The Red Chamber: Starting from Saving Xue Baochai

Chapter 66 This is presented to His Majesty

Shenjing City, New Army Guard Office.

It is called a government office, but in fact it is just an ordinary three-courtyard house that was renovated and used as a place for the new military guards to handle official business.

At present, the furnishings are rather simple and cannot be compared with the larger government offices such as Jinyi Mansion and Shuntian Mansion. Shen Yuan does not care much about this.

Today is the day when the new army guards begin recruiting soldiers.

Early in the morning, Shen Yuan, Feng Ziying and Jiang Fan gathered here. Liu Xianglian and Zhao Huan were also there. Both of them were already captains of the New Army Guard.

Shen Yuan took out the recruitment order issued by the Ministry of War and said to them, "Today, we will split into three groups. Brother Feng will go to the Beijing Camp, Brother Jiang will go to the Wucheng Military Department, and Brother Liu and Brother Zhao will go to the streets to start recruiting soldiers."

As for the Jinyiwei, Shen Yuan did not count on it. The status of Jinyiwei was relatively transcendent, and basically no one would be willing to join a newly formed army.

After a pause, he added: "Everyone remember, strictly follow the recruitment standards, it is better to have a shortage than to have unqualified people!"

"Don't worry, Lord Shen."

The four men took the recruitment order, left the government office, and went their separate ways.

After the few people left, Shen Yuan also left the government office, mounted his horse, and headed towards the palace.

Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Yuanzhen finished his morning court session and returned to the imperial study to review memorials. This diligent monarch had faintly visible white hair on his temples, but he still failed to put the Great Zhou Dynasty on the upward track.

While they were busy, an eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, the new army guard commander Shen Yuan is outside the palace asking to see you."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhen paused and said, "Call him in."

Soon, a young man dressed in the robe of a fourth-rank military officer, with a figure as tall and straight as an orchid and a jade tree, walked into the imperial study and came forward under the guidance of a eunuch.

"Your Majesty, I am Shen Yuan, and I pay my respects to you. Long live your Majesty." Shen Yuan bowed and paid his respects.

Emperor Yuanzhen put down his imperial brush, raised his eyes and said in a clear voice: "Huaizhong is here, sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

In a blink of an eye, someone brought a chair over. After Shen Yuan sat down, Emperor Yuan Zhen asked, "Tell me, why did you come to see me today?"

Shen Yuan raised his head and looked at Emperor Yuanzhen. He hadn't seen him for several days. The Great Zhou emperor seemed to have become older. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "It's difficult to be an emperor."

"I have something I would like to present to Your Majesty."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhen's eyes narrowed slightly, and he became interested. He asked, "What is it?"

Shen Yuan came to the palace specifically to ask for an audience, so the gift he presented must be something extraordinary. The emperor began to have some expectations about this.

Facing the emperor's curious eyes, Shen Yuan took out two folded pieces of rice paper from his sleeve.

"Your Majesty, these are two blueprints."

"Send it over quickly!"

Soon, the eunuch Dai Quan took the rice paper from Shen Yuan and presented it to Emperor Yuanzhen.

After just one look at one of the drawings and annotations, Emperor Yuanzhen showed a look of confusion and surprise.

"Hot air balloon?" Emperor Yuanzhen looked at the thing similar to a Kongming lantern drawn on the rice paper and asked suspiciously, "It looks like a larger sky lantern. Can it really carry people to the sky?"

"Hot air balloons and sky lanterns have similar principles, but their structures are very different," Shen Yuan explained in detail to Emperor Yuan Zhen.

In many novels he read in his previous life, many time travelers invented hot air balloons, so Shen Yuan even studied it and knew a lot about it.

As far as he knew, the first manned hot air balloon was built by the French in the 1780s. If Shen Yuan could make it now, it would be more than a hundred years ahead of schedule.

Emperor Yuanzhen was deeply shocked after hearing this and took it more seriously.

After a while, he picked up another blueprint and was also surprised after reading it. "Telescope? Can it really make distant objects seem very close?"

Shen Yuan said: "I dare not deceive your majesty. These are just ideas. We can only confirm the effect after they are implemented."

