Chapter 67 Conquest of the Royal Court
Chu Jiubian suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to tell Lu Yao something. Fearing that Qin Chuan would be knocked unconscious again, he did not call him into the Divine Realm, but instead sent Jinlong to deliver the message.
Therefore, as soon as Lu Yao sat up in bed, he saw the golden dragon emerge from the window, carrying clouds and a cool breeze, humming softly before leaving.
He also heard the high priest's telepathic message, which consisted of only a few words: "Make sure you get at least four hours of sleep every night."
Qin Chuan naturally heard it too, and crossed his arms, looking at the person in front of him, and said, "Did you hear that? The High Priest told you to sleep for four hours every day."
Otherwise, if he doesn't sleep, Qin Chuan won't be able to sleep soundly either.
Lu Yao nodded and said, "I also get at least four hours of sleep every day."
"Did you get enough sleep?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow.
It's been almost a month, and he hasn't seen this person sleep at all.
Lu Yao said, "I take a short break every half hour, and repeat this process. It's quite interesting."
Qin Chuan had noticed that every now and then Lu Yao would close his eyes and stay there for a short while.
He initially thought the other person was just resting their eyes because they were tired, but it turns out they were sleeping.
But what's so interesting about this?
Qin Chuan said, "The High Priest said that you need to get four hours of sleep every night."
He emphasized the word "every night" when he said it.
Lu Yao nodded and said, "I know. I didn't originally plan to do it this way forever. I only discovered this method in the last six months and found it interesting, so I did it this way. I will do it every night from now on."
He got out of bed, looked up at Qin Chuan who was more than half a head taller than him, and said, "Medical books say that if you don't sleep well, you won't grow taller. I haven't grown much in the past six months. But if I rest well and eat well, I should be able to grow to about the same height as you."
Qin Chuan, who is nearly 1.9 meters tall, can see the top of Lu Yao's head when he looks down.
He chuckled softly, "I think you'll only grow this big at most." He raised his hand and touched his lips.
Lu Yao did the math carefully and said, "It should be. But as the saying goes, 'all brawn and no brain,' if a person is too tall, their brain won't be able to handle it."
So he doesn't need to be too tall, just about right will do.
Qin Chuan: "...Is there any basis for this?"
"I read it in some miscellaneous book; I don't know if it's true or not."
"Then you can't say those things anymore," Qin Chuan said.
"Why?"
"Social skills and social etiquette," Qin Chuan said, emphasizing each word. "Didn't I ask you to teach me?"
Lu Yao suddenly realized: "Thank you, I won't say it again."
Chu Jiubian watched this scene through the screen and burst out laughing.
This Lu Yao is so funny.
However, the child is very eager to learn and should be able to learn how to interact with people before going to the capital. It's just a pity for Qin Chuan. We'll give him something nice later.
Chu Jiubian turned off the screen and glanced at what the other believers were doing.
In the dead of night, apart from Liu Junqi, the Vice Minister of Works who was on his way to repair the canal transport offices in various places and was about to go to sleep, the rest of them were full of energy and had an increasingly rich nightlife.
Si Tu Zhaoling was in her younger brother Si Tu Zhaoyao's courtyard.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a three-meter-long wooden boat model, which is not yet finished, with only the cabin section remaining.
Si Tu Zhaoyao was sawing wood with two servants, while Si Tu Zhaoling and the maids were wiping the sawn planks with handkerchiefs and then separating them according to size and length.
Chu Jiubian could tell at a glance that the ship model was very different from the existing Da Ning warships.
The existing Daning warships are longer and narrower. Because they are all driven by manpower, the weight of the hull is also lighter in order to reduce resistance. Therefore, such warships can only operate in shallow waters and it is difficult for them to travel long distances. The hulls are also more fragile.
But the one Si Tu Zhaoyao made has a more streamlined and wider hull, clearly aiming for "sturdiness".
Such ships have a deep draft, allowing them to sail further, but this also means that they can no longer be driven solely by human power and need to rely on the power of nature.
I wonder if Si Tu Zhaoyao thought of using "sails" to drive the ship with the help of wind power.
Chu Jiubian's eyes brightened slightly.
The people suffered greatly at the end of the previous dynasty. After Emperor Taizu of Da Ning ascended the throne, he was busy fighting external enemies and pacifying the country, reforming the bureaucracy, and had no time to develop people's livelihood.
