The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 534 Blessings from Moscow
"I haven't seen you for over six months now. Marquis Zhongzhen has grown into a very graceful young lady. I think even if the spirit of the Eternal Heaven appeared, he would want to see you a few more times... You've been guarding Liaoxi these days. Are you used to it?"

"Thanks to the Retired Emperor's concern, I and the Khorchin tribe are doing well in Jinzhou. I just miss him every day, praying for the swift return of the Eastern Expedition Army and the health of the Retired Emperor. Seeing him today, he looks even more majestic and powerful than before. It is truly a blessing for the Great Qi and the people."

The sixth day of the first lunar month of the fourth year of Taichu, Dazheng Palace in Shenyang.

While Bumbutai and the retired emperor of the Great Qi were talking endlessly, the concubines gathered around Emperor Wuding, including Jin Yuji, Yang Qing'er, Chen Yuanyuan, etc., all looked at the smiling Mongolian girl with hostility.

The expressions on the faces of the emperor's wives varied, but to a greater or lesser extent, they all showed a hint of jealousy.

Jealousy, jealousy between women, is instantly ignited in front of men.

The sixth day of the Lunar New Year every year is the birthday of the Empress Dowager Dong. In previous years, her father Yang Hao always ignored his daughter's birthday.

After Yang Qing'er got married, this day became particularly meaningful. With Liu Zhaosun's insistence, the sixth day of the first lunar month every year became brilliant.

After Emperor Wu Ding ascended the throne, he issued an edict to designate the sixth day of the first lunar month and Laba Festival as one of the three most important festivals in Qi (along with the birthday of Empress Dowager Cisi).

Liu Zhaosun advocated frugality - this was questionable after the Wanggongchang explosion - and as a result, everyone in the palace became like ascetics. Only on the sixth day of the first lunar month was the palace allowed to decorate with lights and hold banquets.

Counting it up, this year is Yang Qing'er's 25th birthday.

In this era, twenty-five years old has nothing to do with youth.

Life is short and the past is full of suffering. It has been more than half a year since he and Yang Qing'er were separated. As a husband, Liu Zhaosun still feels a little guilty.

A grand banquet was held in the Shenyang Imperial Palace, with more than a thousand tables for the buffet alone.

From Prime Minister Ma Shiying, Sun Chuanting, and Grand Secretary Hou Xun to the head of the garrison and shop owners, even the governors and prefects of provinces within the Great Wall brought gifts early to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday, and all officials above the fifth rank rushed to Shenyang.

Emperor Wuding sat together with a group of his trusted ministers.

Today, Bumbutai, the commander-in-chief of Jinzhou, the Marquis of Loyalty, and the Great Khan of Khorchin, who is closest to Shenyang, arrived late. The beauty punished herself by drinking three cups of wine. After drinking three cups of wine, Bumbutai's cheeks turned red and her speech became a little unclear.

"Back then... in Kaiyuan, Your Majesty and I played drinking games and slept until dawn. We were so carefree back then. Now, there are so many things to do..."

Yang Qing'er coughed twice to remind Marquis Zhongzhen not to speak carelessly after drinking.

Bumbutai didn't care at all. She leaned close to the emperor's ear and said drunkenly:

"That year, it was around New Year's Eve. The three of us were drunk in the General's Mansion, sleeping together on pillows. I think there was also a fat girl."

Emperor Wu Ding looked calm as he slowly looked around. None of his confidants dared to speak to him and lowered their heads, pretending not to hear.

As long as you are not embarrassed, others will be embarrassed.

Liu Zhaosun laughed and cursed Bumbutai a thousand times in his heart.

I remember she used to be a big drinker, but how come she got drunk today when she just started drinking?

Maybe it's the fatigue from riding a horse, or maybe it's...
Oranges grown in the south of the Huai River are oranges, while oranges grown in the north of the Huai River are tangerines.

When the beauty arrived in western Liaoning, her alcohol tolerance was not as good as before.

"I am in good health, so there is no need to worry. My enemies, Zhu Youjian, Du Du, Wu Sangui, and Li Zong are all dead, but I cannot die. Ke Zhen'e even read my fortune the other day and said I can live to be 120 years old."

"One hundred and twenty years old? Doesn't that mean he's a god?"

"Yes, I have become a god."

Liu Zhaosun muttered to himself and began to imagine what the world would be like one hundred and twenty years from now.

Workshops and schools sprang up like mushrooms after rain, steam engines began to be used in production, hot air balloons rose into the sky, new artillery, a new calendar, new crops (sweet potatoes and potatoes were being improved)...
In every city of Da Qi, in workshops and schools, new and interesting things appear every day, shocking people's nerves.

