Chapter 299: What fun is there in honest business compared to snatching it away?

Lu Yuan's words caused an uproar in the court.

To others, it looked like the people of Qingbei were impeaching Prince Lie—wasn't that just opposition?

As it turned out, Lu Yuan came out in support.

Even Gu Qingwan, who had been sitting silently on the throne, didn't react.

Actually, Gu Qingwan just wanted to use this opportunity to give Gu Lie a good dressing-down.

This is going too far!

Without a word, not even notifying the Ministry of War, he directly ordered the navy to carry out military action.

Over the past three years, Gu Qingwan hasn't had the time to manage Gu Lie, instead letting him develop bad habits.

But her husband's remarks below left Gu Qingwan momentarily at a loss for words.

Even the dozen or so Qingbei people who had just been impeaching Gu Lie are now all bewildered.

Huh?

This…

Everyone had just been saying they wanted to impeach Prince Lie, yet the principal stood up and declared support?

This…

Those dozen or so Qingbei individuals looked at each other, and the next second they all spoke in unison:

"We support!"

Lu Yuan: "……"

Everyone: "……"

Good grief……just a second ago they were dead set on impeaching Prince Lie.

And the next second they support?!

Changing faces faster than flipping a book?!

Lu Yuan also felt speechless; his Qingbei cohort really knows nothing about governance.

That is, Gu Qingwan is his wife.

Otherwise, if anyone else were emperor, he would definitely be purged as the leader of the biggest faction.

He might end up worse off than Nian Gengyao.

Meanwhile, Kang Linfei, watching from afar, went black-eyed and nearly fainted from fright.

However, Lu Yuan couldn't be bothered with others; instead, he gazed respectfully and earnestly at his wife on the throne, explaining why he supported.

Lu Yuan had pondered this matter again yesterday.

The affair of the Abyssal Continent is probably not that simple.

Even someone of Ji Lingxiao's caliber has gone, and this practically counts as a joint action of all the cultivation sects of South Qingling Prefecture.

Such a large-scale operation means this matter is absolutely not simple.

Moreover, let's go by what those cultivators say.

At first, one or two sects resisted, but they failed, and the monsters in the Abyss emerged.

The second time, the major sects sent out their disciples, yet they failed again, and the Abyss's monsters have now nearly overrun the entire Abyssal Continent.

This is the third attempt.

What if the third attempt fails as well?

What then?

Let those Abyssal monsters run loose, and then the entirety of South Qingling Prefecture will be overrun by them?

Those cultivators said these things reproduce extremely fast—basically tougher than cockroaches.

Once they appear, it won't take long—perhaps a few months—before all of South Qingling Prefecture is doomed.

So Lu Yuan thought it over and decided to send the Seventh Fleet.

Even more, the Great Zhou Dynasty's Naval Headquarters has nine fleets that could go and directly encircle the Abyssal Continent.

These years, the Great Zhou Dynasty's military has practically been idling away.

Especially with all this new equipment entering service, the Great Zhou Dynasty's troops are really eager to give it a real test.

However, the neighboring countries these years have been extraordinarily honest.

There's basically no reason to go to war with the neighboring countries.

Even if the Rakshasa Dynasty is now as honest as death, the Great Zhou Dynasty can freely mine at Tianchi.

With such honest neighbors, what can you do?

They neither provoke nor offend you—yet you'd go and strike them?

You might enjoy it, but what about the lives of their people?

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty now claims to be universally martial and prosperous in war, it does not indulge in militarism.

The populace of the Great Zhou Dynasty also possesses conscience.

If they really did that, nobody would be happy.

So, with all this new equipment in service, they can only use it for drills, seeing no real effect, and the Great Zhou Dynasty's troops are about to go crazy from frustration.

Not to mention the Great Zhou Dynasty's troops going mad—Lu Yuan would go crazy too.

Those things, although not all made by Lu Yuan, were all developed under his guidance.

Lu Yuan naturally also wants to see them.

Since there's now an opportunity, he definitely wants to go.

Moreover, it could serve as training for oceanic warfare.

In any case, it can be said to achieve multiple goals at once—so go, everyone go.

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, someone immediately raised an objection.