It wasn't until the next emperor, Gojong, ascended the throne that the people's livelihood was gradually restored with the help of the manpower, financial resources, and knowledge resources held by powerful families.
In order to allow the people of Daming to focus on themselves and improve the country's strength, Emperor Gaozong ordered an emphasis on agriculture and a suppression of commerce, and also issued a policy of banning maritime trade.
The policy of banning the sea did not mean that people were not allowed to go to sea, but rather that they could not go too far. It only stipulated that they could fish and catch clams in shallow waters.
This tough policy was also intended to protect Daming, which was just starting out at the time.
Today, the maritime ban still exists, but it is not as strictly enforced as before.
Prominent families like the Qiu family already had merchant fleets daring to venture overseas and trade with neighboring small countries.
However, the current situation facing Da Ning is similar to that during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, so Chu Jiubian did not consider lifting the sea ban at this time.
He was thinking that once Da Ning was completely stable and the people had some spare money, and Da Ning was prosperous, he would personally select people to train the navy, build ships capable of long-distance voyages, and then lift the sea ban.
This will also provide better protection for the people.
But to his surprise, Si Tu Zhaoyao had already begun researching new types of warships before him.
What a good child.
Looking at the unfinished ship, Chu Jiubian felt that it wouldn't be long before he saw the finished product.
However, with the New Year approaching, the King of Southern Xinjiang would also bring his family to the capital. Presumably, in a few days, the siblings would also have to set off with their parents, and they would no longer be able to continue tinkering with inventions.
Chu Jiubian was genuinely looking forward to meeting his followers.
He closed the card screen and opened Wang Qichen's.
Rumors in the capital say that Young Master Wang has been keeping a low profile lately, but tonight he once again came to the largest brothel in Jinxiufang and sat in the second-floor hall drinking tea.
The aroma of wine filled the air, but he kept adding tea instead.
He leaned lazily against the armchair, watching the dancers gracefully moving in the center of the hall, his smile relaxed and carefree.
At another table beside him sat a tall, muscular man dressed in black, with an arrogant look in his eyes.
The maid poured the man a fresh cup of wine, and he reached out and put his arm around the maid's waist, gently kneading it, but his gaze was fixed on Wang Qichen.
"Young Master Wang has really given up drinking?" the man asked jokingly.
“Yes,” Wang Qichen said with a smile, “If it weren’t for Brother Xuanzheng’s invitation, I wouldn’t have given him the face.”
Qiu Xuanzheng chuckled and pushed the person in his arms away.
The maid then carefully retreated to a distance.
Chu Jiubian was somewhat surprised.
It turns out that this is the younger brother of Qiu Heng, the current head of the Qiu family and the Minister of Justice.
What did he want with Wang Qichen?
As if knowing his question, Wang Qichen asked, "I wonder what important matter Brother Xuanzheng has invited me here today?"
Qiu Xuanzheng stood up, took a step and sat down casually next to Wang Qichen, stretching out his long arm to put his arm around Wang Qichen's shoulder.
Wang Qichen raised his folding fan to block his hand, saying, "Speak freely. If people see this, they might think that Patriarch Qiu has homosexual tendencies."
"I do indeed admire Young Master Wang's stunning beauty."
Wang Qichen scoffed: "With all this talk, Brother Xuanzheng would be better off reading more books, so he doesn't even know how to use words properly."
Qiu Xuanzheng curled his lips, but a flash of coldness crossed his eyes.
"Enough of this nonsense," he said casually. "I've just heard that a new type of paper, as white as snow, has recently appeared in the capital. I wonder if Young Master Wang has seen it in person?"
Wang Qichen had already planned to officially sell the new paper, so he was naturally not afraid of being discovered.
But the reason why the Qiu family head has approached him now is self-evident.
Wang Qichen raised his cup and took a sip of tea.
Seeing that he didn't say a word, Qiu Xuanzheng knew that he had found the right person.
The Qiu family has many members, but most of them are fond of business. Therefore, compared with other prominent families, they have fewer power struggles. At most, they compete for profit, which are all minor matters.
With his uncle Qiu Hongkuo holding the fort in the rear and his elder brother Qiu Heng serving as Minister of Justice in the court, Qiu Xuanzheng's position as head of the family was relatively secure.
But he was never content to lag behind others and always wanted to prove himself.
