Chapter 10, Dignity

Wu Anguo was not very familiar with etiquette, and Zhu Di often forgot about his princely status when interacting with him, which made their relationship quite pleasant. What impressed Zhu Di even more was Wu Anguo's initiative to purchase insurance for the local militia. Wu Anguo explained to Zhu Di that the soldiers in the Central Plains were not afraid of death due to a lack of courage. Rather, it was because if something happened to them, their families, who had relied on farming for generations, would lose a labor force, and there would be no one to take care of their families. Therefore, it was essential to address their concerns for their families in order to encourage them to fight bravely. Respecting their living conditions was more effective than any other means of motivation.

Thus, Wu is rendered incapable, exhausting a thousand troops, and it is only fitting that he be the one to carry the coffin for the brave warriors

Your Highness, I view this from the perspective of a merchant. When the common people pay taxes to you, it is equivalent to purchasing your protection. When the rulers collect taxes, it is akin to accepting a contract to safeguard the various interests of the common people. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the interests of the common people are not infringed upon by external enemies or corrupt officials; otherwise, it would be a breach of contract. While Zhu Di is still young, Wu Anguo imparted this wisdom. "Regardless of how much he can absorb, at least the concept of the common people will exist in his heart." At that moment, Wu Anguo felt more like a teacher to Zhu Di.

"Xiao Zhu, I love you." As Wu Anguo looked up at the Boeing airplane descending, he shouted loudly, knowing this was his last chance, tears streaming down his face

"What a grand ambition! What a place where the sun and moon shine, all of it becomes the territory of our Great Ming!" Thirteen Lang burst through the door, and the only ones bold enough to be so audacious before His Highness the Prince of Yan would be the friends of Huai Rou and Wu An Guo. "As long as the sun and moon endure, shining upon our Great Ming, Your Highness the Prince of Yan has such a grand ambition. If that day truly comes, Cao Zhen is willing to be the vanguard at your tents, planting the Great Ming flag all over this map." Thirteen Lang slammed his large hand heavily on the map, filled with heroic spirit, even though there were many places he had never heard of.

Wait for me to return, Marry me

Well, uncle, please feel free to speak your mind; I can handle it

Zhu Di looked at Wu Anguo with confusion, wondering why it was the ruler's responsibility to ensure the well-being of the people. This was a question he had never considered before. His master had only taught him that under heaven, all land belongs to the king, and along the borders of the land, all subjects belong to the king. He had never mentioned that rulers also have responsibilities.

Brother Wu, when Father Emperor allows me to lead troops out of the pass in the future, let us first retrieve this 'Zhu Di pointing towards Liaodong,' and then continue westward, driving the Mongols beyond the mountains. Zhu Di's finger extended beyond the Alps, 'and then we will seize a batch of blue-eyed beauties as you mentioned, to be wives for Chang Mao and the others.' Zhu Di recalled his friend, the son of Chang Yuchun, and the future plight of the lioness of Hedong at home, smiling slyly. He composed himself and said solemnly, Zhu Di's finger extended beyond the Alps, 'and then we will seize a batch of blue-eyed beauties as you mentioned, to be wives for Chang Mao and the others.' Zhu Di recalled his friend, the son of Chang Yuchun, and the future plight of the lioness of Hedong at home, smiling slyly. He composed himself and said solemnly, 'Then we will build large ships to throw all the Japanese who have been plundering by the sea into the ocean, and we will also occupy this land that is larger than the Central Plains, turning every place illuminated by the sun and moon into the territory of our Great Ming.'

Despite the low prices offered by Wu Anguo, he still retained many shares without selling them. His cash was already sufficient to purchase half of Beiping. After forcibly allocating some stocks to Guo Pu, Li Shanping, Zhang Zhengxin, Jiang Ye, and Cao Zhen, Wu Anguo donated the remaining shares to the school as a development fund. The school has established laboratories where teachers and students can experiment with their ideas. New profitable products will soon be acquired by well-informed merchants, with the proceeds shared equally between the school and the inventors. If a virtuous cycle is established, within ten years, the school will be able to sustain itself independently.

