Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 491 Northern Expedition Deployment (Part 1)

The Chu Prince's Mansion in Jiankang was quite lively during this period. Ma Xiuying and Fan Qiuchan each gave birth to a baby boy. Knowing that Lu Jin's family had no elders and worried that the two concubines and their children would be left unattended, Guo Zixing and his wife Zhang, who were retired at home, took the initiative to visit and take care of Ma Xiuying, their adopted daughter, and also to see their newborn grandson.

Fan Qiuchan's parents lived far away in Taizhou, but her cousin, Dai, who was Fang Guozhen's wife, was left in Jiankang as a hostage by Lu Jin. Since she had nothing else to do, she also came to the Prince's Mansion to help.

When Lu Jin returned home that day, he saw Zhang and Dai preparing postpartum meals for the two concubines. Zhang Yunxiu also took Tan'er to visit her two younger brothers and chatted with Ma Xiuying and Fan Qiuchan.

Upon seeing Lu Jin return, Zhang Yunxiu immediately pulled him to see the two children. "Husband, Xiuying's second son is almost a month old. You always said that you would name both children together after Qiuchan's child was born. Now that we've made it this far, we can't keep putting it off."

Lu Jin smiled wryly, "I've been busy lately, alright, alright, let's get this done today."

When Lu Jin was led to the backyard, Guo Zixing, who was playing with Tan'er under the eaves, immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty has returned."

"Oh, so Master Guo is here too. That's perfect. Let me name your grandson first. I have something to tell you later," Lu Jin said immediately upon seeing this.

"Your Majesty has summoned me? Very well, I'll wait here." Guo Zixing then asked curiously, "What names does Your Majesty intend to give those two boys?"

"Sigh, what name can we choose? Let's just look it up in a book. It's best to use something obscure to avoid troubling the common people and making them avoid using it."

As Lu Jin spoke, he scooped up Gongshu Tan, who was squatting in the yard feeding ants, and carried the boy into the house despite his struggles. "Come on, let's go see your two younger brothers."

The group entered the house, where Zhang was serving Ma Xiuying soup. Lu Jin glanced at his second son, who was sleeping with his eyes closed, and immediately took out a book on chemistry. He opened the periodic table and said to his eldest son, "Come on, choose one and name your younger brother."

Seeing this, Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Is this how you name a child, my husband? You're about to become emperor, be serious."

Lu Jin retorted, "Why not? How is this improper? Wasn't that how we named Tan'er back then? Come on, son, you choose one for your brother."

Guo Zixing curiously peeked over and found that the thing Lu Jin had found was indeed quite obscure; he didn't recognize most of the characters inside.

Gongshu Tan simply pointed casually with his small hand, "This one."

"Zirconium? Gongshu zirconium is dense and does not corrode, and it is difficult to melt in strong fire. It is similar to your tantalum. This one is acceptable. Then let's use this one, Second Brother."

As Lu Jin spoke, he picked up a pen and wrote his name on a piece of paper next to him. Zhang Yunxiu took it and handed it to Ma Xiuying. Guo Zixing asked curiously, "What do these words mean, Your Majesty? Why is this zircon dense yet does not rot, and why is it difficult to melt in a strong fire?"

Lu Jin immediately said, "These are the various elemental substances that make up all things in the world from the Gongshu Secret Manual. Zirconium is a metal in the world, similar to gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin. It is dense but does not corrode and is difficult to melt in strong fire. This describes the properties of metallic zirconium."

"I see. I never knew there were so many metals in the world. I had never even heard of them before."

“Come here, son, let’s choose one for your third brother.”

Gongshu Tan glanced at them, then pointed to one of them, though he himself didn't recognize it, "This one."

“Chromium? Gongshu Chromium, tough and wear-resistant, dazzling, this one is not bad either, you can use it for your third brother.” Lu Jin immediately wrote down another name.

"Tantalum, Zirconium, Chromium, my husband really knows how to name children. If we have more children in the future, will we name them Gold, Silver, Copper, and Iron? When the children stand together, they'll all be a bunch of iron lumps," Zhang Yunxiu teased.

"Hahahaha." As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Lu Jin said, "What's wrong with an iron lump? True gold is not afraid of fire. At least an iron lump is tough and easy to raise. Aren't the children of ordinary people also called Iron Egg or Iron Pillar? The Yuan emperor in the north was even called Iron Pot."

"Then I'll take it to Sister Qiuchan right now?"

"Okay, you go first, I'll go later."

