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

Chapter 273 Marquis Jing'an's lust for beauty

Upon hearing this, Mingchen lowered his eyes and said, "I see..."

Unfortunately, Mingchen isn't good at everything.

He's all talk and no action; he can't actually build ships or cars.

He can only provide concepts, not hands-on experience.

He was completely confused by what Zhang Ruier was saying, let alone able to solve the problem.

"It's alright, take your time."

"I'll be coming over frequently these next few days, let's discuss this together."

However, there's no need to rush. Humans are creatures that are good at learning and thinking.

With insights from a past life, even starting from scratch, progress can be rapid.

Moreover, how long has he been climbing the tech tree?

Less than a year!

To achieve such a leap forward in such a short time is already quite remarkable and impressive. There is still plenty of time ahead, and slow and steady wins the race, so there's no need to rush.

Zhang Ruier nodded, feeling immediately relieved: "Yes!"

Mingchen did not appear out of nowhere to resolve all her doubts.

But to leave behind such a promise is very genuine.

As long as they are not enemies, Mingchen's promises can be taken as a guarantee. He can always solve problems, and listening to him is like finding a pillar of support, making people want to trust him involuntarily.

Looking at the failed attempts before him, Mingchen said, "We can put the others aside for now and focus on improving the ships."

The cost of transporting grain by waterway is completely different from the cost of transporting grain by land.

Mingchen had studied the Qian Yuan map and was now hiding here, quietly developing his strength. He knew that if he were to march east in the future, there were several routes he could take, and he could also use the river to transport supplies. The army would also need boats to cross the river.

We will focus all our efforts on researching and improving shipping technology during this period.

Before an army can move, supplies must be secured. On the surface, war is about the command and control capabilities of the generals on both sides, but behind the scenes, it is the continuous supply of national logistics and transportation that guarantees the success of the war.

How much grain does a country have? How many soldiers can it support? Where will it be transported to the battlefield, and how will it be transported?

These seemingly insignificant issues are enough to determine the life or death of an army.

Reserve supplies are always of paramount importance.

Breakthroughs in shipping technology will undoubtedly provide an advantage in future wars.

Zhang Ruier's face was flushed, and she seemed somewhat excited as she said, "Yes!"

……

The Marquis of Jing'an has returned. The impact of this matter is neither too great nor too small.

A pebble fell into the calm lake, creating ripples.

The common people at the bottom of society didn't feel anything about it, and some didn't even know that the Marquis of Jing'an had ever gone out.

But things are different in the imperial court.

This marquis was capricious and unpredictable. He did not form factions, yet his status was terrifyingly high. Even if he did not attend court, the emperor did not care, and no one ever dared to impeach him.

This unlucky fellow can't stay still; he likes to wander around aimlessly.

Some elderly people immediately warned their unruly family members to be careful and not to provoke this man, fearing they might run into him and be crushed to pieces.

Where power intersects, there is both light and filth; there is no completely clean court in this world. There are always those with ulterior motives, and those in high positions of power are bound to have moments when they can't control their desires and seek personal gain—this is normal. Xiao Xinyue knows that truly honest officials are few and far between. As long as one can get things done, more reward is acceptable. She allows such things to happen, and it also serves as leverage to punish anyone who goes too far.

But if you offend the Marquis, then your life or death is truly uncertain.

Undercurrents were stirring in the imperial court, with everyone harboring their own thoughts.

However, His Majesty, who is usually solemn and serious and rarely smiles, seems to have become much gentler. He is no longer a political robot and occasionally makes a few harmless jokes in court. He seems to have softened up a bit.

He seems to be in a very good mood.

that's the truth.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Qianlong ceased handling state affairs, simply resting his chin on his hand and watching the person before him with great interest: "You've returned but haven't attended court, though you've been quite busy with the Ordnance Bureau."

The Empress usually dressed simply, prioritizing convenience; her clothes were either light blue or black...

Today, however, she is dressed in a rather luxurious brocade robe, adorned with gilded dark red patterns, paired with earrings, her face lightly powdered, and her hair tied with a blue wooden hairpin.

She was already graceful and beautiful, with a dignified air, and now, with just a slight raise of her eyebrows, she seemed to be able to steal one's soul.

"How about I transfer you to the Ministry of Works and make you the Minister of Works?"

