Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 676 Jia Changsheng's Development
The coronation ceremony was successfully concluded. Jia Changsheng sat on the dragon throne, which symbolized supreme power, and his eyes slowly swept over the courtiers who were standing respectfully in court robes. The hall was solemn and dignified, with only the occasional crackling of candlelight breaking the solemn silence.

"Everyone, please stand up." Jia Changsheng's voice echoed in the hall, revealing calmness and majesty.

All the ministers shouted "Long live the new dynasty" in unison, and then slowly stood up. Their expressions showed awe for the new dynasty and expectations for their future careers.

"Now that our Great Sui Empire has just been established, there is a lot of work to be done." Jia Changsheng frowned slightly, his eyes revealing deep thought, "Although Goguryeo has been pacified, the people's livelihood is in decline, and there are many industries to be rebuilt. I want to start restoration and construction immediately. Do you have any good ideas?"

At this time, a middle-aged official with a thin figure and a wise face stepped out. This person was the newly appointed Minister of Revenue Li An. Li An bowed and said in a clear voice: "Your Majesty, I think the most urgent task is to appease the people and reduce taxes. The people in Liaodong have suffered a lot after years of war. Reducing taxes can allow the people to recuperate and resume production. In addition, we can encourage the reclamation of wasteland. For the people who are willing to farm, the court will provide agricultural tools, seeds and other support."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, with an expression of approval on his face: "What Minister Li said is absolutely right. The people are the foundation of the country. Only when the people live and work in peace and contentment can our Great Sui Dynasty be stable and long-lasting. This matter will be handed over to Minister Li, and it must be implemented as soon as possible."

"I obey your command!" Li An took the order and withdrew.

Then, the Minister of Works Zhang Wu also stepped forward and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Majesty, the infrastructure in Liaodong is severely damaged. Roads and bridges need to be repaired urgently, and water conservancy facilities also need to be rebuilt. I suggest that civilians be mobilized and funded by the court to carry out large-scale engineering construction. This will not only improve people's livelihood, but also create jobs and promote economic recovery."

After a brief thought, Jia Changsheng said, "Construction projects are of great significance to the national economy and people's livelihood. However, we must be careful not to over-recruit civilians, so as not to increase the burden on the people. Minister Zhang, please make reasonable plans to ensure the smooth progress of the project."

"I will do my best to live up to your majesty's trust." Zhang Wu took the order and withdrew.

Afterwards, the court held heated discussions on military defense, culture and education. Jia Changsheng listened carefully to the suggestions of each minister and raised his own opinions and questions from time to time. He knew that governing a huge empire was not an easy task and required the collective wisdom and efforts of all.

After all matters were discussed, Jia Changsheng was about to announce the resignation of the court. At this time, the Minister of Rites Chen Yuan, who had been silent all the time, stepped out with a slightly hesitant look on his face.

"My dear Minister Chen, what do you want to report?" Jia Changsheng keenly noticed that something was wrong with Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan took a deep breath and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have something I don't know whether I should say or not. Now that our Great Sui has just been established, although the surrounding countries have sent envoys to congratulate us, there are many people with ulterior motives. I am worried that if we don't quickly establish our position among the countries, there may be trouble in the future."

Jia Changsheng's eyes shone, and he sat up straighter: "Minister Chen is right. I have the same idea. Tell me, how can we establish the status of the Great Sui Dynasty?"

Chen Yuan paused and said, "I think that Your Majesty can follow the example of the great dynasties of the past and hold a grand gathering for all nations to come to pay tribute. Invite the monarchs or envoys of the surrounding countries to gather in the capital of our Great Sui Dynasty to showcase our national prestige, culture and prosperity. In this way, we can not only show the great power style of our Great Sui Dynasty, but also make other countries feel awe and dare not easily invade our Great Sui Dynasty."

As soon as this was said, the court immediately started to discuss it. Some ministers nodded in agreement, thinking that this was a good opportunity to enhance the country's prestige; others looked worried, fearing that this move would cost a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources.

After thinking for a moment, Jia Changsheng said with a firm look, "This plan of Mr. Chen is very good. I want to let the people of the world know that our Great Sui Empire is the Celestial Empire, and its prestige and virtue spread far and wide. This matter will be handed over to Mr. Chen to be responsible for the preparation, and it must be done in a grand and decent manner."

