Chapter 247: Hei Hu Has Returned
Not only did the Ministry of War’s expenses increase severalfold, but the disaster relief costs were also several times higher than during the Former Emperor’s reign. Furthermore, expenses for flood control, road construction, base building, capital city construction, harbor construction, and more were all expenditures that did not exist during the Former Emperor’s time.
Moreover, His Majesty bestowed special favors upon the populace, with many prefectural cities exempt from grain tax each season due to natural disasters. Looking solely at these expenditures, one would think the Great Xia treasury was so empty it could house mice. Great Xia’s national strength was long past its means, not far from ruin!
Yet, the result was that the national treasury increased exponentially! It seemed no matter how His Majesty increased troops or reduced taxes, the nation’s foundation remained unshaken. And this was just the national treasury, not including His Majesty’s and the Empress’s private treasuries.
Initially, the Ministry of Revenue officials wanted to find reasons to discuss the Empress’s excessive spending. However, the data directly slapped their faces; the Empress hadn’t spent a single cent from the national treasury! The Internal Affairs Department’s monthly expenditure for the harem was one-tenth of what it was during the Former Emperor’s reign.
The Empress was truly the most frugal Virtuous Empress in history! This accounting left the Ministry of Revenue officials speechless, and they no longer dared to question the Ministry of War’s accounts. The entire court was silenced, especially the old guard officials from Chang’an.
They couldn’t understand where the money came from. His Majesty always reduced or exempted grain taxes. Although the new crops promoted in Yandi were extremely high-yield, and there was trade with the Northern Frontier and the opening up of sea merchants, it shouldn’t have generated this much profit, right?
The fact is, it truly generated this much profit! Furthermore, our Emperor spent money on livelihoods, neither building gardens or palaces for himself, nor demanding tribute of rare treasures from the regions that would exhaust the populace.
Building bridges and paving roads, and connecting water conservancy projects, although costly in silver, after completion, they could stimulate the economy of prefectural cities and towns, allowing Shu Province’s silk and tea to reach the sea more efficiently, and Lingnan’s sugar and fruit to appear on the tables of the Northern Frontier people.
The flowers and plants from Dianzhou became raw materials for the Rouge Shop, the lacquerware from Qianzhou became a sought-after item in Jiangnan, and the paper from Bozhou and porcelain from Jiangyou were among the most popular goods for export…
This allowed the local populace, outside of the spring and autumn farming seasons, to engage in side businesses to revitalize their villages, achieving the goal of one road enriching a village and one dock enriching a town.
Therefore, although the initial investment in infrastructure seemed substantial, the local commercial tax was quickly recouped.
The follow-up to the Ministry of Revenue officials being proven wrong was that Gu Changxiao felt they couldn’t keep up with the nation’s construction pace. He specifically sent Ministry of Revenue officials down to learn, otherwise, they would become a hindrance.
In short, the outcome was that the entire court agreed to Han Xing leading troops to Minzhou, but for now, it was to address the issue of sacrifices in Minzhou and to defend against landing pirates. As for formally sending troops to Japan, that was pending.
However, Jin Sui knew it was already decided; it would be next spring because the wind direction was unfavorable for sailing to Japan now. The reason Gu Changxiao didn’t announce it in court was to give Han Xing and the Navy time.
It was also to prevent leaks, allowing Japan to prepare in advance. Don’t think there are no traitors in this era; according to Yan Jiu, many local merchants in the Minzhou area traded frequently with Japan.
Merchants are driven by profit; some merchants only see profit and not their country. If Japan offered a price that was sufficiently tempting, they would undoubtedly be willing to act as spies.
Therefore, before Han Xing officially deploys troops, these traitors in Minzhou must be fished out. To repel external enemies, one must first pacify the internal. Only with internal stability can the Navy confidently embark on a long expedition.
Before Han Xing’s expedition, he and Yan Shi’er Niang brought An’an to the palace to see Jin Sui. The general was going on a long expedition, and it was a naval battle unprecedented in this dynasty; no one could say for sure about life and death.
Han Xing came to entrust his wife and child to Jin Sui because he knew very well that His Majesty disliked the Yan family. If anything were to happen, the Empress would be the one to protect Shi’er Niang and An’an.
Jin Sui solemnly affirmed that she would always protect Shi’er Niang and An’an, allowing Han Xing to set off for Japan with peace of mind. At the same time, she searched her space for things to send with Han Xing and found there was truly nothing left to send.
Maps, telescopes, sextants, compasses, medicine, food, the technique for sprouting beans, and even the method for desalinating seawater, she had taught it all to Han Xing. She heard that pirates at sea carried not fresh water, but rather aged liquor that could be stored for longer.
Jin Sui also specifically had the Yan family’s merchant fleet travel to the farther north of the Northern Frontier to retrieve hops and successfully brewed low-alcohol beer, which was loaded onto ships as backup fresh water.
Of course, soldiers were rarely allowed to drink alcohol; this was a backup in case there was no fresh water.
Weapons such as gunpowder and fish oil were also loaded onto ships for Han Xing.
