The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 161 A Sincere And Passionate Heart
On the sixth day of the eighth month, the emperor personally visited the Ministry of Works.
Yuan Mu, the Minister of Works, along with Vice Ministers Li Yude and Tang Shen, welcomed the emperor.
The group arrived at the backyard of the Ministry of Works, where a large, tall pavilion made of bright yellow brocade had already been erected. Beneath the pavilion stood a massive, pitch-black object, occupying two-thirds of the courtyard.
The object had a ventilation chimney on top, with supervising officials and working craftsmen standing on either side.
"Is this the so-called 'cage box'?" Zhao Fu pointed at the cage box and asked Tang Shen.
Tang Shen replied, "Your Majesty, indeed it is. Please look here."
Everyone followed Tang Shen as they approached the enormous, dark cage box. Tang Shen explained, "This is where coal is added to the cage box, and this is the ventilation port. Since the internal temperature of the cage box is extremely high, a cooling device has also been installed." Tang Shen spoke at length, and although Zhao Fu didn't fully understand, he found it intriguing. Following Tang Shen's explanation, they reached the end.
Yuan Mu said, "This is a blacksmith's forge."
Ji Mengwen, standing nearby, added, "Minister Yuan daren is correct. This is indeed a common blacksmith's forge, and this is the anvil used for forging. The function of the cage box is not visible to the naked eye, so we need to use other tools to demonstrate its purpose."
Left Vice Minister Li Yude remarked, "I notice this forge is different from the usual ones. Look at the hammer—it seems to be connected to the cage box. If this is for forging, have we arranged for a blacksmith today? I don't see the Director of the Metal Department."
Tang Shen replied, "Once the cage box is activated, Left Vice Minister Li daren will understand."
The emperor grew even more curious about the cage box.
Seeing this, Tang Shen wasted no time. He signaled to Ji Mengwen, who immediately gathered the craftsmen to start the cage box.
Several craftsmen received the order and quickly opened the coal compartment, shoveling large chunks of coal into the furnace. The temperature inside the cage box rose rapidly, and the air visibly distorted. Tang Shen led Zhao Fu to step back to the courtyard entrance, observing from a distance.
The craftsmen wiped sweat from their brows, carefully monitoring the temperature and steam inside the cage box while also controlling heat dissipation and gas containment.
Indeed, the cage box was the Song Dynasty's version of a steam engine.
Two years ago, Tang Shen had Yao San locate large coal mines in the Liao State and bring back significant amounts of coal. The Liao State, vast and expansive, contained several famous coal mines that would later become well-known. With some raw materials secured, Tang Shen had long since begun experimenting with steam engines in the Tang Family Workshop.
In later generations, any middle school student would know that the first industrial revolution began with the invention of the Watt steam engine.
Every industrial revolution is a revolution in productivity.
The principle of the steam engine is not complicated—it uses steam to power machinery, replacing traditional human labor and even natural forces like water power. However, while it sounds simple, achieving it was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
In his previous life, Tang Shen was a proper engineering student, but that didn't mean he could directly create a steam engine given the current level of technology and productivity. Not to mention a steam engine, he couldn't even produce a simple steam-powered device! Therefore, before he took charge of the Ministry of Works and established the Ministry of Construction and Reform, the steam engine project in the Tang Family Workshop had already hit a bottleneck.
It wasn't until Tang Shen was promoted to Right Vice Minister of Works, with the support of Zhao Fu and the entire Song Dynasty, and collaborating with the finest craftsmen in the land, that the current cage box was created.
Tang Shen understood the emperor well. Zhao Fu didn't need grandiose, empty explanations. He needed a tangible example that he could see and that would make him feel this achievement would immortalize his name.
Thus, Tang Shen and Ji Mengwen went to great lengths to connect the blacksmith's forge to the cage box.
Tang Shen's expression was solemn as he gazed earnestly at the massive, dark machine under the sunlight.
A sharp whistling sound was heard, followed by a thunderous clanging of metal. The noise, like thunder, echoed through the courtyard, startling everyone. The chief eunuch, Ji Fu, immediately spread his arms to shield Zhao Fu: "Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!"
Yuan Mu and Li Yude were also frightened.
Tang Shen bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the noise when the cage box starts is indeed loud, but the craftsmen and I have tested it many times. Its safety is guaranteed."
