Seeing that everyone was full of doubts, Zhenwu also knew that they could not say the reason, and after sipping tea, he continued: "Compared with bows, arrows and swords, the biggest feature of firearms is that they can be continuously improved and updated, and the power of improved firearms can be said to be obvious to all. ”

The power of firearms can be greatly improved, and several people are skeptical, the improved firearms of the Qing Dynasty are already so sharp, how far can they be improved? However, Yinxiang did not doubt that the navy of the old 14th was invincible because of the improvement of firearms, and the old 14th also attached great importance to the improvement of firearms.

He organized a large number of manpower in Tianjin to carry out research on the improvement of firearms and gunpowder, and the iron-making and foundry workshops also vigorously advocated improvement. With the personality of the old fourteen, who is not profitable and cannot afford to be early, he is willing to invest so much manpower and material resources in the research of improvement, and it will certainly be fruitful, and if he does not want it in ten or twenty years, the firearms will usher in new improvements.

Lao Fourteen meant that as long as the Qing Dynasty always had the latest powerful firearms, there was no need to worry about the 'Rebellion of the Three Feudatories', which is a fact, as long as the navy and the new Praetorian Guard did not cross as quickly as the soldiers of the Eight Banners, there was indeed no possibility of feudal chaos.

After a slight pause, Zhenwu continued: "I am full of confidence in the improvement of firearms and gunpowder, and it is precisely based on this that I do not care at all about the disadvantages of the surrounding feudal countries, such as the end of the tail and the independence of the country, besides, the Qing Dynasty now has a vast territory, and it is divided into feudal areas around it, which is very different from the situation at the beginning of the Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties and the founding of the country, and I don't care about the opportunity for the feudal country to cause chaos in the Qing Dynasty!"

More importantly, through the partition, the surrounding vassals will be included in the territory of the Qing Dynasty, and will no longer be nominal. It's the real territory of the Qing Dynasty! I don't mind carving out a few more provinces. ”

October 18th. The weather was sunny.

On the royal road from Jingshi to Chengde, Zhenwu led 500 horses galloping from all the way, this 420-mile long imperial road is not only the best road in the Qing Dynasty, but also enough to be called the best road in the whole world, the royal road is ten feet wide, one foot thick, and is made of sand, lime and earth. These materials are mixed layer by layer, paved, and then tamped, and the pavement of the entire royal road is as hard as cement, smooth and clean, and very well maintained. It is overhauled twice a year.

Chengde, Rehe Summer Resort, Yanbo Zhishuang Palace, Xinuan Pavilion.

Yanbo Zhishuang Hall Xinuan Pavilion is Kangxi's dormitory, the walls are double-layered like the Forbidden City, the outer layer is a brick wall, the inner layer is a wooden wall, although the outside is cold and bleak, but the house is warm like spring. The old and frail are naturally afraid of cold. Since the cold weather, Kangxi's range of activities has never left the Yanbo Zhishuang Hall all day and night.

After more than a year of recuperation. Kangxi's stroke symptoms have improved greatly, although his speech is still a little slow and laborious, but his speech is clear and no different from ordinary people, but his body is still very weak and it is difficult to walk. However, his attention to Jingshi has never relaxed.

After hearing the report, Kangxi did not make a sound for a long time, and he muttered for a long time before he spit out a sentence: "Be a thief with a weak heart." ”

Early in the morning of the fourth day, Zhenwu and his entourage rushed to the summer resort, outside the gate as usual, there was no grand ceremony to welcome the holy car, only the leading guards in front of Kangxi, the minister Yide, Fuerdan, and the chief eunuch Li Dequan with a group of soldiers and eunuchs waiting at the door, seeing this situation, Zhenwu was slightly relieved.

Without waiting for Zhenwu to dismount, Ide, Fuldan, and Li Dequan hurriedly greeted him, knelt on the spot and said: "Slave Ide and others respectfully invite the emperor to Sheng'an, long live the emperor, long live long live!" ”

After the three of them finished saluting, Zhen Wucai said with a smile: "Where is Huang Ama?" ”

"Back to the emperor." Li Dequan stood up and said respectfully: "The Emperor Taishang is in the Yanbo Zhishuang Palace, and the special servants and others came to greet the emperor." ”

Zhenwu nodded, and then stepped forward, Yide, Fuldan, and Li De hurriedly followed, Zhenwu is no stranger to the summer resort, he used to come with Kangxi often, but after going down to the south of the Yangtze River in the past few years, he only came to the future, all the way slowly, to the outside of the Yanbo Zhishuang Palace, he saw Kangxi standing at the gate in civilian clothes with the support of two eunuchs, hurriedly stepped forward, lifted his robe, knelt down and said: "Huang'er Yinzhen respectfully invites the emperor Ama Sheng'an." ”

Seeing that Zhenwu was also dressed in civilian clothes, Kangxi nodded slightly and said with a smile: "It's cold outside, come in." ”

Zhenwu hurriedly stepped forward, personally helped Kangxi into the Xinuan Pavilion, and waited for Kangxi to sit down, but he didn't dare to sit down, Kangxi stretched out his finger and pointed to a Taishi chair that had been prepared a long time ago and said, "Sit." ”

Zhenwu had long noticed that the Taishi chair was as tall as Kangxi's kang, and he hurriedly bowed down and said, "The emperor doesn't dare." ”

Kangxi smiled and said, "The emperor doesn't need to be formal. As he spoke, he pointed to Li Dequan again, Li Dequan hurriedly beckoned the little eunuchs outside to serve tea, and seeing that Kangxi had no more instructions, he led a group of eunuchs and palace maids to retreat.

