The Red Chamber: Starting from Saving Xue Baochai

Chapter 134 Is it because of lust?

Although Yuanchun was still a young girl, she lived in the harem and had listened to the teachings of the maids in the past. She knew much more about matters between men and women than other girls in the boudoir.

At this moment, she obviously noticed the young man's strengths. Her beautiful eyes were filled with shyness, and a blush suddenly appeared on her quiet and graceful face, extending all the way to her neck.

Shen Yuan tried to suppress his distracting thoughts, but his blood was boiling. In order to avoid embarrassment, he had to hold the girl's body with his hands, keeping his upper body still, and moving his lower body slightly back to break contact.

However, the delicate body in his arms was very soft. He moved back a little, and the girl's hot body came closer again, and his long point hit her soft belly firmly.

At this moment, there was another ripping sound, and the girl's skirt was completely torn into two pieces behind her, revealing a large area of ​​white on her slim waist and jade back.

It is midsummer now and the weather is hot, so she won't wear too many clothes. She only has a pink bellyband and a pair of pink panties under her skirt.

Yuanchun was wearing a skirt with a closed collar, which was tight and not revealing an inch of skin.

At this moment, the skirt was split into two halves from the back, unable to conceal her beauty. Her slim waist, perky buttocks, snow-white back fully displayed the girl's curvy figure.

Fortunately, there are several tall locust trees blocking the view, and it is relatively quiet, so people far away naturally cannot see the beautiful scenery here.

"Hmm~"

Yuanchun's flat and soft belly was bumped, and her back was pulled apart. The girl was extremely shy. She bit her pink lips lightly, and her pink nose couldn't help but let out a sweet moan.

It was inconvenient to separate at this time, so Shen Yuan had to keep his body still, just quietly hugging the girl's delicate body. His hands on Yuanchun's waist tried to close the split skirt behind her back. During this grope, he inevitably touched the girl's smooth skin. With a slight sense, he could tell that the girl in his arms had a plump figure, which was perfect.

Yuanchun felt the touch of the young man's fingers behind her, and her delicate body trembled slightly. Her legs became even softer and weaker, and she trembled continuously.

In her entire life, in the twenty years she had lived, she had never had such physical intimacy with a man.

Shen Yuan felt the soft and delicate body trembling slightly in his arms. He lowered his eyes slightly and saw that beautiful face, already flushed.

I couldn't help but feel a little strange. This young lady from the Jia family was really sensitive.
After all, they were in a corner of the palace at this time, and it was inconvenient to stay for long. Shen Yuan had no choice but to call out softly, "Big Sister."

He didn't have any good idea for the moment. This place was some distance away from Concubine Wu's Chengqian Palace, and it was not convenient for Yuanchun to go out wearing this torn skirt.

Shen Yuan couldn't put his outer shirt on Yuanchun either, as he would have to meet the emperor later, and he couldn't go to see Emperor Yuanzhen wearing only a thin inner shirt.

Just when Shen Yuan was helpless, Yuanchun finally calmed down and whispered softly, "I'll ask Baoqin to get some clothes."

"Holding a zither?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan was stunned for a moment before he remembered this familiar name, which was Yuanchun's personal maid.

While he was lost in thought, he heard Yuanchun calling him softly several times.

"Hold the zither, hold the zither"

"Miss."

Sure enough, a charming voice responded from behind, and then a pretty maid came out from behind the tree.

Shen Yuan felt strange again, as there was a little maidservant not far away keeping watch on Yuanchun.

Baoqin walked over with brisk steps, but was stunned at first sight.

What he saw was his girl lying in the boy's arms, with her skirt torn in two from top to bottom.

this.
Didn’t the girl say she came over to talk to Mr. Yuan?

How come the two of them are hugging each other now, and even tore her skirt?
I heard that this Mr. Yuan is the cousin of my daughter. Could it be that he is attracted by her beauty and wants to rape her?
But it seems that the girl doesn't seem to want to resist, could it be that they are in love with each other?
"Girl, this, this, this." Baoqin was shocked by the thunder, her beautiful eyes widened, her lips slightly parted, she was shocked beyond words.

"Don't let your imagination run wild. It's not what you see." Yuanchun suppressed her embarrassment and explained to Baoqin, "I'll tell you in detail later. Go get some clothes first."

"Oh oh!" Baoqin suppressed her curiosity and trotted away in response.

This beautiful scene ended quietly in the end.

Baoqin quickly brought the long skirt, and Yuanchun put it on shyly. She was too embarrassed to look Shen Yuan in the face, so she said goodbye in a hurry and left.

After the master and servant disappeared in the eaves, Shen Yuan couldn't help but shake his head and smile. Coincidences are really everywhere. He could even encounter such a scene. Fortunately, no one else saw it, otherwise, Yuanchun's innocence would be lost.

Shen Yuan stood under the locust tree for a while, and only walked out of the small forest after the swelling had completely subsided.

Returning to the gate of Qianqing Palace again, after being informed by the eunuch, Shen Yuan entered the imperial study. After paying his respects, he was given a seat as usual.