Zhao Fu was no ordinary emperor. Initially startled, he now pushed aside Ji Fu, who was blocking him, and said calmly, "I see. Jing Ze, your cage box has truly surprised me."
The cage box continued to rumble, but since Zhao Fu didn't seem concerned, the others had no choice but to brace themselves and watch.
Five craftsmen continuously inspected each part of the cage box, occasionally adding coal. To dissipate heat, the chimney at the top released large amounts of hot air. Tang Shen sighed inwardly. These were all energy losses, but given the current circumstances, this was the best the craftsmen could do.
After about fifteen minutes, accompanied by the deafening noise of the cage box, the hammer connected to the cage box suddenly moved.
Zhao Fu had been quietly observing, but upon seeing this, he was stunned.
Yuan Mu, Li Yude, and the others also widened their eyes in shock.
The hammer moved slightly at first, then suddenly swung in a semicircular arc, striking the anvil with force and beginning to forge.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The hammer struck the anvil repeatedly, flattening the red-hot iron prepared by the craftsmen into long strips. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the hammer's initial strikes varied in force, but gradually, it began to strike with consistent angle and strength.
The red-hot iron grew flatter and flatter. At Tang Shen's command, the craftsmen stopped adding fuel to the cage box.
Ji Mengwen brought the flattened iron sheet to present to the emperor.
The iron sheet had already cooled, revealing a dark color. Zhao Fu reached out and touched the small piece of iron. Suddenly, he looked up, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, and stared at Tang Shen. "This is like the legendary devices of Gongshu Ban, where pressing a single button can set off a chain reaction."
Legend has it that Gongshu Ban, also known as Lu Ban, the ancestor of carpenters, created wooden devices where activating a single mechanism could trigger the entire system.
The Song Dynasty also had masters of mechanics, and the Ministry of Works had a few. But both they and Tang Shen knew that energy is conserved. There is no mechanism in the world that can forge iron with just a light touch.
Tang Shen said, "Gongshu Ban's wooden devices exist only in legends, but the cage box stands before Your Majesty."
Zhao Fu: "This cage box can forge iron, as I have seen. But it seems quite labor-intensive. What two people can do, this cage box requires five craftsmen."
Tang Shen replied calmly, "Using the cage box to forge iron is merely to demonstrate its function to Your Majesty. The cage box is like a tireless craftsman. Forging iron is just a small application. The power of steam in the cage box can do far more than just forge iron."
"What else can it do?" Zhao Fu's voice suddenly became urgent.
Tang Shen looked up at him, his gaze serious. "This, even I dare not predict."
That day, Zhao Fu summoned the four prime ministers of Qinzheng Hall and all high-ranking officials second rank and above to the Ministry of Works to inspect the cage box.
The emperor was uncertain. He vaguely sensed that this "small" cage box was not simple, like the tip of an iceberg, hiding unpredictable power. But he couldn't see it now, and perhaps in the few years he had left, he would never see it.
Xu Bi, Wang Quan, Chen Linghai, Geng Shaoyun... all the high-ranking officials of the Song Dynasty saw the cage box.
As Tang Shen had said the previous night, Wang Zifeng would also see the cage box.
When Wang Zifeng saw the cage box, he was instantly awestruck by this massive, cumbersome iron contraption. Seeing his stunned expression, Right Prime Minister Wang Quan teased, "Zi Feng, do you understand the function of this cage box?"
Wang Zifeng's lips moved, and after a moment, he said, "Not really." His tone was hesitant.
Wang Quan: "Then why do you look like that?"
Wang Zifeng: "I understand Jing Ze's intentions at this moment."
That night, the high-ranking officials submitted memorials to Chuigong Hall, expressing their opinions on the cage box.
Xu Bi, Chen Linghai, Meng Lang, and others remained silent about the cage box. They truly didn't understand its purpose. Wang Quan, Wang Zifeng, and others unconditionally supported Tang Shen, submitting memorials requesting the emperor's approval for the Ministry of Construction and Reform to build more cage boxes.
Among them, Yuan Mu, the Minister of Works, wrote a ten-thousand-word memorial, which he presented at the next morning's court session.
He had stayed up all night.
Yuan Mu was the second-place scholar in the imperial examinations during the previous emperor's reign. In the twenty-first year of Kaiping, Zhao Fu appointed him Minister of Works.
