As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 212 Tiger King, Corruption

"Um... Alliance Leader? We're going to join forces with New Qian Yuan?"

The old minister frowned and couldn't help but ask the other party.

"If the conditions are right, we can certainly join forces."

Hong Ling Shuang said matter-of-factly, "The essence of a chaotic world is alliance and conquest."

There are no eternal allies, only eternal interests.

The Jinglan Alliance cannot afford to be enemies of the entire world and sweep across the continent.

The northern border region of Beilie is a ticking time bomb. Once the irrigation canal is completed and the country is liberated, it will inevitably descend like a tiger from the mountain and dominate the world.

Based on their geographical location, they are natural enemies and seem to have no conditions for unity.

The Blood-Clad Army is a bunch of lunatics, and they're not necessarily easier to talk to than Chen Guo.

In other words, the new Qian Yuan dynasty is currently separated from the Chen state and will be separated from the Blood-Clad Army in the future. There is no direct conflict of interest, making it easier to negotiate and providing conditions for cooperation.

What she wants to do now is to preserve herself to the greatest extent possible, increase her power, and then wear down the strength of the surrounding countries.

Cooperation, conquest... all require flexibility based on the circumstances.

"Alliance Leader, Mingchen... said you admire him... isn't that a bit...?"

The leader of the alliance is their supreme leader!

When one is on a diplomatic mission abroad, it is considered somewhat undignified to tell a subject that one admires the other party.

He had never seen Hong Ling Shuang value someone so much.

"What's wrong with that? What, can't I even admire someone as outstanding as him?"

"I also admire Empress Xiao Xinyue, General Ling Yu, Emperor Qin Lou of the North, and Wang Huai in Blood..."

Hong Ling Shuang shrugged, saying nonchalantly, "What's wrong with saying a few nice things that people like to hear? As long as we achieve our goal, it's not like we'll lose much flesh!"

"Respect is something you earn yourself. If you don't have the ability, no matter what you do, people will look down on you. But if you have the ability, even a simple compliment will make people feel honored!"

This old minister is actually quite good; he is loyal, obedient, and capable.

However, it still lacks a certain spirituality.

They even had the audacity to believe that they could abide by the thousand-year-old contract set by those foolish ancestors hundreds of years ago, which forbade them from ever setting foot on the mainland.

Hong Ling Shuang felt that she and he couldn't possibly be on the same page.

If only I had someone like Mingchen by my side...

"Yes."

Hong Ling Shuang squinted, tilted her head back, and looked at the azure sky above.

"Ahhh~"

It's getting cold, and seagulls that shouldn't be here are circling and calling overhead.

She chuckled and said, "I heard that Mingchen is quite handsome."

"Um... based on the intelligence, he is indeed handsome."

There are many rumors about the Marquis of Jing'an. He is excessively young, exceptionally talented, and indeed handsome.

Could it be that... the Alliance Leader has some thoughts about these mainlanders?
This leader is unconventional, flamboyant, and unrestrained, but behind this wildness lies meticulousness and a well-thought-out plan.

The old man had been her subordinate for many years, yet he still couldn't figure out what she was thinking.

Hong Ling Shuang thought for a moment and then added, "Instruct the envoy to remain humble when he goes to the new Qian Yuan, and not to be arrogant or willful. He only needs to express our friendly attitude and willingness to cooperate to the new emperor."

"You may visit Mingchen privately to convey my wishes."

The old minister nodded: "Yes!"

Hong Ling Shuang casually tossed the conch shell she had just played to the old minister: "Consider this a personal gift from me."

"Seashell, this..."

The old man hesitated for a moment, but still agreed: "Yes!"

Seeing that Hong Ling Shuang remained silent, the old man bowed and said, "This old minister takes his leave."

Hong Ling Shuang waved her hand: "Go then."

Hong Ling Shuang's rule was quite loose, and the Jing Lan Alliance also valued freedom; she was not as diligent as Xiao Xin Yue.

It gave me a lot of leisure time.

The old man took his leave, and everything returned to peace.

She was dressed lightly, but not cold. She sat on the beach, gazing quietly into the distance, her eyes sparkling, her thoughts already drifting far away.