Nine fleets conducting combat operations simultaneously—what a huge expense?!

Does your Navy Headquarters have that much military funding?

If you don't have that much military funding, do you have to go to the Ministry of War for it?

The Ministry of War doesn't have it—who do you go to?

Then don't you have to go to the Ministry of Revenue?

Originally, the Ministry of Revenue had major objections to the navy's nine fleets here.

Just the upkeep of these nine fleets each year—how much does it cost?

Is it necessary to have nine fleets?

One fleet is already invincible under heaven—having nine fleets isn't just pure money with nowhere to spend it?

This is pure waste—aside from showing off national strength, it has no use at all.

Of course, this was the initial idea.

Later, the Great Zhou Dynasty carried out maritime trade and needed to protect the safety of all shipping lanes.

After all, those eyeing the Great Zhou Dynasty's merchant ships are not just pirates.

Some dynasties along the way also wanted a share of the pie.

The most famous incident is what happened in the Scenic Bank Dynasty two years ago.

A merchant ship of the Great Zhou Dynasty temporarily docked at a port in the Scenic Bank Dynasty, took on supplies, and was about to leave when it was wrongfully detained.

The Scenic Bank Dynasty claimed it was for inspection, but actually they just wanted the cargo inside.

After the Great Zhou Dynasty learned of the news, the Fourth Fleet happened to be nearby.

An aircraft carrier battle group steamed straight over.

Without saying a word, two small guided missiles precisely struck the open ground beside the City Lord's Manor.

An hour later, the Great Zhou Dynasty's merchant ship set sail.

That's how fast it was.

After that, the Ministry of Revenue never again said the navy had too many fleets that needed cutting down.

However, dispatching all nine fleets at once this time is truly exaggerated.

Although the navy has nine fleets, usually only three or four are active.

Because they need maintenance and rotation.

But this time, all nine fleets were deployed for a combat mission—not just cruising at sea.

It was genuine combat.

Just transporting the supplies at that point—how much would that cost?

Even a rough estimate makes one's head swell.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has only been affluent for a few years, yet it dares to do this?

As for this matter, Lu Yuan had already figured it out.

Lu Yuan could never be the sort to engage in a losing trade!

Besides, there's another important reason for deploying all nine fleets this time: we need to bring something back!

Over these three years, the Great Zhou Dynasty's development has risen as fast as if riding a rocket.

But some of the most fundamental things still need time to settle.

For example, building materials, food, and so on—all of these need time to settle.

After all, a mu of land is only so big; even with high yields, it's only been three years.

Now the state's grain and such are merely slightly affluent.

Yet for a great nation, how can such things be only slightly abundant?

If at this time the south suffers a great flood and the north a great snow disaster, wouldn't that cause trouble?

A great nation needs capital to withstand pressure.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty now has countless merchant ships doing business in various places of South Green Spirit Province, bringing back grain, building materials, and so on.

But… those also take time.

After all, legitimate business—how could it be as quick as looting?

No… no, it's not looting; the Great Zhou Dynasty is now a savior, the savior of South Green Spirit Province.

Being a savior, collecting some protection fees is perfectly normal, right?

We can't just help you for nothing, can we?

Speaking of the kingdoms around the Deep Abyss Continent, we, the Great Zhou Dynasty, have come all this way to help you—won't you give us some grain?

Won't you give us building materials?

Won't you give us money?

Won't you give us crystals?

Right.

And there are those cultivation sects—you can't defeat them, we help you; this is literally saving your lives!

Shouldn't we get some special materials in return?

Right?

Immediately Lu Yuan voiced his idea, and his idea brightened many people's eyes.

Exactly.

We can even play it like this!

And not even mentioning the free help, this trip out, I'm afraid we could directly bring back enough grain and supplies for the Great Zhou Dynasty to eat for ten years.

At that point, the Great Zhou Dynasty will see another surge.

My lord, you're so clever!

Of course, some also raised objections, saying what if the war situation isn't that tense?

What if the people of the Xian Jie can handle it?

Then the nine fleets wouldn't have made the trip for nothing, would they?

Regarding this, Lu Yuan directly said:

If that's the case, then we can just consider it as training the navy's long-range operations; after all, our navy is destined to go deep blue.