Zhao Fu never appointed officials based on their talents. Like Tang Shen, he became Right Vice Minister of Works not because Zhao Fu recognized his aptitude for the role, but because Su Wenyun happened to be promoted to Qinzheng Hall, vacating the position of Right Vice Minister of Works. The Ministry of Works was a relatively idle department, with limited power and constrained by multiple ministries. For Tang Shen to be promoted to a third-rank official, becoming Right Vice Minister of Works was a suitable, albeit nominal, transitional position.
Yuan Mu was not a scholar of engineering, but after becoming Minister of Works, he began to study engineering texts extensively.
Thus, he remained Minister of Works for fifteen years. While other officials in the Ministry of Works came and went, Yuan Mu stayed. He was a conservative official, never proposing bold policies, and devoted himself to the Ministry of Works. But he truly became an official of the Ministry of Works.
Yuan Mu submitted a memorial requesting the emperor to build more cage boxes.
Perhaps the ten-thousand-word memorial moved the emperor, or perhaps Zhao Fu believed in the fate hinted at within it. He immediately issued an edict, ordering the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites to assist the Ministry of Works in vigorously developing the cage box.
In the Immortal Ascension Platform, Zhao Fu, dressed in Taoist robes, sat cross-legged in the center of the hall.
Before him were nine eternal lamps. The evening breeze blew into the hall, causing the white curtains to float like a fairyland.
Tang Shen, led by Ji Fu, entered the Immortal Ascension Platform.
Zhao Fu's eyes were closed, still immersed in his cultivation. Tang Shen remained silent, waiting quietly. After about fifteen minutes, Zhao Fu opened his eyes. He slowly exhaled a turbid breath and looked up at Tang Shen. His aged, weary eyes gazed at Tang Shen for a long time. Suddenly, Zhao Fu raised his hand. Tang Shen was startled, but before he could react, Zhao Fu's hand moved forward and then stopped.
Zhao Fu sighed leisurely, "Jing Ze, look at me. I have practiced Taoism for over twenty years, yet I cannot extinguish a lamp with a wave of my hand. But your cage box can forge iron out of thin air. After all these years of practicing Taoism, I am still inferior to you. What is the purpose of seeking immortality and the Tao? What am I truly seeking?"
Since Tang Shen became Right Vice Minister of Works, it had been a long time since Zhao Fu asked him such a life-or-death question. He lowered his head to hide his expression, pondered for a moment, and said, "Ordinary people practice Taoism to live for ten thousand years. I dare to ask Your Majesty for forgiveness before I speak freely."
"Haha, when did you become so cautious? Speak freely!"
"Yes. I believe that Your Majesty's practice of Taoism is not like that of ordinary people, focused solely on life and death. Your Majesty cultivates the sincerity in your heart, the fearlessness in your heart, and the reverence and solemnity toward heaven, earth, and the gods. Common people often speak of the grace of incense, offering sacrifices to gods and Buddhas, but if we speak of their true faith, when is it the untraceable gods and Buddhas instead of Your Majesty, who bestows grace upon the people and brings peace to the world!"
Zhao Fu was slightly stunned.
Tang Shen continued smoothly. "Your Majesty practices Taoism for the sake of the people, as the faith and reverence of all people. Your Majesty just said you wanted to extinguish a lamp with a wave of your hand. Extinguishing a lamp with a wave of your hand is merely a superficial representation of what Your Majesty truly desires." Tang Shen looked up, his gaze fervent and sincere, suddenly burning Zhao Fu's hypocritical heart.
Tang Shen spoke each word with true sincerity. "What Your Majesty desires is beyond your physical capabilities, but your heart wishes to act, to accomplish great deeds for the people and for future generations. Your desire is what we, your subjects, should strive to achieve. What you practice is not Taoism, but the great merit of eternity!"
After finishing, Tang Shen bowed deeply to the ground.
Zhao Fu stared at him blankly. After a long while, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he said calmly, "I have taken your words to heart."
Tang Shen's eyes flickered, but he remained bowed, saying nothing.
After leaving the Immortal Ascension Platform, Tang Shen wiped the sweat from his palms and finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, though he relaxed, his expression grew more serious.
What he had said to Zhao Fu was seventy percent false and thirty percent true.
Why did Zhao Fu practice Taoism?
Of course, it was to seek immortality.
But Zhao Fu also knew that immortality did not exist. If he truly believed in it, he wouldn't have summoned the monk Shanting to the palace two years ago and then executed him on a whim.
