Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

"His name is Leonhard Euler." Jia Yun said honestly, "His father is a monk. He was originally from Suishi. He was a teacher in Luocha. Because the Luocha people are xenophobic, he went to teach at the Prussian Academy of Sciences. I saw that Prussia was not peaceful, so I paid a large sum of money to invite him to come to the Celestial Empire to take a look."

Jia Cong frowned, wondering how it could be related to monks. What Sui Shi? Suddenly, he understood, "What a jerk! This is nonsense. What monk? Is it a priest? And how can there be Sui Shi in the Western Yi? Is it Switzerland?"

"Yes, yes. Anyway, his father worships foreign Buddhas, and I don't quite understand what sect they are. Sui Shi and Rui Shi sound similar." Jia Yun said.

Ruyi smiled and said, "Can a Western Yi monk get married and have children?"

Jia Yun said, "To answer your question, aunt, the monks in the barbarian lands do not know etiquette and do not abide by the rules. They do not prohibit drinking and eating meat, but they can still pass on their family line."

"Ridiculous!" All the girls laughed and shook their heads.

Jia Cong said, "Go and invite these people over quickly, and entertain them well in the outer courtyard. Tell them that I am treating them to crabs."

"Yes. Nephew will go right away." Jia Yun went hurriedly.

Daiyu laughed and said, "Why are you so worried about these teachers from the Western Regions?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "You don't know, Euler alone is worth the price of admission."

"What abilities does Euler have?" Daiyu asked.

"Master of mathematics."

"What achievements have you made?" Baochai asked.

Jia Cong was stunned. He was a poor student in his previous life. How could he be qualified to learn Euler's research results? He could only say vaguely: "You won't understand even if I tell you. In short, it is unprecedented in history. It is truly a dragon and phoenix in the field of mathematics."

All the women laughed and said, "You are exaggerating. Are there not enough masters of mathematics in the Celestial Empire from ancient times to the present?"

Jia Cong shook his head and said, "A firefly is compared to the bright moon."

The women were surprised and asked, "How could such a great man exist in a barbarian land?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "That's true, so I have decided that since these people have come to the Celestial Empire, they can't go back."

The girls laughed and said, "You are too overbearing. How can you force a teacher to stay?"

Jia Cong sighed, "I have to keep him. Even if he is not useful to me, he cannot be used by the barbarians."

After dinner, the girls watched a play with the old lady and laughed. Jia Cong changed his clothes and returned to the main hall. He saw dozens of people sitting in the hall. He was very happy and said with a smile: "You all came from afar. I am sorry for not welcoming you in person. I am sorry for being rude."

When Jia Yun saw him coming out, he stood up and said, "Gentlemen, this is His Royal Highness the Regent of the Celestial Empire."

After hearing the translation, all the scholars were shocked. They did not expect that the most powerful person in the Celestial Empire was so young. They all bowed and greeted him in unison.

"Oh, no need to be polite." Jia Cong hurriedly took two steps forward, supported a middle-aged blond man, and asked, "Sir, what is your name?"

"Oh, Your Excellency, Regent, my name is Daniel Bernoulli, I am Swiss, and I am honored to visit the mysterious and ancient Eastern country."

Jia Cong's eyes lit up. Bernoulli? It sounded familiar. He must be an important figure. He shook his hand and said, "Mr. Bernoulli, I have heard of your name for a long time. I believe your trip will be worthwhile."

Bernulich said, "Your Highness also studies mathematics and physics? I am just an ordinary professor. Your Highness is overpraising me."

Jia Cong laughed dryly and said, "I know a little bit, but I have a skill since I was a child. I can tell whether a person has real talent or not just by listening to his name. Your name sounds impressive, and he must be a great scholar."

Everyone laughed at what he said so humorously.

Jia Yun hurriedly introduced, "This Mr. Bernoulli comes from a family of scholars in Switzerland, and all his family members are professors."

Jia Cong hurriedly asked, "Why not invite them all?"

Bernoulli smiled and said, "My father and uncle are used to the climate in Europe and don't want to travel far."

"This is such a pity." Jia Cong shook his head and asked, "Do you have any brothers?"

"There are three brothers."

"I wonder where your brother is doing?"

