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

Chapter 222 Workers and Peasants

"do not fight?"

Xiao Xinyue raised an eyebrow and looked down at the Xiongnu man: "I, Qian Yuan, am only sending out a righteous army to help Hunxie Khan resist the invaders at his request."

"If the envoy can obtain the decree of Hunye Khan, our dynasty will naturally be willing to cease hostilities."

We must hold the greater good firmly in our hands.

The Qian Yuan dynasty was not a country that liked to wage war.

The initial military action was due to provocation by Shengluo Khan, while the subsequent action was due to a request from Hunye Khan.

From beginning to end, Qian Yuan was a righteous army.

The ending, naturally, should be left to the Xiongnu themselves.

Justice and evil are not important, but at least the name must be plausible.

The Xiongnu envoy trembled and lowered his head again: "Your Majesty, Khan Hunxie is also willing to cease hostilities and let the tribes of the grasslands be as close as one family. They are willing to take Qian Yuan as their esteemed ruler and pay tribute every year."

Hunxie Khan wasn't particularly clever, but he wasn't stupid either, and he was unwilling to fight anymore.

Shengluo Khan has already committed suicide, and the grasslands are desolate. If the fighting continues, the nation will truly face extinction.

"it is good!"

"Since Khan Hunye is willing to cease hostilities, then our dynasty naturally has no need to continue fighting."

"I will soon send an envoy to the grasslands to discuss peace with Hunye Khan."

"As for our dynasty's troops, they are stationed on the grasslands to maintain peaceful coexistence among the various tribes."

The Qian Yuan of today is not the same as the Qian Yuan of seventy years ago.

Shattering the grassland is not the end.

We cannot simply demand some reward after winning the war and leave the matter at that.

Otherwise, if we let these barbaric peoples recuperate for another seventy or a hundred years... wouldn't that be another new cycle?
As Mingchen said, it is necessary to strengthen control and management.

The messenger is a nail driven into the grassland, and also the manager of the grassland.

The concept of balance of power on the grasslands will continue to be promoted; the strong and troublesome will be eliminated, while the docile will be gradually tamed.

Hunxie Khan is an incompetent ruler, so it is most appropriate to support him in temporarily ruling the grasslands.

The envoys gradually undermined its power, plundered and destroyed its royal authority, and governed it under the laws of the new dynasty, step by step incorporating the vast grasslands into the territory of Qian Yuan.

The stationing of troops represents military control, complementing the mission of the envoy.

Xiao Xinyue's goal was to destroy the Xiongnu's kingdom, occupy their grasslands, and plunder their people and resources.

Xiao Xinyue raised her eyebrows and looked down at the envoy with great interest: "What is the envoy's opinion?"

The envoy trembled, unsure of Xiao Xinyue's intentions.

However, the cunning people of the Central Plains would likely not let the grasslands have an easy time.

With troops stationed there... there will likely be no more freedom from now on.

However... they are not qualified to have an equal conversation.

He swayed, bowed his head, and said, "Great Emperor... I, our tribe, am willing!"

"it is good!"

"Hahaha, envoy, go down! Enjoy the splendor of my Qian Yuan."

"The matter of peace and compensation will be discussed with you by someone else."

A ceasefire requires reparations; people died during the Qian Yuan era as well.

Cattle, sheep, and warhorses—give them what you think is appropriate.

The outcome of war is that the winner takes all.

"Yes!"

The Xiongnu envoy left trembling with fear.

The court became quieter.

Suddenly, one of the rough and honest military generals laughed.

Xiao Xinyue raised an eyebrow and looked at the man: "General Tu, why are you laughing?"

"Forehead……"

The burly man trembled, his smile vanished, and Xiao Xinyue's gaze made him somewhat nervous: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I just felt that the Xiongnu envoy was arrogant and rude in humiliating us before the New Year, but now he is groveling and begging for forgiveness. His attitude of being arrogant before and humble after is too ridiculous and truly gratifying. I couldn't control myself..."

The words fell.

"Ha~"

Xiao Xinyue, who had been keeping a straight face, narrowed her eyes and flashed a beautiful smile, like a cunning fox.

Thoughts are unpredictable and elusive...

That smile looks familiar.

It seems... to be that young marquis who rarely goes to work, yet is incredibly popular.

He was the root of everything regarding the Xiongnu, yet this instigator didn't even care about the ending.

The Xiongnu were almost all dead, but they couldn't even find anyone to hate or fear.

“Laugh!”

"I am happy too!"

"General Tu's smile is well-deserved!"