Zhenwu sat cautiously for half of his ass, and then said bluntly: "The emperor heard that the emperor's body has improved, so he hurried to visit, the emperor's amalong body is healthy, it is really the blessing of the Qing Dynasty, the blessing of the Qing royal family." ”

"It's thanks to the Tibetan doctor you brought in." Kangxi said slowly: "I am fortunate to be able to travel and nourish in my lifetime, witness the changes of the Qing Dynasty, and hear the name of the emperor's order from time to time, I have no regrets in this life." ”

Seeing that Kangxi made it clear that he wanted to be good at nourishing and not meddle in the affairs of the court, Zhenwu didn't feel a little uneasy, knowing that he had seen through the purpose of his coming, and was thinking about how to explain it, Kangxi had already asked: "Is it true that Europe has won a big victory?" ”

"Back to the emperor Amma, the great victory in Europe has been confirmed." Zhenwu hurriedly replied: "The merchant fleet returning from Europe has many sailors and sailors, and there are even naval warships escorting it, and it is indeed a fact that the European naval battle has been victorious. ”

Kangxi nodded slightly, the conquest of Europe is not only related to the success or failure of the Qing Dynasty's overseas division, but also related to whether Nanyang Australia can be completely consolidated, and it is related to the national fortune of the Qing Dynasty, he is naturally the most concerned, now it is a great victory in naval warfare, at least it shows that the artillery of the Qing Navy is stronger than that of Europe, so, even if it is a land war with the coalition forces of European countries in the Americas, there is nothing to fear, and the naval battle is not afraid, why be afraid of land war?

After a slight groan, he then asked, "Is there any movement in the northwest?" ”

Northwest? Zhenwu knew that it must be the transfer of 10,000 new Janissaries to Xi'an, which caused Kangxi's worries, and he hurriedly bowed and said: "Back to Emperor Ama, there is no news of any change in the northwest at present, the emperor strengthens the strength of Xi'an, it is a precaution, and it is also intended to expand Xi'an into a major military center to deter and radiate the entire northwest, and the new army of the Janissaries in Xi'an, the emperor is expected to gradually increase to 60,000." ”

60,000 Praetorian Guards! This is a big deal, with the combat power of the new army, Zhenwu's deployment is not just to deal with Dzungaria, it seems that he is ready to fight in the northwest and continue to expand the territory, thinking of this, Kangxi couldn't help but glance at Zhenwu, this old fourteen is really more ambitious than him.

After pondering for a moment, he slowly asked, "What do you think about the innovation of the military system?" ”

Seeing that Kangxi finally asked about the military system, Zhenwu was also slightly relieved, the Eight Banners system is the foundation of the Qing Dynasty, if Kangxi does not ask, the problem will be serious, after a little groaning, he said: "Huang Ama, the navy and the new army are all equipped with firearms, one-color muskets and artillery, and their combat power is far greater than that of the Eight Banners Green Battalion, and it is inevitable to replace the status of the Eight Banners,

After the Eight Banners were freed from the shackles, through the marriage of the Manchu and Han Dynasties, they could be combined with the Green Battalion to assume the heavy responsibility of the garrison place, which was actually not much different from the previous Eight Banners Green Battalion.

The next step is to break the barrier of the Eight Banners, no longer use the flag to command the army, and then gradually expand the number of flag people, and completely change the situation of controlling more with less, as for the balance and containment, the emperor plans to set up nine military centers in Beijing, Shengjing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Jiangning, Guangzhou, Karopa, Siam, and Australia. ”

Kangxi frowned when he heard this, Xi'an is a pilot as a military center? Lao 14 deployed 60,000 troops in Xi'an alone, and the nine major military centers are at least nearly 600,000 people, plus the navy and the Eight Banners Green Battalion stationed in the local garrison, wouldn't the strength of the Qing Dynasty have to be millions? There is no problem in using this to contain the balance, but is it just raised by the imperial court?

After thinking about it, he understood Zhenwu's thoughts, the soldiers in Karopa, Siam, and Australia did not need to be supported by the imperial court at all, not only did they not need to be supported by the imperial court, but they could also increase a huge amount of income for the imperial court.

Nodding slightly, he then asked, "Will a large number of elevations cause the livelihood problem of the banner people again?" ”

"No, it won't." Zhenwu said without hesitation: "Huang Ama, there is no need to worry about the livelihood of the bannermen in twenty years, and now the Qing Dynasty is accelerating the expansion of overseas and mainland China, even if the number of bannermen doubles, it will not be able to meet the expansion needs of the army, therefore, the emperor is ready to import a large number of slaves, and is ready to recruit soldiers from the people on a large scale." ”

"Mass conscription of civilians?" Kangxi glanced at him in surprise.

Zhenwu nodded, and said affirmatively: "Yes, the emperor has not promoted the non-flag members in the navy, that is, he wants to take the navy as an example, and also recruit a large number of people in the new army, the Qing Dynasty is not only the Qing Dynasty of the banner people, but all the banner people and the people, and all the Manchu, Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan ethnic groups, and all the people of the Qing Dynasty have the duty to open up territory for the Qing Dynasty and defend the Qing Dynasty."

Only in this way will they be able to take on the responsibility of defending the rights and interests of the Qing Dynasty and guarding the territory of the Qing Dynasty without hesitation. (To be continued.) )