Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 526 Liu and Zhang Reunion

"Woooooooo..."

On the ninth day of the ninth month of the second year of Hongwu, as the sounds of horns, drums and music rang out in the West Market outside Xuanhui Gate in western Luoyang, a procession of nearly a thousand officials stood on both sides of the market road, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new officials.

The entire market was surrounded by the Six Armies of the Northern Army, with tens of thousands of people lined up outside the market, casting their gazes into the distance.

In the distance, a caravan escorted by hundreds of elite cavalrymen slowly approached, only stopping when it was about a hundred paces from the West Market.

Under the watchful eyes of his ministers and soldiers, the official in purple robes slowly stepped down from his carriage, gazing at the magnificent city of Luoyang.

Even though he had already seen the even more magnificent Chang'an in Guanzhong, he had never felt uneasy, but now he felt extremely nervous.

"Is this Luoyang City...?"

Banners fluttered in the wind blowing from the Luo River, and in the distance lay the fertile plains of the Yi-Luo region, where the autumn harvest had just ended, a sight to behold.

Standing under the banner bearing the character "Zhang," Zhang Huaishen turned his gaze back to the West Market and nervously began to walk towards it.

Time passed, and after about half a cup of tea's time, Zhang Huaishen, dressed in a purple robe, arrived at the West Market archway and saw the jade carriage decorated with jade.

As he looked at the jade carriage, the officials from the three provinces and six ministries, as well as the five military governorates and nine temples standing at the front, also got a clear look at him.

The deeds of the Zhang Yichao, Zhang Yitan, Zhang Huaishen and other families, after being deliberately spread by Liu Jilong, were already well known to the officials and the common people.

They also learned that while the central government and the regional military governors were constantly vying for power, there was a group of people in Hexi protecting the borders and people, and even recovering Anxi, Beiting and other former Han territories that had been lost for decades.

"Greetings, Prince of Jiaohe..."

In an instant, the assembled officials, led by the four prime ministers Gao Jinda, Li Shangyin, Liu Zhan, and Xiao Gou, all bowed to Zhang Huaishen.

"Zhang Huaishen of Shazhou greets all the ministers and officials..."

Zhang Huaishen felt somewhat uneasy. Although he was a powerful figure in Hexi and the Western Regions, this was, after all, the capital city of Luoyang.

People of his stature are not uncommon, though not ubiquitous.

"His Majesty has decreed that the Prince of Dunhuang shall ride in his jade carriage to the Jixian Palace."

Jing Xiang and Zhang Ying stood beside the imperial carriage and raised their voices to invite Zhang Huaishen to ride in the emperor's imperial carriage.

Zhang Huaishen felt somewhat uneasy, but seeing that none of the officials objected, he braced himself and sat down in the emperor's jade carriage.

But as soon as he stepped onto the jade carriage, he saw Liu Jilong inside.

He was looking at me with a smile, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery.

"Your Majesty Liu..."

Zhang Huaishen had naturally expected to meet Liu Jilong, but he didn't expect it to happen in this kind of setting.

For a moment, he instinctively wanted to call out Liu Jilong's name, but after realizing what he was doing, he immediately changed his address to Your Majesty.

The emperor's address was made with great reluctance, but Liu Jilong did not care. He simply raised his hand to indicate, "King of Jiaohe, please sit down first."

Zhang Huaishen felt somewhat embarrassed, but still sat down next to Liu Jilong.

After he sat down, the imperial carriage began to move, and the officials also began to move in unison.

Seeing Zhang Huaishen's awkward appearance, Liu Jilong said cheerfully, "The journey of more than three months must have been arduous for the King of Jiaohe."

“No…” Zhang Huaishen spoke slowly and sparingly.

The two used to be very close, but now he is the emperor, while I am just a prince.

Moreover, the two had reunited after more than twenty years, and perhaps things had changed drastically, and their personalities had changed as well.

He had imagined all sorts of scenarios when he would see Liu Jilong again, but when he actually saw him, he didn't know how to start the conversation.

Liu Jilong wasn't surprised to see him like this; he simply scrutinized him carefully.

More than twenty years have passed, and Zhang Huaishen, who was once full of vigor, is now forty-four years old. His skin is bronze from years of fighting, and he is slightly plumper than when he was young.

Even so, he still looks above average for his age and is very well-preserved.

He spoke highly of Zhang Huaishen's current state, and Zhang Huaishen felt the same way about him.

If it weren't for Liu Jilong's short beard and the fact that his eyes weren't as clear as they were when he was younger, judging by his appearance alone, he would have thought Liu Jilong was around thirty years old.

Compared to his youth, he was more spirited and ambitious, but there was also a hint of worry in his eyes.

