Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 252: Technology Cultivation, Flying Sword, Robot Wolves Looking for Friends [Please Subscribe]

"These people find it impossible to achieve higher-level pursuits beyond simply having enough food and clothing through hard work, and then encounter some injustices. Without the support of family and friends, some of them become the invincible people described in the video."

"Of course, in later generations like Korea and Japan, even the most invincible people would choose to lie down, slowly and silently grow old, and leave this world."

"It's only a small number of people who go to extremes, but even this small number can cause considerable harm to society."

After listening to Liu Kuan's story, Zhu Yuanzhang pondered and said, "After people have enough food and clothing, they will have higher pursuits - this is indeed the truth."

"Speaking of which, I originally thought that future nations would rely on advanced technology to ensure that their people had enough food and clothing, and that there would no longer be refugees, let alone rebellions. But now it seems that may not be the case."

But in his heart, Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking about another thing.

The reason why he actively sent people to introduce American crops to the Ming Dynasty and strongly supported hybrid rice experiments was not only because he wanted to prevent the people from going hungry, but also because he wanted to prevent the people from rebelling due to famine.

According to his original understanding, as long as the people were well fed and clothed, they would not rebel against the imperial court. So, even if the Ming Dynasty could not be said to be eternally stable, it should be able to last for 800 years like the Zhou Dynasty, right?
But now it seems that after people have enough food and clothing, they will have new needs. If these needs are not met and they feel that the world is unfair, they may still rebel.

Doesn’t this mean that it is useless to fill the people’s stomachs?
Or perhaps, by not allowing people to fill their stomachs, we can prevent them from developing even more difficult-to-meet needs?
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt something was wrong, but he didn't want to ask Liu Kuan, so he temporarily put this problem in his heart.

At this time, Zhu Biao also sighed, "Confucius said: 'We are not worried about scarcity, but about inequality; we are not worried about poverty, but about insecurity.' It seems that even in the future, with advanced technology, it will be difficult to ensure that all people feel fair and can live in peace."

Zhu Di said, "Didn't my third brother-in-law say that only a very small number of those invincible people go to extremes, and most people just lie... lie what?"

"Lying down is a more negative state than 'not striving for progress and being content with the status quo'. Of course, it's better than 'indulging in self-degradation'." Liu Kuan explained.

Zhu Di smiled and said, "I think those who choose to lie down in the future are good. They don't cause trouble to the court, nor do they hurt those around them."

Liu Kuan smiled and did not respond, but thought in his heart: He is worthy of being the Yongle Emperor in history, his mentality as a ruler is very natural.

Zhu Biao frowned and said, "If too many people choose to lie low, the country will become decadent and difficult to advance. Over time, it will most likely be destroyed by foreign invasion. This is not a good thing."

Liu Kuan was quite surprised - Zhu Biao had a long-term view of the impact of this matter.

The other older princes also talked for a while, but there was not much new to say. They mostly revolved around the opinions of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao, and Zhu Di.

Then Old Zhu said, "Put down a video—but I have to say, why are all the videos you're looking for about the future and all the bad things?"

"Are there no videos on the second day of the Lunar New Year that can inspire and boost morale?"

Liu Kuan didn't expect that Old Zhu would actually dislike the video he played for being too negative, so he smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry, the next few videos are all positive and absolutely full of positive energy."

"Then play it quickly."

"Yes."

Liu Kuan put down the tablet, and the fourth short video title was also seen by everyone.

"Technology for Immortality! I've used aerospace technology to achieve true sword control! My dream of becoming a martial artist has taken off!"

Seeing this title, the Zhu family was confused again.

Before the video started playing, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "What does the title of this video mean? Can later generations cultivate immortality through technology? And what kind of sword-controlling techniques have they achieved?"

To be honest, even though Zhu Yuanzhang was a very practical person, the idea of ​​"immortality" also came to his mind at this moment.

If technology could really cultivate immortality and even make people immortal like immortals, Zhu Yuanzhang might not be able to live a few more years and lay a more solid foundation for the Ming Dynasty.

After all, handing over the country to your children and grandchildren is not reassuring as it is in your own hands.

Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Tan and others also showed curiosity and excitement.

As long as one has heard the legends of immortals and gods, which man has not dreamed of becoming an immortal and slaying demons and monsters?

Even women want to stay young and immortal through cultivating immortality.

For a moment, the whole Zhu family stared at Liu Kuan with burning eyes, which made him shiver.

He had to explain with some caution: "Your Majesty, in order to attract attention, short videos in later generations often like to use exaggerated or even somewhat false titles."

"Just like the title of this short video, the immortal cultivation is not real immortal cultivation, and the sword control technique is not real sword control technique, but just a gimmick."

Upon hearing this, the Zhu family was greatly disappointed.

Liu Kuan played the video directly.

As soon as the video started, it showed a shocking scene of countless flying swords circling around a masked man in black.

Then the man in black made a sword gesture and pointed forward, and countless flying swords shot forward.

At the same time, eight big characters appeared on the screen - Sword Controlling Technique: Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin!
Although Liu Kuan had previously said that this wasn't true swordplay, the Zhu family had never witnessed anything like it. Their eyes widened in shock.