He knew that the situation in the capital was tense, and that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had already begun to target the aristocratic families. Soon, the knife would fall on the Qiu family.
As the head of the family, he couldn't always hide behind his uncle and elder brother, so naturally he wanted to do something as well.
He happened to hear about the new paper recently, and knew that it was a good business. After making inquiries from various sources, he finally got some clues and realized that this matter was inseparable from the young master of the Wang family.
Judging from Wang Qichen's attitude, Qiu Xuanzheng knew that he had made the right choice.
"Young Master Wang is surely aware of the capabilities of my Qiu Family Trading Company," Qiu Xuanzheng said bluntly. "May I ask how much new paper you have on hand, young master? May I have a look?"
Wang Qichen remained silent.
Qiu Xuanzheng paused for a moment, then continued, "If the paper is really as rumored, then no matter how much there is, my Qiu family can handle it. As for how much profit to share, that can be discussed."
"Furthermore, I've overheard some of the internal affairs of the Wang family." Qiu Xuanzheng stared at Wang Qichen, not missing a single change in his expression. "If the young master has dealings with my Qiu family, my Qiu family will not stand idly by if there is any need in the future."
After all that was said, Wang Qichen didn't interrupt.
Only after he seemed to have really said everything did Wang Qichen put down his teacup and sit up straight.
He turned his head to look at Qiu Xuanzheng and smiled, saying, "Patriarch Qiu, you should listen to your uncle and brother more."
"What?" Qiu Xuanzheng frowned.
Wang Qichen got up and walked out, saying without turning his head, "Such childish words are fine to say to me, but if others find out, they will surely laugh at your Qiu family."
Qiu Xuanzheng's face suddenly darkened, and he grabbed a teacup from the table and threw it at Wang Qichen.
He was a martial artist, and even a simple movement caused the teacup to fly like a hidden weapon toward the back of Wang Qichen's neck.
However, as if Wang Qichen had anticipated this, he tilted his head slightly, and the teacup grazed his neck, leaving only a faint red mark.
The teacup was not obstructed and instead went straight forward, plunging directly into the wall.
The wall had a hole in it, but the teacup was intact, which shows how profound Qiu Xuanzheng's internal strength was.
Wang Qichen's gaze swept over the teacup, and he chuckled softly.
He continued walking downstairs without stopping, muttering, "Getting angry out of shame is childish behavior."
Then he heard a loud crash behind him, probably because Qiu Xuanzheng had overturned the table.
A brute.
Wang Qichen didn't care at all, and after leaving, he went straight to his own carriage and went home.
Chu Jiubian shared the same sentiment.
No wonder the head of the Qiu family was always so mysterious and never showed himself to anyone; he turned out to be a brainless brute.
Wang Qichen had his own connections and resources, and such rare new paper was originally intended to be sold only in the capital. Why would he need to cooperate with the Qiu family?
Qiu Xuanzheng's behavior of coming closer just because he smelled something was consistent with the Qiu family's love of money, but he hadn't learned even a bit of the shrewdness from his family.
Even siblings born of the same mother are worlds apart.
However, Qiu Xuanzheng's martial arts skills do seem to be very high.
I wonder how he compares to Qin Xiao or An Wuji.
Chu Jiubian then opened Jiang Shuoye's card screen.
The snow fell heavily, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.
The young general, dressed in a thick fur coat, stood on the drill ground in the military camp.
Inside the training ground, a thousand soldiers were practicing their marksmanship.
These are the best soldiers selected by Jiang Shuoye from the military camp, and they have been undergoing daily training using "special forces" training methods since last month.
He learned about this training method from a book given to him by the high priest, and he quickly realized how powerful the soldiers would be trained by such a rigorous and disciplined method.
As he expected, within just one month, these thousand soldiers had become noticeably different from the others.
Putting aside their high level of obedience, their spirit and energy are quite different from others, with each of them revealing a resolute determination in their eyes.
Such changes were not only noticed by Jiang Shuoye, but also by the other soldiers.
Subtly, the status of these thousand men in the army became somewhat special.
It wasn't that others rejected them, but rather it was more like envy.
This also made some soldiers who were not selected before feel resentful and want to find another opportunity to enter this unique "special forces battalion".
Jiang Shuoye could no longer contain his emotions after he distributed the first batch of longswords equipped with steel spearheads to the thousand soldiers.