"The state banquet will be held at Jixian Palace later. After the banquet, I will have the jade carriage escort you to the Dunhuang Royal Palace."

"Next to the Prince's Mansion is your younger brother, the Duke of Liang's Mansion, and the Jiaohe Prince's Mansion, which was built by someone."

"You may choose where you wish to live."

Liu Jilong changed his self-designation to something else to show his closeness.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huaishen relaxed slightly and was no longer awkward: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty..."

Seeing that he was relaxed, Liu Jilong seemed to open up and began to ask him about the things and difficulties of recovering the Western Regions over the years.

Seeing that the conversation was about his strengths, Zhang Huaishen was no longer so nervous and began to talk at length.

Time flies. While Zhang Huaishen was still talking about how he recovered Kucha and Shule, the jade carriage had already stopped in front of the Jixian Palace.

Zhang Huaishen belatedly realized what was going on, while Liu Jilong continued with a smile, "We can continue the explanation later when we have a drink together; I'm very curious."

"Yes……"

Zhang Huai breathed a sigh of relief, and then, led by Liu Jilong, stepped down from the jade carriage and entered the Jixian Hall.

Hundreds of dishes had already been set out on single tables inside the hall, and Liu Jilong arranged for Zhang Huaishen to sit in the seat closest to the golden platform.

He brought Zhang Huaishen here and gestured to Jing Xiang, Zhang Ying and others, saying, "I will sit here with the Prince of Jiaohe."

"His Majesty……"

Zhang Ying and Jing Xiang looked embarrassed, but seeing that Liu Jilong was in high spirits, they didn't want to say anything that was against etiquette.

As the founding emperor, the so-called rites and laws were nothing more than a matter of a single word from Liu Jilong, since there were no ancestral laws before him.

His ancestors are still buried in the cemetery in Guazhou.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong couldn't help but look at Zhang Huaishen and asked, "I once saw the memorial submitted by the Prefect of Guazhou, which said that you have ordered the repair of the tombs of the Liu clan in Guazhou. I am deeply grateful to you and will drink a big cup of wine with you."

"This is my duty, but I wonder if Your Majesty intends to relocate the tomb to another place?"

Zhang Huaishen took the initiative to ask, but Liu Jilong shook his head and said, "I have lived in Guazhou for nearly a hundred years, and my memory is vague. Even if I wanted to move, I would have nowhere to go."

“If the tomb is left in Guazhou, it can awaken future rulers and prevent the Hexi region from falling into enemy hands, so as to avoid the loss of the family temple.”

Zhang Huaishen was not surprised that Liu Jilong wanted to use the tombs of his father and other relatives to protect Hexi.

However, when he actually said these words, he still greatly admired Liu Jilong.

While the two were talking, the officials also rushed over and took their places under the arrangement of the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.

Seeing that they were about to enter the classroom, Liu Jilong waved his sleeve and said, "Although today is a state banquet, the emperor, his subjects, and the common people are one family. There is no need to be so formal."

"I will sit at the same table as the Prince of Jiaohe. If any of you have relatives or friends present, you may also sit at the same table!"

"Your Majesty's decree shall be obeyed..."

Under Liu Jilong's orders, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices no longer required the officials to follow the rules of etiquette, but instead ordered them to maintain order and prevent the state banquet from turning into chaos.

Upon seeing the arrival of everyone, Liu Jilong took the initiative to pour wine for Zhang Huaishen, and then said with a smile: "The new dynasty has been established for two years, but the disaster in the north is still ongoing, so a ban on alcohol has been issued."

"If it weren't for your arrival, the court probably wouldn't have lifted the ban even once."

The alcohol ban was issued by Liu Jilong, since brewing alcohol consumes too much grain, and the imperial court previously needed to transport all the grain to the north to help the north fight against the severe drought.

Although the drought continues, with the help of the imperial court, the people of the north are constantly digging wells and building dikes, so the drought in the north can now only affect Henan Province.

Under these circumstances, lifting the ban once to celebrate Zhang Huaishen's return to Beijing to report on his duties is not a big deal.

"Regarding the severe drought, I have witnessed quite a few things along the way."

"The local government offices along the way either opened their granaries to stabilize grain prices, or allocated money and grain to hire people to dig wells for them."

“In the Guanzhong region, most of the weirs, dikes and canals have been completed, and the people who had been living in the Qinling and Longshan Mountains have returned to Guanzhong. The land that was abandoned in the past has been reclaimed.”

"If it weren't for the severe drought, this would truly be a scene of prosperity..."

As Zhang Huaishen recounted what he had seen and heard, he couldn't help but marvel at how the imperial court had managed to protect the people so peacefully during the severe drought.

In his view, a prosperous era was one where people had enough to eat and weren't starving, and had clothes and shoes to wear.