Zhu Tan thought to himself: Is this the art of controlling a sword? It looks so amazing, I really want to learn it!
Zhu Di thought: If I really have such sword-wielding skills, even if there are thousands of troops on the opposite side, I can kill them all by myself!

Old Zhu and Zhu Biao were wondering: How did they achieve the visuals in this video? Could it be the computer effects Liu Kuan mentioned earlier? Why does it look so real?

Then, the scene shifted, the camera zoomed in and slowed down, and everyone saw that the flying swords were all tied with silk threads, and there were some staff members outside the scene - obviously, this was not a real sword-controlling technique. At this time, the video explanation began.

"The last episode of Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Origin did have a fatal problem, which was that the ten thousand swords weren't actually suspended."

"The simplest and most direct way to solve this problem is to use magnetic levitation or aerospace technology. Without further ado, let's get started!"

During the commentary, the man in black in the video was seen carrying a sword with a thick scabbard on his back. He pointed his hand upwards, and the sword in the scabbard soared into the sky with white "sword energy".

Black people were running and jumping on the street, with flying swords following them.

Of course, because this scene is set in a later-world market, the black-clothed man's attire is also problematic, making it difficult to connect this scene with the legendary sword-riding immortal cultivation...
This video is only a little over three minutes long and it ends in a short while.

"Our era lacks spiritual power and magic, but is filled with dreams and technology. It seems all the plots in martial arts novels can be realized through modern technology, and the future holds even more possibilities."

In the video, the man in black, with the cooperation of the team, developed a magic sword that can wield colorful sword energy. He can also make the magic sword fly according to his "sword skills", and it seems that he really owns a magic sword.

"Maybe spiritual power hasn't disappeared, it just changed its name - technology!"

Under the grass with a black background, the man in black walked to the flying sword, and a line of large white characters appeared above it, announcing the end of the video.

Old Zhu commented, "Liu Kuan, while this video is somewhat interesting, it's of little use to our Ming Dynasty—at most, it demonstrates that future technology can achieve many incredible things."

Liu Kuan explained somewhat helplessly, "Your Majesty, there aren't many videos on my computer that haven't been played yet, so I can only find some that are similar to mine to make up the number."

Zhu Biao asked with great interest, "I think the man in black in this video is quite capable. Is he a great scientist in the future?"

"Your Highness, this person is not a great scientist, but just a famous UP host in the future."

Zhu Biao was puzzled, "Grandmother?"

“They are people who specialize in making various videos.”

Zhu Biao and others were surprised when they heard this. Only then did they realize that there were people in later generations who specialized in making videos.

Zhu Biao then asked, "Could it be that many people in later generations also watch these videos? How do the people who make these videos make a living?"

Liu Kuan said: "People in later generations are busy with work and can only use their spare time for entertainment, so these short videos are very popular, especially those that are dozens of seconds or even ten seconds long."

"If they make a good video and a lot of people watch it, they'll become famous, and it'll be easy for them to make money."

Zhu Biao still couldn't figure out the connection and was about to ask for details when he heard Zhu Yuanzhang say, "Alright, this old lady is just like a street storyteller, what's there to ask? Let's play the next video."

Liu Kuan discovered that Zhu Yuanzhang had a very thorough understanding of things. If he thought about it carefully, weren't the storytellers of later generations, online novel authors, etc., similar to the storytellers of this time?
After expressing his admiration for Lao Zhu in his heart, Liu Kuan played the last short video.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a little unhappy at this time, thinking that Liu Kuan might not have much left in stock, so he didn't have high expectations for the content of this last short video.

However, when he saw the name of this short video, he still became curious.

"Robot wolves looking for friends, drones dropping handkerchiefs??"

What the hell is this title?

I can't understand it at all.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was confused, he held back this time and decided to wait until he finished watching the video before asking.

The psychological activities of other people are roughly the same.

The video begins with a sharp, long, strange chirping sound (the sound of a red alert).

Then dozens of armored vehicles drove to a city where fireworks were everywhere and it seemed that there was no one there.

The "walls" on one side of these armored vehicles automatically opened and lowered to form a ladder. Then, the rectangular metal boxes inside began to transform, sliding along the ladder to the ground, and then extending metal limbs, and the backs of the future muskets emerged.

The camera zoomed up, and hundreds or even thousands of metal animal puppets shaped like dogs were seen coming down from dozens of armored vehicles.

When they gathered together with strange chirping sounds and nimbly entered the city in front of them, the music suddenly changed.

"Looking for a friend. When I find a good friend, I salute him and shake his hand. You are my good friend..."

Could this song be a nursery rhyme from later generations?

For a time, Zhu Yuanzhang, Empress Ma and others all came to this conclusion.

Considering the title, some people can't help but wonder: Could the video be a mechanical wolf? A doll used by future generations to play with children?

　First update.

　　[Because some of the content was censored yesterday, there are 200 words missing. Please forgive me... This chapter barely makes up for it.]

　　
　
(End of this chapter)