Chu Fan knew that these policies couldn't completely eliminate theft, but they could at least serve as a deterrent. Even with the court's new weapons, which deterred warriors from opposing the Wei court, their ambition and greed couldn't be easily curbed.

The Wei State now had a north-south railway line, covering most cities in all four directions, totaling several thousand miles. Furthermore, the rails were made of fine iron, yet some warriors still took the risk of stealing them to forge weapons.

Even if the imperial court ordered the artisans not to forge the ironwork for these warriors, it was inevitable that some artisans, motivated by profit, would secretly collude. Even when the warriors who stole the rails held their swords to the artisans' necks, the artisans were forced to comply. After all, they had violated the imperial decree, and as long as they and the warriors kept it a secret, it would be difficult for the imperial court to discover their violation.

If he didn't forge weapons for those warriors, then his own life and the lives of his family would be threatened immediately. Therefore, Chu Fan also knew that no matter how harsh the punishment was, there would always be some people who were not afraid of death and would take risks.

However, after a harsh government order was issued, the warriors would become cautious and dare not act rashly. After all, not all warriors were fearless. Most would weigh the pros and cons. When they realized that the risks outweighed the benefits, they would naturally give up the idea of ​​stealing.

Chu Fan did not think that the decrees he formulated could completely suppress the ambitions of those warriors just because of Mu Yundian's flattery.

Chu Fan said to Tang Hongwen, "Lord Tang, as the Minister of Works, you must quickly organize craftsmen to research and manufacture this wired telephone. We must strive to manufacture it as soon as possible and install it along Wei's railway lines to enhance Wei's communication capabilities, ensure the rapid transmission of military intelligence, and provide strong support for Wei's victory in the war.

At the same time, each city should also stockpile the sleepers and rails needed for laying the railway in case of emergency. Even with strict government orders, some daring warriors will still take risks. Furthermore, natural disasters such as floods and mudslides may occur. Having a stockpile of sleepers and rails can quickly respond to emergencies, allowing the railway to be restored to normal operation as quickly as possible and ensuring the timely deployment of supplies and personnel. This will not only reduce losses caused by natural disasters, but also allow for rapid rescue and material supplies in disaster-stricken areas, preventing the situation from worsening.

Upon hearing this, Tang Hongwen replied solemnly, "I obey your command. I will live up to your Majesty's trust and do my utmost to manufacture this wired telephone as soon as possible, allowing the State of Wei to quickly communicate intelligence. I will also organize personnel to reserve sleepers and rails for emergency use, ensuring that the State of Wei's railway network remains unobstructed under any circumstances."

Chu Fan nodded in satisfaction. He knew Tang Hongwen was a loyal and capable minister, and he could trust him with such an important task. This was also why Chu Fan allowed Tang Hongwen and the Ministry of Works to earn sufficient profits. No matter how talented and loyal a minister was, only by giving them the rewards they deserved could they be motivated to complete their assigned tasks with even greater dedication. Otherwise, if they only worked without receiving the due rewards, they would eventually become lazy.

Chu Fan then turned to Mu Yundian and instructed, "Lord Mu, upon returning to the Ministry of War, you must immediately begin preparing for support operations against Japan. Select suitable generals and soldiers, and ensure they can be dispatched in the shortest possible time. Before other countries can react, completely occupy Japan's strategic locations and cut off its ties with other countries.

Now Japan no longer has much resistance, and our Wei Kingdom has always been a benevolent and righteous army in the hearts of the Japanese people. When you land in Japan, the Japanese people who have long been bullied by other countries will surely respond and cooperate with our army's actions.

By then, I believe that the Wei army, with the cooperation of the Japanese people, will be able to quickly occupy the entire Japanese territory, and then Japanese territory will become an inherent part of the Wei Kingdom."

Mu Yundian took the order and left after hearing it. He knew that this mission was very difficult, but he also understood that this was the time for his military department to perform. His military department had also gained a lot of benefits during this period and the soldiers had already received sufficient training. Many soldiers had long been eager to go to the battlefield to establish merit.

Mu Yundian knew that as long as this operation was successful, the position of the Ministry of War in the court would be more stable, and he, as the Minister of War, would gain greater power and status. This was undoubtedly a great opportunity for him.

But Mu Yundian was not such a fool. The higher a person or family's status in the court, the fewer options they had. Often, the only option left for them was rebellion, because when a person's or family's power approached that of the emperor, they were likely to harbor presumptuous thoughts.

Even if a person or family had no intention of usurping power, they would often be pushed into rebellion by their subordinates or officials. Mu Yundian knew that there were many such precedents in history, but could he easily shake the power of the current Wei royal family?

Although he and his brother did control most of the military power in Wei, the warriors in Wei were basically loyal to the royal family, and the newly invented powerful weapons were also controlled by the Ministry of Works. The royal family members were also distributed in various departments in the court. If there was any disturbance, these royal family members would quickly inform His Majesty. In addition, the current Emperor had a very high prestige in the hearts of the people and the army, so any rebellion would be difficult to gain momentum, and it would be difficult to subvert the imperial power.

Mu Yundian knew clearly that the more His Majesty trusted his family, the more he needed to maintain a healthy balance. He couldn't let power go to his head, and he couldn't let his family's interests override the nation's. He had to strike a perfect balance in this matter, ensuring the mission was successfully completed and the rewards were earned, while also avoiding arousing the royal family's suspicion.

The power that the Mu family has gained in the Wei Kingdom is really too great. His younger brother Mu Yunfeng, as the general, controls most of the Wei Kingdom's army. If he leads the troops to attack the Japanese Kingdom and achieve the feat of destroying the country, the power of the Mu family will reach an unprecedented height, which will inevitably arouse the fear and suspicion of other forces in the court.