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

"Boom! Boom! Boom—!"

The cannons on all thirty treasure ships roared in unison.

The blazing orange-red muzzle storm instantly tore through the gray sea and sky.

The once tranquil, even wildly beautiful coastline of Fusang was transformed into a living hell in an instant.

Countless exploding shells, trailing behind them with a piercing whistling sound, resembled a merciless shower of steel meteors.

It crashed down hard on the simple villages and wooden watchtowers built by the sea, which looked as fragile as building blocks.

The massive explosion, mixed with mud, splinters of wood, and severed limbs, created shocking bursts of blood-red fireworks along the coastline.

Those Japanese warriors who were preparing to gather for resistance were blown to pieces by this devastating barrage of fire, without even getting a clear look at the enemy's face.

A volley of shots.

It was just one volley.

The defenses along the west coast of Kyushu Island were thus completely disintegrated.

The Tang expeditionary force encountered no significant resistance, and suffered no casualties whatsoever.

Under the cover of artillery barrage, hundreds of landing craft rushed ashore like arrows released from a bow.

The musketeers of the Shenji Battalion methodically set up their defensive line, treading on the still-smoking scorched earth.

The Snow Dragon Riders, who struck fear into the hearts of the Western Regions, didn't even dismount.

They sat upright on their tall warhorses, looking down with the same indifference one would show to livestock at the trembling Japanese ronin who crawled out of the ruins, clutching bamboo spears and rusty iron swords.

This absolute technological gap in weaponry and tactics turned the landing operation into a one-sided and decisive victory.

With Wu Meiniang's support, Li Chengqian slowly stepped off the plank and onto the slightly muddy ground.

His expensive soap boots made a very slight, sticky sound as they stepped on the sand mixed with blood and seawater.

"Your Highness, the scenery here is quite unique, but these natives are far too weak to fight back."

Xue Rengui, carrying his halberd, stepped forward with somewhat little interest.

He was hoping to stretch his muscles here, but he didn't even get a chance to warm up.

Li Chengqian ignored Xue Rengui's complaints. He had no interest in the low thatched huts on the dilapidated island or the malnourished natives.

He pulled out a detailed mineral distribution map from his pocket, which he had redeemed through the system and which even marked a small stream.

"Old Xue, I've come all this way not to see the scenery or watch monkey shows."

Li Chengqian pointed heavily on the map, where two extremely eye-catching words were marked: "Shijian".

"Pass down the order."

Li Chengqian's voice sounded cold and resolute in the sea breeze.

"The Great Snow Dragon Cavalry has divided into three groups and completely surrounded this place called 'Ishimi.' Not even a fly is allowed to escape!"

"The Divine Machine Battalion and the Engineer Battalion will come with me, bringing all their pickaxes and explosives. Today, I'll show you what true 'gold everywhere' really means!"

The army moved swiftly and powerfully towards Iwami Mountain.

The Japanese daimyo (feudal lords) forces that attempted to put up a stubborn resistance along the way were like the first snow under the sun, instantly melting away without a trace when they encountered the Tang Dynasty's musket array and cavalry charge.

In less than half a day.

The black dragon flag of the Tang Dynasty was firmly planted on the seemingly ordinary mountain peak of Shijian Mountain.

"Your Highness, this place is full of weeds and broken rocks, where would you find any gold?"

Cheng Yaojin, carrying his Xuanhua axe, wiped the sweat from his face and looked around with great puzzlement.

Li Chengqian smiled mysteriously, offering no explanation.

He casually pointed to a few engineers and then to a slightly grayish rock layer on the mountainside.

"Dig up that piece of land for me!"

Upon receiving the order, the engineers immediately picked up their pickaxes and began working hard, huffing and puffing.

As the topsoil was turned over.

A layer of mineral veins, interspersed with black and silvery-white luster, stood out starkly in the sunlight.

The veins were incredibly large, and in some places the ore didn't even need refining; it had an extremely pure silvery luster!

This is a real open-air silver mountain!

Its reserves are so large and its grade so high that they are extremely rare in the entire history of world minerals.

This is the infamous Iwami Silver Mine, a super treasure trove that could leech off the entire island nation.

"hiss--"

All the generals and soldiers around gasped in shock after seeing the true nature of the ore.

The only sound in the air seemed to be the extremely heavy swallowing of saliva.

And at the back of the crowd.

Dai Zhou, the Minister of Revenue, who was forcibly dragged onto the ship by Li Chengqian, vomited so badly along the way that he was barely alive.

He was standing there extremely weakly, his arms being held by two Imperial Guards.

When his dim old eyes finally saw the vast expanse of silver veins that seemed to be inexhaustible.

The old man's weakness vanished instantly.

Instead, a flushed face appeared, which was extremely morbid, even frenzied.

He broke free from the support of the Imperial Guards and collapsed onto the pile of freshly dug ore like a madman.

Those wrinkled hands clutched a piece of silver ore weighing several dozen kilograms tightly, and he was so excited that his whole body trembled.

"Silver...it's all silver! Good heavens! How many Tang Dynasty silver coins will this cost to mint!"

Dai Zhou's voice became extremely sharp due to extreme excitement, even with a hint of hoarseness and cracking.

He suddenly turned his head and looked at Li Chengqian with a gaze a thousand times more fervent than when he looked at his own father.

"Your Highness! You are a living god of wealth! You are a deity who saves the Tang Dynasty's treasury!"

Before the old man could finish speaking, his eyes rolled back in his head due to excessive emotion.

On this mountain of silver, they swiftly and decisively pumped it out again.

Li Chengqian rolled his eyes at the unconscious Dai Zhou, utterly speechless.

That old miser is really obsessed with money.

Just then.

A series of extremely mournful cries, sung in a thick local accent, came from the foot of the mountain.

Several Japanese daimyo, bound hand and foot, were dragged before Li Chengqian like dead dogs by the Imperial Guards.

They were the original rulers of this land.

At this moment, however, they were all bruised and battered, looking utterly disheveled.

"My lord! My lord of the Celestial Empire, spare my life!"

The leading daimyo knelt on the ground in utter humility, kowtowing desperately, his forehead slamming against the hard rock, blood streaming down his face.

"We are willing to submit! We are willing to offer all our food and women! Please, please stop killing!"

Li Chengqian lowered his head, his expensive black boots casually stepping on a large piece of raw silver ore.

He looked at these Japanese rulers who had once lorded it over the island, but now writhed like maggots.

There was not a trace of pity in his eyes, only utterly cold contempt.

"Food? Women?"

Li Chengqian sneered and slowly raised his foot.

"You can keep those junk for yourselves and enjoy them in the underworld."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the entire shimmering silver mountain with an extremely domineering air.

"This immense wealth, since you bunch of dwarfs can't hold onto it."

"Then I will reluctantly agree."

"I'll take care of it for you."