While Lin Tian harbored his own thoughts, the others remained unaware.
However, the arrival of Ying Zheng and his retinue truly astonished the people of the Peacock Kingdom.
Many among them had personally participated in the construction of the railways.
At the time, they hadn't understood what railways were or their purpose, which is why they had worked so diligently during their construction.
But now, they immediately grasped that these railways were for Great Qin's transportation.
They could not only transport vast quantities of goods but also large numbers of troops.
Upon witnessing the appearance of trains, the people of the Peacock Kingdom were utterly shocked by their existence.
"This, how is this possible? How can there be such large vehicles in the world??"
"Their vehicles, their vehicles are so strange. Not only are they incredibly fast, but they are also made entirely of steel. Can steel move?"
"I don't understand, it's truly incomprehensible. But one thing is certain: the Qin army is not to be trifled with! They were difficult to provoke before, and now they are even more so!!"
The advent of trains made the people of the Peacock Kingdom once again realize the might of Qin's warriors.
Because of this, their awe and reverence for Qin's soldiers grew even deeper.
When Ying Zheng himself appeared before them, they all prostrated themselves on the ground, not a single person daring to lift their heads to steal another glance at him.
His overwhelmingly powerful presence had deeply penetrated their hearts.
In that moment, countless people in the Peacock Kingdom were filled with extreme fear.
They were terrified that a single misstep might anger this supremely noble figure.
If such a situation were to arise, they feared they wouldn't even know how they died.
Fortunately, although Ying Zheng had arrived in the Peacock Kingdom, his gaze was not fixed upon its people but upon the scenery surrounding him.
"Is this the Peacock Kingdom?"
"Indeed, this is the Peacock Kingdom. In terms of climate, there are quite a few differences compared to our own territories!"
"Furthermore, their animals and food are also vastly different from ours!"
"However, no matter their differences, they have already become a part of our Great Qin!"
"Yes! It has become part of our Great Qin, and it now belongs to us!"
Gazing upon the vast lands of the Peacock Kingdom, Ying Zheng was filled with profound emotion.
Although he had known of the Peacock Kingdom's territorial size before, seeing it with his own eyes still filled him with surprise.
The territory of the Peacock Kingdom was only slightly smaller than that of Great Qin.
For Lin Tian to have led his army and conquered such a vast territory for Great Qin was, in Ying Zheng's eyes, simply incredible.
Especially considering that the past Ying Zheng had never imagined that lands of such magnitude existed beyond Great Qin.
Therefore, such an enormous territory left Ying Zheng utterly astonished.
However, after his initial surprise, Ying Zheng couldn't help but think about the other territories Lin Tian had conquered.
According to the information compiled by the soldiers, those other regions were even larger.
Such vast expanses of land appearing before Ying Zheng ignited a powerful urge within him to see them all.
Consequently, Ying Zheng spoke:
"When will our trains be able to reach the Western countries?!"
"Your Majesty, at the current pace of construction, it may take several more years!"
"Several years is simply too long. I truly wish I could go and see them now!"
In the past, Ying Zheng would never have considered several years to be a long time.
After all, traversing so many mountains and rivers, covering such immense distances, and building such robust railways, several years would have been the absolute minimum requirement.
Under less favorable circumstances, it could have taken decades, even centuries.
But now, the situation was different.
Great Qin's productivity had drastically improved compared to the past; even digging a canal now only took a few months.
The existence of several years suddenly felt extremely prolonged.
Ying Zheng's words naturally caused many to ponder.
Most of the ministers couldn't fathom the Emperor's mindset. They simply felt that several years was a perfectly normal timeframe.
In fact, they considered several years to be incredibly swift.
For Ying Zheng to now wish to visit the Western countries seemed rather unreasonable.
However, such sentiments were something they dared not voice.
Their reverence for Ying Zheng was absolute.
If they were to make bold claims they couldn't fulfill at this moment, it would be no different from seeking their own destruction.
Therefore, when Ying Zheng uttered such words, everyone else fell silent, hesitant to respond.
Fortunately, not only were the ministers present, but Lin Tian was also there.
While the other ministers dared not speak, Lin Tian had no such reservations.
When Ying Zheng voiced his thoughts, Lin Tian proactively replied:
"Father, let us first explore the Peacock Kingdom."
"As for the Western countries, their cultural development is far too primitive, and they are excessively barbaric. We can visit them in a few years when the railways are completed!"
"If absolutely necessary, we can also travel by ship!"
"If their cultural development is so low, then let them properly learn the culture of our Great Qin!"
"As for visiting the Western world, I will go when I deem it appropriate!"
Ying Zheng had spoken casually. Upon hearing Lin Tian describe the Westerners' low cultural level, his interest waned.
What mattered more to him were the unique landscapes of the West.
After all, the world was vast, so vast that even an emperor like Ying Zheng couldn't grasp it comprehensively.
However, he didn't need to personally visit every single place; many locations could be depicted by artists.
As long as there were skilled painters who could render those places with sufficient realism, Ying Zheng would experience little difference compared to seeing them firsthand.
After spending several days in the Peacock Kingdom, Ying Zheng was filled with profound reflection.
"This world is indeed as the Shan Hai Jing describes, full of countless legends."
"One learns so little by staying confined!"
"However, the Shan Hai Jing is truly a miraculous book. To have known of places from all over the world so early on!!"
Ying Zheng was deeply intrigued by the existence of the Shan Hai Jing.
After all, many things described in the Shan Hai Jing had corresponding examples found in reality.
This suggested that the author of the Shan Hai Jing had visited many places that others had not.
This left Ying Zheng wondering who exactly had authored the Shan Hai Jing.
However, even the Great Qin Royal Library held little information regarding the Shan Hai Jing.
Consequently, Ying Zheng and Lin Tian remained unaware of its true origins.
...