How can we incite a war between the Blood-Clad Army and the New Qian Yuan?

How can we get Bei Lie to bypass them and head south directly to attack Qian Yuan?
How can we get Qian Yuan to march north and attack Bei Lie?

Various thoughts swirled in her mind as she devised feasible plans.

……

The Northern Kingdom, Beilie Qingcang City.

The wind and snow howled, the cold was biting, and the whole city was covered with a thick layer of white frost.

The majestic and imposing imperial city, Tiger Palace.

Outside the main hall, a biting wind howled, but inside, a brazier burned, its smoke curling around the room.

The diligent and domineering king sat at his desk, eyes closed, brows furrowed, as if he were having a dream, and his breathing became rapid.

'Tiger Lord... Tiger Lord...'

'You are destined for greatness; you are a hegemon sent to end this chaotic era.'

'Your soul has returned to heaven; you are the last one…'

A voice, weathered and ethereal, echoed in my ears.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, his face flushed, and he was breathing heavily.

He lowered his head, gently rubbed his temples, and murmured repeatedly, "A dream?"

Are you too tired today?

When it gets cold and the heater is on, people tend to feel drowsy.

He just had a dream.

In my dream, I was in a white, boundless world, with lightning and thunder, and the roars of tigers and dragons.

A beam of black light shot into the sky, and from the left and right, a ferocious and terrifying white tiger and a menacing black dragon charged straight at him.

A gaping maw covered in fangs, crimson and savage eyes—it was terrifyingly realistic.

Riding on divine winds and treading on thunder, it seemed as if it would devour him in the next instant.

He drew his sword and slew the black dragon with one stroke, then flipped over and mounted the white tiger's back, strangling it by the throat and fighting it to the death, ultimately defeating it.

He was exhausted, and everything slowly faded away. In the hazy state, he seemed to hear some sound.

Immediately, the dream shattered, and he woke up from his drowsy state.

He was somewhat dazed, let out a soft breath, and refocused his mind to look at the intelligence report sent by the official.

Upon seeing the contents, he paused for a moment, then murmured, "Mingchen..."

This name had been dormant for a long time, but it reappeared in his field of vision.

It must have come into the view of others, leaving behind a legend and shaking the world.

Before we knew it, a year had passed.

That arrogant yet brilliantly talented scholar still seems vividly alive before my eyes.

He is a very memorable person.

Qin Lou still hadn't forgotten him.

He never expected that the arrogant scholar could do such a thing.

Eight hundred cavalrymen charged through the Xiongnu grasslands.

A man skilled in both literature and martial arts, capable of governing the country and securing its stability—he's a perfect match for a brothel!

He can build a stage for him to fully display his talents.

No wonder that person said they wanted to be friends; perhaps they really did have a lot in common and could truly become friends who could sit and chat.

But... why are they unwilling to come to me?
Qin Lou pondered this question for a year but couldn't come up with an answer.

Presumably, they will only be rivals in the future. He can only wait until he goes south to destroy Qian Yuan and then bring Ming Chen into the court as a minister.

Thinking of this, he let out a soft breath, stood up, and walked to the entrance of the main hall to gaze into the distance.

The robust and domineering king, draped in a cloak, quietly watched the snow falling in the city and murmured softly, "It's snowing...another year has passed."

That year, war-loving nations were unusually peaceful.

Some even felt aggrieved as several cities were taken over by an alliance that came from overseas.

But... that's okay.

The brief silence is to accumulate strength for a future explosion, to dominate the world.

He can wait.

"Your Majesty, this year has been blessed with favorable weather and abundant harvests, resulting in a significant increase in our grain production and sufficient food supplies for the winter. The Lin River has already entered its freezing period, but thanks to the assistance of several officials, the canal construction project has been greatly accelerated and is expected to be completed next year."

Just then, a civil official came over and reported to Qin Lou.

Qin Lou disliked complicated formalities and pursued simplicity and clarity in his private affairs, as did his demands on his subjects.

Once you arrive, just get to the point.

"kindness?"

Qin Lou's thoughts returned, and a look of joy appeared on his face as he said, "Good!"

Mingchen originally planned to lock up Bei Lie for ten years regarding the water conservancy project.

