As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 215 The People Who Arrive Amidst the Storm
"You came?"

"It's not easy to see you!"

Upon arriving at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Xiao Xinyue put down the letter in her hand and smiled at him unconsciously, speaking in a tone that was half reproachful and half teasing.

"Your Majesty, please don't speak recklessly. How is it difficult to see Chen?"

"Just say the word, and Chen will be there anytime you call!"

Mingchen said with a smile, "I haven't been slacking off. If you don't believe me, you can ask Lord Wang where he sent the imperial decree to me."

The king lacked the majesty of a king, and the ministers lacked the respect of ministers.

The relationship between the two was not like that of a ruler and his subject, but more like that of friends.

Xiao Xinyue rolled her eyes at him upon hearing this.

Even if you had three mouths, you probably couldn't argue with this person.

She didn't press Mingchen for an explanation, but simply pointed to the table on the side and said, "Sit down."

"Good~"

"You went to the Ordnance Bureau?"

"Yes."

"What is the progress of firearms development?"

Some conservative and rigid ministers believed that firearms were evil and would harm both themselves and others. When Xiao Xinyue ordered a large sum of money to be allocated for their research and development, there were always people who jumped out to oppose it.

After Zhao Qian's incident, the old matter was brought up again, not to whitewash Zhao Qian, but simply because it was believed that there was no need to invest any more manpower and resources in it.

But she suppressed all of this.

She trusted Mingchen enough and also believed in her own judgment.

The Jinglan Alliance is using it and the results are outstanding, so the Xinchao has no reason not to study it.

Mingchen had told her that if you fall behind, you will be bullied, and that the times are constantly progressing.

She established a new dynasty, and "new" not only represents a transformed nation, but also new laws, new systems, and a new era...

She was willing to make changes, even relinquish some of the powers that a monarch must hold, in order to embrace new things.

Mingchen laughed and said, "Not bad. The new firearms can kill heavily armored soldiers, and the cannons are extremely powerful."

Xiao Xinyue nodded: "Okay!"

Xiao Xinyue would have been suspicious of what others said, but she was basically reassured by what Mingchen said.

"If you have any other thoughts, feel free to tell me."

This person is very clever, full of ideas, and sometimes can see the crux of a problem at a glance, but he is just lazy and won't say anything.

For example, this reform of the artisan system is a great attempt.

While reducing bureaucratic corruption, it greatly liberated the creativity and productivity of artisans.

She had previously discussed legal issues with Yun Zheng, who relayed each of the laws to her, and each one gave her a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Xiao Xinyue felt quite helpless towards Mingchen.

A career-driven empress can't understand the hearts of lazy, unambitious workers.

"Good~"

Mingchen nodded and asked Xiao Xinyue, "What brings Your Majesty here today?"

"Why can't I call you if there's nothing wrong?"

After Ling Yu returned, it became even harder to see this person.

We only see each other two or three times a month.

Xiao Xinyue glanced at him, and for no apparent reason, Her Majesty the Empress's tone seemed somewhat resentful.

She inexplicably gave off the feeling of a spoiled little girlfriend, a side that only Mingchen could see in private. The court officials would probably never see the Empress with such an expression in their lives.

"Haha, of course, of course!"

Mingchen said with a smile, "If Your Majesty really has nothing to say and summoned me, I'd be quite happy to do so."

He actually really enjoyed flirting with Her Majesty the Empress.

It's actually quite fun to tease your girlfriend who has such a prestigious background.

He just didn't want to deal with complicated matters and didn't want to work.

"Forehead……"

This person is very wicked; his words are full of traps, and you can easily fall into his trap without even realizing it.

Meeting the other person's smiling gaze, tinged with a hint of teasing, as if they could see right into one's heart, Xiao Xinyue choked, feeling inexplicably guilty and ashamed.

With the offense and defense going smoothly, she doesn't seem to have ever called Mingchen over for a casual chat.

She coughed lightly, unconsciously puffed out her chest, and tried to save face: "Hmph, I can call you anytime, whether it's for something or not!"

She is Her Majesty!
Mingchen, watch your tone!

"Haha, good, good, good~"

Xiao Xinyue pursed her lips and said, "Now that Luzhou has been captured and all the local officials have been settled, I would like to discuss the follow-up matters with you."

