On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

In the western suburbs of the imperial capital, at the foot of the Western Hills.

The autumn sun penetrates the thin clouds and shines on the mountains covered with colorful trees, giving this land far away from the hustle and bustle a warm golden glow.

A large-scale building complex built against the mountain is under construction in full swing.

The blue-gray brick walls rise from the ground, the tall glazed tile roofs sparkle in the sun, and the criss-crossing wooden scaffoldings, like the skeletons of giant beasts, cover the unfinished palaces and pavilions.

The air was filled with the fresh fragrance of new wood, the slightly astringent smell of lime mortar, and the distant sound of chiseling stones, horns, and the rumbling of wheels on the dirt road.

This is the Gewu Academy, the highest scientific research institution in the empire, which was proposed by Lin Zhen himself, presided over by Chu Xiling, and built with the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and the Fenlei Division.

Lin Zhen was dressed in indigo casual clothes, without any ceremonial guards, and accompanied only by two personal guards. Accompanied by Chen Jing, the Minister of Works, and Chu Xiling, the head of the Burning Thunder Department, he walked slowly on the temporary walkway of the construction site.

Underfoot was a newly paved gravel road, still rough. On either side, huge stones were piled up like mountains, bundles of wood were neatly stacked, and oxcarts loaded with bricks and tiles moved in an orderly manner under the command of overseers.

The craftsmen were each doing their own job, some working hard to build high walls, some climbing on the scaffolding to install beams and columns, and some concentrating on carving the decorations on the doors and windows. It was a busy and orderly scene.

"Your Highness," said Chen Jing, the Minister of Works, pointing to a massive, three-story, square-shaped hall in front of him. "This is the Mingli Hall, the main hall of the Institute of Gewu. According to the drawings drawn by Lord Chu, the main structure is brick and stone, with an embedded steel frame and a glazed tile roof. Inside, there will be a three-story hall for displaying large instrument models and hosting academic lectures. The side halls to the east and west, respectively, will be the Mathematical Hall and the Gewu Hall, used for the collection of classics and basic research."

He paused and pointed to the back of the main hall.

"The rear area, built along the mountainside, is the Hundred Workshops area. It houses dozens of independent workshops, including smelting, carpentry, machinery, and chemical engineering. All of these have reserved space for large equipment installation and ventilation and exhaust ducts, as requested by Lord Chu."

Lin Zhen nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping across the busy construction site: "How is the construction progressing?"

Chen Jing bowed and said, "Your Highness, since we broke ground in March, it has been over seven months. The main structure of Mingli Hall has been topped out, and the interior masonry and beam and column carvings are underway. The main structures of the east and west side halls are complete. The foundation of the Hundred Workshops area has been consolidated, and the first two smelting and machinery workshops have begun wall construction. The overall project is expected to be basically completed by midsummer next year."

He looked hesitant. "But some specialized large equipment, such as hydraulic forging hammers and high-temperature furnaces, need to be customized from overseas or developed in-house by the Fenlei Division. Transportation and installation take a long time, which may affect subsequent progress."

"Equipment is prioritized." Lin Zhen said in a steady voice, "We will provide all the money, supplies, and manpower you need. Zhang Li will coordinate all overseas purchases. Chu Qing will oversee the research and development at the Burning Thunder Division."

"I obey your command." Chu Xiling's cold voice sounded beside her.

Today she was still wearing indigo work clothes, with a plain thin cloak on the outside. The injury on her left arm had healed, and her cold face showed a trace of fatigue after a long journey, but her eyes were extremely focused and sharp. She was holding a roll of drawings, and from time to time she was talking in a low voice with an official from the Ministry of Works beside her, pointing out the details of the building in the distance.

"Is Ling'er's injury healed?" Lin Zhen turned his gaze to her.

"Thank you for your concern, husband. I'm fine now." Chu Xiling bowed slightly, her eyes still fixed on the blueprint. "The ventilation duct design of the Baigong Workshop needs to be slightly adjusted to accommodate the exhaust volume of the new furnace."