However, in the past year, after Gao Ling and Gao Jue, many extraordinary people have come to join them. They use some novel magic and supernatural powers that are beyond the secular world to open up mountains and open up canals to divert water, which greatly shortens the canal construction process and can be completed in just two years.

This was beyond Mingchen's expectations.

Once the plan is completed, Bei Lie will no longer be restrained, like a tiger unleashed from its cage, adding fuel to the fire in this already chaotic world.

"Pass down the order: once the canal is completed, I will reward you handsomely."

"Anyone who has contributed to this matter may have a monument erected at the mouth of the canal so that my descendants may forever praise their merits."

"Yes!"

The official withdrew.

After a while, a general in armor strode over and said, "Your Majesty, the Liehe River has entered its ice age. Horses can ride on the frozen river."

"This old minister humbly requests that we must mobilize our army and send troops to reclaim the land that has been plundered by the barbarians and wipe away the shame that has humiliated our dynasty!"

The general's face was resolute, exuding a murderous aura.

Bei Lie is a highly respected pillar of the state, Qin Lou's respected elder brother, and General Tian Hong.

Over the past year, Bei Lie has mobilized the nation's resources to develop water conservancy, and he, as a general, has also taken a year off from commanding troops.

"I only need ten thousand men!"

"With ten thousand men, this old minister can defeat Jinglan and reclaim the cities of Wangliu and Lehua."

The Jinglan Alliance invaded across the sea, using the rivers as their base, and occupied a large amount of Qian Yuan's land, as well as some cities belonging to Bei Lie.

The area occupied by Beilie was small, but this was tantamount to stroking Beilie's tiger whiskers.

Tian Hong is not like the shameless Dong Zhenghong.

He had been holding back for a long time. Now that the river was frozen, he could ride across it on horseback. The Jinglan Alliance's proud water warfare would be ineffective, making it a perfect opportunity to reclaim lost territory.

Qin Lou shook his head and asked calmly, "Brother, how is the weapon research of the Jinglan Alliance going?"

Tian Hong paused: "There has been some progress, but we are not yet able to mass-produce it."

"Then let's wait a little longer, brother. Let's talk about it after the canal is repaired."

After a year of peace, this warlord who revered force seemed to have matured somewhat.

"His Majesty……"

Just as Tian Hong was about to say something, he was interrupted: "The leader of the Jinglan Alliance is a smart woman. She should have already withdrawn her troops from a place that is difficult to defend."

“Taking back those cities would only subject the people to the suffering of war once again; it would be of no use.”

"Once the harsh winter is over and the ice melts, the city will be taken back."

"Let's give them to them for now. Under the rule of the Jinglan Alliance, our people have not been bullied."

"We fought against Qian Yuan for three years, wasting so much food and the lives of so many soldiers, and only managed to occupy half of the province."

"And Dong Zhenghong casually opened his mouth and gave it to the three states of the Jinglan Alliance."

"Doesn't the dominance of the world lie in the gains and losses of a single city or place? Don't you understand that, brother?"

"Brother, don't be impatient! Once our canal is completed, we'll rise to power, and no one will be able to stop us!"

Seasonal selection,

He has entered the public eye and is admired, envied, and followed by countless people, but he seems indifferent to this.

Leisurely and carefree, lazy and casual.

"boom!"

Suddenly, an explosion was heard from the Ministry of Works' Ordnance Bureau during the Qian Yuan era.

Smoke filled the air, and the pungent smell of gunpowder wafted through the air.

The newly enthroned emperor, second only to the emperor, waved his hand gently, dispelling the fog before his eyes.

Dust filled the air, and the tiles that had been used as landmarks in the distance had been smashed into pieces.

After hearing about the Jinglan Alliance, Mingchen was eager to start advancing in firearms technology.

He knew how to make gunpowder, but for the subsequent firearms, he only knew the general concept framework. He didn't know the details and could only explain it to the craftsmen to use their imagination.

There seem to be some progress recently.

"My lord...my lord, please be careful!"

"This weapon is prone to malfunction!"

His subordinate, looking anxious, quickly stepped forward and said urgently.

This is an experimental weapon with many problems; a slight mistake could result in injury.

This nobleman, despite his noble birth, is so bold as to use it right away.

