Chapter 58: The Opposition Voices Were Loud

Inside the Taiji Palace, Li Chengqian decided to play his master card and enlist the help of his uncle, Zhangsun Wuji.

Once he secured his assistance, the research and development of his locomotive would undoubtedly face fewer obstacles and receive much greater support. This was Li Chengqian's most genuine thought at the moment, which was why he had brought out this blueprint.

This was far from a simple blueprint. It clearly illustrated certain models of the train and, more importantly, noted the economic impacts and social contributions the train would bring to the surrounding cities along its route. Li Chengqian had essentially incorporated all of these details, establishing a comprehensive overarching framework.

Sure enough, after taking a careful look, Zhangsun Wuji was deeply moved. He had not expected the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Empire to consider matters so thoroughly.

Yet, at this moment, he dared not make a unilateral decision on his own authority. He understood that this blueprint had to be escalated further; presenting it to the Sage for his ultimate judgment was the only correct course of action.

With this thought, Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly turned and took a few steps forward, coming before Li Shimin, where he dropped to his knees and delivered an impassioned plea: "Sage, this is the Crown Prince's blueprint. Your humble servant has looked it over and does not fully understand it, but the vision painted by His Highness the Crown Prince is magnificent indeed. I beseech Your Majesty to make the decision."

As he spoke, Zhangsun Wuji held the blueprint high above his head.

Wang De hastened down the steps, took the blueprint from Zhangsun Wuji's hands, and presented it with utmost respect to Li Shimin.

Unrolling the document, Li Shimin began to examine it closely.

The blueprint clearly articulated Li Chengqian's analysis of the pros and cons of the locomotive, explicitly highlighting its immense benefits. As long as the locomotive enterprise continued to develop, the economy of the Great Tang Empire would inevitably soar to unprecedented heights.

"Wang De, read this passage aloud to the ministers so that all of them may understand the benefits this locomotive can bring to the Great Tang Empire."

Li Shimin spoke in a heavy yet stern and dignified tone.

"As you command, Sage. This humble servant obeys." Wang De hurried forward, took the blueprint, unfolded it, cleared his throat, and began to read:

The benefits brought by the locomotive are as follows:

1. Wherever the locomotive passes, the local economy will experience a dramatic surge. The train will traverse numerous cities along its route, and these very cities will flourish with abundant flows of people, fostering northern and southern integration within the Great Tang Empire and greatly facilitating the lives of the populace. For instance, people in the capital of the Great Tang will be able to enjoy delicious Hainan bananas and southern lychees. Most importantly, utilizing specially crafted trains ensures both speed and safety.

2. The locomotive is advantageous not only for the transportation of commodities but also for the movement of daily necessities such as grain and essential goods. Previously, transportation relied entirely on horse-drawn carts, resulting in extremely low efficiency. With the locomotive, however, transport capacity will be vastly increased. A single train will carry a load exceeding forty times that of a cart pulled by a single horse, and more than twenty times that of a war chariot pulled by two horses. This is not even the most crucial point; far more important is that the train will travel faster and more steadily than horse-drawn carriages, playing a pivotal role in improving the economy of the Great Tang Empire.

3. The locomotive will also greatly promote the integration of the military and civilians of the Great Tang Empire, contributing significantly to the stability of its borders. Just imagine: should a rebellion break out in the south, a large army could arrive directly within three days, delivering an unprecedented blow to the insurgents. Furthermore, if any hostile nation dares to act rashly, Your Majesty could strike within days, catching them completely unprepared.

All of the above are secondary; in truth, the impact of the locomotive will manifest in every conceivable aspect. For instance, the manufacture of the locomotive requires a vast quantity of materials and manpower, providing employment for numerous displaced refugees and idle citizens, thereby guaranteeing the fundamental security of their livelihoods. This will undoubtedly play a vital role in maintaining social stability.

In short, to put it in a single sentence: the various benefits generated by the locomotive will be earth-shattering, offering the Great Tang Empire boundless advantages with virtually no drawbacks.

......

This elaborate explanation had been written by Li Chengqian with great passion, sound reasoning, and persuasive force.

Upon hearing this, many court ministers pursed their lips, at a loss for words.

In truth, they had already perceived that the current situation was not merely a matter of Li Chengqian wishing to act on his own accord; rather, Li Shimin was utilizing Li Chengqian as a proxy to advance his own agenda. It was Li Shimin who desired this endeavor, while Li Chengqian was simply obeying imperial decrees.

A few astute ministers chose to remain tight-lipped and silent. Several stubborn traditionalists also hesitated for a moment before finally quieting down, daring not make any reckless moves. At this very moment, there was only one thing they wished to do: wait for Li Shimin's final decree.

Sure enough, once Wang De finished reading, Li Shimin was thoroughly satisfied, expressing deep approval of Li Chengqian's approach.

Long before coming to court, he had communicated with Li Chengqian in advance; this time, his goal was to let Li Chengqian's locomotive make a dazzling debut in the imperial court.

Li Shimin had always been a man of bold vision and meticulous detail. This time, he was determined to do something extraordinary. He relished pioneering and forging ahead, willing to give his all to fulfill his mission. He desired a completely rejuvenated Great Tang Empire; as long as it brought prosperity and strength to the empire, Li Shimin was willing to be the first to eat the crab.

Moreover, that steam engine was placed right before his very eyes. Before its creation, he could hardly have believed it, but when Li Chengqian truly brought the steam engine into existence, he was utterly astonished.

