The Empress looked at Xiao Xun, whose face was serious. "This issue, I remember telling you about it when you first arrived, why are you bringing it up again now?"
"It's not bringing up old issues, it's a matter of changing times. In the past, the country was stable, and as long as the slaves had enough to eat, that was enough. But now, with enemies on all sides, if we continue to treat slaves like livestock, they might think that dying in any direction is still dying. Will they defect to the Four Demon Kings? If we simply grant them freedom and equality, they will surely fight against the Demon Kings to the bitter end for this hard-won freedom and equality."
Silerpeis faced the passionate and eloquent Xiao Xun with a blank expression, unmoved by his words.
"Are you finished?"
Xiao Xun nodded. "I'm finished."
Silerpeis rubbed his forehead and waved his hand. "If you're done, go down for now. I'm tired."
Seeing that the other party was completely unresponsive to his words, Xiao Xun said, "Then..."
"This matter ends here. Don't bring it up again, especially not in front of those nobles."
"Why?"
Silerpeis retorted, "On what basis do you think we are superior?"
Xiao Xun was stunned by Silerpeis's question. "No, I don't know. But look at our world, isn't it everywhere that equality and freedom are advocated?"
"Worlds are different. Let me tell you why we are superior, and they are slaves, because we love this country."
Xiao Xun wanted to argue but couldn't open his mouth before hearing the Empress continue, "This is our country, our territory. No one loves it more than we do. Even if Horton rebelled, it was for this country. We are the true masters of this country, while those commoners are merely guests here. They have never contributed to the prosperity of this country. They only care about whether they have food to eat today, whether they will have food to eat tomorrow, and whether they can earn more than today. Once the country is in trouble, they don't think about helping, but about escaping."
Silerpeis stood up, walked up to Xiao Xun, and poked his chest. "And do you know who the slaves you speak of are?"
Xiao Xun lowered his head and said, "I only know that they are pitiful people who can't get enough to eat or wear."
"Haven't you heard that saying in your original world? The pitiable often have hateful causes. The reason they became slaves is because they attempted to subvert this country and plunge it back into a state of suffering. You see them as pitiful now, but did you see them when they were slaughtering innocent civilians? If you had, you would think they deserved it. It is already my greatest mercy to have spared their lives."
Xiao Xun said "oh" and said nothing more.
Silerpeis grabbed Xiao Xun's shoulders. "Put away your naive ideas and think about how to defeat the Four Demon Kings. That is the most important thing. Don't worry about those slaves; they are not worth your sympathy. If you give them freedom today, they will ask for more tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, they will want to be your equal. The day after that, they will send you to the guillotine."
Xiao Xun looked up. "But this..."
Silerpeis sealed his mouth with his index finger. "Don't say anymore. These are things I have experienced."
Xiao Xun nodded and said, "I understand," then turned and left.
He knew that it was not yet time to liberate the slaves, and that this was not something one country could achieve.
Xiao Xun thought to himself: Perhaps the only race without slaves on this planet is the beast race. Although they have class distinctions, every one of them is a warrior and does not perform such labor with shackles.
But what Xiao Xun didn't know was that while these warriors didn't work, they invaded. What is called slavery in other countries is called food in their tribes.
The world is inherently like this: survival of the fittest. Compassion is built upon one's absolute strength.
Although the railway was fully completed, the design of the locomotive still had problems, specifically the energy issue with the magic stones. The speed could not be controlled. Although it was on rails, the weight it could pull was very limited. Like airplanes, multiple magic stones could be used, but the power consumption on uphill slopes was particularly large. Using more magic stones couldn't get it up, and using too many was also very dangerous, as the magic engine couldn't withstand it.
Xiao Xun assigned this problem to both Zeppelin and Lorgard, with a clear objective: for the two of them to develop an energy device that could replace magic stones, one that could be well-absorbed from nature and ideally be inexhaustible.
Upon hearing this, the first things they thought of were air and water. These two things are absolutely inexhaustible and are not bound by usage conditions.
When Xiao Xun heard their ideas, the first thing he thought of was the steam engine.
He thought: Do I have to retrace the path of the Industrial Revolution? Isn't that a step backward!
So, he immediately rejected the idea and said to them, "This is a magic world. Can we find that kind of powerful driving force from magic? One that can be stored, used anytime, and is everywhere."
Guan Jiawen, who was standing nearby, subconsciously said, "Isn't that electricity!"
Xiao Xun's mind was suddenly enlightened. "Yes! How could I not have thought of it? Electricity, yes, let's use electricity. We have lightning-elemental mages here. Let them cast spells; they are their own power banks. This is much more effective than mobile charging."
Guan Jiawen raised a fatal question: "What about the motor and the battery?"
"I'll figure it out."
This time, he didn't even return to his original world. He directly went to the Temple of Time and found the latest battery and motor technologies online.
He took photos of the two blueprints with his intelligent mercury glasses, then returned to the design studio and redrew the two design drawings.
He handed the research and development of the acid-base battery to Lorgard and the manufacturing of the motors to Zeppelin, and also assigned the manufacturing of the locomotive and carriages to the arsenal managed by Zeppelin.
As he was leaving, he said to Guan Jiawen, "After manufacturing is complete, assemble all of these onto the locomotive. If the test is successful, hold an inaugural ceremony for the train. You and Zeppelin should take the train directly to the coast. I will notify someone to pick you up. If the research institute hasn't been built yet, you can temporarily stay in my castle."
Guan Jiawen nodded and, seeing Xiao Xun about to leave, said, "Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Xun turned around. "Here, whether there are people or not, you must call me Your Highness Svein, understand?"
Guan Jiawen quickly corrected herself, "Yes, Your Highness Svein."
Xiao Xun asked with a serious expression, "What is it?"
Guan Jiawen fidgeted with her fingers. "The New Year is coming soon. Can I go home for the New Year?"
"That's probably not possible this year. There are so many things going on right now, and besides, I've already told them that you are abroad."
Guan Jiawen nodded. "I understand, thank you, Mr. Xiao."
As Xiao Xun reached the door, he stopped again. "You can write a letter to your family, and I will send it with the New Year's goods to your home."
Guan Jiawen thanked Xiao Xun once more.
Returning to his original world, he took a shower, shared a farewell kiss with Mu Jiahe, and then went out.
As the New Year approached, the company was a bit busy. Many people were working overtime, preparing for the New Year. Because the New Year was approaching, many people had free time, watching dramas, playing games, and so on. If their holiday lives weren't fully arranged, how could they be satisfied?
Since Xiao Xun arrived too early, the secretaries and assistants hadn't arrived yet, so Xiao Xun had the experience of using the employee elevator.