Shi Huiyu entered the imperial study and saw Zhao Hong sitting on a chair in the study, meditating, and quickly bowed.
"Your Majesty Shi Huiyu has met!"
"Shi Huiyu, you're here, come here and take a look at this thing!"
Zhao Hong stood up and greeted Shi Huiyu affectionately.
"Your Majesty, isn't this bark?"
Shi Huiyu picked up a piece of bark and looked at it, confused.
"This is not an ordinary piece of bark, this is life-saving bark. It is related to the lives of millions of people in our Song Dynasty, and it is also related to the success or failure of our Song Dynasty's overseas colonization. It was our Song Dynasty navy that went overseas and from the local Got it back."
"so smart!"
Shi Huiyu was surprised. He looked carefully at the bark of the tree, but couldn't see anything interesting about it.
"This is called the Cinchona tree. It grows in the Amazon River Basin of South America. The bark is ground into powder and can cure malaria, that is, it can fight malaria. The navy of our Song Dynasty spread all over the world, and immigrants wanted to colonize foreign lands, including those native to the Song Dynasty. What the common people are worried about is not acclimatization, but the disease, namely malaria. Only when malaria is cured can we truly control the journey."
As the Song Dynasty immigrated overseas, tropical mosquito bites and diseases such as malaria came one after another, causing widespread disasters in some places, seriously affecting the progress of colonization.
Fortunately, he still remembered the story about the treatment of malaria in the geography book. Fortunately, the Song Dynasty entered the age of steam engines, and it only took ten days to cross the Atlantic from New Guangzhou in West Africa to South America. The navy of the Song Dynasty lived up to expectations and also brought back the bark of the cinchona tree.
"But the bark is limited after all, and it can't cure many people."
Shi Huiyu said ignorantly.
"You're right. So..."
Zhao Hong picked up another package and handed it to Shi Huiyu.
"So, they brought back the seeds."
"seed?"
"Not bad! Seed!"
Zhao Hong looked at Shi Huiyu and said seriously:
"Cinchona trees like a warm, cool and humid environment. You can try planting them in Liuqiu, and you can also do it in southern Dali. The first thing you do after taking office as the head of the Guards Department is to arrange a trial planting of cinchona trees. This is beneficial to the country and the people. It’s a big deal, but you can’t be careless.”
Shi Huiyu quickly accepted the order.
"Your Majesty is knowledgeable and unrivaled in the world. I admire you greatly."
"It's just picking up wisdom, not worth mentioning. He is called the Son of Heaven, but he is actually born in a mortal body, and many things are confused."
Zhao Hong sat back in his chair, looked at Shi Huiyu intently, and asked seriously:
"Shi Huiyu, I heard that you have been waiting for me for eight years without getting married. Is it true?"
"Your Majesty, minister..."
Shi Huiyu was at a loss for words.
"There are no outsiders here, just tell the truth."
"Your Majesty, since I first met Your Majesty at the Jinling Lecture Hall in the first year of Xingqing, I have only Your Majesty in my heart, and I can no longer pretend to be someone else. In the past eight years, my heart has not changed. Your Majesty, you don't have to worry about me. I will not force anything."
Shi Huiyu said softly. Zhao Hong looked at her expression, nodded, and continued to ask softly:
"The minister wants to include you among the concubines in the harem, are you willing?"
"My intention is clear, but I don't want to force you to do it. Is your majesty willing? Is your majesty willing to accept me?"
Shi Huiyu replied softly and asked a question.
"I am willing. However, I am afraid that you will regret it when the time comes. To put it bluntly, I am just an ordinary person, and I am afraid of letting you down."
Zhao Hong said with emotion, Shi Huiyu blurted out and blushed.
"Your Majesty, I will never regret it!"
Zhao Hong nodded slightly, his eyes becoming gentle.
No one will wait for someone for eight years unless it is true love. I hope they will not regret their choices in the future.
In the early morning, on the school grounds of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall, the sound of "crackling" firecrackers continued. Rows of students held self-fire muskets, loaded ammunition, and aimed at the target to shoot.
"Prepare!"
"aim!"
"shooting!"
On the edge of the school field, Zhao Hong watched the scene of gunfire shooting carefully and was very excited.
A hundred steps can break armor, which is no worse than the range of a Tatar archer.
Thousands of people fired volleys, three consecutive strikes and five consecutive strikes. Who is the opponent in the world?
On another field, following the instructor's command, students one by one pulled the fuse in the wooden handle of the thunderbolt. A "crack" sound was heard, and white smoke burst out. Then the students in unison, started running one after another, putting the smoke in their hands. The sky-shaking thunder of smoke was thrown out.
Thunderbolts flew in the air, arced, and fell into the shooting range one after another. There were continuous violent explosions and thick smoke, which was extremely spectacular.
With the tube-type thunderbolt, you no longer have to carry a fire bomb to the battlefield.
Turning his head, Zhao Hong looked at the graceful woman on the edge of the school field and smiled slightly.
"Hello Anal."
Wearing a white silk skirt and exquisite jewelry, she is graceful and full of exotic style.
However, Zhao Hong was used to it. Gaochang State is just a part of China in later generations, purely Chinese.
"Your Majesty, these firearms of yours are really frightening!"
"Frightened? This is the power of technology and civilization! To deal with the evil one, you must be more evil than him and use violence to fight violence!"
Zhao Hong looked away from Anal and walked towards the back hall of the martial arts hall.
Anal quickly followed and said through the guard:
"Your Majesty, I have something to say that I want to talk to you alone. I wonder if that's okay?"
