Zhang Xiaobao did not respond to Wang Juan's words. Instead, he took out the letter and read it.
The words were written in the Tang language and not the Japanese language. If it was written, Zhang Xiaobao would not be able to understand it. Although he knew many languages, he could not really write them. Nowadays, when the Japanese spoke quickly, he could not even hear them clearly.
Wang Juan was better than him, but she still could not write the current Japanese language. Furthermore, it was difficult for people outside the Tang to understand. This was also because the two of them had a good foundation. Together, they could cover half of the world's official language. If it were an ordinary person, they would be at a loss when they came.
Seeing Zhang Xiaobao reading the letter, Wang Juan also came over and read it line by line. After reading it, she said, "It's nothing. It's just asking him to get in touch with the officials of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites and think of a way to rent our steam engine ships and gunships. It's very normal."
"It's abnormal because it's normal. Doesn't he know the benefits of those two ships? Why is there a need to emphasize it again? Furthermore, it's a message from someone else. What does this mean? Your superior is telling you the same thing twice. Don't you have to think about it carefully? "
Zhang Xiaobao took the letter back and looked in the direction Takeshita Junichiro left in. In the end, he did not chase after him and returned the letter.
Wang Juan pulled Zhang Xiaobao along and continued shopping. As they walked, she said, "What else could it be? They want to secretly learn the technology and slowly develop it. When they have the strength, they will attack us. It's very normal. A nation that doesn't know how to learn has long disappeared. For a small place like Japan to not have been colonized before, it's really admirable."
After hearing Wang Juan's words, Zhang Xiaobao thought about it and nodded. "Indeed, I also admire them. However, that doesn't mean that I won't deal with them. They can really endure. Just like now, in order to survive, they can throw away their dignity and character. They feel like wolves.
Aiya, speaking of Japan, I can't help but think of Taiwan. I wonder if the natural scenery there is the same as ours. For example, the Sun Moon Lake and the Jade Mountain Clouds. We can develop them together and have the people of the Great Tang take a stroll. And the resources there are quite good, especially the aquatic resources. "
"Yeah, I haven't been there in a long time. Do you really want to go? Then we should bring more gifts and let the local leaders or chiefs accept us wholeheartedly. Then we can slowly teach them how to read. "
Wang Juan also wanted to see what Taiwan was like now. She heard that some people went there to do business. In fact, they were exchanging things and taking advantage of others. Who asked the people there to be so bad? If they sent a porcelain jar or something, they could exchange it for a lot of pearls or mountain treasures.
The locals had a hard time. Of course, this was in the eyes of outsiders. Perhaps the locals felt that it was not bad. People who had never seen a plane would never envy people who flew thousands of miles.
As the two of them walked, they saw a shop selling clothes nearby. They followed the road and walked in. There were very few clothes on display. Most of them were bolts of cloth. If someone wanted to sell them, they could make a lot of them on the spot.
Zhang Xiaobao absent-mindedly reached out and pinched the corner of a bolt of cloth. He turned his head and said to Wang Juan, "It's not bad to open a ready-made clothes shop there. The locals should like it, especially the canvas. It's durable and sturdy. It's not as strong as the local hemp or tree leaves. Then, we can make money."
Wang Juan first waved her hand at the shop assistant who wanted to come over and greet them, indicating that they did not need to care. Then, she thought about Zhang Xiaobao's words and said, "You want to use canvas to exchange for local things? There are fewer metal mines there. Don't tell me you want to cut down all the trees there? Otherwise, what are you going to exchange for? Whose money are you going to earn? "
"What trees? I plan to build a few ports there in the future, as well as the buildings around the ports. I plan to keep the place in its original state. Who said that you have to exchange goods with them if you give them something? It can also be labor.
Just like the ethnic minority areas in the future, there will be special programs to provide entertainment for others, and then make money and professionalize. The locals there can also do it. Let the tourists experience a different kind of ethnic customs, eat some local food, and enjoy the local scenery. If conditions permit, let the locals accompany them to hunt. "
Zhang Xiaobao's eyes were fixed on a certain place. In fact, he did not see what that place was at all. He was just distracted. While he was telling Wang Juan his ideas, he raised his other hand and gently tapped his face.
Wang Juan was moved by Zhang Xiaobao's words. Just as she was about to support him, she suddenly remembered Zhang Xiaobao's thieving skills. In an instant, Zhang Xiaobao's image of an international swindler overlapped with that of Zhang Xiaobao's image.
"Hubby ~ ~!" Wang Juan's voice changed. It was gentle and sweet, and Zhang Xiaobao trembled when he heard it. His distracted eyes regained focus, and he looked at Wang Juan in astonishment.
"Hubby, tell me, did you cheat the officials like this back then? You made it sound like it was real. "Wang Juan whispered into Zhang Xiaobao's ears.