If anyone gets injured, everyone here will suffer the consequences.

"It doesn't matter!"

Mingchen waved his hand casually: "How will we know if something is good or bad, and where the problem lies, if we don't try it out?"

"This is pretty good."

He examined the exquisite firearm in his hand; it was gilded and carved with patterns, and smooth to the touch.

This thing looks too good to be true; it requires a lot of labor and materials, so it's impossible to mass-produce it.

It is obviously specially made.

He narrowed his eyes and casually tossed the firearm in his hand to the waiter beside him.

The waiter carefully took the ammunition and filled it for him.

Mingchen then glanced at Zhao Qian, the physician in charge of the Ordnance Bureau, and said indifferently, "Can this firearm's effective range reach thirty paces?"

Zhao Qian's eyes flickered slightly as he replied, "My lord, these firearms are deadly and accurate within fifty paces."

Mingchen glanced at him again: "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Lord Zhao, the Ministry of Works reported that one hundred firearms have been made. Let me take a look."

Xiao Xinyue has always respected him, and she has approved a considerable amount of funding for him here.

This place is inherently prone to bureaucratic corruption issues such as embezzlement of raw materials and misappropriation of funds.

The doctor from the Ordnance Bureau in front of me seems a little too nervous...

Zhao Qian twitched the corner of his mouth: "Uh..."

The gaze of the marquis, who was about the same age as his son, was oppressive, as if he could penetrate flesh and see into one's thoughts.

"kindness?"

Seeing his stiffness, Mingchen raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Qian trembled and hurriedly nodded, saying, "Yes! Yes!"

A moment later, five burly men brought over several wooden crates, inside which lay neatly arranged rows of gleaming firearms.

Mingchen glanced at it and frowned slightly.

These are clearly not in the same league as the one he just used.

He walked up and randomly picked one.

Seeing that Mingchen seemed to want to use him, Zhao Qian quickly stepped forward and called out to Mingchen, "Lord Marquis... Lord Marquis!"

"This...this weapon is somewhat dangerous. Your Excellency is of noble birth; please do not attempt it again..."

Mingchen glanced at him, his smile as warm as a spring breeze, and said, "Don't worry, I don't need it."

Zhao Qian let out a soft sigh: "That's good...that's good..."

However, then... the firearm was stuffed into his arms.

"You use it!"

"what?!"

Zhao Qian suddenly raised his head, meeting the other person's smile, his expression becoming increasingly stiff.

"Lord Zhao, this firearms research is of paramount importance to our dynasty. This is a great achievement! If it succeeds, I will personally recommend you for credit."

"Why don't you try making a weapon yourself?"

At this moment, Mingchen's smile appeared increasingly eerie and sinister to Zhao Qian.

"This this……"

Under Mingchen's probing gaze, he finally gritted his teeth and accepted the firearm offered to him: "Yes!"

"Let's break that tile."

Mingchen pointed to a patch of broken tiles in the empty space of the demonstration area.

Zhao Qian swallowed hard and said dryly, "Yes..."

As he spoke, he shakily raised the gun.

Mingchen stepped forward and said with a smile, "No, no... Lord Zhao, your posture is incorrect."

He personally helped Zhao Qian adjust his posture: "Get your face closer, aim with your eyes, don't be afraid."

He was clearly far away when he used the firearms.

Holding the firearm, Zhao Qian said dryly, "I am but a scholar, my posture is not standard and my aim is not accurate, I'm afraid I will make you laugh at me, sir."

Mingchen waved his hand with a smile: "It's alright, sir, please begin."

Zhao Qian held the gun stiffly, staring at the tiles in front of him, praying silently.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger.

"boom!"

Smoke billowed, a flash of fire streaked across the area, and a deafening roar echoed through the demonstration site.

"what!!!!"

However, what followed immediately was a loud and miserable scream.

"My...eyes, my hands..."

"It hurts...it hurts so much..."

"My hand is going to fall off, I need to see a doctor, I need to see a doctor..."

Amidst everyone's horrified gazes,
The firearms were left aside.

The well-dressed Lord Zhao fell to the ground, his face covered in blood and charred ash. Blood streamed from the web of his hand, the flesh rotting and the bone exposed.

