Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 32: Department of Science and Technology, Doctor Su Quan [Seeking follow-up reading]

Liu Kuan raised his eyes and saw a gatehouse with the architectural characteristics of the time in front of him.

It is more than ten feet wide and more than two feet high.

On the horizontal wooden doorplate were written two large traditional Chinese characters in a flamboyant style - Ministry of Industry!
On both sides of the gatehouse are extended courtyard walls, and most of the offices of the Ministry of Works are located inside.

When Liu Kuan and others arrived, there were also green-robed minor officials and clerks coming in and out.

"It really feels like an ancient government compound."

When Liu Kuan was looking around the Ministry of Works compound, the officials coming in and out of the Ministry of Works also noticed him - he was riding on Wuyun Stepping on Snow, and was followed by fifty personal soldiers, so it was hard not to attract attention.

However, officials in the Hongwu Dynasty were not so leisurely. Since they were in the yamen, they must have something to do.

Therefore, the officials passing by did not stop to talk like the people on the street before. Most of them just took a few glances and then hurried away.

Only after walking far away would they whisper a few words to their companions.

"Who was that officer riding a black horse and wearing a green robe just now?"

"He looks unfamiliar, so he must be new."

"I don't know where he comes from, but he has personal guards. It's really impressive."

"Don't speculate on that person's identity. Go to the office immediately. The superiors may have already left the court and are coming over."

"···"

Liu Kuan looked at Wang Guangyue and said, "Should we get off our horses before going in?"

"Of course I have to dismount." Wang Guangyue said as he dismounted gracefully and handed the horse to a soldier. "There are special stables next to the Ministry of Works compound, as well as rest areas for grooms and drivers. You can have the groom lead the horse over there."

Liu Kuan also dismounted and said to Li Xiaoer, "Go with the Yiluansi officers and men to settle the horses."

Li Xiaoer nodded and left with the personal soldiers who were leading Wang Guangyue's horse.

Liu Kuan stepped forward and said to the guards outside the Ministry of Industry, "I am Liu Kuan, the newly appointed Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry. This is my ivory plaque."

As he spoke, Liu Kuan handed over the ivory cards he had brought.

After inspecting the small flag, the leading personal guard handed it back respectfully, clasping his fists and saying, "So you are Deputy Director Liu of the Science and Technology Department. Doctor Su has already instructed that if you come, he will take you directly to the Science and Technology Department's office."

Liu Kuan also clasped his fists and said, "Thank you very much."

The small flag officer gave a few instructions to the other soldiers under his command, and then personally took Liu Kuan to the Ministry of Works compound.

Wang Guangyue and dozens of other Yiluansi officers and soldiers followed closely behind.

After the small flag officer learned the identities of Wang Guangyue and others, he did not stop them.

After entering, Liu Kuan discovered that the Ministry of Industry compound covered a very large area. Not only did it have several independent courtyards, but it also had a lot of green space with flowers, plants and trees.

Thinking that since he had joined the Ministry of Works, he would inevitably have to deal with the royal guards guarding here, Liu Kuan started chatting with the flag officer on the way.

"May I ask this little flag's name?"

The flag officer turned around and smiled, saying, "Excuse me, my surname is Liu."

"Then we are a family. What should we call each other?"

"My name is Zhong, which means loyalty and righteousness."

"Liu Zhong, what a nice name."

The awkward chat ends here because we have arrived.

In the southeast corner of the Ministry of Industry compound, above the lintel of an ordinary courtyard hangs a plaque with three ordinary words written on it - Science and Technology Department.

"Vice-Law Liu, this is the Science and Technology Department's compound. I still have my duties guarding the compound's gate, so I won't be keeping you company for long."

After Liu Zhong finished speaking, he bowed and turned to leave.

Liu Kuan was about to go in when he suddenly thought of Wang Guangyue and said, "General Wang, the Science and Technology Department's yard isn't very big. Why don't you stay outside?"

Wang Guangyue said, "We are here under His Majesty's orders to protect Deputy Liu. How dare we neglect our duty? However, with so many of us, it's unsuitable for all of us to go inside. Therefore, I will take two small flag officers with me to personally protect Deputy Liu."

After saying that, Wang Guangyue called out the names of two small flag officers.

Although he was still conspicuous "at work" with the close protection of three personal army generals, Liu Kuan did not refuse again - what if some cruel person attacked him in the court?

As soon as he entered the yard, Liu Kuan saw a middle-aged man wearing a dark brown round-necked shirt and a square scarf on his head sweeping the floor.

Seeing Liu Kuan leading Wang Guangyue and the others in, he put down his broom and bowed, saying, "I am Liu Yan, your humble servant, and I am honored to meet you, my superior."

Liu Yan?

Liu Kuan subconsciously thought of a woman's fierce image in his mind, and then he quickly dismissed it.

But when he looked at the middle-aged official in front of him, he couldn't help but look strange.

After thinking for a moment, he introduced himself: "I am Liu Kuan, the newly appointed Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department."

Liu Yan's eyes lit up when he heard this. He looked at Liu Kuan again and said, "So it's Deputy Liu. My apologies."

Liu Kuan asked, "Are there any other officials in the Science and Technology Department right now?"

