In March of Great Mandate Year One, the entire spring was spent on construction across the Han Tribe. Projects were launched everywhere, granaries and Well Houses rose from the ground, and the immigrants and officials on Qiongzhou Island had all taken up their posts. They were busy transforming the Paddy Fields, harvesting the first-quarter corn, and then promoting rice cultivation in April.
On the last day of March, news from Lin Fei, head of the Power Research Institute in Xingang Commandery, reached Luo Chong once again while he was resting at home.
"Chieftain, Lin Fei of Xingang Commandery sent a letter saying that the Endeavor Model locomotive is about to be completed. They're carrying out the final debugging and inspections, so they sent word ahead of time to ask what you think and whether you want to go over and inspect it.
"They also asked whether, if we want to conduct a test run, we should first lay the first railway. Where should it be built? On the mines in Xingang Commandery, or along the route where we originally planned to build the Heavy-Haul Railway?" The Personal Guard stood before Luo Chong's study desk and respectfully relayed the contents of the letter.
"Hmm, bring it here and let me have a look." Luo Chong reached out and took the letter. It was indeed a notice and inquiry from Lin Fei. That fellow had also kept up with the times and sent along a photograph of the locomotive for Luo Chong to see. Judging from the photograph, the locomotive was basically complete. But just as Lin Fei had said, if they wanted to test the thing, they still needed a railway. They couldn't exactly have a train run along a dirt road.
The locomotive in the photograph was about as long