The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 188: Dragon Slaying Conference, Zhang's New Policy

The first siege of Yuan Dadu lasted only half a month before it was repelled, but it forced the Mongol army on the front line to retreat to Dadu. The area south of the Yellow River was completely recovered, the Mongol navy was completely wiped out, the capital area was plundered, and Dadu was repeatedly visited by many martial arts masters, causing heavy losses.

The worst thing that happened to the Yuan Dynasty court was that the Mongolian emperor was lost!

That's right, the main reason why Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiyang retreated so quickly was that Song Qingshu captured the Mongolian emperor and stole the jade seal and military order. After discussion, they decided to retreat immediately to avoid being hurt by the crazy counterattack of the Mongolian Yuan court. It was not worthwhile to fight to the death at this time.

The dog-slaughtering convention went on as planned, but this time the protagonist wasn't Prince Ruyang; he didn't even show up. Song Qingshu, Zhang Wuji, and Zhou Zhiyang instead pushed out the Mongol emperor, clad in a dragon robe. This sudden turn of events stunned countless people. Hadn't they been planning to sacrifice a Mongol prince or military commander? How had this suddenly become a dragon-slaughtering convention?

Zhang Wuji wielded the Dragon Slaying Sword and slashed it down, causing the Mongolian emperor to bleed to death. He then called on heroes from all over the world to fight against the Mongols. At the same time, he announced several so-called Chinese national policies, including improving the status and treatment of warriors and encouraging everyone to expand territory. How strong was this support and encouragement?

The Central Plains will never be divided into fiefdoms. Countries can be granted overseas or outside the territory. Outside the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, a country can be granted within 500 miles. As long as it can be conquered and defended, China will recognize it as a country, issue an edict to grant seals and ribbons, open up immigration and send scholars, and even provide a certain degree of military protection and allow trade.

The benefits should not be too many, and this national policy will be written into the ancestral precepts of the Zhang Dynasty, and all descendants are not allowed to change it, otherwise the clan has the right to depose the emperor.

A cabinet was established to limit imperial power and elevate the status of the Hundred Schools of Thought. To prevent conflict between civil and military officials, only those proficient in both civil and military arts could become scholars, and only those proficient in one of the Hundred Schools of Thought could hold real power. Furthermore, entry to various court positions required passing corresponding assessments, a hurdle not circumvented even by the emperor himself. Pure scholars and Confucianists could become teachers, and Wudang would open up to the full range of Confucian martial arts, as well as those of the other Hundred Schools of Thought.

The martial arts sects were controlled and protected by the new court. A martial arts conference was organized every ten years, during which the title of the world's best master and the title of the world's five greatest masters were awarded. These masters could read the court's collection of books and enjoy the treatment of national scholars. At the same time, these people also had the right to patrol the world. If there was any illegality or the sects were morally corrupt, they had the right to dispatch troops to eliminate them, but they had to give an explanation to the people of the world.

Those who till the land own their land, and those who live in the house own their house. The Xin Dynasty implemented the equal-field system, whereby the land belonged to the court, while the right to use it belonged to the individual. In the future, rewards would no longer be given in the form of land, but directly in the form of wealth, and land could not be bought or sold. If one truly desired to enclose large tracts of land, they could enlist in the army and expand outward. There were no restrictions on areas outside the Central Plains, and even if one enclosed thousands or tens of thousands of acres, no one would care.

In the future, the imperial court will no longer collect grain for free, but will purchase it from farmers based on certain standards. The price will not be much lower than the market price, and at least 70% to 80% of the market price can be guaranteed. At the same time, commercial taxes will be adjusted.

This time, the dog-slaughtering conference turned into a dragon-slaughtering conference at the beginning, and then turned into a conference to preach the laws of the new dynasty. Many rebel leaders jointly recommended Zhang Wuji as the emperor of the new dynasty, and agreed to hold a coronation ceremony in Jinling City three months later. At the same time, the first person to determine the establishment of an overseas country was Zhou Zhiyang, the King of Ryukyu. The second was King Yin Ye, who established the Sky Eagle Kingdom. The third was somewhat unknown, Zhu Yuanzhang, who established the Jeju Kingdom.

Everyone is quite familiar with Zhou Zhiyang and Yin Yewang. One of them has a huge influence in Ryukyu and is at the forefront of the anti-Yuan movement. He has 100,000 naval forces and 200,000 land forces. His real strength is not inferior to Zhang Wuji's Mingjiao army. Strictly speaking, he also comes from the Mingjiao.

But who is this Zhu Yuanzhang?

After asking around, everyone found out that he was just an unknown leader of the Ming Cult. By chance, he made a small contribution in the capture of the Mongol Army Marshal, Prince Ruyang. He followed Song Qingshu and Wei Yixiao across the ocean to the Sky Eagle Kingdom. With the help of the Sky Eagle Kingdom, he conquered two islands, Jeju Island and Tsushima Island. He then absorbed a large number of Han people and was allowed to establish a country. However, the country was small and the people were weak, and it was now trying to expand to the Wa Island.

Thousands of gold to buy horse bones!

This word popped up in everyone's mind at the same time, and it is undeniable that it is really heart-warming.

