nashuaworldcup Chapter 231 Is This a Loyal Minister?
Chapter 231 Is This a Loyal Minister?
"Yes, Zhaohua has a keen eye for talent. Reward, reward them all," Emperor Yong laughed heartily, his expression filled with delight. He said loudly, "Pass on my decree. Princess Zhaohua has been commended for recommending talented people. She shall be conferred the title of First Rank Princess of the Nation!"
"Thank you, father!" Zhong Ning bowed slightly with a smile on his face.
"Lord Lu, you have made great contributions to the nation by developing divine weapons. I would like to have you join the Military Equipment Bureau as a deputy supervisor."
Lu Xingzhou was about to express his gratitude when he heard Zhong Ning suddenly say, "Father, this is inappropriate!"
"Hmm?" Emperor Yong looked over when he heard that.
Zhong Ning straightened his expression and said directly:
"I think it would be better to establish a Firearms Supervisory Office, on par with the Military Equipment Supervisory Office, to be responsible for the production of gunpowder."
"Although they are both military weapons, one is a hot weapon and the other is a cold weapon. They cannot be placed together. Moreover, gunpowder is extremely powerful and dangerous. It is more suitable to be placed in the mountains far away from Kyoto."
"In addition to establishing a firearms supervisory unit, we also need to train a firearms battalion, specifically responsible for charging to the front lines and attacking the enemy with firearms."
"These all need to be cultivated in advance, so that they can achieve miraculous effects on the battlefield!"
After hearing this, Emperor Yong looked up at the place where gunpowder was developed, and thought of the power of the gunpowder just now. He thought to himself that he had indeed thought too simply. This gunpowder was so powerful that it was indeed more suitable for use in the deep mountains.
Otherwise, if we are not careful and the bomb hits the buildings in the capital and injures the people, wouldn’t that be a pity?
"My son, you are right!" Emperor Yong's voice was slightly deep, and it was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry. "Since that's the case, then we will establish a Firearms Supervisory. As for the personnel, I will initially transfer a hundred people from the Military Equipment Supervisory and the Ministry of Works."
"My dear, you need to pay more attention to the Firearms Bureau!"
Emperor Yong turned to Lu Xingzhou and said, "This is the divine weapon that determines whether or not Great Yong will win on the battlefield. We cannot afford to let it go wrong!"
"Student, no, I will obey your order! I must serve the court! Serve Your Majesty!" Lu Xingzhou clasped his fists and saluted solemnly!
"As for this firearms camp..." Emperor Yong hesitated. The person who was most familiar with firearms was none other than Lu Xingzhou, but he had to be responsible for supervising the production of firearms. Where would he get the energy to train soldiers?
Zhong Ning saw Emperor Yong's worry and said, "Father, once the Firearms Supervisory Bureau is established, Lord Lu will only need to provide initial guidance, and subsequent craftsmen will follow the assembly line style. I think it won't be difficult to get started."
"On the contrary, if this firearms battalion does not have Lord Lu to personally train it, I am afraid that it will not be able to achieve the effect of a surprise attack on the battlefield one day!"
"This..." Emperor Yong pondered.
"Father, how about this? Instruct the Ministry of Works to build the necessary facilities for the Armory within two weeks. The required craftsmen are to report in three days and temporarily reside in the Imperial Manor. They must sign a confidentiality agreement before reporting."
"You are not allowed to return home within a year. Anyone who dares to reveal the base will be killed along with his entire clan."
"Also, dispatch another imperial guard to closely monitor this area and ensure that no mosquitoes can enter."
"Master Lu needs to train all the craftsmen within one month."
"The Firearms Battalion will be formed in a month. The selection criteria can be set by Lord Lu himself."
"Within three months, the Firearms Battalion must be fully trained and dispatched to the front lines of the Southern Border battlefield. Father, Lord Lu, do you think this is feasible?"