"I obey your command!" Chen Yuan accepted the order, feeling a great sense of responsibility as well as excitement and anticipation.

After the court session, Jia Changsheng returned to his bedroom. Sitting on the couch, he recalled the discussions in the court, with both a vision for the future and a hint of worry in his heart. He knew that the establishment of the Sui Empire was just the beginning, and the road ahead was full of challenges and unknowns. But he firmly believed that as long as he worked hard and recruited talents, he would be able to lead the Sui Empire to prosperity.

In the following days, the entire Sui Empire was in a state of busyness. Li An led the officials of the Ministry of Revenue to run around and implement policies such as tax reduction and exemption and encouragement of reclamation; Zhang Wu personally supervised the construction of various projects and rushed to the construction site every day; Chen Yuan also worked day and night for the grand event of the homage of all nations, carefully planning every detail.

Jia Changsheng set an example by coming to the court early every day to handle government affairs and listen to the reports of ministers. He often went out incognito, went deep into the people, understood the living conditions of the people, and listened to their voices. With his efforts, the people of the Sui Empire gradually felt the care and warmth of the new dynasty, and were full of hope for the future.

As time went by, the Sui Empire gradually got back on track under Jia Changsheng's governance. The economy began to recover, people's lives became more prosperous, and social order was in good order. And the much-anticipated grand event of the nations coming to pay tribute was about to begin under Chen Yuan's careful preparation.

In the majestic and solemn court of the Sui Dynasty, huge beams supported the carved and painted roof. Sunlight shone through the glazed windows, casting golden rays of light, illuminating the figures of the civil and military officials. Jia Changsheng, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon and a crown on his head, sat on the high dragon throne, his face calm but unable to hide his ambition.

"Today, I have important matters to discuss with you, my dear ministers." Jia Changsheng's voice was deep and powerful, slowly echoing in the empty hall, instantly quieting the ministers who were originally talking in low voices. Everyone stood up straight and looked intently at the emperor on the dragon throne. At this time, a burly general in silver armor stepped forward and saluted. It was Zhou Meng, the commander of the Sui navy. "Your Majesty, I heard that there have been a lot of discussions in the court recently, and it seems to be related to my navy. I hope Your Majesty will make it clear." Zhou Meng was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush.

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, his eyes swept across the faces of the ministers, and he slowly said: "Now that our Great Sui has just been established, there are many things to be rebuilt. Although people's livelihood has improved, I want to make our Great Sui's economy more prosperous and the people's lives more affluent. I heard that there is a continent called America in the distant overseas. It is said that there are many crops that our Great Sui has never seen, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, etc. These crops are not only extremely high in yield, but also very easy to grow. If they can be introduced to our Great Sui, they will definitely greatly improve our Great Sui's people's livelihood and promote economic development. I have made up my mind to send our Great Sui navy to sail to the American continent and bring back the seeds of these crops."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the court. The ministers whispered to each other, discussing a lot, with surprise and confusion on their faces.

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely not allowed!" An elderly minister trembled and walked out of the queue. This person was Wang Zhong, the Minister of Personnel. He had been an official for many years and was cautious and conservative. "The overseas is vast and the journey is long. Not to mention whether there is really the American continent that Your Majesty mentioned, even if there is, the journey must be full of stormy waves and unknown dangers. Although our Sui navy is brave and good at fighting, it is too dangerous to let them go on such an adventurous voyage. If there is a mistake, it will be the elite of our Sui Dynasty who will be lost!"

As soon as Wang Zhong finished speaking, another minister stood up. It was the Minister of Rites Chen Yuan. "Your Majesty, I also think this matter needs to be carefully considered. Since ancient times, although our Central Plains dynasty has had exchanges with overseas, most of them were in the surrounding waters. Such a long-distance ocean voyage is really unheard of. Moreover, even if our army can successfully reach the American continent, how to communicate with the local indigenous people is also a big problem. If a conflict is triggered, our army will be in a foreign country, isolated and helpless, and the consequences will be disastrous."

