novelonline Chapter 1693 Jia Heng: It is truly a mandate from Heaven, may you live long and prosper.
Chapter 1693 Jia Heng: It is truly a mandate from Heaven, may you live long and prosper.
Chapter 1693 Jia Heng: It is truly a mandate from Heaven, may you live long and prosper.
Shenjing City
Time flies like water, and before we knew it, it was the spring of the second year of Qiande.
But the bluestone-paved streets were lightly covered with a layer of wet dew. At this moment, dozens of Mongolian cavalrymen wearing fur felt hats and black armor could be seen, surrounding a burly man with a rough face, and galloping towards the Zongli Yamen.
Today is the day when Prince Chahar, Ezhe, the Great Han Mongol King, returns to Beijing to report on his work.
Shenjing City, Zongli Affairs Office——
Jia Heng was wearing a black and red satin robe with golden silk thread and a black official hat. He sat on a pearwood chair in the middle of the hall. On the lacquered wooden table was a pile of memorials, which were copies of the memorials that the six ministries in the capital had copied from the Ministry of Public Administration.
At this moment, a Jinyifu guard quickly entered the hall, bowed to Jia Heng, and said, "Your Majesty, I am honored to see you outside the yamen."
Jia Heng stood up and said, "Then I will go to greet her."
After all, he is his father-in-law, so of course he has to be respectful to him.
As he was talking, Jia Heng, accompanied by several officers from the Jinyi Palace, quickly came to the outer room of the corridor and saw the unshaven and burly-looking King Meng head-on.
As he was speaking, the King of Meng was seen wearing a maroon armor with a mountain pattern on it, walking like a dragon and a tiger, followed by several guards from the Chahar tribe. With a resolute and calm face, he bowed and said, "I greet the King of Wei. May you live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years."
His son-in-law is now a completely different person than before. He has become the regent, second only to the emperor.
Jia Heng looked up at Prince Meng, held out his hand, and said, "Please stand up quickly, Prince Meng, and take a seat over here."
Afterwards, the invited Meng Wang Ezhe sat down again on the pearwood chair beside him. The servant served him fragrant tea and then slowly left.
The Mongol King Ezhe said, "Prince Wei mentioned before that the imperial court wanted to use military force against the Khoshut tribe in Tibet?"
Jia Heng said in a voice as loud as a rock: "Since the beginning of this spring, the Junggars in the western regions have been making frequent moves. The leader of the Junggars, Galdan, is sharpening his sword and is ready to invade the south at any time. Our dynasty is now in control of the imperial court, so we should take the initiative to prevent future troubles."
King Meng praised him and said loudly: "King Wei is thoughtful and considerate. I think it should be done this way."
Jia Heng picked up the teacup, took a sip of the tea, and asked, "When does the King of Meng think we should send out the troops?"
King Meng frowned and said, "King Wei, it is already late autumn and winter will come soon. We cannot rush to attack Tibet."
Jia Heng nodded and said, "Then we should prepare for war first, and then send troops to Tibet and march to Qamdo after the beginning of next spring."
King Meng nodded, his eyes sparkling under his thick eyebrows, and said, "I will follow King Wei's wishes."
Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then said, "Prince Meng must be exhausted from the long journey. You can go to the mansion to bathe and change clothes first. I will prepare a light banquet to welcome you. Yaruo will also be there in a while."
Meng Wang Ezhe looked at Jia Heng intently and said with emotion: "It's indeed been a long time since I last saw Yaruo."
Jia Heng nodded.
Prince Meng stood up, bowed to Jia Heng, and said, "Then I will take my leave first."
Having said that, he quickly walked out of the Zongli Yamen, escorted by a group of guards.
Just like that, after watching King Meng leave, Jia Heng did not stay in the General Affairs Office for long. He stood up and walked towards the outer room.
Ningguo Mansion, Back House——
Chen Xiao, dressed in a green dress, stared at the young man in python robe coming from outside, put down the chess piece in her hand, and asked, "Zi Yu, you're back."
Jia Heng nodded, stared at Chen Xiao who was pregnant, then looked at Gu Ruoqing beside him and said, "Yeah, what are you and Ruoqing doing?"
As he spoke, he walked closer, sat down nearby, gently took Chen Xiao's soft, white, slender hand, and whispered, "Xiaoxiao, I just went to see King Meng."
Chen Xiao heard this and asked curiously, "What did King Meng say?"
Jia Heng picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup on the small table beside him, took a sip of tea, and said, "It is tentatively scheduled for the beginning of next spring to prepare the troops for the expedition."
