The most arrogant in history

The new warship can travel two thousand kilometers in a day and a night.

All in all, it takes five days to get from Tianjin Port to Jiaozhi, no problem.

Ye Kun was not optimistic: "I don't think it will work in half a year, but it will be about the same in three years."

Ships and cars are both complex systems.

After solving the power problem, there are still transmission problems, clutch problems, and so on.

Without three years of polishing, it would be difficult to put it into regular use.

It’s like the first railway built by Ye Kun. Up to now, it is still under constant exploration and improvement, and it will take some time before the technology and management are truly mature.

Ye Kun felt that it would take another three years to polish steam-powered warships and ships.

He Tiantian introduced: "Your Majesty, our warships are designed to have a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. According to tests, they have already reached this speed. In terms of transportation costs, I think that large ships traveling by sea are better than railways. The cost is also lower. So, is it a bit of a waste for us to build railways?"

Ye Kun shook his head: "The cost of sea transportation is indeed very low, but the wind and waves and risks at sea are unpredictable, and the marine losses are huge. A strong country must not only have inland canals and sea transportation, but also railways.

At present, rail transport is not profitable and even loses money. But our technology is constantly improving, and efficiency will become higher and higher. One day, it will be profitable.”

He Tiantian nodded and asked again: "Your Majesty, how is the progress of our Grand Canal?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "I heard that the main part of the four sections of the canal will be completed next summer. But to connect these four sections of the canal, there is still a lot of work to do. I wanted to go and see it, but Ye Qingyang would never agree. Ye Qingyang said that he would let me go and see it after the Grand Canal is fully completed."

He Tiantian smiled: "That's good, the emperor can focus more on our science and technology city. Ye Qingyang doesn't welcome the emperor, but we do!"

As they were talking, Huang Ye came to report: "Your Majesty, the son of the Grand Emperor Gongsun Zhang, Gongsun Shangfei, died of a sudden illness!"

"What, Gongsun Shangfei... is dead?" Ye Kun was surprised.

Actually, Gongsun Shangfei is one or two years younger than Ye Kun.

I didn't expect that such a young general would...

Huang Ye said, "Gongsun Shangfei died this morning. Your Majesty, Sang Buyi and Guan Bao, please return to the city."

"Then let's go back to the city."

Ye Kun sighed, got on the carriage and returned to Zhuo County.

Sang Buzhi and Guan Bao came to greet them and report the situation.

Sang Buyi said, "The Emperor sent someone to say that Gongsun Shangfei complained of chest pain in the middle of the night. The doctor in the palace used medicine but it didn't work. He died suddenly after daybreak."

Ye Kun was very sad and sighed, "I had promised Gongsun Shangfei a long time ago that he would conquer the new continent of the West Sea. This time, I transferred Gongsun Shangfei back from Xiqiang just to let him carry out this task. I didn't expect that Gongsun Shangfei died young. It's heartbreaking!"

Guan Bao said, "Your Majesty, the dead cannot be resurrected, so you should not be too sad. You should think about how to give Gongsun Shangfei a final verdict."

Ye Kun nodded: "Gongsun Shangfei has helped me conquer Western Qiang in the past few years, and he has managed it well and made outstanding contributions. I plan to posthumously recognize him as the Grand Marshal of the Nation, and place his spirit tablet in the Temple of Loyalty and Martyrs, so that he can enjoy incense and sacrifices for generations."

Sang Buyi whispered, "And we should also express our condolences to the Emperor, right?"

Ye Kun thought for a moment and said, "Early tomorrow morning, I will go there in person to pay my respects and to comfort my brother, the Emperor Emeritus Gongsun Zhang."

In fact, Gongsun Zhang has rarely been seen since Ye Kun ascended the throne.

Gongsun Zhang spent his days reading, appreciating flowers, fishing and climbing mountains, and lived a very carefree life.

Ye Kun knew that Gongsun Zhang was enjoying himself and didn't want to disturb him.

But this time it won’t work. I have to disturb you even if I don’t want to.

He Kangju, the Minister of Rites, was ordered to draft an imperial edict to posthumously recognize Gongsun Shangfei as the Grand Marshal of the Nation, and on behalf of Ye Kun, he went to the palace of the retired emperor to assist in the funeral affairs.

The next day, Ye Kun arrived with nine ministers to offer condolences in person.

Gongsun Zhang burst into tears, holding Ye Kun's hand, and said, "Your Majesty, my son Shang Fei can no longer contribute to the court."

"Shang Fei is loyal, brave and unrivalled. He is rare in this world." Ye Kun comforted Gongsun Zhang: "I have posthumously recognized Shang Fei as the Grand Marshal of the Nation. I hope this can comfort his soul in heaven."

Gongsun Zhang clasped his fists in thanks.

Ye Kun asked about Gongsun Shangfei's condition and cause of death, and sighed:

"The terrain in Xiqiang is too high, and the altitude and lack of oxygen can easily cause heart disease. This is all my fault. If only Shang Fei had been transferred back earlier..."

Long-term stay in the oxygen-deficient environment of the plateau is very harmful to the body.

Even in later times when medical science has developed, the average life expectancy in the high-altitude and cold regions of Xiqiang is still ten years below the average!

Gongsun Shangfei had been in Xiqiang for six or seven years. It was not surprising that he had a heart attack.

Gongsun Zhang smiled bitterly and said, "That was my son's fate. The emperor cannot be blamed. We have tens of thousands of troops stationed in Xiqiang, and it's not just my son Shang Fei. Everyone else is fine, but he is. That's fate."

Ye Kun shook his head: "I promised Shang Fei that I would leave the West Sea New World to him. I called him back this time to arrange this matter. Emperor Taishang, besides Shang Fei, who else can take on the important task and go to the West Sea New World?"

Back then, Ye Kun did promise to leave the new continent of West Sea to Gongsun Shangfei. Gongsun Shangfei planned to take tens of thousands of people from the Gongsun family to the West Sea to develop and establish a country there in the future...

Now Gongsun Shangfei is dead, but Ye Kun does not want to break his promise and is still willing to leave the new continent of West Sea to the Gongsun family.

Gongsun Zhang shook his head and sighed:

"Back then, when Shang Fei wanted to go to the New World of the West Sea, I was firmly against it. Now that Shang Fei is dead, I, on behalf of the Gongsun family, will give up the New World of the West Sea. Your Majesty, you can send someone else, but we, the Gongsun family, will not go."

When you get older, you become more open-minded.

Gongsun Zhang feels that his current life is the best. Expanding territory and making lasting achievements are all asking for trouble and will eventually tire him to death!

Ye Kun did not force it and nodded, "I respect the emperor's wishes. Three days later, when Shang Fei's funeral is held, I will ask the crown prince Ye Feng to carry the coffin and attend the funeral."

Gongsun Zhang thanked him again.

Ye Kun arranged Gongsun Shangfei's funeral, and then plunged into the Science and Technology City to continue various research projects.

The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and Ye Kun still hopes to achieve some results before the Spring Festival.

But just two days into the retreat, bad news came again: the foreign workers at the Xishan Coal Mine started a riot, killed the management and technical personnel, and fled.

Ye Kun was furious and dispatched troops to surround the Xishan area, searching the ground inch by inch and capturing the workers who had fled.

In order to show his importance, Ye Kun personally went to Xishan Coal Mine to inspect and find out the reasons why these workers rebelled.