Mingchen didn't like getting involved in those trivial matters, and Xiao Xinyue didn't need him to do those things either.

However, his vision and strategic planning in the big picture cannot be ignored. Xiao Xinyue already had some ideas in mind, but she still wanted to confirm with Mingchen again.

Mingchen stopped teasing her and, as they got down to business, his lightheartedness faded. He asked, "How is the situation with the Xiongnu?"

"The two Khans were locked in a fierce battle. Shengluo launched a swift attack, and Hunye Khan was no match for him, so he asked us for help."

Nadalan is truly useless. Mingchen and Qianyuan's armies severely damaged Shengluo Khan, yet he still couldn't win.

"No rush, let them fight a little longer."

"Yes, the grasslands were covered in snow this year, and the Xiongnu suffered greatly from the white disaster, with heavy casualties."

Environmental problems have been exacerbated.

As this year comes to an end, the nation that once came on strong and dared to provoke her in the imperial court is probably at the end of its rope and can hardly cause any more waves.

"it is good!"

"So now we have no threatening enemies around us. We can send troops to guard the border at Shenjiang and develop our strength in peace."

"As for the grasslands, send more people to tame them, using both kindness and force, and strive to bring them into our territory."

"Plant grain, train soldiers, and forge weapons; at least a year of peace will be maintained without any fighting."

Focus on developing your resources safely, advance your technology, mass produce troops, and then unify the world in one fell swoop.

Qian Yuan appeared to be enjoying great success, conquering the Xiongnu in the west and occupying Luzhou in the north, achieving victory in every campaign.

But in reality, it was simply because the opponent was too weak.

Occupying a third of a broken nation, instead of properly accumulating strength, constantly thinking about attacking this and that will only hasten its own demise.

Xiao Xinyue nodded upon hearing this: "Yes."

She thought so too.

"The Qi state in the east has already occupied nearly half of Chen's territory and is about to attack Lieyang City."

"Zhang Boxing just sent a letter saying that the Blood-Clad Army is about to reach Wangyang City and asking us what to do?"

When she was down on her luck and on the run, Lord Zhang decisively invested in her and even gave her three hundred light cavalry.

Mingchen also acknowledged his talent.

Xiao Xinyue naturally remembered this person.

"Zhang Boxing, Wangyang..."

The old dynasty, controlled by Dong Zhenghong, collapsed much, much faster than Mingchen had imagined; in less than a year, it was about to be destroyed.

Zhang Boxing, who stayed in Baizhou, was stuck in an awkward position, peacefully governing his small county town, with no opportunity for any inside or outside collusion.

Old Zhang also has a notification on him.

If Xiao Xinyue hadn't said anything, Mingchen would have almost forgotten about him.

He pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, I will write a letter and then persuade Lord Zhang to join the Blood-Clad Army."

"The Blood-Clad Army is still our ally!"

"it is good!"

Xiao Xinyue paused for a moment, then said, "Dong Zhuo has gone mad. He openly worships ghosts and gods in the court and even moved a statue to sit on the throne."

"Yueyang City was in chaos, filled with a sinister atmosphere. During the day, many mad believers appeared. At night, no one went out, and one could see hundreds of ghosts walking around and the dead. The boundary between life and death had become blurred."

Although the capital has been established in Jiqu, Yueyang is, after all, the land where the Qianyuan dynasty has been located for five hundred years, and the cultural foundation of five hundred years.

She grew up there and lived there for twenty years, so she naturally developed feelings for it.

Returning the old capital was her grand ambition, and now, hearing of Dong Zhuo's rampage, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Moreover, there are countless Qian Yuan citizens there!
The common people are innocent.

"Oh?"

"A statue sitting on a throne? Lord Dong, you're quite intrigued!"

For Mingchen, Yueyang City was just a city, and he didn't have the same complex feelings as Xiao Xinyue.

Dong Zhenghong's approach might not be such a bad thing after all.

Roads are made by people walking them. Old Dong is determined to go all the way down the path of worshipping ghosts and gods, and it will also be a good opportunity for Mingchen to see what the outcome will be.

There were predictions about these gods and ghosts.

