Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

This day was an exhilarating one for the Shenji Battalion. (Hong)

The current emperor personally visited the Shenji Battalion, an unprecedented event since the battalion was established.

The solemn arrangements and strict security in the preceding days need not be elaborated upon; it was simply stated that the southernmost high platform of the main training ground of the Japanese Imperial Guard Battalion was the site of the training ground.

Emperor Ningkang sat majestically on his high throne, flanked by the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, Princess Zhaoyang, and the Fourth Prince. Below the throne stood a solemn and orderly array of Imperial Guards and officers.

After confirming that everything was ready, Jia Lian strode up to the dragon platform and, with a military salute, reported: "Your Majesty, the three new cannons and three hundred targets have been set up. Please issue the order to fire them!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Ningkang stepped down from his dragon throne, stood on the edge of the high platform, and looked out into the distance.

A hundred meters in front of him, three enormous cannons were arrayed, and further ahead of the cannons, a square area could be vaguely seen. Perhaps due to years of reviewing memorials, his vision was not so clear, and he could only roughly make out that they were targets stuck in the ground.

Emperor Ningkang stood there, lost in thought, for a while before calmly ordering, "Light the fire."

As soon as he spoke, a line of ten imperial guards immediately surrounded Emperor Ningkang, holding shields and blocking his way. They were clearly not comfortable with cannons, which were powerful but unfamiliar to them.

Emperor Ningkang, displeased that his view was obstructed, said, "Move aside."

The general in charge of the emperor's safety quickly moved his men back, remaining vigilant. Then Jia Lian stood by the dragon platform and waved to his subordinates.

The gunners below, having received Jia Lian's orders, immediately suppressed their anxiety and excitement and began to move swiftly.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Bang bang bang!!!"

Three deafening sounds rang out, as if the earth itself trembled.

Even Emperor Ningkang almost couldn't help but take a step back, but he quickly regained his composure and looked suspiciously at the smoke rising into the sky in the distance...

Seeing the experiment succeed, Jia Lian smiled and immediately ordered his attendants, "Collect the destroyed targets and bring them to His Majesty for inspection!"

"slow!"

Emperor Ningkang, however, stopped him, saying, "I will go and see for myself."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince immediately said, "Father, guns and cannons have no eyes. It is really inappropriate for you to go over there. It would be better to have Marquis Zhenyuan take the target back."

"No need for further explanation."

In Emperor Ningkang's mind, even the most powerful cannon was nothing more than a single iron ball launched, capable of causing devastating damage to the city walls. But the scene today, with its massive flames and billowing smoke, was completely unexpected.

Therefore, he wanted to see for himself just how destructive this thing was. What could he possibly learn by moving the target over?

Jia Lian greatly admired Emperor Ningkang's boldness and naturally did not object. He simply ordered his men to turn the cannons around and point them westward. Even though he knew the possibility of accidental firing and injury was practically zero, pointing the dark muzzles of cannons at the emperor was still a great disrespect.

A moment later, standing in the middle of the firing range, which still retained its heat, Emperor Ningkang's expression was solemn. The Crown Prince and the others, however, couldn't help but show expressions of astonishment.

Looking around, the once densely packed, brand-new targets were now scattered, some leaning precariously, others broken and dilapidated. Three disorganized, dark, circular craters radiated outwards from their center.

Although most of the three hundred targets still appeared to be upright, they were all damaged. Roughly estimated, if these targets were soldiers, after these three shots, no more than half of them would still be able to maintain their combat effectiveness!

Seeing the results that exceeded previous training standards, Jia Lian's smile widened even more.

He hadn't expected that artillery, which he considered more difficult and therefore hadn't rushed to research, would make significant progress before firearms!

This was an unexpected joy. It also meant that artillery loaded with explosive shells was about to truly begin to dominate the battlefields of the future.

In fact, explosive bombs have appeared before, but most of them were short-lived and were abandoned due to their extremely inferior launch methods or huge drawbacks.

Not long ago, a craftsman from the Shenji Battalion's Artillery Bureau excitedly approached him, saying that he had come up with a way to develop the kind of shell he had mentioned before, which would explode upon impact and then use its fragments to kill large groups of enemies.

