Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

Wei Zheng frowned as well: "Your Highness, how can matters of state be treated like child's play? Why are you arranging these iron tools..."

"This is a strategic artifact that could determine the fate of the Tang Dynasty for a century."

Li Chengqian slowly walked down the steps, casually pulling a sharp military dagger from Cheng Yaojin's waist.

He picked up a metal can, gripped it firmly with his left hand, aimed his right bayonet at the edge, and stabbed it hard.

"Sizzle—"

With a slight hiss of air leaking out, the sheet metal was easily pried open.

The moment the seal was broken, an incredibly rich aroma of meat, as if it had sprouted wings, instantly filled the hall.

That's the flavor of top-quality pork belly, which has been slow-cooked for a long time, resulting in a perfect fusion of fat and spices.

Cheng Yaojin, who had just been looking down on everyone, suddenly twitched his nose twice and his eyes widened like copper bells.

"Gulp."

Someone in the main hall swallowed loudly.

Li Chengqian flipped his wrist and completely lifted the iron lid, revealing chunks of braised pork inside, which were covered with a layer of white lard and were tender and juicy.

"Old Cheng, taste the saltiness for me."

Cheng Yaojin didn't care about the etiquette between ruler and subject anymore; he simply reached out, picked up a piece of braised pork, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The fatty meat melts in your mouth, the lean meat is tender and fragrant, and the rich meat juices explode in your mouth, making it even more authentic than the best restaurants in Chang'an.

"Delicious! It's so damn delicious!"

Cheng Yaojin slapped his thigh excitedly, oil still dripping from his mouth. "Your Highness, how did they stuff this meat into that iron shell? It tastes amazing!"

Wei Zheng stared dumbfounded as Cheng Yaojin wolfed down his food, barely able to maintain his composure as a civil official.

Li Chengqian ignored Lao Cheng and continued to pry open the remaining iron cans with his military dagger.

As the sheet metal was lifted one by one, the aroma in the hall began to become magical.

One jar contains crystal-clear yellow peaches soaked in sugar water, emitting an enticing sweet aroma.

The other can contains tightly packed, meaty luncheon meat; its pinkish cross-section looks incredibly appetizing.

The courtiers were completely dumbfounded, craning their necks to look at the iron can in Li Chengqian's hand as if a god had descended to earth.

"Your Highness, are these... these foods transformed by celestial magic?" Fang Xuanling asked in a trembling voice.

"Magic my foot! This is technology, this is an industrial assembly line!"

Li Chengqian casually tossed the military dagger back to Cheng Yaojin, patted the grease off his hands, and surveyed the entire scene with a disdainful look.

"This is called canned food. First, the food inside is thoroughly cooked and sterilized at high temperatures, then the air is removed and it is sealed with a metal sheet."

"No matter if it's windy, rainy, or freezing cold outside, the food inside this metal shell won't spoil for months or even a year!"

These words were like a bombshell, instantly creating a massive upheaval in the Taiji Hall.

How long does it not rot?

What does this mean? The old foxes and seasoned veterans present knew better than anyone else.

Wei Zheng, his hands trembling, picked up the can of luncheon meat, tears welling in his eyes: "Really, it won't spoil for a year? Even this meat?"

"certainly."

Li Chengqian stood with his hands behind his back, looking proudly at the group of core ministers of the Tang Dynasty.

"What does the bitter cold of Liaodong matter? What does the loss of grain during transport matter?"

"I have already ordered the Royal Arsenal to operate at full capacity, producing this military canned food day and night."

"From braised pork to fruit, from vegetables to compressed biscuits, we have everything."

"Aren't you worried that the soldiers will be too cold to get hot meals on the front lines?"

Li Chengqian stepped on the edge of the wooden box, exuding an aura of dominance.

"On this expedition, I will ensure that the soldiers of the Great Tang, even while crouching in snow pits, can still warm braised pork over a fire!"

"I will show those barbarians of Goguryeo that our Tang army is a ferocious tiger descending from the mountains, eating lean meat every day!"

Shocked.

An unprecedented shock.

"An army marches on its stomach," and Li Chengqian's "canned food" tactic elevated the Tang Dynasty's logistical supply capabilities to a new level.

Li Jing was so excited that his beard trembled. He suddenly knelt on one knee, clasped his hands, and shouted, "Your Highness possesses such a divine weapon! I am willing to pledge that I will surely conquer Pyongyang within three months!"

"We are willing to fight to the death!" All the generals knelt down in unison, their roar shaking the heavens.