“He’s also a mathematician.”

Jia Cong said hurriedly: "As expected, this family is full of outstanding people. Sir, please write to invite them to come in the future. Here we have everything they need, including God."

Bernoulli was somewhat flattered and said hurriedly, "I will certainly convey your enthusiasm and kindness to you."

Jia Cong nodded and shook hands with the second young man. The man smiled and said, "Your Excellency, I am a Frank, and my name is Joseph Lagrange. In view of your extraordinary ability, what do you think of my name?"

"Lagrange?" Jia Cong thought for a moment and suddenly said, "What a good name! You must have discovered the 'Lagrange Theorem'."

Lagrange was stunned and said, "Your Highness, what is 'Lagrange's Theorem'? Please forgive my ignorance."

Seeing that he was only a young man, Jia Cong thought that he had not yet reached the pinnacle of his studies. He laughed, patted him on the shoulder and said, "I don't know either, but I believe you will be able to discover a theorem that no one before you has discovered. Remember to name it after you."

Lagrange said happily: "I will always remember your encouragement. If I discover a new theorem, I will name the first one after myself and the second one after yours."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It is my honor. Kings, princes, generals and ministers will all perish in the long river of history, only the truth of science will last forever."

When the scientists heard this, they all nodded secretly, and their evaluation of Jia Cong immediately rose a lot. This young prince possessed a clarity and wisdom that European aristocrats did not possess.

"Excuse me, who is Mr. Euler?" Jia Cong asked.

A thin, slightly bald middle-aged man came out from the crowd and said, "I am, Your Highness."

Jia Cong rushed forward and shook his hand, saying excitedly: "Mr. Euler, your reputation in the mathematics world is something I admire even though I am thousands of miles away. If you were my mathematics teacher, why would I fail the exam?"

Everyone laughed and said, "Oula is the teacher of all of us."

Euler smiled and said, "Your Highness is of noble status and is concerned about national affairs. You don't need to spend too much time and energy on mathematics."

Jia Cong knew nothing about mathematics, but he knew how to cater to the emperor's interests and said with a smile: "Governing a country requires wisdom, and mathematics can make people wise."

"I completely agree with your Highness." Ola said.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The Celestial Empire has established an Academy of Sciences. The position of president must go to Mr. Euler. Mr. Bernoulli will be the vice president, and the rest of you will be academicians. How about that?
In terms of rank, the president is of the third rank, the vice president is of the third rank, and the academician is of the fourth rank."

After listening to the translation and explanation, everyone was a little bit unbelievable. They didn't expect that Jia Cong attached so much importance to scientists. Most of them were professors and associate professors and had never thought that they would become officials one day.

Although scientists were not very interested in being officials, they were delighted to be valued by Jia Cong, so they nodded in agreement.

Euler and Bernoulli looked at each other, smiled and nodded, and said, "It is our honor."

"Everyone, please take a seat." Jia Cong shook hands with everyone one by one and said, "To be honest, gentlemen, the Celestial Empire has always been devoted to the study of humanities and has not paid much attention to natural sciences. I know that only natural sciences can help mankind understand the nature of the universe, so I specially invited you to come to the Celestial Empire for lectures and research.

Since ancient times, the Celestial Empire has a tradition of respecting teachers and honoring the wise. Since I have invited you here, I will naturally provide you with all the conveniences for scientific research and solve all your worries, ensuring that you can devote your precious time and energy to science and teaching. After all, science knows no borders."

Everyone hurriedly said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. We will do our best to train scientific talents for the Celestial Empire."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Although I am not a scientist, I yearn for the truth and pursue the truth just like you do. The truth is my life."

The crowd had never heard such caring words from the Western nobles, and they felt like they were a close friend. They all said, "We are willing to walk with Your Highness on the road to pursuing truth."

"It's my honor." Jia Cong knew very well that although these people had high IQs, they were very easy to control and had no twists and turns in their minds. As long as scientific research and academic freedom could be guaranteed, they could be driven at will.

"I wonder how much you get paid as professors in Europe?" Jia Cong asked with a smile.

Lagrange smiled and said, "It is better to ask Mr. Euler this question, as he has the highest salary."

Euler smiled and said, "About 3000 thalers a year."

