Chapter 632: Vertical and Horizontal

"Your Highness, Director Xu requests an audience."

Zhao Xu and Dong An were discussing the matter of the diplomatic mission when Feng'er appeared at the entrance of the study.

Zhao Xu nodded, signaling for Xu Ke to enter.

Before long, Xu Ke arrived at the study, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, I have just received news that Qi, the Xie Family, Southern Liang, Wu, and Nanping have agreed to hold the Lu City Alliance on the twenty-ninth of this month."

"Furthermore, I have obtained the key reason for Qi's successful vertical alliance: they have promised to sell flintlocks to the other powerful clans, and have pledged that after they jointly launch an army to attack Yanzhou, they will impart the manufacturing techniques for flintlocks to them."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu frowned; he had been having Xu Ke keep a close watch on Qi's vertical alliance for some time now.

He still felt a trace of surprise that Qi could conclude treaties with the other powerful clans so smoothly.

After all, if they were truly so united against a common enemy, they would not have fought their own separate battles and watched from the sidelines for so long.

Now, the intelligence provided by Xu Ke suddenly made him see clearly.

"So, it is the flintlocks that have tempted the powerful clans." Zhao Xu's eyes narrowed.

Dong An said, "Dongying is truly willing to pay a heavy price. I believe that this matter of framing the Black Shark Sea Bandits is also, in all likelihood, the work of Dongying. Dongying wants to wipe us out even more than the Northern Di do."

"That is because, like the Northern Di, they both wish to destroy our Great Song and occupy our territory." Zhao Xu pointed directly to the crux of the matter.

Many Yanzhou officials could not understand why an island nation separated from the Great Song by a vast ocean would be so desperate to fight Yanzhou to the death.

This was because their information was blocked, and they did not understand the cruel world outside the Great Song.

"How arrogant." Xu Ke snorted. "Your Highness, since that is the case, we cannot let the Eastern Japanese's scheme succeed."

"That goes without saying. I had Dong An come over precisely to deal with this matter," Zhao Xu said.

Xu Ke was delighted. "Does Your Highness have a way to break the powerful clans' vertical alliance?"

Zhao Xu smiled and nodded. "I didn't before, but the news you brought has given me an idea."

After a pause, he continued: "In my view, this time Dongying and Qi are simultaneously carrying out two vertical alliances. The first is the vertical alliance of the powerful clans, and the second is the vertical alliance of the Western Lands nations. Dong An, you remain responsible for neutralizing the alliance on the seas; as for the alliance of the powerful clans, I have my own arrangements."

Having said this, he let Dong An go back to prepare, keeping only Xu Ke behind.

After pondering for a while, he said: "I want you to create some chaos at the Armament Bureau and leak the manufacturing blueprints for the flintlocks."

The chaos he spoke of was, naturally, not real chaos, but rather putting on a show for the eyes of the powerful clans in Yancheng.

After all, they had been keeping a constant watch on the Armament Bureau, wanting to obtain the manufacturing techniques for firearms from within.

And this was his method for neutralizing the powerful clans' vertical alliance; it was obvious that the fragile relationship between these clans relied on the flintlocks.

Since that was the case, he would simply make the technique for manufacturing flintlocks known to the world.

In this way, the other powerful clans who obtained flintlocks would no longer be led by the nose by Qi and Dongying.

Because,

their bargaining chip would have lost its effect.

By then, even if the alliance of the powerful clans could be maintained, the other clans would no longer be constrained by Qi and Dongying because of the flintlocks.

Once war broke out, they would be just like the six states that attacked the Qin Kingdom—fighting their own separate battles and collapsing at a single blow.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ke was stunned for a moment, but he immediately understood the crux of it.

He said, "Although it is a pity, it is nonetheless a good method."

At present, the Prince's Personal Army's rifled muskets were far superior to the flintlocks.

It was not just the Prince's Personal Army; even the firearms given to the Ma Family were now rifled muskets.

