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In March of the fifteenth year of the prosperous era, three armies lined up outside the north gate of the capital, ready to depart.

Banners obscured the sun, and drums thundered.

Two hundred thousand soldiers stood in formation, their armor gleaming coldly in the spring sunshine.

The warhorse snorted and pawed at the ground restlessly.

The soldiers who gathered from all directions included veterans who had followed Suning since the time of the reading camp, their faces etched with the marks of time; and new recruits who had been recruited in recent years, still carrying the naivety of youth.

But now, they stand here, waiting for the same command.

Su Ning stood on the command platform, looking down at the two hundred thousand soldiers who stood like a dark cloud.

Twenty-five years have passed.

From fourteen to forty years old, from a boy who crawled out of a well to the emperor who now reigns supreme.

His temples were gray, but his eyes were sharper than when he was young.

All the struggles, forbearance, and planning of those years, all the bloody battles, sacrifices, and perseverance of those years, have converged into the surge of energy in my heart at this moment.

Twenty-five years ago, he climbed out of a well, covered in mud and skin and bones.

At that time, all he was thinking about was surviving.

Now he stands here, with 200,000 troops waiting for him to speak.

The power accumulated over twenty-five years is about to be unleashed today.

Suning took a deep breath and began to speak.

The voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"My lords, twenty-five years ago, I crawled out of a well. At that time, the Great Zhou only had one city, Bianliang, and was surrounded by enemies. The Khitan occupied Yanyun, the Dangxiang occupied Hetao, and the small countries in the south ruled by themselves. The world was in chaos for more than a hundred years, and the people suffered for more than a hundred years."

"Twenty-five years later, Yanyun returned, Hetao returned, Liaodong returned, and Goryeo returned as well. The Khitans were driven to the northern desert and cowered in Shangjing, not daring to move."

"But that's not enough."

Su Ning's gaze swept over the two hundred thousand faces. "The Khitans are still here. They occupied our land, killed our people, and robbed our things. They've bullied us for over a hundred years; it's time for them to pay."

"Today, I am sending you off to war. Go and fight the Khitan, go and destroy the Khitan, go and let those barbarians on the grasslands know that the soldiers of the Great Zhou are not to be trifled with."

"Although I cannot personally lead the army, I will be waiting for you in the capital. When you win, come back and have a drink."

"set off!"

The war drums sounded, and the bugles blared.

Two hundred thousand troops marched north in a mighty procession.

The sound of horses' hooves shook the heavens and the earth, and flags blotted out the sky.

Looking down from the city tower, the winding procession resembled three giant dragons, slowly swimming northward.

Suning still did not personally lead the team into battle.

He promised himself that he would never again put himself under the arrows.

How did Guo Wei die? He was hit by a stray arrow on the battlefield, which aggravated his old wounds. He died not long after returning.

How did Chai Rong die? He was leading an expedition in person when an arrow struck his old wound, killing him.

The lessons learned from the two emperors are there for all to see, and Su Ning dares not forget them.

War is unpredictable, and anything can happen.

Arrows on the battlefield come from who-knows-where; they could be from the enemy or from our own side.

The emperor personally leads an expedition, which looks impressive, but if something goes wrong, who will protect the newly stabilized empire?

So Suning didn't go; he stayed in Beijing and waited for news.

But Suning gave the soldiers one thing—firearms.

The people at the Royal Academy of Sciences have been busy these past few years.

The steam engine was invented, leading to a surge in steel production; cement was invented, and primitive machine tools and industrial equipment began to appear.

Primitive workshops sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and the Great Zhou slowly entered the Industry 1.0 era.

All the blueprints drawn by Suning, the principles explained, and the materials specified have been transformed into physical objects.

Firearms were also included.

The first batch of firearms to be deployed was called "Thunderclap Thunder".

It was cast from pig iron, about the size of a fist, with a wooden handle, filled with gunpowder, and had a fuse inserted on the outside.

If you light it and throw it, it will blow people away with a loud bang.

On the day of the test, a thunderbolt was thrown, killing three cows.

The onlookers were so frightened their legs went weak, and then they cheered.

The second batch of firearms to be deployed was called "One Nest Bee".

A large iron box, inside which dozens of rockets were inserted side by side.

Once lit, dozens of arrows fly out simultaneously, covering the sky and exploding upon landing, leaving nowhere to hide.

There's no need to worry about accuracy; she can overwhelm the cavalry of this era simply by sheer numbers.

On the day of the test, dozens of arrows flew out and blasted a mud wall into a sieve.

The third batch of firearms to be deployed was called the "General Cannon".