However, by Liu Jilong's standards, it is far from being a golden age.

"It is too early to say that we are in a golden age. If we can govern the country for ten years and that is considered a golden age, I will be satisfied."

Liu Jilong raised his glass and drank the rice wine in it, then pulled Zhang Huaishen to sit down, and they ate and chatted.

This disregard for etiquette was naturally recorded by the Imperial Recorder, but Liu Jilong didn't care.

One should always be more magnanimous. If an emperor tries to please all his officials in order to maintain a good reputation, then he is nothing more than a puppet of them.

After several rounds of drinks, Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen's conversation became increasingly in-depth, with occasional bursts of hearty laughter and exclamations of admiration.

Upon seeing this, officials from the Court of State Ceremonies and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices immediately ordered the court musicians and palace maids to enter the palace.

As the drums and music began, groups of female dancers dressed in brocade boots, Hu hats, and red and purple narrow-sleeved silk robes entered the Jixian Palace. Their youthful and vibrant aura caused the assembled officials to stop what they were doing and stare intently at the group of beautiful court dancers.

"Wu Tuozhi?"

Zhang Huaishen looked at the group of palace maids and couldn't help but stroke his beard and laugh. Liu Jilong followed his gaze and saw dozens of palace maids aged fifteen or sixteen dancing the Tuozhi Dance to the sound of drums.

Tuozhi Dance is a type of vigorous dance from the Tang Dynasty. It originated from the Kingdom of Shi in the Western Regions and was introduced to the Central Plains via the Silk Road. Later, it developed into a softer dance called Quzhezhi.

This dance was originally a solo performance, but over time it gradually evolved into a duet, a group dance, and a children's dance in which the dancers appeared hidden in lotus flowers, becoming popular throughout the Tang Dynasty.

The court dances and music of the Tang Dynasty were diverse. Although Liu Jilong also enjoyed watching the palace maids dance and basking in their youthful exuberance, now was not the time for such pleasures.

He summoned Jing Xiang, whispered a few words in his ear, and then Jing Xiang looked surprised, nodded, and left to find the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The two whispered for a moment, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices nodded repeatedly. He then summoned an official from the Court Music Department, gave him a few instructions, and then the official left.

Because all the officials were watching the palace maids dancing with branches, no one noticed these scenes except for Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen.

"Is Your Majesty planning to change the music and dance?"

Zhang Huaishen quickly guessed Liu Jilong's thoughts, and Liu Jilong nodded with a smile.

As the two were talking, the drumbeats of the dance ended, and the palace maids bowed their heads and dispersed to the left and right.

"Boom...boom...boom..."

In an instant, the original music changed from light and cheerful to urgent, making people feel tense.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

More than sixty armored soldiers, wearing Tang Dynasty painted animal head masks, entered the hall, some carrying shields and single swords, others carrying double swords.

Under the watchful eyes of the courtiers, they began to dance and play music in the hall. The occasional clash of swords and shields invigorated everyone and even deterred the effects of alcohol.

Fortunately, Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen remained calm and composed while appreciating the scene; otherwise, the courtiers might have thought someone was plotting a rebellion.

Under the watchful eyes of the assembled officials, the armored soldiers, wielding their weapons, recreated the battlefield scene through stylized movements such as slashing and parrying.

The entire dance choreography strictly follows the principle of "Xiang Gong" in the Zhou Rites, with each movement corresponding to a specific tactical meaning.

Women in long sleeves may enjoy peace and tranquility, but the dances and music of armored warriors can serve as a reminder to the court not to indulge in pleasure, but to pay more attention to the military spirit of the dynasty.

As the music and dance ended, the armored soldiers withdrew from the palace, while Liu Jilong, holding a jade cup, stepped onto the golden platform and addressed the assembled officials:

"Although the world is at peace now, I am always mindful of potential dangers and have never forgotten the chaos of a few years ago."

"You may enjoy yourselves, but you must not forget that our China is surrounded by enemies on all sides, eyeing the Central Plains with predatory intent."

"Therefore, the Han Dynasty should only be mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace, and should not abandon military force to focus on civil administration..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his glass in a gesture of respect and drank it all in one gulp.

Upon seeing this, the officials all raised their cups and drank the wine in them, while Liu Jilong continued to look at the officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices understood immediately and quickly arranged for sixty-four palace maids dressed in purple wide-sleeved skirts to enter the hall and play music and dance.

Although the music and dance had resumed, the courtiers, having just witnessed the soldiers' performance of the music and dance, did not continue to indulge in the music and dance, but instead continued to chat with their colleagues.

As Liu Jilong stepped down from the golden platform, Zhang Huaishen, seeing this, couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty's awareness of potential dangers even in times of peace is truly admirable."