Everyone realized that the special forces battalion was different.
Although their training intensity is higher and more arduous than that of ordinary sergeants, the benefits that can be obtained in the military will definitely be prioritized for these people first.
These people already eat better than ordinary soldiers, and now they have the latest weapons. Tomorrow they may have brand-new armor, and later they may have more salary and a smoother path to promotion.
With such temptation right in front of them, few people could resist.
As a result, several deputy generals have approached him today, saying that many of their soldiers also want to join the special forces and wonder if there is any chance.
Jiang Shuoye was naturally pleased to see this, but with more people, the differences between the special forces and the special forces became less apparent.
However, it is certainly a good thing that some soldiers want to improve.
Therefore, Jiang Shuoye has intensified the training of the special forces soldiers in the past few days. Other ordinary soldiers who want to enter the special forces can train together on the side, and their diet is the same as that of the special forces.
Anyone who can keep up with this level of intensity can enter the special forces camp.
It's snowing today, and the wind is biting cold. It should be nighttime for the soldiers to rest.
However, Jiang Shuoye still led the special forces in training in the snow, and other soldiers who wanted to join the special forces also needed to participate in the training.
If you can't hold on any longer, then go back. You'll likely never have another chance to enter the special forces camp.
Jiang Shuoye looked at the training team, which was noticeably smaller than before, and didn't say much.
He also sensed a familiar feeling of being watched, knowing that the high priest was watching him, but he was not as nervous as he had been at first.
If the high priest needed him for something, he would summon him directly.
Chu Jiubian frowned after watching for a while.
Those soldiers were only wearing soft armor and cloth clothes underneath, which were far less warm than cotton-padded clothes.
It would be great if we could grow cotton this year.
Unfortunately, Chu Jiubian arrived too late. By the time Si Tu Zhaoling cultivated the cotton, the optimal planting period had already passed, and they could only wait until next year.
Chu Jiubian checked his points and then looked up the price of cotton sold in the shop.
After doing the math, I realized that buying it with points is really not cost-effective.
Moreover, even if he used up all his points, it wouldn't be enough to equip all 80,000 soldiers in the Northern Desert with cotton-padded clothes and trousers, let alone cotton quilts and mattresses.
Forget it, let's talk about it next year.
He had already taught Jiang Shuoye how to build the stove, construct the kang (heated brick bed), and heat the kang.
The other side has also equipped all the barracks, large and small, with stoves and heated brick beds, so that everyone can stay warm indoors.
As Chu Jiubian withdrew from the Divine Realm, he noticed an unusual stillness outside.
Although it's quiet on weekday nights, it's different from the tranquility of tonight.
He thought of something, got up, put on his coat, and went to the window.
I reached out and pushed open the window, and a blast of cold air rushed in instantly.
Chu Jiubian gazed at the pristine white expanse and reached out to catch a few snowflakes.
This is the first snowfall in Beijing.
I wonder what the situation is like in the Northwest.
Qin Xiao will eventually conquer the Sai Kingdom, but the situation there is special. The people have strong religious beliefs and trust missionaries far more than they trust the imperial court.
Therefore, it would be impossible to simply adopt the same prefecture-county system as the Central Plains and add local government administration; religious influence had to be incorporated.
However, it is impossible to use modern management methods, after all, the national conditions and people's sentiments are vastly different.
Chu Jiubian couldn't help but think of the practices of those dynasties in his previous life, which he might be able to learn from.
Moreover, he himself is a "god," and this identity can also be of some help.
"System, are there any special effects that can be seen by ordinary people?"
The golden dragons and phoenixes, as well as the palaces and pavilions hidden in the clouds in the divine realm, were all special effects projections created by Chu Jiubian to fake the immortal realm.
However, when we were in the realm of gods, we could see and touch these things.
Outside the realm of gods, the golden dragon can't actually be touched when it delivers messages; it's purely a special effect.
Special effects that can be seen by non-believers are also for sale. Chu Jiubian remembers seeing them in the mall, but they seemed to be quite expensive at the time.
[For some hosts, the special effects and their placement can be customized, but they only last for ten seconds. Requires 80 Faith Points. Purchase?]
Chu Jiubian's brow twitched: "Make it cheaper."
[This is already a discounted price, host.]
"Then I don't want it."
The system paused for a moment, then asked: "Would seventy faith points be sufficient?"
