The alliance between the southern civil and military officials of the new dynasty, represented by the governors-general of Liangjiang and Lianghu, and the civil and military officials of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, led by Liu Ziyu, was established after several private contacts between the two sides.
Overall, the two factions in the new dynasty have reached an agreement on two major issues: the control of military officers and the reform of the imperial examination system. The south will provide funding and the north will provide troops, and they will advance and retreat together.
Little did they know, their every move was being monitored by the Red-Clad Guards hidden in Jinling City. All the intelligence had been compiled into a book and sent to the desk of the new emperor, Chen Huai'an, immediately.
However, Chen Huai'an did not fly into a rage. Instead, he locked all the intelligence gathered by the Red-Clad Guards in a cabinet in the Imperial Study.
He was still waiting for the right opportunity to deal with this group of arrogant and unruly soldiers.
After Chen Huai'an became emperor, he lived his life in a routine manner, diligently attending to government affairs every day, but rarely having time to relax and stroll around.
In fact, even after being stationed in Nanjing for so long, they haven't even visited the famous Qinhuai River.
In the blink of an eye, it has already reached the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, and there is less than a month left until the grand ceremony for the new emperor Chen Huai'an to ascend the throne in the first lunar month.
That day.
After the court session, Chen Huai'an summoned Li Jingyu, Minister of War, Hu Zhijun, Minister of Works, and Qi Jiguang, Admiral of the Navy, back to the Imperial Study for a meeting.
There are two topics for discussion.
Firstly, it was a report on the achievements of the Ministry of Works in vigorously developing firearms nationwide and promoting the first "industrial revolution" of the new dynasty, as ordered by the emperor.
Secondly, there was the new dynasty's naval fleet's next plan to cruise the Western Ocean.
During this period, Chen Huai'an was not only busy promoting the reform of the imperial examination system in the new dynasty, but also took the time to personally meet with Li Zongmin, the pseudo-emperor of the Southern Yue Kingdom, and Markel, the Yi leader who assisted Southern Yue in fighting against the Longcheng army.
In fact, the reason why Chen Huai'an did not completely exterminate Li Zongmin, the Prince of Guangxin who declared himself emperor, was partly because he remembered the old friendship between their fathers, who were both princes of different surnames from the previous dynasty.
On the other hand, he also hoped that during his coronation ceremony, the respected kings of different surnames from the previous dynasty in their respective fiefdoms would kneel and worship him, the new emperor.
In this way, the various policies implemented by the new dynasty can be smoothly implemented in the fiefdoms of the former dynasty's various non-royal kings.
This reform of the imperial examination system is a good example.
Several princes of different surnames, led by Prince Liu Xinwu of Wuning, were willing to use their influence to implement new policies in their respective fiefdoms, which could greatly reduce the resistance to Chen Huai'an's governance.
Similarly, Li Zongmin, the self-proclaimed emperor of the Southern Yue Kingdom, fully realized his mistake of declaring himself emperor and fighting against the Longcheng army while he was imprisoned in Jinling City.
He also expressed that if the Emperor did not abandon him, he was willing to contribute to the construction of the new dynasty.
However, Chen Huai'an did not immediately reply to Li Zongmin's request, but decided to continue to test the old prince's character.
Next, let's talk about Markel, the barbarian leader from the Atlantic Kingdom.
The information he provided piqued Chen Huai'an's interest quite a bit.
Chen Huai'an learned from Markle that Europe was currently under the rule of two great empires.
The Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) ruled Eastern Europe, while the Carolingian Empire (Carolingian Dynasty) ruled Western Europe. The Atlantic Kingdom, to which Markle belonged, was part of the Carolingian Dynasty.
These two empires across the ocean were not only at the peak of their economic and military strength, but also spared no effort in promoting scientific development.
They even manufactured copper cannons, a type of firearm!
Among the spoils of war captured by the Longcheng Southern Expeditionary Army, Chen Huai'an had already seen bronze cannons cast by the barbarians, which were essentially basic versions of the "Red-Clothed Cannons"!
This discovery startled Chen Huai'an.
It should be understood that during this period, the Eastern Han Dynasty, relying solely on the skills of its local artisans, was simply unable to forge such a revolutionary firearm as the Red-Clad Cannon.
If it weren't for the fact that the new emperor Chen Huai'an possessed the [Born to Be an Emperor] system, the time it would have taken for this new dynasty to independently develop and forge the Red-Clad Cannon would have been pushed back by at least fifty years.
Meanwhile, in Europe at the same time, the "expeditionary forces" of the Byzantine Empire and the Charlemagne Empire, with the help of advanced ocean-going ships and new weapons such as bronze cannons, were expanding their territories around the world under the guise of trade.
For Chen Huai'an, a time traveler, this was not a good omen.
