Chapter 50
Although he was stunned, silver is silver after all. Ten thousand taels of silver can basically solve all the military and political problems in Shangyu. Hai Gangfeng was stunned for a moment, but still kept silent.
Some things are done according to the classics, and some are done according to the expediency. As long as they can get money to subsidize military supplies, madness or not is no longer a consideration.
Hai and Zhang were probably too shocked to do so. They could only stare blankly at the contract of 20,000 taels of silver. However, the Ryukyu envoy overheard something and stepped forward courageously. He bowed repeatedly and asked carefully:
"Excuse me, Your Highness, I know about this 'Rocket One', but what does 'Flagship Edition' mean..."
In order to appease the always submissive Ryukyu, the prince quickly put on a smiling face:
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. This is just a self-righteous idea of mine. Although the Zhenjun No. 1 was successfully manufactured, it is still an immature prototype. I plan to have the craftsmen cut some redundant functions and adjust some structures. I plan to launch a lighter, simpler and more convenient version, named the 'Enjoyment Edition'."
Although they had not yet experienced the various Internet rhetoric of later generations, the Ryukyu envoys quickly caught the word "reduction" and realized that this so-called fantasy version was most likely a simplified version. But since it is a simple product...
The envoy's heart was moved
"I wonder what the price of this 'Enjoyment Edition' is..."
They are all simplified versions, so the price should be lowered a bit, right?
Ryukyu is a small and poor country, and is simply unable to support the huge military expenditure. It would be fine if it took over the rocket exercises rewarded by the Central Plains, but it would be very difficult for it to pay for such a rocket on its own.
The prince was indeed considerate and took the hand of Lord Shang. "Since it is an enjoyable version, of course it is to let more people enjoy the boundless benevolence of the current emperor. Given the relationship between Ryukyu and Central Plains, I can give you a discount. One thousand taels per rocket for the enjoyable version. How about that?"
This was undoubtedly a huge discount, and Lord Shang's heart trembled slightly when he heard it, like a deer beating in its tracks. But after a moment's hesitation, it was still a little awkward:
"One thousand taels per shot, is that also..."
For Ryukyu, even if the weather is good and the treasury is full, they can squeeze out two or three thousand taels, which is the limit. Even providing the unlimited version is very difficult.
"That's fine." The prince was very generous. "We have to update the rocket version every year, and launch more perfect models such as Feixuan Zhenjun No. 2 and No. 3. After the new version is updated, the old version must be reduced in price, and five or six hundred taels can be bought. If Ryukyu is willing to lease a port to the court, we can also provide free upgrade and maintenance services..."
Such preferential conditions are thoughtful and appropriate in every aspect, and there is really no need to worry anymore. The Ryukyu envoys expressed their gratitude repeatedly, their joy beyond words. The so-called favor from the imperial court has yet to be fulfilled. Da'an was a little too paternalistic, and the emperors since Gaozu and Taizong were indeed a little too paternalistic, but at least it was still a very qualified suzerain state. As long as the vassal states can abide by their duties, Da'an is willing to use force to guarantee the safety and stability of their subjects, and even bring them into the trade circle for common development.
For Ryukyu, which has suffered from the bullying of the Japanese, this kind of continuous security guarantee is extremely critical and important. Lord Shang's gratitude and excitement at this moment were definitely sincere and without any falsehood.
However, the joy and gratitude of the Ryukyu people made the Japanese envoy Nan Yexi feel particularly hurt. Japan is now trying to encroach on Ryukyu and hopes to use Ryukyu as a springboard to invade the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Of course, it cannot tolerate such behavior that changes the balance of power. And the most terrifying thing is that the Prince of Duke Mu has made it clear in his words and deeds that there will be "updates" to the subsequent versions, and it seems that he will continue to focus on promoting the research and development of the so-called alchemy technology - from what Nan Yexi Ren had seen and heard, only a dozen days after the conversation that day, the Duke Mu's Mansion had been able to increase the flying distance of the iron rod from more than ten feet to hundreds of feet, and could also create the dazzling scene of fireworks; if he was given another year or several years, what could he come up with?
Will you really send Fei Xuan Zhen Jun (the living version) to heaven next time?
