Chapter 1091: Hanzhong North Station
Zhu Cunji said triumphantly, "That's right, that's my body double. His real name is Zhao Si, and he's an actor. The Heavenly Lord even gave him a special nickname, 'Nicholas Zhao Si.' I don't know why the Heavenly Lord chose that name, but whatever the Heavenly Lord names, there must be a reason for it."
Zhu Yujian was utterly impressed. "You managed to find someone like that? Wait a minute, he looks so much like you and can act... if your own women can't tell the difference, wouldn't that mean..."
His gaze swept to the top of Zhu Cunji's head... clearly implying that his wife might be unfaithful.
Zhu Cunji chuckled, "Don't jump to conclusions! My princess consort knows his true identity, as do the eunuchs around him and the loyal guards left in the Prince of Qin's Mansion. Most importantly, the Heavenly Lord also knows. He can't do anything out of line; he's just an employee working for money."
Now Zhu Yujian was truly convinced. "Even the Heavenly Lord knows... The Heavenly Lord truly looks out for you."
At this, Zhu Cunji's pride swelled. "The Heavenly Lord didn't think much of me before, but after I built two railway lines, he often favored me. Heh heh, in the future, I'll build even more railways, living up to the Heavenly Lord's cultivation and trust."
"Come on, let's get ready and go out with the logistics team," Zhu Cunji said. "As princes, what we lack most are opportunities to go out and have fun. Don't you want to see the picturesque landscape of our vast empire?"
Zhu Yujian replied, "I would love to see the picturesque landscape, but what I want more is to help this empire rise and stand tall with a straight spine."
"Then you absolutely must go on this trip," Zhu Cunji urged.
The two returned to the train station. The large train was still being loaded with goods, so many that it took several hours to fill. Finally, the entire train was packed to the brim, no more could possibly fit. Passengers who had originally intended to ride this train to Hanzhong Prefecture were so squeezed that they could only sit on the cargo boxes, packed like trains in India in later generations.
Zhu Cunji and Zhu Yujian, accompanied by a group of loyal guards, squeezed their way onto the train, feeling a bit cramped amidst the stacks of cargo. Yet, Zhu Cunji's spirits were high. He burst out laughing, "We're off! Another trip!"
No sooner had his boastful words left his lips than a ticket inspector approached. "Straw hat gentleman, please show your ticket."
"A ticket?" Zhu Cunji fumed. "Do I, of all people, need to buy a ticket to ride this train? What is my status? Do I really need a ticket for *this* train?"
At his outburst, everyone in the carriage turned to stare at him.
The ticket inspector, seeing that this fellow seemed like a troublemaker, scoffed, "The Heavenly Lord himself said it: no matter how important you are, even if you hold a key position in Gao Family Village, you cannot put on airs, flaunt your status, or try to avoid paying for your ticket. Gao Family Village strictly forbids bullying with power, strictly forbids abusing power for personal gain, and strictly forbids village officials from acting arrogantly and infringing on the rights of private enterprises. If you haven't bought a ticket, purchase one immediately, or don't blame me for reporting you to the Saintess."
Zhu Cunji fell silent. He wanted to scream, "I'm not bullying anyone with power... this is *my* train!" But alas, he couldn't reveal his identity.
In the end, Zhu Cunji grudgingly dug out his money and paid for the ticket.
The ticket inspector took the fare, humming a tune as he exited the carriage. As he walked, he tossed back a final remark: "Hmph, that'll teach you to show off! In the Heavenly Lord's domain, no one dares to be arrogant. No matter how impressive you act, the moment I invoke the Heavenly Lord's name, you still have to dutifully buy your ticket!"
Zhu Cunji felt his face burn with indignation. "You... I... you..."
Beside him, Zhu Yujian burst into laughter.
The train departed from Xi'an, traversed the Guanzhong Plain, and headed towards Hanzhong.
Along the way, Zhu Cunji gawked and exclaimed at every sight, finding all the landscapes utterly fascinating. Zhu Yujian, however, paid little attention to the scenery; his focus was on the livelihood of the people in the Guanzhong Plain.
Years earlier, he had heard of the great drought in Shaanxi, which was far more severe than in Henan at the time. He'd been told that Shaanxi's land was scorched for a thousand miles, with people resorting to cannibalism. But what he saw now was a land of abundance. The crops in the Guanzhong Plain grew robustly, and the farmers in the fields wore expressions of joy.
"The drought here..." Zhu Yujian began.
Zhu Cunji chuckled. "When the Heavenly Lord arrived, he casually brought the Four Dragon Kings, who then brought several years of continuous rain to Shaanxi, thus ending the drought."
"Brought the Four Dragon Kings? *Brought* them?" Zhu Yujian repeated, incredulous.
Zhu Cunji chuckled again. "Yes, *brought* them. I saw it with my own eyes: the Heavenly Lord's golden hand, pinching the East Sea Dragon King by the neck, lifted it above Xi'an and commanded it to spray water. The Dragon King dared not disobey and spent days laboriously spouting water."
Zhu Yujian gasped. It took him a good while to recover. "The crops here are growing exceptionally well, even better than in our region when there's no drought."
"That's because these crops have been treated with Celestial Fertilizer," Zhu Cunji explained.
"Celestial Fertilizer?" Zhu Yujian was puzzled again. "What's that?"
Zhu Cunji elaborated, "It's a celestial technique, created using something called 'chemistry.' It's far better than manure. Once applied, crops grow incredibly fast, and yields at least double."
The Celestial Empire relied on agriculture, and anything that could double crop yields was a true divine artifact, far more astonishing than any steam car.
Zhu Yujian, too, was profoundly shaken. "Something so good? This... I fear... might attract the covetous gaze of corrupt officials, wouldn't it?"
Zhu Cunji's face twisted into a peculiar expression. "Yes! It will attract them! For example..." He pointed to his own nose. "Me."
Zhu Yujian looked bewildered.
Zhu Cunji wasn't afraid to be embarrassed. After all, the man before him was two generations his senior, so sharing a humiliating anecdote wasn't really losing face. He then recounted how he had once tried to snatch Wu Shen and Shi Kefa's chemical fertilizer, only to hit an iron plate. Gao Family Village had used the emperor's authority to deal with him, and only after the Prince of Qin's Mansion forked over fifty thousand taels of silver for Wu Shen's disaster relief did Zhu Youjian finally let him off.
Zhu Yujian listened, then chuckled wryly. "You truly are a scion of wealth..."
Zhu Cunji laughed heartily. "Indeed, I am a scion of wealth."
The two continued their awkward conversation, discussing scenery and people's livelihoods, until, after a long while, they arrived in Hanzhong.
It was Zhu Cunji's first time in Hanzhong, and he was brimming with enthusiasm. The moment the train came to a stop, he leaped off, landing on the platform of Hanzhong North Station. His gaze swept across the station, and he immediately sensed something was off.
Hanzhong North Station was dilapidated. Only a short section of the platform was concrete; the rest was rough stone. A makeshift thatch roof covered the toll booth, offering no hint of the modern era.
"Huh? Why is Hanzhong North Station so rudimentary?" Zhu Cunji wondered aloud. "It's simply not on the same level as our Xi'an South Station."
Zhu Yujian followed him off the train, glanced at the platform, and also looked surprised. "Indeed, it's poorly constructed here. This is supposed to be one end of the same line, but its standard is light-years away from the other."
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