Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"War is about money and supplies, about building up resources. I know the national treasury is strained, but this new continent, the Ming Dynasty must take it!"

Zhu Youzhen's voice was firm and resolute, echoing in the empty hall.

"Minister Song, issue an imperial edict to Tongling Money House to issue 'Expanding the Sea Bonds' and borrow silver and spirit stones from merchants and gentry throughout the land."

"Tell them that as long as they buy the imperial bonds, after the New World is pacified, not only will the principal and interest be repaid, but they will also have priority in undertaking mining and herb cultivation projects in the New World!"

Upon hearing this, Song Yin's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

This method of tightly binding the fate of the nation with the interests of merchants across the land is truly ruthless and ingenious.

Once merchants staked their fortunes and lives on the New World, the Ming Dynasty would have an inexhaustible financial backing.

"Your Majesty is wise! This old minister will immediately draft regulations that will surely make those wealthy salt and maritime merchants empty their cellars of silver!"

Song Yin responded loudly.

Zhu Youzhen nodded and turned his gaze to Wang Shouren.

"Minister Wang, the new warships in Tianjin must be launched as scheduled next month."

"In addition, among the 300,000 troops of the Beijing Garrison, 50,000 men who had made some progress in cultivating the 'Initial Chapter' and were physically strong were selected."

You will be issued the latest rune-inscribed battle sword and musket crafted by the Imperial Observatory. You will personally lead the fleet on its expedition!

Zhu Youzhen walked up to Wang Shouren and patted the great military strategist heavily on the shoulder.

"I don't want any steady, methodical approach. The cannons of the Ming Dynasty are meant to crush any who dare to resist."

Since those ferocious beasts dare to obstruct the Ming Dynasty's advance, then let's use cannons and swords to show them who the true rulers of this land are!

"Your subject obeys the imperial decree! I will certainly sweep away the barbarians for the Great Ming and spread its might overseas!"

Wang Shouren knelt on one knee, his voice revealing a fierce and heroic spirit that was ready to die for his cause.

The war machine of the Ming Dynasty, driven by this old but still ambitious emperor, roared with a force that could shake the world.

……

Inside that quiet courtyard house in the outer city of Beijing.

As autumn deepens, most of the leaves on the old locust tree in the yard have already fallen.

Li Changqing sat in a rattan chair, holding a freshly brewed cup of Wuyi rock tea. The faint aroma of tea wafted in the cool air.

Outside the courtyard gate, the faint sound of the watchman's clapper could be heard.

"The weather is dry, so be careful with fire."

Li Changqing placed the Xiangfei bamboo folding fan on his lap, tilted his head back, and looked at the clear, cold moon in the night sky.

In recent days, news of the imperial court issuing "sea-expanding bonds" and the army's imminent departure for the New World has been circulating widely in the capital.

In the city, people talked about strange and ferocious beasts and precious mineral mines thousands of miles away during their leisure time.

These mortals, once their desires are ignited...

The resilience and madness that erupted from it were enough to make even the most divine beings and Buddhas retreat in fear.

"His Majesty's methods are becoming increasingly cunning. He uses the wealth of the entire nation to wage wars against the world. He's playing a very sophisticated game."

Li Changqing chuckled softly.

He picked up his teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip.

In this grand game, he was only responsible for the opening moves and providing guidance.

As for the fierce battles and stalemates in the middle game, those involved should naturally fight and bleed.

He is a person who lives a long life, and has plenty of time to watch the flowers bloom and fade.

"The ferocious beasts of the New World..."

Li Changqing put down his teacup, a leisurely glint in his eyes.

Those ferocious beasts that can dwell deep within spiritual veins are certainly not ordinary creatures.

If the Ming Dynasty's expeditionary force encountered truly formidable opponents, those ancient remnants that even heavy artillery could not destroy...

Perhaps it's time for him, this old body that's been resting for so long, to find an excuse to stretch his muscles in the sea breeze of the new world.

The night was deep, and the autumn wind swept through the courtyard.

The figure in the blue robe, sitting idly under the quiet moonlight, exuded an air of detachment untouched by worldly dust.

Yet, it also forged the deepest bond with this vast and turbulent era of the mortal world.

……

In late autumn in the capital, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the west wind is getting stronger.

In the past, the capital city at this time of year always carried a touch of desolation, with autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves.

But now Shuntian Prefecture seems to be placed on a pot of burning red-hot charcoal, with a scorching and noisy atmosphere everywhere.

The inner city, outside Zhengyang Gate.

The newly built "Tongling Money Shop" headquarters is a magnificent five-courtyard complex covering a vast area.

Outside the vermilion gate, two imposing white marble water-suppressing beasts stand guard on either side.

At this moment, the wide bluestone street in front of the money shop was completely blocked by various carriages and bustling crowds.

"Make way! Make way for me, all of you! The silver carts of the Shanxi merchant Qiao family have arrived. Be careful not to run into you poor scum!"

Several burly guards, dressed in shorts, wielding fire and water sticks, forcefully pushed their way through the crowd.

Behind them were ten heavy armored carts pulled by horse-drawn carriages.

The cart wheels creaked as they rolled over the bluestone slabs, and the deep ruts indicated that the cart was carrying no ordinary cloth.

A middle-aged, plump merchant, dressed in a dark-patterned silk jacket and with shrewd, beady eyes, held a silk handkerchief in his hand.

He kept wiping the sweat from his forehead and jogged alongside the caravan.

This man was none other than Qiao Wanjin, a famous wealthy merchant from Taigu County, Shanxi Province.

"Master Qiao, you've really gone all out! Ten cartloads of silver, that's at least half a million taels, isn't it?"

A familiar silk merchant from Jiangnan leaned over and greeted him with envious eyes.

Qiao Wanjin stopped, took a deep breath, and squeezed out a smug smile on his fat face.

"What's five hundred thousand taels! I mortgaged all my large houses in my ancestral home in Taigu, along with the salt permits I held. I raised a full eight hundred thousand taels of silver, plus two thousand low-grade spirit stones!"

Qiao Wanjin lowered his voice and leaned close to the ear of the Jiangnan merchant.

"These ocean expansion bonds issued by the imperial court are a huge, risk-free business. Not only are the interest rates high, but as long as you buy these bonds, you will receive priority approval from the imperial court when you go to the New World to mine spiritual veins."

That new continent is full of untapped treasures. If we could secure a spirit stone mine, my Qiao family would be a prestigious immortal clan for generations to come!

This opportunity to change one's social standing is one I'd risk everything for, even if it meant going bankrupt!

The surrounding merchants, upon hearing this, all nodded in agreement.

Ever since the imperial court lifted the sea ban and issued the imperial edict recruiting heroes from all over the world to reclaim wasteland in Xinzhou, all the wealthy and powerful merchants in the world have been like sharks smelling blood.

They were unconcerned about the raging storms on the vast ocean, nor were they afraid of the strange and ferocious beasts deep within the New World.

In the eyes of these businessmen, as long as there is enough profit, they would dare to wade through mountains of knives and seas of fire, even over the corpses of their employees.

In just half a month, the amount of silver and spirit stones absorbed by the Tongling Money Shop has already piled up into a mountain.

Driven by this mountain of silver, the massive ocean-going war machine of the Ming Dynasty operated with ever-increasing ferocity.