"Master, I gave up the throne for the sake of our friendship. Shouldn't you compensate me a little?" Zhou Zhiyang, who had already become the King of Ryukyu, shamelessly approached Song Qingshu.

Song Qingshu glanced at him and said, "You, brat, have obtained my world map and seen the vast world beyond the Central Plains. You have thus escaped from your cage and dominated the East China Sea. You covet the fertile lands of the South China Sea, which are even richer than the Central Plains. You will have a prosperous future and a promising future. You have handed the heavy responsibility to Wuji and taken all the advantages yourself. Yet you still have the nerve to ask me for favors."

Zhou Zhiyang chuckled and said, "Isn't this all Master's teaching? Furthermore, in the early stages, I will need to pay tribute to Uncle Zhang with large quantities of treasures and food. The Sky Eagle Nation will also need to provide a large amount of gold and silver. Master's vision of the four barbarians providing for the Central Plains, and the Central Plains being self-sufficient, will surely be realized soon. I've already found the three-season rice seeds, and have begun extensive planting in Ryukyu and Yazhou. The harvest is quite bountiful."

"Focus on industry and commerce, focus on the navy, and most importantly, don't forget your roots!" Song Qingshu spoke earnestly. Zhou Zhiyang's face straightened upon hearing this, and he said in a deep voice, "I will obey Master's orders."

"Master, I have two things to discuss with you." Zhou Zhiyang was serious in front of Song Qingshu for only three seconds, and immediately came up to him shamelessly.

Song Qingshu pointed his finger at him two meters away and said, "You are already a powerful figure in your own area. Is it really appropriate for you to act like a child? I understand your intentions. You just want to be accepted into the Wudang sect. But you don't have to worry about that. I have already enrolled you in the fourth generation of Wudang disciples, making you the first of the fourth generation."

Zhou Zhiyang was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you very much, Master. Thank you very much, Master. Hehe, now I am also a disciple of a famous and upright sect, and a disciple of the Wudang Sect, the world's largest sect."

"Don't talk nonsense. When did my Wudang Sect become the largest sect in the world? How could I not know?" Song Qingshu glanced at him unhappily.

Zhou Zhiyang said casually, "Master Zhang is known as the best in the world, and Master is unrivaled in the martial arts world. He overpowered the Left Envoy of the Ming Cult and defeated the Five Wandering Warriors. Even the Four Dharma Kings admit that they are no match for you. The story of your previous battle with the Mongol Tartar princess's men was spread by the Right Envoy of the Ming Cult, saying that you are the best under Master Zhang, and no one in the world can defeat you. Furthermore, Master Zhang is already old, so you will definitely be the best in the future, and you are currently second in the world. And right after you is Master Zhang, Zhang Wuji's uncle. Ever since he cultivated the 'Great Shift of the Universe' to the fourth level, his martial arts skills have made him the undisputed best in the Ming Cult."

"Also, Uncle Zhang is going to be the emperor soon, and he has established an ancestral precept that the entire Zhang family must practice martial arts, and martial arts will also be an important part of the assessment of the successor. Master, after all, I am the fourth-generation first disciple of the Wudang lineage. I want to open a branch of the Wudang lineage in Ryukyu, and I hope Master will agree." Zhou Zhiyang was blatantly asking for inheritance.

"All you have learned can be passed down in the Zhou family. At the same time, you can choose ten first-rate and ten second-rate martial arts from my library." Song Qingshu's library is extraordinary. Without his permission, ordinary people cannot enter, except for the Seven Heroes of Wudang, Yin Susu, Zhou Zhiruo, Song Qingshan and others.

"Thank you, Master." Zhou Zhiyang suddenly said, "Master, I would like to have a closer relationship with you. How about you marry my sister?"

Song Qingshu looked at him deeply and asked, "Why, Zhiruo finally agreed to acknowledge you as her brother?"

"Master, you already knew this?" Zhou Zhiyang was shocked. Song Qingshu said, "Zhou Zhiruo's name isn't something a boatman could come up with. And then there's her appearance. Not everyone is as beautiful, or as eloquent, as everyone else. She didn't acknowledge you back then because she wanted Chang Yuchun to protect you and take you away, so she could do whatever she wanted. But she didn't expect to be blessed with this, becoming the first disciple of the third generation of the Wudang female lineage, with the martial arts prowess and prestige she has today. And you've also achieved success and fame, with no more obstacles. It's just that my accepting you as my disciple has caused some confusion in the order of generations."

"Let's talk about our own affairs. I dare not associate with you, Master, who is of the same generation. Otherwise, I will be scolded by those Confucian scholars. If Master really marries my sister, I can call you brother-in-law in private." Zhou Zhiyang smiled slyly, but Song Qingshu pointed his finger at him. "Master's time is running out, and he can't delay your sister."

"Master, what do you mean?" Zhou Zhiyang was stunned when he heard this.

Song Qingshu smiled faintly and said, "Have you heard of the ultimate martial arts, shattering the void? Master, I have reached this edge, about to shatter the void and ascend to immortality."

Zhou Zhiyang rolled his eyes and said, "Master, if you don't want to marry my sister, there's no need to use such a ridiculous excuse to fool your disciple. Even Master Zhang hasn't achieved immortality yet. Master, hehe, I'm afraid you're still a little short of Master Zhang's level."