In the few days that Fang Er was in "seclusion," a newspaper caused a sensation throughout the Great Tang.
"The Heavenly Road, a miracle spanning the Yellow River!"
"The World's Number One Bridge will officially open for use on the eighth day of the tenth month in the fifth year of Zhenguan!"
"Connecting North and South, the Great Tang Railway will commence operations simultaneously!"
Two striking headlines occupied nearly a quarter of the front page of the Great Tang Daily.
The Yellow River. The people of the Central Plains had both love and hate for her.
Brilliant Chinese civilization was born precisely because of her existence.
Almost every dynasty chose their capitals on the banks of the Yellow River.
Such as the Xia, Shang, Great Zhou, Qin, Han, and Sui Tang!
Yet, over the long course of history, countless floods had swept away innumerable lives.
Concurrently, she divided the land of the Central Plains, bringing immense inconvenience to north-south transportation.
Merchants traveling between the north and south could only cross via ferries at shallow points.
Countless boats had capsized in the surging Yellow River, swallowing vast amounts of goods and the lives of traveling merchants.
Even so, crossing the river was not a daily occurrence.
During the flood season, when the river overflowed its banks, crossing became as difficult as reaching the heavens!
Now, the impassable chasm had become a thoroughfare!
Henceforth, the two banks would be freely connected!
Numerous nearby commoners and merchants had already rushed towards the Yellow River Bridge, eager to catch a glimpse of its splendor.
At the same time, they wished to be among the first to walk on the bridge, to measure the width of the Yellow River with their own footsteps.
They gathered on the banks of the Yellow River, congregating near the bridge.
It was already late autumn, and many had even brought their quilts, laying dry grass on the ground to sit on and wrapping themselves in blankets as they waited.
Compared to them, the scenes of people queuing for limited purchases in later generations would seem like a mere trifle.
"My heavens, look at this bridge, it's truly magnificent!"
"Indeed, truly magnificent!"
"Tomorrow, I must go across the river to see what those brats eat every day."
"Huh, you don't know that? The crops grown across the river are the same as ours, wheat and rice. What else could they eat?"
Some people gathered together, discussing the bridge and the people on the other side.
Others began to scramble for positions closer to the front, the scene bustling with activity.
"No need to scramble, no need to scramble! I was here first. If you try to take my spot again, I'll throw you all into the river to feed the turtles!"
"Damn it! This place is so wide, why are you fighting over it? The newspaper said the bridge opens tomorrow, and everyone can cross. What are you fighting for?"
"You know nothing! This bridge was built by the Emperor with the help of an immortal. The first person to cross tomorrow will absorb immortal energy."
"Damn it, why are you squeezing into my quilt? You're not a little girl, get lost!"
"What are you yelling about? Look at this bridge, it's amazing!"
The excitement was not confined to this area; countless people also gathered at Shenyang Railway Station.
The opening of the bridge meant that trains could officially commence operations, and the journey from Shenyang to Yangzhou would only take one day and one night, sparking the interest of countless merchants.
The furs and mountain delicacies of the north would fetch several times their profit when transported to the south.
Similarly, the fruits of the south would be as easy to obtain as picking up money when brought to the north.
The train had only eight carriages, with a thousand tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each merchant had sent their employees to the train station two days in advance, all for the sake of purchasing tickets for the first journey.
It wasn't just them; many commoners were also joining in the excitement. For those who had never traveled far, they also wanted to see the south and experience its customs and traditions.
Thanks to the existence of the Shenyang Duty-Free Market, everyone's lives had improved significantly in recent years, and after ensuring basic necessities, they had accumulated some savings.
To promote the development of commerce and the selection of officials, the Great Tang did not prohibit the free movement of people.
"Tickets from Shenyang to Yangzhou, a total of 500 tickets, each costing ten strings of cash!"
"Ticket sales begin now!"
As the ticket seller shouted, the station doors opened, and countless people surged forward, waving small deposit slips.
Ten strings of cash were enough for an ordinary family to live comfortably for a year.
But at this moment, no one haggled; they were only worried about not being able to buy tickets with their money.
Following this, tickets for Kaifeng, Hejian Prefecture, Youzhou, and other transit stations were also announced for sale and sold out in a very short time.
Many people purchased more than one ticket.
"Tickets from Shenyang to Kaifeng, a total of 300 tickets, each costing five strings of cash! Sales begin!"
Within five minutes, they were sold out again.
"Tickets from Shenyang to Youzhou, a total of 200 tickets, each costing two strings of cash!"
Sold out again.
"Boss, that was too fast," the ticket seller said to the person in charge, looking at the pile of small deposit slips in front of him, speechless.
Damn it, when has selling anything been so effortless...
Not only did they not haggle, but some even offered to pay more for the tickets.
"What was the maximum weight the workshop said the train could tow?" the person in charge asked his subordinate, stroking his chin.
The subordinate immediately replied, "The engine and carriages, with their own weight, are 300 tons. They said they can tow 2,000 tons including their own weight."
After some calculations with his ledger, the person in charge turned and instructed his subordinate.
"They've waited so long, it wouldn't be right to let them go back empty-handed."
"Notify them to add another thousand standing tickets!"
"The carriages are spacious enough, see if anyone is willing to buy."
The subordinate scratched his head and asked, "Then boss, how much should standing tickets be sold for?"
After careful consideration, the person in charge made a decision. "For the same distance, offer an 80% discount on seated tickets!"
Soon, the news spread from the ticket windows, and those who had failed to buy tickets and looked disappointed were instantly overjoyed and crowded around again.
A thousand standing tickets were sold out within twenty minutes as well.
Even so, many people still could not get tickets.
The workshop had built a total of four trains, with one train each for Shenyang, Chang'an, Dengzhou, and Yangzhou.
The other three trains had already been transported in batches, and once the bridge could be used for traffic, trains would depart simultaneously in four directions.
Facing the crowds who refused to leave, the person in charge pondered for a moment, confirmed that it would not be overloaded, and said through gritted teeth.
"Damn it, add another thousand tickets for people to hang on! Fifty percent off!"
"Boss, what are hanging tickets?"
"Hang outside the carriages!"
The subordinate:...........
Thank goodness it wasn't the coldest time of the year, otherwise, hanging outside from Shenyang to Youzhou would freeze a person solid!
"A thousand hanging tickets, anyone want them!"
The news was transmitted again from the ticket window.
Some people hesitated. Traveling by train was acceptable, but gambling with their lives was a bit outrageous.
However, there were always those who were bolder, and some merchants began to hatch cunning plans.
By the time those who were hesitating made up their minds, the tickets were already gone.
Those who bought tickets, seeing the regret on others' faces, sneered and taunted them.
"Pah! With your courage, you wouldn't even catch up to hot dung!"
"In this day and age, it's always right to stick close to the prince."
"Exactly, the bold get rich, the timid starve. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Hey, look what this ticket says. If the train overturns, Prince Kun himself will pay. Those who die will be compensated with one hundred strings of cash, and those injured will have their medical expenses covered and receive compensation!"