Especially upon seeing that a steam engine driving a specialized spinning wheel could match the output of four thousand ordinary spinning wheels—something even the Heavenly Kaghan could never have dreamed of—he was more than willing to support the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian, once again.

Nevertheless, he knew full well that the imperial court could not simply be his personal domain; the ministers had to offer him a ladder so that he could descend gracefully.

With this in mind, Li Shimin cast a solemn gaze over the ministers and slowly spoke:

"My esteemed ministers, what do you think of His Highness the Crown Prince's locomotive?"

As he spoke, Li Shimin swept his shrewd eyes across every face to observe their expressions.

Yet the ministers kept their heads lowered; none of them were willing to stick their necks out on such a contentious issue.

In the end, Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward. "Sage, this humble servant believes that His Highness the Crown Prince's plan is entirely feasible."

"Oh, Minister Zhangsun, do elaborate and let Us and the ministers know why you deem it feasible?" Li Shimin smiled faintly, a trace of satisfaction showing on his face.

"Yes, Sage." Zhangsun Wuji replied, looking up slightly toward Li Shimin. "Reporting to the Sage, this humble servant has had the extreme fortune to witness His Highness the Crown Prince's talents firsthand, and they are truly extraordinary. To speak of nothing else, the steam engine alone—capable of directly driving a spinning wheel to match four thousand ordinary ones—what kind of concept is that? It is something unimaginable, yet His Highness has brought it to fruition. Therefore, this humble servant firmly backs His Highness the Crown Prince, wholly convinced that His Highness will undoubtedly create another miracle and contribute his utmost strength to the prosperity and vitality of the Great Tang Empire."

Clatter—

No sooner had Zhangsun Wuji's voice faded than the court erupted into a lively murmuring.

Initially, the assembly had been reluctant to express their stance, but upon hearing Zhangsun Wuji's words, they understood clearly that this was essentially the Sage's intention. Without the Sage's tacit approval, Zhangsun Wuji would never have dared to speak so rashly.

At this moment, everyone realized that while food could be eaten carelessly, words could never be spoken carelessly.

Particularly at a time like this, whoever failed to show deference to Li Shimin was simply courting death.

Yet there were always those who refused to conform, such as the stubborn traditionalist Zhang Xuanzi.

Indeed, Zhang Xuanzi stepped forward once more, fixing Zhangsun Wuji with a half-smile and a mocking tone: "Lord Zhangsun, does the fact that His Highness the Crown Prince created the steam engine mean he will inevitably succeed in creating a locomotive as well? If he fails to manufacture this train, who shall bear the responsibility? Will you, or someone else?"

Zhang Xuanzi's piercing gaze was enough to strike fear into the heart; for a fleeting moment, Zhangsun Wuji felt a chill run down his spine.

Zhangsun Wuji cursed inwardly. This fellow possessed a stubborn and upright temperament, daring even to contradict the Sage himself; how much more would he spare someone like him?

Reflecting on this, Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly offered a smiling bow with cupped hands. "Lord Zhang, as His Highness the Crown Prince's mentor, should you not be supporting His Highness? A teacher for a day is a father for life—that principle I still understand."

"Precisely because I am his mentor, I cannot stand by and watch him commit errors or push him into a pit of fire!" Zhang Xuanzi retorted. "My aim now is to pull him back. Everything he speaks of is completely impractical and entirely unfeasible. Throughout history, has anyone ever heard of such a device being manufactured?" Seizing this so-called 'reason,' he prepared to argue his case further.

"Indeed, Lord Zhang is entirely right! We cannot gamble the bright future of the Great Tang Empire on such frivolous inventions. Once the locomotive fails to materialize, wouldn't it cause the Great Tang Empire to suffer losses in vain?"

Suddenly, a sharp and composed voice rang out.

Turning toward the source, the crowd saw that it was none other than the Prince of Wu, Li Ke.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Chengqian glanced over and couldn't help but inwardly scoff with amusement: *Ignorant child, what do you know?*

Before Li Shimin's rise, had anyone ever foreseen the Xuanwumen Incident? And what was the ultimate outcome? Didn't the Xuanwumen Incident succeed brilliantly?

Before Li Ke's voice had even died away, another voice followed closely behind.

"His Highness the Prince of Wu is correct. We must approach this matter with the utmost caution. Building a tiny toy train like the one His Highness the Crown Prince brought today might serve as mere amusement, but truly expecting it to accomplish anything substantial is nothing short of a joke."

Li Chengqian turned to look, and he was so infuriated his nose nearly went crooked. It was Chu Suiliang.

Usually, Chu Suiliang was quite reasonable; he would never have expected him to be so obstinate today.

It seemed that reform always demanded a heavy price. Historically, reformers rarely met a good end; even the most successful among them, Shang Yang, ultimately fell victim to his own laws and suffered the cruel execution of being torn apart by chariots.

Li Chengqian understood that at this moment, he had to enlist the formidable power of his imperial father to strike a heavy blow. This locomotive had to be built, and ultimately, it had to be popularized across the entire nation.

How could these ignorant and benighted individuals possibly comprehend the terrifying might of a locomotive?

With this thought, Li Chengqian's fiery temper flared up. He took two steps forward and sternly rebuked Chu Suiliang: "Is Lord Chu implying that we must remain stuck in the past and let society stagnate?"

"Does His Highness the Crown Prince mean to say that the wealth of the Great Tang Empire comes from the currents and can be squandered at will?" Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed, dripping with sarcasm and mockery.

Finding the voice intimately familiar, Li Chengqian whipped around, and in that instant, the entire truth of the matter became crystal clear to him...