The smoothbore flintlock guns were basically obsolete.

Using this method of manufacturing obsolete firearms to disintegrate the alliance of the powerful clans was still cost-effective.

After all, even if they did not leak them on purpose, Dongying and Qi would give them away, and Dongying might even want to take the opportunity to make a profit.

Having decided on this matter, Zhao Xu gave Xu Ke a written order to go see Wang Ying.

Without his command, no one was allowed to mess around at the Armament Bureau, and Xu Ke was no exception.

But that very night, the Armament Bureau suddenly erupted in flames.

A carriage broke through the guards' blockade and fled the Armament Bureau.

In the dark of night, the carriage sped along, and because of the jolting, many blueprints scattered from the vehicle.

Seeming to be in a hurry to escape, the carriage did not stop and headed west the whole way.

Just then, several groups of people suddenly rushed out from different alleys.

They each picked up the blueprints on the ground and, before the pursuing cavalry arrived, suddenly disappeared into the alleys again.

The next day.

The Government Office posted arrest warrants early in the morning to capture the enemy spies.

Seeing this, the spies of the powerful clans quickly took the blueprints and fled Yancheng.

"Your Highness, it is done." When the spies of the powerful clans fled with the blueprints, Xu Ke came to the Prince's Mansion.

"Good. Next, I would like to see how these powerful clans will hold their alliance!" Zhao Xu sneered.

Originally, when Xu Ke discovered these spies, he had intended to kill them all.

But he had stopped Xu Ke.

The reason was simple: if this batch of spies died, the powerful clans would just send more.

And they would be even more secretive, making it a greater effort to investigate them again.

Therefore, killing is not as good as controlling.

Furthermore, he could use them at any time to achieve his own goals, such as in this incident.

He could even pass false information to these spies in the future.

"By the way, as the saying goes, 'to receive without returning is not polite.' Since they have made their move, I must also show my sword. During this time, I need you to spread word of Dongying's wolfish ambitions toward the Great Song to arouse the powerful clans' vigilance and distrust toward them."

"At the same time, the Liang Family once had the intention to take the Yizhou region controlled by Dongying, and they are clearly at odds with Dongying. I want you to sow discord between the two families and try to trigger a conflict between them," Zhao Xu said.

Currently, he was at odds with the powerful clans, but that did not mean he had no common interests with any single one of them.

Among them, the Liang Family detested Dongying just as he did; perhaps he could use this matter to further divide the powerful clans.

Moreover, the Liang Family was quite far from Yanzhou, which also fit the basic geopolitical strategy of allying with distant states while attacking those nearby.

"Yes, Your Highness." A cold glint flashed in Xu Ke's eyes.

The Four Courts were originally meant to provide intelligence and handle dirty work for the Yan Wang.

Over these past two years, with the growth of the Four Courts, he believed he was now fully capable of handling this task.

After discussing a few more details, Xu Ke rose and left.

No sooner had he left than Wang Chong arrived.

"Your Highness, I have come to bring you good news," Wang Chong said.

Ever since the administrative system of Yanzhou merged with that of the Imperial Court, Wang Chong had also begun referring to himself as a subject.

Seeing Wang Chong, Zhao Xu's mood improved significantly.

At the very least, everything he brought was good news.

"Oh? Let's hear it," Zhao Xu said; Wang Chong had many projects in his hands, and he was not sure which one had made a breakthrough.

Wang Chong chuckled twice and said, "Your subject used the Steam Engine for air blowing, and the quality of both the iron and steel produced has improved significantly. I believe we can attempt the Bessemer Steelmaking Process; after all, the key to this method is the oxygen blast volume, and now that the air volume is greater, the oxygen is sufficient."

Zhao Xu revealed a satisfied smile.

If this step could succeed, the steel production of Yanzhou would increase explosively.

It would greatly alleviate the surging demand for steel that had emerged with the appearance of the Steam Engine.

From now on, manufacturing the Steam Locomotive and laying the Railway would also be no problem.