Xiao Xinyue leaned back on the throne, looking relaxed and at ease, with a sense of ease.

His Majesty and the Marquis seem to be becoming more and more alike.

The general scratched the back of his head and chuckled dryly, while the civil and military officials in the court also chuckled sparsely.

The atmosphere in the court became more relaxed, but also a little eerie.

No one could fathom the thoughts of the emperor on his throne.

I guess... she was happy.

The Xiongnu people were treated so miserably by Mingchen, could it be considered that... he also protected his own dignity?
……

"My lord, what do you mean?"

At the Ordnance Bureau, a wave of heat surged.

As the demon who cursed the grassland people and the culprit who caused their race to decline, Mingchen didn't even know that his grassland friends had come to Jiqu.

The barbarians on the grasslands, whose civilization was far too backward, were never even given a second glance by him, nor were they ever placed on the card table.

After the fun of dipping beans, I'd dabble in some interesting things when I had nothing else to do.

In front of him was a large, barrel-shaped object made of copper and iron.

A series of booming sounds came from inside the iron barrel. The craftsmen were desperately trying to start a fire and fan the flames. The boiler was burning fiercely, and steam was shooting upwards through the pipes, passing through the valves to the slide valve chamber. Controlled by the slide valve, it alternately moved left and right, pushing the iron rod in front to reciprocate the piston motion. The wheel at the end of the iron rod rotated continuously.

The tall, curvaceous woman stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes shining brightly, as if showing a perfect test paper to a parent. Her eyes were full of fervor as she looked at Mingchen and said, "This is the Mingming Invincible No. 5 that I developed. I adjusted the size of its valve chamber, and reinforced the cylinder and valve materials. Now there is no risk of it cracking. Does it meet your requirements?"

the student surpasses the master.

The craftswoman's daughter, whom Mingchen had saved, displayed a talent that far exceeded his expectations.

She even surpassed her father, who was skilled in the craft.

Zhang Chitian is old. He is a skilled craftsman who can make anything that conforms to common sense, but his thinking has become rigid. He can only make things that are within the realm of common sense and cannot innovate on his own.

This girl is different...

She not only inherited her father's superb skills, but also possesses boundless imagination and creativity.

They have a fervent desire to explore the unknown.

She loves craftsmanship, creation, invention, and embracing new knowledge, and applying it in practice.

He and Mingchen get along very well; they can even pee together.

Mingchen's wildly imaginative ideas were nothing short of fantasy to many craftsmen, but she was eager to try them out.

The number of failures was considerable, and the Ordnance Bureau was constantly under attack, having already been bombed several times.

However, Mingchen still granted them extremely high authority, and fortunately, they achieved some results.

Mingchen: ...

He gave a slight smirk and simply said, "Not bad."

This girl is great in every way, but how should I put it?

Their naming skills are a bit unique, and somewhat childish.

The naming rights to the objects created by artisans belong to them.

It was one thing to name the previous cannon "Jing'an No. 1".

However, after the upgrade and improvement, the name became even longer and more bizarre, something like "Jing'an One Cannon Bombs the Sky".

Mingchen, whose mind was full of filthy thoughts, frowned as he listened.

The improved firearms that musketeers now possess are called Starbreakers.

Now, after several iterations and improvements, the steam engine has finally been developed, but strange and unusual names have also emerged.

Clearly invincible number five.

Mingchen had no idea what future history books would record.

What kind of expression will children who study history in the future have when they learn about this?

"My lord, General Ling isn't here? She was the one who gave me this name!"

Zhang Ruier glanced behind Mingchen, then nudged her head like a husky.

Aside from the little white dog that was walking around with him, Mingchen was missing the valiant female general.

Unlike Zhang Chitian, who is honest and reserved.

His daughter has a fiery and daring temper. Back when they worked at the blacksmith shop, she used foul language to berate spoiled brats.

She's genuine and straightforward, unlike most girls.

So, after getting to know Mingchen and figuring out his temperament, they became quite familiar with each other.

After seeing the firearms, Ling Yu became quite interested in the new gadgets that Ming Chen had come up with, and would often accompany him here for a stroll.

That's how I got to know her.

Mingchen: ...

Even the adorable, thick-browed, big-eyed Sister Dai has betrayed the revolution?
The name of this trench was actually her idea.

Mingchen couldn't imagine what kind of laugh Lingyu was suppressing when she gave him such a name.

It seems there's not enough bean paste; she needs to add more water!

"She went to court."

"Oh."

Zhang Ruier was not interested in court affairs or power struggles.

She still prefers to study the creations in her hands.

