Iron Dynasty

mercenary?

In the imperial study, Xiao Ming slammed the memorial in his hand onto the table.

Five days have passed since the Battle of Busan, and the power of the Japanese country was completely beaten back to the mainland by the Great Yu Kingdom, but what he didn't expect was that this time there were Western mercenaries.

According to the news in the battle report, these mercenaries are indeed stronger than the Japanese soldiers, but fortunately there are not many of them, otherwise it would be difficult for Ye Qingyun's 8,000 people. Niu Ben faced the heavy, Unfortunately, some of the mercenaries escaped and probably took our shells with them.

Xiao Ming frowned, this is a very helpless thing, weapons and equipment acquired by the enemy in war cannot be avoided unless these weapons are not used.

It's just that he is not very worried. As long as his industrial capabilities in the Great Yu Kingdom will continue to improve, soon they will no longer be able to imitate the weapons of the Great Yu Kingdom, because their industry will not be able to manufacture these weapons and equipment.

Hmph, these western robbers are starting to get scared, their plot can't succeed here. Xiao Ming sneered.

If it wasn't for him in this country, the British's strategy would have succeeded long ago. It is estimated that the Great Yu Kingdom would be ruled by barbarians, and thus continue to decline in terms of technology.

But now he broke all their plots.

Hearing this, Niu Ben said, Your Majesty, these Western countries have gone too far. They have repeatedly interfered in the war between the Great Yu Kingdom and other countries. The general thinks that they should be taught some lessons.

It's natural, eliminating the Merchant Council is their biggest failure here. Xiao Ming said decisively.

According to the information provided by the Secret Guard, the war in Chu State has now begun, and the merchant council has controlled most of the new army to violently attack the city controlled by Li Chuyuan. Now Suzhou and its surrounding cities have all been lost.

This information surprised him a little. He was worried that it was not the successive victories of the Cao family, but the amazing support of the merchants' council from the merchants, wealthy families and common people in the south.

Although the new army's firearms are better than Li Chuyuan, but the support they get is also better than Li Chuyuan. From this, it can be seen that the south has accepted the merchant council from top to bottom.

And because the royal family of the Great Yu Kingdom has done little to the South in recent years, and the South has not much recognition of the imperial court, this is the real problem at the moment.

It can be said that after three hundred years of rule, the old system of the Great Yu Kingdom has been unable to maintain the country, and it has reached the level of being unbroken and unestablished as in the late Ming Dynasty.

Over the years, he completed a complete change in the north, reuniting the people, and the south also began to try under the control of the merchant council.

The emperor means that the merchant council is not only controlled by the Cao family? Niu Ben asked.

Of course not. In addition to France, now the British are also involved, and the secret guard also found that Cao Zhengyang seems to be a member of a British secret society. This secret society has also absorbed many southern nobles and giants. The establishment of the Merchant Council has played a huge role, and it seems that there are people in Qingzhou who were bewitched by them. Xiao Ming narrowed his eyes, revealing a dangerous light.

Niu Ben was a little incomprehensible. He said, Your Majesty, this is unlikely. How could they have such an ability?

Xiao Ming comes from modern times, and he has more knowledge than people in this era. When the secret guard investigated the secret society, he suddenly remembered a similar society in contemporary times.

Legend has it that this society is very powerful, and the world's top talents and powerful people are their members, and the operation of the world is the confrontation and cooperation between their members.

He just listened to this rumor for fun, after all, it was too nonsense.

But it was different in this world, because this secret society was most active in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, and he could not help it.

After all, according to the information provided by the Dutch, the French Revolution had this secret society.

That's because you lack understanding of the West. Xiao Ming didn't want to overemphasize this matter, he said: Except for the garrison garrison in Kanto, Korea, and the garrison that cannot be mobilized, how many troops can we mobilize now?

After pondering for a while, Niu Ben said, About 60,000 people.

Sixty thousand people? Xiao Ming pondered for a moment, and he said, This time, the army will be given to these troops first. If Li Chuyuan can't hold on, we can only send troops.

Niu Ben nodded excitedly. After returning from Kanto, he went to the military workshop to visit the new-style rifles. These breech-loading rifles have a fast rate of fire, great power, and can be fired in any posture. There will be a third revolution in the way the military operates.

And this kind of change will lay the foundation for the future of the Great Yu army.

Yes, Your Majesty. Niu Ben nodded excitedly.

After explaining things like Niuben, Xiao Ming looked at the map on the wall. Today, the territory of the Great Yu Kingdom includes Bashu, the area from the north of the Yangtze River to the Great Wall, the entire Kanto and Goryeo regions. In nearly eight years, he has almost completely covered the territory of the Great Yu Kingdom. expanded by half.

But this is not enough for him. Tubo is still a factor of instability in the southwest. The Yunnan generation is still under the control of the Annan Kingdom.

And the Japanese country across the sea is not a good thing now, let alone Tsarist Russia, which is now expanding its sphere of influence eastward.

Looking around, Xiao Ming suddenly felt a little dizzy, the Great Yu Kingdom was really in a troubled era.

Seemingly feeling Xiao Ming's doubts, Niu Ben said, Don't worry, Your Majesty, these foreign enemies will have to be eliminated one by one. From the old minister's point of view, the most important thing at the moment is the Japanese country and Jiangnan. The Japanese country's population and land are better than Gaoli. It is a good dumping market for the country, and if it gets to the south, the government will have enough money.”

This is also what I thought, so you are in charge of Jiangnan, and this Japanese country will be handled by myself. Xiao Ming pondered.

The two were talking when Qian Dafu suddenly appeared at the door of the imperial study and said with a smile, Your Majesty, the Department of Equipment has brought something novel.

Xiao Ming seemed to have thought of something, he said, But something with two wheels?

Yes, there are two wheels and a handle. Qian Dafu didn't understand what it was.

Xiao Ming laughed, This is a bicycle. It seems that the improvement in the type and precision of the lathe has allowed Qingzhou to produce a lot of things.

Bicycle! Qian Dafu and Niu Ben were a little surprised, they followed Xiao Ming out.

The three of them arrived at the square in front of the Zhengdaguangguang Hall. At this time, people from the Equipment Division were waiting for them. In front of them was something Xiao Ming was familiar with—a bicycle.

Your Majesty, what's the use of this thing? Niu Ben asked.

Xiao Ming smiled and didn't speak. He took the bicycle from the craftsman and stepped on the bicycle skillfully, and rode far away in a flash.

Niu Ben and Qian Dafu were dumbfounded.