A few years ago, Zhu Di was sent to Fengyang by the emperor, where he personally witnessed the hardships faced by farmers. The lives of the people in the land of fish and rice were surprisingly worse than those in this small border town. It is no wonder that General Xu highly recommended these two individuals. Since being rescued from the battlefield by Wu Anguo a few days ago, Zhu Di returned and carefully observed everything in Huairou, committing it all to memory. He submitted a report to Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, accurately detailing the situation on the battlefield, and then wrote a private letter to inform his teacher Song Lian and his father Zhu Yuanzhang about everything he had seen in Huairou. He wished to repay the favor and wanted to bestow great wealth upon Guo Pu and Wu Anguo. Being young, he was unaware of the dangers of the officialdom and did not realize that he was about to push his saviors to the edge of a cliff. A slight misstep could lead them into an abyss from which there would be no return.

Having personally witnessed the power of firearms, Zhu Di became very enthusiastic about them. Whenever he had time, he would practice a few shots, and within a few days, he was already able to shoot with both hands. To express his gratitude regarding the distribution of spoils, Zhu Di presented Wu Anguo with a personal favor. According to the military orders of the Ming Dynasty, the supplies seized by the Imperial Forest Army had to be recorded and submitted. The more than 50,000 warhorses left after the Mongolian army was flooded belonged to the local militias, and Zhu Di believed they should rightfully be under Wu Anguo's control. He also wanted to take this opportunity to observe how this reputedly the wealthiest man in Beiping would allocate these assets. To his astonishment, Wu Anguo converted 40% of the spoils into cash, rewarding the local militia of Huairou, and set aside a portion to compensate the militia from the other two counties that had come to their aid. The remaining 60% was distributed among the investors based on their contributions to the formation of the local militia. To his astonishment, Wu Anguo converted 40% of the spoils into cash, rewarding the local militia of Huairou, and set aside a portion to compensate the militia from the other two counties that had come to their aid. The remaining 60% was distributed among the investors based on their contributions to the formation of the local militia. In the early Ming Dynasty, the returns for each investor were several times their initial investment, bringing smiles to their faces. Zhu Di pondered carefully and admired Wu Anguo even more; this way, when the next local militia was formed, wouldn't everyone be willing to contribute both money and effort? Truly impressive. Many commoners in the Central Plains were weary of war and sometimes preferred to endure humiliation and hardship, but this time, witnessing the benefits of war might slightly alter their perspectives.

Wu Anguo rushed into the crowd, approached a pole bearer, and lifted the pole supporting the coffin onto his own shoulder. Having just recovered from a serious illness, even though he was strong, he swayed slightly. "This is not advisable, my lord," several elders in the crowd quickly urged the procession to stop.

The tree that stands out in the forest is bound to be toppled by the wind. Time is running short. After experiencing this war, the policy of conciliation is bound to cause a stir in the court. The politicians of this era consider the so-called Confucian moral standards far above national interests, making it unpredictable how the court will view these new developments in Huairou, and they can only try to avoid risks. Whether he likes it or not, negotiating with those in power has become inevitable. With his 21st-century mindset and his free-spirited yet somewhat timid personality, his future is fraught with peril. The politicians of this era consider the so-called Confucian moral standards far above national interests, making it unpredictable how the court will view these new developments in Huairou, and they can only try to avoid risks. Whether he likes it or not, negotiating with those in power has become inevitable. With his 21st-century mindset and his free-spirited yet somewhat timid personality, his future is fraught with peril. Dragging his weary body, Wu Anguo met with various shareholders of industrial groups one by one, diverting the industries related to him. After winning the battle, he instead had to transfer his shares at a low price, leading everyone to believe that Wu Anguo had lost his mind. However, seeing his sincere expression, they could not bear to refuse. "Perhaps Wu Dianshi is short on funds, but we haven't seen what he intends to do. Those with great wisdom act in ways that ordinary people cannot predict; it is better to buy some stocks as a reality," they thought to themselves. Through semi-public transactions, within a few days, Huairou County gained many small shareholders. After a round of consolidation, before the court could react, various commercial firms and mines were divided into several major interest groups, which, according to Wu Anguo's suggestion, were named certain group companies.