Facing the opposition of the ministers, Jia Changsheng was not angry. He said calmly: "What you two said is not without reason. Ocean voyages are indeed full of risks. But I think that if you want to achieve great things, you cannot be afraid of difficulties and risks. Our Great Sui is now in a period of vigorous development. If we can introduce these high-yield crops, it will greatly increase our food production, solve the problem of food and clothing for the people, and then promote economic prosperity. As for communication with local residents, I believe that the soldiers of our Great Sui have their own way."

At this time, Li An, the Minister of Revenue who had been silent all this time, stood up. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, I support your decision. Although our Great Sui is working hard to restore the economy, grain production has always been a major factor restricting development. If we can really introduce these high-yield crops, it will be a huge boost to the economic development of our Great Sui. Moreover, if this voyage is successful, we can not only bring back crop seeds, but also expand our Great Sui's overseas trade and bring more wealth to our Great Sui."

Li An's words were agreed by some ministers, who nodded in support. However, some ministers still looked worried, thinking that the risk was too great and should not be attempted lightly.

Seeing that the court was divided into two factions, Jia Changsheng turned his attention to the naval commander Zhou Meng and asked, "Lord Zhou, you are the commander of the Sui navy. In your opinion, is this voyage feasible?"

Zhou Meng pondered for a moment, then raised his head and said with a firm gaze: "Your Majesty, I think this voyage is risky but not impossible. After years of training and fighting, our Sui navy has already mastered advanced navigation technology and naval warfare skills. Moreover, my soldiers are all brave and loyal to your majesty. They are willing to go through fire and water for the prosperity of our Sui. I believe that as long as we are fully prepared, we will be able to overcome many difficulties, successfully reach the American continent, and bring back the crop seeds that your majesty needs."

Jia Changsheng was very pleased to hear Zhou Meng's words. He nodded slightly and said, "With your words, I feel relieved."

However, Zhao Gang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, expressed a different view. "Your Majesty, even if our navy can successfully reach the American continent and bring back seeds, we don't know whether these seeds are suitable for the soil and climate of our Great Sui. If we blindly promote planting, if there is no harvest, won't it bring greater losses to the people?"

This question plunged the court into silence again, and everyone turned their eyes to Jia Changsheng, waiting for his decision.

After thinking for a moment, Jia Changsheng said, "What Zhao Aiqing said is very true. This matter does need to be treated with caution. How about this? Before the navy sets out, select some experienced agronomists and horticulturists to go with the ship and have them conduct detailed research and investigation on the soil, climate and characteristics of these crops in the American continent. After they determine that these crops are suitable for cultivation in our Great Sui, we can then introduce and promote them on a large scale."

After hearing what Jia Changsheng said, everyone thought this method was feasible and nodded in agreement.

Next, the court discussed the specific details of the voyage, such as the size of the fleet, the staffing, the storage of supplies, the planning of the sailing route, etc.

Regarding the size of the fleet, Zhou Meng suggested forming a fleet consisting of twenty large warships and several supply ships. "Your Majesty, this voyage is long and may encounter various dangers. A fleet that is too small will easily get into trouble. Twenty large warships can not only ensure the combat effectiveness of the fleet, but also carry enough personnel and supplies."

Jia Changsheng agreed and said, "Minister Zhou is absolutely right. The number of warships will be as you said. We must select the strongest and most advanced warships of our Great Sui Dynasty."

In terms of staffing, in addition to naval officers, agronomists, and gardeners, various professionals such as translators, doctors, and chefs are also needed. "Your Majesty, translators are crucial. They will be responsible for communicating with the indigenous people of the American continent. I suggest selecting some officials who are proficient in foreign languages ​​from the court, or recruiting some people who know foreign languages ​​from the public to accompany the ship." Chen Yuan said.

Jia Changsheng nodded and said, "Let Chen Aiqing take charge of this matter. We must select the best translators."

In terms of material reserves, sufficient food, fresh water, medicine, weapons and ammunition need to be prepared. "Your Majesty, this voyage will take a long time, and the reserves of food and fresh water must be sufficient. I suggest that you store more dry food and preserved food that are easy to preserve, and also bring some tools that can purify seawater in case of emergency." Li An said.

Jia Changsheng said: "The storage of these supplies must be foolproof, and the soldiers must not be allowed to starve or suffer from thirst on the way."

Planning the sailing route was a difficult problem, because the exact location and route of the American continent were not very clear at the time. Zhou Meng said:
(End of this chapter)