Xiao Xinyue rolled her eyes at Mingchen after hearing his sarcastic remarks.

This person really loves to stir up trouble.

"What about the Blood-Clad Army? Any news?"

Xiao Xinyue shook her head: "No."

The alliance between Qian Yuan and the Blood-Clad Army doesn't look like an alliance at all; it's more like a pact to keep to themselves.

Mingchen lowered his eyes: "Is that so..."

He actually cared quite a bit about his older brother, who trusted him implicitly.

He was surrounded by treacherous officials, his enemies were cunning, and the road ahead was dangerous.

Wang Huai owed Mingchen a great debt of gratitude, but often, great gratitude is also great enmity.

Wang Huai rose to power and held a high position, but he never betrayed Ming Chen. Although Ming Chen did not approve of the path he took, the two maintained an excellent personal relationship.

Xiao Xinyue didn't know what Mingchen was thinking, but simply said, "There's one more thing. The Jinglan Alliance has sent an envoy."

This was the main reason she had summoned Mingchen today.

"Oh?"

"The Jinglan Alliance?"

Mingchen was quite curious about this overseas archipelago power whose technology surpassed his own.

The Jinglan Alliance's headquarters is separated from the mainland by the sea, and the land it occupies is separated from the new Qian Yuan by the Chen Kingdom.

The little bird has become lazy these days, spending all its time thinking about dipping beans and unwilling to fly away, so it's not very well-informed.

"What are they doing here?"

"Their envoys were courteous and wanted to have friendly exchanges with our dynasty and establish an alliance."

"They are willing to send troops to help us attack the Chen Kingdom or the Blood-Clad Army, to help us unify Qian Yuan and return to the old capital."

The envoy from the Jinglan Alliance is currently waiting at the post station, and has simply conveyed their thoughts to Qian Yuan.

He has not yet officially entered the court or come into everyone's view.

"Oh? An alliance? Sending troops to help us attack Chen and the Blood-Clad Army?"

"Heh~ I remember the Jinglan Alliance established an alliance with the Chen Kingdom, right? Old Dong even generously gave them a lot of land!"

Xiao Zhengyang devoted himself to protecting the country, but after his death, he was casually sent out of the three prefectures.

If that sickly crown prince knew, he'd probably vomit another three liters of blood. Mingchen chuckled lightly, "Doesn't Your Majesty find their actions familiar?"

Just as they decided to rest and recuperate, and to play it safe and develop stealthily, these people who came from across the sea approached them, trying to instigate them to start a war.

Where in the world are there so many kind-hearted people?

Not to mention the involvement of countless people's interests, and the power struggles and aid at the national level.

Xiao Xinyue wasn't stupid either. After all, Mingchen had done something similar not long ago, and she knew why he had suddenly come to the alliance: "It's the same strategy you used against the grasslands."

In the eyes of the Jinglan Alliance, perhaps Qian Yuan is another Xiongnu steppe.

Mingchen then asked, "So, what are Your Majesty's plans?"

I'm asking you!
This playboy is now testing me?!
Xiao Xinyue couldn't help but glare at the person.

Even knowing the Jinglan Alliance's scheme, she still nodded and said in a deep voice, "I agree to the alliance!"

Firstly, the initiative to launch the war is in her hands, not in the hands of the Jinglan Alliance. She can postpone it for a while to recuperate, and the Jinglan Alliance will at most test the waters.

Secondly, whether it's the mortal enemy Chen State or the current temporary ally Da Qi, both are adversaries and enemies to Qian Yuan. Their conflicts are irreconcilable, and one day, Xiao Xin Yue will raise an army to launch an eastern expedition to reclaim the country. In this case, forming an alliance with the Jing Lan Alliance through distant alliances and attacking nearby states would be entirely beneficial.

Third, the two countries can exchange goods and resources and seize benefits through cooperation.

It's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy, even if that friend is only temporary and has ill intentions.

The alliance is not a bad thing for either side.

The leader of the Jinglan Alliance is a capable person; she knows that this friendly alliance can succeed.

If Qian Yuan couldn't hold back and launched a war, that would be perfect, fulfilling her wishes.

If Xiao Xinyue and Ming Chen could guess her thoughts and restrain themselves, then Xiao Xinyue would also know that there is no harm in forming an alliance and that the goal can still be achieved.