The Industrial Revolution was imminent.

The key was to be able to sell goods worldwide, whether silk, tea, artillery, or grenades. As long as demand was strong enough and the market was vast enough, colonies would stimulate domestic production, creating a virtuous cycle. As long as Australia could be successfully occupied and its mineral resources (including human resources) continuously transported back to Great Qi, the East Asian market could form a triangular trade similar to that of Europe.

As long as the triangular trade could continue, the first industrial revolution in Qi was a foregone conclusion.

Copy Britain's opening of the sea, transport raw materials to the colonies, bring them back, produce products, and sell them to the colonies.

This expansionist and predatory capital accumulation model, which grew like a snowball, was the foundation of the Industrial Revolution.

Of course, in order to make quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes, it is also necessary to cultivate a middle-class consumer group of millions of people.

Under the Da Qi system, the middle class theoretically did not exist.

However, Liu Zhaosun knew very well that the so-called middle class was actually just a kind of purchasing power. Under the land system of the Qi Dynasty, the middle class could be given other names, such as well-off people, wealthy people, etc.

The name is not important.

With this group, we can support the continued development of the industrial revolution.

As more and more products are produced, the cost of industrial products will only drop sharply. The prices of kerosene, matches, cars, cloth, etc. will be shockingly low, which will deal a fatal blow to the original natural economy.

Historically, Duke Yansheng of Qufu took the lead in weaving local cloth and called on everyone not to use foreign cloth. However, it was of no use because foreign cloth was too cheap and of good quality.

At this point, the Industrial Revolution was completely completed.

I estimate it will take less than a hundred years.

"Our emperor is blessed with great fortune! Long live the great Qi dynasty, long live its glory!"

Emperor Wu Ding returned to reality, drank the wine in one gulp, and waved his hand for everyone to sit down.

"This great victory in the Eastern Expedition, the conquest of the Korean rebellion, and the expansion of our territory are all the result of everyone's concerted efforts, not just my own."

"Today is a family dinner. There are no kings or ministers here. We are just meeting as friends."

When the confidants heard Emperor Wuding say this, their tense expressions immediately relaxed a lot and they all started chatting and laughing.

The Qi State now encompassed several provinces, including Shandong, Henan, and Hubei, along with Liaodong, Korea, and Outer Manchuria. Its territory was vast, comparable to that of the Ming Dynasty. Many old acquaintances were now separated, each busy with their own affairs. If it weren't for the Queen Mother's birthday, many of them wouldn't see each other for a year or two.

"No one is more wise than the Emperor Retired. Before the war, he overcame all opposition and led the army in person, conquering Korea in a single battle. The Mongol army was so powerful back then, but it is nothing compared to our Emperor."

The instructor Sen Ti was the first to stand up and, as usual, said a lot of meaningless nonsense.

A group of ministers followed closely behind, offering flattery again. Liu Zhaosun had long been immune to such flattery, and only after everyone had finished flattering him did he get to the point.

"Everyone, thanks to the gods' blessing, our army has won victory after victory. The two provinces of Korea are now under the control of the Great Qi. The small Southern Ming court has been quiet for a long time. The bandit Zhang Zicheng in the west is said to be caught up in internal strife and has no time to attack Shanxi."

Not only have external enemies been temporarily eliminated, but the domestic situation is also thriving.

Grain harvests were plentiful, commerce flourished, post roads were well-connected, and mines were producing at breakneck speeds. Even border towns like Kuandian had cement roads and new streetlights. People's lives gradually became more affluent. In Liaodong alone, the population increased by at least 200,000 people last year.

The Imperial Army firmly controlled Sakhalin Island in the far north, and the Imperial Navy landed in Australia to the south. More land was occupied by Da Qi, and more people would become subjects of Emperor Wu Ding.

Everyone's faces turned slightly red. The chief officers from the civil affairs, army, workshops, and garrisons squinted their eyes, waiting to be praised by the retired emperor. After all, it was really rare to receive praise from Emperor Wuding.

"Everyone, the old enemy is here again."

Everyone's faces darkened, and the joyful atmosphere around the hall suddenly became solemn.

"We just got news from Ningguta that the third wave of Cossacks is coming. It happened last month. There are over a thousand of them, well-equipped, killing and eating people along the way. Their target is Sakhalin Island. With so many people coming, it seems the Tsar is serious. Jiang Liuer has asked the Ningguta Corps for help."

"Today is a good day for Empress Dowager Yang. The old Tsar sent this blessing from Moscow. I am very pleased with this gift. Everyone, how should the Great Qi thank these thieves who are still ruthless?"

(End of this chapter)