Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 305: Lao Zhu's Fantasy, Lantern Festival

Because there were not many days left until the Chinese New Year, the next day Liu Kuan brought a temporary work team composed of people from several departments and institutes under the Tiangong Academy to the palace to lay electrical wires and install electric lights.

Considering that the imperial palace was quite large and some of the palaces and gardens had little need for lighting at night, Liu Kuan did not install electric lights.

After all, the lifespan of today's carbon filament bulbs is only extended to 300-400 hours, requiring replacement roughly once a month. Not only would that cost money, but it would also be a hassle. Better to wait and install a better bulb later.

At the same time, in order to prevent problems with electrical wires and electric lights, which would result in a lack of light in the palace at night, the original candle lighting facilities were retained and not abandoned.

Five days later, four days before the Chinese New Year, the palace's electrical wires, electric lights and animal-powered power station were all installed.

In order to leave a better first impression on Zhu Yuanzhang and to commend the temporary workers and other relevant personnel, Liu Kuan waited until dark before arriving at Fengxian Hall.

"Your Majesty, the palace can now be illuminated by electric lights tonight."

A few days ago, when the construction team was installing electrical wires and lights in Fengxian Hall, Zhu moved to Wuying Hall to handle memorials. Similarly, when the construction of Wuying Hall was underway, he moved back to Fengxian Hall.

In addition, the animal-powered power station was installed last, so Lao Zhu never saw the effect after the electric lights in several halls were installed.

After listening to Liu Kuan's report, he left the dragon throne with great interest and said, "Then let's turn on the lights. Let's take a look at the lighting effects of the Fengxian Hall first, and then look elsewhere."

"Yes."

Liu Kuan responded and signaled the two young eunuchs who were originally in charge of the lamps to turn on the lights in Fengxian Hall.

In order to avoid the risk of electric shock caused by direct contact with wires, Liu Kuan asked the Electrical Research Institute to develop the kind of switch that was pulled by a rope that we remembered from our childhood.

The two young eunuchs had been "trained" long ago and, upon hearing this, went to the east and west corners of the main hall of Fengxian Hall, respectively. There, there was a silk rope half the thickness of a chopstick, with a jade ring made of colored glass tied to it.

The two looked at each other and pulled the silk rope almost at the same time.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw that dozens of light bulbs placed on the walls of the hall and on the central pillars lit up almost at the same time!

It was already night, and the candlesticks in Fengxian Hall had long been lit. The large candles used in Fengxian Hall were much brighter than ordinary candles and oil lamps, but under the illumination of dozens of electric lights, they looked like fireflies, eclipsed.

"Good! Good!" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the many electric lights, smiling, clapping his hands and cheering.

Liu Kuan said, "Your Majesty, here is also a desk lamp developed by the Electrical Equipment Research Institute."

After saying that, Liu Kuan clapped his hands, and the emperor's personal army outside came in with the craftsmen from the Tiangong Academy, carrying a box.

"This lamp needs to be installed on the imperial desk to be useful. Your Majesty, please allow the craftsman to install the lamp for you."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Li Gui, take someone to clear the memorials and other items on the imperial desk so they can install the lamp."

Li Gui responded and took a few eunuchs to quickly clear the imperial desk.

Liu Kuan personally took several craftsmen to install the desk lamp - the wiring of the desk lamp had been arranged in advance, so the craftsmen only needed to place the desk lamp on the imperial desk, connect the wires, and test it.

Zhu Yuanzhang watched the installation and testing process.

After the craftsmen finished their work, he could not wait to sit back on the dragon throne and look at the table lamp on the imperial desk, which was less than three feet high and had a base the size of a large bowl.

The lampshade was a semi-oval, its opening adjusted to face the tabletop. The back of the lampshade was made of celadon, painted with multicolored cloud patterns, and the inside seemed to be inlaid with silver foil.

A delicate purple silk cord hung from the underside of the lampshade, with a white jade ring dangling from the end. The lamppost was made of mahogany and was carved with a coiled dragon painted in gold.

The base is also made of porcelain, but the base is yellow and is painted with patterns of flowers, birds, insects and fish.

The entire desk lamp looks like a work of art.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang disliked extravagance, he was still attracted by the lamp. He followed the same method as the craftsman had used when testing it, gently pulling down the lamp cord. With a click, the large bulb in the lampshade lit up.

The light from the lampshade converged into a gradually expanding beam, shining on the imperial desk. Because carbon filament lamps are relatively dim, the light, although bright, was not glaring.

"Li Gui, just pick up a copy of the memorial!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Soon, Li Gui brought the memorial, and Zhu Yuanzhang spread it on the table. Looking at the words on it, he felt that it was indeed much better than using candles before.

"Good! Good!" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and applauded again. "With this desk lamp, I can work on memorials until late at night without straining my eyes."

