The source of the Great Liang River is located north of the Zhennan Dynasty, where several large snow-capped mountains exist, and the melted snow flows through the surrounding land.
Meanwhile, two major rivers flow by, eventually merging together and entering the territory of Great Liang.
One branch flows north into the Great Ning River, while the other flows south into the Shuanghui River.
Many of these rivers do not belong to a single channel because no one has cleaned them; some places are even silted up and impassable to ships.
With Li Bing at our disposal, we can fully utilize his skills to create a dedicated shipping route for transporting goods westward.
So when Lin Yi saw Li Bing's burst of inspiration, he was secretly pleased; this was the prelude to something big.
"Such a vast land is simply too magnificent; compared to it, even the Great Song seems rather insignificant." Seeing such a majestic landscape, Wen Tianxiang was moved to tears and couldn't help but exclaim.
The Great Song was weak and its land was shattered; compared to that, this place was paradise.
Forehead!
Hearing his lament, Lin Yi sighed deeply. Wen Tianxiang was also born at the wrong time, which is why he ended up in such a predicament.
However, now that he has come to Great Liang, he can be said to have escaped his fate and can finally put his skills to use.
He said in a deep voice, "This is Mountains and Rivers Regional Map of the entire East. Although the Great Liang occupies most of it, some areas are still in the hands of other countries."
However, those places will eventually belong to Great Liang, and that will require everyone's efforts.
Although he intends to unify the entire East, it will take some time before he can completely bring it under his control, at least until he has taken over the Great West Empire and the Frostwest Empire.
That's right!
Lin Yi has now implicitly acknowledged that these two countries belong to the East, both being part of the territory of the Great Liang.
Xue Rengui's eyes lit up with excitement as he exclaimed, "Your Majesty, Xue Rengui and 150,000 troops are willing to serve you and bring the entire East under the control of the Great Liang!"
Having a task right away is really great.
With 150,000 elite troops from the Great Tang, the annihilation of those smaller countries was practically a foregone conclusion.
"Well, Minister Xue, don't be impatient. Let's take it one step at a time." Lin Yi waved his hand. Although he wanted to take over the East, he wasn't in a rush.
If things go too fast, it can lead to indigestion, and you might end up like the next Genghis Khan.
Although Genghis Khan conquered most of the world, what did it matter? It fell apart in the blink of an eye, a mere flash in the pan.
To put it bluntly, they didn't fully digest the information, resulting in a complete lack of integration and cohesion. It's no wonder they were destroyed.
Lin Yi certainly didn't want this to happen!
Although I may not be able to cause a great flood after my death, it cannot be just a fleeting moment. If that's the case, it's better to proceed cautiously and steadily, since it won't take much time anyway.
Moreover, everything is proceeding smoothly and the progress is not lagging behind at all.
On one hand, we will attack Zhennan, which is the main battlefield; we should take it over first.
On the other hand, at sea, because the sea is sparsely populated, and many places are even uninhabited, it is relatively easy to conquer without expending too much national strength.
However, since Xue Rengui was so enthusiastic, I couldn't dampen his spirits.
Lin Yi pointed to the territories of the Frostwest Empire and the Great West Empire, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Xue, after taking over the Zhennan Dynasty, the next step for the Great Liang Empire will probably be these two places."
If you want to participate in this war, you should come here beforehand to familiarize yourself with the environment!
If the Great West Empire isn't foolish, it's highly unlikely that it would stand by and watch the Frostwest Empire be destroyed in the next battle, because they'll be next.
In other words, it's very likely that the Great Liang will be fighting two against one, which will require Great Liang troops. The 150,000 elite Tang soldiers would be better suited to take the lead.
"One against two?"
Xue Rengui's pupils contracted; this was a momentous occasion. He exclaimed excitedly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this Frostwest Empire is mine. I'll have it under my thumb in no time!"
Hahaha!
Lin Yi laughed heartily. This was utterly disrespectful to the Frostwest Empire. There was no way things could be so simple.
He didn't take it to heart. He figured they'd only know if it was a mule or a horse when the time came. He wouldn't do anything risky; if he was going to do something, he'd do it steadily.
He looked at Wen Tianxiang, his expression immediately turning serious, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Wen, I intend to have you join the Imperial Academy to cultivate the character of the Great Liang. Do you have any objections?"
Compared to Xue Rengui's army, Wen Tianxiang's role was no less significant; in fact, it could be said to be even more meaningful.
A country without backbone is like a pile of loose sand, which will scatter at the slightest breeze.
Only when the backbone of all the people is strengthened can they become the most terrifying force, the legendary fighting nation.
Once the enemy attacks, not only will the army be as fierce as wolves and tigers, but the people will also be tough as nails. No one can defeat such a country.
Wen Tianxiang's eyes narrowed, instantly becoming solemn. He solemnly said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Wen Tianxiang knows the horrors of spinelessness and will certainly ensure that the scholars and people of Great Liang possess their own pride!"
The dynasty he lived in was utterly weak and incompetent, so much so that even the emperor and empress were repeatedly violated; it was a truly tragic situation.
All of this stems from a lack of backbone.
The emperor and his ministers had lost all backbone, as if their bones had been broken; they were all spineless cowards. They were already preparing to negotiate peace before even engaging the enemy in battle.
Even if the generals fought desperately, they were ultimately worn down and killed.
Now that he has a second chance at life, he has one unwavering determination: to crush all the spineless cowards and stop them from harming the All Under Heaven.
"Proud spirit?"
Li Bing, standing to the side, was slightly taken aback. He glanced at Wen Tianxiang with a meaningful look. This guy seemed to be glowing all over. What was going on?
Xue Rengui was also completely bewildered. Fighting was the business of military generals, so why should scholars also be expected to have backbone?
"Very well, I look forward to it!"
Lin Yi clapped his hands. This was the strongest version of Wen Tianxiang, because he had experienced the darkest era and naturally knew his own desires.
I'd rather have officials as fierce as wolves and tigers than be all sweet potatoes and yams; that would be worse than feeding them to dogs.
Wen Tianxiang was placed in the Ministry of Rites, where he was allowed to associate with Cao Cao. He was also given a teaching position at the Imperial Academy to bless the students.
In this way, his own strong character is enough to influence others.
The final question rests with Li Bing. After a moment's thought, Lin Yi said in a deep voice, "Minister Li, you will temporarily take up a post in the Ministry of Works. Once you are familiar with the official duties, you will be directly appointed as the Minister of Ministry of Works!"
I have decided to undertake a major water conservancy project. In some places, waterways need to be dredged and mountain passes need to be cleared. You need to study these things.
Li Bing is an expert in water conservancy engineering, and these are areas where he excels, making him a good choice to put the Ministry of Works in charge.
The former Minister of Ministry of Works Ma Jun, was a great inventor. If he were to remain involved in administration, it would somewhat hinder his inventions.