(Due to certain reasons, I cannot write about the Sindhu region for the time being, but I will provide a general explanation later!)
The twenty-fourth year of the Kaiyuan era was a relatively peaceful year.
Meanwhile, in Rome, under the leadership of the Xianbei and Xiongnu, the Slavic Kingdom signed a non-aggression pact with Commodus, and Commodus began to fully prepare for military campaigns against Gaul, Germania, and other countries.
Faced with Commodus's military threat, Gaul, Germanic and other countries, while strengthening their alliance, also agreed to submit to the Han Dynasty and accept the emperor's investiture through the Taiping Religion.
In September of the twenty-fourth year of the Kaiyuan era, Zhang Bao secretly arrived in Gaul and conducted a coronation ceremony for the kings of Gaul, Germania, and Britain.
However, both parties have chosen to keep this matter confidential for the time being and have not made it public.
Subsequently, the fleet of the Great Han Royal Merchant Guild began to frequently travel between the three countries, secretly supplying them with various materials. At the same time, it also dispatched a group of young staff officers to train the armies of the three countries.
Cornwall did not pay much attention to the actions of the Royal Merchant Guild.
In his view, the Royal Trading Company was only interested in making money and wouldn't amount to much.
Furthermore, Rome's current fiscal revenue largely comes from silk and ocean trade with the Han Dynasty. Commodus wouldn't dare to break ties with the Han Dynasty unless absolutely necessary.
Meanwhile, Liu Bei and Sun Jian united the Egyptian and Arab provinces into one and secretly began recruiting soldiers.
Ma Teng and Gongsun Zan, who were developing in the far north of Parthia, were also doing very well. Each of them had raised a cavalry force of no less than 20,000 men, causing unrest among the Parthians and preventing them from concentrating all their energy on developing their power.
On the Han side, according to the latest population statistics, the population, including newborns, has increased to 100 million.
However, this population of 100 million was far from enough for the Han Dynasty, which had just conquered New South Wales, Illinois, and Kushan. In addition, the newly developed islands overseas also needed a large population to populate them.
Therefore, in order to achieve future hegemony, the imperial court also introduced a series of measures to encourage childbirth and included the population growth rate in the performance evaluation of officials and the allocation of local finances.
Local officials, eager to advance their careers, went to great lengths to travel around and persuade people to have more children.
In many states and counties, the streets and alleys are plastered with various slogans encouraging childbirth.
They give money, land, houses, etc., for having children...
Faced with these actions by the imperial court and government, the people were quite cooperative. Even if they were exhausted during the day, they would still find their wives to continue working hard when they got home at night.
For a time, everyone in the Han Dynasty, including Liu Hong, was striving to have a child.
By September of the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era, three more princes and four princesses had been born in Liu Hong's harem, and all of the more than ten new concubines who had entered the harem were also pregnant.
Early that morning, Liu Hong, rubbing his lower back, walked unsteadily out of the Empress's palace and, supported by Zhang Rang, headed towards Deyang Palace.
Inside the Deyang Hall, Huangfu Song, the current Chief of the Privy Council, was leading a group of advisors, waiting respectfully on both sides of the hall.
Upon seeing the Emperor arrive, everyone bowed, and Huangfu Song looked at Liu Hong with a worried expression.
"Your Majesty, while the national policy on childbirth is of great importance, you must also take care of your health!"
Although Huangfu Song's words were tactful, Liu Hong understood that he was being advised against indulging in lust.
Liu Hong smiled and waved his hand: "You're right, my dear minister. I should also take a good rest. Childbirth is tiring not only for women, but also for men..."
Upon hearing the emperor's words, everyone in the hall couldn't help but smile knowingly.
"By the way, how's the latest naval development plan coming along?" After the joke, Liu Hong quickly steered the conversation back on track.
"Your Majesty, after deliberation by the General Staff of the Privy Council, it is believed that for the construction of the navy, rather than drawing soldiers from the army for training, it would be more convenient and faster to recruit and train good men from coastal areas!"
Upon hearing Huangfu Song's report, Liu Hong nodded and said "Hmm," then asked, "What about the scale? Does the Privy Council have any plans?"
"Your Majesty, judging from the current situation, the original navy has been merged into the Indian Ocean Fleet and is carrying out sea missions. At present, the sea defense is weak, and the South China Sea, Penglai, Kuaiji and other sea areas need the navy to be stationed."
Therefore, the Privy Council's plan is to form three fleets, each with approximately 30,000 personnel..."
As he spoke, Huangfu Song presented Liu Hong with a draft organizational plan.
Looking at the naval expansion plan presented by Huangfu Song, Liu Hong frowned slightly.
Although the plan designated by the Privy Council was very comprehensive and detailed, the Privy Council, which was only in charge of military affairs and had little knowledge of political and economic matters, did not realize the cost required to build three fleets at the same time.
In Liu Hong's view, the court is currently focusing all its energy and most of its finances on encouraging population growth and colonial hegemony. If this naval expansion plan is submitted to the cabinet, it will definitely be rejected on the spot.
After a moment's thought, Liu Hong said, "Minister Huangfu, there is currently no threat to the Han Dynasty around Penglai and Kuaiji. A fleet of five thousand men is sufficient. As for the South Seas, twenty thousand will suffice!"
"Your Majesty, isn't this too little?"
Seeing that Liu Hong had directly cut the size of the navy by two-thirds, Huangfu Song also said with a look of resentment.
"That's quite a lot. Besides, this is only the current scale. If we can discover more new continents in the future, it's not too late to expand. So be it. According to my suggestion, draft a plan and send it to the cabinet!"
Liu Hong waved his hand, displaying the authority of the emperor, and decisively sealed the matter.
"Here you go!"
Seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, Huangfu Song had no choice but to respectfully agree, and then he and his staff officers withdrew.
After everyone left, Liu Hong turned to look at the world map hanging on the back wall.
Today, the Han Dynasty has already controlled the northern grasslands, as well as the Western Regions and the Kushan Empire, expanding its territory to the Mongolian Plateau and West Asia, reaching the limit of its land expansion.
In the future, whether they want to control South Asia, Rome, or even the Americas, they will only be able to choose the sea route.
However, the current reality is that the Han Dynasty does not yet have the capability to develop maritime hegemony.
Although the Han Dynasty's navy was among the world's top navies at that time, its enemies were not other countries, but the unknown dangers on the high seas.
This requires time to accumulate. Only after having countless experienced navigators and having explored all the sea routes can the Han Dynasty set foot on the seas to expand.
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