This person certainly had a keen eye; as time went by, the Ordnance Bureau he had been focusing on truly unleashed tremendous energy.

Those new weapons terrified her.

Although she didn't understand some of the things that were still under development, her intuition told her that this would bring about change in society.

Therefore, she spared no effort in investing human and material resources to continue developing this matter.

Mingchen waved his hand: "No need."

"The Ministry of Works is like a donkey, always causing trouble. If someone's house collapses and they want to repair it, they have to report it to the Ministry of Works. I don't have that much free time."

Xiao Xinyue rolled her eyes at him: "I appointed you as the Minister of Rites, but I haven't seen you handle any of the Ministry's affairs."

"Hey~"

Mingchen chuckled and said, "I trust Lord Bai and Lord Gu to handle things. Just leave it to them."

His two vice ministers were probably the hardest working among the six ministries.

"You're clearly just lazy!"

"nonsense!"

"Your Majesty, this is slander! Chen is so busy~"

"Humph!"

Xiao Xinyue snorted. This shameless person is just infuriating.

During their casual conversation, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Xiao Xinyue sat down next to Mingchen and asked softly, "Now that you're back, what do you plan to do next?"

"doing what?"

Mingchen thought for a moment and then asked in return, "Your Majesty wants to ask whether Chen is still leaving or not, right?"

Xiao Xinyue paused for a moment, then made no attempt to hide anything: "Yes!"

Even though Mingchen was in Jiqu, she felt at ease even if he didn't attend court or see her.

Mingchen chuckled and said, "I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving!"

He actually wanted to wander around in the south.

However, the situation in the world has now entered the middle stage, and Bei Lie is sharpening his knives. If he goes out and runs around now, he may not even have a home when he comes back.

Stay in Jiqu and develop your strength discreetly, keeping an eye on the situation in the world, and be ready to start planning for war at any time.

Having enjoyed power here and inherited the title of Marquis, it's only right that they plan for the future of this place.

You should also spend more time with your family and relatives.

"it is good!"

You still have some conscience.

Xiao Xinyue felt relieved. She fidgeted with the hem of her clothes and tentatively asked Mingchen, "When you went home, did General Ling... say anything to you?"

She is now the emperor, supreme and unparalleled.

However, this new identity has now become somewhat of a constraint on her romantic relationships.

While there were empresses during the Qian Yuan era, there was never a situation where an empress shared a husband with another woman.

However, Xiao Xinyue's situation is indeed special.

It was a time of chaos and national collapse. The Qian Yuan dynasty had already faced its end once, so things obviously couldn't be judged by common sense.

Mingchen looked at her with a smile, pretending not to know anything: "What did you say?"

"you!"

This person had a crescent-shaped eyebrow and a mischievous look on their face; they clearly knew!
Xiao Xinyue's eyes widened in anger as she repeatedly shouted at Mingchen, "How dare you!"

"I'm serious about this!"

Xiao Xinyue's ears turned red, and she kept muttering to herself.

However, in the next instant, someone suddenly grabbed her waist, and the world spun before her eyes.

The next moment, she was already sitting on the dog man's lap, their eyes met, and she met those amorous eyes.

Mingchen has always acted in a dissolute and unrestrained manner, without any regard for consequences.

He embraced the noble beauty without restraint, looked into her eyes, and whispered, "My Majesty, can't you wait any longer?"

"I...I didn't!!!"

Mingchen rested his head against hers, looking at the Emperor's unusually shy expression: "Isn't it only natural that Your Majesty would marry me?"

How daring!
He dared to say something like marrying the emperor to him.

"Humph!"

This guy's arrogant attitude is just asking for a beating!

Ironically, upon receiving confirmation, Xiao Xinyue couldn't contain her joy.

No prospects!
Xiao Xinyue cursed herself inwardly, her mind racing with all sorts of chaotic thoughts.

"What are you going to do?"

"How do we do it?" Mingchen raised an eyebrow and said matter-of-factly, "We're in love, we'll get married properly, what's wrong with that?"

"You are the emperor, I am a marquis, who dares to say anything bad about us?"

Xiao Xinyue: ...

"The subjects and the people are only concerned with the country that Your Majesty governs. Personal matters and state affairs should be kept separate. Our personal life is none of their business."

