Parallel Ming Dynasty: The more he compared, the more devastated Zhu Yuanzhang became.

{New World: Did you all see that clearly? This is the formidable power of a flintlock musket!}

{New World: Who was it that looked down on Prince Zhu Duo just now? Step forward and say something again!}

{New World: Three thousand against twenty thousand—the significance of that goes without saying!}

{New World: Who just said this tactic was stupid? Doesn't your face hurt?}

{New World: You know what? After this war, a certain phrase spread throughout the Peace Trading Company.}

As if they had agreed in advance, the comments section of the new world all started with that one sentence.

The entire barrage of comments was completely flooded.

{New World: My lord, times have changed!}

{New World: My lord, times have changed!}

{New World: My lord, times have changed!}

……

The comments posted by netizens in the new world were all full of high spirits and smugness.

The people in the original world remained silent for a long time, unsure of what to say in the comments.

In the original world, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly sighed, "This battle can be said to have directly shattered the morale of the Yuan army, making this third Northern Expedition as easy as taking candy from a baby."

"Dor, you have performed an indelible and great service."

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "But when I sent people to investigate this matter again, I could not find any trace of you. You actually gave all the credit to Shan Zhan."

Of course, I also knew at the time that all of this was thanks to the new weapons developed by the Peace Trading Company.

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Zhu Duo simply smiled.

Just because—

Shan Zhan eventually became his most trusted confidant.

It was this military achievement that propelled Shan Zhan to the pinnacle of power.

In the original world.

Zhu Yuanzhang was deeply moved and extremely excited.

The power of this flintlock musket is simply defying the heavens and changing the course of history; our Great Ming Dynasty absolutely must have one!

With this flintlock musket, wouldn't the fighting power of our Ming soldiers be increased several levels?

[Three thousand men defeating twenty thousand men would have been impossible in any previous dynasty, even with all sorts of schemes and tricks.]

But with flintlock muskets, even direct confrontations with the enemy became a reality.

The flintlock musket was the true decisive weapon in war!

Zhu Yuanzhang was extremely excited at this moment.

A nation's prestige is entirely built upon its strength. Only by possessing a powerful army can a nation truly ensure its enduring prosperity!

【Yu Nong!】

Minister of Works Yu Nong immediately stepped forward and declared, "Your subject is here!"

【I demand that you build such a flintlock musket; you must do it for me!】

【This…】A troubled look instantly appeared on Yu Nong’s face.

He didn't have any keen eyesight, nor could he see through the internal structure of the flintlock musket. Giving such a death order out of thin air was really too much for him.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "I know this is an incredibly difficult task for you, but you must accomplish it for me!"

As he finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below. He then said, "I don't know if you've truly considered the long term, but in my view, what this other world has revealed could become a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Great Ming Dynasty, or it could become a catastrophic crisis that overthrows the Ming Dynasty—"

The assembled officials immediately shouted in unison, "Your Majesty! The Ming Dynasty will prosper and endure for a thousand years to come!"

[Your Majesty! The Ming Dynasty will prosper and endure for a thousand years!]

Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed, "Ha, these words might fool emperors of other dynasties, but they'd better give up on trying to fool us."

Zhu Yuanzhang was not fooled in the slightest by the flattery of his ministers, and continued, "Everyone has an end to their lifespan. Which of the previous dynasties, Qin, Han, Tang, and Song, truly lasted for millennia? Tell me! Huh?!"

[Fine, I'm not going to argue with you bunch of bastards. All you ever do is say nice things, or just keep your heads down and stay silent.]

Zhu Yuanzhang suppressed the anger between his brows and calmed his emotions slightly. "This strange phenomenon in the world is probably not only visible to the people of my Great Ming Dynasty. I am worried that the whole world can see it."

Although our Great Ming Dynasty is vast, compared with the surrounding small countries, it is like the Yuan army with 20,000 iron cavalry facing 3,000 supply infantry.

But in another world, the things Zhu Duo created were precisely these flintlock muskets!

If those neighboring barbarian kingdoms were to obtain flintlock muskets, they might just be able to wipe out our Great Ming Dynasty!

Did you understand?!

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, his anger flared up again.

He was utterly disgusted by these ministers who only knew how to parrot his empty words.

These officials were all afraid of taking responsibility and making mistakes, and dared not oppose him in the slightest.

That is why if he makes a wrong decision, it will inevitably lead to an irreparable mistake.

[Your Majesty, I understand!]