Chen Xiao thought for a moment and said, "It would be fine if spring came next year, but the snowy mountains are bitterly cold, and our soldiers in the Han army may not be able to adapt to the climate of the snowy mountains."
Jia Heng nodded and said, "I am also thinking about how to select soldiers to go to Tibet."
We had actually considered altitude sickness before, and needed to select from the Beijing camp.
Chen Xiao asked, "Since the Beijing camp is cooperating with the troops this time, who are you planning to send as the general?"
"The Marquis of Shanhai, Cao Bianjiao, was implicated for treason in the first year of Qiande." Jia Heng's face became stern, and he said, "This time he will lead the troops of the Beijing camp to conquer Tibet."
Chen Xiao thought about it and agreed, "The Marquis of Shanhai is good at fighting, so it is appropriate for him to lead the troops."
Jia Heng nodded and said, "We will have to host a welcoming ceremony for Prince Meng later. You and Ruoqing wait here first."
Chen Xiao's face, which was as bright as a rosy cloud, whispered, "Go ahead."
As she spoke, she gently stroked her slightly bulging belly, then turned her head to look at Gu Ruoqing beside her and said, "Senior Sister, how have you been these days?"
Gu Ruoqing's face, as white as snow, flushed. She also reached out and gently stroked her bulging belly, whispering, "It's nothing else, but the fetus is moving violently."
Chen Xiao hummed softly, and then said nothing else.
……
……
Shenjing City, Ningguo Mansion, Front Hall——
Jia Heng sat in the middle. Just after sitting for a while, he heard a brisk voice, which asked with a bit of sweetness and briskness, "Brother Heng, is father here?"
As they were talking, Yaruo stepped over the threshold from outside. Her innocent and bright face with pigtails was full of joy. She said, "Brother Heng."
Jia Heng nodded with sword-like eyebrows, looked at Yaruo intently, and said, "Yaruo, your father hasn't come yet."
Yaruo said "hmm", came closer and sat down next to Jia Heng, her bright and beautiful eyes shining like stars, and said: "Brother Heng, I think I'm pregnant."
Jia Heng: "..."
Jia Heng was in a daze, so he took Yaruo's slender hand, looked surprised, and asked, "When did it happen?"
Yaruo blushed and said, "The day before yesterday, I found that my period had not come, so I came to ask Sister Baoqin."
Jia Heng was speechless for a moment, and said, "Let's wait for a while, it won't be too late to take a look first."
Jia Heng looked at Yaruo and said, "That's a happy event. When your father comes, you should talk to him about it."
Yaruo's innocent and bright face blushed as she responded softly, "Yeah."
After a while, a maid from the outer room quickly entered the room and said softly, "My Lord, Prince Meng is here."
Jia Heng turned his head to look at Yaruo who was standing beside him, smiled, and whispered, "Yaruo, let's go over and take a look."
Yaruo didn't say anything else and followed Jia Heng to the outer room of the corridor.
At this moment, accompanied by Chahar's personal guards, Prince Meng came closer, turned his head to look at Yaruo, a hearty smile appeared on his face, and said, "Yaruo, long time no see."
"Father." Yaruo said softly, and while speaking, she almost flew into King Meng's arms like a young swallow flying into the forest.
King Meng gently put his arm around Yaruo's shoulders, smiled and said jokingly: "Okay, you are an adult, and you are still crying. Let others laugh at you again."
As he spoke, he took Yaruo's slender hand and sat down near the round table.
Jia Heng also sat down and said with a smile: "It's a rare reunion for us today, Prince Meng, I'll toast you a glass."
As he spoke, he picked up a blue and white porcelain teapot, poured wine into the teacup and handed it over.
King Meng said: "King Wei is the regent king, it is really embarrassing for me."
Jia Heng smiled and said, "There is no Prince Wei here, only the father-in-law and the son-in-law."
When King Meng heard this, he felt extremely comforted. He picked up the blue and white porcelain wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
Yaruo picked up the wine jug and helped Jia Heng pour wine into the wine cup, her eyes full of attachment.
Jia Heng asked, "Prince Meng, what is the situation in Khoshut?"
King Meng said: "Since the first year of Jianxing, when the Gao family rebelled in Bashu, the Junggar and Khoshut tribes were defeated by the Han army. The Khoshut side retreated to the south of Qamdo. The Khoshut Khan has also been preparing for war in the past two years, and the two sides have repeatedly fought small-scale battles."
