Chapter 232: I Have a Dream

Liu Zheng and Qin Zhangfeng walked out the door together.

They then saw Jiang Xuan with an excited look on his face: "Quick, quick, follow Jiang Xu!"

The two did not understand why, but followed him.

Jiang Xuan ran the whole way, leading the two to a place that looked like a stable where the Yanqi stored their War Horses. Afterward, they passed through halls and courtyards to reach the back of this horse farm. At the entrance of a stable, Yinzhou soldiers were already standing guard, heavily armed.

Seeing this situation, Liu Zheng frowned.

"Young Master, come look quickly!"

The three walked into the stable together, only to see that beneath the floor of the stable, a tunnel had appeared. This tunnel had originally been covered by weeds; below the tunnel were steps, and it seemed the space underneath was quite large.

A soldier had already handed over a torch, and Jiang Xuan led the two down.

A tiny tunnel entrance, yet below it was a whole new world.

After finishing the steps, Liu Zheng and Qin Zhangfeng were both stunned.

Good heavens.

Inside this entire tunnel, what was stored was actually all Quelehuoduo! In other words, Petroleum!

"This..."

Liu Zheng felt his whole body tremble.

Qin Zhangfeng also said with great joy: "Young Master, this is truly a good thing!"

Only then did Jiang Xuan begin to explain the matter. Originally, the War Horses in this stable had all been taken away by the retreating Yanqi Army. They hadn't paid much attention to it. However, the Yinzhou Army's War Horses still needed to eat. Jiang Xuan had thought to have the Yinzhou Army put this horse farm to use, and just as they moved in, a soldier discovered this tunnel.

At a glance.

There were fully tens of thousands of barrels of Quelehuoduo!

Jiang Xuan still remembered how much damage this damned Quelehuoduo had caused the Yinzhou Army back in Cheshi. Conversely, if this Quelehuoduo became the Yinzhou Army's, couldn't they use it to deal with the enemy in the same way?

"Good, good, good, we have really struck it rich!"

Liu Zheng was also very happy.

It seemed this Quelehuoduo was the Yanqi Army's stockpile. Perhaps they had never thought they would be defeated in the Battle of Cheshi within three days, and with their main general Jiulong killed in battle, either no one knew so many good things were hidden here, or the retreat was too hasty and they forgot to take them.

Why was Liu Zheng so excited?

Because this thing was simply a weapon of war!

Actually.

Things like Petroleum had long been discovered in ancient Huaxia. "Fire in the marshes" referred to Petroleum. However, ancient Petroleum was not extracted, but rather seeped out. That is to say, the ancient use of Petroleum was limited to "using it as is," and they had no way to refine it at all.

The uses of ancient Petroleum were limited to a few types.

Used for lighting, used as lubricant, used for making ink, used for medicine, and the final point, used for military warfare!

During the Five Dynasties period, flamethrowers that sprayed fire oil through iron tubes appeared, used to burn Warships.

Kang Zhiyuan of the Song Dynasty stated in "Zhu Meng Lu": "For the liquid produced by the heat of the sun baking the stones, the Northwest border defense city storehouses all dug large pools in the ground, over a zhang in length and width, to store Fierce Fire Oil, used to defend against the enemy."

Fierce Fire Oil was Petroleum!

It was just that the development speed of our country's petroleum technology was extremely slow. After all, at this time, there was no Internal Combustion Engine in the world, and before the appearance of the Internal Combustion Engine, any country's extraction of petroleum was simple and crude.

Liu Zheng...

Of course, he didn't know how either.

He didn't know how to refine petroleum, but using this petroleum for war was the best thing possible! One must know that the petroleum reserves in the Western Regions were very large.

Didn't this mean he possessed an oil field, and even if used for war, it could make the enemy tremble with fear!

Liu Zheng smiled: "Preserve it well, no one is allowed near! Be careful to guard against open flames."

"Yes!"

Jiang Xuan was also very excited.

Qin Zhangfeng also laughed aloud: "With this divine object, I fear that the Dayuan imperial court will surely be on pins and needles!"

The three looked at each other and laughed.

Why was Liu Zheng so excited?

Some might say, if one wants to use fire attacks, isn't gunpowder better?

One must know that Huaxia civilization had precedents for using gunpowder in war during the late Tang Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, there were already troops specifically using gunpowder.

However...

Note this point.

However.

The gunpowder among the Four Great Inventions of Huaxia did indeed lead world technology. But why could it never replace cold weapons? The reason was actually very simple.

Because Huaxia's Muskets lacked advanced ignition technology, and the rate of fire for Muskets was extremely low, averaging one shot every two minutes; the processes of loading powder, loading the Bullet, tamping, igniting, and cleaning out gunpowder residue took a very long time. Even more seriously, everyone needed to carry a slow match, and everyone carried a gunpowder bag, so if not stored properly, it was extremely easy to cause a fire.

Furthermore.

In terms of power, Huaxia's gunpowder was Black Powder, and as everyone knows, Black Powder is inferior to the later Yellow Gunpowder in power and stability. At the time, the Musket's Bullet couldn't even penetrate armor, and its power was far inferior to sharp and heavy bows and Crossbow Bolts.

"Collected Works of Xu Guangqi" said: "The captives have many bright and heavy armors, and the short and small bird guns cannot penetrate them!"

What does this mean?

The bird guns of the Ming Dynasty were already products imitating the most advanced Portuguese firearms of the time, yet they couldn't even penetrate the armor of the Qing soldiers.

This was really...

A total joke.

Not to mention the Red Cannon, which was too bulky and unfavorable for mobile warfare.

In ancient times there were no highways, and one could only rely on Horse Carriages to pull them on muddy, impassable roads.

Just one shot every two minutes, and one would be completely controlled by others... The battlefield situation changes in an instant; who would give you a chance every two minutes?

Starting from the Tang Dynasty, Huaxia's wars were basically mobile warfare, where speed was of the essence; at that time, even heavy armored troops were phased out, so what use was your one shot every two minutes? This also led to the lack of soil for the development of hot weapons.

Many of the imperial court's muskets and cannons are, in truth, merely better than nothing...

Therefore.

Until the Qing Dynasty, warfare in Huaxia was still dominated by cold weapons; hot weapons only truly began to replace cold weapons after Western nations started the Industrial Revolution, and a batch of advanced machinery—such as the Steam Engine, hydraulic machinery, mechanical granulating cylinders, steam heaters, and graphite polishers—began to produce gunpowder, and the most stable Yellow Gunpowder developed by Nobel appeared.

So.

Liu Zheng had never thought about developing hot weapons; for one, he did not want to disrupt the current world order, and for another, it was... he didn't know how to make guns!

He understood gunpowder, wasn't it just "one part charcoal, two parts saltpeter, three parts sulfur"?

However, after mixing it.

What was the point?

The instability of Black Powder manifests in the fact that it can spontaneously combust!

Pay attention to this point.

Spontaneous combustion!

Even if you don't light it with fire, it could explode due to ambient temperature, humidity, and uncertain causes.

Are the lives of his own soldiers not lives?

Yellow Gunpowder?

Liu Zheng still didn't know how.

Hmm.

So for now, this Quelehuoduo is truly something that makes people very happy.

"It would be best to find the person who knows the origin of this Quelehuoduo."

Liu Zheng gave the order.

Jiang Xuan received the command.

Owning one's own oil field...

What a beautiful thing this is?

A nouveau riche!

The standard equipment of a nouveau riche in later generations. Although... he might not catch up to the era of scientific petroleum refining, it is still a good thing for his son and grandson.

Liu Zheng would wake up laughing even in his sleep.

Western Regions Protectorate.

The day of its reconstruction.

Could be considered the focus of the whole world.

Thirty-one years after the Longyan Dynasty lost its ruling power over the Western Regions, it once again sent a large army deep into the Western Regions and took back this Yanqi.

The whole world celebrated.

The entire city was joyful.

Liu Dahao, early in the morning, wore his official uniform and smilingly accepted congratulations from others.

"Congratulations to Prefectural Governor Liu, for the reconstruction of the Protectorate, Prince Wei sends one piece of deep-sea coral..."

"Congratulations to Viscount Liu, for the conquest of the Western Regions, Prince Yong..."

"Prince Shu..."

"Congratulations to Prefectural Governor Liu, Prince Qin..."

"Minister of Personnel Lord Zhu, sends..."

The process for the opening of the Protectorate had not even begun, yet congratulatory gifts from all sides had already arrived.

Nowadays, Liu Dahao has strong troops and sturdy horses, and holds a high position; he has already become a major new noble of Longyan. Who wouldn't want to come over and build a good relationship?

"Good, good, good, thank you! Please, come in quickly, please!"

Liu Dahao kept thanking them.

These people all came to the Western Regions together with Prince Yong... In ancient times, because transportation was inconvenient, everything needed to be prepared in advance. At that time, Yanqi had not yet been captured, but that did not prevent them from making preparations for both scenarios. If it was captured, they would celebrate; if it wasn't captured, they would celebrate the capture of Cheshi; it was all the same anyway.

In fact, the Imperial Edict was the same.

The old Emperor had also prepared two sets of rhetoric.

If Yanqi was captured, congratulate.

If not captured, no matter, give fewer rewards, offer some comfort, and building the Protectorate in Cheshi would suffice.

Prince Yong also arrived early, cupped his hands and smiled: "Congratulations to Prefectural Governor Liu!"

"Oh, Prince Yong, why are we brothers being so polite? Quickly, come in, today our White Jade Capital is available in unlimited supply!"

Liu Dahao laughed heartily.

"Good!"

Everyone was happy.

Prince Yong also followed him inside, and looking at the glorious Liu Dahao, he sighed in his heart.

What is this?

A father honored by his son?

This Liu Dahao, to have such a son, everyone in the Longyan Dynasty must be envious to death.

Next.

Was the same tedious and complicated process.

Various offerings to heaven, worship, ancestral temple rites, bathing and burning incense, Imperial Edicts, and kowtowing.

Firework Cannons.

Welcoming guests with joy.

The Western Regions Protectorate, governing the Thirty-six Kingdoms of the Western Regions, has finally returned to the rule of the Longyan Dynasty!

