Chương 658: It floated up! It really floated up!

It really floated up!

The slipway was cordoned off with ropes, and the surrounding area was full of civilians who had rushed over after hearing the news... Some people had traveled from twenty miles away before dawn, carrying small stools and dry food, just to catch a glimpse of the "iron boat that can run on its own without sails or oars".

The vendors seized the opportunity, carrying their wares and weaving through the crowds, selling candied hawthorns and sesame cakes. Some clever ones even made "steamship commemorative sesame cakes" with a small boat pattern printed on them. These were two coins more expensive than the regular ones and were snapped up in no time.

The yamen runners of Luoyang Prefecture formed a human wall to maintain order, but they were squeezed so tightly that they grimaced and shouted themselves hoarse, but they couldn't stop the crowd from pushing forward.

At exactly 10 o'clock, Liu Ce's imperial carriage arrived.

Today he wore a plain-colored everyday robe, followed by a large group of civil and military officials.

When they reached the dock, the officials were all speechless... their mouths were agape.

Shen Wansan stared wide-eyed for five breaths, then turned and nudged Song Yingxing:

"Old Song... is this really made of wood and iron? It's so big, how come it doesn't sink in water?"

"Wooden frame, iron sheet exterior, steam engine in the middle."

Song Yingxing tried his best to appear nonchalant, but his slightly trembling beard betrayed his smugness.

"It won't sink. I've calculated the waterline, and it's very accurate, with an error of less than two inches."

Li Jing walked half a circle around the ship's dock, and when he returned, his eyes had changed. He moved closer to Liu Ce:

"Your Majesty, if this thing were equipped with a dozen or so cannons, the coastal pirates and the small countries of Southeast Asia simply wouldn't be able to withstand it!"

"Stop, stop."

Liu Ce raised his hand to stop his military fantasies, "Today is a good day to go into the water, let's not talk about war. There will be plenty of opportunities to show off later."

Li Jing gave an awkward smile, went back to keep an eye on the ship, and began to think about the organization of the navy.

Minister of Rites Guan Ning, recovering from his shock, cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure:

"Your Majesty... this ship is of grand scale; how should it be incorporated into the rites? How should the sacrifices and ceremonial processions be determined...?"

"Etiquette?"

Liu Ce glanced back at him with a smile, "We'll talk about etiquette once it can sail from Luoyang to Jinling. Right now, it's just a ship... a very powerful ship. We need to be able to use it first, then we can worry about pomp and circumstance."

Guan Ning wisely kept quiet.

The launching ceremony platform was set up in front of the shipyard and covered with red felt.

Standing below the stage were more than 300 craftsmen and researchers, all dressed in dark blue work clothes. Many of them had bloodshot eyes from staying up all night, but they all stood taller than usual, as if they were being reviewed.

Song Yingxing went on stage first and talked about the construction process in plain language:

"Three years ago, His Majesty gave me a blueprint, which I thought was outrageous and that His Majesty was just drawing it for fun. In the meantime, the boilers exploded twice... Dozens of propellers were ruined, and everyone worked day and night... Today, it stands here."

The craftsmen below the stage burst into laughter. They had all been through thick and thin together, so they understood the joke. Someone shouted, "Lord Song, your hair has turned quite a bit white!"

"Now, Your Majesty, please say a few words to everyone!"

The applause erupted instantly, so loud it rippled across the water.

Liu Ce walked onto the stage, took the tin megaphone handed to him by Song Yingxing, and addressed the dusty yet gleaming faces below, stating three things:

"Gentlemen, I have three things to say today. After I finish, I will go into the water so as not to delay your meal."

First thing... You've worked hard. More than three years ago, when I handed a few blueprints to Minister Song, to be honest, I wasn't sure myself. From theory to practice, there were more than a thousand days and nights, countless failures, and countless overtime hours.

You've made it... It's not that my blueprints are so impressive, it's your hands, your strength, your indomitable spirit that brought it from paper to water. This achievement belongs to each and every one of you.

The audience fell silent instantly; many craftsmen felt a lump in their throats and secretly wiped their eyes...

"The second item... a reward."

The audience instantly perked up, craning their necks.

"All researchers at the shipyard will be promoted one rank and their monthly salary will increase by 30%. All workers will each receive a bonus of 100, 000. The twelve core staff members will each receive a mansion in the South City Academy, next to the Royal University, making it convenient for their children to attend school. In addition...

from today onwards, the shipyard will be upgraded to the 'Great Han Shipbuilding Engineering Bureau,' directly under the Ministry of Industry, and on the same level as the Ministry of Industry's Research Institute. The first Director-General will be your former factory director, Xu Yong."

The audience erupted in cheers.

Xu Yong, the old craftsman in the front row with gray hair and hands covered in calluses and scars, was stunned when he heard his name called. His apprentice next to him nudged him before he realized what was happening, and his eyes immediately welled up with tears.

He started learning shipbuilding at the age of fourteen and built wooden sailboats for thirty years. He thought that was all he would ever do in his life. But in his old age, he actually built steamships and became the general manager of the bureau.

His lips trembled for a long time, but in the end he said nothing. He bowed deeply to the stage, his waist bent so low that he couldn't straighten up for a long time.

"The third thing... this ship needs a name."

Liu Ce walked to the large red silk banner at the bow of the ship and grasped the hanging ribbon: "I will name it..."

Pull hard!

The red silk slid off with a sound, revealing two gilded plaques on either side of the bow, with four large characters written in vigorous strokes: Qiming.

"Enlightenment".

Liu Ce turned around and explained to the audience, "Qi means 'to open,' and Ming means 'bright.' It was the first steamship of the Han Dynasty, but it will definitely not be the last. It's like the first star rising in the east as dawn approaches... Once it shines, the sky will become brighter and brighter."

There was a two-second silence from the audience.

Immediately, applause and cheers surged up like a tidal wave, almost overturning the boat awning. Some people clapped until their hands were red, but they were still clapping frantically.

After the speech, the main event began.

Song Yingxing walked to the control panel on the ship's dock and personally checked all the locks and slides to make sure everything was in order. He then turned back and nodded emphatically to Liu Ce.

Liu Ce took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and waved it forcefully: "Qiming—officially launched!"

The order was given.

The craftsmen worked together: first loosening several thick fixing cables, then knocking off the stop blocks on the slide.

"Squeak..." A harsh metallic scraping sound rang out as the massive ship began to slowly slide down the greased wooden slide.

It was very slow at first, so slow that you could barely see it moving.

Soon, gravity took over, and the ship slid faster and faster, the slide emitting a deep roar, like the low growl of a giant beast awakening.

"Boom!!!" The bow plunged into the water, splashing a large spray of white water that soaked the trouser legs of the people in the front row on the shore. No one dodged; instead, they pushed forward even more enthusiastically.

The ship continued to surge forward until its entire hull was submerged in the canal, with the propeller completely submerged in the water.

The boat rocked on the water a few times, swaying from side to side... and then came to a steady stop.

The Qiming has surfaced.

It floated quietly on the water, its two chimneys reflected in the shimmering light, the waterline perfectly aligned with the mark, without the slightest tilt.

There was a moment of silence on the shore.

Then......

"Success!!!"

"It's floating! It's really floating!"

"My goodness! It can float without a sail! And it might even run on its own in the future!"