Zhao Fu possessed the false facade common to all emperors, but he also had something many emperors lacked: the great determination and resolve to accomplish real deeds, driven by vanity, and he had indeed achieved real accomplishments.
After Tang Shen left, Zhao Fu did not continue his Taoist practices in the Immortal Ascension Platform. He sat cross-legged in the hall, meditating while staring blankly at the Bagua diagram on the floor.
"Is my heart truly for the people and for future generations?"
"Even I believe it now."
In the empty hall, the emperor's self-mocking words were as cold as the night breeze, but he fell silent again. After a long while, he smiled and said, "In the court, perhaps only this one sincere and passionate heart remains."
The edict to expand the Ministry of Construction and Reform soon reached the Ministry of Works, and with it came news of the return of Yu Chaosheng, the Minister of Justice and Vice Commander of the Silver Pull Division.
When Yu Chaosheng left the capital, he accompanied an army of one hundred thousand, and what a grand spectacle it was. When he returned, the one hundred thousand troops remained in the Northwest, but he still attracted the attention of the entire court because he brought back four guilty officials.
Yu Chaosheng: "Wang Xiao and Mei Shengze of the Silver Pull Division, Liang Jiao and Qian Xu of the Youzhou Flying Cavalry. First, imprison these four in the Ministry of Justice's prison. After I report to His Majesty, further arrangements will be made."
"Yes."
The news that Yu Chaosheng had brought back four guilty officials spread throughout the capital overnight.
That night, Yu Chaosheng visited his mentor, Xu Bi. The teacher and student talked late into the night, staying up until dawn.
The next day, Yu Chaosheng submitted a memorial. All officials' memorials had to pass through Qinzheng Hall before reaching the emperor. Currently, the person responsible for reviewing memorials from second-rank officials was Right Vice Prime Minister Geng Shaoyun. Geng Shaoyun was not affiliated with the Xu faction or the Wang faction; he was the emperor's confidant.
Holding Yu Chaosheng's memorial, Vice Prime Minister Geng felt troubled and hesitated.
In the end, he still submitted the memorial to the emperor's desk.
Zhao Fu was a diligent emperor. Every important memorial submitted by Qinzheng Hall would be reviewed by him as soon as possible. When he opened this memorial, his eyebrows twitched, and his expression became unreadable.
Yu Chaosheng's memorial stated that Wang Xiao, Mei Shengze, and two other Youzhou officials had been acting suspiciously, suggesting covert activities.
Of course, the emperor knew what these four officials' suspicious activities and covert actions were. These four were the spies that Su Wenyun and Tang Shen had personally planted in the Liao State and Youzhou to carry out their plans against the Liao!
Zhao Fu placed the memorial on the table, neither summoning Yu Chaosheng to explain the truth nor issuing an edict to release the four. The emperor pondered for a long time. He felt that Yu Xianzhi was not the type to make a fuss over such a small matter, arresting four court officials and imprisoning them in the Ministry of Justice's prison.
"Is there some follow-up plan?"
Yu Chaosheng, like his mentor Xu Bi, was always meticulous in his actions, not seeking swift results but ensuring no loose ends.
He did not directly submit a memorial to the emperor stating that these four officials had close ties with Wang Zifeng, the Left Senior Grand Secretary and Commander of the Silver Pull Division, because he still needed to observe how much the emperor knew about this.
After Zhao Fu read his memorial, he did not mention a single word about it during the morning court session, as if he had never seen the memorial.
Yu Chaosheng immediately understood: The emperor was aware of this matter!
But how much did the emperor know? Could it be that Wang Zifeng's interactions with these four officials, and his deployments in the northwest and the Liao State, were all under the emperor's orders?
In the Left Prime Minister's residence, Yu Chaosheng pondered deeply and said, "I believe Wang Zifeng should not be involved in this matter. His Majesty trusts Wang Zifeng greatly, but His Majesty is inherently suspicious and dislikes ministers who monopolize power. Sir, you need not say it—you have never liked to involve yourself in such matters. You have always taught me that as an official, one must act with measure. The former Left Prime Minister, Ji Wengji, held great power, but he never reached the level of Wang Zifeng's current methods. I believe that Ji Wengji's actions were the limit of what His Majesty could tolerate, and Wang Zifeng has now crossed that line."
Xu Bi smiled slightly, took a sip of tea, and said, "Indeed. In that case, what do you plan to do?"