With such divine food as their foundation, they'd dare to go to the ends of the earth, let alone fight Goguryeo!

"Don't rush to make any promises."

Li Chengqian offered a helping hand, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"The land route is indeed muddy and difficult to traverse, so this time I have decided to take the water route. The army will assemble directly in Tianjin and cross the sea on steam warships to take Beisha City."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong, who had just been full of enthusiasm, were instantly speechless.

Old Cheng scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Your Highness, I, Old Cheng, can fight my way in and out on land without a problem, but on the water... I get seasick."

Yuchi Gong also silently took half a step back, looking at his toes without saying a word.

The Tang Dynasty's iron cavalry was invincible throughout the land, but naval warfare was its only weakness. Most of the northern generals were landlubbers, and they would almost die from vomiting as soon as they boarded a ship.

Li Chengqian looked at the group of cowardly warriors and sighed helplessly.

The hardware is up to par, but the software is lacking. If no one is in charge of these massive ships and cannons, are we supposed to let the crown prince personally take the helm?

"With a million-strong army, can't even find a single vanguard general skilled in naval warfare?"

No one answered.

Outside the main hall, the autumn wind swirled up fallen leaves, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Without further ado, Li Chengqian issued the decree with a flourish of his pen.

"Draft an imperial edict! Widely post recruitment notices at all gates of Chang'an!"

"I will not ask about background or past. As long as they are brave warriors who can command the navy and are willing to fight, I will personally select them at the training ground!"

……

The imperial edict caused an instant uproar throughout Chang'an.

The recruitment notice in Chongrenfang was crowded with onlookers and wandering knights from all over the country.

The quartermaster in charge of registration sat at his desk, too lazy to even lift his eyelids, mechanically waving his hands.

"Next one, what's your name? State your hometown and your skills!"

At that moment, a commotion suddenly arose on the outskirts of the crowd, as if some heavy bulldozers were forcibly clearing a path.

"Excuse me! Make way! Fellow villagers, please make way!"

Accompanied by a rough voice, several men blocking the way were pushed aside as if they had been hit by a giant bear.

A tall, imposing figure forced his way through the dense crowd.

The quartermaster frowned unhappily and looked up.

The newcomer was nearly nine feet tall, with shoulders as broad as a door panel.

He was wearing an old white robe that was faded and patched all over, and he was holding a half-eaten cornbread in his hand.

Although he was extremely poor, his muscular physique, which looked like it was about to burst the fabric, exuded a terrifying explosive power.

"Are you here to join the army?"

The quartermaster looked him up and down, then sneered at the meager cornbread in his hand.

"We're selecting naval vanguards, not recruiting kitchen helpers. Looking at your ravenous appearance, you'd better go somewhere cool and stay there."

The man in the white robe wasn't annoyed.

He quickly stuffed the remaining cornbread into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it, and even licked the crumbs off his fingers.

Then, he grinned憨厚ly, revealing a set of white teeth.

"Sir, I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince's military camp provides ample food at every meal, and even has canned braised pork?"

The quartermaster rolled his eyes and waved impatiently.

"We'll provide enough to eat, but that's for the heroes who fight the enemy. Are you here to fight or to beg? Get out!"

Despite being called a beggar, the man's simple smile remained unchanged.

He dusted off his hands and strode to the edge of the training ground in front of the huge stone lock used to test arm strength.

This stone lock weighs 800 jin (approximately 400 kg) and is usually placed here purely as an awe-inspiring decoration; no one can budge it even a fraction of a second.

The man bent down and grabbed the iron ring of the stone lock with one hand.

There was no horse stance, nor any shouts of good luck.

Suddenly, the muscles in his right arm bulged out, resembling intertwined dragons.

"rise!"

With a low shout, he actually lifted the 800-pound stone lock above his head with one hand!

call!

Not only did he lift it up, but he wasn't satisfied with that, so he tossed the stone lock in mid-air like a sandbag and caught it steadily.

The heavy wind swept across the quartermaster's cheek, startling him so much that the brush in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

The entire recruitment process was deathly silent. Everyone gasped and stared at the burly man in white robes as if he were a monster.

The man casually tossed the stone lock back to its original spot, causing the ground to shake.

He walked to the desk, looked at the terrified quartermaster, and once again revealed that kind of honest and harmless smile.

"Sir, my name is Xue Li, courtesy name Rengui."

"I do have a big appetite, but I'm also quite good at fighting. I wonder if I'd be qualified for this vanguard position?"