With the grand goal of "the whole world speaking Chinese," it's time to put the strategy of the new dynasty's naval fleet's expedition to the Western Ocean on the agenda.
In addition, Chen Huai'an also learned from Markel that in a vast territory stretching from the Indus River in the east to the Atlantic coast in the west, from the Caucasus Mountains in the north to the Arabian Sea in the south, there existed a super empire—the Arab Empire (Abbasid Caliphate)!
In other words, the current world order is divided and controlled by four super-empires: the Han Dynasty, the Byzantine Empire, the Carolingian Empire, and the Arab Empire, all established by Chen Huai'an.
Furthermore, these empires at their peak were no longer satisfied with their current territory and population, and were constantly expanding outwards to plunder more resources.
Chen Huai'an was an emperor who was always mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace. After finishing his interrogation of the barbarian leader Markel, he immediately began to think about how to maximize the interests of the Han people in the current world order.
Therefore, after today's court assembly, he summoned Li Jingyu, Minister of War, Hu Zhijun, Minister of Works, and Qi Jiguang, Admiral of the Navy, to the Imperial Study to discuss matters.
For Chen Huai'an now, he must not only stabilize the internal situation of the dynasty, promote reforms, and implement new policies, but also establish himself in the world and seek the long-term development of the new dynasty.
Let's get back to the main topic.
Inside the imperial study, Chen Huai'an sipped tea while asking Hu Zhijun, the Minister of Works:
"Lord Hu, what is the progress of the matter that I ordered the Ministry of War to recruit artisans from all over the country three months ago, with the aim of using the imitation of the red cannons on the naval ships as an opportunity to promote the upgrading of the new dynasty's military equipment?"
"Your Majesty—"
The Minister of Works, Hu Zhijun, who was named, immediately stood up straight and replied, "Since three months ago, when I received the imperial decree to widely recruit skilled craftsmen from across the land to replicate the Red-Clad Cannon;"
"Together with colleagues in the Ministry of Works, a total of 1,837 craftsmen skilled in iron casting, forging, gunpowder preparation, and weapon manufacturing were gathered from across the country and assigned to the Ministry of Works' Manufacturing Bureau to participate in the imitation of the Red-Coated Cannon;"
Hu Zhijun continued his report with great enthusiasm: "To this day, the Ministry of Works Manufacturing Bureau is able to independently complete the casting of the Red Coat Cannon, and based on the basic principles of the Red Coat Cannon, after processing and improvement, it has also developed the Three-Eyed Divine Gun suitable for infantry combat!"
oh?
Upon hearing this, Chen Huai'an raised an eyebrow and asked with considerable interest, "A three-eyed gun?"
Hu Zhijun replied, "Your Majesty, this so-called 'Three-Eyed Gun' is actually just a name given to this new weapon privately by my colleagues in the Ministry of Works."
"I originally intended to submit a memorial to Your Majesty only after all aspects of the Three-Eyed Gun's performance had been fully developed, so..."
Seeing that Minister of Works Hu Zhijun seemed hesitant to speak, Chen Huai'an waved his hand, signaling him to continue.
After receiving the Emperor's approval, Hu Zhijun continued, "Your Majesty, this three-eyed musket uses black powder as its projectile and cast iron bullets. It can penetrate armor within fifty paces, injure people within one hundred paces, and has a maximum range of one hundred and fifty paces."
After thinking for a moment, Hu Zhijun added, "Your Majesty, while the range and armor-piercing capability of this three-eyed musket cannot match those of the skilled archers in the dynasty's army,..."
"However, if the army can be equipped with a large number of three-eyed guns, and used in conjunction with the red-coated cannons and crossbowmen, it will greatly enhance our army's combat effectiveness and lethality against the enemy, whether in sieges or battles in the field!"
"so......"
When Minister of Works Hu Zhijun went on to give a detailed explanation of the three-barreled gun, Chen Huai'an lost interest in listening.
As the reigning emperor, he didn't care how the craftsmen developed the three-barreled gun; he only knew that the Ministry of Works' approach to developing the three-barreled firearm was correct.
With the current skills of these craftsmen, it is not yet possible to rifling cannon barrels and gun barrels. Muzzle-loading smoothbore guns and smoothbore cannons are the limits that craftsmen can improve weapons.
Don't underestimate these muzzle-loading smoothbore muskets and cannons. On the battlefield, when facing enemies using cold weapons, they possess a terrifying battlefield dominance with the power to deliver a crushing blow.
Chen Huai'an immediately interrupted Minister of Works Hu Zhijun's report and asked loudly, "Lord Hu, what is the current production status of the Red-Coated Cannons and Three-Eyed Guns at the Ministry of Works Manufacturing Bureau?"
Forehead--
Hu Zhijun hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, since receiving the imperial decree to replicate the Red-Coated Cannon and upgrade the army's weapons, I haven't dared to delay for a single moment."