It turned out to be a dream. Wu Anguo thought to himself that he had been reborn as a human, and he let out a helpless sigh. "Even Master cries in his dreams," Xiao Jiangye said, scratching his own face, reluctantly being pushed aside by the crowd.

"My lord, it is not permissible. If it were not for you, the 40,000 Mongolian troops would have arrived, and my conciliatory efforts would have met the same fate as Beikou City. You have just recovered from a serious illness and cannot bear this burden again. Please, my lord, stop this." Several scholars in the crowd were moved to tears, and as one person led, the crowd fell to their knees in unison.

I don't know

I have money, Uncle. The money I have now is enough for Xiaozhu and me to live together for a lifetime after we immigrate. Wu Anguo suddenly thought of the gold he had stored at the newly opened Xu Ji "Rishengchang" bank in Huairou, which is one of the earliest silver notes in China. He reached into his pocket, but it was empty.

"Xiao Wu, I need to talk to you," the father-in-law said with a smile.

The mournful sound of a trumpet came from one end of the street, where a group of people dressed in white were scattering paper money that fluttered in the air. Whose family is holding a funeral? Wu Anguo looked closely again and recognized several figures in the crowd; among them were a few well-known scholars from the county, Guo Pu, Wang Hao, and Li Ling, all dressed in white, leading the funeral procession.

What is the purpose of occupying such a large space

"Do not kneel, everyone stand up, stand up. The fallen brothers fought desperately against the Tartars, just so that we would never again kneel before books or people. Stand up!" Tears streamed down Wu Anguo's face. Zhang Wu, Li Shanping, and others who had followed Wu Anguo out knew that further persuasion was futile, so they pushed the wheelchair and joined the funeral procession. Shisanlang reached out to take another handle, while Wang Hao and Li Ling moved behind Wu Anguo, together lifting the first coffin, paying the highest tribute to the fallen warriors.

After these arrangements, Wu Anguo can finally plan with confidence how to interact with the court. "Even if I encounter problems in the future, the efforts of these past years will not be in vain. The seeds have already been sown; it is just a matter of when they will grow into towering trees"

"Brother Wu, I bring you great news." Shisanlang had long been accustomed to Wu Anguo's fallacies and did not engage him in debate, instead bringing the uplifting news that had excited everyone today

This is a peculiar city, Zhu Di thought to himself. Close to the border, yet it boasts a prosperity that rivals Yangzhou. There are rarely any idlers or beggars on the streets, and the public order is excellent. The saying "when granaries are full, etiquette is known; when clothing and food are sufficient, honor and disgrace are understood" is well exemplified here. Moreover, unlike other places, there are not many poor people; one can tell from the attire of the pedestrians that the people are relatively affluent. The other day, when I inquired about the county's administration with Guo Pu, I learned that this small county's tax revenue ranks among the top in the nation. Unlike other regions, this county's income primarily comes from commerce and industry, rather than agriculture. With so many merchants gathered here, I have not seen farmers complaining. In Guo Pu's words, aside from the government land tax, private land rentals cannot exceed 20%. "In fact, it cannot be higher; this place is vast with a sparse population. If the rent is too high, no one will lease it. With waterwheels and precision steel plows, not many people are needed; it is basically a guaranteed return regardless of drought or flood."