"But given His Majesty's previous actions, could it be that he intends to send troops to quell the rebellious rebellions of the four directions?"

Zhang Huaishen sensed Liu Jilong's fighting spirit from his words, and Liu Jilong didn't hide it, but nodded and said:
"In the south, there is Dali; in the north, there are the Khitan, Xi, Dangxiang, and Bohai. Instead of constantly guarding against them, we should seize the opportunity and take them all back to China."

"Of course, the country is still suffering from disasters, and the court should take a rest and recuperate."

"However, once the Central Plains are at peace, it will be time for the court to expand its territory."

"Since you come from Hexi, you must have seen the cotton that someone planted, right?"

When cotton was mentioned, Zhang Huaishen couldn't help but nod: "I have seen the cotton of the court. Not only are the cotton seeds smaller than those of the Western Regions, but the tools used by the court to separate the cotton seeds are also more advanced."

"One mu of cotton can produce 30 to 40 jin of pure cotton, which can be made into more than 20 cotton-padded coats."

"If the soldiers could wear these cotton-padded coats, they would not feel cold even if they were out for several hours during winter patrols."

"I've only heard that the imperial court grows very little cotton. I wonder how many years it will take before the northern soldiers can wear cotton-padded coats and quilts?"

“Hehe…” Hearing Zhang Huaishen’s concerns, Liu Jilong took the initiative to speak up: “The imperial court has been taking southern cotton to plant in the north for four years, and now there are more than 2,700 mu of it.”

"In just five or six years, we will be able to plant a million acres of cotton. At that time, it will not be difficult to promote cotton planting throughout the country so that people can have cotton clothes to wear."

The promotion of cotton was undoubtedly very important for the Han Dynasty, because only if the Han Dynasty had enough cotton could it maintain a foothold in the Yanshan Mountains, Liaodong region, and Beiting for a long time.

Therefore, while explaining to Zhang Huaishen, Liu Jilong couldn't help but say:

"I have already ordered the Crown Prince to plant cotton in Shule. As long as the cotton from the south can be sown and harvested in the Western Regions, you may then send 10,000 catties of cotton seeds to Hexi and various places in Xizhou for sowing."

"In just ten years, the Western Regions will become a key cotton-producing area for the imperial court. Even if the Silk Road declines in the future, the Western Regions can still prosper because of this."

The climate in the Western Regions is very suitable for cotton, so it is not difficult for villagers to cultivate one or two acres of cotton in addition to growing grain.

Zhang Huaishen naturally understood this principle, so he did not hesitate and nodded directly, saying, "Your subject will obey your decree."

Seeing that he agreed, Liu Jilong then said, "In the Western Regions, places like Shule and Kucha are suitable for farming, but the most suitable place for farming is still the former Gongyue City (Yili)."

"As long as we can send the 120,000 rebels from Guanzhong to the Western Regions and continue to build cities to Gongyue City, once Gongyue City is fully developed, we can support the Western Regions without having to transport them from the Central Plains."

Seeing his words, Zhang Huaishen nodded: "Gongyue City is now occupied by the Uyghurs. If our army wants to advance westward, we will inevitably have to fight the Uyghurs."

"If that's all there is to it, I have nothing to fear. However, it is a distance of two thousand miles from Tingzhou to Gongyue City."

"If 120,000 people build cities along the way, one every hundred li, they can only reach the east side of Yibo Sea. Gongyue City is still eight hundred li away."

"Furthermore, after the city is built, it will take three years for the people to become self-sufficient. If we include the time needed for migration, it will be four years..."

Zhang Huaishen didn't know what to say, while Liu Jilong cursed inwardly.

Originally, there were dozens of towns along the way from Tingzhou to Gongyue City where supplies could be replenished, but most of these towns were destroyed in the wars between the Tibetans, Uyghurs, and the Abbasids.

If the Han Dynasty wants to recapture Suyab, it must first invest countless resources to reach Bowmoon City. Only after cultivating enough farmland in Bowmoon City can it then strive to conquer Suyab City to the west.

According to Zhang Huaishen's estimation, at least 200,000 people would need to be relocated, and it would be necessary to ensure their survival.

If the population is insufficient to be retained, then the only option is to continue migrating people.

In addition, the food rations for these 200,000 people all need to be transported from the Central Plains, which is an expense that is neither too large nor too small.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong said, "There is no need to worry about this. I will naturally allocate grain and fodder to build these cities."

Gongyue City must be captured. Only by taking the Ili River Valley where Gongyue City is located can the Han people truly establish themselves in the Western Regions, and the pressure on the Central Plains will be greatly reduced.

For this reason alone, an investment of two or three decades would be worthwhile.

With that in mind, Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen changed the subject and started talking about lighter things.

