In the winter of the fourth year of Siheung, the sea surface of the old land of the Southern Han Kingdom was still sunny and the temperature was very high. The high white sails on the sea reflect the sun, and the waves crash against the ship's side.

This is a fleet of five light ships, and on the middle warship, the Jiaolong army commander made Wang Defang go to the deck, and look at the horizon in the distance on the sea for a long time. The soldiers and sailors also stepped onto the deck one after another, looking together at the black shadow on the horizon, which was the land!

The people who had spent countless days on the endless sea did not cheer when they saw the land, but they each breathed a long sigh of relief, and their faces tanned by the sun had a somewhat complicated expression...... Because this fleet was twenty-one warships when it set off from the port of Haizhou (Lianyungang) at the beginning of this year.

The Jiaolong army commanded Wang Defang to take twenty-one ships, and after losing more than half of the ship's personnel, he finally returned.

......The bronze bell on the ship was ringed, and the yellow dragon flag was hung on the remaining ships. The Xu Army's offshore warship came over, waving the red flag of Xingwangfu, and after a while, two small boats rowed closer.

The people on the small boat looked up at the black hole on the side of the ship and the men on the deck wearing forbidden army armor, and shouted: "Xingwang Port is not far away, do your troops have to dock?" ”

A civil official beside Wang Defang responded: "Please Xingwangfu warship to lead the way!" ”

The men in the boat asked for the number of the army, and even if they rowed back, they did not even board the deck...... Those cannons and equipment are only available to the forbidden army, and there is no doubt that they are their own.

The local warship then led the fleet, which belonged to the Great Xu Forbidden Army, to the nearby port of Xingwang.

After the ship broke anchor, the soldiers left the sea in batches and went ashore. Wang Defang remained in the cabin, and he was very depressed, so he lit a lamp and wrote a recital that night to play Tokyo.

Listening to the sound of the waves in the harbor, the night has gradually fallen, but the shore is brightly lit; Whenever merchant ships and warships docked, it was a time when wine shops and kilns were busy. The sound of the rhythm and the profligate laughter were faintly heard in the cabin. Wang Defang looked through the charts and a few packets of seeds he brought back, and pondered for a long time, hoping that the only things he had could exonerate him......

When the soldiers who left the ship came back, Wang Defang heard about the emperor's serious illness and domestic turmoil this year, and he felt a little for a while. After a year of sailing, there is a sense of vicissitudes, and the dynasty that almost raised this voyage no longer exists.

On this voyage, Wang Defang lost 16 warships, thousands of elite soldiers of the Jiaolong Army, and sent out a large number of silk porcelain and jewelry, which cost countless military expenses; Compared to the Jiaolong Army, which got a lot of silver ore from Japan, he almost didn't catch anything this time!

It was really not smooth, they first traveled west with the Great Food Fleet, and sure enough, they passed through Malacca, as the official said, and arrived at the Chola Kingdom (India), where they presented credentials and gifts to the Chola Dynasty, and also received some return gifts. However, on the way back, the fleet encountered wind and waves, and several warships crashed into the reef and sank, killing the Great Cannibal Guide.

Then Wang Defang got lost, and it took more than a month to find the Strait of Malacca; When passing through the strait, he tried to replenish water and repair ships on the island, but at night he was attacked by the Chola people and burned a warship. After dawn, Wang Defang was angry and led his troops to sack the two stockades, but he was afraid of the danger of being alone, so he hurriedly forced his way through the strait and then went north.

After several twists and turns, uncertain winds and waves and reefs threatened the Xu army's fleet. When they finally returned home, there were only more than 200 people and five boats left.

…… When he arrived in Tokyo, Wang Defang received a holy decree summoned by the emperor and the approval of the recital: the disadvantages are in the present, and the merits are in the future.

He hurriedly packed up and entered the palace to face the saint. Walking through the majestic city tower palace, when Wang Defang came to the council hall, in the bright winter light, the highest civil and military servants of the imperial court stood on both sides, and their eyes were cast on Wang Defang's face.

The emperor solemnly summoned him personally, Wang Defang stepped forward and knelt on the ground, and bowed: "The last general has been entrusted by His Majesty, please surrender Your Majesty!" ”

"Flat." Guo Shao sat on it calmly, speaking with full of anger, and there were no signs of serious illness in the rumors, "Those major events that do not see benefits for the time being, but have long-term benefits, are exactly where the responsibilities of the imperial court lie, such as building water conservancy and expanding territory." The king made the following soldiers cut through thorns and thorns this time, and opened up new land, and the merit was in the future. I decree that the soldiers of the voyage will be rewarded. ”

Wang Defang said: "Thank you, Your Majesty." ”

The ministers were silent, and even the privy envoy Wei Renpu did not praise Wang Defang, and the atmosphere was a little dull. But Guo Shao's idea was obviously different, and being able to reach India by sea in the tenth century AD was a feat in itself, and it was not at all measurable by the loss of military spending.

Guo Shao picked up the cotton seeds on the imperial case and looked at the ministers, and said: "Silk is precious, the production is scarce, and it is not strong, but the linen cloth is too rough and cold-resistant, only cotton cloth is suitable for mass output, and the cotton in the Western Regions should be insufficient, only planted in the northwest border, and cotton cloth in the Western Regions is more expensive than silk." If the seeds brought back by Wang Defang can adapt to the climate, this is one of the great benefits of HNA. ”

When everyone heard this, they had to shout in unison: "Your Majesty is wise! ”

It is not known how true these echoes are. Guo Shao couldn't convince the ministers, and even he couldn't find enough reasons himself...... But I know in my heart that according to the insights of later generations, the pioneer of the textile industry is the bright road that the world has walked. Exploring trade routes and obtaining as many raw materials and markets as possible is also an important way to stimulate trade and production.