"If the world is well-governed, you will be a great emperor for all time, and even if you are licentious, you will still be a romantic and charming man. If the world is in chaos, even if you are a saint, you will still be an incompetent person."

"Your Majesty, please rest assured!"

"Or else, let Chen suffer a loss! Let history record that Marquis Jing'an was lustful, and His Majesty had no choice but to submit to me for the sake of the world..."

Listening to this nonsensical person spouting nonsense, Xiao Xinyue felt a beautiful sense of her brain being turned into a complete mess.

However, though the words may be harsh, the principle is sound: she should focus on doing her job well and then work with Mingchen to produce a qualified successor.

There's not much to say about her love life.

The emperor's majesty and achievements do not need to be demonstrated by the harem.

She does seem to be overthinking things.

The empress's eyes were somewhat vacant as she pondered, and she nodded blankly.

Quite cute.

Mingchen's heart fluttered, and he unconsciously moved forward.

When Xiao Xinyue came to her senses, she felt a warm breath on her face. The person in front of her had his face wide open, and in those carefree eyes, she could see that he liked her.

kiss.

Xiao Xinyue didn't shyly push him away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer to him, deepening the kiss.

They like each other, and it's natural that they can't help but move closer to each other.

They are no longer the esteemed emperors, nor the Marquis of Jing'an, who is second only to the emperor.

They were just an ordinary couple who liked each other.

Indulging in male beauty, even the diligent emperor has become lazy.

I don't know how much time passed, but the wind blew into the house, making the windows creak.

His Majesty's face was flushed, and his eyes were somewhat misty.

She shook her head, glared at Mingchen, and complained, "You've messed up my clothes again."

How should I put it?

It felt like I had soared into the sky and was floating among the clouds.

Her mind was a complete blank, but a voice inside her was telling her, "That's it, let go of all constraints and let your true nature run wild."

This feeling of being out of control made her heart pound; she was filled with anticipation, yet also with an indescribable fear.

Reason told her that if she continued, she would make a mistake.

Mingchen, who lives in the ditch, not only keeps some spiritual creatures, but he also acts like a monster, as if he can bewitch people.

Mingchen leaned closer, grinning, "Let me tidy up His Majesty~"

"Need not!!!"

Xiao Xinyue doesn't seem ready to take the next step.

Mingchen never forces things to happen naturally, otherwise it would be very boring.

With their future settled, their relationship progressed further and they became more intimate.

Xiao Xinyue was a somewhat special emperor.

She couldn't be as aloof as an emperor, and she wholeheartedly relied on and trusted Mingchen, but Mingchen was the only special one.

She naturally leaned against Mingchen and talked to him about what had happened in Qianyuan after he left, and the policy decisions she had made.

Mingchen also told her about the interesting things he encountered on his journey.

Time flows slowly.

Xiao Xinyue suddenly remembered something and said to Mingchen, "By the way, a messenger came from the east the day before yesterday. He was sent by a man named Xu Zhongling."

"He proclaimed himself King of Liang and rebelled against Qi."

He said that Emperor Wang Huai of Qi was tyrannical and unreasonable, and too bloodthirsty, and was not a wise ruler.

"Currently, chaos is rampant within the territory of the Great Qi, and the people are all in rebellion."

"The Great Qi may seem to have a vast territory and a million soldiers, but in reality, it is already in chaos and on the verge of collapse."

"Now is the best time to destroy Qi. If we wait until the Qi emperor recovers, the opportunity will be missed."

"Qi is the homeland of Qian Yuan. Now that a calamity is causing trouble for the country, how can we sit idly by? He knows that I have been thinking about restoring Qian Yuan, so he advises me to send troops to attack Qi now and recover the lost territory. He has 50,000 troops under his command and is willing to lend me a hand."

Mingchen knew that the Great Qi in the east was in chaos, and he had anticipated this long ago.

There is no good end to a war-mongering nation; when a nation engaged in high-speed warfare suddenly comes to a halt, chaos ensues.

Not to mention, Wang Huai's path was sloppy, losing his greatest advantage of having the support of the people, and he himself planted many time bombs for himself.

Mingchen had tried to persuade him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, which meant trouble was inevitable.

Although Mingchen still acknowledges him as his elder brother, it's only that he acknowledges him as a person.

