railway from Jicheng to Kharakorum, but this idea did not succeed. Now it is very difficult for Luo's family to lay railroad tracks on flat ground, after all, there is a lack of a large number of skilled workers, and there is no way to cross mountains and rivers.

Therefore, in the end, they had to start construction from Liaodong, but it was also difficult. In a short period of time, they could only rely on the traditional model to rule Karakorum.

However, after great progress was made in textile machines, the demand for wool in the Central Plains suddenly increased. After careful consideration, Luo Xianzhi decided to provide economic support to the Lingbei Province.

The imperial court purchased wool from Lingbei Province and established some royal workshops in Lingbei Province. Wool was purchased from all over Lingbei Province and then woven here, completing the entire process in one go.

In this way, Lingbei, which has always been outside the goods exchange system, can join the Tang Dynasty's trading system. Although this is only a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution, it can at least stabilize Lingbei in a short period of time.

As for whether establishing a workshop in Lingbei would harm the royal interests, that was a joke. The royal family, who owned Luo's Money House, didn't worry about losing out in any transaction.

There is only a difference between earning more and earning more.

The Tang Empire was in such chaos and the court had been fighting wars for such a long time, but there was never a shortage of military funds. What was lacking was food. Under the management of the Luo family, the financial system of the Tang Dynasty was quite stable.

……

Wars become easier to fight as time goes on, especially for ethnic groups with the same language and culture. The resistance in the early stages is the strongest, and once one side begins to gain momentum, it will basically be crushed.

More people surrendered than resisted.

Li Cunxu felt it at this moment. For him, the most difficult war was the first war with the State of Yan, and dealing with Zhu Wen was also very difficult.

But after these two battles, when the army marched east to quell the rebellion, many people had already surrendered voluntarily. Even many Yan troops who were still entangled in Liaodong surrendered.

When he went south, he received people who surrendered along the way.

He truly had the aura of a king and a tyrant, and all the heroes and brave men bowed down to him.

After he crossed the Yangtze River and arrived in the Jiangnan Province, the chief officials of the Lingnan Province and other places, as well as princes and nobles, all went to kneel and welcome him, the emperor.

This is the scene that will always occur once the situation in the world becomes clear.

In history, this is called the people's support.

The Tang Dynasty emerged from a great fire, and not only did it not burn to ashes, but it felt like it had been refined into real gold.

The glorious Tang Dynasty stood up again on the ruins.

----

"A person's destiny depends not only on personal struggle, but more on the course of history."

Li Cunxu is considered one of the most outstanding emperors in the history of the Tang Dynasty. He put an end to the chaos in the empire. During his tenure, the Tang Dynasty reached another peak of prosperity. He was even given the temple name of Zhongzu.

But in fact, it was not that his ability was much greater than that of previous kings, but more like fate favored him.

The emergence of steam engines and the advancement of firearms put the Tang Empire, which was supposed to decline, on a new fast track. The dividends of the Industrial Revolution were fully unleashed during his reign. In politics, he followed the policies of Luo Xianzhi, thus creating the prosperity of the mid-Tang Dynasty. ——"The Rise and Fall of the Tang Empire"

(End of this chapter)