Sun Chuanting obviously couldn't figure it out, so he asked directly: "Duke, what kind of steam engine matter is really more important than suppressing thieves?"

In his opinion, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong were the biggest thiefs during the Chongzhen period. Now they have been forced to the southwest of the Ming Dynasty. Seeing that they continue to work hard, they may be able to completely eliminate the thiefs in another year or two.

However, at this time, the New Duke wanted to let go of such an important thing and actually wanted to go back to build a steam engine. He was really a little confused!

After hearing this, Zhang Mingwei smiled slightly, then waved his hand and asked everyone else in the lobby to retreat. Of course, Princess Kunxing is an exception. She can be present no matter what it is.

After only the three of them were left in the lobby, Zhang Mingwei said to Sun Chuanting seriously: "So, the steam engine will change this era. At that time, the lifestyles of all of us will be very different from before. For example, traveling thousands of miles a day is just a small matter, and traveling thousands of miles a day is not a problem within a day. Can you imagine it?"

"..." Sun Chuanting was stunned when he heard this!

Traveling thousands of miles a day is just a small matter, but it is not a problem within a day or a thousand miles apart? This is really beyond his imagination!

At this time, the fastest speed is riding a horse. If you are expedited by 800 miles, if you don’t change the horse or the person, the work of one day and night will be about 500 miles.

This means that in Sun Chuanting's cognition, the fastest speed a day and a night is only about five hundred miles. The so-called traveling thousands of miles a day is just an exaggeration.

However, now Duke Xingguo actually told him that the so-called steam engine would make traveling thousands of miles a day a little bit, and it would not be a problem within a day or a distance of thousands of miles!

To be honest, if this was not said by Duke Xingguo, Sun Chuanting could have stepped forward and slapped him in the face. He would say it when he woke up!

Seeing him like this, Zhu Mai also had a strong impulse in her heart, which was to take out the secret she had mastered and continue to shock Sun Chuanting. Because looking at others, especially those with ability were shocked, it was really exciting!

So she continued, "Mr. Sir, right. Don't be surprised. Governor Sun. It's not surprising that you can fly in the sky in the future. It's really not surprising that you can fly thousands of miles a day! If you wait that day, if your husband and I return to Beijing, we will set off today and we will be able to arrive in the capital today!"

"..." Sun Chuanting's eyes were a little confused. He looked at Zhu Mok and continued to be stunned when he heard the sound.

People fly in the Tianshan Mountains, this is the dream of mankind since ancient times! Of course, in the end, only immortals can fly!

But Princess Kunxing actually said that, how is this possible?

At this time, to be honest, Sun Chuanting had a strong feeling: it was the Duke and the Princess who were teasing him, right?

Because he really couldn't imagine what the Duke and the princess said might be true?

Zhang Mingwei actually likes to see celebrities like Sun Chuanting, and this shocking look. After all, the more famous a person is, the harder it is to shock him!

However, everything is enough to stop. Zhang Mingwei saw that it was almost done, and then smiled and said, "Of course, what we just said cannot be achieved in the short term. But if you go day and night, you can see two thousand miles a day in your lifetime."

The maximum speed of steam trains is about one hour and one hundred and ten kilometers per hour, and in twenty-four hours, it is about four thousand eight hundred and eighty miles. Of course, this is a mature steam train in later generations.

Zhang Mingwei was a professional at the end of the Ming Dynasty, so Pan Technology is certain. Thanks to the seriousness of some readers, he found the information quite detailed, so he knew what the structure of a mature steam engine looked like.

There should be no problem in mobilizing the skilled craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty to create one by hand regardless of cost. Even if it is folded in half due to various factors, there should be no problem, so it will be reported for two thousand miles a day. Anyway, the train can travel day and night.

However, when Sun Chuanting heard his words at first, he thought that it could not be realized, so he felt relieved. After all, what he heard before was really beyond imagination.

But when he heard the last time, he heard Duke Xingguo say that he could still see it in his lifetime. He was a little stunned again.

When Zhu Meiyu saw this, she covered her mouth and smiled again.

When Zhang Mingwei heard this, he turned around and glared at her, meaning that you are too much!

When Zhu Mei saw it, she turned her head and made no sound, but her shoulders were moving. Obviously, she was still laughing.

Zhang Mingwei ignored her, turned around, looked at Sun Chuanting, decided to skip this matter, and said to Sun Chuanting: "Anyway, you only need to know that the matter of my return to Beijing is the most important thing. As for the suppression of thieves, aren't you still there?"

Sun Chuanting came back to his senses and pretended not to see Princess Kunxing, but just looked back at Xingguo justice: "Since the Duke has made a decision, the official will not say much! Don't worry about the matter of suppressing the thieves, the Duke of the State should do his best, and the official will do his best!"