Liu Yan said, "The Science and Technology Department was just established the day before yesterday. Currently, the only officials in charge are Deputy Director Liu and Doctor Su, and the four of us who were transferred here are here. Doctor Su has gone to court."

It was just established the day before yesterday.

There is no top leader and no serious subordinates. It seems that Mr. Zhu wants him to select people himself.

After sighing in his heart, Liu Kuan looked around the Science and Technology Department.

The yard is not big, but not small either.

To the north are five houses, one large and four small. The main house in the middle is the largest, with four doors, making it appear brighter inside.

There are four side rooms on the east and west sides, only one of which has an open door, while the rest are locked.

In the yard, there are a few flower beds that have just been cleaned and not yet planted, as well as a small pavilion and a well.

There are also two big trees, one is an osmanthus tree and the other is a jujube tree.

While Liu Kuan was looking around the yard, three officials came out from the open wing room, two middle-aged men and one young man, and bowed to Liu Kuan with a little nervousness and panic.

"Meet the superior officer!"

Liu Kuan has never been an official, but he was a class leader when he was in school and a team leader when he was working.

He looked at the three men expressionlessly, bowed in return, and then said, "You three, please state your names. Starting with you."

Liu Kuan was pointing at the young official.

"Zhao Wenyuan, a lowly official."

"Cui Yan, a lowly official."

"Zheng Zhiliang, a lowly official."

Liu Kuan pointed at the fallen leaves and dust on the ground and said, "Since the yard is not clean, you should all clean it together. Don't let others do it alone."

After hearing this, several officials looked at each other in confusion.

Zhao Wenyuan was young after all, and he couldn't help but say, "Shangguan, sweeping and cleaning is the job of the servants."

"Where are the servants who clean the house?" asked Liu Kuan.

Zhao Wenyuan said, "Not yet—I expected it to arrive soon."

Liu Kuan smiled and asked, "If the servants never arrive, will you just leave the yard covered in fallen leaves and dust?"

Seeing Liu Kuan's smile, everyone was startled.

Although they did not find out Liu Kuan's background and origins, they heard that the Science and Technology Bureau was established because of Liu Kuan.

In other words, Liu Kuan's actual power in the Science and Technology Bureau may be no less than that of Langzhong Su Quan.

If you don't like them, even if you can't punish them, it's easy to find reasons to make them suffer.

Zhao Wenyuan didn't dare say anything more. He found tools with the other two clerks and started cleaning the yard.

Seeing this, Liu Kuan went straight to the main house.

The place was cleaned very well, even the tables and chairs had been wiped, but I didn't know whether it was done by "Liu Yan" or the servant from yesterday.

Apart from a few tables and chairs, there were a few cabinets, bookshelves, some pens, ink, paper, inkstones, kettles, tea sets and other items in the room. Nothing else.

It seems a bit empty.

After Liu Kuan walked around, he sat down behind a desk in the second side room on the east side.

"Even after coming to Daming, I still have to work. It seems that I am destined to be a worker all my life."

Sighing in his heart, Liu Kuan put the cloth bag he was carrying on the table and began to take things out.

There are the materials copied by Chunlan and Qiuyue in the past few days, as well as three "strange pens".

A strange pen is very similar to the pencil of later generations. It is made of two pieces of wood with a lead bar sandwiched between them and wrapped with coils of silk thread.

This pencil was not made by Liu Kuan himself, but was bought from a store in the city that specializes in the four treasures of the study.

It was only after buying the pencil that he realized that pencils had already existed in ancient times - the only difference was that compared to later pencils, the lead of pencils was thicker and softer.

The second strange brush is a unique brush called: Chicken Spur Brush.

This was also bought by Liu Kuan the day before yesterday.

The tip of the brush is thin and slightly hard. It is a brush specially used for writing fine small characters, and is quite similar to the charcoal pencils of later generations.

However, after trying it, Liu Kuan still felt that its performance was more like a brush. He brought it with him purely just in case, or to practice in his spare time.

The third one is a simple "fountain pen" made by Liu Kuan using feathers, bamboo tubes and reeds. This will be his main writing tool for some time to come.

He ground the ink, used the reed core of a fountain pen to absorb half a tube of ink, and put it into the bamboo tube.

He closed the tail of the bamboo tube again, shook it twice gently, then took out some white paper and started writing on it.

"Current mission: Build a train."

"Problems that need to be solved include: selecting suitable personnel, making steel, building boilers..."

I don’t know how long it took, but Liu Kuan heard footsteps and soon the light in the room dimmed.

He looked up and saw an official in a green robe walking in.

Because of the backlight, he couldn't see the other person's face clearly.

"You must be Deputy Director Liu Kuan, right? I am Su Quan, Director of the Department of Science and Technology." As the man spoke, he actually bowed to Liu Kuan first.

Liu Kuan quickly stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "My apologies, Doctor Su."

"Haha, there are only two officials in the Science and Technology Department now, you and I, no need to be so formal."

As Su Quan spoke, he came to the side of Liu Kuan's desk, and finally let Liu Kuan see his face clearly. He was a thin middle-aged man with a peaceful smile.

While Liu Kuan was looking at Su Quan, Su Quan was looking at the three strange pens on the table and the content Liu Kuan wrote on the paper.

　Please collect, read and vote.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)