Jia Heng put down the teacup in his hand and asked, "How is the fighting capacity of the Khoshut soldiers?"
The Mongol King Ezhe looked extremely proud and said, "We are no match for the warriors of my Chahar tribe and the elite of the Han army."
Jia Heng's eyes flickered under his sword-like eyebrows, and he looked at King Meng intently and said in a gentle voice, "That's good."
King Meng said: "It's just that the Khoshut troops rely on the snowy mountain terrain, and it's inconvenient for our army to feint an attack on them."
At this moment, Yaruo was listening quietly to the two people's conversation, and a look of concentration could not help showing on her pretty and bright face.
Jia Heng then had his meal with Prince Meng, and it was not until the afternoon that both the host and the guests were very happy.
Yaruo said softly, "Brother Heng, I'm going to go talk to Dad for a while."
Jia Heng said, "Then go ahead."
Yaruo then followed King Meng to a side hall to rest.
Under King Meng's thick eyebrows, he looked at his daughter kindly and said, "Yaruo, how is life in the capital? King Wei is treating you well."
Yaruo's face was filled with joy, and she said, "Father, Brother Heng was very kind to me before."
King Meng gave him a warning, saying, "King Wei has the qualities of an emperor. You must serve him well."
Yaruo said "hmm", and felt shy in her heart, and her snow-white face turned red like a rosy cloud.
Meng Wang Ezhe suddenly remembered something and asked again, "What happened to the matter I asked you in the previous letter?"
If his daughter could give birth to a child for Prince Wei, after he occupied Tibet in the future, he could even ask Prince Wei for the title of Qinghai, and even promote Yaruo to become the queen.
He had heard that the Prince of Wei's wife had no son, so anyone could become the Crown Prince.
The sides of Yaruo's bright and beautiful face were covered with beautiful red clouds. She said, "Father, I haven't told you yet, but I think... I think I'm pregnant."
When the Meng Wang Ezhe heard this, his expression suddenly changed and he asked, "What did you say? You have a child?"
Yaruo said "hmm", and her face, which was somewhat innocent and heroic, turned red with shame, and her beautiful eyes were full of joy.
When the Mongol king Ezhe heard this, he laughed and said, "Okay, okay, okay."
As he spoke, he looked at Yaruo, whose face was already flushed, and said with a smile: "Yaruo, try to give birth to a big fat boy for King Wei."
When Yaruo heard this, her snow-white face turned red with shame and she didn't know what to say.
Meng Wang Ezhe showed a look of emotion on his face and said, "The King of Wei is a man with a destiny. The child in your belly in the future can at least be a prince of the vassal state and guard a place."
Hearing this, Yaruo couldn't help but exclaimed, raised her eyes to look at Ezhe, pursed her pink lips, and said, "Father, I don't think so much, I just hope that the child can grow up safely in the future."
Ezhe smiled, somewhat helplessly, and said, "You silly child."
You are still young now, but when you are old and ugly, you will know that the only people you can rely on are your children.
However, fools have their own luck, and it is still uncertain what the future will be like.
……
……
The deceased is like a husband who does not want to leave day or night.
The sun rose and the moon set, the stars moved, and in the blink of an eye, it was the sixth month of summer in the second year of Qiande.
In the past six months, the Han Dynasty court has been repairing official roads and developing water conservancy projects, while actively preparing for war and preparing to attack Tibet.
On this day, Jia Heng was working in the Zongli Yamen. As time passed, the financial structure of the Zongli Yamen gradually got on track.
At this moment, a Jinyifu guard officer wearing a flying fish uniform came quickly from outside and said with a bow, "Your Highness, the Imperial College has sent someone to ask you something important."
Jia Heng put down the memorial in his hand and asked, "Oh? Did it say what it was about?"
The Jinyifu guard who was investigating the matter had a respectful look on his face and said, "Your Highness, the Imperial College said... that the steam engine has been developed."
"What?" Jia Heng was surprised and delighted when he heard this. He quickly put down the blue and white porcelain teacup in his hand and told the servants around him, "Come here, hurry to the Imperial College."
Then, surrounded by the Jinyifu guards, Jia Heng walked quickly towards the Imperial College.
Shenjing City, Imperial College, Fengming Pavilion——
Xu Guangqi was wearing a scarlet official robe with a jade belt and a black gauze hat. He stood under the eaves of the corridor, like a straight pine tree and a dignified phoenix.