He sketched out his own unique big picture in a dossier, and the "industry" at the top became a crazy and distant dream. Guo Shao couldn't make a steam engine, and no one could make it at this time, but that was a direction and foresight.

Wang Defang reprimanded the state of Zhu Luo in the council hall, received the gift and the letter of state, but attacked the Daxu fleet in the strait. But the Chola country was too far away, and there was nothing to be done at this time.

…… The next day, Si Tianjian Gao Shouzhen presented the "Star Plate", which was rewarded by Guo Shao, and issued an order to praise his achievements and rank them with Zhang Heng of the Han Dynasty.

The art of stargazing appeared from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and Gao Shouzhen also used this technique to calculate the direction by observing the stars, but it was extremely difficult, and only those who were proficient in celestial phenomena knew this technique; It can only be used in the vast sea.

Guo Shao spared no effort to invest military funds in HNA and made Gao Shouzhen guess the holy will, so he summarized the astrology and made it into an instrument, which was called the "star-pulling board".

Guo Shao didn't understand anything about it, but according to Gao Shouzhen's description, he thought it was an ancient rough version of "satellite positioning" technology. This invention greatly increased Guo Shao's confidence, and deep down he began to brew a second voyage!

Soon after the Great Dynasty, Guo Shao rewarded a cadre of meritorious deeds, and Gao Shouzhen was also listed in the forefront of great achievements.

When Guo Shao was in the court, he did not go to the court with the queen, but today he brought the party woman Li Xianfei to the court. Guo Shao canceled the meeting with the minister in the Yangde Hall that day, and went to Wushan with Concubine Li Xian during the day, and now he seems to love Concubine Li Xian even more.

Concubine Li Xian was favored, and the party leader Li Yiyin was exempted from major crimes, and was made the Duke of Qin and the Metropolitan Governor of Pingxia Province. In the near future, Li Yiyin will go to Xiazhou to take up the nominal highest position in the Pingxia region, and recall his fugitive children and grandchildren to live in Tokyo.

Many officials and people talk about the glamorous name of the party beauty Li Yueji, because of her beauty, the whole family is in a high position. However, the central minister believes that the cause and effect of the matter are reversed...... It was precisely because the emperor wanted to stabilize the Pingxia party and use Li Yiyin to buy people's hearts that he favored Li Yueji.

Yang Ye, Gao Yanyan, and Liu Renzhan were directly named the founding marquis because of their military exploits in the Hedong War, and Feng Jiye was also named the founding marquis because of the capture of Li Yiyin. The great court rejoiced.

People like Zhe Deyan and Li Yiyin are Guogong; Yang Ye and other talents who have made great contributions to the founding of the country are very happy......

Da Xu title is actually two sets of systems, one is the title of the previous dynasty, with a different surname Wang Wang (such as Fu Yanqing is the king of Wei), place names such as the Duke of Guo (such as the Duke of Qin, the Duke of Xia), this kind of title is only a high status, famous, the actual court does not give Yu Lu, equivalent to an honor; And another kind of knighthood obtained by military attachés through real military merits is the unique aristocratic rank of Daxu. The dukes of the Six Kingdoms, the founding marquis, and the earls have a rich salary, and they are hereditary in different ranks.

The founding marquis title obtained by Yang Ye and others is the latter. This type of title has practical benefits, and it can continue to be promoted through military exploits.

After Li Chuyun's death, his son inherited the founding duke, but after Luo Yanhuan's death, the position of the protector was still vacant. One of the hereditary princes of the Six Kingdoms, who shared the world with the Daxu Dynasty, and the generals were staring at that position; The chance of directly sealing the prince of the country is too small, unless there is a war to destroy the country, he must first become the founding marquis...... This is the main reason why the generals are excited.

Then the royal family set up a celebration banquet in the Jinxiang Palace, and the monarch and ministers celebrated together. The cups are staggered, the silk and bamboo orchestras are played, and the dancing girls dance briskly on the wooden platform, and the cheerful and lively atmosphere seems to gradually sweep away the haze of months.

Guo Shao drank a lot of wine in public, and left the banquet to rest in the Yangde Palace. At this time, Jing Niang came in, she stepped forward and hugged her fists and said: "Your Majesty, Wang Zhijun (Wang Pu) called the concubine to play the important news of Cao Si. ”

"Let's hear it." Guo Shao poured tea to sober up and said casually.

Jing Niang said: "Xiao Siwen of the Liao State stepped down as the privy envoy of the Northern Court and served as the king of the Northern Court; Yelu was the new privy councillor of the Northern Court. ”

When Guo Shao heard this, he immediately put down the teacup.

The most powerful official position in the Liao State was the privy envoy of the Northern Yuan, who was in charge of the national military; The Khitan king of the North Courtyard is named "Yi Lijin", which is only one of the four major courtyards, and is nominally the leader of several large tribes.

The siege of Yanmen Pass obviously made it difficult for Xiao Siwen to get out of trouble, so he resolved the domestic contradictions by giving up the supreme military leader.

Guo Shao groaned: "This is not enough to repay Xiao Siwen, but it is a good start." ”

……

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(I'm really sorry everyone, eating almonds the day before yesterday induced hives, itching all over my body to death, infusion, and today I got better.) ）