Zhu Di's wide-open eyes burned with youthful fervor; clearing the northern desert had been his ambition since childhood. Wu Anguo had come to understand this through his interactions with Zhu Di over the past few days. It was said that Zhu Di had been held by Zhu Yuanzhang on the battlefield since he was very young, accustomed to the sounds of battle, and possessed a unique aura of dominance. In addition to his loyalty and strong emotions, the brutal side of young Zhu Di also deeply shocked Wu Anguo. When Wang Zhenghao and others recaptured Beikou City without leaving a single prisoner, Zhu Di not only did not blame them but actually praised their actions, personally taking the enemy's head to honor his fallen subordinates. During the days when Wu Anguo was unconscious, Zhu Di ordered the local militia to bind over four thousand prisoners outside the city, threatening that if Wu Anguo did not recover, they would be executed alongside him. Fortunately, Wu Anguo woke up in time, and with Guo Pu's reasoning that the continuous bloodshed was too heavy and that killing prisoners was inauspicious, they managed to persuade Zhu Di. Of the more than four thousand prisoners, aside from selecting five hundred who appeared orderly to be sent to Nanjing, Zhu Di believed that keeping the rest would ultimately lead to disaster, and it was better to eliminate them completely. After much persuasion, Wu Anguo finally promised that he had a plan to ensure that the Yuan would no longer dare to disturb them, at which point Zhu Di relented and awaited Wu Anguo's handling of the situation.

Zhu Di followed the group with his attendants, not wishing to flaunt his identity as a prince. The others were unaware and had no time to pay attention. In the biting cold wind, paper flowers danced in the air

The major shareholder of the wood and dye industry has become Old Man Yang, while the metallurgy and manufacturing sectors have been taken over by Brother Zhang Wu. People say that the two are fortunate, having picked up the God of Wealth by the well. "Why didn’t I think of going to fetch water that day?" someone joked, teasing Zhang Wu. The glass industry has been acquired by Xu Zhichen, and various other sectors such as ceramics and building materials have also found their rightful owners

... ...

I want to see the brothers off. Wu Anguo opened the door and rushed downstairs, running out to the street. The people guarding the living room were startled and all followed him out.

The buyers include several scholars from nearby counties. After two years, the views of the Confucian scholars in Beiping towards industry have undergone some changes. Under the subconscious influence of Wu Anguo at the Huairou Academy, several Confucian students residing there have begun to reinterpret the true essence of Confucianism. In their school of thought, the Great Sage and First Teacher did not advocate for the discrimination against commerce and industry, and he promoted the idea of drawing on the strengths of various schools. The Second Sage also advocated for respecting public opinion; does it not say, "The people are precious, the state is secondary"? In their school of thought, the Great Sage and First Teacher did not advocate for the discrimination against commerce and industry, and he promoted the idea of drawing on the strengths of various schools. The Second Sage also advocated for respecting public opinion; does it not say, "The people are precious, the state is secondary"? Uniting scholars with emerging industries is a crucial step that Wu Anguo arranged after deep contemplation.

Wu Anguo weakly let go of his hand, watching his girlfriend walk towards the boarding gate. Outside the window, on the tarmac, a Boeing aircraft opened its mouth wide, swallowing his girlfriend's petite figure. Turning his head, he saw his future father-in-law looking at him kindly.

Finally, this moment has arrived. Wu Anguo knows that the unavoidable reality is now before him, but he did not expect it to come so quickly

"This official pays his respects to His Highness, the Prince of Yan." Wu Anguo struggled to get out of bed to pay his respects, but was firmly held down by the Prince of Yan. "Brother Wu, there is no need for such formality. Your life was saved by Zhu Di; it is only right that I show my gratitude."