An air-dropped weapon that is so powerful that it cannot be resisted is frightening enough; a mass-produced weapon that is not only powerful but can also evolve on its own is even more difficult to resist. Da'an doesn't have much except for its many skilled craftsmen, a natural manufacturing saint, and an unrivaled ancient industrial god. As long as Hai Gangfeng can go to Shangyu to recruit craftsmen and organize a reliable assembly line, the output of rockets can immediately increase tenfold or even a hundredfold. By that time, not to mention that the Japanese had backward technology and would be unable to start, even if they were lucky enough to figure out some tricks, they would definitely be drowned in the ocean of countless rockets.
Nan Yexi Ninja might not have thought so far, but he vaguely realized that the situation was not good. Of course, he also knew that it was impossible to change the prince's mind, so he just stood there with a blank face. However, the envoy from Jiaozhi, Nguyen Guangyan, did not know the seriousness of the matter. He shamelessly took a few steps forward and bowed solemnly, shouting "Long live the country" three times, once again praising the great achievements of the superior country.
Unfortunately, belated loyalty is cheaper than grass, not to mention that this statement is full of old routines, far less than one percent of that of the Goryeo envoys. So the prince was too lazy to respond and just bowed slightly as a perfunctory response. Ruan Guangyan wanted to continue his flattery, but the prince interrupted him directly:
"I really don't deserve this gift. If you have something to say, please speak directly. Why do you have to be so rude at first and respectful later?"
Weren’t you very good at yin and yang before? Why don't you put on that face again?
This answer was not very polite, but it caused basically no harm to Jiaozhi. After Emperor Xuanzong reduced his borders, Jiaozhi surrendered and rebelled at the same time as the wind, and of course they would not care about a little bit of face. More than ten years ago, Jiaozhi rebelled and invaded southern Xinjiang, but was suppressed by Lao Deng, who was still quite humane at that time. When the heavenly soldiers arrived, the rebels were all crushed to pieces, and the king of Jiaozhi was so scared that he tied up his entire family and sent them to the army, where they knelt and begged for mercy, and he barely managed to save his life. But in the past ten years or so, Master Feixuan has been obsessed with mystical cultivation, neglecting the military and the country's strength has been declining. After Jiaozhi took advantage of a few small advantages, it quickly turned into the arrogant and barbaric country it is today.
Seeing that the current situation is not right and Da'an's background seems unfathomable, it is not difficult to make a quick decision and turn around quickly, and immediately put on the submissive and obedient face of the past. The Jiaozhi envoy bowed respectfully:
"I dare not disobey the orders of the ministers of the upper country. But I am also a Chinese, and my heart to serve the emperor and father is the same as others. I wonder if I can take a look at this exquisite 'rocket' made by the prince?"
It is inevitable that China has to face such a difficult situation as you grown-ups. Mu Qi almost couldn't help rolling his eyes, unwilling to continue to be perfunctory, and interrupted directly:
"Whether it is a child or not, I dare not say anything. I just want to ask the envoy, what is the reign title used in Jiaozhi now, and what seal is used?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Ruan Guangyan's face suddenly turned pale and he could not utter a word. Jiaozhi has always been playing a double-edged game, the so-called "emperor within and king without"; although it still maintained a generally submissive attitude towards the outside world, it was arrogant and promoted the so-called "Little China" system internally; not only did it establish its own reign title and misuse the emperor's seal, it even demanded that Southeast Asian countries, in addition to submitting to the Central Plains, also pay tribute to Jiaozhi. If you drag it on for a few more years, I'm afraid they're going to be on par with Da'an!
There is no two suns in the sky, no two kings among the people, and there can only be one unique sun in the world, Lord Feixuan. It would be fine if everyone was living in peace on normal days, but if we really weigh it now, it would definitely be more than a thousand kilograms.
"Of course, what the envoy said is not without reason." The prince smiled and said, "The loyal vassal states are all Chinese people. The Holy Dynasty will certainly not cherish themselves and impose a blockade on the Chinese people. But after all, things have a first come first served. The court will naturally take care of the loyal vassal states first and meet their needs first. As for the rest... If China enters the barbarians, it will be barbarians. You should take care of yourselves."
There is no eternal respect and obedience in the world, only eternal interests. A vassal state that is obedient today may rebel tomorrow. Laying a foreshadowing in advance can be regarded as a preparation for the future, so that when the power changes, we can turn around gracefully and support Jiaozhi to check and balance Myanmar, and continue to maintain the balance in the south. By that time, the specially modified rockets will have another magical use.
