The rifled flintlock musket was a firearm with considerable range and accuracy.
Although its firing rate was relatively slow, it could still be used in a formation to form a group of soldiers. Moreover, its efficiency was much higher than that of a musket.
However, training a team of flintlock muskets required even more energy and investment. Xiao Ruxun had spent a lot of energy and money to train his own team of two thousand muskets. This kind of precision focused gunners had to be fed with bullets.
This team was completely different from the musket team that relied on numbers to win. Musket soldiers held their muskets and faced the front, then closed their eyes and fired blindly. This was because muskets had no accuracy at all. They relied on numbers to win. But the rifled flintlock musket was different.
That was why the two thousand musketeers in the army were called "Dragon Cavalry." It implied that they were the personal cavalry of Xiao Ruxun, the Emperor of the Dragon. Only they had this title.
Now, Xiao Ruxun wanted to expand the number of Dragon Cavalry to ten thousand.
This was still insignificant for the entire country, but for the Ministry of Military Works, it was a huge workload.
Since she had received so many benefits from Emperor Xiao, how could she not work hard for him?
The craftsmen thought so, and they always maintained their enthusiasm for their work.
After returning from the inspection, Xiao Ruxun had a new understanding of the production capacity of his craftsmen. He told the diplomatic officials not to worry about the production, and to directly accept the orders from the vassal states.
In the next few days, the negotiations ended one after another. The vassal states also rushed back to deal with their affairs. Their positions were not as stable as Xiao Ruxun's. When they came, they needed Xiao Ruxun's troops to deter them. When they went back, they also needed Xiao Ruxun's troops to escort them.
Li Gui quickly came to find Xiao Ruxun and said his goodbyes. He had also bought a batch of weapons, and even though he did not have much money, he had already signed some mining contracts with Great Qin. After a few more years, he would be able to exchange for the corresponding weapons, and he would even be able to receive some help from instructors.
At the same time, Li Gui confirmed with Xiao Ruxun what he was most worried about.
"Your Majesty, regarding the matter regarding the Crown Prince, I don't know how to give the officials an explanation. There are many officials who wish for an explanation. I sincerely ask Your Majesty to make a decision."
This old man looked soft and easy to bully, and he was indeed easy to bully, but when it came to the core interest of his throne, he even dared to ask his father to take the blame for him.
His meaning was very clear. He hoped that the Daqin would give a clear explanation so that the two groups of ministers who liked to talk would have nothing to talk about, so that they would shut up and not speak. This would also make it easier for him to take down Guang Haijun.
It was such a simple matter.
For Xiao Ruxun, there was absolutely no hindrance in issuing such a decree. It was a common rule for everyone to appoint a legitimate heir. Now that Li Zhi did not have a legitimate heir, and his eldest son was muddle-headed and could not inherit the throne, it was only natural that there would be a vacancy for the heir.
However, in order to consolidate the hearts of the people, he conferred the title of Guang Haijun as the Crown Prince, which made him unreasonable. If the Daqin made a clear statement at this time, it would be taking the blame for Li Zhi.
Xiao Ruxun did not want to take the blame for no reason.
It was true that the Daqin was a suzerain state, but the suzerain state had to have a righteous name to exercise suzerainty. Only by exercising suzerainty justifiably could people be convinced. If Li Zhi wanted to make Xiao Ruxun take the blame, it would easily damage the reputation of the Daqin, which Xiao Ruxun would certainly not agree to.
"Minister Li, I can understand your feelings of wanting to let the legitimate heir inherit the throne, but you can't completely ignore Guang Haijun. Now that Guang Haijun is the Crown Prince that you conferred the title of Crown Prince, I can dismiss him. Others will say that I forcibly interfered in your domestic affairs, which is not good. I will never interfere in your domestic affairs."
As Xiao Ruxun said so, Li Zhi actually wanted to ridicule him in his heart.
The garrison and the embassy, your sense of existence is stronger than mine. You don't interfere in internal affairs, but why do I feel that it is so strange?
"Then what does Your Majesty think should be done?"
Li Zhi still wanted a definite answer from Xiao Ruxun. As one got older, it was easy to worry and be afraid. Li Zhi was really afraid that Xiao Ruxun would go back and send an imperial decree to officially confer the title of Guang Haijun as the Crown Prince. That would make him depressed.
"What I mean is …"
Xiao Ruxun said in a low voice, "Go back and wait for your Queen to really give birth to a son. Then find a reason to tell me that Guang Haijun broke the law. Only then can I confer the title of Crown Prince to your legitimate heir."
With Xiao Ruxun saying this, if Li Zhi still wanted to say anything, then he was really insensible. Fortunately, Li Zhi had not lived in vain for so long. He understood Xiao Ruxun's meaning and left Beijing after thanking him profusely.
Xiao Ruxun had to say that Li Zhi, this little old man, was a bit obsessed. The importance he attached to power had reached the realm of Qi deviation.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but start to worry about his future.
No one could maintain abundant energy and interest in the same job for a long time. No matter what job it was, it was the same for the Emperor. This was why many wise Emperors in history would make stupid moves when they got older, such as the famous Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty, Li Longji.
There was a saying in the academic world called 'the decline of the ruling power of old Emperors'. This was the truth. Many Emperors in China who were very domineering when they were young became muddle-headed when they got old. They made mistakes in judgment, made stupid moves, and even led to serious consequences.
For example, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Liang, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Ming Shi and Emperor Ming Shen, and Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.
This was actually very much in line with some modern judgments. Xiao Ruxun looked at Li Zhi leaving and was very worried about what might happen in the future.
His desire for power and control was very strong. He himself was aware that in order to change this era and lead the Daqin to a different tomorrow, he took all the power into his own hands and did not allow anyone to threaten or covet it.
For this reason, he launched a land reform and a great purge, stepping on mountains of corpses and seas of blood to become the only King.
Sometimes he even felt that he was no different from the ancient Emperors. It was this kind of Emperor who worried that his power would be threatened and became very sensitive.
But when he came back to his senses and thought about it, he could think of some inevitable endings and consequences. Thinking of the possible collapse of the dynasty and some future situations, he couldn't help but start to think about what he should do. Should he carry out the imperial power to the end or find other ways?
After thinking for a long time, he came to an accurate conclusion.
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