It was cast from pig iron and weighed several hundred kilograms, originally requiring dozens of horses to pull it.

But the scientists at the Academy of Sciences invented rubber wheels, found rubber trees in Southeast Asia, planted them on a large scale, and manufactured rubber products.

With the addition of an internal combustion engine... although it mainly burned coal and had limited transport capacity and speed, it was a game-changer in that era.

The Great General Cannon was mounted on rubber wheels and towed by an internal combustion engine. One shot could blast down half a wall.

On the day of the test, a single shot was fired, and half of the city wall collapsed with a roar, leaving the generals present speechless.

No matter how fast the Khitan cavalry were, could they be faster than fire arrows?

Even if it's powerful, can it be more powerful than a cannon?

……

On the eighth day of the third month, the Eastern Route Army was the first to set off.

Gao Huaide rode his horse at the head of the procession.

Behind him were 50,000 soldiers, dozens of large cannons, hundreds of boxes of thunderclap bombs, and thousands of swarms of bees.

After leaving Shanhaiguan, we headed north.

As the Zhou army passed through Liaoxi and Liaodong, the people of the prefectures and counties along the way lined the roads to see them off.

Some people carried baskets and stuffed eggs into the soldiers' hands; some held bowls and handed out steaming hot flatbreads; some stood by the roadside and shouted at the top of their lungs, "Fight the Khitans! Kill those Tartars!"

After ten days of marching, the army finally arrived at the city of Huanglongfu of the Khitan.

Huanglongfu was an important town of the Khitan, with high walls and deep moats, and a garrison of 20,000.

The city wall is made of rammed earth, and it is high and thick. There are also arrow towers and crenellations on the city wall.

The moat is wide and deep, and a drawbridge hangs high above it.

The garrison commander was named Xiao Tianyun, who was said to be Xiao Siwen's nephew.

He stood on the city wall, looking at the dark mass of Zhou troops outside the city, his hands trembling.

The Zhou army's camps stretched for miles, their banners obscuring the sun, and their weapons like a forest.

And those dark, iron things—what are they?
Cannons? But he had never heard of them.

"Quickly, send someone to request help!"

The people who came to ask for help had just left the city when Zhou's army began its attack.

It wasn't about charging in with men, it was about bombarding with artillery.

Dozens of large cannons were lined up in a row, their muzzles aimed at the city wall.

Gao Huaide stood at the front of the formation and waved his hand.

"put!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cannonballs whistled through the air and crashed into the city wall.

The rammed earth flew everywhere, and the city wall trembled.

One shot, and a huge crater is formed.

Two shots later, a crack appeared.

Three shots were fired, and half the wall collapsed.

The Khitan defenders on the city wall were terrified.

Some people threw down their weapons and ran, some knelt on the ground praying to the gods, and some simply jumped off the city wall in an attempt to escape.

The bombardment lasted for a whole day and night.

The next morning, three large holes were found in the city wall.

Gao Huaide waved his hand again.

"rush!"

Zhou Jun swarmed in through the breach.

The Khitans resisted desperately, but they could not hold out.

Those thunderbolts were thrown over, and with a loud bang, they blew down a whole area.

They swarmed in, dozens of arrows flying at once, leaving nowhere to hide.

Xiao Tianyun led his remaining troops northward, running for a day and a night. When he looked back, he saw that only a few hundred men remained behind him.

Huanglong Prefecture has fallen.

……

The central army fought even more fiercely.

Cao Bin led 100,000 men out of Gubeikou, heading north and capturing several cities in succession, directly threatening Zhongjing Dading Prefecture.

The Khitan tribes along the way surrendered at the mere sight of them, and some even fled north with their families.

The Khitan emperor Yelü Xian could no longer sit still.

He summoned his troops, gathered 80,000 cavalry, and personally led them south, intending to fight a decisive battle with Cao Bin in Zhongjing.

The two armies met thirty miles south of Zhongjing City.

Eighty thousand Khitan cavalrymen surged in like a tidal wave, covering the sky.

The sound of horses' hooves shook the heavens and the shouts of battle were deafening.

The Khitan cavalrymen brandished their scimitars and howled like wild beasts, like a pack of wolves pouncing on their prey.

Cao Bin stood at the front of the formation, watching the approaching cavalry, his face expressionless.

"Artillery battalion, prepare."

Hundreds of large cannons were already in place.

The gunners lit torches and waited for orders.

The Khitan cavalry were getting closer and closer.

Five hundred steps, four hundred steps, three hundred steps...