The Blood-Clad Army... has no future in sight.

"Oh?"

Mingchen raised an eyebrow: "Fifty thousand soldiers? Xu Zhongling?"

It seems that the situation is much more difficult than Mingchen had imagined.

If we can survive this ordeal, then our brother's game will be won.

But it's difficult...

Xu Zhongling, on the other hand, was a name I had never heard before.

They had good foresight; unlike other reactionary forces that were single-mindedly focused on rebellion, they knew to unite with other forces that could be united to protect themselves.

Mingchen played with His Majesty's long hair and casually asked, "What is his background? How did he acquire 50,000 soldiers? Is he a subordinate of Emperor Qi?"

Xiao Xinyue shook her head: "This person's place of origin is unknown. He is probably a low-status refugee who did not participate in the Blood-Clad Army's uprising."

"Oh?"

"According to rumors, he had a chance encounter with Chen Yue, a general under Wang Huai, and said something that greatly impressed Chen Yue. The two hit it off immediately and became sworn brothers. Later, Wang Huai killed a group of unruly soldiers in the capital, which aroused dissatisfaction within the Blood-Clad Army. Rumors spread that Wang Huai killed meritorious officials and could not share wealth and honor."

"Chen Yue and Wang Huai turned against each other and raised an army in rebellion."

"Later, Chen Yue died of illness, and Xu Zhongling took over the command of his soldiers."

Xiao Xinyue briefly told Mingchen what she knew about this person.

"Oh?"

Mingchen narrowed his eyes: "I remember Chen Yue was a general in his prime, right? How did he die of illness?"

Mingchen's words hit the nail on the head.

How did Chen Yue die so coincidentally? And why did Xu Zhongling seize power so coincidentally?
He had met one of Wang Huai's subordinates; he was a brave and loyal general who was very loyal to Wang Huai at the time.

How could it have turned against us so easily?
Xiao Xinyue shook her head and said nothing.

Nobody's a fool. Behind every inexplicable death, who is the biggest beneficiary? And who is most likely the murderer?

Xu Zhongling had never participated in any war and had no merits whatsoever.

They acquired such a large force without any investment.

This person is clearly not simple.

The fundamental principle of victory is to never underestimate any opponent who may appear at the poker table.

Mingchen asked with great interest, "What does he want us to do? What does he want?"

Only by obtaining more information and listening to what the other person says can one gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and intentions, and thus discern their character.

When the conversation turned to serious matters, Xiao Xinyue became more earnest: "He is now the largest anti-Qi force, and he is heading south, which will inevitably provoke the Qi Emperor to send troops to suppress him. He wants us to send troops to block the Qi pursuers, so that they can attack the southern cities, occupy Xiaoyao City, block the Qi Emperor's return route, and then join forces with us to destroy the Qi and restore the Qian Yuan dynasty."

"He hopes that if we unify the Qian Yuan Dynasty in the future, I can grant him a marquis title."

Upon hearing this, Mingchen narrowed his eyes and said, "Tsk tsk tsk~ It's quite a beautiful idea."

Raising the banner of rebellion during times of chaos in the dynasty allows for the maximum absorption of other resistance forces for one's own use.

The first uprising in every chaotic era always involved a massive and widespread gathering of people.

But most of them don't end well.

As the saying goes, "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." While their power expands rapidly, it also invites the furious retaliation of the old forces. The remnants of the old dynasty will burn these people to ashes.

Therefore, before the overall situation becomes clear, most people choose to wait and see and remain inactive.

Now that Xu Zhongling has benefited, he wants to use Qian Yuan as a shield.

War is not as simple as just talking about it!

It's easy to start, but when it ends is beyond human control.

Xiaoyao City may look dilapidated, but it is the birthplace of the Blood-Clad Army. Its geographical location is very important. It was a place that Mingchen carefully selected for Wang Huai, and it can serve as a base.

Does Xu Zhongling really only want to be a marquis?

Just listen to it for fun.

These powerful figures are just titles; they'll vanish in the wind. The real power lies in what you actually hold in your hands.

Was he trying to drag Qian Yuan into trouble, instead of holding onto Xiaoyao City, seizing southern lands, and watching Qian Yuan and Qi fight each other?
(End of this chapter)