During this time, Zhang Huaicheng also came to look for Zhang Huaishen. The two brothers had not seen each other for a long time, and if it weren't for Liu Jilong being there, they probably would have already embraced each other excitedly.

Seeing this, Liu Jilong did not linger. After drinking with everyone for several rounds, he returned to the side hall to rest. More than half an hour later, as the officials discovered Liu Jilong's disappearance, the state banquet ended at the suggestion of Li Shangyin and other ministers.

Liu Jilong arranged for Yu Lu to escort Zhang Huaishen and Zhang Huaicheng to the Dunhuang Prince's Palace, and the officials also left Jixian Hall one after another.

After the officials left, Liu Jilong sat down to rest in a side hall of the Jixian Hall, and Ximen Jun then brought him a hangover soup.

After drinking a few sips of the hangover soup, Liu Jilong finally looked at Jing Xiang, Zhang Ying, and Zhao Ying in front of him.

“Ten thousand strings of cash were allocated from the imperial treasury to send additional spies from Silla, Daery, Balhae, and other countries in Southeast Asia.”

"I obey the decree..."

The three men quickly nodded in agreement, and Liu Jilong waved his hand after they agreed, indicating that they could leave.

Seeing this, the three left Jixian Hall, while Liu Jilong also rode in a palanquin to Zhenguan Hall to rest.

While he was heading to the Zhenguan Hall, the Zhang brothers, Zhang Huaishen and Zhang Huaicheng, who were riding in the emperor's jade carriage, had already arrived at the Dunhuang Prince's Palace.

More than sixty members of the Zhang family, including Zhang Huaiquan and Zhang Huaiding, greeted him at the Wutou Gate.

Upon seeing him arrive in a jade carriage, Zhang Huaiquan remained true to his word, only expressing his joy for his elder brother.

Even if the others were envious and jealous, they could only offer flattery on the surface.

However, upon seeing Zhang Huaishen's haughty demeanor, Zhang Huaiding said in a sarcastic tone with jealousy, "I thought it was His Majesty himself who had come, but I never expected it to be my elder brother!"

His words caused everyone to frown, and Zhang Huaishen's drunkenness dissipated somewhat.

When Zhang Huaishen saw that the person who said this was Zhang Huaiding, he was not surprised. After all, His Majesty had just warned him to be careful of Zhang Huaiding in the Jixian Palace.

"With such a gaze, does he perhaps intend to mistake everyone who receives His Majesty's favor for His Majesty himself?"

His counterattack didn't cause much damage, but he was indeed not good at verbal sparring, so he didn't fight with Zhang Huaiding.

Compared to him, Zhang Huaicheng was rather displeased: "His Majesty has shown great favor to you, elder brother. Your petty behavior suggests that I should petition His Majesty to send an imperial physician to treat your eye ailment?"

“You…” Zhang Huaiding was somewhat indignant, but he also knew that no matter how powerful Zhang Huaishen was, he was only in the Western Regions, while Zhang Huaicheng was an official of the Six Ministries, and dealing with him would be a piece of cake.

Thinking of this, he could only swallow his anger, while Zhang Huaishen, led by Zhang Huaiquan, had already entered the Dunhuang Prince's Palace.

Led by Zhang Huaiquan, Zhang Huaishen soon saw Zhang Yichao lying on the bed.

At seventy-seven years old, his eyes were already quite cloudy, but when he saw Zhang Huaishen, a glint of light flashed in them, and they gradually brightened.

"come yet……"

"My nephew is here!"

The image of the heroic figure in my memory gradually overlapped with the image of the withered old man before me.

Before anyone knew it, tears welled up in Zhang Huaishen's eyes, and he lowered his head, saying, "Nephew is late..."

"Just seeing him is enough... just seeing him is enough..."

Zhang Yichao reached out and, with Zhang Huaicheng's help, sat up. He looked down at Zhang Huaishen in front of him and reached out to try to help him up, but his hands were too thin and weak to lift Zhang Huaishen up.

He lowered his hand, abandoning the idea, and couldn't help but ask, "Shazhou, how are the people of Shazhou?"

"Okay!" Zhang Huaishen lowered his head, tears streaming down his face and dripping from his chin onto the floor.

He gritted his teeth and braced his hands on his kneeling legs: "Everyone misses you and hopes you can come back!"

"I'm old and frail, I can't go back..."

Zhang Yichao sighed deeply. His body had been weakening for several years and could no longer withstand the arduous journey of traveling thousands of miles.

"We can go back!"

As the de facto ruler of the Western Regions and Hexi, Zhang Huaishen was now sobbing uncontrollably like a child.

After being separated for twenty years, the uncle and nephew were naturally unable to accept that the mountain they could rely on had become what it is today.