Emperor Yuanzhen asked: "Huaizhong, what is the real combat capability of the new army guards now?"

The new army has been formed for more than half a year. Under Shen Yuan's training, everything is in order and proceeds step by step.

Especially after the last Chaoyang Gate military parade, Emperor Yuanzhen had higher expectations for the combat effectiveness of the new army.

Shen Yuan pondered for a moment and said seriously: "Your Majesty, with equal forces, the New Army Guards can defeat the Jianlu and Japanese armies."

In fact, he did not fully understand the true combat power of the Jurchens and the Japanese pirates. The basis for comparison and evaluation was nothing more than the border army battle reports from the Ministry of War in recent years.

But we can roughly judge that the combat capability of the new army guards is not inferior to that of other soldiers, plus the air combat capability composed of hundreds of hot air balloons. If they still don't have the confidence to fight, they will appear too weak.

The battlefield situation changes rapidly and no one can be 100% sure, but the military's combat effectiveness should be tested by blood and fire, and generals must have the courage to fight.

As Mr. Ai said later, there is no distinction between doves and hawks in the military. Once you join the army, you should engrave war into your bones. The so-called doves are a political balancing game and should not belong to soldiers.

"Good!" Emperor Yuanzhen felt the aura emanating from Shen Yuan when he said this, and stroked the table and praised: "As expected of my young general, I am relieved that Huaizhong has such confidence."

If what Shen Yuan said is true, then defeating the Japanese invaders will not be a difficult task.

You know, in terms of military strength, the Central Plains dynasties were far superior to the Jurchens and the Japanese pirates, and even their combined strength might not be as many as that of the Great Zhou.

The reason why we suffered more defeats than victories in the past was that we lacked the necessary combat effectiveness and morale, and the new army guards can effectively make up for these two points.

Once the Beijing camp is fully reorganized, there will be no need to worry about border threats.

"Which side do you think should be dealt with first, the Jianlu and the Japanese pirates?"

"I think we should first quell the Japanese threat."

"Oh? Tell me in detail." Shen Yuan pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Your Majesty, in terms of combat power alone, the Eastern Japanese are far inferior to the Jianlu.

However, in terms of current influence on the Great Zhou, the Eastern Japanese are several times more powerful than the Jianlu.

The Jianlu are hiding their troops in Liaodong, but our Great Zhou has Shanhaiguan as a shield, and can also unite with Korea and Mongolia to form a strategic constraint on the Jianlu. It will be difficult for the Jurchen army to invade in a short time.

The Japanese invasion is different. The Japanese pirates from the East come from the sea and cover a vast area, making it difficult for the Great Zhou to defend against them. In recent years, the Japanese pirates have frequently harassed our southeastern coast. These are all rich areas and the source of our Great Zhou's money and food supply. The losses caused by the Japanese invasion to the Great Zhou are far greater than those caused by the Jianlu in the northeast.

Therefore, I think we should first quell the Japanese invasion, allow Jiangnan to recuperate, and then attack the Jianlu."

In the short term, the Japanese pirates caused greater damage. They constantly harassed the financial and taxation centers of the Great Zhou, causing annual economic losses of up to 20% to 30% of the national treasury revenue.

In the long run, the threat from the Jianlu is definitely greater. Once the Jurchens accumulate enough strength and attack Shanhaiguan, the impact will not just be on one city or one place, but may very well lead to the overthrow of the dynasty.

Emperor Yuanzhen listened quietly without interrupting. After Shen Yuan finished speaking, he thought for a moment and said, "What Huaizhong said makes sense, but it is not easy to pacify the Japanese pirates. As Huaizhong knows, the Japanese pirates have been harassing us for many years, making it difficult for us to defend ourselves. Does Huaizhong have any good ideas for this?"

Shen Yuan had thought about this for a long time and had a strategy in mind.

"I believe that if we want to eliminate the Japanese threat, we need to take two steps."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhen's eyes lit up and he listened patiently to what Shen Yuan had to say.

"The first step is to lure out and annihilate the main force of the Japanese pirates. We will set up bait that is attractive enough to lure the Japanese pirates to gather their forces and attack. Our army will strive to win the battle and annihilate their main force.

The second step is to carry out civilian militia training and long-term patrols along the southeast coast to prevent small groups of Japanese pirates from looting. "

In fact, there is a third step that Shen Yuan has not mentioned, which is that the royal army will cross the sea on an expedition, go directly to the Japanese pirates' homeland, wipe out the Japanese country.

However, this matter would be very time-consuming and if not handled properly the Jurchens might take advantage of the situation. He did not want to mention it unless he was more than 80% sure, lest Emperor Yuanzhen become impatient for quick success after a small victory and bring about huge hidden dangers.

Emperor Yuanzhen chewed over Shen Yuan's strategy and asked, "What bait should be used to lure Huaizhong to take the first step?"

"I am still thinking about it."

Shen Yuan actually had a plan in mind, but it was too early to discuss it now.

Emperor Yuanzhen nodded. Compared to the first step, he was more skeptical about the second step. He frowned and said, "If what Huaizhong said is true, will there be hidden dangers of chaos once the folk militia is launched?"

