"This is the new type of military equipment?"
In the training ground, Qin Feng watched the shadow guards demonstrate the flintlock gun, which pierced the iron plate, and couldn't help but gasp.
"It was the Emperor who came up with it!"
Listening to the shadow guards' explanation, Qin Feng understood.
He seemed to understand why Liang Xiao had insisted on fighting Achilles as the Heavenly General back then.
"From now on, individual bravery can no longer decide the direction of the battlefield!"
After sighing, Liang Xiao led the logistics officials of the Ministry of War westward, taking a train and rushing to the western border first.
At the border between Jiaozhou and Daliang, the Grand Marshal Zhuo Ying, and the Deputy Marshal Shi Liuyun, leading a total of 200,000 troops, divided into two routes, one heading south of Jiaozhou and the other south of Daliang. They were determined to sweep away the remnants of the Spring Returning Sect harbored by the southern barbarians and the Peacock Dynasty troops south of Jiaozhou, and seize more territory.
"Now the threat of the Qian clan is only in the south and northwest, but we must consider the stability of future generations. By order of my Emperor, as long as the Tianri clan is not destroyed, the western and southern campaigns will not cease!"
With a command from the two marshals, the armies set off separately, their morale soaring.
Some of them were already approaching the retirement age set by Liang Xiao, and this might be the last opportunity for military achievements in their careers as soldiers!
In the capital, Crown Prince Xiao Xun and the Second Prince Xiao Qian respectively took Wang Canghai and Lü Yi as their teachers. The former learned the art of governance, while the latter learned military strategy.
Xiao Qing reviewed memorials in the palace and decided to nationalize some enterprises at high prices, but strictly forbade local governments from forced purchases.
Currently, almost all textile factories across the country were under state control. Xiao Qing, remembering Liang Xiao's reminder, dispatched personnel from the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Personnel to major factories in various regions, supervised by a shadow guard. Small factories were managed by major factories to prevent officials from perverting justice or shirking their responsibilities. Relatives and friends were also strictly forbidden from being placed in factory management.
Even though the state had to invest more manpower for supervision and auditing, Xiao Qing did not dare to relax.
She vaguely remembered how serious Liang Xiao's expression was when he mentioned this matter.
In peacetime, injustice could also arise, and its harm was even no less than war. She and Liang Xiao could only strive to ensure a certain degree of fairness.
Granaries were built nationwide to store unhusked grain to cope with famine caused by potential disasters each year.
The Eastern Sea region was experiencing unprecedented peace.
However, there were no longer any foreign merchant ships, only domestic ships traveling between the north and the south. This also caused Daliang to feel suspicious and vigilant.
Could it be that, as the people of the Ayub Dynasty said, the Tianri clan had occupied almost the entire West?
And on the canal connecting the capital to the Eastern Sea, a large ship was finally launched.
People were surprised to find that this ship did not have enough rowers to match its size.
"Woo woo--"
Under the watchful eyes of the army and civilians, the ship suddenly began to emit smoke, making a sound similar to a steam locomotive, and then set sail.
"It can move without rowers!"
The army and civilians were astonished.
"It can sail normally!"
The officials from the Ministry of Works, led by Zhang Yang and Huang Xing, clapped their hands in celebration and then explained the function of the steamship to everyone.
Steamships still retained sails and some oars, so they could be used as ordinary ships when fuel was insufficient. The sails could also increase the speed of the ship when there was a tailwind.
This steamship could only carry a hundred people when fully loaded with cargo, but with the improvement of the internal system, the Ministry of Works could use this experience to develop steamships with greater carrying capacity in the future!
There were also many boatmen among the common people, who immediately looked worried and ran over.
"Sir, does this mean we will be useless in the future?"
Zhang Yang was taken aback and shook his head.
"Not necessarily! First, steamships have not been widely promoted yet. Even if they are promoted in the future, they will be used by the military first. Some small places will still use ordinary ships. His Majesty and the Emperor hope that these steamships will help our Daliang soldiers conquer the Chu Yun Kingdom."
"Secondly, even if they are promoted in the future, the court will arrange for personnel from the shipping industry to transition. His Majesty's recent words are published in the Daliang Daily. In the future Daliang, every citizen who is not lazy will definitely not starve. When the country is rich enough in the future, there will be more welfare and subsidies, and even free medical care can be slowly promoted!"
The common people then thanked them with joy.
Considering the impact of steamships on the existing shipping industry, Zhang Yang still sent people back to report the matter to Xiao Qing.
"These boatmen can serve as sailors and staff on the ship, and even as helmsmen and captains!" Xiao Qing said with a smile.
The Ministry of Revenue immediately followed Xiao Qing's instructions and reminded boatmen nationwide about the upcoming promotion of steamships, which caused quite a stir.
When the officials learned that steamships were incredibly fast and did not have significant manpower limitations, they were overjoyed!
Xiao Qing still allowed them to participate in the shipping industry and permitted multiple companies to compete, which would allow them to stay at the forefront of the times!
These officials were almost all part of the initial group who supported the imperial power. After tasting more and more benefits, with Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing overseeing and supervising, no one engaged in scheming or embezzlement. Most officials clarified stricter family rules, fearing that if anyone in their clan committed a crime, their entire family would be implicated.
Even with Liang Xiao's design drawings as a reference, it took the Ministry of Works nearly two years to research steamships. Now that they have been successfully launched, those involved in the research received rewards ranging from ten taels of gold to a hundred taels, greatly boosting the enthusiasm of the researchers.
Currently, the development of Daliang is in a virtuous cycle for the next few years, thanks to the efforts of Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing, as well as the integrity of civil and military officials.
This was a path that Liang Xiao had never seen in his review of his hometown's history. He was unsure where it would lead, but he had full confidence in his descendants.
The national spirit of the Qian clan had been forged!
And in the western border, after fully understanding the current situation of Yumenguan, Liang Xiao directed the deployment. The defenders of Yumenguan were divided into two routes, the northern route led by Grand Marshal Nan Jiyun and the southern route led by Deputy Marshal Yue Yun. Each led 30,000 cavalry and charged out of Yumenguan, advancing gradually.
Some of the warhorses captured from the barbarians back then had been retired, but the warhorses in multiple stud farms had matured, causing the number of Daliang cavalry to increase rather than decrease.
Currently, the national cavalry exceeded 160,000, and it might be increased to 200,000 in the future. The current national strength was more than enough to support so many cavalry.
The cavalry at Yumenguan alone numbered 120,000!
To ensure complete safety, Liang Xiao also arranged for...
Nan Jiyun and Yue Yun's armies charged out of Yumenguan. With the support of a large number of archers and artillerymen on the city walls, the Western Allied Forces did not dare to approach.
As the Daliang cavalry shifted from defense to offense, the Tianri cavalry and Xiongnu cavalry in various highlands retreated successively, not daring to confront their might.
The Daliang cavalry, without much effort, retook all the highlands north and south of Yumenguan in just seven days and re-established scouts.
"Reporting to the Emperor, Grand General Zhen Dong, Marquis Zhen Guo Qin Feng, and others have arrived to reinforce under the Emperor's order!"