We'll plan and strategize for the future later.

"What do you think?"

"Me too!"

Xiao Xinyue: ...

She swears that sometimes she really wants to hit someone.

There are no permanent allies, only permanent interests.

Everyone was just scheming against each other.

Mingchen played with the fruit on the table and said with a smile, "I've heard that Hong Ling Shuang, the leader of the Jing Lan Alliance, is a beauty... I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to meet her."

Meeting a beautiful young woman is much more interesting than meeting a muscular man like Qin Lou.

At the very least, it's pleasing to the eye, isn't it?

Xiao Xinyue: ...

However, Mingchen was unaware that an opportunity to meet seemed to be coming soon.

No sooner had I left Xiao Xinyue's place than someone came to my door the very next day.

The Marquis of Jing'an's residence

A middle-aged man with thick hair and beard bowed somewhat awkwardly to Ming Chen and said, "Xu Hui of the Jinglan Alliance greets Marquis Jing'an."

The Jinglan Alliance's clothing is somewhat different from that of the mainland, and their physical appearance also shows subtle differences.

Mingchen glanced at Xu Hui, then smiled and gestured for him to sit down: "No need for formalities, Lord Xu, please sit down."

The waiter poured tea, and the two sat facing each other.

"Lord Marquis is truly a young man of great talent and heroic bearing! Meeting you today, he is indeed extraordinary."

This marquis was renowned and excessively young, but upon seeing his true appearance, Xu Hui was still taken aback.

At his age, he was just a lowly soldier!

This person's smiling appearance was unfathomable, yet their gaze seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.

Mingchen waved his hand and laughed, "Lord Xu, you flatter me. I've heard that people in the Alliance are all straightforward and frank. Let's not beat around the bush. Why don't you tell me what brings you here, Lord Xu?"

Is it for official business or personal matters?

"Are you representing yourself, or the Jinglan Alliance?"

What did this person want by contacting him privately?

Could it be that they're planning to bribe him?
Really like!
A little greedy!
Mingchen asked Xu Hui with a smile.

"Forehead……"

Mingchen's series of questions made Xu Hui freeze for a moment.

He simply replied, "I have come to see the Marquis on both official and private business, and not on my own behalf."

"Oh?"

Xu Hui cupped his hands towards Ming Chen and said, "To be honest, Marquis Jing'an, I have come to visit you to convey the good intentions of my lord. My lord admires all heroes under heaven, and you, my lord, are the hero among heroes. My lord has long admired you, my lord, and on this mission, my lord specifically instructed me to visit you, my lord. Regardless of whether this peace talks succeed or fail, I hope that you, my lord, can come to my Jinglan in the future to meet with my lord and discuss the future of the world."

Before leaving, Hong Ling Shuang had instructed him to be very polite on this trip.

"Really?"

Mingchen took a sip of tea and smiled, "Lord Xu, you flatter me. I am but an unknown scholar; how could I possibly deserve such hospitality from the alliance leader?"

Xu Hui: ...

Do you want to see what you're saying?
An unknown scholar?

"My lord, please don't be modest. What you have done has made you famous throughout the world. You are a hero, and we at Jinglan admire heroes the most."

"If you ever come to Jinglan in the future, my lord will certainly receive you with the highest honors."

The place that Jinglan is currently occupying was originally Qian Yuan's territory!
This is said as if it were an act of hospitality.

Mingchen seemed to have thought of something, his smile became more unrestrained, and he leaned forward to ask Xu Hui, "May I ask, Lord Xu, I have heard that the Alliance Leader is stunningly beautiful and is the most beautiful woman in the archipelago. Is this true?"

"Forehead……"

Mingchen's sudden turn caused Xu Hui to strain his back.

He never expected that the other party would then say something like that.

What is this young Marquis of Jing'an thinking?
He won't be...

He twitched his lips, his mind a complete mess, but still replied, "My lord, my lord is a leader blessed by the sea, revered by the people as the sea's enchantress. I dare not claim to be the most beautiful woman, but I have never seen a beauty more beautiful than my lord."

Hong Ling Shuang is indeed beautiful, but her heart... well, that's another story.