Lu Jin chatted with Ma Xiuying and Guo Zixing and his wife for a while, and watched as Ma Xiuying finished her meal before going to Fan Qiuchan's place. Knowing that Ma Xiuying at least had adoptive parents to visit her, while her parents were far away in Taizhou and could not come, Lu Jin couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Lu Jin immediately comforted him, "After the Northern Expedition ends next year, your cousin-in-law won't have to stay in Taizhou anymore. I'll have him move to Jiankang with his parents-in-law so you and your parents can see each other more often."

Fan Qiuchan, however, said sensibly, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, and should prioritize the country and its people. I have my elder sister and cousin with me here, and I have no shortage of food, clothing and other necessities. It would be good if my parents could come, but I know that my cousin's husband has important responsibilities. Your Majesty should let him do his work first, and he can come when there is no need to avoid suspicion. If I miss home, I can just write a letter to my parents."

Lu Jin nodded. "I'm glad you understand. But it won't be long. You should take good care of yourself first. I'll probably leave the capital when Ge'er is a month old. While I'm away, you can take good care of the child."

"I understand, Your Majesty. Please do not worry. If you have something to attend to, please go ahead. I heard that Marquis Gui'an is still waiting outside."

"Well, then I'll leave first."

After Lu Jin went to the front hall, he immediately summoned Guo Zixing and said bluntly, "Lord Guo is not yet fifty years old and is still in his prime. It is something I envy that he is always at home in retirement."

"There are many complicated matters in the court, but those officials who came through the imperial examinations are either of low rank and insignificant or are not up to the task. Although I have already established the system, there are still many vacancies for ministers in the State Council. Would you like to select a position to share my burdens, Lord Guo?"

Guo Zixing hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, unsure if Lu Jin was testing him. After pondering for a while, he said, "Your Majesty knows me. Before I joined Your Majesty, I was just an ordinary country gentleman. In terms of scholarship, I am no match for those great Confucian scholars in the court, and in terms of leading troops, I am no match for many generals in the army. It is not that I am unwilling to share Your Majesty's burdens, but that I know I am not talented enough. If I were to serve as the Minister of the State Council, I fear I would be unable to fulfill the duties."

Lu Jin laughed on the spot. Guo Zixing was showing weakness to him, so he continued, "In terms of studying and leading troops, Guo Gong is indeed inferior to those great scholars and generals, but in other areas, it's not necessarily the case. For example, in business and managing land, Guo Gong is quite an expert. "Therefore, I won't send you to other departments. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Transportation and Posts, and the Ministry of Construction—these don't need great scholars or generals. Instead, Guo Gong is the most suitable. Which one would you like to choose?"

Guo Zixing still hesitated and asked, "Does Your Majesty really want me to go?"

"A ruler's word is law. The Imperial Academy and the University have not yet been established, and the court lacks specialists who understand these fields. If you go and work there for a few years, even if it's just as a transition, it will be good to get the framework of these ministries up first."

Guo Zixing breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and asked in detail, "What do these ministries do? If they are just temporary structures, I can work for them for a few years. But if I really don't understand them, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle them."

Lu Jin immediately said, "The Ministry of Transportation and Postal Services is responsible for the country's roads, post stations, and communications; in short, it's about post roads and building bridges and roads. The Ministry of Construction is responsible for the construction of key projects of the imperial court, such as supervising the construction of palaces, schools, and factories."
"The Ministry of Agriculture is the Grand Minister of Agriculture, but with greater responsibilities than the Grand Minister of Agriculture in the previous dynasty. It is responsible for promoting agriculture, land reclamation, and the former Taipusi Pasture Supervisor who was in charge of raising horses. Even the four things of planting trees, raising fish and fishing, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery will all be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture in the future."

"The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is responsible for issuing business licenses to merchants in various regions, guiding them to invest in certain industries, and setting various standards for industrial production, much like creating a model for architecture."

"It's not just the construction industry, but all industries. From now on, all kinds of products produced must meet the standards set by the imperial court. For example, how wide the cloth should be, how heavy the weight of the scale should be, and also the management of various factories set up by the imperial court. These will also be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Which one would you like to choose, Lord Guo?"

Guo Zixing thought carefully before saying, “His Majesty sent Wang Huanzhang to sea to find that so-called superior seed from Lizhou. He hasn’t returned yet. He’s gone to the Ministry of Agriculture, and for now he can only manage land reclamation. He doesn’t have anything to persuade farmers to do.”

"Regarding horse breeding, Your Majesty has long intended to import superior horse breeds from overseas to improve the local warhorses, but this is no longer feasible. I can't do much even if I go to the Ministry of Agriculture. It would be better to wait two years until Wang Huanzhang returns and then set up the Ministry of Agriculture."

"As for the Ministry of Construction, the construction of the palace university is not something that can be seen in a short time. For the court, the post roads and post stations are more urgent. However, I have also heard that Your Majesty wants to build some kind of post and telecommunications bureau. I really don't understand this. Perhaps I should go to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce instead."