Not curious about why Mingchen wasn't attending court, she simply brought the topic back, saying, "My lord, how do you plan to use Invincible Number Five? I think..."

This marquis is simply a genius.

He is creating an era, leading an era.

The thing they created together, if used properly, will surely shine brightly in this world. It can significantly save manpower and resources.

Mingchen: "You can call it a steam engine."

Zhang Ruier: "Oh, a steam engine, my lord, how do you plan to use our invincible No. 5 steam engine?"

Mingchen: ...

He now suspects that this airheaded brat is doing it on purpose.

"Steam power is far superior to human and horse power, and can be used to modify vehicles to replace horses for transporting heavy goods. However, specific road improvements are required."

"It can also be applied to ships, replacing sails and using steam as power."

Mingchen can only provide a general framework for now.

As for how to fill in the details, he genuinely had no idea.

Unfortunately, he wasn't a top scientist, nor did he study hard.

He didn't remember much of the wisdom that humanity had inherited over thousands of years in another era.

I have a vague understanding of the steam age, a superficial understanding of the electrical age, and a complete misunderstanding of the information age...

He doesn't know if he'll ever be able to use a mobile phone again in his lifetime.

"Oh……"

Zhang Ruier nodded: "That's what I think too. I believe it can also be used in smelting and textiles..."

Mingchen waved his hand: "Go ahead and do whatever comes to mind! Try whatever comes to mind!"

"Hey~"

The artisan smiled freely: "Very well! Thank you, Lord Marquis!"

"Fuel can be improved and upgraded."

"The black water brought back by the Western Expeditionary Army can be burned, but it will produce some poisonous gas. It needs to be extracted and improved. You can study it slowly."

"Oh……"

……

"Line up! One by one, come and get it one by one!"

"Don't rush, everyone will get some!"

"This year's new plantings can increase yield by 20%, and are also effective against pests and drought!"

"Seeds should not be saved for replanting."

……

A spring breeze was blowing, and a large crowd gathered outside the Agricultural Management Bureau.

The guards maintained order, shouting loudly.

People from surrounding villages and counties flocked to the city to receive seeds for the new year.

The policies of the new dynasty are different from those of the past.

In each prefecture, county, and city, a special agricultural management bureau was established to issue new varieties developed by the imperial court, and the control was quite strict.

Many people who had ulterior motives and wanted to engage in speculation and profiteering have been beheaded and their heads displayed in public.

Compared to seeds sold and saved by individuals, it has a much higher quality, is resistant to pests and drought, and has a higher yield.

At first, the people didn't believe it, but some people still tried it out of curiosity.

As time goes by, successful people become visible to those around them.

Good things don't need to be actively promoted; people will flock to them by word of mouth.

Spring plowing season is the busiest time of year.

"A 20% increase in production? Really? That would wipe out all the tax revenue!"

"Long live your Majesty!"

"Is it said that it was Lord Wang Su who developed the new variety? I wonder who he is?"

"Shennong!"

"And the Marquis!"

……

The story of the creator of the new species, Marquis Jing'an, and the mysterious Forget-Millet has also been passed down.

Since it concerns food and daily life, the people naturally attach great importance to it and hold them in high esteem.

Although I don't know what Wang Su looks like.

However, before planting, farmers cannot help but bow and pray to their faith for a smooth planting in the new year.

The busy people didn't see that a handsome young man was walking his white dog not far away, watching this scene with a smile.

"Well, Wang Su, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

The unassuming little mouse sat quietly in his palm, gazing at the prosperous scene in the distance, listening to the farmers calling its name, its little eyes sparkling with a hint of light.

Little did they know what these people would think if they knew that Wang Su was actually a rat demon.

"Master, thank you."

Wang Su felt that the most important thing she had ever done in her life was probably leaving with this mysterious young master in Luo Li City in the Northern Territory.

"Harm~"

Mingchen smiled and said, "Everything you have achieved is the result of your own hard work."

Although he claims to be the best farmer in the world, Mingchen is actually just a talker.

Ultimately, it was the mouse that did the work.

Shushu shook his head, still respectfully saying, "Without you, young master, Wang Su would never have been able to accomplish this."

"Forget these polite words. Let me ask you, has anything special happened in the past year?"

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Wang Su's reputation gradually spread and became known to the public.

Mingchen seemed to remember something and asked it.

"Forehead……"

The mouse paused for a moment, then said, “Reporting to young master, although I haven’t been cultivating diligently this past year, I feel that my magical power has increased rapidly. When I’m farming, I feel as if I’m in harmony with heaven and earth. Especially recently, I often hear people praying for a good harvest.”

