noffsinger Chapter 409 Time is like a knife
Chapter 409 Time is like a knife
In the sixth year of Qianwu, the warm sun shone and the gentle breeze blew. The vast territory of the Tang Dynasty was immersed in a peaceful atmosphere. The world was stable and peaceful.
After years of unremitting efforts and careful planning, the five-year plan that concerns the national economy and people's livelihood was successfully completed. All walks of life showed a booming prosperity, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the streets were filled with laughter, demonstrating the prosperity and glory of the Tang Dynasty everywhere.
As the territory of the Tang Dynasty continued to expand, new problems also arose.
The most prominent of these is that the court's power tentacles could hardly reach every corner. In those remote border areas and remote counties, the transmission of government orders became slow and the effectiveness of management was greatly reduced.
After all, in this era, communication technology was still in its primitive stage. There was no rapid transmission of radio signals, and transportation was very backward, let alone cars and airplanes like in later generations.
All personnel exchanges and information exchanges can only rely on the horses that travel day and night on the road.
Some places were separated from Chang'an by thousands of mountains and rivers, and the journey was too long to allow the imperial court to control and govern them. This undoubtedly became an obstacle to the further development of the Tang Dynasty.
At this critical moment, the Ministry of Works received a mysterious decree from His Majesty, and a secret task fell on their shoulders.
That is to use the principle of the steam engine to build an unprecedented means of transportation - the train.
This was an imaginative and challenging idea for the Ministry of Works. By burning coal to generate powerful steam power, the huge steel body would be pushed forward on special rails, thereby achieving efficient and fast transportation of materials and personnel. It is expected to completely change the current predicament of inconvenient transportation and strengthen the court's control and connection with various places.
Pei Xingjian, the Minister of Works, accepted the order without hesitation.
Although this task is arduous, it is of great significance. We must do our best to mobilize skilled craftsmen from all over the world to overcome numerous difficulties and live up to Your Majesty's trust. With the help of the Xianyang Ministry of Industry, this task will not be that difficult.
In that warm sanatorium, the sunlight shines through the lush branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows.
Li Shimin was wearing a plain robe and looked relaxed. His face, which had been dignified despite the passage of time, was now full of kindness.
He gently held Li Jingyou's tender little hand, and the two of them walked slowly to the academy to pick up their two daughters from school.
Li Jingyou is four years old this year. He has eyes as bright as stars and is smart and cute. He was curious about everything around him and kept looking around along the way.
As he walked, he suddenly broke free from Li Shimin's hand like a colt that had broken free from its reins. He quickly followed his two aunts with his short, cheerful legs, and called out in a baby voice, "Little aunt, little aunt, you are home from school. Did you bring me anything delicious?"
The childish voice instantly broke the silence around them, causing the surrounding servants to smile knowingly.
When Li Mingda heard his nephew's call, he turned around and saw Li Jingyou's rosy little face and expectant eyes, and his heart was filled with joy.
She stopped, bent down slightly, and carefully took out a piece of hot roasted corn wrapped in cloth from an exquisite embroidered bag. She handed it to Li Jingyou with a gentle smile on her face and said softly, "Little Jingyou, this is the roasted corn that your aunt brought specially for you. Take it quickly, but eat it slowly. Be careful not to burn your mouth."
Li Jingyou excitedly took the roasted corn, held it tightly with both hands, and a smile broke out on his face.
Then, like a little follower, he ran to Li Jiming, stretched out his little hand, and asked eagerly, "Auntie, where's yours?"
Li Jiming's face was full of helplessness at this moment, and his originally bright eyes had lost their luster.
When the school's exam results were announced, she was ranked last again.
This resulted in her pocket money being severely deducted by her husband. Now she even had trouble filling her own stomach, so how could she have any money left to buy snacks?
She bit her lip and reluctantly took out a crumpled test paper from her schoolbag, on which were written the four big words "Three-Year Simulation".