"Thalers?" Jia Cong was slightly stunned. He only knew pounds and francs.

Jia Yun hurriedly explained, "Three thousand thalers is equivalent to one thousand taels of silver, which is considered good in Prussia. Ordinary people only earn one or two hundred thalers a year, while doctors and lawyers can earn three or four hundred thalers."

Jia Cong shook his head and said, "Based on your academic achievements, I think this salary is a sign of disrespect for science and knowledge. In the Heavenly Dynasty, I guarantee that your income will increase tenfold."

"Your Highness's generosity is enough to illuminate the path of science." Although everyone did not value money, they had absolutely no hatred against money. They all swallowed their saliva secretly. The Celestial Empire was indeed a great power, and small European countries could never afford it.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's just a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. Not only that, I will also build the best laboratory in the world for you. I can satisfy all the equipment you want."

Everyone laughed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. Mr. Jia Yun has already purchased several large ships of equipment in Europe, which is enough for us."

Jia Cong looked at Jia Yun with appreciation and said, "That's very good. We have been talking for so long, I guess everyone must be hungry. Bring us some food. We can talk while we eat."

The meal was a great success. Euler said with a smile, "The delicious food of China almost made me forget mathematics. I think I will learn to use these two small wooden sticks in the next few days."

Bernoulli laughed and said, "I didn't expect crab to be so delicious. I bet Swiss crab can never taste this good."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The Celestial Empire is vast and rich in resources. It not only has delicious food, but also fine wine, beautiful women, and beautiful scenery. I guarantee that you will all enjoy them one by one."

Everyone's eyes lit up. Scientists are not saints who are indifferent to all desires. They used to be obsessed with science and had no time for love. But that doesn't mean they don't like women, especially beautiful women.

Lagrange smiled and said, "Accepting Mr. Jia Yun's invitation to come to the Celestial Empire was my wisest decision."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The Academy of Sciences is located in Shenjing, and there is also a branch in Jinling. If you like the warm climate in the south, you can stay in Jinling. If you like the dry and cold climate in the north, you can follow me to Shenjing. Of course, you can also make a decision after visiting both places."

Everyone thought about it and said, "We just came to the Celestial Empire, it would be nice to take a look at both the north and the south."

"Good." Jia Cong nodded and said, "Everyone, I solemnly promise that your research in the Celestial Empire will not be interfered with in any way. You can study any subject you are interested in without worrying about any stupid officials telling you what to do.

I have always believed that scientific matters should be left to scientists to decide, and people who do not understand science should just keep their mouths shut.”

Everyone laughed, feeling that it was hard to find a soulmate. Ola sighed, "Your Highness is wiser than all the nobles in Europe combined. No wonder you can run such a big country at such a young age."

"Yes, the European nobles only know how to live a life of drunkenness and pleasure-seeking. They are not even worthy of carrying shoes for Your Highness." Everyone nodded.

"Really?" Jia Cong smiled and said, "I would like to meet the Western nobles if I have the chance.

By the way, you are all in the Celestial Empire now, and you must miss your families at home. Why don’t I send someone to bring you here so that you can be reunited with your families? Isn’t that a good thing? ” He was still thinking about the elites of Bernoulli’s family.

"This... is too troublesome." Everyone looked at each other and hesitated.

Jia Cong smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's okay. Guben is going to send someone to Europe to do business, it's just a coincidence. Just write down who you want to meet.

Also, don't worry, I heard that you Europeans believe in monogamy, but we don't have this rule in China. Hehe, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. You know what I mean. For example, I have 10 to 20 wives in my family."

Everyone smiled like a man and said, "In that case, thank you for your help, Your Highness. We all fully respect the customs and laws of the Celestial Empire."

A smile appeared on Jia Cong's lips. "Now that your whole family is here, how can you leave easily?"
These days, we must resolutely oppose naked scientists. I think with these big guys around, they are enough to light up the science tree of China.

Jia Yun said, "This time, the gentlemen are accompanied by their most distinguished students, about a hundred in number."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Very good. I am very pleased that you can promote academic exchanges between the East and the West. As for the rank of your disciple, please ask Mr. Euler and the other gentlemen to grant them doctoral, master's and bachelor's degrees respectively according to their scientific research results, and they will enjoy the court salary. I will not interfere."