I don’t know whether the envoys from Burma and Siam could guess the implied meaning, but at least their expressions immediately became beaming with joy; as the objects of priority supply guaranteed by the prince, they had undoubtedly been classified into the private circle of “Sons of China” and were chosen by the imperial court as the pillars of Southern Xinjiang!
Although it was just a simple promise, an extraordinary honor and glory had already arisen spontaneously - originally the vassal states were equal in status, and at most they would brag to each other in private, but now that the imperial court has chosen them, their identities are of course different from others, and they can be openly superior to the barbarians like Jiaozhi and Waguo!
So great is Lord Feixuan, so great is the court of Da'an, so great is Prince Muguo!
My parents gave me a barbarian body, and the court gave me a Chinese soul; after entering the circle of Chinese filial sons, I must do my best to abandon the barbarian habits, so they all firmly support the prince's decision:
We just need to strangle the barbarians by the neck! It should have been blocked long ago!
Perhaps because he was overstimulated, Ruan Guangyan, who was born into a noble family and lived a distinguished life, could not help himself:
"I would like to ask you, Your Highness, the so-called 'first come, first served', is it the emperor's intention or yours?"
"Of course it's my own idea." The prince said calmly, "As for whether it's His Majesty's idea, the envoy can write a letter to ask for it himself. The Ministry of Rites will directly forward it, and it won't take much effort."
In order to demonstrate the emperor's generous treatment of vassal states, memorials submitted by foreign envoys would be sent directly to the emperor without having to be pre-screened by the Ministry of Public Security. If the memorials contained one or two sinister hints, it would be a huge risk and even the officials of the six ministries would be wary of it. But for the Prince of Mu, such petty means are obviously meaningless.
——There are so many people who want to impeach me, who do you think you are?
Besides, if he writes a letter of impeachment, won’t the prince stop spreading rumors and slander? If he was really pushed into a corner, he could use a series of slanderous words on Master Feixuan, which would surely make the old Taoist so angry that he would have to take drastic measures immediately.
Do you know what a traitor is? Do you understand the value of the Duke’s father?
·
It is still unknown whether the prince can convince Lao Deng, but what he did really touched Lao Deng. The rocket launch made such a loud noise that the Imperial City spies planted among the servants sent an urgent message that afternoon. Master Fei Xuan only glanced at the title and immediately became furious:
“This is deceiving the heaven!”
After the roar, the True Lord still felt it was not enough, so he picked up the golden hammer and hit the jade chime wildly, scaring Li Zaifang, who was waiting outside the quiet room, so much that he rushed in, lying on the ground sweating profusely, not daring to look at the emperor's lost face.
Of course, it’s not surprising that Master Fei Xuan was so furious and unable to control himself. Given your sensitivity and suspicion, how could you not see the sinister foreshadowing hidden in the report from the Imperial City Bureau? Writing his supreme and noble Taoist name on an iron rod and shooting it out, isn't that secretly cursing him, Master Feixuan, and Master Wanshou, to ascend to heaven as soon as possible? What's more - what's more, Zhenjun has been having stomach problems these days, and he is particularly averse to things like "spraying" and "shooting". He gets furious when he sees them!
It was a curse on the imperial power and an allusion to privacy. The emperor had never been provoked like this since he took power!
Who is so bold and reckless? Are his nine clans sold wholesale? !
The emperor angrily turned to the next page, with thousands of cruel means of revenge brewing in his mind; but at the mere glance at the name of the culprit, the emperor was stunned.
...To be honest, if it was anyone else in the court, Master Feixuan would be able to immediately figure out his intentions from his motives, suspect his master from his background, and would have to investigate carefully from inside to outside and from top to bottom, down to every generation. This is the suspicion and vigilance that an emperor should have, and no one can be easily immune.
However, it's fine for the rest of them, but if you really want to speculate on what kind of "intentions" the prince of Duke Mu might have, it seems too...
The emperor was silent for a moment, then turned to the next page, and then another page.
The more he read, the more weird, peculiar, and even indescribable Fei Xuan Zhen Jun's expression became - to be honest, it has been more than several decades since Zhen Jun ascended the throne, and he knows everything about family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs. He rarely feels this kind of bewildered, or even completely inexplicable mood. But after just reading a few pages of intelligence descriptions, he began to feel confused and at a loss, and even had the illusion that his sanity was contaminated.