"Ah?" Zhang Xiaobao dodged to the side and whispered, "Are you accusing me? I won't admit it. You don't have any evidence now. "
"Tsk, do I need evidence to arrest you? It's easy to get evidence. First, we need to arrest you. After we use a few drugs, you will naturally confess everything. What you said to me, are you also going to tell Li Longji? "
Wang Juan leaned closer to Zhang Xiaobao and threatened.
"How do you know that I am going to look for Li Longji?" Zhang Xiaobao was a little afraid. It was not comfortable to be understood by others.
"I'm your wife. You were absent-minded and flicked my face. Who are you scheming against? You can't be scheming against those natives in Taiwan, right? They are not worth your effort. So, it's naturally Li Longji. What do you want to exchange with him? "
Wang Juan was about to push Zhang Xiaobao against the wall, and she was still unwilling to let go.
"Is Li Longji worth my effort? Then you are really looking down on me. I just remembered that Taiwan had been colonized by many countries. Every colonization was done with military force. I was thinking that it is time for us to talk about it. "
Zhang Xiaobao looked at Wang Juan's pretty face and really wanted to give her a kiss, but the shop assistant was looking at him with vigilant eyes. No matter how thick-skinned Zhang Xiaobao was, he was too embarrassed to do so.
"You want to colonize Taiwan?"
"Why would I want to colonize it? It is so close. When the time comes, there will naturally be people going there. There is no need for me to push it. You will know when I carry out the plan. Let's go into the palace and chat with Li Longji."
As Zhang Xiaobao spoke, he pulled Wang Juan's hand and walked out. When he passed by the shop assistant, he asked, "Do you have pearl muslin?"
"No, we can't get that kind of thing. Why don't we look at Suzhou's muslin?" The shop assistant shook his head and replied.
"Ai, I don't want to look. I wanted to buy some pearl muslin. Let's go to the next shop." Zhang Xiaobao said regretfully and walked out with Wang Juan.
The shop assistant behind them showed a look of disdain and muttered, "If you don't have money, just say so. Pearl muslin? Do you think you can afford it? You want to save face. "
*****
When Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan found Li Longji in Xingqing Palace, Li Longji was looking at a map with Wu Huifei and Empress Wang. To be precise, he was looking at a sand table that included all the places in the country.
He pointed and talked as if everything was under his control. Empress Wang and Wu Huifei were full of admiration and echoed from time to time, which made Li Longji even more excited.
Perhaps he deliberately said it to Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan who had just arrived, Li Longji did not turn to look at them. Instead, he pointed at the sand table and said to Wu Huifei and Empress Wang.
"Here, Lhasa City, is already the territory of the Tang Empire. It is connected to Longyou Road, which is connected to the original Turkic lands. Here, the northern part of Hebei Road, and an island in the sea, all belong to the Tang Empire now. However, if you continue to go west and north, it will be related to the Tang Empire. When will it be unified?"
With a stroke of his hand, Li Longji marked out the territory of the Tang Empire. He straightened his back and said that it was the territory of the Tang Empire. When he talked about the places that had not been included in the territory, there was a hint of regret between his eyebrows.
Empress Wang and Wu Huifei were not stupid. They knew that Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were here. Just now, the Emperor was talking about the local customs and customs of each place. Now, he changed the topic to the size of the territory. Obviously, he was talking about the territory for Zhang Xiaobao and Wu Huifei.
Empress Wang spoke first, "Your Majesty wants to expand the territory, but you have to wait for the place to be stable first. The Longyou Road is different from the original Tubo Turks. The Regional Governor there is not very good at managing the local people. There is a trend of monopolization. Shouldn't you wait until the place is stable first?"
Wu Huifei said another thing, "Sister is right. However, didn't the Longyou Road give Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Family a piece of land? Especially that lake. I think that it won't be long before Your Majesty is relieved. It is precisely because of this that we should take this opportunity to continue fighting for territory. In one spurt of energy, the second decline, and the third decline. "
When Zhang Xiaobao saw this, he pulled Wang Juan and walked outside. Both the west and north sides were not easy to fight. How could they adapt to the climate just like that?
"Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, when did the two of you arrive? How could We not know? Where are you going? "Before Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had taken five steps, Li Longji's voice sounded.
Zhang Xiaobao stopped, turned around, and said to Li Longji, "This subject listened to Your Majesty's thoughts just now and is willing to share Your Majesty's worries. We are going to prepare provisions, cross the vast snowy mountains, and step onto the snowy plains. We are going to spread Your Majesty's grace to the locals. Your Majesty can issue an edict to recruit Tang men between the ages of fifteen and fifty to form an army. This subject estimates that we will be able to fulfill Your Majesty's long-cherished wish by sacrificing two-thirds of our men."
"Ah! There is no need for that. We are in no hurry, no hurry. It is best to defend ourselves first. Xiao Bao, why have the two of you come? "
When Li Longji heard that two thirds of his men would die, he immediately changed his words.
"It's nothing major. This subject wishes to occupy several islands in the southeast. I don't want Your Majesty to not have such ambitions. It is best to think about the northwest."
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