"I am somewhat interested in the company system reform that Your Majesty mentioned. I have been at home these days and have read the economics book that Your Majesty commissioned to compile. Although I am not an expert, it should be enough to lay a foundation for the transition."

Seeing this, Lu Jin nodded and said, "It's best if you know what you can do and what you want to do. Then, Mr. Guo, go to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and serve as its Minister for a term."

"The key task at present is to set up the framework of the provincial industrial and commercial bureaus, so that merchants in various places can apply for business licenses in different categories. For the time being, the focus should be on resuming production. Tell those production-oriented merchants that the imperial court will reopen maritime trade within one or two years. They can resume production now and start stockpiling goods for their main export products to avoid having no goods to sell in the country after the seas reopen. Other businesses can maintain their current status for now and we can deal with any changes later."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will do my best to accomplish this." Guo Zixing immediately agreed.

After arranging personnel matters in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and with the generals of various armies at the front returning, Lu Jin summoned these generals to the palace the next day, the first day of the seventh lunar month, and held a battle deployment meeting for them in the Yunxiang Hall.

"See Your Majesty."

"Flat body."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After the generals had taken their positions, Lu Jin looked at them and said, "Last year, we fought continuously for nearly half a year. You all worked hard, but our results were also gratifying. In one battle, we pacified half of the country and eliminated all of the Yuan court's main forces in the south."

"Looking across the land, the Holy Martial Army is now virtually invincible, and the barbarian chieftains of Dadu are without soldiers or supplies. Once our army launches a northern expedition, the Yuan court will be utterly unable to resist. However..."

Lu Jin suddenly stood up, walked to the desk, and said to everyone, "But the Northern Expedition is not just about capturing Dadu. Who knows what the key point of the Northern Expedition is?"

Lu Jin scanned the crowd, and the generals racked their brains to come up with ideas. They looked at each other, and Liao Yong'an stepped forward to speak.

"Your Majesty, I believe the key to the Northern Expedition lies in the passes in the Taihang Mountains and the Yanshan Mountains, such as Juyong Pass, Gubeikou Pass, and Xifengkou Pass."

"The area around Dadu is flat and there are no natural defenses. If we want to take back Yanyun, we not only need to be able to conquer it, but also be able to hold it. To hold it, we must take back the passes in the mountains north of Dadu. Only in this way can we keep the enemy out of the country and truly take back Yanyun."

Lu Jin nodded. "That's right, the passes in the Yanshan Mountains are one. What else?"

Zhu Liangzu immediately stepped forward and said, "Furthermore, we must not let Emperor Yuan escape, otherwise there will be endless troubles. If we can block him directly inside the pass, whether we kill him or capture him, we can save a big problem. After that, Your Majesty only needs to issue an edict, and the other provinces and counties in the country will not only be pacified by a single proclamation, but at least the resistance of the local armies will be greatly weakened."

"On the contrary, if we just drive him away and let him escape, the Yuan Dynasty's territory is so vast. Even if they lose Hebei, they still have Liaoyang Province, Goryeo, several counties in the northwest, and Yunnan and Guangdong in the south, all at their beck and call. Moreover, the Xuanzheng Yuan of Tibet is also in their hands, and they must take it back."

"Don't forget, when the Mongols destroyed the Song Dynasty, they first conquered Tibet, and then used Tibet as a route to destroy the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan, thus forming a pincer attack on the Southern Song Dynasty and strategically encircling it, which finally led to the destruction of the Southern Song Dynasty."

"Even if we recover Yan and Yun in this Northern Expedition, the situation in the world will become like it was at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. Yunnan is still eyeing our rear, and the road to Tibet is controlled by the Yuan court. They are very likely to launch another major flanking maneuver. The Tartars' best tactic is to outflank and flank, so we must be on guard."

Everyone present nodded in agreement.

Yang Jing then stepped forward and said, “Actually, keeping Emperor Yuan in Guanzhong is one part, but even if we do manage to keep him, we should focus on developing Yunnan and the Northwest, especially the Hexi Corridor and the Qilian Mountains area.”

"Oh? How so?" Lu Jin immediately became interested upon hearing this.

Yang Jing clasped his hands in a fist salute before speaking again, "It's what Commander Zhu said. We must be wary of the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty using Tibet and Yunnan as a route to launch surprise attacks on Sichuan and Hubei. The best way, of course, is to cut off their communication."

"If we want to sever the connection between the northern desert and Tibet, the only way is to control the Hexi Corridor, just like when Emperor Wu of Han went out of the Hexi Corridor to cut off the connection between the Xiongnu and the Western Regions."

(End of this chapter)