The crying inside the hall lasted for a long time until Zhang Huaishen calmed down a little, at which point Zhang Yichao put his hand on his shoulder.

"Now that you are a prince, I have heard about the Western Regions from Buddha and His Majesty. What do you think you should do?"

"The Western Regions depend entirely on you; do not act in such a manner, lest you become a laughingstock."

His tone was very gentle, and Zhang Huaishen gradually stopped crying after hearing it. He wiped his face haphazardly and said, "I will take my uncle home!"

Zhang Yichao shook his head and said weakly, "Your father is still here, how can I face returning to Shazhou?"

Although Zhang Yitan came to the Central Plains voluntarily, he was sent there by Zhang Yichao.

My elder brother died in the Central Plains and could not return to his roots. How could I have the face to go back?

Thinking of this, Zhang Yichao couldn't help but chuckle dryly a few times: "Your Majesty was right back then. If I hadn't foolishly trusted the court, how could things have turned out this way..."

He, along with Zhang Yitan and Zhang Huaicheng, remained in the Central Plains as hostages, but did not obtain any useful resources from the imperial court.

Not only did it fail to help Zhang Huaishen, it almost harmed him instead.

If it weren't for Liu Jilong's help, Zhang Yichao wouldn't even dare to imagine what the situation in Hexi would be like now.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yichao reached out and patted Zhang Huaishen on the shoulder: "I feel a little better after seeing you today."

"In a few days, I will accompany you to the palace to meet His Majesty. You must be tired from your journey, so please go and rest."

"Come again tomorrow, after breakfast tomorrow..."

Zhang Huaishen clearly didn't want to leave, but with Zhang Yichao's promise, he was helped up by Zhang Huaicheng.

"Nephew, I'll take my leave for now..."

He bowed to Zhang Yichao, who smiled and raised his hand, saying, "Go and rest."

At this moment, he seemed to have returned to his time in Hexi. Although he was old, he still had ambition to support his physique.

A few years ago, when he was getting a little old, Liu Jilong stepped forward and promised peace to the world, which is why he has been able to hold on until now.

After the world was at peace, his physique gradually weakened, but after making a promise to Zhang Huaishen today, he felt that his body seemed to have become stronger again.

Seeing that his complexion had improved slightly, Zhang Huaishen felt relieved and left the place with Zhang Huaicheng.

After he left, Zhang Yichao hunched over again, and with Zhang Huaiquan's help, lay back down on the bed.

Over the next few days, Zhang Huaishen stayed with Zhang Yichao as he recovered, and with Zhang Huaishen's support, Zhang Yichao gradually regained his appetite.

Upon hearing this news, Liu Jilong, who was inspecting the Ordnance Bureau, couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Very good……"

Seeing Liu Jilong put down his monocular telescope, Chen Jitong, the director of the Ordnance Bureau, quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this..."

"The image quality of this object is too coarse and the edges are distorted, making it unsuitable for use on the battlefield. This is likely related to the technology used in glassmaking."

Liu Jilong commented that even though Chen Jitong was prepared, he was still disappointed.

Liu Jilong was prepared for this, since he knew that the glassmaking techniques in the Central Plains were not as good as those in Persia, so he didn't have high expectations.

It's not a big deal if we can't develop it. At worst, we can just wait until the navy is ready for combat and then organize a fleet to go to Persia to obtain Persian glass.

Although the cost was somewhat high, the porcelain and silk of the Han Dynasty were even more expensive.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong picked up a piece of black iron from the table and examined it carefully.

This black iron is not much different from a gun barrel, except that the tube is thicker and the wall is thicker.

Seeing that Liu Jilong had begun to examine the object, Chen Jitong immediately said, "This was cast by the Imperial Arsenal using steel refined by the iron casting method provided by His Majesty. Then, the water power of the Luo River was used to drive a waterwheel, which in turn used water power to drive a drilling frame to continuously drill holes. It took a month to complete one."

As Chen Jitong explained, Liu Jilong asked, "How much steel can be produced each month using the cast iron method, and what is the cost of this gun barrel?"

Seeing that he had asked about the key point, Chen Jitong couldn't help but feel embarrassed and said, "Taking the blast furnace of the Luoyang Ordnance Bureau as an example, it can produce 7,000 catties of steel per month, and the cost of a gun barrel is about 2,700 coins..."

"If the method of casting pig iron could be promoted to various armories, the price might be reduced to around two thousand coins."

The cast iron casting method they mentioned is the Suzhou steelmaking method of the Ming Dynasty, which was one of the key technologies that enabled the Ming Dynasty to easily imitate Western cannons.

A monthly output of 7,000 catties is naturally a small amount, but this is only in Luoyang.