Together with a group of disciples beside him, they gathered around the peculiarly shaped machine in the bluestone-paved courtyard.
This is exactly the steam engine that Jia Heng mentioned. This steam engine, which has epoch-making significance in later generations, has now come to the market.
"Master, this steam engine can move back and forth on the rails and carry a lot of cargo." Xu Guangqi's disciple Chen Long said.
At this moment, all the students of the Imperial Academy who were learning martial arts from Xu Guangqi were also amazed.
Xu Guangqi twisted his black and gray beard with his hands, his face full of a sense of accomplishment, and smiled, "Yes, this thing is powered by coal and runs on rails. It can carry more cargo than horses, and it can travel all over the country."
At this moment, a young and handsome officer quickly entered the Imperial College, bowed to Xu Guangqi, and reported, "Sir, the Prince of Wei is here."
Xu Guangqi was overjoyed when he heard this. He glanced at the disciples beside him and said, "Everyone, follow me out of the city gate to greet him."
Upon hearing this, the disciples responded softly and went out one after another.
As he was talking, outside the towering ceremonial gate, the tall young man in python robes was seen standing in the courtyard. He stared at Xu Guangqi with complicated eyes, called out, and said, "Mr. Xu."
Since the invention of the steam engine, he was willing to call Xu Guangqi "Sir".
"Your humble servant greets the prince." Xu Guangqi took a few quick steps, bowed to Jia Heng and said.
Unlike the idler in the mountains and fields in the past, Xu Guangqi is now a minister under Jia Heng.
Jia Heng walked closer with a smile on his face, held out his hand and said, "Mr. Xu, there is no need to be so polite."
As he said this, he turned his head to look at the steam engine not far away. He couldn't help but feel excited from the bottom of his heart, and said softly: "Mr. Xu, I'll go take a look."
Soon, Jia Heng came close to the iron lump, stared at the steam engine that was emitting hot steam, and his mind was inevitably filled with fantasies.
With this thing, in the future, we will see a criss-crossing railway network all over the country, and we will truly enter the steampunk era.
It can be said that he pushed the history of the Han Dynasty forward by hundreds of years, and his independence from the Han Dynasty was legitimate in the eyes of people in later generations.
He is truly appointed by Heaven, and may he live long and prosper.
Xu Guangqi also looked pleased and said, "Prince Wei, the steam engine is powered by coal. If it is used nationwide, the coal mines needed in the future will be huge. We need to prepare for this."
Jia Heng said: "The land of Jinzhong has rich coal reserves. The Ministry of Industry has sent people to Shanxi and other places to survey coal reserves. Recently, the court will also set up a mining company to mine coal in batches."
Xu Guangqi was silent for a moment, and then whispered, "In addition, laying rails on the road requires a large amount of rails."
Jia Heng whispered, "The Ministry of Industry has also been surveying iron ore and building railroad tracks in the past two years. When the time comes, our Han Dynasty will first build a railway from Shenjing to Luoyang and Nanjing, and then spend another five years to build it to Yuehai, striving to achieve smooth access from north to south."
First, lay a cross-shaped railway artery in Kyushu.
Xu Guangqi said: "This is a long-term project and cannot be completed overnight."
Jia Heng nodded and said, "Right now the whole country is still repairing official roads, so it is not appropriate to start large-scale construction. However, the court will issue a national debt to raise funds from the rich and powerful officials and merchants in the world."
Xu Guangqi looked puzzled and asked, "National debt?"
The term "national debt" is a term that has never existed before in this era.
Jia Heng said: "The Ministry of Revenue will issue a national debt, which will be guaranteed by the Royal Bank. The government officials and common people will borrow special funds for the railway, and then pay a certain amount of interest. It is agreed that the funds will be repaid in five or ten years, and the profits from the railway will be taxed as business taxes."
This is like tying the whole world to his chariot. Of course, the side effects are also obvious. Once he breaches the contract, he will be resented by the people of the world.
But if it is exchanged as scheduled five years later, and the scholars and officials all over the world benefit from it, then the people of the world will surely be swayed by it and become staunch supporters of King Wei.
At that time, the change of dynasties was a natural thing.
Xu Guangqi pondered the key points involved and always felt that there was something to it.
Jia Heng smiled and said, "However, this steam engine still has many imperfections. During this period of time, we will first test run it and then improve some areas that need improvement."
Xu Guangqi collected his thoughts and said, "The steam engine does need some improvement."
Afterwards, the two talked for a while, the servants prepared wine and food, and they sat down to enjoy the feast.