Don't always think we're invincible now and thus don't need to improve; the reason we're so strong is that our equipment is several generations ahead of other dynasties.

But other dynasties will also progress, especially with the latecomer advantage, their progress will be especially fast.

Within a decade or so, other dynasties will also field decent ironclad warships; if we don't keep improving, we'll surely be caught up!

This time, with the nine fleets acting together, even if they don't end up participating in combat, how about training for long-range resupply?

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, the people of Qingbei immediately responded in support, strongly backing this plan.

And the Ministry of Revenue couldn't say anything more at this point.

Of course, the most important thing is that Gu Qingwan didn't have the time to speak to these people.

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, Gu Qingwan directly agreed; then, if there were matters she would memorialize, if not she would retire from court.

This matter is thus settled.

……

Two months later, summer solstice.

At a Gobi beach, countless people wearing specially made sunglasses gazed at the distant slowly rising mushroom cloud, revealing satisfied smiles.

……

Three days later.

Huangcheng Space Airport.

The ministers were orderly queuing to enter Air Force One.

In the meeting room of Air Force One, Lu Yuan was holding a cigarette, legs crossed, looking out the window.

At this time, only three people were in the meeting room: Lu Yuan, Gu Qingwan, and the Grand Eunuch.

This time, going to the Linglan Sword Sect, Gu Qingwan can go openly and aboveboard.

No need to find any excuse or pretext for a vacation.

After all, this time the nine fleets are dispatched together, such a grand spectacle, Gu Qingwan going to the site is nothing wrong.

However, if she goes like that, naturally many ministers will want to go along.

But even if they go together, it's still fine.

By then, just let these people stay in the Linglan Sword Sect.

By then, Lu Yuan leading these two wives to the Abyss Continent, there won't be anyone else around.

After everyone had boarded, Air Force One took off.

In the air, directly entering the space tunnel, after about six hours, one can reach the Linglan Sword Sect.

When the outside window showed a pitch-black space wormhole, the interior lights also came on.

At this moment, the door was knocked.

When Lu Yuan said 'come in', Gu Lie walked in.

Looking at Gu Lie, Gu Qingwan raised her eyebrows and said:

"Yo, you still know how to knock on the door?"

Gu Lie quickly closed the door, then looked at his own older sister and chuckled:

"It's not that I'm afraid you and my brother-in-law are doing something intimate in there; if I just opened the door and let people see, that wouldn't be good, right?"

Gu Qingwan gave Gu Lie a white-eye glance and also couldn't be bothered to deal with him.

Lu Yuan at this moment was looking at the table in front of him, which had a map.

It's not paper, but a display showing various 3D line maps, with a faint blue glow, very high-tech.

Lu Yuan, without even looking up, said:

"Where are the nine fleets now?"

Gu Lie was stunned for a moment, then immediately became serious; the next second he quickly came to Lu Yuan's side, taking out a crystal-made card and swiping it beside the table.

Afterwards, the 3D projection map in front of them immediately showed countless red dots.

To be honest, this is very high-tech, something even Earth doesn't have.

Speaking of which, the Great Zhou Dynasty is still quite fantastical; military stuff is already sci-fi without bounds.

But nowadays, ordinary people's homes basically have at most a small refrigerator.

As for televisions, a Siheyuan might not even have one.

This is mainly because over the past three years we've focused all efforts on developing military industry and infrastructure.

Now infrastructure is still underway, military industry and such, we don't need to rush too much.

After all, the Great Zhou Dynasty's military is already sufficiently advanced; getting even further ahead and surpassing others basically just paves the way for them.

From now on, it's just research, no deployment.

Doing technical reserves.

Wait until other dynasties, feeling their way across the river by imitating the Great Zhou Dynasty, catch up somewhat, then the Great Zhou Dynasty will roll out another major update.

After that, it's about improving the Great Zhou Dynasty's livelihood issues.

Lu Yuan glanced at the map.

The Nine Great Fleets are now almost reaching their originally planned positions.

In another half month, basically everything will be fully deployed.

Seeing this, Lu Yuan nodded very satisfiedly and said:

"Starting now, the Nine Great Fleets will be completely silent!"

(End of chapter)