Lin Zhen said no more and gestured to continue moving forward.

The group walked through the dusty construction site and came to a relatively secluded area where simple sheds had been built.

Far away from the hustle and bustle of the main building, from several temporary sheds built of logs and tarpaulin, the rhythmic sound of metal knocking and the low sound of machines running can be heard.

Outside the shed, there are several tall wooden poles with several copper wires wrapped in black rubber on them, extending to the distant valley.

"Your Highness, this is the temporary testing ground for the steam power and electromagnetic communications projects." Chu Xiling led the way, her voice cool and steady. "Because the main workshop has not yet been completed, basic tests will be carried out here first."

As you step into one of the largest sheds, you are greeted by a smell mixed with engine oil, coal, and hot metal.

The light in the shed was a little dim, but a huge object stood in the center.

It was a complex machine made of heavy cast iron and fine copper components. The main body was a huge horizontal cylindrical boiler covered with insulating asbestos. Several thick copper pipes extended from the boiler and connected to a huge brass cylinder with a flywheel and crank-connecting rod mechanism.

Below the boiler, the fire was blazing and the blower was humming, continuously sending heat waves into the furnace.

Steam gushed out from above the cylinder, making a hissing sound, pushing the huge piston back and forth, driving the flywheel and connecting rod to emit a heavy and regular roar. The entire machine was like a sleeping giant awakened, emitting power and heat.

"This is an improved version of Unit-01." Chu Xiling walked over to the machine, her cool voice piercing through the roar of the machine, "It was made with reference to overseas Watt steam engine drawings, combined with the materials and craftsmanship of the Fenlei Company.

The boiler utilizes double-layer riveted steel plates lined with refractory bricks, increasing its pressure-bearing capacity by 30%. The cylinder is cast copper with a mirror-polished interior, and paired with improved piston rings, its sealing performance is improved by 50%. The flywheel is cast iron with optimized counterweights for smoother operation.

She pointed to a high-speed drive shaft connected to a flywheel shaft next to the machine. "Currently, we're mainly testing the stability of continuous operation and output power. The goal is to drive large forging hammers, pumps, and even future rail locomotives."

Lin Zhen took a few steps closer, feeling the subtle vibrations of the ground as the machine churned, and the heat and smell of oil filling the air. This roaring steel behemoth, though crude and unrefined, held the power to change the world. He asked, "How much power?"

"The current continuous output is about ten horsepower," Chu Xiling said, "equivalent to twenty strong horses exerting their strength simultaneously. However, the thermal efficiency is only 15%. The fuel consumption is enormous. The next step is to focus on improving the condensing circuit to increase thermal efficiency."

"What's the difficulty?" Lin Zhen asked.

"Material precision." Chu Xiling pointed to the connection between the cylinder and the piston. "Under high temperature and high pressure, sealing remains a challenge. High-precision bearings require special alloy smelting, and we're still working on this. Furthermore, the yield rate for large castings is less than 30%, and waste is piling up like a mountain."

"Concentrate all our efforts on solving these problems," Lin Zhen said solemnly. "We will provide whatever is needed. If there are any relevant technical talents overseas, we will import them at any cost."

"Yes." Chu Xiling responded.

Leaving the steam engine shed, Chu Xiling led Lin Zhen to another smaller shed.

The shed was much quieter, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sulfur and pine.

The furnishings in the shed are relatively simple. Several large wooden tables are put together to form a workbench, which is filled with various precision copper parts, coils wrapped with enameled wire, glassware, battery packs (voltaic piles) and some complex wooden models.

Several researchers in indigo workwear were working at their desks, carefully winding coils, debugging instruments, or recording data. Their expressions were so focused that they seemed oblivious to Lin Zhen and his group's arrival.

In the center of the workbench, there is a strange device.

At one end is a wooden box with a key, attached to which is a complex mechanism of brass levers and springs.