Liu Kuan couldn't help but advise, "Although the lamp is helpful, Your Majesty still needs to take care of your health and not work too hard for state affairs too late."

"I know." Zhu Yuanzhang said, and tried to pull the light cord to turn the desk lamp on and off several times, becoming more and more satisfied.

"Let's go and see the lights in other palaces." Zhu Yuanzhang said as he walked out of Fengxian Hall first.

Liu Kuan, Li Gui and others followed closely behind, but Liu Kuan was only one body length behind Zhu Yuanzhang, which made it convenient for him to explain at any time.

Walking out of Fengxian Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and saw that there was an electric light installed every three meters or so on the pillars and walls.

The same is true when looking at other palace corridors in the distance.

Under the bright light of electric lights, the palace at this time was not as bright as daylight like the night scenes in later generations, but it was much brighter than the candlelight and lanterns in the past.

Zhu Yuanzhang first toured the front court, then left Liu Kuan and other men outside the palace and took Li Gui and other eunuchs into the harem.

When he arrived at Kunning Palace, he saw Empress Ma leading several young princes and princesses, as well as palace maids and eunuchs to admire the lanterns under the eaves.

Seeing him coming, these people, led by Empress Ma, bowed together and said, "Hail, Your Majesty."

"Hahaha," Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and walked over to hold Empress Ma's hand. "Sister, what do you think of this electric light? Isn't it much brighter than the candlelight and lanterns we used to have?"

If Liu Kuan saw Lao Zhu's expression, he would definitely think of his father in the future who had just added a large appliance to the family.

Empress Ma smiled and said, "It is indeed much brighter—thanks to Kuan'er, we are able to witness such a marvelous sight in our lifetime."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Not only will we have electric lights, but maybe in a few years we'll even have telegraphs. Aren't you worried that it will be difficult to contact us once the Fourth Brother and his men are sent overseas to serve as feudal lords?"

"If wireless telegraphy is developed, even if our children and grandchildren are far away overseas, we can still keep in touch and ask them to greet us every day."

Empress Ma had long heard Zhu Huilan talk about wireless telegraphy, and now she couldn't help but laugh, "The telegraph is such a precious thing, but in your mouth it's become a tool for greetings."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma stood side by side under the eaves, looking at the electric lights, and said, "Actually, even if we go to America, if nothing unexpected happens, the round trip will only take half a year. If we go to Australia, India, or Africa, it will take even less time."

"If you really miss your children in the future, you can ask them to come back in a few years."

Empress Ma shook her head. "After all, the sea is dangerous. Even though I miss my children, I won't let them risk traveling back and forth. We can't be with them forever."

"Yes, the children all have their own paths to follow, so we can just go together."

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On New Year's Eve this year, Zhu lifted the curfew and allowed people to go to Taiping Street outside Xihuamen and Chang'an Avenue outside Wumen to watch the electric lights.

That night, the streets of the capital were bustling with traffic, and Taiping and Chang'an streets were especially crowded with tourists.

Fang Xiaoru also brought his wife and two children to the parade and watch the lanterns.

Fang Xiaoru's eldest son, Fang Zhongxian, was under his strict guidance. Although only ten years old, he was calm and quiet, like a little adult. In contrast, his six-year-old daughter, Fang Xiaoshu, was quite lively, staring around with big eyes and asking questions from time to time.

"Daddy, is that a light?"

"Yes."

"It's so bright." Fang Mingshu stared at the electric light on the palace wall without blinking. "When can we install electric light at home? That way my brother won't hurt his eyes when he studies at night."

Although Fang Xiaoru was upright in character, he was quite gentle towards his daughter, even a little doting.

He explained, "The palace has just started using electric lights, and I heard that the government offices in the capital will also be equipped with them next year. But if ordinary people want to use them, I'm afraid they will have to wait several years."

Perhaps because Fang Xiaoru was so gentle today, Fang Zhongxian boldly asked, "Dad, is this electric light also invented by science and technology?"

Although Fang Xiaoru was a Confucian scholar, he would not deny the facts, so he nodded with an inexplicable emotion and said, "That's right."

Fang Zhongxian mustered up the courage to ask again, "Could Confucianism possibly create something even more powerful?"

Fang Xiaoru glanced at his son and said, "Confucian scholarship is not about developing these things, but about cultivating oneself, governing the country, and educating the people."

"You've been educated for a few years, and think carefully. Doesn't natural science have any insights into self-cultivation, governance, and education?"

Fang Zhongxian nodded first, then couldn't help but say: "But our natural science teacher said that science is also very useful in governing a country."

Li, his wife, was worried that her son would anger her husband, so she quickly scolded him softly, "Xian'er, how dare you argue with your father?"

　First update.

　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)