The day after Li Xiuyun took office, Xiao Qing specially arranged for him and Mu Hong, who had returned to the capital, to visit the Emperor's Mansion.
Gu Shaoyan, Zhang Yang, Lin Xiu, and others were all present. Even the retired Prime Minister Wang Canghai came to join the banquet.
Inside the Emperor's Mansion, guests mingled, raising their cups and conversing merrily.
"I never expected Xiuyun to become Prime Minister first! Look at my face, I'm so envious it's distorted!"
Gu Shaoyan quipped during the feast, and everyone burst into laughter.
Li Xiuyun looked as if he was overwhelmed with favor, "It is because all of you were willing to yield!"
"You are too humble; it is because you truly possess the ability!" Wang Canghai said with a smile.
Everyone chimed in agreement, though Li Xiuyun's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
Back then, in the selection for national talent, he ranked fifth. Now, he had become Prime Minister before the other three. It was incredible!
Li Xiuyun's arrival brought a new wave of youthful energy to the central government.
In accordance with Xiao Qing's decree, Wang Canghai, along with Lin Xiu, guided Li Xiuyun in the affairs of the Prime Minister's office. The officials, respecting Li Xiuyun's repeated efforts to rescue Luzhou, Yizhou, and Jiaozhou, cooperated with him and offered timely advice, without any power struggles.
The capital was experiencing an unprecedented era of prosperity!
Meanwhile, in the Ministry of Works, Zhang Yang led the charge, with everyone diligently researching new inventions, with the blast furnace being the top priority.
"The Emperor said that as long as steel production increases, issues with railway transport, steam locomotives, and steamships will be resolved. Otherwise, even the most skilled cook cannot prepare a meal without ingredients!"
Huang Xing encouraged everyone in the Ministry of Works daily.
The court had increased the rewards for "scientific research," which greatly boosted everyone's enthusiasm for scientific endeavors.
At this time, Liang Xiao was still overseeing the central government, directing the officials.
He planned to take Xiao Qing to his ancestral home in Yanzhou to pay respects to his ancestors once the situation stabilized.
Although Wang Canghai had retired, his influence in the capital remained significant. Coupled with Ding Wu Yi, the commander of the Imperial Guards, they were sufficient to maintain order in the capital.
The people of Yanzhou eagerly awaited their local sage and Emperor, Liang Xiao, to visit them.
Statues of the Heavenly General and the Marquis of Anguo across the country were adorned with flowers.
In the vicinity of the capital, two statues had been replaced by a statue of the Emperor, with an inscription at its base detailing Liang Xiao's great achievements.
In addition, beside the Emperor's statue, a statue of the Empress had been erected. The imperial couple stood side by side, gazing into the distance, venerated by the populace daily. Countless people voluntarily guarded them, preventing anyone from approaching, embodying the sentiment of "worthy of admiration, but not to be profaned."
Around each of these statues stood countless military statues, a cemetery dedicated to fallen soldiers, and a Hall of Heroes for memorial tablets.
According to official and newspaper propaganda, these soldiers were "national sacrifices" and should not be forgotten by the world.
Whenever people had free time, they would spontaneously go to pay their respects and tend to the graves.
The troops in the Western Frontier also received the first batch of supplies from the central government.
After inspecting the provisions, Lü Yi asked the supply officer, "Why was this convoy ten days faster than usual!"
The supply officer, with an excited expression, explained, "It's the railway! Marshal, it's the railway! With four hundred miles of railway, those steam locomotives delivered most of the urgently needed supplies to the intermediate supply stations within a day. Previously, it would have taken at least ten days by the logistics troops!"
"Steam locomotives?" The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances.
They had been stationed at the border for years and hadn't returned home recently. They had never seen a steam locomotive.
The supply officer took the opportunity during a break to explain the changes in the capital to them. The soldiers listened with delight and clapped their hands in celebration.
"Then we should petition His Majesty and the Emperor to build more railways!" Even Lü Yi could not remain calm!
"Marshal, one mile of railway requires nearly one hundred thousand catties of iron. Our Great Gan's steel production is not what it used to be, and it cannot support such consumption!"
"One hundred thousand catties!" Everyone gasped.
This was an unimaginable figure.
"But the Emperor specifically entrusted this subordinate to inform you, Marshal, and all the generals: railways will eventually connect the entire Western Frontier, as steel production will increase dramatically soon. The Ministry of Works is already designing the routes in advance and can begin construction at any time. It will be a natural progression! In the future, soldiers in the Western Frontier will be able to return home from the Western Frontier to places along the railway within a few days, easily going home, without having to travel for a month or even several months!"
As soon as he finished speaking, cheers erupted around them.
The impact of the railway greatly inspired the soldiers of the Western Frontier who hailed from their homeland.
In addition, the central government sent large quantities of dried meat and low-denomination banknotes, which were distributed to the soldiers to reward their merits.
The entire army was overjoyed!
However, the threat from the Guishuang Dynasty was growing daily. The enemy had also replicated the Huihui cannon, and its power now surpassed the original ballista. With continuous improvements, it was approaching the power of Great Gan's Huihui cannon.
The Western Frontier, relying on the Divine Martial Cannon, temporarily deterred the enemy.
The armies of Great Gan were successively rushing to the Western Frontier, preparing for a decisive battle with the Guishuang Dynasty to completely destroy their supply lines.
Especially from Yizhou, which was relatively close to the Western Frontier, soldiers were successively emerging from the Shu Road, unhesitatingly charging into the Western Frontier, seeking to achieve military exploits and repay the nation for the favors shown to Yizhou.
A massive quantity of arrows and telescopes was also being sent to the Western Frontier from Yanzhou and the capital.
In the capital, civil officials led by Li Xiuyun were discussing the promotion of steam engines with Liang Xiao.
"Your Majesty, such a wondrous artifact, it is time to promote it among the populace. It can greatly enhance the productivity of the common people!"
Almost all the officials strongly supported the promotion of steam engines, as the court had promised that industries would be the first to benefit from the widespread use of steam engines, allowing them to earn the first pot of gold.
Liang Xiao casually flipped through several memorials, finding their content to be largely similar. He nodded and said, "Promotion is inevitable, but I hope that after your industries utilize steam engines, you will remember one thing: pay your workers adequately and do not exploit them!"
After the officials solemnly pledged to treat their laborers well, Liang Xiao produced the "Labor Law," revised by Hong Jie, and circulated it among them.
"What? In the future, laborers shall not work more than four hours a day? Currently, it's no more than five hours a day?"
Liang Xiao looked at the astonished officials and nodded, "My wife and I hope everyone will understand the principle of extremes reversing. The benefits brought by steam engines will increase the nation's productivity severalfold. However, all these achievements must be built upon the sweat and blood of countless workers. If workers are excessively exploited, and the court cannot properly protect their interests, they will eventually rise up in rebellion."
The civil and military officials were momentarily unable to comprehend.
The common people of Great Gan worked from sunrise to sunset, with a workday of six hours or more being the norm.
According to their understanding, the longer workers worked, the more beneficial it was for their industries.
However, given Liang Xiao's prestige, which no one dared to defy, they naturally believed in his concerns.
After a moment of hesitation, the officials finally pledged, "We will certainly treat our workers well!"
Liang Xiao then produced over a hundred contracts appended with the "Labor Law."
"Since you all have good intentions, let us sign this contract together as a backup. In the future, if anyone or their family members oppress workers, as officials, their crime will be compounded."