"Brother Wu, you have finally awakened. Prince Yan has been watching over you for three days and three nights." Li Shanping, fearing that Wu Anguo might be impolite, quickly reminded him

"Master, Master, wake up," someone was pushing his heavy body. Where am I? He opened his eyes and saw the bright red eyes of Xiao Jiangye. Looking around, Li Shanping, Zhang Wu, Zhu Di, Cao Zhen, and others were all present, and the scent of herbs filled the air

This is the news of Xu Dajun's great victory once again. With the death of Naha, the Mongolian court has lost a pillar, and their ability to harass has diminished. Xu Da, free from concerns, captured over ten cities from the Mongols. The Yuan Emperor Togus Temur, in utter helplessness, heeded the Prime Minister's advice and sent envoys to request peace. He offered to cede Yingchang, Helin, and the Hetao region to the Ming, requesting to retain the title of Khan, with a status equivalent to that of vassals such as Annam and Ryukyu, along with an annual tribute of fine horses. Regardless of whether the Emperor agreed to the peace, the Yuan dynasty ceased to exist as a ruling dynasty from that point onward.

Wu Anguo selected the elderly, weak, and lightly injured among the prisoners of war, ordering them to carry the severely injured, who were missing arms and legs, and leave the Central Plains swiftly. They were not allowed to delay along the way, and he requested Zhu Di to send troops to escort them. As for the remaining three thousand or so captives, Wu Anguo commanded Wang Hao to take them to repair the roads from Huairou to various places. They could send messages to their families through the injured, and each could redeem themselves with three fine horses, with the period of forced labor lasting until they were redeemed. Zhu Di was greatly pleased, thinking to himself: "You, Wu Anguo, do not wish to kill, but you are undoubtedly a kidnapper and bandit. In this way, when the Mongols hear their disabled kin speak of the power of firearms, they will surely be afraid and dare not cause trouble again. As for the remaining three thousand or so captives, Wu Anguo commanded Wang Hao to take them to repair the roads from Huairou to various places. They could send messages to their families through the injured, and each could redeem themselves with three fine horses, with the period of forced labor lasting until they were redeemed. Zhu Di was greatly pleased, thinking to himself: "You, Wu Anguo, do not wish to kill, but you are undoubtedly a kidnapper and bandit. In this way, when the Mongols hear their disabled kin speak of the power of firearms, they will surely be afraid and dare not cause trouble again. Moreover, having the captives do such laborious work saves on wages and earns fine horses; truly, only a rogue businessman could come up with such a vicious scheme. Let me add some spice to your scheme!" He nodded in agreement and ordered Li Yao, a hundred-man commander of the Imperial Forest Army, to escort the Mongols out through Beikou City. Li Yao's family had perished in the flames of war, and he harbored a deep hatred for the Mongols. Along the way, he subjected them to all kinds of abuse. These injured soldiers were already severely wounded, and with the cold weather, less than thirty percent made it back safely to the northern desert. Wu Anguo had no idea of Li Yao's background or Zhu Di's and Tushu's thoughts; he believed he was doing a good deed, unaware that if such a good deed was assigned to the wrong person, it could be more vicious than an evil deed.

Let us go out first, allowing Brother Wu to rest a little longer. At Zhu Di's invitation, everyone stepped outside. Wu Anguo, seeing everyone leave, stood up and approached the window, gazing out through the glass. The morning sunlight gradually melted the remaining snow on the rooftops into water, which dripped down, forming icicles on the eaves. This house was completed by him in the summer of this year, constructed with all the newly invented materials such as cement, steel, glass, and tiles. It is not overly luxurious in decoration, but rather unique, consisting of three stories. From the bedroom on the second floor, one can clearly see the street not far away. This house was completed by him in the summer of this year, constructed with all the newly invented materials such as cement, steel, glass, and tiles. It is not overly luxurious in decoration, but rather unique, consisting of three stories. From the bedroom on the second floor, one can clearly see the street not far away

The future father-in-law's smile turned sinister, and the surrounding waiting passengers approached with menacing grins. It was then that Wu Anguo realized they were all dressed in Mongolian attire, and what they were carrying was not luggage, but bloodied steel knives. He fled in panic, only to find an abyss of unimaginable depth beneath his feet.

Wu Anguo looked at the mature yet somewhat naive young man, feeling deeply moved. "In the history I know, you are a mighty emperor who dominates the world. However, in this branch of history, it is hard to say; who can predict the future?" He comfortingly patted Zhu Di's shoulder and sketched a map from memory on paper with a homemade quill. During his time as a 'traveler,' a world map hung above his bed every day, and Wu Anguo could almost enumerate the world's famous landmarks. To broaden Zhu Di's horizons, he explained each one to him. "The world is not just the Central Plains and the lands beyond; it is vast." He comfortingly patted Zhu Di's shoulder again and continued to draw on the paper. "This is Japan, this is Ryukyu, this is Liaodong, which originally belonged to our country but was handed over to the Koreans by the Mongols. This is India, and further west should be the territory of the Turks. Beyond the west, there are two countries, Britain and France, which have been at war for a long time. On this boot-shaped peninsula, there is a city called Florence, where the people speak a different language and have different customs from ours." To the south of the Ming Dynasty lies the sea, and in the southwest, Dali is still under Mongol control. In the sea, there is an island called Yizhou, which was the territory of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. South of Yizhou, there are countless islands, the largest of which is like this, and it is unknown if anyone lives there. As Wu Anguo spoke, his thoughts drifted to his own time, Australia, a beautiful yet sorrowful place. "To the east of Japan, far across the sea, lies a larger land, larger and more fertile than the Central Plains..." Zhu Di held the pen and repeated after Wu Anguo, and the two of them unknowingly chatted until dawn.

From the ambush of the enemy troops at Shimen Valley to the recapture of Beikou City, this battle resulted in the annihilation of over 40,000 enemy soldiers by the local militia and the Imperial Guard from three counties, marking a rare and significant victory. The forces led by Zhou Heng and Lin Huofeng suffered almost no losses, while the other two groups faced substantial casualties. The Imperial Guard experienced over half of their forces being killed or wounded. The entire cavalry unit of the Huairou militia had fewer than 60 survivors, nearly all of whom were injured, while the infantry fared slightly better, with over 30 casualties. The number of deaths was not of great concern to Zhu Di; he was pleased to achieve such results in his first battle. Although he did not fully understand why Wu Anguo was so troubled by the deaths of a few soldiers, he tried to emulate Wu Anguo's demeanor, believing that this would at least encourage the soldiers to fight valiantly, which he considered an essential quality of a competent commander. Before the court issued new orders, Zhu Di stationed the Imperial Guard outside Huairou City and specifically allocated funds from Beiping Prefecture to purchase the entire equipment for the Imperial Guard from Li Shanping and Zhang Wuding, providing each soldier with three matchlocks, a sabre, and a full suit of armor. Unprecedentedly, this was not a requisition but a local purchase, which gave Wu Anguo face. This order was substantial enough to keep Li and Zhang's company busy for a month. Li Shanping's military factory was originally semi-official, with each matchlock bearing a serial number. Although the profits were high, there were hardly any orders outside of the government. Therefore, this time, the production was done with exceptional care.

"Your Highness, rest assured. The martial classic is too exhausting; he has exhausted his strength. A few days of rest will suffice. I have already added nourishing ingredients to the previous medicine, and this rare dragon sinew will be just the thing to use." The doctor, who was hastily summoned by Zhu Di, checked Wu Anguo's pulse and stood up to report.

During these days, King Yan Zhu Di and his advisors were busy dealing with military affairs. On the day of victory, this young prince fully demonstrated his military talent. He ordered the exhausted local militia of Huairou to clean the battlefield and collect prisoners. The Imperial Guard and local militias from two other counties, along with the Huairou artillery, were arranged under the leadership of Qianhu Wang Zhenghao and Ji Canghai to cross the valley and pursue the remaining enemies. Not far into the pursuit, they captured the Mongolian supply train that had been left behind, and the fleeing Mongolian soldiers dared not look back, escaping towards Beikou City without taking their supplies, intending to delay time behind the city walls. The already devastated Beikou City had no civilians left, which allowed Zhang Zhengwu, who arrived shortly after, to proceed without concern. Setting up artillery, Zhang Zhengwu unleashed vengeful cannon fire upon the city walls for over an hour, causing multiple sections of the walls to collapse. Li Yao, a hundred-man commander of the Imperial Guard, led the charge into the city, attacking anyone he encountered. The bloodthirsty Imperial Guard and local militias surged forward almost simultaneously, and apart from a few Mongolian soldiers who managed to escape quickly, the rest were nearly annihilated. The fresh blood on the ground in Beikou City stripped the Ming army of their last semblance of reason, and when Wang Zhenghao led his troops back, he did not bring back a single prisoner.