If each route has its own location, it will yield over 70,000 jin (35,000 catties) of gun barrels; if there are ten locations, it will yield over 700,000 jin (350,000 kg). At that time, it will be much cheaper to manufacture gun barrels.

However, manufacturing the barrels was only the beginning; the most important thing was to develop the barrels into firearms and then promote them throughout the entire army.

"Have the matchlock muskets and flintlock muskets been completed yet?"

Liu Jilong, holding the gun barrel, asked Chen Jitong, who replied, "The matchlock gun has been completed, but the flintlock gun..."

Chen Jitong hesitated for a moment, but still braced himself and said, "I summoned the best craftsmen in the land and managed to make a spring, but it is too big to be used on a flintlock musket."

Clearly, Liu Jilong's idea of ​​achieving everything in one step was shattered, which was regrettable, but the matchlock gun was enough.

For the Han army today, there wasn't that much difference between flintlock muskets and matchlock muskets.

Although the matchlock gun is cumbersome, it can still penetrate armor, and that's enough.

Before the advent of machine guns, both flintlock muskets and matchlock muskets required the cooperation of other troop types to deal with cavalry.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong asked Chen Jitong to bring the finished matchlock gun, and then walked out of the Ordnance Bureau and came to the shooting range inside the bureau.

In the distance, soldiers in armor are holding what appear to be matchlock muskets. Although they are matchlock muskets, their wooden stock is not much different from that of early 20th-century rifles.

Liu Jilong stood about twenty paces away, watching the soldier operate the equipment along with Chen Jitong, Chen Ying, and Jing Xiang.

Three wooden targets, each an inch thick, were placed in front of the soldier, at distances of twenty, thirty, and fifty paces respectively.

As he finished loading the ammunition and pulled the trigger, the matchlock ignited the chamber, followed by an explosion.

"boom--"

Compared to the sound of cannons, the sound of matchlock guns was nothing, but the smoke produced after they were fired was quite large, lasting for two breaths before slowly rising and dissipating.

Seeing this, Liu Jilong walked over and saw that the first target had already been shot through, which made him look satisfied.

At this moment, the soldier also came over carrying a matchlock gun, but his face was covered in black dust, obviously caused by the matchlock gun's poor airtightness, which made Liu Jilong frown.

"Can it penetrate a target thirty paces away?"

Liu Jilong asked, and Chen Jitong shook his head: "It can only barely penetrate a target twenty paces away."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong didn't say anything, but simply took the five-foot-long musket and frowned upon handling it.

This musket weighs at least fourteen or fifteen pounds, and the reason is obviously its excessively thick barrel.

Holding such a weapon and firing intensively on the battlefield is an extreme test of a soldier's physical strength.

The gap between the musket barrel and the powder chamber was clearly not properly sealed, making it easy for the barrel to explode.

"The gap between the barrel and the chamber was not properly sealed, causing the gunpowder to leak energy, resulting in insufficient power."

"In addition, the barrel is too heavy, and we must find a way to reduce the thickness of the barrel."

Upon receiving the item, Liu Jilong quickly discovered two fatal problems.

After hearing this, Chen Jitong quickly wrote it down and then ordered the soldiers to take the matchlock guns back for storage. He then followed Liu Jilong and prepared to take them to see the latest artillery from the Ordnance Bureau.

However, as they moved forward, Jing Xiang caught up with Liu Jilong and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Jiaohe heard that you are at the Arsenal and is currently waiting outside. Shall we invite him in?"

"allow!"

Liu Jilong had no intention of hiding anything. Moreover, the Luoyang Arsenal had too much technology. Unless someone could copy all the technology, even if they knew the artillery technology, they would not be able to cast cannons that could be used in battle.

With this in mind, Liu Jilong, led by Chen Jitong, soon arrived at a larger training ground.

He didn't order an immediate test firing, but waited until Zhang Huaishen was brought in before speaking to him:

"You've arrived quite quickly. Take a look at my army's artillery, and you'll understand why I'm determined to conquer all sides."

As soon as he finished speaking, he ordered Chen Jitong to display the cannons, and Chen Jitong quickly ordered several soldiers to bring the Han army's cannons to the training ground.

When the cast-iron cannon, which was over eight feet long, was pushed onto the drill ground, Chen Jitong hurriedly explained to Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen:

"Your Majesty, this is a cast iron cannon made by smelting iron using the pig iron casting method. Although it is not as heavy as a bronze cannon, it is cheaper to make than a bronze cannon."

"Such a cannon costs only seven hundred strings of cash, has a diameter of sixteen times, and can fire a five-pound shell seven hundred paces away."

As soon as Chen Jitong finished speaking, Zhang Huaishen, who was seeing cannons for the first time, showed a skeptical expression.

Liu Jilong did not explain, but said to Chen Jitong, "Try the cannon and see if it can hit seven hundred paces as you said."