Jia Lian initially listened to his description with skepticism, but after listening, he felt that it was indeed very feasible.

When a batch was produced according to the method, it was found to be surprisingly stable! That's right, the most important thing for a high-explosive shell is stability. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing if it exploded inside the barrel before it was even fired.

According to the historical records Jia Lian consulted, such incidents were quite common, which is the main reason why neither the previous dynasty nor the current dynasty adopted the use of exploding shells.

Therefore, after repeated testing and finding the safety guaranteed, Jia Lian eagerly reported this to Emperor Ningkang.

Jia Lian believed that with this leap forward, the Great Wei was now capable of competing for interests during the Age of Exploration, much like the "Red Barbarians" (a general term used by the previous and current dynasties to refer to early maritime colonists such as Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands).

Emperor Ningkang, who also aspired to achieve great imperial feats, decided upon hearing Jia Lian's earnest introduction that he must come and see for himself. This led to his trip today.

Seeing that Emperor Ningkang was also shocked by the effect of the new cannons, Jia Lian added fuel to the fire, saying, "Your Majesty, this new type of cannon has only just been modified, and there are only three of them at present."

But Your Majesty should have seen it too: just these three cannons, facing a concentrated enemy force, were already able to inflict widespread casualties.

Therefore, it's not difficult to deduce that if we had thirty, or even three hundred, cannons like these, all arrayed in battle formation, then it can be said that our Great Wei would be invincible in the battle of the plains! Whether it be the Oirats and Tatars in the north, or the sea pirates from the far west, they would all have no choice but to bow down and submit before our Great Wei!

Jia Lian's words resonated deeply with those around him, causing some to be greatly shocked while others remained unmoved. After all, for many, the Great Wei was invincible.

Emperor Ningkang was not so short-sighted. Although he lived deep within the palace, his diligence allowed him to maintain a general understanding of the situation in the entire Wei Dynasty.

Putting aside other matters, many of the memorials submitted to him by officials from Guangdong and Fujian provinces concerned the "Red Barbarians" and "Japanese Pirates." Emperor Ningkang had long desired to eliminate the pirate threat at sea, but due to limited energy, he had not been able to do so.

Therefore, after hearing Jia Lian's words, Emperor Ningkang paused for a moment and asked, "Does this new cannon have a name?"

"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to develop firearms, but I have not dared to change their name without authorization. I beg Your Majesty to bestow a name upon them!"

In fact, Jia Lian never thought of changing the name, because this time the shells were upgraded, while the cannons were still based on the best old Franz breech-loading cannon with slight modifications.

Emperor Ningkang then said, "Since you say that this cannon can deter the northern Tatars, Oirats, and the Red Barbarian bandits, then I will bestow upon it the name 'Zhenyuan Cannon.' May this weapon, in the hands of my Great Wei, truly bring submission to all directions."

"Your Majesty is wise."

Upon hearing Emperor Ningkang's smile at the end, the Crown Prince and others immediately rushed to flatter him. At the same time, they all glanced at Jia Lian with complex expressions.

They certainly knew that Jia Lian's title was "Zhenyuan," and they didn't know what Emperor Ningkang meant by this. However, considering that the new cannons were originally created by Jia Lian, it was reasonable for Emperor Ningkang to name them after Jia Lian.

On the way back to Longtai, the Fourth Prince quietly approached Jia Lian and whispered, "You're really not being fair. You have such a powerful thing, but last time you only gave me such a small thing... This cannon looks quite interesting, bang~~ sparks flying everywhere, how about you give me another one to play with?"

"Fourth brother, don't be silly. This fierce creature is no ordinary thing; how can it be used as a plaything?"

The Third Prince stepped forward and chuckled softly. After speaking, he looked at Jia Lian and said, "Marquis Zhenyuan is truly a capable minister of our Great Wei. The Zhenyuan Cannon he has developed this time will surely enhance the prestige of our Great Wei. At that time, Marquis Zhenyuan will have another chapter in the annals of history."

At this point, the Third Prince suddenly realized that for Jia Lian, there was no doubt that he would be remembered in history. His heroic deeds, which had spread throughout the land, were enough.

