On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The ministers in the hall were all stunned, looking at each other in confusion. He could arrive in an instant? Was this the Speedy One?

Lin Zhen stopped talking and turned his gaze towards the palace door. The door opened, and Chu Xiling, dressed in an indigo official robe, still as aloof as ever, entered the hall, led by two eunuchs. In her hands, she held a tray covered with a black cloth.

"Ling'er." Lin Zhen said.

"Here." Chu Xiling bowed.

"Let me show you, gentlemen." Lin Zhen said.

Chu Xiling lifted the black cloth.

On the tray were two sets of ingeniously constructed copper and wood devices, which were miniature portable versions of the "electromagnetic telegraph."

She placed one of the transmitters on a table in the hall (the transmitter) and the other on the corridor outside the hallway (the receiver), with a young eunuch watching over them. A long copper wire wrapped in black rubber connected the two.

"This thing is called a 'telegraph machine.'" Chu Xiling's voice was cold and clear, piercing the silence in the hall. "It can transmit text messages in an instant, ignoring the barriers of space."

She walked over to the transmitter and tapped the keys rapidly. Tap, tap, tap. The crisp sound of the keys echoed in the silent hall.

A moment later, a young eunuch outside the palace gate rushed in, holding a piece of paper in his hand, and said excitedly: "Report, the receiving end has received the message, the word 'Zi Chen'."

The hall erupted in an uproar. Although the distance from the Purple Palace to the corridor outside the palace gate was only a few dozen steps, this instantaneous transmission, regardless of distance, was enough to shock everyone.

"Try again." Lin Zhen said.

Chu Xiling tapped the button again.

Dadada, da, dada.

The young eunuch rushed in again: "Report, information and political discussion."

"Try again." Lin Zhen's eyes were sharp.

Chu Xiling's fingertips moved like flying.

Dadadada, dadada, dadadada.

Young eunuch: "Report, the news is shocking."

"It can be reached in an instant, regardless of obstacles." Lin Zhen glanced at the shocked ministers, "This is not divine speed, but the power of studying things."

He turned to Chu Xiling and said, "Ling'er, take this plane to Yanmen Pass immediately. Build a telegraph line to connect the affected counties and prefectures. Reports of military intelligence and disasters from the front lines will reach the central government instantly."

"Yes, sir." Chu Xiling bowed, a determined light flashing in her cold eyes.

"Also," Lin Zhen turned his gaze to the Minister of Works, "the Iron Dragon No. 1 test at the Institute of Gewu was successful. The Ministry of Works and the Bureau of Thunder and Fire immediately survey the route from Yanmen Pass to the affected counties and prefectures. Lay simple tracks, deploy steam locomotives, and transport relief supplies. Break the ice and clear the way."

"Your Highness," the Minister of Works said in a trembling voice, "a rail locomotive is unprecedented."

"This has never been done before, so let's create something new." Lin Zhen's voice was firm. "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The snowstorm and foreign invaders won't wait for us. Act quickly."

"I obey your order." The Minister of Works replied with gritted teeth.

"Ministry of Revenue." Lin Zhen's eyes flashed. "Grain and fodder from Jiangnan will be transported by sea to Tianjin Port. Steam locomotives will be used to transport them north. We must ensure that the grain route is unobstructed."

"Yes." The Minister of Revenue bowed.

"Ministry of War." Lin Zhen's voice turned cold. "Keep close watch on the Rouran's movements. If they dare to intrude, use Burning Sky Thunder."

"I obey your command." A fierce light flashed in the eyes of the Minister of War.

......

Northern border, outside Yanmen Pass.

The north wind howled, blowing up snow foam all over the sky, and the world was in chaos.

The snow was waist-deep, completely covering the mountain roads, leaving only a dead silence of silver-white.

The biting cold was like an invisible blade, cutting every inch of exposed skin.

This is the hardest-hit area by a snowstorm that occurs only once in a century. Three states and seventeen counties have become isolated islands in the sea of ​​snow. Houses have collapsed, livestock have frozen to death, and one hundred thousand victims are starving and cold, struggling in despair.

Roads were cut off, information was cut off, and relief supplies piled up inside Yanmen Pass, making it difficult to move forward.

What is even more worrying is that the Rouran Zuoxian King's troops have quietly gathered in the Wild Wolf Plain, like dormant hungry wolves, ready to pounce on the lambs in the wind and snow at any time.

Inside Yanmen Pass, the temporary "disaster relief command post" was brightly lit and the atmosphere was as solemn as iron.

The charcoal brazier couldn't dispel the chill that penetrated deep into my bones.

Chu Xiling was wearing an indigo cotton robe and a thick sheepskin coat. Her cold face showed the fatigue and wind and frost of the long journey, but her eyes were as sharp as ever.

She stood in front of the huge map of the northern border, her fingertips running across the disaster-stricken areas marked in red.

Mao Mengji was clad in heavy black armor, the scars on his face looking even more sinister in the firelight. His bony fingers pressed against his sword, a fierce glint in his eyes. Officials from the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War sat around him, their faces solemn.

"Heishi County is the worst hit," Mao Mengji said, his voice hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against the ground. "Without food for three days, the number of people freezing to death is increasing day by day."