She said with a hint of pleading in her voice, "Little Auntie has no money! But I've given you my summer homework. If the teacher asks about it, Jingyou, you can say on my behalf that you accidentally lost my homework. Okay? Got it?"
Li Jingyou's little eyes were filled with great confusion. He seemed not to understand why his little aunt gave him this strange thing, but he still nodded obediently.
Li Mingda watched this scene from the side and couldn't help but chuckle with his hands covering his mouth. He thought to himself that this little nephew was forced to bear such a "big pot" at such a young age, which was really cute and funny.
Li Shimin stood aside, watching all this quietly, without saying a word, but with a smile on his face.
His eyes revealed an unprecedented contentment and peace, and he just indulged Li Jiming's mischief and ignored it.
At this moment, he was filled with emotion. The Battle of the Western Regions had become the last battle in his glorious life.
Looking back on the past, those years of war and battle seem to be still before his eyes, but now, he enjoys this simple and warm life very much.
In the sanatorium, every month Sun Simiao would bring a group of highly skilled doctors to perform detailed physical examinations for everyone. From emperors and generals to ordinary servants and guards, everyone could enjoy this meticulous care.
Thanks to the contributions of those Japanese pirates, Xianyang's medical field has made great breakthroughs and achieved a qualitative leap.
Surgery, a medical skill that was once despised, has gradually become popular in major medical clinics, bringing new hope to countless patients.
The headache that once troubled Li Shimin and Li Mingda has not recurred for a long time under such good medical conditions and careful nursing.
Li Shimin thought that this might be because he was in a good mood and had a peaceful state of mind.
If there was anything in this seemingly perfect life that made him feel a little dissatisfied, it was Wei Zheng, the stubborn and loyal old man.
Today, the traces of time are clearly visible on Wei Zheng's body. His steps have become unsteady and heavy, and every step seems extremely strenuous.
But even so, every time he saw Li Shimin, he would try his best to straighten his bent spine, and talk to Li Shimin in a slightly trembling voice. After he finished speaking, he would never stay, but turn around and leave slowly.
Li Shimin no longer felt the anger and impatience he had felt towards Wei Zheng. On the contrary, he began to worry about Wei Zheng's physical condition.
After the results of his last physical examination came out, he learned that the old guys who had fought side by side with him and jointly created the prosperous Tang Dynasty were no longer in good health.
Li Jing, the famous general, is already 76 years old. Since returning from the battlefield, his health has been deteriorating. Now it has become extremely difficult for him to even get out of bed and walk. His former heroic spirit has long been worn away by the years.
The same was true for Fang Xuanling. He was drowsy and listless all day long. Most of the time he could only sit quietly in the yard, basking in the sun. He was already 68 years old this year.
Although Wei Zheng was in good mental condition, he was already 67 years old after all.
Time is like a ruthless blade, leaving indelible scars on them.
Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh in his heart that time flies like a white horse. In the blink of an eye, he would be fifty years old next year.
Sometimes, when he thought back to the days when he was the King of Qin, he felt as if it were a distant dream.
At that time, he was full of ambition and was determined to pacify the world and create an unprecedented prosperous era.
However, he is now graying and entering old age.
Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he would occasionally think that even he, Li Shimin, who was respected as the "Heavenly Khan", would one day face death. Whenever this thought flashed through his mind, a sense of inexplicable fear would inevitably well up in his heart.
However, whenever the first ray of sunlight in the morning shone through the window, he opened his eyes and felt the warmth and tranquility of his old age, that fear would gradually dissipate.
He silently hoped in his heart that he could at least live another twenty years, right?
He longed to see with his own eyes his two beloved daughters, Ayuan and Sizi, wearing phoenix crowns and bridal robes, getting married in a grand ceremony, and living a happy and fulfilling life.
He also hoped to pass on the imperial knowledge and statecraft accumulated throughout his life to his grandson without reservation, so that the Tang Dynasty could continue to prosper and maintain long-term stability in the hands of future generations.