No wonder he was able to make seven voyages to the Western Ocean. Zheng He's martial prowess was probably not low, though his military ability was likely lower than that of other generals. He was indeed a rather versatile talent.
Having considered this, Lin Yi made his decision and smiled, " Zheng He, I have decided to entrust you with a heavy responsibility, one that may cost you your life. Do you dare to accept?"
He didn't hide it; sailing the ocean was a very dangerous thing.
In the vast ocean, one careless move could mean certain death, with even the body never being recovered.
"Your Majesty, please give your orders. I will do my utmost, even if it means my own destruction!" Zheng He said resolutely.
Although he was no longer a man, his heart was as firm as iron, and he would do anything for his master without hesitation!
"I am willing to die for the Emperor!"
The many soldiers behind them, equally fearless in the face of death, spoke in unison.
They were filled with a passionate spirit, which instantly ignited the emotions of Zhang Fei and the others, who almost joined in the shouting.
Seeing this, Lin Yi didn't keep him in suspense and said in a deep voice, "I have decided to send you out to sea to find other continents and explore a path forward for my Great Liang!"
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I guarantee to complete the mission!" Zheng He accepted the mission without hesitation.
There is a destiny at play; perhaps the ocean is my true home.
All sacrifices are worthwhile if it allows us to explore a path forward for Great Liang.
"Good!"
Lin Yi couldn't help but applaud his decisiveness; this was the Eunuch Sanbao Zheng He he had always admired, and he hadn't disappointed him.
He looked at Xu You to the side and said in a deep voice, "Have 10,000 men from those southwestern tribes follow Zheng He on a voyage of exploration under the guise of trade and exchange. Consider it their pledge of allegiance to the Great Liang!"
This exploration is not about conquest, but about discovery and understanding, about gaining a clearer understanding of the world.
Although it was somewhat dangerous, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The southwestern tribes escaped the threat of death without much merit, so they naturally had to pay a price.
Xu You's eyes lit up. This was indeed a good choice. Using the guise of trade and exchange would allow them to make better contact with the other side, while also lulling them into a false sense of security, allowing Great Liang to take the initiative.
These people from the Southwest all live by the sea and are very familiar with this kind of work; they are definitely capable of handling it.
"Your Majesty, I obey your command and will go and give the order immediately!"
"Alright, Zheng He is in your care. Do a good job."
"After it's all done, Zheng He come to the palace; I have some things to instruct you on. That's all for now; I'll return to the palace first!"
Lin Yi glanced at Zheng He, handed him to Xu You, and then turned and left.
With Xu You and Zheng He present, along with Zheng He's 10,000 elite troops, the southwestern tribes should know what it means to be submissive and obedient.
Forehead!
Nan Ke and the others were dumbfounded. It seemed that, without them even noticing, the Emperor was up to something again right under their noses.
This time their ambitions are even greater, extending to the continent across the ocean; they're about to take off!
Looking at the emperor's retreating figure, Zan Rihong were filled with excitement. He exclaimed, "The current emperor is young and powerful. Heaven is so kind to the Great Liang. Our Zhennan Dynasty's defeat was not unjust!"
It is truly an honor for Zan Rihong to serve such an emperor!
He was extremely excited, feeling that the future was bright. The journey in Daliang was truly vast Great Liang, and he would have no shortage of opportunities to stand out in the future.
Following this young and powerful emperor, as long as I am not afraid of death, I will surely be able to make a name for myself.
It's much better than following that old Nan Ke; they're not even in the same league.
For example, those small southwestern kingdoms, although not very large, when united, constitute a considerable force and have posed a significant obstacle to the Zhennan Dynasty.
When it came to Great Liang, the emperor simply ignored it and smoothed things over, which was quite frightening.
That's the difference!
And that Zheng He from earlier, the soldiers behind him were no ordinary men either. Great Liang truly is a place where dragons and tigers hide, a land of many talented people.
"You son of a bitch!"
Nan Ke sensed Zan Rihong's sarcasm and his face immediately turned green.
"You're just flattering me, why are you putting me down? You're practically inhuman!" However, he couldn't refute this, as he himself felt somewhat ashamed of himself, so it was best not to say anything more.
Nan Yiming ignored him and instead looked westward, saying quietly, " Great Liang has forcefully unified the East, and now it has even sent two million troops into the western battlefield. How domineering is that?"
Given the strength that Great Liang has demonstrated so far, it's only a matter of time before they take over the Frostwest Empire and the Great West Empire. I don't have much time left!
Now that we've decided to gravitate towards Great Liang, we can't just drift along; we have to make a name for ourselves.
Nan Ke was overjoyed and patted him on the shoulder, instructing him, " Yiming, you must do a good job. The future of the Nan family depends on you!"
I may not be good enough, but my son is; he's still young.
To everyone's surprise, Nan Ke easily dodged his hand and sneered, "Hmph, you are you and I am I. To avoid any misunderstanding with the Emperor, Father should stay home and enjoy his retirement, and stop bothering people!"
In fact, he agreed with Zan Rihong's words. If his father hadn't been so old and incompetent, Zhennan wouldn't have been so weak and powerless.
Besides, he had sent him to his death earlier; all that talk of father-son affection was just a joke.
"You!!!" Nan Ke was almost furious; this kid was simply disobedient!
Hahaha!
Zan Rihong couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying disdainfully, "Nephew is right, you should step down as father! Following the Emperor is the right path. In the future, if we Shuzhi forces, we will surely shine brightly and let the Emperor see our efforts!"
"Roll!"
Nan Yiming responded sincerely to Zan Rihong's provocation. Although he was angry with his father, he wouldn't forgive Zan Rihong or continue associating with him.
His only goal was not only to rise to the top, but also to suppress Zan Rihong; this was his choice.
The Frostwest Empire is likely to collapse soon, so time is running out. We must adapt to the pace of the Great Liang as soon as possible; that is the right choice.
And at this moment, the battlefield in the west is exactly as Nan Yiming predicted.
Under the advance of the two million-strong army of the Great Liang, the so-called million-strong army of the Frostwest Empire was simply like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; it only provided slight resistance before being directly defeated.
The most terrifying thing was that Huo Qubing and Xue Rengui's two armies went straight to the heart of the city and began a fierce attack on Frostwest Capital. This was the most frightening thing.
Faced with this situation, Ashina Tiandu's face grew uglier day by day. He killed several palace guards in his rage, but it did nothing to change the situation.
Looking at the room full of generals and ministers, he roared, "What have you all done? A million-strong army couldn't even stop Huo Qubing and Xue Rengui! What use are you?"