Everyone was very satisfied with Jia Cong's magnanimity and nodded in agreement. It was good to be able to get some benefits for their students.

After seeing them off, Jia Yun returned and reported, "Uncle, this trip to the Western Barbarians has broadened my horizons. Although the country is small, it has sophisticated machinery and is very prosperous.

In addition to bringing back these gentlemen and the necessary scientific research equipment, they also bought equipment for various industries such as glass, metallurgy, steel, mining, machinery manufacturing, and chemicals, and hired a number of craftsmen.

In addition, I also bought a shipload of various books. I think it won’t be long before the Celestial Empire can make what the Western barbarians have.”

Jia Cong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Well, you have worked hard and made great contributions on this trip. You have lived up to my high expectations."

"I will do whatever it takes to get what my third uncle has asked me to do, even at the cost of my life," Jia Yun said with a bow.

"Well, what did you find out from the intelligence?"

Jia Yun said, "Under the guidance of Lord Fang, we have found out the situation of the Western Yi countries and their grievances and conflicts. Please take a look, Uncle." As he spoke, he took out a thick book wrapped in oil paper from his bosom and presented it to Jia Cong.

Jia Cong opened it and saw the words written on the cover: "Documents on the Situation of the Seventeen Western Barbarian Countries". He flipped it open and saw that it was all written in neat small characters, so he nodded and said, "Good. Where is Fang Ji?"

Jia Yun said, "Lord Fang said that the military and political situation in the Western Barbarians is changing rapidly. If we want to grasp the latest information, we must stay there and keep an eye on it. He is now building secret stations in various countries and asked me to come back and report to my uncle. I will come back in another thirty or two years when the stations are completed."

Jia Cong asked, "Has Fang Ji done anything unusual?" Jia Yun shook his head and said, "Lord Fang is devoted to the country and is smart and capable. I have not noticed anything unusual about him."

Jia Cong nodded and said, "That's good. He is a talented person and it would be best if he could serve his country with loyalty."

"Uncle San is right. I have something else to report." Jia Yun said as he took out two foreign coins from his pocket.

Jia Cong took them and looked at them. They were two silver coins. On the front was a busty woman, and on the back was a crown with two eagles. He asked, "Which country's money is this?"

"Uncle, this is the Prussian Thaler silver coin, weighing about five or six cents, and containing 90% silver.

My nephew saw that the Western Barbarians all used gold, silver and copper coins, which was very convenient. He thought that the Celestial Empire would have to deal with the Western Barbarians in the future, so why don’t we also imitate them in minting coins, so that foreign trade and domestic circulation and transportation would be more convenient. "Jia Yun said.

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Okay, I actually forgot about this. There are a lot of small coins on the market now, which is very inconvenient. When trading, you have to use a scale to weigh them, and the quality varies. Write a proposal and ask the Ministry of Revenue to handle it after returning to Beijing."

Jia Yun said, "Yes. According to what my nephew has learned, although coinage is good, it also has disadvantages."

"What's the harm?"

"The biggest headache for the Western barbarians now is that 'bad money drives out good money'"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Uncle San, please take a look. The coins made by the Western barbarians are rather rough, and the edges are not smooth enough. Some unscrupulous merchants, in order to make a profit, have gone to great lengths to secretly cut off the edges of the coins. When these scraps have accumulated to a certain amount over time, they are then minted into new coins.

Over time, the market was full of these bad coins that had been rubbed with oil, and they circulated equally with good coins. Therefore, people hid the good coins with good quality and sufficient weight at home to avoid being cheated. "

Jia Cong nodded and said, "That makes sense. This is indeed a problem. There is no business without fraud. If the Celestial Empire also mints coins, the owners of money houses and ticket shops will be ridiculous. Is there any solution?"

"Yes." Jia Yun took out two more silver coins from his pocket, which were about the same size and weight as Taylor's.

Jia Cong took a look at the two silver coins and saw that they were pure, round and exquisite. On the front was a dragon in the clouds, and on the back were four characters "Da Wu Silver Coin". He smiled and said, "Are these your trial coins? They are quite good."