Compared to that steam engine, Sun Chuanting felt that it would be much easier to suppress thieves, at least not beyond imagination.

Unexpectedly, after hearing what he said, Zhang Mingwei suddenly said to him seriously: "For Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng are both stubborn and unscrupulous people, so don't attract any more help. But you have to be careful, don't beat them all to death in one breath..."

Sun Chuanting was a little surprised when he heard this. Should he suppress the thieves be suppressed? It’s better to wipe out the bandits as soon as possible!

At this time, when he heard that Duke Xingguo had something else, he pricked his ears and started listening.

Then, as he listened, he was a little stunned again. Because what Duke Xingguo said once again exceeded his imagination.

He could actually understand what Duke Xingguo said, driving these thieves to harm the chieftains and pushing the court to transform the land into the southwest of the Ming Dynasty.

However, Duke Xingguo even said that if possible, he would force these thieves into Dongwu, Annan and other places, and then the imperial army followed up and directly included those places under the jurisdiction of the court. This appetite was too great, exceeding his imagination!

Thinking of this, Sun Chuanting frowned slightly and said, "Duke, these barbarian lands are all poor mountains and bad waters..."

As soon as he talked about this, he suddenly remembered that Panzhihua, didn’t he think that it was a place with poor mountains and bad waters? However, it has been proved that there is a very large iron ore here, which is a treasure land.

So, after he paused, he changed his words and said, "Even if there are any iron ore, these places are too far away. It is really beyond the reach of the imperial court to directly manage them! Is it worth consuming huge military power and money and food to occupy this place?"

In fact, when the Ming Dynasty was powerful, Dongwu and Annan were nominal territories of the Ming Dynasty, but they were just Xuanweisi. The reason for this was that it was too far away and it was inconvenient for the court to directly manage the jurisdiction.

Zhang Mingwei laughed as soon as he heard this. When Sun Chuanting was a little confused, he said, "Don't forget what I want to go back to Beijing to do? When the transportation is improved, think about it, you can travel two thousand miles a day. So, are Annan and Donggo still far away?"

"..." Sun Chuanting was speechless when he heard this.

In fact, since the Qin Emperor and Han Wu, the territory of the empire has basically been fixed. It is not that other places are powerful and the imperial army cannot be defeated, but that it is too far away, beyond the scope of the court's jurisdiction, and it is beyond the reach.

For thousands of years, there have been no breakthrough changes in transportation, so the territory of this empire has naturally not changed much.

If the things that Duke Xingguo said were really realized, then the court's control over the border areas would be greatly extended, and Annan and Dongwu were no longer too far away!

Thinking of this, it was the first time that Sun Chuanting felt that if the steam engine that Duke Xingguo said could be produced, it would be much more important than the current thief suppression.

Thinking of this, Sun Chuanting suddenly became solemnly and immediately said earnestly to Duke Xingguo: "I will ask the Duke about the steam engine. If you don't have to worry about other matters, the Duke will definitely live up to the Duke's entrustedness!"

Seeing him like this, Zhu Mai next to him stopped smiling. She became serious and said to Sun Chuanting equally seriously: "Don't worry, it's absolutely no problem if you just do this by sir!"

After hearing this, Zhang Mingwei was not humble, but nodded, making Sun Chuanting's mood suddenly rise.

After discussing some details about the thief suppression, such as the arrangements of the Duke of Qian in Yunnan, Sun Chuanting stood up and said goodbye.

When he was about to leave, he had already turned around and walked a few steps. He had arrived at the door. He suddenly stopped, turned around and bowed to Duke Xingguo and Princess Kunxing solemnly, with a serious expression and said sincerely again: "For the steam engine matter, please wait for the good news!"

It can be seen that Sun Chuanting was unimaginable at the beginning, but now he is eager to see the steam engine.

In response to this, Zhang Mingwei also became serious and nodded seriously and said, "Don't worry, the steam engine is definitely fine. Just wait and listen to the good news!"

……………………

Five days later, Zhang Mingwei and Zhu Mai set out to leave Shu and return to Beijing. However, he did not cross the Shu Road and took the Qin route, but took a boat from the Yangtze River and went downstream to Jiangxi. He first went to inspect the glass factory under the command of the prince, and then went north along the Grand Canal to the capital.

Of course, there are guards around Zhang Mingwei. Not to mention the leading ones, there are ten official boats in the escort. Zhang Luofu led five hundred elite troops in the Beijing camp to accompany him, and Liu Jin led one hundred Jinyiwei to guard his body.

At the same time, Li Dingguo, Liu Wenxiu, Li Guo, Gao Yigong and others had to cross the Shu Road, first go to the important towns on the Jiubian. After resting, the cavalry went out of the pass, swept the grassland, cut off the Mongolian Tartar accomplices of Jianlu, and then report to Liaodong.
Chapter completed!