Chapter 83: Chapter 64: Factional Strife

Zhao Tieshan followed closely behind, “Me too!”

Zheng Yi smiled and said, “The task is simple. It’s not about killing enemies, but… training troops!”

“Training troops?”

“Exactly.”

Zheng Yi nodded, “I have secretly established a personal guard called the ’Divine Strategy Camp.’ Although it has only over a hundred people, it is equipped with the most advanced firearms of the Great Yu Dynasty, enough to fight one against a hundred!”

Firearms?

What are those?

Zhao Tieshan was completely baffled, but Chen Hongxiu’s eyes lit up, “May I ask, Your Majesty, are these firearms the Celestial Thunder that broke through the Imperial Sword Manor?”

“Exactly.”

Zheng Yi continued, “I intend to entrust the leadership of the Divine Strategy Camp to both of you, what do you think?”

Chen Hongxiu immediately knelt down in a grand salute, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust! I will be loyal and dedicated, ready to lay down my life for Your Majesty’s cause!”

Zhao Tieshan scratched his head and also knelt down, shouting loudly, “Your Majesty, me too!”

“Hahahaha…”

Zheng Yi laughed heartily at Zhao Tieshan’s simple expression, “The Divine Strategy Camp currently has only over a hundred people, and I need you to expand it to three thousand within three months!”

“And they must undergo my special training to control the firearms, do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Three thousand is Zheng Yi’s initial plan for the Divine Strategy Camp.

In the previous life, it was just the size of a reinforced regiment.

But in Great Yu, the Divine Strategy Camp equipped with advanced firearms is the nightmare of all armies!

Even faced with thirty thousand or three hundred thousand attackers, the three thousand Divine Strategy Camp members could completely fend them off.

After all, advanced firearms are truly slaughtering weapons for ordinary armies.

Even martial artists would perish when besieged by firearms.

It’s uncertain whether first-grade martial artists, grandmaster realm martial artists, or even innate realm martial artists… would survive.

Over the next few days, Chen Hongxiu and Zhao Tieshan, following Zheng Yi’s command, began selecting qualified soldiers from the Capital City’s Imperial Guard, Embroidered Uniform Guard, as well as regional troops from Jizhou, Youzhou, and surrounding areas, to form the Divine Strategy Camp, and began training them in firearms control.

Zheng Yi himself also devoted himself to the construction of the Divine Strategy Camp.

He imparted all the modern military knowledge he knew, such as the simplest military training methods, exercise methods, and 3-3-3 tactics, to Chen Hongxiu and Zhao Tieshan.

Although Chen Hongxiu didn’t quite understand, she still worked hard to study and memorize.

As for Zhao Tieshan… he was left to his own devices.

He was astounded beyond words after seeing the Thunderbolt and Red Coat Cannon.

Thereafter, he mixed with the Divine Strategy Camp every day, familiarizing himself with the operations of cannons and matchlock guns, exclaiming about the thrill.

In the most exaggerated instance, he donned armor and resisted the Red Coat Cannon at a hundred feet away with his body.

At the critical moment, he quickly dodged, but was hit by the cannon’s airwave, ending up sprawled and covered in dirt.

“The Red Coat Cannon! The Red Coat Cannon! This is simply an immortal’s technique…”

Afterward, Zhao Tieshan exclaimed excitedly, “Even if I, Old Zhao, took a cannonball, I wouldn’t survive without suffering!”

Zheng Yi’s large-scale construction of the Divine Strategy Camp and development of cannons couldn’t be concealed and spread out.

But under Chen Liancang’s covert control, the secrets of the cannons did not spread widely.

Some spies trying to investigate were easily handled by him.

Some ministers knew that Emperor Zhengyong had established the Divine Strategy Camp and arsenal, but did not know the specifics.

As for the affair at the Imperial Sword Manor, it’s all been attributed to the immortal’s techniques and spread as such.

The Eastern Affairs Factory was still established.

Under the leadership of Factory Director Chen Liancang, the terrifying organization covering the entire Great Yu is gradually forming.

Currently, their most important task is still to protect the arsenal and prevent spies from other forces from snooping around.

Half a month later, with the New Year approaching, yet another major event occurred, forcing Zheng Yi to return from the Divine Strategy Camp to hold a Great Court assembly!

5th Year of Zhengyong, February 1st.

Zheng Yuantao, the third son of King Yan, without an edict from the Imperial Court, killed the heir of King Yan, Zheng Yuanyuan, and the second son Zheng Yuanjiang, proclaiming himself as King Yan!

Under his command, more than a hundred thousand troops have gathered, starting to capture and occupy territory in Youzhou.

The rebels from nearby major cities also began to rally under Zheng Yuantao’s command, quickly occupying one-third of Youzhou’s cities.

While capturing territory in Youzhou, he quickly sent a submission to the Imperial Court, requesting recognition of his status, asking to be granted the title of King Yan as a means of avenging his father and defending the borders.

Also, to restore the full power of the Dukes!

In Zheng Yi’s view, the vassal system in Great Yu is actually quite similar to the Ming Dynasty of the previous generation.

The Dukes have no military or political power in their fiefdom, and are even restrained by local county soldiers and historians.

Youzhou is located on the border, adjacent to Wu Country and Wei Country, and thus the vassal king wielded slightly more power, acting as a guard of the northeastern border, with some military authority.

Unexpectedly, an assassination attempt on King Yan extinguished his rebellion intentions.

His three sons ended up fighting to seize power and profit in Youzhou.

Each raised a large army, engaging in mutual attacks.

Within less than half a month, the third son of King Yan triumphed, killing his two elder brothers, and established himself as King Yan!

This King Yan is not an ordinary vassal king, but a true Duke!

In Taihe Hall, the Great Court meeting.

Many ministers were already in an uproar, spitting as they expressed their opinions.

Some advocate raising a large army to conquer and capture the third son of King Yan, Zheng Yuantao.

Youzhou has always been the land of Great Yu, and it is very close to the Capital City and cannot be handled by others.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep