Chapter 360 Ryukyu Envoy

Kublai Khan said: "Aiqing, please speak." ”

"Great Khan, at the beginning of this year, the minister and General Ali Hague had a dispute about the artillery, the minister thought that the greatest inventor in the history of artillery should be Mr. Ma Jun of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, but Ali Hague thought that although Ma Jun's artillery was powerful, it was outdated, and the most powerful artillery experts today should be their people from the Western Regions."

"Ma Jun, Ben Khan knows his people, it is said that on the basis of the repeating crossbow invented by Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han Dynasty, he made a rotary stone throwing machine, called the 'wheel cannon', which can continuously throw stones out, reducing the interval between launches, and greatly improving the lethality and destructive power of the original gun, as for the Western Regions, there are also artillery masters, Ben Khan has never heard of it."

"Great Khan, my dynasty has always been heavy cavalry, so I don't attach much importance to auxiliary equipment such as cannons, when the minister is fighting with General Ali Hague, and I didn't delve into it, now I see that the Southern Dynasty is studying muskets and artillery, and this is what I thought."

"Shi Aiqing, who are the people from the Western Regions that Ali Hague is talking about?"

"Great Khan, according to Ali Hague, the people of the Western Regions call the artillery Huihui, the best maker has two people, one of the older is named Ah Lao Wading, who is a native of Mufali in the Western Regions, and the other is named Yisimayin, the Xulie people of the Western Regions, these two people are Huihui people (Islam) in the Western Regions (now west of Yumen Pass), belonging to the master-apprentice relationship, because the Huihui artillery is obtained from the Western Regions, so it is also called the Western Regions cannon, and the Huihui artillery can continuously fire dozens of pounds of stones, and can also be fired at a single time weighing one hundred and fifty pounds (equivalent to the current eight, Ninety pounds) of the boulder. ”

"More than a hundred pounds." Kublai Khan was a little surprised, "If what Ali Hague said is true, dozens of return cannons are fired at the same time, and it only takes a few round-trips, isn't it possible to destroy the opponent's city." ”

Kublai Khan suddenly felt that his eyes lit up, and the siege plan that he had been thinking about recently could be regarded as finding a solution, in the field, Kublai Khan of course believed in the invincibility of the Mongolian iron cavalry, but he was also quite helpless for the strong city of the Southern Dynasty, and most of the defense system of the Southern Dynasty came from Meng Heng, if the Southern Dynasty army blindly retreated into the city, it was indeed difficult to break through, even if he won, he would have to pay a considerable price,

Shi Tianze said: "What the Great Khan said is that the boulders weighing more than 100 catties smashed on the walls of the Southern Dynasty in turn, which will indeed cause great damage, and it will be of great help to the siege of the city." ”

"Well, isn't the Southern Dynasty relying on the strength of the city, my army is equipped with this kind of cannon, and it will not be ,,,,,, for siege warfare haha, come here."

The cowardly Xue Jun on duty outside the door hurriedly entered and said, "Great Khan." ”

"Quickly pass Ali Hague and enter the palace immediately."

According to historical records, to the first month of the tenth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1273), the Mongols attacked Fancheng with Hui Hui artillery, and won in one fell swoop, and then, the Yuan army moved the cannon to Xiangyang, and Yisima Yin placed a huge cannon in the southeast corner of Xiangyang City according to the careful observation of the terrain. As a result, a shot hit the Xiangyang Tower, "The sound is like thunder, shaking the city, the city is turbulent, and the generals are panicking." The Song general Lu Wenhuan knew that he was invincible, so he returned the city to the Yuan army, and the battle of Xiangfan, which lasted for five or six years, ended in the roar of the return artillery.

Kublai Khan, knowing that I was experimenting with artillery, also returned to the use of artillery in advance, of course, Kublai Khan did not think that I used artillery instead of stone-throwing artillery.

Ali Hague's residence was not far from Kublai Khan's palace, and about half an hour later, Ali Hague came to Kublai Khan's tent.

"See the Great Khan."

"Well, Ali Hague, Ben Khan asked you, is there a craftsman who is good at making artillery in the Western Regions?"

"Hui Great Khan, that's true, the minister didn't talk nonsense, at the beginning of last year, the minister once passed by the Western Regions and met Yismayin, and he said that his teacher Ah Lao Wading was already developing a cannon that can shoot 200 to 250 catties of fire."

Shi Tianze was suspicious: "More than two hundred catties, General Ali Hague, this time the cannon can support such a heavy stone." ”

"Master Shi, I heard that Yi Si Ma Yin said so, don't hide it from Lord Shi, I was also very surprised at that time, as for the reason for the trick, I don't understand, I only know that the material of the Hui Hui cannon is made of a lot of metal materials."

Kublai Khan also didn't understand this, and thought about it: "Shi Tianze, Ali Hague." ”

"The minister is here."

"Ming said that early in the morning, let Zhongshu Province issue an edict, and rush eight hundred miles, and spread that Ah Lao Wading and Yi Sima Yin came to see Ben Khan quickly."

"Yes, Great Khan, the ministers obey."