"However, three months is too short a time, and the craftsmen in the Ministry of Works' manufacturing bureau haven't had enough time to work together and get to know each other."
"Therefore, the production of these red-coated cannons and three-eyed guns cannot be increased for the time being!"
With that, Hu Zhijun gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, but still reported the facts, saying, "With the current production capacity of the Ministry of Works, we can produce fifty Red-Coated Cannons and five hundred Three-Eyed Divine Guns per month!"
"not enough!"
Chen Huai'an said sternly, "Lord Hu, this production volume is far from enough. We must find a way to increase production and equip the army with the red-coated cannons and three-eyed muskets as soon as possible."
After a pause, Chen Huai'an continued, "My dear ministers, the reason I have summoned you to the Imperial Study today is because I learned this from the Yi chieftain captured by the southern expeditionary army in the Nanyue Kingdom;"
"Across the distant ocean, two great empires are rising, and they have also created bronze cannons similar to the Red Cannon, relying on their power to expand and plunder everywhere;"
"These barbarians are crossing the ocean to the Guangdong and Guangxi regions under the guise of trade, but in reality, they are plundering resources..."
Next, Chen Huai'an recalled what he had learned about Western colonial history in his history textbooks before his transmigration. Combining this with the current situation, he explained to several important court officials in the imperial study the importance of vigorously developing firearms and expanding abroad.
Furthermore, they were told that in addition to the powerful Central Plains dynasty, there were three other powerful empires: the Byzantine Empire, the Carolingian Empire, and the Arab Empire, which were eyeing the new dynasty covetously from the outside, and their iron hooves of expansion could trample on the territory of the new dynasty at any time.
Chen Huai'an's eloquent narration left the three high-ranking officials in the imperial study completely bewildered, their heads buzzing.
However, these people seemed to have gotten used to the terms that the emperor would occasionally utter, terms that they could understand but couldn't quite grasp.
Facts have proven that every decision the Emperor made was forward-thinking.
For example, when the emperor had just ascended the throne, he ordered the Ministry of Works to recruit skilled craftsmen from all over the country and vigorously promote the upgrading of military weapons and equipment.
The advent of the three-eyed musket, in particular, made Hu Zhijun, the Minister of Works, admire the new emperor Chen Huai'an to the point of complete awe.
Because the three-eyed cannon was accidentally developed by a few young craftsmen while they were imitating the red-coated cannon.
What Hu Zhijun did not report was that, in addition to developing the Three-Eyed Gun, the Ministry of Industry's Manufacturing Bureau had countless other strange and unusual things under development.
These were all ideas that came to young craftsmen during their practice, and they worked tirelessly day and night to develop those imaginative ideas.
Hu Zhijun even dared to assert that within a year, the novelties developed by the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry's Manufacturing Bureau would surely flourish.
Even Hu Zhijun, the Minister of Works, dared not imagine what a prosperous scene the new dynasty would usher in when that time came.
Meanwhile, Chen Huai'an's "brainwashing" of the three high-ranking officials was finally coming to an end.
He solemnly declared, "My three beloved ministers, the reason I have spoken so much to you is to tell you that although our new dynasty has unified the world and all nations come to pay tribute;"
"However, the external threats have not been eliminated, and with the continuous expansion of the major external empires, a war with the new dynasty is inevitable sooner or later!"
Chen Huai'an continued, "If we want the new dynasty to remain invincible and the Han people to never again experience the devastating 'Five Barbarian Invasions,' the only way is to remain constantly vigilant and seize every opportunity to vigorously develop new firearms."
"Minister of Works Hu Zhijun, listen to the imperial decree!"
"Your subject is here!"
Chen Huai'an said, "I order you to expedite the mass production of the Red-Clad Cannons and Three-Eyed Guns at the Ministry of Works' Manufacturing Bureau, and to deliver these new artillery pieces to the Ministry of War to equip the new dynasty's army as soon as possible."
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
Chen Huai'an then said, "Minister of War Li Jingyu and Naval Commander Qi Jiguang, listen to my decree!"
"Your subject is here!"
Li Jingyu and Qi Jiguang both accepted the order.
Chen Huai'an said, "I order your Ministry of War and Navy to come up with a strategy for conquering overseas as soon as possible, using war as training to lay a solid foundation for the new dynasty's naval fleet's expedition to the Western Ocean."
"My intention is to first test our skills on the Goguryeo Peninsula and Japan, which are close to the new dynasty!"
After thinking for a moment, Chen Huai'an added, "As for the reason for launching the campaign, let's issue a proclamation to condemn the Japanese pirates who frequently harass the coastal areas of our new dynasty and slaughter the fishermen along the coast!"
"Your Majesty, we obey the decree!"
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