"Yes!"

Chen Jitong knew that his emperor wanted to show the King of Jiaohe the power of the cannons, so he personally directed the soldiers to fill the cannons with propellant and shells.

"Boom!"

In an instant, a cloud of smoke rose from the training ground, and the deafening cannon fire forced the unsuspecting Zhang Huaishen to retreat repeatedly.

Only after he saw that Liu Jilong and the others had not moved did he awkwardly return to his original spot.

As the smoke cleared, the soldiers on the drill ground began to raise red flags.

"They were a hundred paces apart, and each time they raised a red flag, they would advance a hundred paces."

Liu Jilong explained to Zhang Huaishen, who still had some tinnitus, and Zhang Huaishen also saw the seven red flags being raised after Liu Jilong's explanation.

"Let's go and have a look."

Before he could even express his surprise, Liu Jilong gestured for him to follow, and then led him to the spot where the shells had landed.

The shell landed in a deep crater seven hundred paces away, but after landing, it bounced and ricocheted for another twenty paces.

This distance caused Zhang Huaishen's expression to change, and he couldn't help but ask, "Is this the very thing Your Majesty used to quell the numerous rebellious ministers?"

“Exactly.” Liu Jilong kicked the five-pound iron cannonball away with his foot, and looked at Zhang Huaishen as he said:
"Artillery is best suited for siege warfare and naval operations, but for battles on plains, close combat is still the best option."

"However, the imperial court has recently been developing matchlock and flintlock muskets. If they succeed, it will be much easier for our army to break through enemy armor."

At this point, Liu Jilong began to discuss with Zhang Huaishen the performance and armor-piercing capabilities of flintlock and matchlock muskets.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huaishen showed great interest, but Liu Jilong smiled and said, "Flintlock guns probably can't be made in a short time, but matchlock guns might be produced in the next few years."

"However, production is one thing, but it's impossible to get it into service for the soldiers in less than seven or eight years."

"In just seven or eight years, when you and I are both over fifty, if we can use this item then, you will be able to hold off tens of thousands of Uyghur cavalry with only three thousand soldiers."

Zhang Huaishen nodded in agreement without hesitation in response to Liu Jilong's remarks, since the Uyghurs only had a few thousand armored soldiers capable of fighting.

If the thousands of arquebusiers could be used effectively, they could severely damage the thousands of armored Uyghur soldiers in a single battle, leaving the remaining tens of thousands of Uyghur light cavalry as lambs to the slaughter.

Thinking of this, Zhang Huaishen couldn't help but say, "The Uyghur Pang Teqin must know about His Majesty's plan, as he has been raiding Tingzhou more and more frequently in recent years."

What he was referring to was the previous incident where Liu Jilong and Zhang Huaishen pretended to be at odds, and then supported the Uyghurs to deal with the Karluks in the west.

When his plan was exposed, Liu Jilong was not surprised. After all, Pang Teqin was not an easy person to associate with, and Liu Jilong's support for the Uyghurs was almost non-existent. It was only a matter of time before he realized it.

Now that the Central Plains are at peace, it's useless for him to notice. He only needs to wait a few more years for the world to recover before the Han Dynasty can begin to restore its former glory.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong said to Zhang Huaishen, "At that time, we should first recover Liaodong, and then quell the Xi and Khitan."

"If you are confident in recapturing Huangcaobo, you can make your own decision. If you need the court to allocate matchlock guns, just ask."

"Your Majesty's decree is obeyed!" Zhang Huai breathed a sigh of relief. After hearing about the performance of the matchlock gun and witnessing the power of the cannon, he thought of how to use these two weapons to recover lost territory.

His biggest worry was that Liu Jilong wouldn't give it to him, but now it seems that he underestimated Liu Jilong.

While he was thinking this, Liu Jilong hesitated and said:
"It is not convenient to return to the Western Regions now, and there is no major war in the Western Regions. You should accompany the King of Dunhuang for now, and it will not be too late to return to the Western Regions when the time is right."

"Yes!" Zhang Huaishen nodded. He had only been in Luoyang for a few days and naturally had no intention of returning to the Western Regions.

With Zhang Huairong, Zhang Yanhui, Cao Yijin, and Li Mingzhen around, nothing major is likely to happen in the Western Regions. He can also take a good rest and spend time with his uncle.

Seeing that he agreed, Liu Jilong couldn't help but say happily, "It's been a long time since I've played polo. Since you're here, we can go play some polo."

"Your subject is happy to follow." Zhang Huai was naturally very pleased to have received Liu Jilong's promise.

Thus, in Jingxiang's eyes, the two of them walked side by side to the polo field not far from the Ordnance Bureau, filling the entire polo field with laughter.

(End of this chapter)