He couldn't be too sure, as he didn't know the current industrial level of the Great Zhou.

"How does Huai Zhong know all this?" Emperor Yuanzhen asked the biggest question in his mind.

Shen Yuan said the excuse he had prepared in advance: "In my spare time, I like to read some Western books, and these ideas are inspired by them."

Emperor Yuanzhen nodded, and stopped asking further questions. He continued to ponder over the two items. Suddenly, his eyes flickered, and he said, "If this item is used in the army..."

Shen Yuan said: "Your Majesty is wise. Hot air balloons can carry people into the air. With this telescope, we can not only observe the battlefield and the enemy, but also use rockets and fireballs to attack."

It is mainly used to observe battlefield terrain and the movements of large enemy forces, and its offensive function is limited.

Emperor Yuanzhen was quite excited after hearing this. What a feat it would be to carry people into space. Not to mention its military use, the mere fact of flying into space was enough to enhance the majesty of the Great Zhou and himself as the emperor.

After thinking for a while, he said to Shen Yuan: "Listen to the decree. From now on, Huaizhong will take on the position of Junior Supervisor of Military Equipment and take charge of this matter."

"If this thing can really be created, it will be a great achievement for you."

"I obey your order and thank Your Majesty for your grace." Shen Yuan showed gratitude and bowed.

Being the Junior Supervisor of the Military Equipment Inspectorate is just a title. He does not need to be in charge of the daily affairs of the Military Equipment Inspectorate. He only needs to supervise the production of hot air balloons and telescopes.

Shen Yuan achieved his purpose of entering the palace. He reported the progress of the new army guard to Emperor Yuanzhen, and then took his leave.

After leaving the palace, he went to the Military Equipment Bureau together with the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict, carrying the handwritten edict of Emperor Yuanzhen.

This time, the one who came out to greet him was not only the Chief Secretary Wang from last time, but also all the officials of the Military Equipment Bureau, both big and small, who knelt down to receive the order.

When they learned that the new top military scholar was appointed as the junior supervisor of the Military Equipment Bureau by the emperor, everyone was surprised.

Wang Zhubu felt even more frightened, thinking back to the reception he had received Shen Yuan a few days ago. Fortunately, he did not disrespect the young eunuch at that time.

After the eunuch who announced the decree left, Li Guang, the chief inspector of the Military Equipment Bureau, looked at the young favorite of the emperor and said in a warm tone, "Master Shen, please let me know if you have any requests. The Military Equipment Bureau will actively cooperate."

With Li Guang's political acumen, he could guess that Shen Yuan probably came here with some mission, but he didn't ask in detail.

"Thank you, Lord Li, for gathering the craftsmen in the prison. I will select a few from among them."

Shen Yuan still needs to do his best to keep the hot air balloon and telescope confidential.

After Shen Yuan arranged the matters of the Military Equipment Supervisory Office, he returned to the New Army Guard Office. It was almost dusk.

Soon, Feng Ziying, Jiang Fan, Liu Xianglian and Zhao Huan returned one after another.

Shen Yuan sat in the main seat, and the other four sat on both sides. At this moment in the government office, they needed to be serious and could not address each other as brothers like they did in private.

"How is the recruitment going?"

Feng Ziying and Jiang Fan exchanged a glance and were the first to reply: "Most people in the Beijing camp are watching and waiting. Not many people are interested in joining the new army. Less than a hundred people have registered today."

Shen Yuan was silent for a moment when he heard this. He was mentally prepared for the Beijing camp. The twelve marquises were in charge of twelve camps, each with their own sphere of influence. It was reasonable that they would have some resistance to the new army guards.

Nodding to Feng Ziying, he turned to look at Jiang Fan and asked, "How is the Wucheng Bingmasi?"

Jiang Fan looked a little excited and said, "Today, more than a thousand soldiers from the Five Cities Military Department have been selected to join the new army."

Shen Yuan was slightly surprised and confirmed: "Are the recruitment standards strictly followed?"

"Don't worry, sir. There is absolutely no bias!"

(End of this chapter)