But if he, a prince, fails to seize the throne, let alone be recorded in history, there will likely be very little mention of him in the annals. Perhaps, it will be just a few lines such as "Wei Yan, the third son of Emperor Ningkang of the Great Wei, once fought with a certain emperor (the emperor's title of the eldest prince) for the throne, failed and died," and that's about it.

In that sense, he, an emperor, was even less than a subject. Therefore, regardless of success or failure, he should accomplish a few things in a spectacular fashion, even if it left him with a less than favorable reputation, it was better than being forgotten. Hong

Faced with the Third Prince's flattery, Jia Lian immediately replied humbly, "Your Highness is too kind. For a subject to serve the court and be loyal to His Majesty is already a great honor. As for whether I can be remembered in history, that is not something I consider."

"Haha, Marquis Zhenyuan is of noble character and integrity, displaying the demeanor of a loyal subject. Unlike some people who are busy all day long searching for phrases and excerpts, engaging in scholarly pursuits, yet always thinking of leaving their mark on history, haha."

The crown prince also came over.

The Third Prince looked at him and suddenly said, "Eldest Brother is right. As I just said, Marquis Zhenyuan is not only a capable minister of our Great Wei, but also a loyal minister, and a loyal minister who dares to speak frankly and is not afraid of powerful figures."

As he spoke, the Third Prince looked at Jia Lian and said approvingly, "Last time, the imperial clan members criticized the government and slandered the emperor. If it weren't for the Marquis of Zhenyuan's resolute insistence on handing them over to the emperor for punishment, they might have escaped punishment. Even now, those unfilial sons are still reflecting on their actions at the ancestral temple. All of this is thanks to the Marquis of Zhenyuan. I admire him greatly and think that other ministers would not be able to be so loyal and upright."

The Third Prince's words made Jia Lian's eyes narrow, and he naturally understood that this was an attempt to sow discord between him and the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince's expression also changed slightly. The matter of the imperial clan members criticizing court affairs had indeed caused him considerable headaches for quite some time; even now, he didn't know if Emperor Ningkang's anger towards him had subsided. In truth, this trouble was indeed brought to him by Jia Lian… Hong

Jia Lian didn't even need to read the Crown Prince's expression to know that the Crown Prince harbored some resentment towards him. After all, the Crown Prince had intervened to resolve the conflict between him and Wei Xian, yet he still arrested Wei Xian and a group of imperial clan members, which, in a way, showed a lack of consideration for the Crown Prince's reputation…

"Your Highness is too kind. Not to mention that Your Highness was present that day, I was merely acting on orders. Even if I had been alone, or if other court officials had been present, I'm afraid the outcome would have been the same."

For a subject, loyalty to the emperor is paramount; this is an unchanging principle throughout history. Therefore, it was only because His Highness the Crown Prince was absent that day; had he been present, he would likely have dealt with those people personally, without even needing to consult His Majesty, and severely punished them. In this sense, those members of the imperial clan were fortunate to have encountered the easy-going Fourth Prince.

Beside him, the Fourth Prince listened to his brothers' cryptic banter. Although he didn't quite understand, he found it quite amusing. "Am I really so easy to talk to in Jia Lian's eyes?" "Well, probably," Jia Lian replied. "I've always been someone who readily accepts advice and listens to reason like flowing water."

The Crown Prince, realizing he couldn't fall for the Third Prince's scheme, said in a deep voice, "The Marquis of Zhenyuan is right. If I had been there that day, I would have made those scoundrels suffer greatly. Making them reflect on their actions at the Imperial Ancestral Temple is indeed too lenient!"

The third prince smiled slightly, turned around, and left.

Seeing the Third Prince retreat, the Crown Prince only offered a few words of encouragement and let it go. Princess Zhaoyang, however, only secretly gave Jia Lian an approving look after her two brothers' attention had shifted. It was unclear whether she was praising him for developing the new cannon or commending him for not being defeated amidst the combined attack of the two princes.

Jia Lian and the others didn't even notice that Emperor Ningkang in front of them deliberately slowed down his pace while they were talking.

Upon arriving at the Dragon Platform, everyone returned to their places. Emperor Ningkang beckoned Jia Lian closer: "I once heard that your ancestors were quite accomplished in maritime affairs?"

"Your Majesty, I would not say I have made any achievements. It was just that when my great-grandfather was alive, my great-grandfather treated him well and gave him a position of honor after he became too old to go to the battlefield. At that time, he was mainly responsible for building coastal defenses, repairing sea dikes, and building ships in the Huaihe and Zhejiang regions."

After my great-grandfather passed away, my family gradually withdrew from maritime affairs.

Emperor Ningkang pondered for a moment upon hearing this, "I heard you say before that the reason why those barbarians were able to travel from the far west, thousands of miles away, to cause trouble in the coastal areas of our Great Wei is because of their powerful ships and cannons. You also said that these cannons can only unleash their true power if they can be mounted on large ships. Is this true?"

Upon hearing Emperor Ningkang's implied meaning, Jia Lian couldn't contain his joy and immediately replied, "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. Although cannons are extremely powerful, far surpassing ordinary military weapons, they are not only enormous in size but also exceptionally heavy. Moving them in land battles would be a huge problem."

But if it were placed on a boat, it would be much more convenient. Any place in the world connected by water could be reached. —Hong

As he spoke, Jia Lian continued, “Your Majesty, the reason why those barbarians are only causing trouble on the islands by the South China Sea and not entering the territory of our Great Wei is not because they do not want to or dare to, but because they have come from afar and have not yet gathered an effective force on the very side of our Great Wei.”

If our Great Wei ignores this situation, these Red Barbarians will undoubtedly become a great threat to our Great Wei within decades, or even centuries! For the sake of the Great Wei for generations to come, I once again implore Your Majesty to develop the navy. We do not seek to completely eradicate the Red Barbarian threat, but at least to first eliminate their wings and roots in the seas surrounding our Great Wei!

Jia Lian's words certainly contained an element of acting on his own initiative.

In fact, the Western powers did not emerge overnight. This process was quite slow, so slow that the rise and fall of powers like Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Britain took several centuries.

According to Jia Lian's speculation based on the current situation, it would take at least two or three hundred years for these small countries to have the capacity to pose a significant threat to the vast and resource-rich Wei!

Of course, this was based on his previous life's situation, and he did not rule out the possibility that something had happened in the West that led to the accelerated progress of the Industrial Revolution.

But regardless, it's always better to prepare early. Speaking hastily was merely to draw the attention of Emperor Ningkang and others. (Hong)

As expected, both Emperor Ningkang and the Crown Prince frowned at Jia Lian's words. Emperor Ningkang was alright, having heard Jia Lian speak more than once and having considered it from various perspectives himself, but the Crown Prince and the others felt that Jia Lian was exaggerating.

Hongyi, a small western country, is said to have a population of no more than a million...

Before the Crown Prince and others could raise any questions, Emperor Ningkang had already made his decision.

"Jia Lian".

"Your subject is here."

"I intend to send you to Tianjin to build a harbor and oversee the construction of warships. Would you be willing?"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Hong

Jia Lian's quick reply prompted Emperor Ningkang to say, "Although Tianjin is not far from the capital, it still takes a day to travel there and back. Aren't you going to consider this?"

"Serving Your Majesty is my duty. I only need to follow Your Majesty's orders and need not consider anything else."

Emperor Ningkang snorted. Although he could see that Jia Lian was trying to gain a reputation for loyalty, it was still quite commendable that he would do such a thing. How could he not know that few officials in the capital were willing to be transferred to remote and arduous posts, let alone a wealthy young man like Jia Lian from a distinguished family?

This is actually why the sons of Xun family members are not capable of shouldering great responsibilities, and why he dislikes them; they are all used to a life of ease and comfort.

He then added, "Tianjin has a navy, and I hereby appoint you as the concurrent commander of the Tianjin Navy, in charge of overseeing the construction of warships. You may request any necessary materials from the Ministry of War or ask me directly."

When Emperor Ningkang said this, everyone fell silent.