Zhao Hong stopped, looked at Ana'er in surprise, and nodded lightly.
"Come with me to the Humble Administrator's Garden. If you have anything to say, please speak slowly."
Arriving at a pavilion in the Humble Administrator's Garden, all the guards walked away, leaving only Zhao Hong and Ana'er.
"Your Majesty, you are a great hero of the Song Dynasty. But I think you are quite pitiful."
Ana'er looked at the frowning Zhao Hong and said a confused sentence.
"Pitiful?"
Zhao Hong looked at Anal in surprise and said nothing.
Being alone is indeed a bit pitiful.
"Your Majesty, I heard that you are only thirty years old, but you already have gray hair. You have worked hard for the people of the Song Dynasty, but no one understands you and no one loves you. You are alone. It's really It makes you pitiful and makes you want to love and protect you.”
Ana'er's words made Zhao Hong feel confused for a moment. He was silent for a moment, and then said bitterly:
"Maybe you are right. But as the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, this is my destiny. I have no choice. As for being lonely, life is like this. One comes and goes alone. There is nothing pitiful or pitiful. of."
Zhao Hong suddenly felt a little dazed. Is life really meaningless?
"Your Majesty, if I go back, will you remember me?"
Ana'er changed the subject, her eyes suddenly filled with sadness.
Zhao Hong was surprised by the girl's sentimentality, smiled slightly, and shook his head.
He has passed the age of committing crimes.
"I am a melancholy guest in the world. When I know what happened to you, I burst into tears. I recall my life with a broken heart. Your Majesty, there is no endless banquet in the world. Thinking of it makes people feel sad. As long as you can think of me occasionally, I will be satisfied."
Ana'er said quietly, and Zhao Hong nodded slightly.
Isn't that what a man often does when he is alone?
Anal's face suddenly turned serious.
"Your Majesty, the Song Dynasty will not use troops against Gaochang State in the future, right?"
Anal changed the topic so quickly that Zhao Hong was stunned for a moment before he answered.
"Anar, Gaochang is the homeland of my Central Plains Dynasty, and I, the Song Dynasty, will definitely take it back. However, I, the Song Dynasty, will not massacre or abuse the people. I can assure you."
Killing unarmed innocent people is a beast. While they are causing killings, they are actually just trying to cover up their inner fears.
"Your Majesty, if I, Gaochang, seek peace with the Song Dynasty and make peace with the Song Dynasty, will the Song Dynasty let me, Gaochang, go?"
Anal's face turned red, her expression was reserved, and she seemed a little embarrassed.
"Marriage? Are you talking about you?"
Zhao Hong was stunned and laughed.
"If it were you, I could consider sparing the royal family and nobles of Gaochang Kingdom. They have the blood of our Song people on their hands."
"Your Majesty, you have no words to say."
Anal's blue eyes lit up.
Zhao Hong was slightly startled, and the smile on his face stopped abruptly.
"The Emperor of the Song Dynasty has a golden tongue, how can he not keep his words!"
Anal shook her head, knelt down and saluted:
"Your Majesty, please accept Gao Changguo and Ana'er!"
"Anal, get up."
Zhao Hong hesitated for a moment and then said:
"Do you know me, Princess Xixia of the Song Dynasty?"
"I know, she is His Majesty's virtuous concubine. Since Your Majesty can accept Princess Xixia, he must also be able to accept me."
Ana'er was confused and didn't understand what Zhao Hong meant.
"Then do you know that Princess Xixia and I have terminated our engagement, and we have no relationship anymore."
Zhao Hong continued speaking in a deep voice, but his heart felt much more relaxed.
"The Song Dynasty annexed the Xia Dynasty, and the princess was depressed and a stranger to me. Now, she is free and has nothing to do with me. Do you understand what I mean?"
If life is just like the first time we met, why should the autumn wind draw a fan sadly?
Many things have changed as time goes by. He doesn't want to compromise, and he doesn't want to compromise. He wants to accept his destiny and let the other person live in peace and dignity.
"Ah! How could this happen?"
Anal stood up with a look of surprise on her face.
"That's it, I don't need to lie to you. Not only her, but also another concubine who looks very similar to me. I will also give her a free life. After you go back, please advise your parents and Gaochang nobles not to follow you. The Tatars are behind the tiger. If Gaochang surrenders to the Song Dynasty, I will send troops to rescue Gaochang."
"free?"
Anael was confused again.
"Freedom! You can do whatever your heart desires without any restrictions. Life is short, isn't it the point to live freely?"
Seeing Zhao Hong's emotion in his eyes, Anal's eyes became firmer.
"Your Majesty, Anal admires your majesty and Chinese culture, and will not have any dissatisfaction with the Song Dynasty. If Anal does not become Li Weiming, Anal is willing to serve your majesty for the rest of his life. I hope your majesty will not refuse!"
"If I destroy Gaochang Kingdom in the future, you won't blame me?"
Zhao Hong remained calm and said lightly.
"As long as your majesty treats Anal's parents and brothers well, as well as the people of Gaochang, Anal will never blame your majesty. Anal is willing to serve your majesty for the rest of his life! He will never be the second Li Weiming!"
Ana'er was decisive and couldn't wait to interrupt Zhao Hong's words with a decisive sentence.
Zhao Hong looked at the shy Anal and laughed softly.
One Shi Huiyu and the other Ana'er were willing to throw themselves into their arms. Is he really that charming?
Dong Songchen stood behind a rockery and watched Zhao Hong and Ana'er chatting happily, and couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It's really a blessing that the emperor can be happy!