After hearing this, Emperor Yong nodded silently in his heart. He felt that this time was exactly what he wanted, but it still depended on whether Lu Xingzhou could do it.
Lu Xingzhou hesitated for a moment, then straightened up and shouted back, "Your Majesty, Princess, Lu Xingzhou will complete this mission at the cost of his life!"
Emperor Yong:........
"My dear Lord Lu, your spirit and energy don't seem like that of a scholar, but rather like that of a soldier!" Emperor Yong said with a smile.
Zhong Ning also silently gave Lu Xingzhou a thumbs up and immediately said to smooth things over for him:
"Father, I had the same feeling when I first met Lord Lu. Later, I learned that Lord Lu enjoys reading military strategies and regularly trains in martial arts. It's clear that even though Lord Lu hasn't joined the military, he's definitely capable of managing a firearms battalion!"
"Oh? My dear Lord Lu is proficient in military strategy?" Emperor Yong asked tentatively.
Lu Xingzhou straightened his body, instinctively being respectful and polite in front of his superiors, and then replied loudly: "Your Majesty, I understand a little bit!"
"In that case, tell me, our dynasty is attacking Nanzhao, and the two sides have been deadlocked for several months. What good strategy do you have?"
After thinking for a moment, Emperor Yong said, "You don't need to be so loud, just reply normally!"
Zhong Ning turned his head and almost laughed out loud.
Lu Xingzhou relaxed and replied sternly, "Your Majesty, as the ancient texts say: Adapt to local conditions and adapt when necessary; conquer the land and defeat the enemy, and you will win."
"I've heard that the land of Nanzhao is hot and humid, with miasma rife in the forests. There are many foreigners in Nanzhao, and at least one-third of the people live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack!"
"So I think that if you want to conquer Nanzhao, the best thing to do is naturally to use firearms first. But if you don't have firearms, you can organize a vanguard force."
"This unit is quite special. It's best to focus on prisoners in prison and fight their way out first."
"Just promise them that if they win, they will be exempted from punishment. Even if it's just for the rest of their lives, they will fight bravely against the enemy."
"In this way, we can rationally utilize prisoners and eliminate the hidden dangers of domestic violence, while also preserving the military's strength to the maximum extent and reducing losses to the main force."
As soon as Lu Xingzhou finished speaking, the expressions of everyone present changed.
Especially Emperor Yong, his eyes were surprisingly bright, and he looked at Lu Xingzhou as if he was the treasure of his life, wishing he could worship him.
"Lord Lu is truly a man of great talent!" Emperor Yong exclaimed. "Do you have any further requests? Tell me, and I will certainly satisfy you!"
"I only wish to recover the lost territories, wipe out the barbarians, and unify the country. Wherever my soldiers of Dayong go, all will become the king's land, and all the people will be his subjects!"
Lu Xingzhou looked serious and solemn!
But Emperor Yong was so moved that his eyes turned red. What a loyal minister!
"I am deeply pleased that you have such great ambitions. I only wish to join hands with you and see the world prosper!"
"Come here, pass on the imperial decree. Lu Xingzhou is appointed Director of the Firearms Administration, with full authority to oversee the research and development of firearms. He is also granted a mansion and ten thousand taels of gold!"
Su Qi lowered his head and accepted the order, waiting to return to the palace to draft an edict and issue it to the world!
But Zhong Ning continued, "Father, regarding the firearms, I think it's best not to announce it publicly yet. Whether it's the establishment of the Firearms Supervisory or the Firearms Battalion, it's best to keep it secret until they're officially unveiled."
"Of course, Lord Lu was appointed the Supervisor by our father himself, so naturally, the appointment was made internally. However, we kept it a secret to avoid public discussion. If this attracted spies from other countries to investigate, it would be disastrous if it was leaked."
"Therefore, all those involved in the construction of the Firearms Supervisory Office and the Firearms Camp must be the people most trusted by Father."
"After the construction is completed, you must stay here and sign a confidentiality agreement. You can return home after one year."