"Sixty-six is more auspicious," Chu Jiu argued.
The system paused for a moment before replying: [Deal made. Would the host like to use the special effects now?]
"No, wait a little longer."
Chu Jiubian looked at the swirling snowflakes outside the window, his eyes slightly darkened.
Once the Sai Kingdom is completely conquered, these special effects will be useful. However, he needs to send a message to Qin Xiao first, asking him to make some preparations so that he can better cooperate with him.
==
On the 29th day of the eleventh lunar month, heavy snow fell in the northwest.
Several days have passed since the last message was sent to the capital. At that time, Qin Xiao said that he was preparing to attack the royal court.
He has now led his army to capture the royal court of the Serbian king and beheaded Mebazan.
Afterwards, he issued decrees in his capacity as Emperor of Da Ning—
This means that the army did not kill civilians or seize land.
As long as the people of Sai Kingdom voluntarily become citizens of Daning, they can enjoy the various policies and benefits that are only available to citizens of Daning.
The Sai Kingdom was originally formed by the gathering of different tribes and had not existed for long, so the people had no nationalistic sentiments.
As long as they can live well, that's all that matters. As for who's in charge, what difference does it make?
Therefore, the chiefs and officials in charge of various tribes and regions quickly sent the compiled household registers to the royal court and handed them over to Qin Xiao.
Thus, it was the end of the winter month of the first year of Jingrui.
Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, completely overthrew the rule of the Sai royal family and incorporated half of the Western Regions into the territory of Ning in just three months.
Qin Xiao's veteran general Hu Fang suggested taking advantage of the momentum to conquer the other half of the Western Regions, which connects to the southern Xinjiang region, in one fell swoop, but Qin Xiao refused.
Putting aside the fact that the army is already exhausted, the weather is turning cold, which is not a good time to start a war.
Moreover, the daily consumption of military pay and provisions by the nearly 100,000-strong army is astonishing, and it is estimated that the capital can no longer support them to continue fighting.
Hu Fang was getting old, and this was probably the last time he would fight alongside the Qin family head, so naturally he wanted to fight even further.
But Qin Xiao's concerns were valid, so he didn't try to dissuade him.
He was already very satisfied to be able to help Qin Xiao and the Qin family fight one more battle before he was completely unable to fight anymore.
Now that Serbia has been completely conquered, the question of who to leave to guard it and how to guard it has become a major problem.
The situation in Serbia is different from that in Da Ning in many ways, the biggest difference being religion.
Buddhism is prevalent in this area, lamas hold a high status, and the people have great faith in and revere them.
It is really difficult to manage this place in a way that suits local conditions.
Qin Xiao summoned several of his men to his study to discuss matters.
However, before his men arrived, he received Chu Jiubian's reply.
In the past, Chu Jiubian's letters always arrived slowly, so why did they arrive so quickly this time?
Qin Xiao frowned and immediately opened it.
The letter, as always, was concise and to the point, beginning with: "By the time you receive this letter, you should have already conquered the royal court."
That confident tone...
Do you have that much confidence in him?
Qin Xiao leaned back in his chair, his fingertips lightly tracing the pages as he continued reading.
The young man's writing was sharp and detailed, outlining how to govern the country.
He also instructed Qin Xiao to invite some respected people from the Sai Kingdom and representatives of local religious forces to the foot of the sacred mountain on the ninth day of the month.
[It must be done on the ninth day, before sunrise. Remember! Remember! Remember!]
Qin Xiao was amused by his repeated "remember" three times in a row.
Although he didn't know what Chu Jiubian was going to do, he immediately called someone over and gave the order.
After the person left, he continued reading the letter.
The content was about the various events, big and small, that had recently occurred in the capital. It also mentioned that Baili Hong had grown a finger joint taller, but because he was dressed thickly in winter, he looked like a walking steamed bun, so it wasn't noticeable.
Qin Xiao didn't realize that the smile in his eyes never faded.
Upon reading the letter's end, Chu Jiubian wrote: "It snowed in the capital. I caught some in my hand, but it melted in the blink of an eye. If you had returned earlier, you might have caught the snow."
Qin Xiao remained silent for a long time before carefully cutting out the last sentence separately.
He kept the rambling complaints in the letter, but burned the parts that discussed important matters.
Just as he put the remaining letter paper into his inner pocket, his men arrived one after another.
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