Chapter 1056: Competing for Favor

"This is the Armaments Department of Great Song!" Zhao Xu said to the kings.

This was the final stop he had arranged for the kings.

Compared to yesterday, what he showcased today was truly a main course.

"This... so this is how Great Song's firearms and artillery are produced."

At that moment, the place where everyone stood was the workshop for drilling gun barrels and cannon barrels.

Seeing one casting after another continuously turning into hollow gun barrels, Beitiao Chuanqing's jaw nearly dropped.

If this were a craftsman in Dongying, it would take a month to polish a single gun barrel.

And what surprised him most was that Great Song's artillery was also drilled out.

"This is just one of the processes," Zhao Xu said.

He was not afraid of these kings observing at all; given the complexity of these technologies, they could not possibly steal them.

After all, this tiny gun barrel already involved multiple technologies such as steelmaking, lathes, and Electric Motors.

Before everyone had recovered from their shock, Zhao Xu led them to the assembly workshop.

Here, craftsmen were assembling Qin-series rifles one by one.

In war, Weapons always suffer wear and tear, so the production of Qin-series rifles had never stopped.

After staying in the assembly workshop for a while, Zhao Xu took everyone to the manufacturing workshop for Metal Bullets.

Seeing that Great Song's firearms actually used Metal Bullets with metal casings, they fell into a stupor once again.

Finally, Zhao Xu led the kings to the Drill Ground.

Here, there were physical displays of Qin-series rifles, hand-cranked Machine Guns, and breech-loading artillery.

Zhao Xu even specifically ordered soldiers to perform target practice with Qin-series rifles and Machine Guns in front of these kings.

"Da-da-da..." The crisp sound of the Machine Gun rang out, which to Zhao Xu sounded like heavenly music.

But to the kings of various countries, it was undoubtedly a direct warning from Yan Wang to them.

If they dared to collude with the Westerners in the future and harm the interests of Great Song.

They might have to taste these firearms and artillery.

After staying at the Armaments Department for only half a day, Zhao Xu led everyone back.

His goal had already been achieved; as for how to maintain relations with Great Song in the future, that was a problem they needed to consider.

He returned to the Prince's Mansion with everyone.

Taking their seats in the Council Hall, the King of Gaoli was the first to stand up and bow deeply to Zhao Xu.

"Your Highness, from now on, Gaoli will be the most loyal servant of Great Song. Gaoli is willing to be at your beck and call and perform the labor of dogs and horses," Pu Zhengshuo said with a solemn expression.

Previously, he had no clear understanding of the gap between Gaoli and Great Song.

Now that he had seen the true strength hidden by Great Song with his own eyes, he was thoroughly subdued from the bottom of his heart.

Furthermore, Gaoli was so close to Great Song; naturally, he wanted to be the first to benefit from the proximity.

After all, the leftovers from Great Song's meals were enough to keep them in Gaoli full.

So, if he didn't curry favor with the soon-to-be-enthroned Yan Wang now, in hopes of Gaoli gaining some benefits in the future, when would he?

Moreover, while his Gaoli was obedient to Great Song, it was not so toward Dongying, Jiaozhi, and the others.

He was even more worried about them coming to divide Yan Wang's favor.

"Talking nicely is not as good as acting nicely. We in Dongying will win His Highness's appreciation with practical actions," Beitiao Chuanqing looked at the King of Gaoli and snorted.

In their hearts, they, the Eastern Japanese, had a natural sense of superiority over Gaoli.

They believed Gaoli was the weakling, the loser.

Gaoli wanting to compete with them for favor was naturally something they could not stand.

Ono and the other three usually couldn't see eye to eye, but at this moment, facing Gaoli, they became unprecedentedly united, stepping out one after another to stand with Beitiao Chuanqing.

"Your Highness, we in Jiaozhi are merely wanderers from Great Song; the blood of Great Song flows in our veins." Just as the King of Gaoli and the four kings of Dongying were competing with each other, Ruan Xiong suddenly shouted, plopped down on his knees, and said, "Please, Your Highness, do not treat us in Jiaozhi as a vassal state, but merely as a province of Great Song."

"Shameless!" The King of Gaoli and the four kings of Dongying said in near unison with disdain upon hearing this.

"In that case, we people of Gaoli also migrated from the territory of Great Song," the King of Gaoli shouted.

"We Eastern Japanese are also descendants of people from the Central Plains who crossed the river to multiply."

Beitiao Chuanqing also shouted.

Seeing this, the King of Luzon, the King of Funan, and others naturally dared not fall behind, and they all began to harp on the origins of their countries with Great Song, causing a ceaseless clamor that exhausted the Prince's Mansion's translator.

Zhao Xu first listened to them argue with a smile, then finally signaled for everyone to be quiet.

He then said: "Alright, alright, everyone, stop arguing. This Prince has always listened to words and observed actions. Since you all admit to sharing the same ancestors and origins with Great Song, or having some slight blood relation, then go back and record it in your history books to instruct the people under your command."

"Yes, Your Highness," everyone replied in unison.

Zhao Xu nodded and added, "Actually, this Prince understands your intentions; it is nothing more than wanting to obtain the technologies you have seen these past two days. Do not be anxious about this; when the time is right, this Prince will naturally teach you and help you establish a Steam Industry."

After a pause, he continued, "There is only one condition: you must have your people thoroughly learn the Great Song script; otherwise, you won't even be able to understand the instruction manuals for the machinery."

The Steam Industry was bound to be phased out.

Exchanging these backward things for the vassal states to actively promote Great Song culture, unify the script, as well as weights, measures, and various industrial standards, was undoubtedly beneficial to Great Song.

For one, selling Steam Industry technology and equipment could allow them to make another huge profit from the vassal states.

For another, cultural unification could also strengthen the centripetal force of Great Song, allowing the vassal states to gradually integrate into Great Song.

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