On July 6 of the second year of Xianchun, after the assessment of the Ministry of Officials and the Government Council, Cai Chang entered the Daqing Hall in the palace for the first time at the court meeting.

Ma Tingluan, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, first came out and said: "Your Majesty, Cai Chang of Ryukyu Province has passed the assessment of the Ministry of Officials and is waiting for the decree outside the palace gate. ”

"Yes, Xuan."

Xiao Qi said loudly: "Xuan Cai Chang enters the hall." ”

After Ma Tingluan saw Cai Chang enter the palace, he said to him: "Lord Cai Changcai, according to my courtesy system, I will see the emperor first." ”

Cai Chang hurriedly bowed and bowed: "Minister Cai Chang see the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor." ”

"Cai Aiqing, don't be polite."

"Your Majesty."

Ma Tingluan continued: "Please give your Majesty the seal." ”

I nodded and said with a smile: "Cai Aiqing, I am very pleased that you can pass the assessment of the officials, and I am even more glad that you and your people can return to our dynasty, before giving the title, I will first talk about the important surname of Ryukyu, Ryukyu Province is the first province established by our dynasty overseas, although the Ryukyu Islands are scarce in resources, and the current economic situation is far behind our own country, but its strategic position is very importantTherefore, I intend to establish our first naval base outside the mainland in the Ryukyus Province to prepare for the future, and the relevant plan will be formulated by the Military Affairs Yuan, Lu Xiufu and Li Beiyang, and the two of you will be responsible for this. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty, the ministers obey."

"Cai Aiqing."

"The minister is here."

"I have appointed you as the first envoy of the Ryukyu Province, temporarily holding the rank of the fourth rank, responsible for all the government affairs of the Ryukyu Province, and the other officials of the Ryukyu Province shall be submitted to the Government Council and the Ministry of Officials for review by you, and the specific affairs of the various ministries of the provincial government shall be arranged by the Government Council.

"Yes, Your Majesty, Minister Cai Chang obeys the order."

"Cai Aiqing, I would like to warn you here, it is not easy to be an official in my dynasty."

"Please make it clear to the emperor."

"I have a lot of rules and precepts, Cai Aiqing, as an official in this dynasty, you must be mentally prepared, first of all, you must be honest, if you have the dream of getting rich and power as power, it will definitely not work, when you are assessed in the Ministry of Officials, you should know my dynasty's "Code of Conduct for Officials", there are many rules and regulations on it, and they need to be implemented to the letter, so this first step, you have to become a clean official."

"The emperor can rest assured, this minister will definitely do this."

"Well, the second is to be a good official for the country and the people, for the country and the people is my definition of a good official, I said when I ascended the throne, I will definitely lead me to Zhongxing, that is, to make the country rich and the people strong, then as the highest local administrator, his duty is to lead the local area to prosperity and strength under my leadership, therefore, your courage after returning will not be light, Ryukyu Province is not the same as other provinces, in addition to developing the economy and making the people on the island live a good life, you must also make the original islanders belong to our dynasty in their heartsIn these ten days, the Government Council will arrange for you to go to the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Criminal Department, the Ministry of Household and other departments to receive training from various ministries, and I will talk to you in detail when you leave. ”

"Yes, the emperor, the minister will live up to the emperor's trust and must become a good official as the emperor said."

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let's talk about the twists and turns of the Independent Commission Against Corruption a few years ago." My face turned slightly pale, and I said solemnly, "I have signed the letter of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, that is to say, the officials who have reached the capital punishment will be sentenced to capital punishment according to law, and more than 20 officials will be sentenced to death at a time, which is also rare in the history of our dynasty, I will never regret it in my heartache, if I let this go, then in the future, I will spend ten times the price, and it may not be able to achieve today's effect." ”

"The only thing that makes me feel fortunate is that none of these officials are in the hall, I also hope that you will clean yourself up, don't follow in the footsteps of these people, anti-corruption is a long-term national policy, will not stop, what is the most precious thing of people, I think of course it is life, use my life to fight for things outside the body that can not be spent in a lifetime, is it worth it, as the saying goes, people die for money, but people are dead, what do you want money for, people, you have to live first, there will be hope when you live, I remember a monarch who said on his deathbed that he had fought countless battles in his life and gained territory that surpassed his predecessors, but when he died, he was not like anyone else, he could only possess one bed. ”

The last sentence, I can't remember whether it was on TV or in the novel, I saw Genghis Khan say this before he died,

"Ladies and gentlemen, what I just mean by saying that if a person risks capital punishment and collects countless wealth during his lifetime, what is the use of it in the end."

"Yes, if there are no people, what is the use of money." The officials in the hall thought one after another, and even Jia Rudao asked himself,

"I think that the gold and silver treasures are enough, and the income of the officials of my dynasty is not low, before, most of the officials have obtained a lot, either openly or secretly, I know, of course, I have said that I am not to blame in the past, I Aiqing, think about it, is it worth it like the actions of those twenty-two officials."

With the help of Chen Wenlong's recitals, I educated the officials again, and casually warned Cai Chang to be a good official for the country and the people.