"put!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cannonballs whistled through the air and crashed into the cavalry formation.

One shot landed, and men and horses fell, blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The cannonball pierced through a horse, knocked down a man, then sent another horse flying, rolling all the way, leaving behind a trail of corpses and wails.

The Khitans' formation was disrupted.

But they kept charging forward.

The cavalrymen trampled over the corpses of their comrades and continued charging toward Zhou's lines.

Cao Bin waved again.

"Let them swarm out!"

Thousands of aircraft were ignited simultaneously.

Hundreds of thousands of rockets flew out, like a fiery cloud, pressing down on the Khitan cavalry.

It exploded upon landing, creating a deafening roar.

Screams filled the air, horses neighed, and corpses fell one after another. Although the aim and power were mediocre, the air was still thick with smoke, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder, making it hard to breathe.

But the people behind them kept charging.

The Khitan cavalrymen, like madmen, trampled over corpses and charged forward into the cannon fire.

Cao Bin waved again.

"Thunderbolt! Throw it!"

The soldiers in the front row lit the fuse and threw it out with all their might.

Thousands of thunderbolts rained down on the enemy lines, creating a deafening explosion.

When the smoke cleared, the battlefield was littered with corpses.

Of the 80,000 Khitan cavalry, more than half were killed or wounded.

The rest turned tail and ran.

Protected by his personal guards, Yelü Xian ran desperately northward.

After running for a day and a night, I looked back and saw that there were only a few thousand people left around me.

Zhongjing Dading Prefecture fell.

……

On the Western Route Army's side, Pan Mei's campaign went even more smoothly.

Fifty thousand men set out from the Tiger's Pass, heading west, capturing several cities in succession, and heading straight for the Western Regions.

The tribes along the way were terrified; some surrendered immediately, while others fled without a trace.

The Khitan forces stationed in the Western Regions were already few in number, and they had long since fled.

When Pan Mei entered the cities of the Western Regions, only the elderly, women and children remained in the cities.

The elderly and children knelt by the roadside, trembling, waiting to be slaughtered.

Pan Mei looked at them and shook her head.

"Get up! The Great Zhou does not kill civilians."

He stood on the city wall, gazing westward.

A lone plume of smoke rises from the vast desert, while the setting sun casts its glow over the long river.

Those lands that had been separated from the Central Plains for hundreds of years have finally returned.

The three armies conquered three locations in less than two months.

When the news reached the capital, Suning was having dinner.

On the table were a few simple dishes—a plate of cured meat, a plate of green vegetables, and a bowl of hot soup.

Under the current concept of integrity and self-discipline that guides the lower levels, the entire Zhou Dynasty has always prioritized frugality.

Of course, it's hard to completely resist extravagance, but people enjoy it secretly behind closed doors, and no one dares to act recklessly and do evil.

Just as Su Ning picked up his chopsticks, Zhao Pu pushed open the door and entered, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy.

"Your Majesty! Good news from the front!"

Suning took the battle report and read it through.

Huanglong Prefecture fell, Zhongjing fell, and the cities of the Western Regions surrendered.

Of the 80,000 Khitan cavalry, 40,000 were beheaded and countless others scattered.

He put down the battle report and remained silent for a moment.

"Issue the order to continue the northward advance."

"Tell the soldiers not to stop. Keep fighting until the Khitans kneel and beg for mercy. Keep fighting until the Khitans are completely destroyed."

Zhao Pu cupped his hands in greeting.

"Yes!"

The three armies continued their northward advance.

The Eastern Route Army set off from Huanglong Prefecture and headed north towards Shangjing Linhuang Prefecture.

The tribes along the way surrendered at the mere sight of the enemy, some offering cattle and sheep, some offering warhorses, and some offering their daughters.

Gao Huaide refused to accept any of them, only demanding their surrender and submission to the Great Zhou.

The central army set off from Zhongjing and headed north, aiming directly for Linhuang Prefecture.

Cities along the way fell one by one, and their commanders surrendered one by one.

Some surrendered, some abandoned the city and fled, and some fought desperately and were killed.

The Western Route Army quickly recovered all the strategic strongholds in the Western Regions, then turned north and headed straight for Khatun City, threatening the western border defenses of the Khitan.

Those tribes grazing their livestock on the grasslands would run away at the sight of Zhou's army's banners.

The Khitans suffered repeated defeats, retreating again and again.

Those cavalrymen who once swept across the world were utterly helpless against cannons and rockets.

Even the fastest horse can't outrun a cannonball.

Even the most accurate arrow cannot outshoot a swarm of bees.