The Prince of Yong looked at the prisoners he had brought who were on the street, also participating in this grand event, and could not help but remind Liu Dahao: "Prefectural Governor Liu, these people, one must be careful..."

Liu Dahao, however, laughed heartily: "The Prince of Yong need not worry, this is Zheng's arrangement."

The Prince of Yong was stunned, then nodded.

In the crowd, the woman in red, Xie Chan, watched all of this quietly.

Today.

The happier these Longyan people were, the more her heart ached.

The sorrow of a lost nation!

As a Princess of Dayuan, watching her own territory fall into the hands of the Longyan people just like this, the hatred in her heart naturally went without saying.

She had come this time.

Specifically to bring her Night Walkers, infiltrate these prisoners, and assassinate that Prefect Liu!

This time, she had brought a full thirty Night Walker experts, all of whom were top-tier assassins.

At this moment.

These thirty people had already slowly distributed themselves throughout the four corners of the Protectorate along with the crowd.

Xie Chan had great confidence in her people.

As long as she gave the signal, that frail Prefect Liu would surely die!

It was just that.

Today, the security at this Protectorate could be considered strict.

Especially that burly man who had naturally thrown Xiong Aoba eight times; he had been following Liu Zheng the whole time, along with that Qin Zhangfeng...

"My Lady..."

The young girl, seeing that the banquet had already begun, asked a question.

Xie Chan shook her head: "No rush."

She then pulled her maid along and sat down at a table at this "flowing banquet"—this Prefect Liu had actually prepared a banquet for this bunch of prisoners?

Hmph!

Buying people's hearts!

Xie Chan gave a cold smile; at this moment, in her eyes, Liu Zheng was already a dead man.

She was waiting for an opportunity.

Waiting for the opportunity when these Longyan people were deep in their cups.

In reality.

At this time, those 150,000 prisoners were also each wanting to see what kind of person this world-renowned Prefect Liu was. Those disgraced generals, literary giants, and former high-ranking officials were all waiting for this Prefect Liu's first appearance.

They had arrived in the Western Regions several days ago.

However, these past few days, other than being guarded, they had done nothing but eat and sleep.

So they were very bewildered.

What was this Prefect Liu doing, dragging them to the Western Regions?

This godforsaken place.

Just at this moment.

Suddenly.

Someone exclaimed.

"Look quickly, who is that?"

"Look over there!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

At this time.

The flowing banquet where these prisoners were seated was originally on the streets of the city, in the alleys and lanes...

The newly built Protectorate had an extremely tall watchtower, which could almost overlook the entire city.

At this moment.

A young man dressed in black appeared on that watchtower.

In an instant.

It attracted everyone's gaze.

That person.

Was naturally Liu Zheng.

He looked around; the area surrounding the Protectorate was densely packed with people.

He picked up the megaphone he had handmade...

And smiled faintly.

"Hello, hello, hello? Can everyone hear me?"

"Hello? Jiang Xuan, can you hear me over there?"

"How about Zhangfeng? Is it clear?"

"Pfft..."

Xie Chan almost spat out a mouthful of air.

The Prince of Yong was also stunned, smiling: "Prefect Liu, this is..."

Liu Dahao scratched his head: "Heh, Zheng said he wants to say a few words."

Say a few words?

With so many people?

The Prince of Yong felt it was not that simple.

Everyone looked over.

Pair after pair of different eyes looked at Liu Zheng with curiosity.

Seeing Jiang Xuan over there give him a "just about right" gesture, Liu Zheng smiled again: "Everyone, I am Liu Zheng."

The whole crowd was in an uproar.

Prefect Liu?

Those gazes looking over all became bright and piercing.

"One thousand years ago, the Longyan Dynasty established the Western Regions Protectorate here, governing the Thirty-six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. Today, we gather here again, feeling the greatness of our ancestors. The Longyan Iron Cavalry, like a lighthouse breaking through the night sky, civilized the surrounding Four Barbarians; their arrival was like a joyful dawn, ending the long night of the Western Regions, which had yet to be civilized."

The whole crowd was stunned.

What is he doing?

They had never heard any speeches and just felt it was quite interesting.

"Good!"

"Well said!"

"Prefect Liu is imposing!"

Quite a few people even started cheering.

Liu Zheng smiled: "One thousand years later, we set foot here again, and looking out, what we see is still boundless darkness and oppression. The entire Western Regions still lives on an isolated island in an ocean of material abundance. We still have to cower in a corner of Longyan, realizing that we are exiles in our own homeland..."

The crowd slowly quieted down.

There were quite a few slaves from the Western Regions in the venue, and hearing these words, they immediately felt a sense of empathy.

Xie Chan was also slightly startled as she listened.

Liu Zheng paused and continued: "Some say the Yinzhou Army came to the Western Regions to wage war."

"In fact, that is not the case."

His eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"We are here to seek change."

The entire venue.

Was silent.

Change?

How to change?

Everyone's curiosity was piqued.

Including the Prince of Yong, including Xie Chan, including those prisoners, including those slaves.

Liu Zheng smiled lightly: "Everyone, I Have a Dream."