Chapter 861

“Your Majesty, this bicycle is truly interesting! With one pedal, a person goes dozens of meters, and even riding for several li doesn’t make one tired. I, your old servant, have lived for so long and this is the first time I’ve seen such a miraculous thing.”

In the imperial study, Pang Yukun and Fei Ji stood before Xiao Ming. After reporting some government affairs, they continuously praised the wonders of the bicycle.

Fei Ji, meanwhile, was even more direct. “I, your old servant, am old now. Every time I go to and from court, I still walk. If I had a bicycle to commute, it would be truly wonderful.”

Xiao Ming reviewed the memorials they submitted. Today, they were all minor matters. He picked up his fountain pen, casually sketched a few marks, and returned the memorials to the two.

At this point, he looked at the two, feeling somewhat amused. Niu Ben had left the imperial study just twenty minutes ago, and the two had arrived before he returned to the imperial harem. They were truly punctual.

“Elder Fei, didn’t you often say that walking can exercise the body? How come today you find it tiring?” Xiao Ming teased. He already understood the two’s meaning.

Fei Ji sighed deeply, “Your Majesty, I, your old servant, am indeed growing older by the day, and my body is following suit. This body-strengthening by walking is more suitable for Senior Grand Secretary Pang.”

Pang Yukun’s eyes widened upon hearing this. He thought, ‘You can’t use me as a shield too!’ So he said, “Your Majesty, I am also no longer young. Although I am younger than Elder Fei, my physical needs are incomparable. My body is not necessarily stronger than his.”

Xiao Ming was already accustomed to the two’s mutual teasing. So he said, “Alright, I understand what you mean. However, the number of these bicycles is limited. I cannot give one to every official. You go back and tell the officials not to be jealous. If they want a bicycle, they must work diligently for me. Only those who pass the annual performance review will have a chance to get one. Of course, there’s another way: they can buy one with their own silver, but this bicycle’s price is not cheap. I reckon it will cost at least a hundred Golden Dragons per bicycle.”

“A hundred Golden Dragon Coins?” Pang Yukun and Fei Ji were surprised.

Ever since the currency reform, the Great Yu Empire, from top to bottom, began using a brand new currency. Because Dragon Coins were cast from real gold and silver, coupled with Confucianism’s promotion among the common people, the Dragon Coins were well received. Now, the new currency was already circulating in the market.

And their salaries also began to be paid in Dragon Coins. According to previous standards, a first-rank official’s annual salary was three hundred taels of silver, which converted to two thousand Silver Dragon Coins, or two hundred Golden Dragon Coins in the new currency.

One bicycle was basically half of their annual salary. How could they not be surprised? And for ordinary officials, whose annual salary was eighty Golden Dragon Coins, they would need over a year’s salary to buy one.

“This price is already very low. Manufacturing bicycles is very troublesome. Just the parts alone require different machine tools to manufacture. However, this is just the initial stage. Once industrial capacity improves in the future, the price of bicycles will naturally decrease.”

Xiao Ming still remembered that in the 1970s, a bicycle cost around one hundred and twenty yuan. At that time, factory workers’ wages were only twenty yuan, so buying a bicycle would also cost half a year’s wages.

So now, the Great Yu Empire’s prices and wage levels were somewhat similar to that era. However, due to the relatively poor industrial foundation, prices would be higher.

“So that’s how it is. This bicycle is indeed very precious,” Pang Yukun said.

“Of course! Otherwise, why would I treat it as a reward?” Xiao Ming chuckled. He said, “However, as Grand Secretaries, you both will receive a bicycle. But with a bicycle, you must also learn from Niu Ben and promote the bicycle. If the common people’s demand for bicycles is high, I can build more factories.” Xiao Ming said with anticipation.

Now that the common people in the north were prosperous, Xiao Ming had to think about promoting consumption. This way, the Great Yu Empire could have sufficient tax revenue, and with tax revenue, he could do more things.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Pang Yukun and Fei Ji immediately beamed with joy.

Just as the three were speaking, Niu Ben rode his bicycle all the way to his residence. His personal guards, panting, ran behind him.

The common people of Qingzhou Province along the road were astonished. One by one, they stopped and stared blankly at Niu Ben on his bicycle. If it weren’t for the increasing number of various machines in Qingzhou Province now, they would surely have thought they saw a ghost in broad daylight.

Niu Ben’s face showed a triumphant expression. He was in a good mood. This thing was truly amazing.

And just as Niu Ben rode past stylishly, the common people on the street then saw Fei Ji and Pang Yukun also riding this item, each heading towards their own residences.

“Amazing Great Yu Empire!”

Among the crowd, a pair of fair-haired, blue-eyed Dutch merchants gaped in astonishment. Among the merchants, Branden looked triumphant. He said to the merchants, “I told you, you definitely wouldn’t regret coming here. This is a miraculous country.”

“I hope this time we can achieve more trade with the Great Yu Empire. The opportunity for the Netherlands’ revival is right before us,” a merchant said. They were all prominent merchants from mainland Netherlands.

“Believe me, you will not be disappointed. Next, we should go and see Qingzhou Province’s steam locomotive,” Branden said, a little impatient.

Upon arriving in Qingzhou Province, the Dutch negotiation team, which was permanently stationed in Qingzhou Province, informed him of the changes in Qingzhou Province over the past two years, which excited him for a while.

Currently, the British and Portuguese were targeting Dutch merchant ships everywhere at sea. Their maritime trade was further squeezed. Now, they needed a powerful friend to face the enemy together, and this was one of his purposes for coming here. Of course, being able to purchase some precious goods to take back would be even more wonderful.

A group of thirty-six people walked along the street towards the station in the north of the city. Along the way, Branden was somewhat dumbfounded. Unlike the city layout two years ago, the civilian neighborhoods within Qingzhou Province had been almost completely demolished.

And replacing the civilian neighborhoods were exquisite brick and stone buildings. Some tall buildings even used reinforced concrete. However, these buildings retained the traditional architectural style of the Great Yu Empire, still featuring carved beams and painted pillars.

The former East and West markets of the Great Yu Empire were now agricultural product markets selling chickens, ducks, fish, and vegetables. Shops selling clothes, clocks, and the like were arranged in a specialized area, which merchants called the commercial street.

Besides shops, many trading companies of the Great Yu Empire had also established themselves here. All of this made Branden sigh in admiration. In his opinion, the Great Yu Empire’s urban construction had finally made progress.

The group quickly arrived at the station. At this point, a steam locomotive emitted a loud whistle and began to move slowly forward.

And connected behind the steam locomotive were fifty carriages, each twelve meters long, grand like a long dragon.