Giving Jia Lian an official title is one thing; it's not surprising that a capable minister who can please the emperor would receive such a promotion. What's noteworthy is the following: what does it mean that "all necessary items can be obtained from the Ministry of War or directly from him"? (Hong)

This seems to mean that whatever you want, I will give you; if the Ministry of War can't provide it, I will provide it myself, so you don't need to worry about it!

Father is serious.

The princes could no longer sit still.

The third prince stepped forward first: "Father, although the idea of ​​developing cannons and using strong ships and cannons to resist the barbarians was proposed by the Marquis of Zhenyuan, it is perfectly reasonable for Father to use him."

However, the Marquis of Zhenyuan already held two positions, and if he were to be assigned additional duties, even if he had three heads and six arms, he would still be unable to handle them.

"If Father trusts me, I am willing to share your burdens and personally go to Tianjin to take charge of this matter!"

Judging solely from Emperor Ningkang's attitude towards this matter, the Third Prince knew that this was a tremendous opportunity.

The Crown Prince still has the responsibility of overseeing the country, yet he has nothing to do in the capital. If this matter can be accomplished, or at least done in a way that pleases Emperor Ningkang, it will be of great benefit to the cause.

Seeing that the Third Prince was going to such lengths, even going so far as to personally go to Tianjin, the Crown Prince became even more restless.

But as the Crown Prince, he certainly couldn't leave the capital, so he hurriedly said, "Third Brother, you're being too hasty. You yourself said that the Zhenyuan Cannon was developed by the Marquis of Zhenyuan, and even the idea of ​​strong ships and powerful cannons was proposed by the Marquis of Zhenyuan. Now you're trying to snatch the job before the Marquis of Zhenyuan, which is unbecoming of the royal family."

"As long as I can share the burden with my father and get things done, what's the point of talking about robbing or not? Besides, I'm doing this for the greater good. If the Marquis of Zhenyuan were to truly hold three positions in two different locations, and something were to happen to him due to overwork, wouldn't that be a tremendous loss for our Great Wei?"

Although Jia Lian also felt that the Third Prince's actions were extremely shameless, he couldn't say anything in the face of the rivalry between the two princes, and could only watch silently from the sidelines.

"That's enough!"

Emperor Ningkang initially thought the Third Prince's words were not entirely unreasonable. However, seeing the two princes arguing on the spot, he immediately abandoned the idea.

These two good-for-nothings, if they want to fight, let them fight it out in the capital, and see what they can achieve.

So he asked Jia Lian, "What do you think?"

Jia Lian certainly didn't find it difficult to hold three positions, and even wanted as many as possible, since it wasn't a job that required regular working hours.

But since the Third Prince had already said that, he still sincerely replied, "I am willing to follow Your Majesty's arrangements."

"If that's the case, then so be it. If you truly feel inadequate, then write to me again." How could Emperor Ningkang not know that of the several positions Jia Lian held, apart from the Military Command where he might have some routine official duties to handle, the other two were entirely up to him to arrange.

If he doesn't even have this much organizational ability, there's no need to place so much expectation on him.

Jia Lian, who had initially thought he would at least lose one of his positions, was overjoyed and kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

Seeing that Emperor Ningkang seemed to be about to leave, Jia Lian added, "Your Majesty, I have one more request."

"explain."

"If Your Majesty wishes to develop the navy and build enough warships, then cannons, muskets, and the like are of utmost importance."

Currently, the main equipment in the Shenji Battalion consists of crossbows, chariots, and the like. I propose that all other equipment be moved out of the Shenji Battalion, retaining only muskets and cannons, or that the muskets and cannons be moved out of the Shenji Battalion to form a separate army. This would benefit both sides.”

Emperor Ningkang thought for a moment and said, "Move the muskets and cannons out of the Shenji Camp and establish a firearms camp, under... under the Imperial Guard. As for the specific organizational structure, you can write a memorial to me."

"Yes."

From Emperor Ningkang's choice, it's clear that he didn't fully embrace his belief in the supremacy of firearms. However, this is for the best; one day, he will use firearms on the battlefield to change people's perceptions, forcing them to choose between superior and inferior weapons.