Jia Yun said, "Uncle, this is not a minted coin, but a machine-made coin, which is much more sophisticated than a minted coin."

"how did it get here?"

“My nephew met a wealthy businessman named Bolton in Xiyi. He had a high-pressure linked steam engine with great power, which could drive a stamping machine to press coins.

The coins they made were not only round and flawless, but also so fine that they could never be imitated by minting coins. There were also fine serrations around the coins to prevent counterfeiting. If they were ground flat, they would not be allowed to circulate and had to be replaced with new coins in the government office.

If this material is used to make silver and copper coins of the Celestial Empire, it will be completely safe.”

Jia Cong said, "It's really a good thing. Does Xiyi even have a stamping machine? Have you bought it?"

"My nephew spent a lot of money to buy four sets. I hope I can copy them later." Jia Yun said.

"Okay! After returning to Beijing, order the Ministry of Revenue to quickly agree on the rules and speed up the production of a new generation of currency for our Great Wu! It must be exquisite, majestic, dignified and heavy, so as not to let the barbarians look down on it."

"Yes. If we want to produce a large number of silver coins, we will need a huge amount of silver. I wonder if the Ministry of Revenue can provide it." Jia Yun hesitated.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's okay, I just conquered Japan, there are many silver mines there, there is plenty of silver.

It's nothing more than the silver standard. If we do more business with the Western Barbarians, or attack more silver-producing countries, the silver will come to us."

Jia Yun said happily, "Congratulations, Third Uncle, for achieving another extraordinary feat."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "It's not worth mentioning. Go away."

"My nephew is leaving."

Jia Cong accompanied the girls on a tour in Suzhou for about a month, and accompanied Daiyu to visit the graves of Lin Ruhai and Jia Min, as well as Baochai, Baoqin, Miaoyu and others. He also met with various aristocratic families in Jiangnan, who were basically famous families on the provincial protective list. He asked them to meet again in the capital in a month as there was important news to be announced.

The heads of the noble families came out, all confused. What was it that couldn't be said now, but had to be said a month later? They all gathered around the heads of the families in Southern Province who were related to Jia Cong and asked them questions.

Facing the numerous inquiries, Xue Ke said, "My dear uncles, how should I know what the prince is planning?"

"Mr. Xue, you are too modest. Everyone knows that the current Prince Jing's concubine is from the Xue family. Oh, and there is also a concubine who is your sister. How could you not know that?" everyone said hurriedly.

Xue Ke smiled bitterly and said, "I really don't know. You all know that I never tell lies."

Everyone had no choice but to pull Chu Man, the head of the Chu family, and asked, "Old Chu, your daughter is the prince's concubine and is deeply favored. Don't think that we don't know. You, the father-in-law, must have known something about it, right? If you are hiding something, don't blame us for not considering our friendship."

Chu Man hurriedly bowed and said, "Everyone, please be patient. I am just like you. I just heard about this matter today. I will let my daughter ask later. If there is any news, I will not keep it secret."

Then everyone let them go and said goodbye and left.

On the tenth day of September, Jia Cong and his family returned to the capital. Grandmother Jia was nostalgic for her hometown and was already old, so she decided not to go north anymore. She returned to her roots and settled in Jinling, leaving Baoyu and his wife to accompany her.

Yuanyang also became pregnant, so she informed Jia Cong and stayed in Jinling to fulfill her filial duty for him.

The capital had long known that Jia Cong had won a great victory in his eastern expedition against the Japanese pirates, forcing Emperor Yoshihito to submit a letter of surrender, thus expanding the country's territory by thousands of miles again. For a time, Prince Jing's reputation reached its peak again. With the efforts of Wang Ziteng, Niu Jizon and others, the military unanimously wrote to the court, requesting the court to show more grace to reward his great achievements.

Faced with the military's tough attitude, the Grand Council could not withstand the pressure and had to report the truth to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time and sighed. She knew that the situation was stronger than the person, so she had to "follow the good advice."

Three days later, the imperial court held a ceremony to bestow the Nine Gifts on Jia Cong, crown him with the Nine Jades, and title him the King Father and Regent. This meant that the young emperor Sun Du could no longer call him King Jing, but had to call him King Father and treat him with the courtesy of a son and nephew.

