Chương 678: The road ahead is still long, but he is not flustered.

"This year's harvest is good! The weather has been perfect, with abundant cabbages and radishes. The vegetables in the fields are growing well, free from pests and diseases. Prices are about the same as last year, taxes aren't heavy, and the imperial court even reduced agricultural taxes this year. Life is much better than in previous years!"

He pointed towards the railway in the distance, "And that... train! Before, when we carried vegetables into town, it took us most of the day, and by then the vegetables were wilted and we couldn't sell them for a good price. Now, we can load the vegetables onto the train and get to town in half an hour, fresh and ready to sell for much more! His Majesty is truly wise, to have created such a wonderful thing!"

Liu Ce smiled slightly upon hearing this.

Standing to the side, Liu Chen looked at the old farmer's simple smile and felt a warmth in his heart.

He used to think that his father developed steam engines and built railways to strengthen the country, to break out of the vicious cycle, and to prevent foreign enemies from invading.

But after hearing what the old farmer said today, he truly felt that these "ingenious skills and ingenuity" had actually benefited ordinary people and improved their lives.

They bought two cabbages, had the guards carry them, and then the father and son headed to the steam-powered textile factory.

This was the first civilian weaving factory opened by the Royal Workshop. It was located outside the city and employed hundreds of female workers. They used steam power to weave cloth, which was more than ten times faster than by hand. The cloth was both strong and cheap, and the people loved to buy it.

The manager didn't recognize the emperor or the crown prince, and thought they were just businessmen who had come to discuss business. He was very hospitable and took them on a tour of the factory.

The machines in the workshop roared, and white steam billowed from the pipes. The female workers sat in front of the looms, operating them nimbly, and bolts of plain cloth were quickly woven.

"Sir, look! Our cloth is all machine-woven, very dense, and it's 30% cheaper than handmade cloth!"

The foreman patted the cloth with pride, "This is all thanks to His Majesty's benevolence! If it weren't for His Majesty's invention of this steam engine, how could we have such good fortune? In the past, when weaving by hand, a weaver was lucky to weave one bolt of cloth a day. Now, with this machine, she can weave ten bolts a day! The female workers are paid monthly wages, and they can get bonuses for producing more. It's much better than farming at home.

Girls from the surrounding villages are all vying to come here!"

Liu Ce nodded and asked, "Has no one said that this machine is taking away the livelihoods of traditional hand weavers?"

"Hey, a few old weavers complained at first," the manager waved his hand.

"But after doing the math, we realized our cloth is cheap, and ordinary people can afford it. With increased sales, weavers could actually work in the factory and earn more than they could at home. Gradually, the complaints stopped. Besides, His Majesty said there will be more and more machines in the future, so people won't have to rely solely on farming and weaving for a living; there will be plenty of other jobs!"

After leaving the textile factory, Liu Ce patted his son on the shoulder:

"You see, the people's demands are actually very simple. They want enough to eat, enough to wear, and hope for the future. Whoever makes their lives better, they will support. The 'benevolent governance' that your grandfather taught you is not just about shouting 'love the people like your own children,' but about truly bringing tangible benefits to the people. Opening factories, building railways, reducing taxes...

these are all benevolent governance, and they are a thousand times more effective than empty slogans."

Liu Chen nodded emphatically.

Previously, his understanding of "benevolent governance" was limited to sentences in the classics, which he thought meant that the emperor was good to the people.

After walking around here today, he suddenly understood.

Benevolent governance is not a moral standard, but a practical reality: it means that cabbages can be sold for two more cents, cloth can be 30% cheaper, and children can go to school.

The father and son then strolled around the train station, watching the steam train, billowing white smoke, slowly pull into the station. Passengers, carrying large and small bags, disembarked from the train, their faces showing the weariness of their journey, but also the anticipation of a new life.

We strolled around until sunset before heading into the palace.

On the way back, the setting sun cast long, long shadows of the two of them, like two rivers flowing side by side.

Liu Chen walked beside his father, looking at his father's profile. He suddenly remembered when he was nine years old, his father had taken him out of the palace in the same way, pointing to the distance and telling him that the world was vast and that the Central Plains was not the center of the world.

Now, seven years later, he has seen the world map, the steam engine, the train, and heard about the endless cycles of dynasties in parallel worlds. He is about to go to the Eight Tribes for rotation to touch the most authentic veins of this empire.

He looked down at his hands.

These hands can recite scriptures, tighten screws, and soon they will also be able to check accounts, adjudicate cases, and command troops...

In the future, these hands will take over the country from their father, leading the nation out of that vicious cycle and moving forward.

The road ahead is long, but he remains calm.

Because his father had already paved the way for him and taught him the methods.

He just needs to take it one step at a time and do it steadily.

The autumn wind swirled fallen leaves as the father and son walked side by side, neither speaking, yet feeling exceptionally at peace.

Liu Chen took a light breath, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

He was somewhat looking forward to it.

I look forward to the subsequent rotations within the Ministry of Revenue, to a more realistic court, and to a broader arena that belongs to him.

..................

At the end of October in the eleventh year of Shenwu's reign, the imperial study was warm and cozy with charcoal burning.

After Liu Ce finished reviewing the last memorial, he stretched out a big yawn, feeling completely relaxed.

He tossed aside his vermilion brush and waved to Li Dequan, who was standing beside him:

"Go and summon the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Dequan bowed and withdrew, thinking to himself: Is His Majesty going to test my studies again? Last time, when His Majesty tested the Fourth Prince's essay, that kid wrote it like a military order, and His Majesty laughed at him for a long time, his face turning as red as a monkey's bottom. I wonder what tricks he'll pull this time.

Liu Ce leaned back on the dragon throne, his fingertips lightly tapping the table as he pondered: The Second Prince Liu Heng is sixteen this year. His mother is Consort Zhen Jiang, and her family is the Zhen family, a business family that has been in business for generations and is extremely wealthy. This kid has been sensitive to money since he was a child.

At the age of seven, he was secretly looking through Zhen Jiang's account books, and at the age of ten, he could help check the branch bank's transaction records. He is a little money-grubber.

The fourth prince, Liu Yong, was born to Zhen Tuo, and his family was also the Zhen family. However, he was not as quiet as his mother. He was very fiery and went to the horse farm and training ground every day. He was proficient in all kinds of martial arts, but he did not like to study. He would get a headache whenever he was asked to write policy essays.

The other day, when I talked about Parthia and Rome in the west, his eyes lit up like light bulbs, and he kept saying that he wanted to lead an army to conquer the west.

Before half a cup of tea could be brewed, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall, and the two boys entered one after the other.

The Second Prince Liu Heng was dressed in a bamboo-green casual robe, which made him look noble, and he walked with a light and airy gait.

He bowed respectfully upon entering, his waist bent at the correct angle, but his eyes darted around, glancing frequently at the memorials on his desk. Clearly, he had something on his mind, and his sleeves were bulging, undoubtedly hiding his little ledger.