Han Xing was one of the earliest generals by Jin Sui’s side, so he knew very well that conquering Japan had always been the Empress’s wish. He also assured Jin Sui:
“This subject will surely not fail the expectations of Your Ladyship and His Majesty. We will conquer Japan and make our Great Xia Navy dominate the West Sea!”
Jin Sui’s last gift to him was a photograph of his family of three, made into a protective charm for Han Xing to wear close to his body. This was more effective at alleviating homesickness than Shi’er Niang’s hair bun or bringing along little An’an’s fetal hair.
Upon seeing the photograph, Han Xing and Shi’er Niang were both amazed by Jin Sui’s ‘painting skills,’ which were truly exquisite and lifelike. Shi’er Niang exaggeratedly said:
“This doesn’t look like it was drawn with a brush at all; it’s as if an immortal conjured it!”
If Liu Yun were here, he would surely tell Shi’er Niang, “You’ve guessed correctly! These are indeed immortal means!” My senior sister has so many immortal artifacts!
On the day Han Xing set off, Gu Changxiao and Jin Sui, along with Shuo Ge’er and all the officials, went to the East Sea Base to see him off, officially announcing to the world that Great Xia was formally embarking on a campaign in the West Sea!
It also allowed the officials to see our warships. It was quite amusing; some officials who had never been to the East Sea Base saw the warships for the first time and initially didn’t react.
They even asked the person next to them, “What island is that? I’ve never heard of it!”
The other person scoffed and looked at him with amusement, “You’ll know soon enough.”
Indeed, after Gu Changxiao finished his morale-boosting speech to the Navy, the Navy officially boarded the ships, and amidst the sound of bugles, the warships set sail.
Then, the person’s eyes widened in shock, his jaw nearly dropping, “That, that’s not an island! It’s a warship!”
“Heh heh, you see now, don’t you? That’s right, those are new-model warships produced by the Military Industry, capable of holding a thousand people! See those black holes? Those are all cannon muzzles.”
“Our Great Xia warships setting sail are bound to change the pattern of the Four Seas! Let those pirates see, who spend their days wielding knives and guns, swinging around with ropes to fight, that in front of Great Xia warships, they are no different from monkeys!”
Their old-fashioned warships couldn’t even withstand one of our cannon shots!
This made even the most rigid old censors feel a sense of pride. It was indeed time to go to sea; Great Xia already possessed this strength. We couldn’t let such warships remain hidden in harbors, used as merchant ships forever, could we?
In the past, Great Xia did not prioritize maritime power because the sea had too much instability compared to land. Furthermore, the navy’s expenses were too high, and the profits from the sea could not offset the military expenses, so Great Xia gradually abandoned the navy.
But now, the Ministry of Revenue’s maritime commercial taxes are telling everyone how high the profits from the sea are! In the past, it was because the correct routes were not found, and merchant ships sailing out were a near-death experience.
Since the Empress provided safe routes, maritime trade has become incredibly profitable! Facing provocations from island nations at sea and the rampant piracy, if we still don’t prioritize the navy, we will eventually be invaded by those small countries on land.
Awareness naturally arises when one’s strength becomes formidable. Especially since the gentry, due to land reform, shifted their focus of interest from land to trade. After witnessing the immense profits of sea merchants, they supported the Emperor’s establishment of a navy more than anyone.
What’s amusing is that before, when Han Xing was killing his way through Chang’an, the powerful gentry of Chang’an wished him ill, as if they were cursing him with voodoo dolls.
Now that Han Xing has become the Grand Admiral of the Navy, they hope for his triumphant return. Truly, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.
In the past, there were few post stations built from Chang’an to Minzhou, and news from Minzhou took a long time to reach Chang’an. It’s different now; whether it’s an urgent dispatch by land or by water.
The official roads have been rebuilt, blasting through mountains and filling in ravines, turning Minzhou, which was more difficult than the Shu Road, into a flat official road. This allows for extremely rapid transmission of news.
Since Han Xing’s expedition, Gu Changxiao has received daily updates on the Navy’s situation.
Gu Changxiao would select the key points to tell Jin Sui. For example, the first thing Han Xing did upon arriving in Minzhou was to dismantle the local evil shrines. Initially, some commoners, misled by the evil cult, fiercely opposed it.
However, the female officials who arrived with Han Xing distributed medicine and food to the commoners, appeased their emotions, and exposed the true nature of the evil cult. Furthermore, Han Xing not only did not dismantle the Dragon King Temple but also funded the construction of a larger one.
This provided spiritual sustenance to the people of Minzhou, who have always had strong beliefs, preventing large-scale peasant revolts and successfully eliminating the evil cult and sorcerers. Additionally, human sacrifice was prohibited, with collective punishment as a deterrent.
If a village was found to be holding a human sacrifice, the entire village would be denied grain and supplies from the female officials. Villages that reported such activities would receive extremely generous rewards.
High-yield grain seeds were also bestowed, along with a year’s tax exemption, which for peasant households was like their ancestral tombs emitting green smoke – an incredible stroke of luck.
The evil sacrifices in Minzhou were quelled at an extremely rapid pace, followed by the full-scale eradication of pirates and merchants and gentry who had colluded with them.