At this point, Jia Cong had reached the pinnacle of his position as an official, with no room for improvement. He was much more powerful than Zhuge Liang, the "Prime Minister" back then.

Jia Cong did not take these unprecedented honors to heart. The first thing he did after returning to Beijing was to convene a high-level military meeting. Even Li Meng, who was urging the reform of the native system in the south, was urgently recalled, as were the nine frontier governors.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you!"

In the general's mansion, Jia Cong sat behind a big desk, and dozens of senior generals in the army bowed down in unison.

"Flat body."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Jia Cong said, "I think you all are very puzzled. The imperial court has never summoned the nine frontier governors to the capital to discuss matters at the same time. This time, I have gathered you all together for the first time, just to discuss one thing."

Everyone was a little excited, thinking that he was going to "go a step further" and that the time was ripe, so they hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please give your orders. We will serve you till death." If they could get the credit of following the dragon, they would be rich.

Jia Cong nodded and waved his hand, saying, "Hang up the map!"

"Yes." Immediately, seven or eight clerks came in, holding a huge map and hanging it on the wall.

Everyone was a little disappointed and looked at the map hurriedly. They couldn't help but exclaimed, "Huh?" They saw a big circle on each side of the map, two small circles on the top and bottom, and many ragged barbarians drawn in the four corners. The barbarians in the two upper corners could actually fly on the clouds and had wings on their backs.

Jia Cong picked up a ten-foot-long indicator rod and pointed at the map, saying, "This is the map that Wan Guo just bought from the West. It is the most accurate map in the world today, and it fully shows what the world should look like.

This is Asia, where the Celestial Empire is located, this is Shannan, this is Dongying, this is Europe, this is Africa... these blank areas are the vast oceans. "

Everyone was horrified and asked, "Your Highness, the world is so vast? The Celestial Empire is thousands of miles in area, but it's only this small? This..."

Jia Cong nodded and said, "The world is a hundred thousand miles long and wide, and our dynasty is only a small part of it."

Li Meng stood there for a long time, smiled bitterly and shook his head: "If it weren't for the prince's guidance, we would all become frogs at the bottom of the well."

"The Duke is right." Everyone sighed.

Jia Cong said: "Everywhere the sun and moon shine, wherever the rivers flow, all belong to the Han territory. Now the Tenth Prince is winning battles in the Western Regions, destroying cities and strongholds, and expanding the territory. Are you interested?"

Everyone hurriedly shouted: "The Tenth Prince, with his golden body, is still wearing armor and holding sharp weapons, and he does not avoid the axe. How dare we, the ministers, cherish our lives? We are willing to fight for the country on the battlefield and die on horseback!"

Jia Cong said: "It's not that I'm militaristic or ambitious, but the world has entered a period of great change that hasn't happened in a thousand years. If our dynasty sticks to the old ways and doesn't take advantage of the situation, it will be controlled by the Western barbarians. You and I may be able to enjoy peace, but future generations will suffer."

Wang Jin bowed and said, "I don't know what this great change that hasn't happened in a thousand years means. I am stupid, please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

Jia Cong said: "The wave of industrialization is sweeping across Europe."

"Industrialization?" Everyone was confused.

Jia Cong sighed and said, "To give the simplest example, muskets and cannons are the result of industrialized production. In the future, the coins produced by the imperial court will also be the result of industrialization. The clothes that ordinary people wear and the food they eat will also be the result of industrialization.

Now that our country has caught up with this wave, how can we sit back and do nothing and watch the Western barbarians dominate the world and take whatever they want? "

"What does the prince mean?" Everyone was still a little confused.

Jia Cong shook his head and smiled, "Suppose now you are armed with sharp weapons and powerful soldiers, and there is a den of robbers next to your residence, while these robbers are unarmed and weak, and they occupy mountains of gold and silver. What should you do?"

Everyone hurriedly said, "What else is there to say? Hurry up and kill him and take back all the gold and silver mountains."

Jia Cong said: "That's right! We want to strike the robbers with a thunderbolt before they have weapons in hand, completely defeat them and seize the opportunity to profit."

"Your Highness is right. Where should we start?" When everyone heard that there was going to be a war, they were all itching to go to war and rubbed their hands in excitement.

