Qingzhou.

With the first snow, winter suddenly arrived. It was different from the countless dark and cold nights in previous years. Today, Qingzhou has become a city that never sleeps.

There is a tall street light every twenty meters on the road leading to the imperial city, and the bright light makes the road look like daytime.

Outside the main road, street lights have also been built on other streets, with light connected to light and endlessly.

On both sides of the street are commercial shops and houses. With the popularity of electricity in Qingzhou, every household in Qingzhou is now shrouded in the light of incandescent lamps.

In this light, Qingzhou's commercial activities are still hot at night, with people gathering in shops of all sizes, and a prosperous scene.

Imperial study room.

Xiao Ming and the cabinet ministers are all there, it is already eight o'clock in the evening, and according to logic, they should be at home now.

But this day was different for them, because after the cable telegram, the Empire immediately had another crucial communication method to be officially put into use.

"It's eight o'clock, why haven't it sounded yet?" Pang Yukun paced back and forth, waiting a little impatiently.

Zhan Xingchang's face was full of expectations, "If this phone call is really so magical, it would be worth it to wait for a while."

Xiao Ming sat on a chair, and in front of him was a 19th century telephone, and a telephone line followed by the telephone from the Imperial Study Room to the outside.

After the popularization of cable telegraphs in important cities of the empire, telephones, as an important product of the nineteenth century, were also born with the efforts of scientific researchers.

With the magnets and rubber sound film and gaskets, the phone needs to be made is not a problem.

In terms of principle, telephones are similar to wired telegraphs, and they use electrical signals. Therefore, while laying wired telegraphs, Xiao Ming instructed to lay several wires to prepare for today's telephone.

After all, he is from modern times and stands far and wide, so he will always prepare for the future during construction, so as not to have another unnecessary construction.

"Dingling..."

Just as everyone was anxious, the telephone in front of Xiao Ming suddenly rang.

Xiao Ming looked at everyone with a smile, and he said, "Come on, let us witness this historical moment together."

After saying that, he picked up the phone.

"I am Xiao Ming, please report on the phone now." Xiao Ming said.

On the other end of the phone is He Dong, who is now the director of the Imperial Telecommunications Department, and he is in charge of both the cable and wireless telegraphs and the current phone calls.

He was immediately excited when he heard this name, "Your Majesty, the official is now reporting to you in Dengzhou. After testing, the cable phone is officially connected."

"Very good. When you come back, I will personally welcome you." Xiao Ming showed a strong smile on his face.

"Thank you," He Dong said excitedly.

The sound of the phone clearly reached the ears of Pang Yukun and others, which shocked them. Fiji said: "Master, can you let the old minister say a few words?"

"Of course." Xiao Ming said with a smile. He was much more calm about this kind of thing than others. After all, in contemporary times, these are just pediatrics.

After handing over the phone, Fiji said impatiently: "I am Fiji, are you He Dong?"

"Is it me?" He Dong wanted to laugh inexplicably on one end of the phone.

Fiji exclaimed at this time: "It's really a magical thing..."

Before he could finish his words, Pang Yukun and others rushed forward, and they could not wait. Fiji had to watch his phone being snatched by one and the other.

Compared to everyone's excitement, Xiao Ming was also a little sad while being happy. Both the cable and the telephone consumed a lot of rubber and copper from the Empire, which were all real money.

Moreover, routes that cost hundreds of miles between important cities need to be built. In order to extend the communication distance of the telephone, relay stations need to be built to expand the signal, which is a considerable investment.

However, compared with the timeliness of the phone, he felt that the investment was worth it, because he no longer had to worry about war in the north, and he would not receive the news in a month.

With the phone number, he can get telegrams from the frontier and give instructions in an instant.

In addition, the breakthrough in wired telephone technology made battlefield telephones possible. In the future, commanders could command troops at all levels through telephone in the empire's foreign war.

"How is it? Is it enough fresh?" Xiao Ming asked after waiting for more than ten minutes.

At this time, Pang Yukun and others were still excited. Pang Yukun said: "I didn't expect that this science and technology would have such magical functions. Now the empire can really transmit voices from thousands of miles away."

"Recalling more than ten years ago, we didn't dare to think that there would be such a magical thing. We didn't expect that under the rule of the emperor, these things could not be realized one by one." Fiji said: "The old minister thought that the investment in scientific research would increase greatly in the future."

To be honest, other cabinet ministers also have the same idea. For them, the development of technology and country is definitely not empty talk.

What Xiao Ming wants is this effect. Compared with telegrams, the phone is more shocking now, so he deliberately left them until very late in order to let them feel the power of the phone as soon as possible.

Ge Yiren's expression was a little complicated, and he said, "In this way, in the future, if the emperor wants to know what happened in the people, he just needs to call and inquire?"

"Of course." Xiao Ming smiled with a deep meaning. "In the past, I stayed in this palace compound to handle government affairs all day long. If you want to know the real situation outside, you can only read your memorials, but now it's different. I have countless pairs of eyes outside."

"This... I really want to congratulate the Emperor." Ge Yiren said humbly.

This statement was also an invisible shock to the ears of other cabinet ministers. With this call, the emperor's control over the empire will be more direct and effective.

He could even sit in the palace and directly mobilize troops thousands of miles away to Beijing to serve the king, and this only takes a moment.

It has to be said that with phone calls and telegrams, the empire will be even more difficult to cause chaos, and even if there is chaos, it may be settled for a while.

"Congratulations to the Emperor! Congratulations to the Emperor!" the other eight people said in unison.

Xiao Ming nodded slightly. In fact, he was also very proud this time. Because of his preparations, the phone no longer needs to be laid lines like a wired telegram. After the experiment was successful, domestic phones could be put into use quickly.

However, although the phone is officially on the phone, there are still many places that need to be installed, which is what He Dong will do next.

Thinking of this, he said to Pang Yukun: "You immediately give an order to ask all provinces to cooperate with He Dong to assemble the phone and inform them of the function and use of the phone."
Chapter completed!