Land reform was not thoroughly implemented in Minzhou; local magnates held more power than imperial officials. However, this time, our Jade-Faced Yama, General Han, has arrived in Minzhou and will completely change the landscape of Minzhou, bringing clear skies and bright days to the local populace.
Shi’er Niang often brought An’an to the palace. Jin An and Ying Niang were responsible for looking after the children; An’an and Shuo’er were both under their care.
Shi’er Niang would then look at the map of the Minzhou sea area with Jin Sui, discussing the recent situation of Han Xing and the Navy. Shi’er Niang felt she was learning a lot of new knowledge, things she had never heard of before.
Especially listening to Jin Sui talk about matters at sea, it made her restless and eager to go out to sea with Han Xing.
This startled Jin Sui. This woman had once dared to go to the Northern Frontier alone, leaving An’an in the palace. She was truly capable of doing something like that, taking a Yan family merchant ship to find Han Xing!
Jin Sui quickly secretly informed Yan Jiu, “Make sure you keep a close eye on your sister!”
When Shuo’er turned one year old, Han Xing had been in Minzhou for half a year. Good news arrived again: all pirates in the South Sea had been cleared out. For the past three months, not a single pirate ship dared to enter South Sea territory, nor did any pirates dare to land.
Gu Changxiao was about to praise the Navy in court when he suddenly received an urgent letter from Han Xing. An unknown fleet had entered the South Sea, and our forces were investigating their origin!
Gu Changxiao and Jin Sui didn’t have to wait long. When Han Xing’s latest message arrived, it was accompanied by a familiar handwriting, like a dog’s crawl, with each character as large as a basin, yet it moved Jin Sui to tears.
“It’s Hei Hu!”
She looked at the world map in disbelief, unable to comprehend how Hei Hu, who had pursued the Hu people from the Northwest and directly penetrated the Thirty-Six Countries of the Western Regions, could appear in the South Sea by ship.
By now, it had been a full three and a half years since Hei Hu pursued the Hu people from Chang’an. His son could already attend kindergarten and still hadn’t met his father.
Jin Sui impatiently urged Gu Changxiao to read the urgent report. Upon reading it, she was so excited that she slapped her thigh – well, she slapped Gu Changxiao’s thigh, so he held Jin Sui’s hand to prevent her from getting too agitated.
“Hei Hu is indeed a lucky general! A tiger general! I used to say this guy was single-minded, stubborn, and obstinate. If you give him an order, you must be very clear, otherwise, he will complete it in his own way.”
Look, this is our General Hei Hu’s understanding. You told him to pursue the Hu people, and he just kept pursuing them to the end.
He didn’t just pursue them to the end; he pursued them right through! The Hu people who invaded Chang’an had long been killed by Hei Hu, but he didn’t care.
You Hu people abducted so many of our citizens, killed so many Han people, and burned so many farmlands and prefectural cities. Of course, I will retaliate in kind; I will also invade your country!
The Western Regions were already chaotic, with many small countries despite their small territories. Although they initially watched the conflict from the sidelines, hoping Hei Hu would eliminate their enemies.
By the end, they realized this Han army was different from any before; it was too fierce. They had no choice but to unite to resist.
But whether they united or fled, they couldn’t escape Hei Hu’s pursuit. There were two occasions when Hei Hu ran out of provisions and prepared to return.
Coincidentally, the army sent by Gu Changxiao to deliver supplies happened to catch up. Perhaps heaven was helping us; in any case, Hei Hu successfully broke through the Thirty-Six Countries of the Western Regions.
Turning those Western Regions countries with difficult-to-pronounce names into new borders for Great Xia.
And this pursuit actually led all the way to Tianzhu. The Hu people ran to Tianzhu first, and they started fighting with the Tianzhu army. The Hu people couldn’t defeat Hei Hu, but they could easily defeat the Tianzhu army.
After they had routed the Tianzhu army, Hei Hu arrived. His mission was to kill the Hu people, but for Tianzhu, Hei Hu’s army was like a savior descending from the heavens!
The result was that Hei Hu successfully annihilated all the Hu people and became a honored guest of the Emperor of Tianzhu. The Emperor of Tianzhu even feared he would conquer Tianzhu and bestowed extremely generous gifts.
So, I say Hei Hu is single-minded, right? His understanding was, I’m here to kill Hu people, and Tianzhu isn’t Hu people!
Therefore, he refused the Emperor of Tianzhu’s offer of half the country as a fiefdom to make him a king of a different surname, and he also refused the offered beauties. However, he accepted gold and gemstones without hesitation.
Then Hei Hu discovered that returning the way he came was too troublesome. When the Emperor of Tianzhu heard he was willing to return to Great Xia, he was overjoyed!
He immediately helped him find a way. Since he didn’t want to return the way he came, he would go by sea. A few years ago, Great Xia merchant ships had reached Tianzhu, and the sea route was navigable.
Hei Hu was incredibly bold and didn’t consider the risks of the sea at all, only thinking that he could carry more things by ship and that he wanted to bring them back to Great Xia to present to his boss.