"The Western Barbarians are now entrenched in the south, and the Celestial Empire's navy is not yet mature, so it is not advisable to compete with them. Go north! First completely destroy the Tartars on the grassland, and then go north to compete with the Russians!" Jia Cong waved the command stick in his hand.

Li Meng looked at the map and said, "With the firearms in the hands of the government troops, it should not be difficult to sweep the grasslands. However, Luosha has a vast territory and has always been a first-class powerful country. Wouldn't it be a bit unsafe to rashly go to war with them?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Rakshasa is not weak, but not necessarily that strong. I have sent people to investigate in the Western Yi. Now the people are living in misery under the rule of the Tsar, and war is raging everywhere. Although the country is big, it cannot withstand the turmoil.

What's more, their strategic focus is in Europe. They have been fighting with European countries for decades, and their brains are almost broken. If we start from the Far East, I think they will be helpless.

Moreover, this is just a long-term plan, not an immediate war with him."

Wang Jin had been in Liaodong for a long time and had some understanding of Luosha. Hearing this, he said, "According to Luosha merchants, they also have many firearms. We should not take them lightly."

Jia Cong said: "They were all imported from the Western Barbarians. We have them too, so there is nothing to worry about.

Moreover, the population of Luosha is only tens of millions, which is far behind that of the Celestial Empire. In terms of economic development level, there is an even greater gap, and the war potential is far inferior to that of the Celestial Empire. "

Niu Jizong said: "We are all rough people, please give your orders, Your Majesty. We are in danger of water and fire. If an old cow frowns, he is not a hero."

"Please give your orders, Your Highness. We will go through fire and water without hesitation." Everyone said in unison.

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Okay! I plan to advance north in two steps, for a period of ten years.

The first step is to gradually popularize firearms among the border troops and send elite cavalry to actively cross the Great Wall and sweep across the grasslands, following the story of Huo Guanjun.

There is no need to rush, but to lay a solid foundation, build the city one step at a time, advance steadily, and completely control the entire grassland until you border Rakshasa.

In Liaodong, we should speed up the naturalization process of the tribes outside the Great Wall, and vigorously recruit warriors from them to fight for us. This can both strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches. Then, we can reward them with pastures, supplement them with royal education, and trade control. In this way, there will be no need to worry about backlash, and the court will also gain a strong ally. "

Wang Jin hurriedly said, "I have received your order!"

"Within eight years, I hope you can wipe out the Tartars on the grasslands. Not by killing them all, which is a bad idea, but by subduing them and letting them fight for the Celestial Empire.

The land in the north is too vast and the population is too sparse. To occupy such a large area of ​​land, a large population is necessary. Do you understand?"

"We understand," everyone said in unison.

"Eight years later, I want you to ensure the stability of the Nine Borders while gathering an army of 500,000 to carry out the second step of the plan and swallow up the Far East!"

"Your Highness, what do you mean by Far East?" Wang Ziteng asked.

"This is Lake Baikal. Draw a vertical line from here, and the territory to the east is the Far East. From Lake Baikal in the west to the Bering Strait in the east, all are included in the territory of the Celestial Empire." Jia Cong drew a big circle on the map.

Everyone swallowed their saliva and asked, "Your Highness, judging from the map, the Far East is three times the size of the Western Regions."

Jia Cong said, "That's true, but this place is cold, and the frozen ground never melts all year round in many places. There are not many places where people can live. There are probably only a million people now, and not all of them are Rakshasas. There are also many tribes that can be easily conquered."

Li Meng said: "Why send 500,000 troops to conquer such a vast land with so few people? Isn't that like killing a chicken with a butcher knife?"

Jia Cong said: "To capture Far East, tens of thousands of elite troops are enough, so we need so many people in order to hold the city firmly and occupy it forever, so that the Russians will never be able to take it back in their lifetime.

Of course, we can't be too arrogant, and we have to give the Russians a way out. We can give them back what they have done to us, calling it "defending on their behalf." When they defeat the European countries, we will return the throne to them."

"This is a great plan!" Everyone laughed. "The Russians have 'guarded' Ili for decades, and we can also 'guard' the Far East for them for decades. This is a courtesy." (End of this chapter)