It is no wonder that the emperor was worried. Although developing militias could plunge the enemy into the vast ocean of people's war, it also posed huge hidden dangers.

Who can guarantee that these militias will not threaten the imperial court if they develop? If things go wrong, they will turn into warlord separatism and hegemony among the princes.
Shen Yuan had thought about this himself.

"The number of people in each militia can be limited, and the court can take turns to send centurions to the militia to lead training."

This actually means turning the militia into a reserve force. In peacetime, they will be organized to take turns patrolling and receive some subsidies from the court. In time of war, they will be able to quickly form an army and be reorganized and fight by the court.

It is difficult for such reserve forces to form separatist regimes, and the imperial court still has a powerful central army to keep them in check. Unless the dynasty is completely corrupt, leading to chaos in the world, these militia groups will have the possibility of connecting with each other and becoming larger.

When that time comes, it won’t be unfair to the Zhou Dynasty to change dynasties.

After hearing Shen Yuan's words, Emperor Yuanzhen felt a little relieved, but this matter involved national policy and it was not possible to make a decision immediately. Shen Yuan brought it up today just for the emperor to consider.

To complete the two steps mentioned by Shen Yuan, there is actually another obstacle, that is the Fu Sheng Society in Jiangnan. If this organization is not eliminated or broken, luring and annihilating the main force of the Japanese pirates and training the militia will be a joke and there will be no possibility of success.

Therefore, it depends on whether Jiang Zhongnian, Shi Ding, Lin Ruhai and others can achieve results in Jiangnan.

Emperor Yuan Zhen could naturally think of this. After pondering for a while, he put the matter aside for the time being, looked at Shen Yuan, and asked, "Regarding the training of the new army, what are Huaizhong's plans for the future?"

Shen Yuan said: "Recently, I went to the Military Equipment Bureau to learn more about it. I plan to equip the new army with firearms."

"Huaizhong, are you talking about the musket?"

Shen Yuan nodded and said, "I plan to improve the fire gun."

The muskets used by the Great Zhou at this time were actually matchlock guns. They were extremely troublesome to load and ignite, and had very low accuracy. If the distance was a little far, the marble would go somewhere unknown. Moreover, it could not be used on rainy days. It was not as useful as a bow and arrow, so it was not widely used.

According to the calculation of time, the flintlock rifle should have appeared in Europe by this time. Relying on the current technological level of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it is not difficult to convert the matchlock rifle into a flintlock rifle, and the efficiency of use will change qualitatively.

In addition, you can also make some fire mines suitable for throwing from hot air balloons.

The musketeers, hot air balloons and fire mines can be said to be a dimensionality reduction attack against the enemies around the Great Zhou.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhen felt excited. Since Shen Yuan could build a hot air balloon, it must be that he was not just talking nonsense when he said he could modify the musket. Maybe he could really bring him a surprise.

The emperor said happily: "Huaizhong, go ahead and do it. I will let Li Guang cooperate with you."

The Li Guang mentioned by Emperor Yuanzhen is the current director of the Military Equipment Bureau.

Ever since Shen Yuan took on the position of Junior Supervisor in the Military Equipment Bureau, Li Guang basically tried his best to cooperate with him in whatever he wanted to do. In addition to the emperor's order, Li Guang was also very optimistic about Shen Yuan. Now that he had the opportunity to make friends with him, he might be able to get on top of him in the future.

The more marginal the officials are, the more they can lower their posture to make friends and invest in the future.

On the contrary, the people of the Military Merit Department are all arrogant. Even though they know in their hearts that Shen Yuan is more capable than them, they still show contempt. It can only be said that after the class solidification, the sense of superiority of some people is engraved in their bones.

Shen Yuan talked with Emperor Yuanzhen for a while and then finished discussing the business.

He pondered for a moment and said, "I have one more thing to ask for your majesty's mercy."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhen looked curious and said in a gentle voice, "What is it? Huaizhong, just tell me."

The young man in front of him recently made concessions to Tianyuan Commercial Bank, which is actually a considerable contribution, but it is not easy to report it to the court.

The emperor was thinking of giving Shen Yuan some favors in other places, and he was naturally happy to see the young man bring up the matter himself.

Shen Yuan did not hesitate for too long and said bluntly: "I would like to ask your majesty for an imperial decree to allow Jia Yuanchun, the female historian of Chengqian Palace, to leave the palace and return home."

After listening to this, Emperor Yuanzhen was stunned for a moment, then he remembered who Jia Yuanchun was and her relationship with Shen Yuan.

"Huaizhong is referring to the eldest daughter of Rongguo Mansion? Speaking of which, this girl is considered your sister-in-law, right?"

Shen Yuan nodded, stood up, bowed respectfully to Emperor Yuanzhen, and said earnestly: "Jia Yuanchun is indeed my wife's cousin. She entered the palace to serve the Imperial Concubine when she was young. It has been more than seven years now. Recently, she has been missing her family more and more. She hopes to return home to fulfill her filial duties. Please grant her wish, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)