Wu Anguo was unwilling to rise, and instead lay down, pretending to be weak with his eyes closed, secretly contemplating how to interact with the Prince of Yan. According to the original history, the somewhat naive Zhu Di before him would undoubtedly become a remarkable emperor, as well as an unparalleled tyrant. During the Jingnan Campaign, the loyal and righteous men of the world were rendered extinct, and the national sentiment that Zhu Yuanzhang had utilized during the founding of the country dissipated into thin air. The brutal reality of slaughter among the Chinese was even more ferocious than that of foreign invaders, causing the entire nation to lose its cohesion from that point onward. Ignoring the Prince of Yan was not a solution; after all, the dreams he had painstakingly created were rooted in Zhu Di's territory. Once the Prince of Yan took control of his fief, his political machinations could easily crush prosperity. Could he change him? To have a prince who had been exalted since childhood, held up by others, recognize the concepts of equality and freedom, and acknowledge the equal relationship between the state and the people—wasn't that a fool's dream? Confused thoughts troubled him. What he was currently doing, in a more pragmatic sense, was to change the industrial structure of this era, influencing people's concepts through the changes in his own life and those around him. As for who would be emperor in the future, whether it would be a nation-state or a democratic state, let time and fate decide. He was merely a catalyst arranged in the dark, accelerating the process of historical change. Regardless of what happens in the future, it can be assured that this country will be far ahead of the world for a certain period, and such sorrowful and helpless farewells will never occur again.

"Having taken these places, Your Highness, can you ensure that the people here will live well?" Wu Anguo gently inquired

What else can I do for you, Xiaozhu

"You are a good person, and you are very compatible with our Xiaozhu. I am also quite satisfied with you," my father-in-law said earnestly. "However, we must face reality. There are many things that Xiaozhu needs for her development that you cannot provide. As a man, you must take on the responsibilities that you should bear"

It is the coffin of the brave from Huairou Township! This long procession is entirely due to my mismanagement that led to their deaths. Wu Anguo finally understands why he did not see Guo Pu when he woke up earlier; today is the third day, and the warriors must return to the earth in peace. They died to defend their homeland, which is why the local people have spontaneously come to bid farewell to the heroes.

Although this method proposed by Wu Xiong is good, it is almost like using silver to build an army. It may work when there are few soldiers, but when the number of troops increases, where can one find so much silver? After listening to Wu Anguo's introduction, Zhu Di asked with suspicion. Wu Anguo was waiting for this question, and he introduced the resources of Huairou to him one by one, telling him that relying solely on land taxes and military garrisons would definitely not suffice. Agriculture depends on the weather and is too influenced by external factors. Moreover, during good harvest years, rice can also become cheap. Compared to agriculture, commerce and industry are better. Currently, there are merchants trading between the Ming Dynasty, Goryeo, Japan, Ryukyu, and Mongolia. These fresh goods can continuously bring silver from other countries into the Central Plains. The tax revenue from commerce and industry is much more stable than that from agriculture. With money, one can naturally organize a well-equipped army. General Xu said that if the firing rate of firearms could be as fast as that of bows and arrows, 30,000 Ming troops could sweep through the northern desert. Now, the firing rate of firearms is almost twice that of bows and arrows. With 30,000 Ming troops, the Mongols would no longer dare to venture south to graze their horses. Compared to years of war, this would save much more money.