At this moment, the area below the steps was completely silent, and Zhu Yunwen was the first to bow and prostrate himself on the ground.

[Your Majesty, I understand!]

Only then did the remaining ministers dare to respond.

Looking at the assembled officials below, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were full of displeasure, but in the end he didn't say anything more.

In any case, he had already decided on the heir apparent of the Ming Dynasty.

He could no longer control what the Ming Dynasty would become or what path it would take; he could only hope that Zhu Yunwen would do a better job.

However, seeing Zhu Yunwen's actions in the scene, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel dissatisfied.

If Zhu Duo were still alive, Zhu Yuanzhang would know that he would have done everything in his power to make Zhu Duo the crown prince and would never have chosen Zhu Yunwen!

However, Zhu Duo didn't exist in this world, and he had no other choice. Even if Zhu Yunwen was far inferior to Zhu Duo, he could only choose Zhu Yunwen.

Old Zhu was feeling really choked up!

The video footage shows that the great battle has ended, and the army, along with Zhu Duo, has returned to Yingtian Prefecture.

Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed when he received the report of the great victory in the Northern Expedition. He even went out of the city for twenty miles to welcome Mu Ying, the Marquis of Xiping, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition.

Also present to greet them were all the civil and military officials of the court.

Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed to see Mu Ying and laughed loudly, saying, "Congratulations, General, on your great victory! This northern expedition has decisively defeated the remnants of the Northern Yuan. We will reward you handsomely!"

Mu Ying showed little joy, but in front of all the officials, he couldn't refuse Zhu Yuanzhang's hospitality, so he immediately knelt on one knee and said loudly, "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"

"only--"

After hesitating for a moment, Mu Ying told the truth: "The fact that the Northern Expedition was able to end so smoothly and quickly is not primarily due to me."

"Oh?! Who is that?"

"Peace Trading Company"

"Peace Trading Company?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed instantly, and the officials below whispered amongst themselves.

Today, the reputation of Heping Trading Company is already well-known, and its good name and legends are widely circulated among the people.

Mu Ying then explained, "It was all because the Peace Trading Company brought an unprecedented new weapon—the flintlock musket. At the very beginning of the war, they achieved an astonishing victory of 3,000 against 20,000, which greatly boosted the morale of our entire Ming army and completely crushed the morale of the Northern Yuan remnants."

That is precisely why we were able to achieve such a swift and resounding victory.

"A flintlock musket?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately said, "Quickly, let me see it!"

Mu Ying immediately ordered someone to bring up the flintlock pistol. At the same time, a clerk from the Peace Trading Company personally stepped forward to demonstrate and explain it.

After several trials and demonstrations, Zhu Yuanzhang was both shocked and horrified, and at the same time, he felt a sense of lingering fear.

"Fortunately, this thing is in the hands of our Great Ming. If it had fallen into the hands of the remnants of the Northern Yuan, the fate of our Great Ming would have been in grave danger."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared intently at the shop assistant of the Heping Trading Company and asked sternly, "Shop assistant, I'm asking you, who exactly made this thing?"

The shop assistant bowed respectfully and replied, "Your Majesty, this item was made by the research institute of our company. Moreover, my boss instructed me that this item is only permitted to be issued to the Ming army. Not a single piece is allowed to fall into the hands of the common people."

The shopkeeper's words slowly eased the furrowed brows of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Because possessing such a thing is equivalent to having the confidence and strength to start a rebellion.

If the Peace Merchants truly harbored rebellious intentions, then even if the Ming Dynasty did not collapse, it would at least suffer severe damage, and might even change hands and the country would change hands.

After hearing these words, Zhu Yuanzhang finally felt relieved.

The fact that the Peace Trading Company did not use such powerful weapons to start a rebellion, but instead used them to protect the territory of the Ming Dynasty, shows that their hearts were with the Ming Dynasty.

Two days later.

Peace Trading Company received a huge order for 200,000 flintlock muskets.

Zhu Yuanzhang had long seen through the immense potential and terrifying power behind the flintlock musket!

After this, Zhu Yuanzhang still bestowed generous rewards upon all the generals and soldiers who returned victorious, and proclaimed to the world the great achievements of this Northern Expedition.

Among them, Shan Zhan was deliberately promoted as the great hero of this Northern Expedition because of his amazing achievement of breaking through 20,000 with only 3,000, and his status and power soared all the way!

However, Zhu Duo, who made the greatest contribution in this Northern Expedition, still did not receive any honors or recognition.