... Judging from the description in the intelligence, if you want to say that Prince Muguo was a loyal man, he not only sent Master Feixuan to heaven, but also blew him into millions of pieces in front of everyone; if you want to say that Prince Muguo was making intentional insinuations, let alone whether his brain could support such a difficult conspiracy, just from a practical point of view, he was indeed sincerely presenting gifts to the emperor!
[Long live the True Lord] Yeah! Even if one has not been there in person, just looking at the few numerical descriptions in the intelligence, words like "universal astonishment", "extraordinary brilliance", and "like a celestial phenomenon" are enough to make Master Fei Xuan's heart beat fast and he can't help himself!
As the most prominent old immortal man with a giant baby in this dynasty, Master Feixuan likes to be superior to others, likes gorgeousness and pomp, and likes everything that is earth-shattering and eye-catching. And now - now the fireworks with the four words [Long Live the True Lord] are nothing short of satisfying the most ardent and wild secret desire of Feixuan True Lord Wanshou Emperor. Even the flattery and catering of all the ministers since he ascended the throne are now inferior and not worth mentioning.
Fireworks that can explode at a height of hundreds or thousands of feet are an absolute miracle. Isn't Fei Xuan Zhenjun, who is sincerely praised by this great miracle, the unparalleled great man sent from heaven?
The great man who descended from heaven, Feixuan Zhenjun Wanshou Emperor, only felt that his body and mind were relaxed, his muscles and bones were relaxed, and he felt like he was floating in the air. But as an emperor, he still had to find out one thing.
He struck the bronze bell again, ignoring Li Zaifang who was lying on the ground, and instead called Huang Shanggang, the commander of the Eastern Depot:
"I heard that Prince Mu talked to you about his research on elixirs. Please tell me in detail."
Huang Shanggang didn't understand what was going on, so he could only honestly recount some of the experimental reports that the prince had submitted. At the same time, he explained the so-called "physical ascension" and the wonderful concept of "flying to Huang Zengtian and never falling to the ground." Taking into account the acceptance level of the people present, Eunuch Huang has tried his best to simplify it and tried to eliminate those unclear descriptions and inexplicable descriptions. However, Li Zaifang, who was lying on the ground, was still stunned. He raised his head from the ground and looked around quietly, almost thinking that there was something wrong with his ears.
As for the emperor... the emperor was silent for a while and let out a long sigh. He no longer needed to check the reports for verification. He could immediately tell the truth from the false just by listening to a few sentences - with Huang Shanggang's brain, he would definitely not be able to make up such crazy talk.
However, Huang Shanggang's report at least proved one thing, that is, Prince Mu should have been developing this firework rocket to praise the emperor a long time ago; it doesn't matter whether the development process is crazy or not, but at least it proves that the prince really put all his effort and spared no expense to present him with a gift, and he has been consistent in his words and deeds for several years, working hard to do practical things regardless of praise or reward; this sincerity and true loyalty to the emperor alone is truly impeccable.
As soon as he thought of this, a warm current surged in Master Feixuan's heart, and he felt the long-lost emotion and warmth.
In such a warm environment, suspicion or not is really a trivial matter. However, the noise made by the rocket flying into space was too loud, so Zhenjun still had to give the court a perfunctory response. He called Li Zaifang:
"The Mu kid is still a little unreliable in what he does. Go and tell him to be more careful next time."
Li Zaifang agreed with his hands down and asked again:
"I wonder if I should reprimand him?"
If you want to reprimand, the template of the Imperial Household Department has been prepared and is available for you to use immediately.
Master Feixuan frowned:
"When the younger generation makes mistakes, the ruler, father, and elder should guide them patiently, not reprimand them at every turn. You should also know something about the emperor's loyalty and forgiveness, and his virtue of kindness and restraint. Why do you keep making things difficult for a child all day long?"
Li Zaifang: …………
Li Zaifang didn't dare to make a sound and could only lie there obediently.
Master Fei Xuan thought for a moment and added:
"Also, go and pass on my order, and tell the people below not to speculate. The intention of the prince of Muguo was good this time, but it was the painters who carried it out badly. I don't care, and they are not allowed to care either, otherwise it will be disobeying my order, do you understand?"
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