No one could guess what she was thinking; one second she might be smiling, and the next she might be drawing her gun and firing.

Those who dared to covet her have now become shark excrement.

Now her subordinates have learned to ignore their leader's beauty.

"Really?"

Mingchen seemed intrigued and somewhat expectant.

"It's true."

"Lord Xu hasn't met our Emperor yet, has he?"

"Uh...yes."

He spoke to Xu Hui as if they were college students in a men's dormitory discussing which girl was prettier, saying, "If you'd met our Emperor Qian Yuan, you might not have said that!"

This can also be considered a way of praising their own proud and arrogant empress.

Xu Hui: ...

What should he say now?
They either offended their own alliance leader or Emperor Qian Yuan.

Can only be silent.

He had previously served as an envoy to the State of Chen and had met many ministers from the mainland, but he had never seen such a strange person before.

He is unconventional, flamboyant, and unrestrained, leaving no trace and making it impossible to keep up with his pace.

"Cough cough..."

Xu Hui chuckled dryly: "Neither His Majesty nor my lord are people I can discuss."

"My lord, this is a gift that my master entrusted me to deliver to you."

He waved his hand, and the servant behind him brought out a brocade box and handed it to the servant on Mingchen's side.

"Oh?"

This little bit of stuff isn't enough to bribe him, is it?

Judging by its weight, it seems quite light.

Mingchen was a little disappointed.

Seeing that Mingchen's reaction was lukewarm, Xu Hui worried that he didn't understand the meaning of the gift, so he kept reminding him, saying, "My lord, I have come with sincerity. This is a very special gift for our Jinglan Alliance..."

According to the cultural customs of the archipelago, conch shells are usually given to the person most admired.

In ancient times, this rule was very strict: one could only give a conch shell to one person in one's lifetime, and the person who possessed the conch shell could ask the person who gave it to him for anything.

Now, as times have changed, these rules have become more relaxed, and the giving of conch shells has become more casual, without any mandatory demands. However, it remains a very friendly and respectful symbol, and when a woman gives a conch shell to a man, it carries an additional layer of admiration.

Of course, the leader has no heart, and there has never been any news of her sending seashells to anyone.

She has always been unconventional and disregards rules, even breaking the alliance's thousand-year-old agreement not to venture onto the mainland.

No one knows what she was thinking when she sent this gift to the Marquis of Jing'an, whom she had never met before.

"Really?"

Mingchen didn't know what this thing was or what it meant, but he simply replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Alliance Leader. I will take good care of it."

"May I ask if Your Excellency would be willing to accept my lord's invitation?"

Mingchen smiled and said, "It is my pleasure to accept the Alliance Leader's kind invitation."

In this era without cell phones and computers, staying at home all the time and eating soybeans is bad for your health.

Mingchen couldn't stay idle and was destined not to stay in Jiqu and slack off forever. He was indeed very interested in the alliance that came from across the sea.

He wanted to learn about everything, from the mysterious female leader of the alliance to firearms.

He plans to travel again next year, and he will go quietly without needing an invitation from the league.

The Blood-Clad Army will soon reach Yueyang City. The Chen Kingdom is on the verge of collapse, and he wants to see what the old capital, which worships ghosts and gods, looks like now, and see if the problems of the Blood-Clad Army have been revealed... He also wants to see his brother and his men.

After the fall of Chen, they will become their adversaries.

Go out and explore more to gather more information, so you can better plan your future.

"really?!"

No matter how difficult this person is to communicate with, he still managed to complete his task.

Xu Hui breathed a sigh of relief.

Mingchen changed the subject and offered a rosy promise: "However... I hold an important position in the new dynasty and am very busy. I can't spare the time for now, but I will definitely pay you a visit with generous gifts when I have time in the future. What do you say?"

He doesn't like to do things at other people's pace.

The timing of his trip is still up to him.

Of course, if Xiao Xinyue heard these words, she would probably be furious and slap him twice across the face.

Busy with work?

Don't you want to take a look at what you're doing every day?!

"Forehead……"

Xu Hui twitched the corner of his mouth.

Happy early.

Is this considered a completed task, or not?

"it is good!"

"Our alliance welcomes you with open arms and awaits your arrival at any time."

(End of this chapter)