Mingchen narrowed his eyes upon hearing this: "Is that so?"

"Wang Su is going to be worshipped by the people and become a god!"

He had no doubt that, as time went on, the seeds cultivated by Wang Su would become better and better, and would spread to every corner of the world.

Food is the most important thing for people. It nourishes millions of people and is bound to be remembered by people. Its significance may even be greater than that of the monarch who ruled an era.

Upon hearing this, the little demon shook its head rather indifferently: "Young master is joking. The so-called immortals and gods are too ethereal. All that this little demon has done is from the bottom of my heart. I do not seek the path to immortality, but only to fulfill my long-cherished wish and save the people of the world from the suffering of hunger and cold."

It was just an unexpected outcome.

The farmers' gratitude and faith stirred a warm current within it, but even without these, it would still diligently do what it wanted to do.

This mouse doesn't look very strong! But it has a good attitude!
Mingchen's conversations with it were like those of friends, but when he talked to himself, it was like he was ordering a dog around...

The dog on the side tilted its head back, listening to the conversation between the two, its ears twitching and its tail wagging, imagining itself speaking to Mingchen with the same humble yet assertive attitude as the mouse.

He unconsciously grinned, looking rather simple and honest.

"Let's leave the white wolf behind and go home!"

Before long, his fantasy was shattered by a single kick.

Both it and this mouse are little demons, but they seem quite different!

However, it still followed closely behind, grinning and sticking out its tongue, looking like a lackey.

Come back home!

Have a meal!

Mingchen glanced casually at the bustling street before finally leaving with the dog and the hamster.

As we walked, he asked with great interest, "You never told me why you were so persistent about this. Did you feel from birth that you had this mission to fulfill?"

The mouse gently shook its head: "What kind of mission do I have from birth? After I gained intelligence, I lived in a farmer's house three miles east of Luoli City..."

I am usually busy with breeding work and rarely think about the past.

When Mingchen brought it up, Shushu immediately spoke.

The story is actually very simple, and may seem insignificant to outsiders.

That is, during the stage when it was exploring the world and building its values, it encountered an old man.

Unlike ordinary people, who would hit or scold this rat whenever they saw it.

The old man was long-lived and had lived for a long time. He seemed to have some wisdom and a peaceful mind. He could see that the creature was intelligent, so he kept it to live with him.

He had no children and usually talked to the mouse incessantly, discussing trivial daily matters and farming matters.

They planted some simple crops in the yard and seemed to be researching something.

Time flies, and the mouse has learned a lot from the old man, including his mindset and how to treat others... all of which are as peaceful as his.

The human and the mouse got along quite well. Magic arises from the heart, and the mouse's magic is also related to farming.

They would occasionally help the elderly with their farming.

The village was later hit by a severe drought, and the fields yielded no harvest. Adding to the burden were the heavy taxes levied by the state…

The farmers cried out to heaven but received no response, and their cries for help went unanswered. Starving corpses littered the fields, and some even resorted to cannibalism.

At that moment, the old man opened the door, took out the grain he had accumulated over the years, and gave it to all the people in the surrounding area, saving many lives.

In the end, his house was emptied by the surrounding residents.

He remained calm and composed, detached and serene.

A dry, hot summer breeze gently blew, and her silvery hair fluttered in the wind.

The old man lay on the chair, quietly looking at the sky, his old eyes cloudy and empty, as if he could see the end of his life.

The mouse hopped over to his side and looked at him with some concern.

The old man simply smiled and handed it a seed: "I suppose I haven't named you yet!"

"Your name is Wang Su, right?"

He didn't entrust any dreams to the mouse, but simply smiled and instructed it, "Remember to eat well and don't go hungry. But don't steal. If you want to eat grain, you can grow your own."

"If you are sincere, someone will always accept you again."

Having said that, she closed her eyes, and with a gentle smile, she passed away on the wooden chair, bathed in the bright sun.

There were no earth-shattering grudges; everything was harmonious and peaceful, like a spring breeze.

After that, the mouse found its way to Luoli City, and then to a quiet place in the city lord's mansion. There, it peacefully planted the seed the old man had given it, continuing the work the old man had done.

At the same time, it also gave rise to its own ideals.

And then... he was captured by Fuyao.

"That's it..."

In any case, a great person is always a great person.

Upon hearing this, Mingchen did not indulge in further conspiracy theories about the mysterious old man, nor did he offer any comment.

He just smiled and said, "That old man fed a whole village. In the future, you can feed a country, you can feed the world."

(End of this chapter)