"Yunzhou still has grain reserves, but the roads are completely blocked." The Ministry of Revenue official's voice trembled.

"The Rouran cavalry are visible a hundred miles away," the military scout commander said in a low voice, "I'm afraid they'll make a move within three days."

"We must open up the Black Stone Line." Mao Mengji slammed his fist on the map, "Otherwise, all 100,000 disaster victims will starve to death."

"How can we dig it?" the Ministry of Works official said in despair. "The snow is several feet deep, and the workers can only dig three miles a day. It's a drop in the bucket."

Everyone's eyes were focused on Chu Xiling.

Chu Xiling's cold eyes swept over the crowd, and her voice was steady and calm: "Iron Dragon No. 1 has arrived at Shilipu outside the Great Wall."

"That iron lump." Mao Mengji frowned, "It can be done in deep snow."

"Ten miles of track have been laid." Chu Xiling pointed to the map. "From Shilipu to Heishi County is three hundred miles. Simple tracks need to be laid in sections, and steam locomotives will be used to haul food and fodder, breaking the ice and clearing the way."

"Three hundred miles of track laid across the snow." The Ministry of Works official choked out, "That's a fantasy."

"Not all of it," Chu Xiling said. "Choose a flat, sheltered area and lay wooden tracks covered with iron bars. Locomotives will pull special snow plows and rollers to clear the way. Laborers will then reinforce and widen the track. Advance in sections."

"Time." Mao Mengji growled, "The victims can't wait."

"The first batch of ten carts of food and fodder has been loaded onto the 'Iron Dragon No. 1,'" Chu Xiling said. "The snow plows and road rollers are ready. The track from Shilipu to the north has been laid for five miles. We'll depart immediately. We'll lay the track as we go."

"Okay." A fierce gleam flashed in Mao Mengji's eyes. "I will personally escort the train. Ministry of Works, mobilize all the laborers. The Fire and Thunder Department, do your best to protect the locomotive. Lord Chu, you will take command."

"Yes." Everyone responded loudly.

Shilipu outside the pass.

The snowstorm subsided. A massive steel behemoth quietly crouched on the newly laid, simple wooden tracks. It was Iron Dragon No. 1.

The boiler was lit, the fire was blazing, and billowing white smoke was spewing out of the chimney, quickly condensing in the cold wind.

In front of the vehicle, there is a huge steel device shaped like a plowshare - a snow plow.

At the rear of the train were ten flatbed cars loaded with food and warm clothing.

Mao Mengji, clad in heavy armor, stood beside the cab, his gaunt face etched with scars. The craftsmen from the Thunder Burning Division were nervously conducting their final inspections.

"The pressure is stable."

"The temperature is up to standard."

"Ready."

Mao Mengji waved his hand fiercely: "Let's go."

"Woo." A low and long whistle cut through the wind and snow.

The huge iron wheel turned slowly, and the wheel rim rubbed against the rails, making a harsh "squeaking" sound.

The car body shook violently and then began to move forward.

The heavy snow plow was deeply inserted into the snow, like the fangs of a giant beast, plowing through the snow wall several feet thick in front!

The snow foam splashed like white waves.

The plowed snow rolled to the sides, revealing the frozen ground underneath.

The roller follows closely behind, compacting and flattening the soft snow.

"It's moving, it's moving." Thousands of laborers beside the tracks gave suppressed cheers.

"Iron Dragon No. 1" moves forward slowly but steadily.

The heavy car body rolled over the tracks, making a dull roar.

White steam billowed and rolled in the cold wind.

Every time they advanced a certain distance, the craftsmen from the Fenlei Division would direct the laborers to lay the pre-prepared wooden rails and iron bars on the newly opened snowy path to reinforce the roadbed.

Officials from the Ministry of Works organized laborers to clear the snow on both sides and widen the road.

"Five miles, ten miles, fifteen miles..." The clerk of the Ministry of Works excitedly recorded the mileage.

The wind and snow raged again, and visibility dropped sharply.

Ahead of the snowplow, the snow was deeper, mixed with layers of frozen ice.

"Iron Dragon No. 1" made a heavier roar, the body of the car vibrated violently, and the speed slowed down significantly.

"Report, the snow ahead is too thick and mixed with ice, and the resistance of the snow plow is too great." The craftsman shouted.

"Add coal, increase pressure." Mao Mengji's voice was icy. "Fire and Bomb Commander, prepare for blasting."

"Yes." Several craftsmen from the Fenlei Division quickly got out of the car, holding special "mountain-blasting explosives" bags, and rushed to the ice layer.

Place the explosives, light the fuse, and evacuate quickly.

"Boom." With a dull loud noise, the ice exploded and the snow splashed.

"Iron Dragon No. 1" exerted force again, and the snow plow rolled over the exploded ice and continued to move forward.

"Twenty miles, twenty-five miles..." The distance was advanced with difficulty in the wind and snow.

Inside the Yanmen Pass command post, Chu Xiling stood in front of a makeshift telegraph machine, her cold face expressionless.

The buttons on the wooden box at the sending end are connected to the copper wire leading to the temporary docking point of "Iron Dragon No. 1".

The receiving end is connected to the line leading to the Purple Palace in the imperial capital at the rear.