Li Qin sat on the dragon throne for the entire morning, his mind wandering to many things.
Finally, he made up his mind to develop technology and embark on maritime expansion.
He knew very well that even if he closed his country off and did not develop technology, the end result would still be that someone would break down his doors.
In reality, he only had one path to take.
To develop technology and then break down the doors of Western countries.
As long as the cake keeps getting bigger, it will never be spread to the whole world.
The cake keeps getting bigger and bigger, enough to feed everyone in the country.
As long as domestic interests are satisfied, one's crown will never fall.
Once this expansion dividend begins, conservatively speaking, it will be enough for him to live off for three or four hundred years.
This is already very good; otherwise, we would be stuck in this place, struggling to keep up with the competition.
How many dynasties can survive for three hundred years without experiencing major upheavals?
That has existed for over two hundred years.
Looking at the bigger picture and taking a longer-term view, Li Qin believes that the current domestic conflicts can be alleviated during future expansion.
However, he has something else to do now.
That means first integrating the land beneath our feet.
Only by consolidating the land beneath our feet can we concentrate our resources to embark on the next stage of maritime expansion.
So the first major problem I need to solve is to deal with those warlords who have carved out their own territories.
The first issue to be resolved is the Northwest problem.
I wonder what the situation is like in the Northwest now.
Chang'an.
After Li Qin's secret report was delivered by fast horse.
Zhou Wentong immediately realized that the time to take action had finally arrived.
This time, Li Qin's southward expedition took away almost all of his generals, each of whom made significant contributions.
However, he was the only one who was sent to the Northwest to carry out the secret mission assigned to him by Li Qin.
However, before he came, Li Qin assured him that as long as he completed the task.
He promised to promote him to the rank of Duke.
Therefore, after arriving in the Northwest, he secretly contacted the current actual controller of the Northwest, the Ancestor's Long, and made all the necessary preparations.
They were just waiting for Li Qin's order to act.
So after receiving Li Qin's order to take action.
Zhou Wentong immediately ordered the army to prepare.
At the same time, the news that Li Qin had allowed them to take action was also conveyed to Zu Zhilong in Chang'an.
This allows them to take action.
Zu Zhilong was also very excited upon hearing this news.
Because Li Qin promised Zhou Wentong a position as a duke.
But Li Qin had promised him a princely title.
At this point, he was already the highest-ranking person in charge of the Northwest, appointed by Hong Chengchou before his departure.
At this time, Li Qin also received assistance from external forces represented by Zhou Wentong.
The two worked together from the inside and outside, and with the preparations made during this period of time...
That evening, Zu Zhilong summoned the main generals of the Northwest together.
To be on the safe side, Zhou Wentong also led his troops into the city to lay in ambush, but he only did so as a precaution and had no intention of actually taking action.
Just as the wine was being exchanged, Zu Zhilong stepped forward, holding his wine cup, and said:
"Gentlemen, King Li has already proclaimed himself emperor in Jinling. The commander-in-chief followed His Majesty south and still achieved a great victory, and was enfeoffed as a prince by His Majesty."
I suppose I'll stay and serve in the imperial court in the future.
I suppose I won't be able to take care of the Northwest region. Would you all be willing to follow me in governing this Northwest region?
"From now on, we will be the ones in charge of this Northwest region."
After Zu Zhilong finished speaking, everyone below heard him clearly.
Zu Zhilong's meaning is quite clear: he wants to establish himself independently.
Soon, the loyal generals of Hong Chengchou stood up and said:
"General Zu, what do you mean by this? Do you want to break away from the Commander-in-Chief?"
Zu Zhilong, holding a wine cup, waved his hand and said, "We are all subjects of the court, subjects of His Majesty."
How can there be any talk of separation?
As he spoke, Zu Zhilong placed his wine cup on the table behind him, and a hot-tempered general below immediately drew his sword and said to Zu Zhilong:
"If you want to break away from the commander, we won't be polite to you."
As the general drew his sword, his personal guards behind him also drew their swords.
Zhou Wentong, who was hiding in the back courtyard and witnessed this scene, also changed his expression.
He also noticed that the generals who came in were all accompanied by their personal guards, and they were all carrying weapons.
With all their personal guards combined, Zu Zhilong's forces certainly couldn't hold the line.
He has been preparing for this for so long.
How could he possibly have such a big problem?
He did it on purpose.
The situation immediately began to tilt as soon as those men drew their swords.
Zu Zhilong is also losing control of the situation, and it looks like things are about to collapse.
Meanwhile, the generals who were loyal to Hong Chengchou also tried to leave, protected by his personal guards.
Zhou Wentong knew that once they left, it would all be over; Zu Zhilong was forcing him to take action.
He wanted to make it a project he and his team did together.
We must drag Li Qin down with us; we can't let him bear the brunt of the fire alone.
That was a ruthless move of his. If I didn't step in to help him, these people who had turned their backs on me would just leave.
The situation in the Northwest was ruined, and so was his own dukedom.
Then Zhou Wentong waved his hand.
Zhou Wentong's army, which had secretly entered the city and lay in ambush long ago, immediately attacked and surrounded the city with his personal guards.
After a well-prepared barrage of arrows and fierce fighting, the situation was brought under control.
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