Yu Chaosheng thought for a moment. "Since we are to oppose Wang Zifeng, we must act more decisively. If we do not strike a fatal blow, when Wang Zifeng makes a comeback, it will be an endless trouble. I plan to first interrogate those four officials, ensuring that I thoroughly impeach Wang Zifeng before the emperor, leaving him no chance of recovery."
Yu Chaosheng's actions could deceive many, but they could not deceive Right Prime Minister Wang Quan.
After the court session, Wang Quan immediately sought out his nephew and said, "How can you still smile? Do you know that Yu Chaosheng has already submitted a memorial to Chuigong Hall for His Majesty to see! Aren't you afraid he might fabricate something about you in the memorial?"
Wang Zifeng, fanning himself with a white silk folding fan, smiled and said, "Uncle, have you seen the memorial?"
Wang Quan, momentarily blinded by the fan, replied with slight irritation, "Of course not. Reviewing memorials is Vice Prime Minister Geng's duty. I am not particularly close with Vice Prime Minister Geng, so how could I know what is written in the memorial?"
"Then why worry?"
"You...!"
Wang Quan was thoroughly exasperated by his nephew, but Wang Zifeng spread his fan and said, "Uncle, there is no need to worry so much. If you are already this anxious now, how will you cope in the future? His Majesty saw the memorial yesterday, but he did not reprimand me during today's morning court session. Therefore, the memorial must not have mentioned me."
Wang Quan thought for a moment. "What you say makes sense, but how do you know that Yu Chaosheng did not mention you yesterday and will not directly impeach you in tomorrow's morning court session?"
Wang Zifeng laughed outright, his handsome face radiant, his eyes sparkling like stars. "Uncle, I have always believed that to succeed in any endeavor, one must know both oneself and one's opponent. Yu Xianzhi and I passed the imperial examinations in the same year. Since we are of the same cohort, how could I not pay attention to him? Perhaps even he is unaware that I have long taken notice of him. Naturally, I have paid attention to all the jinshi who passed the examinations in the eighteenth year of Kaiping, not just Yu Xianzhi."
Wang Quan was surprised. "You have time for such things?"
Wang Zifeng: "It's just a pastime during my leisure hours. Uncle, have you forgotten? I have an eidetic memory."
Wang Quan was noncommittal. Even if he had an eidetic memory, he would not spend his leisure time on such matters. His nephew was truly an eccentric.
Wang Zifeng sighed, "I have never considered Yu Xianzhi a rival."
Wang Quan was astonished, "I did not know you held him in such high regard!"
"High regard?" Wang Zifeng seemed to have heard a great joke. His eyes widened, and he laughed for a while before saying, "Yu Xianzhi is weak, indecisive, kind, and simple-minded! If he had studied under Prime Minister Ji, I might have been wary of him. But he studied under Prime Minister Xu. Prime Minister Xu is even more hesitant and indecisive. Why should I consider such a person my rival?"
The implication: Yu Chaosheng could never defeat me in this lifetime.
Wang Quan understood his meaning. Although he did not fully grasp where his nephew's confidence came from, he sighed. "I have never seen a villain criticize a good person for being too kind and therefore incompetent. Impressive, truly impressive. The Wang clan of Langya has prospered for hundreds of years, accumulating pearls and jade, scholarly blessings. It must have taken a century of accumulation to produce such a corrupt official like you, Wang Zifeng."
Wang Zifeng bowed sincerely. "Uncle, you flatter me."
Wang Quan: "..."
While Wang Zifeng had his own plans, Tang Shen encountered someone who should not have been there.
Mei Shengze's father traveled from Northern Zhili and waited at the entrance of the Ministry of Works for an entire day before finally meeting Tang Shen.
As soon as Mei Shengze's father saw Tang Shen, he knelt down, but Tang Shen quickly stopped him.
The elderly man, tears streaming down his face, pleaded. "Tang daren, please, I beg you to save Ling Fu, save Ling Fu!"
AN: In truth, Old Zhao was not wrong in saying that in the entire court, our Little Tang Lang is the only one who can be considered a good person in any sense. The so-called thick-skinned and black-hearted—Little Tang Lang's face is thick enough, but his heart is not yet black enough.
Wang Zifeng: With me being black-hearted, it is enough. My little junior brother should be as pure as possible, every part of him~ pure (white), that would be best.
Tang Shen: ...@#$@#%@#%!#!!!