After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Chapter 728 Hot Pot Night Chapter 2

If you don't visit, people will criticize you; but visiting too often isn't good either.

Before Qiu Cheng officially entered the Eastern Palace as an official, the Crown Prince still wanted him to keep a low profile.

We could transfer Jiang Lin over first, since everyone knows that he and Jiang Shaoqing have a teacher-student relationship.

Even he himself wouldn't believe that he had no connection with the Chiang family, and the court officials weren't stupid either.

However, in the eyes of the court officials, his position as crown prince was very weak, which is why no one rushed to curry favor with Jiang Xiaoqi.

Otherwise, the threshold of the Chiang family would definitely have been trampled flat.

This is reality; people in officialdom are even more pragmatic than businessmen.

The smell of hot pot still lingered in the air as the three of them gestured and pointed at a map under the lamplight.

"This is where?"

Qiu Cheng felt that this map was extremely rare, even larger and more comprehensive than the ones he had seen before.

By "comprehensive," he meant a larger territory, even extending to Europe.

Of course, at that time he did not know that he was in Europe.

"This is another continent. The people there have blond hair and blue eyes, and they are tall. They are very different from us."

Golden hair? Jade-like eyes? Isn't that a monster?

Qiu Cheng had heard of people with other appearances from beyond the realm, but he had never seen one in person yet.

Actually, Qiu Cheng was referring to the Western Regions, which are quite far from Europe.

"One region's environment shapes its people, and they also try to discover new continents through navigation."

However, we are too far away from them; currently, very few ships can sail to the Great Zhou.

Jiang Xiaoqi remembered that in a certain dynasty, Europeans came to the Central Plains and learned how to make dishes like braised noodles and brought them back with them. However, their skills were not good enough, and they eventually changed the recipe, turning it into a different dish that suited the local taste.

"As long as there are ships and as long as they go in the right direction, sooner or later the people from the two continental plates will meet."

I just don't know if this meeting is the beginning of a friendly relationship, or...

Qiu Cheng didn't continue, after all, Chunri and their ship were about to head to Japan.

If going to sea is not good, why would they go to so much trouble and spend so much money to build ships?

Yes, this voyage is definitely more beneficial than harmful. Your Highness is extremely intelligent, and Lord Jiang is not stupid either.

Furthermore, Captain Lin and his crew did indeed reap a great harvest on their last voyage, but that was based on normal trade.

They're taking over 5,000 elite troops with them on this voyage; they're not going there to conduct business in a friendly manner.

They're just openly plundering; this world is a dog-eat-dog world, that's normal.

Besides, how could those Japanese possibly manage such a large quantity of silver? It would be better to let them bring it back to develop the economy of the Great Zhou.

Jiang Xiaoqi seemed to know what Qiu Cheng had left unsaid. He thought it was quite remarkable that an ancient official could think of these things; it was quite forward-thinking.

"Don't worry, Lord Qiu, those are all things far into the future. Let's focus on what's in front of us first."

"Yes, yes, let's finish the spring project first, and then hurry up and launch the ship for testing."

Once the soldiers and crew are properly organized, we can go there—oh right, here—and bring back our silver mine.”

Qiu Cheng pointed to a spot the size of a broad bean, somewhat excited.

"That's right, Lord Qiu will have to work hard again then. Let me offer you a cup of tea instead of wine."

Jiang Xiaoqi picked up her teacup, and the Crown Prince also picked up his teacup to join in.

"Oh dear, oh dear, I wouldn't dare, it's just my duty."

Qiu Cheng thought that after the ten ships were built, the Crown Prince would probably not build any more ships for a while.

After all, more than a million taels of silver have already been spent, and if more ships are built, the money will be a big problem.

Although there are silver mines in Japan later, we haven't gotten our hands on them yet.

It's best to keep money safe once it's in your pocket.

Moreover, once the silver mine is acquired, it will belong to the Great Zhou Dynasty. Even though the ships are provided by the Crown Prince, the more than 5,000 soldiers are provided by the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Where the silver mine is used and how it is allocated will still depend on His Majesty's decision.

When you have no money, nobody cares about you; when you have money, people from all over the world who want money will flock to you.

Here we need to build bridges and roads, there we need to provide disaster relief, and at the border we need to pay military salaries and supplies.

"On the other hand, developing maritime trade, maintaining friendly relations with neighboring countries, and exchanging goods are actually a win-win situation."

Furthermore, our Great Zhou has a complete military force; if the other side harbors ill intentions, our elite troops are not to be trifled with.

The Crown Prince nodded and said, "That's right. Under the Emperor's more than 20 years of management, our Great Zhou has gradually become stronger and naturally has the ability to protect its own interests."

Going global is more beneficial than harmful; we just need to maintain our own pace and direction.

Jiang Xiaoqi was the only one of the three who knew about Japan's future, and he wanted to take back what Xiaoxing had more than anyone else.

After all, he knew that period of history—the burning, killing, looting, and all sorts of atrocities committed, with so many Chinese people dying under bayonets. This grudge, regardless of whether it was from the same time or not, had to be avenged!

People can be unreasonable sometimes, especially when it comes to things that make them angry.

While we are strong and the enemy has not yet developed and is still experiencing internal strife, we must nip everything in the bud.

“Your Highness is right. I don’t know why, but I just don’t have a good impression of Japan.”

Perhaps it's because of what happened with Lord Li last time. The Japanese actually came to our Great Zhou to kidnap people, and they even kidnapped young men. I don't know what their intentions are.

Your humble servant has a feeling that besides the information they left behind, there must be something else we don't know.

"And what else, is there anything even more outrageous than what's written there? What could it be, Lord Jiang?"

Jiang Xiaoqi shook his head. He couldn't very well say that he was conducting human experiments or something, and he didn't know if Xiao Rizi had started any "research" in this area at this time.

He only knew that the human body is 60% water, a result of Xiao Rizi steaming living people!

"I don't know the specifics yet, Your Highness. Next spring, I would like my father to go to sea with me. Is that alright?"

"Magistrate Jiang? This was proposed by Magistrate Jiang?"

"No, it's me who wants my father to go, but I can't get away. Actually, I really want to go by myself."

"What? Sir wants to go himself? No! No! It's too dangerous!"

On the battlefield, swords have no eyes. Although we have brought over five thousand elite troops, the battlefield is ever-changing, and we are fighting in unfamiliar territory; many things are unpredictable!

The prince grew anxious, as if Japan were some kind of dragon's den or tiger's lair.

"Yes, Your Highness, I really can't leave either. I'm also worried that you might not be able to handle any of the Fifth Prince's next moves."

That's why I came up with a compromise: I had my father go in my place.

Crown Prince: Oh~ alright then!