Zhao Qian had never suffered like this in his life.

He fell to the ground, clutching his wound, rolling around and groaning in pain.

Apart from his screams, the surroundings were eerily quiet.

No one looked at him; instead, they all turned their attention to the young and handsome marquis beside him.

The wails echoed in his ears, and the smile on his face gradually faded. He did not call for anyone to come and treat the minister.

She simply looked down at him coldly: "Does Lord Zhao intend to hand over such weapons to our valiant soldiers?"

"Ah~"

Zhao Qian just rolled on the ground, screaming in agony.

People in this era have limited perspectives.

He never imagined this thing could be used on the battlefield!

It has a short range, is cumbersome and slow to operate, and firing one bullet is enough to fire five arrows.

It also requires careful maintenance and cannot be used in rainy or snowy weather.

It's more lethal, but still very dangerous; you could easily hurt yourself if you're not careful.

What is the purpose of this weapon?

It's nowhere near as good as bows and crossbows, and His Majesty would never agree to use such things on the battlefield.

It's just a toy that the Marquis wanted to make on a whim; it's good enough for now.

What's the point of investing so much money?
"Success is success! Failure is failure!"

"What are you in such a hurry for?"

"Is the imperial court's funding insufficient?"

The forging of firearms is actually not a simple matter.

Even if Mingchen develops gunpowder and has a basic framework for firearm manufacturing, it will still take a long time to test and improve it.

There will be many problems in the early stages. Playing with guns is playing with your life, and a barrel explosion is a very easy thing to happen.

But if any one of them explodes, how can we use it with such a low defect rate?
Since it hasn't been developed yet, we should patiently refine it slowly. Why report that one hundred units have been manufactured and are ready?

Such acts of passing off inferior goods as superior ones must never be tolerated.

Mingchen pointed to a foreman in charge of managing the craftsmen not far away: "You, come here."

The top leader looked miserable, lying on the ground howling and rolling around, as if he had gone mad.

No one around him rushed to help him up.

Facing this excessively young but highly respected Marquis, the foreman was quite apprehensive.

This man is capricious; he was just smiling at Lord Zhao a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye, he has turned him into this miserable state.

Mingchen remained calm, showing neither joy nor sorrow, and asked the other party a series of questions: "I ask you, when was the firearm forged? Who was in charge of supervision? How many layers of review did it undergo? How much reward did the craftsmen receive? Where were the materials located..."

The foreman glanced at the pitiful Zhao Qian, and finally answered Ming Chen truthfully, "Reporting to the Marquis, the casting time was..."

Mingchen listened to the obviously perfunctory data, the withheld craftsmen's bonuses, and looked at the inferior materials, but narrowed his eyes and smiled heartily: "Is that so~"

Quite courageous!

This is just the beginning, and they've already pulled this stunt on him.

Does this person really think he's just playing around?

We really should have made His Majesty kill the chicken to scare the monkey back then.

"boom!"

The sound of firearms rang out once again in this open space.

Mingchen held the firearm he had just tested in one hand, surrounded by swirling smoke.

"what!!!"

Zhao Qian, rolling on the ground, screamed again, clutching his leg and wailing as blood gushed out relentlessly: "My leg, my leg..."

"My leg is broken, help me..."

This sample turned out quite well.

Doesn't this mean we have the ability to create something good?

Mingchen didn't even glance at the pitiful doctor, but coldly said to the people around him, "Carry this man to You Juncheng's residence and have him report this matter to His Majesty tomorrow."

You Juncheng was the Minister of Works in the new dynasty, and the Ordnance Bureau was under his jurisdiction.

Mingchen knew the name, but he didn't have much interaction with him.

The new dynasty is in dire need of rebuilding and is indeed lacking in talent.

It doesn't matter if officials are mediocre; it's not necessary for them to be exceptionally talented; a little greed is also acceptable.

But how can such a fool be given such an important position?

With the new dynasty established, it was no longer subject to the corrupt bureaucratic system of the old dynasty, where layers of bureaucracy were intertwined. Imperial power was no longer subject to constraints.

Old Yu had better pray that he had good speaking skills and could explain things properly.

(End of this chapter)