Even the court officials and Zhu Yuanzhang himself were unaware that Zhu Duo had appeared during the Northern Expedition.

{New World: I'm finding it increasingly difficult to understand what Prince Zhu Duo is really up to.}

{New World: Having personally participated in the Northern Expedition, he should have been the greatest contributor to the war. However, Prince Zhu Duo relinquished all the credit, allowing others to receive the rewards.}

{New World: Perhaps His Highness Zhu Duo didn't care about these achievements at all; he simply wanted the Ming Dynasty to enjoy peace and for its people to live better lives.}

{New World: Prince Zhu Duo is truly of noble character and integrity!}

{Original World: Zhu Duo didn't care about worldly fame and fortune at all; such a person is truly rare in this world.}

{Original World: It's truly impossible to fathom what Zhu Duo really wants.}

-

Under the guise of manufacturing flintlock muskets, Zhu Duo instructed the Heping Trading Company to submit a petition to the imperial court requesting the expansion of the factory, as well as additional manpower and land.

Because of the outstanding contributions made by the Peace Merchant Guild in the Northern Expedition, and the need to manufacture such a large number of flintlock muskets, Zhu Yuanzhang agreed.

Time flies by.

Under Zhu Duo's overall planning and coordination, one industrial town after another sprang up.

Moreover, the first batch of students at the school founded by Zhu Duo have officially graduated.

Some of the exceptionally talented students entered the research institute, intending to continue working for the Peace Trading Company, while others chose to join directly, entering the newly emerging industrial hub amidst numerous skeptical glances, and beginning to showcase their talents and shine.

On the surface, these industrial centers were all used to manufacture flintlock muskets.

However, in reality, the research institute and the trainees have already begun the next stage of research and development, including breech-loading rifled guns, as well as various types of artillery such as rifles and machine guns.

These things, which should have appeared hundreds of years later during the Industrial Revolution, have already been born on the land of the Ming Dynasty ahead of schedule!

Zhu Duo's more than ten years of painstaking efforts and tireless work have propelled the world forward by hundreds of years, directly ushering in a completely new industrial age!

Although the present Ming Dynasty, compared to the complete Industrial Revolution era of later generations, can only be considered a mixture of the old era and the industrial era.

But Zhu Duo knew in his heart that as long as he continued to move forward steadily, once the talents he had personally cultivated and the new ideas he had spread became the mainstream of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty would undergo a true transformation!

Meanwhile, the person in charge of the business, following Zhu Duo's instructions, requested land and craftsmen under the pretext of expanding the factory.

Old Zhu waved his hand and agreed.

{Original World: It's truly impossible to fathom what Zhu Duo really wants.}

-

Under the guise of manufacturing flintlock muskets, Zhu Duo instructed the Heping Trading Company to submit a petition to the imperial court requesting the expansion of the factory, as well as additional manpower and land.

Because of the outstanding contributions made by the Peace Merchant Guild in the Northern Expedition, and the need to manufacture such a large number of flintlock muskets, Zhu Yuanzhang agreed.

Time flies by.

Under Zhu Duo's overall planning and coordination, one industrial town after another sprang up.

Moreover, the first batch of students at the school founded by Zhu Duo have officially graduated.

Some of the exceptionally talented students entered the research institute, intending to continue working for the Peace Trading Company, while others chose to join directly, entering the newly emerging industrial hub amidst numerous skeptical glances, and beginning to showcase their talents and shine.

On the surface, these industrial centers were all used to manufacture flintlock muskets.

However, in reality, the research institute and the trainees have already begun the next stage of research and development, including breech-loading rifled guns, as well as various types of artillery such as rifles and machine guns.

These things, which should have appeared hundreds of years later during the Industrial Revolution, have already been born on the land of the Ming Dynasty ahead of schedule!

Zhu Duo's more than ten years of painstaking efforts and tireless work have propelled the world forward by hundreds of years, directly ushering in a completely new industrial age!

Although the present Ming Dynasty, compared to the complete Industrial Revolution era of later generations, can only be considered a mixture of the old era and the industrial era.

But Zhu Duo knew in his heart that as long as he continued to move forward steadily, once the talents he had personally cultivated and the new ideas he had spread became the mainstream of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty would undergo a true transformation!

Meanwhile, the person in charge of the business, following Zhu Duo's instructions, requested land and craftsmen under the pretext of expanding the factory.

Old Zhu waved his hand and agreed.