Inside the wooden box, you can see an electromagnet wrapped with densely packed enameled wire.

The wooden box was connected to a similar wooden box several feet away at the other end via two copper wires wrapped in black rubber.

On top of the wooden box at that end, there is a metal pointer that can swing left and right, and a dial is fixed below the pointer.

"This is the prototype of an electromagnetic telegraph." Chu Xiling walked over to the device, her voice still cold, but a subtle glint flashed in her eyes. "The principle is based on Ampere's law and Faraday's electromagnetic induction. The button on the transmitting end controls the on-off circuit, generating a pulse current that is transmitted through the wire to the receiving end, driving the electromagnet to close and release, causing the pointer to swing left and right, corresponding to different codes, to transmit information."

She gestured for a researcher to demonstrate. The researcher walked over to the wooden box that sent the signal and began rhythmically tapping the keys.

As he moved, the metal pointer on the receiving end began to swing left and right, making a slight "click" sound.

Another researcher watched the movement of the pointer closely and quickly wrote down a string of symbols on a piece of paper.

"We're currently using a simple code, with dots and dashes representing alphanumeric characters," Chu Xiling explained. "The transmission distance is limited by wire resistance and signal attenuation. So far, the longest transmission has been successful is five miles. Our goal is to reach 100 or even 1,000 miles."

"Any progress?" Lin Zhen asked.

"Improved insulation material." Chu Xiling picked up a piece of copper wire wrapped in black rubber. "Fenlei's new vulcanized rubber has insulation and weather resistance far exceeding cotton yarn and tung oil. Signal attenuation is reduced by 30%. Coding is optimized and efficiency is improved. The sensitivity of the receiving end is enhanced. However,"

She paused. "Long-distance transmission signals are weak and susceptible to interference. They require relay amplification technology, which has yet to be broken through."

"Where does the interference come from?" Lin Zhen asked.

"Lightning, geomagnetic fields, and nearby high-current equipment can all cause interference." Chu Xiling pointed outside the shed. "For example, if the steam engine next door starts up, the needle here will tremble wildly."

"Is there any solution?"

"Shielding, grounding, differential signaling," Chu Xiling recited a string of terms, "all of which are still being tested. The most fundamental thing is to improve signal strength and anti-interference coding."

"Chu Qing has a long way to go." Lin Zhen's eyes swept over the delicate parts on the workbench and the focused researchers. "If this thing is completed, it can instantly transmit messages over a thousand miles, and its contribution to the country and the people will last for thousands of years."

"I will do my best." Chu Xiling lowered her head, a trace of solemnity on her cold face.

Leaving the electromagnetic laboratory, Chu Xiling led Lin Zhen up a high slope near the construction site. From here, the entire "Gewuyuan" construction site was in full view. The main hall, "Mingli Hall," stood majestically, its glazed tile roof gleaming solemnly in the sunlight.

The outlines of the east and west side halls began to emerge. In the rear, the "Hundred Workshops" area, the foundations crisscrossed like the veins of the earth.

Farther away, rolling hills and vibrant forests shimmered in color. The faint roar of steam engines from the makeshift testing grounds drifted in, like the heartbeat of the earth.

"Your Highness," Chu Xiling stood beside him, her cold eyes sweeping across the busy construction site. Her voice was filled with a barely perceptible longing. "Once the Institute of Gewu is completed and the Hundred Workshops are operational, steam engines will power countless machines, and telegraphs will connect the four seas and nine provinces. The study of Gewu will truly become a force that changes the world."

Lin Zhen was silent for a moment, his eyes deep: "Ling'er, do you know how difficult this road is?"

"I know." Chu Xiling's voice was calm and unperturbed. "However, the road may be long, but if you keep walking, you will reach your destination. Although the task may be difficult, if you keep working, you will succeed. This is the essence of studying things."

"Okay." Lin Zhen nodded. "I'll provide you with everything you need. Human, material, financial, and even power. I only hope that Chu Qing will not let me down."

"I will keep this in mind."