What made Yelü Xian even more desperate was that trouble was brewing in his own backyard.

The Jurchens rebelled.

Those Jurchen tribes, who had been oppressed by the Khitan for hundreds of years, rose up in response when they heard that the Zhou army was coming.

They attacked from the east, plundering the Khitans' cattle and sheep, burning their tents, and killing their elderly and weak.

Those Jurchens had been hiding in the mountains for hundreds of years, and now they finally had the chance to take revenge, so they were even more ruthless than the Zhou army.

Yelü Xian was attacked from both sides, and could only worry about one side while neglecting the other.

He wanted to sue for peace.

He sent an envoy to Cao Bin, saying that he was willing to become a vassal, pay tribute, and marry his daughter to the emperor of the Great Zhou.

After listening, Cao Bin shook his head.

"late."

The messenger returned and relayed the message to Yelü Xian.

Yelü Xian slumped into a chair, his face deathly pale.

"It's over...it's all over..."

……

In August of the fifteenth year of the prosperous era, the three armies joined forces at the city of Linhuang.

Linhuang Prefecture, the upper capital of the Khitan, was the last capital of the Khitan people.

The city walls were high and thick, and the garrison numbered 20,000.

But these 20,000 men had long lost their fighting spirit.

They stood on the city wall, looking at the dark mass of Zhou's army outside the city, their legs trembling.

Outside the city, Zhou's army camps stretched for dozens of miles.

Banners blotted out the sun, and swords and spears formed a forest.

Hundreds of large cannons were aimed at the city wall.

Those dark cannon muzzles, like eyes, coldly stared at the city.

Cao Bin stood at the front of the formation on horseback.

"Attack the city."

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cannon fire lasted for a day and a night.

The city wall collapsed the next day.

Zhou Jun swarmed in.

Yelü Xian trembled as he listened to the shouts of battle outside the palace.

He drew his sword to commit suicide, but was stopped by his personal guards.

"Your Majesty, run! As long as we're alive, we can always fight another day."

"Run? In this situation, where can we run to?"

There's really no escaping it now.

Zhou Jun has already stormed into the palace.

Yelü Xian was trapped in a side hall.

He huddled in the corner, trembling like a frightened child.

Cao Bin parted the soldiers and walked up to him. "Yelü Xian, will you surrender or not?"

Yelü Xian knelt on the ground, trembling all over, "I...I surrender..."

Cao Bin looked at him and shook his head. "Why didn't you do this earlier?"

The Khitan were destroyed.

……

When the news reached the capital, Su Ning was standing in front of the map in the imperial study.

He looked at the land covered in red and remained silent for a long time.

From Liaodong to the Western Regions, from Yanyun to the northern desert.

Those lands that once belonged to the Khitan have now become part of the Great Zhou territory.

The large expanse of red on the map resembled a burning fire, stretching from the capital all the way to the horizon.

Twenty-five years have passed.

From age fourteen to forty.

From a single well to the entire world.

I finally did it.

Grand Secretary Zhao Pu stood behind him and said softly, "Your Majesty, the Khitan have been destroyed."

Su Ning nodded. "What about the Jurchens?"

“The Imperial City Guard has been keeping a close eye on things,” Zhao Pu said. “The Jurchen tribes were a great help this time. But just as His Majesty predicted, they’ve become unruly. Several tribes have started seizing territory and people, and they even want to incorporate the surrendered Khitan soldiers.”

Su Ning sneered, "Raising a tiger is a recipe for disaster. This tiger hasn't even grown up yet, and it's already baring its teeth."

"Your Majesty means..."

"No rush," Su Ning said. "Let them make a scene first. The bigger the commotion, the better. We'll deal with them after they've had their fill."

"Then should we still form a Western Expeditionary Army?"

"Of course! The Khitans have been destroyed, but we cannot suppress them too much. We must embrace them with an open mind and allow them to integrate, while also preventing the Jurchens and other tribes from becoming too powerful."

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Cabinet and the Six Ministries will certainly implement the state-owned ranches as soon as possible."

Suning shifted his gaze from the grassland to a more distant place.

The distant Arab world.

There are things that the Great Zhou needs there.

Coal, iron, and oil.

Those things that make internal combustion engines run faster, cannons shoot farther, and make this country stronger.

They're all in the west.

“Next, it’s the west,” Su Ning said. “That’s where the energy for our Great Zhou’s development lies.”

Zhao Pu followed his gaze.

Outside the window, the sun was setting.

The golden sunlight shone on the map, making the red land appear even redder.

A new era has just begun.

...(End of this chapter)