roccoschili Chapter 5424 Using Both Soft and Hard Approaches
Chapter 5424 Using Both Soft and Hard Approaches
Chapter 5424 Using Both Soft and Hard Approaches
Dozens, even hundreds, of warships of all sizes almost filled the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, their masts piercing the sky like a forest, their white sails like clouds obscuring the sun, and their heavily armored, imposing soldiers exuding a fierce aura. The cannons, their covers torn open, revealed their dark muzzles...
Although they had just experienced a war in which the Tang Dynasty navy conquered the Zhenla Kingdom, such a magnificent display of power still made the indigenous tribes who came to watch on the shore turn pale and tremble with fear. Although their dissatisfaction with the rule of the Tang Dynasty did not completely disappear, they suppressed it and dared not show it in the slightest.
Once attacked by the Tang army, one can imagine the devastating and ferocious offensive that would ensue...
When the "Royal Princess Jinyang," with its two decks covered in dark, gaping cannon muzzles and a bow several meters high, docked at the pier, the overwhelming sense of gazing up at the world's most powerful warship at such close range silenced everyone on the pier, leaving only the awe of a divine spectacle.
How could such a massive warship be built?!
Fang Jun and Wu Meiniang boarded the dock hand in hand. When they saw his younger sister, heavily pregnant, standing beside the carriage, bowing respectfully, Fang Jun's face darkened.
He glared at Li Yun and said with displeasure, "My little sister is pregnant. How can we let her come to the dock? The carriage is bumpy and the crowd is chaotic. What if she gets jostled and frightened, which could affect the baby?"
Li Yun said aggrievedly, "I also advised her not to come. Why should her own brother care about those formalities? But she wouldn't listen to me!"
Fang Jun then said, "A grown man, standing seven feet tall, can't even listen to his own wife? What talk is there about establishing a kingdom, making great achievements, and being a coward!"
Li Yun: "..."
He finally realized what was happening and wisely shut up.
When Fang Jun turned to look at his younger sister, he immediately smiled and said, "It's not good for you to stay cooped up in the palace all day while you're pregnant. Lack of exercise will also make you feel bad. It's very suitable for you to come out for a walk and get some fresh air."
Li Yun: "..."
Why be so obviously hypocritical?
Do you really not care about my feelings at all?
Fang Xiaomei smiled radiantly, greeted her brother with a delighted expression, then took Wu Meiniang's hand and whispered in her ear about women's topics.
Fang Jun looked at Li Yun, his expression turning serious again: "The wind is strong by the sea; how can a pregnant woman stay there for long? Don't you even know this basic common sense? Quickly return to the palace and arrange for physicians and maids to take good care of her. There must be no mistakes whatsoever."
Li Yun was convinced and quickly waved to the accompanying maids, escorting the Queen to the carriage and back to the palace.
Fang Xiaomei said no more, took Wu Meiniang's hand, and rode in the same carriage with her.
Since Wu Meiniang married into the Fang family, Fang Xiaomei has had many interactions with Wu Meiniang over the years, from a young girl to a married woman. She greatly admires this beautiful, intelligent, and exceptionally talented sister-in-law and never shows any disrespect to Wu Meiniang just because she is a concubine.
Wu Zetian also liked this younger sister-in-law who was loved by the whole family but had no arrogance. The relationship between the two sisters-in-law was not as sordid and conflicty as other families, but rather extremely harmonious.
At the dock, Li Yun and Fang Jun mounted their horses together, taking a few more reluctant glances at the warships that filled the harbor before leaving.
Fang Jun asked, "You like warships?"
Li Yun exclaimed, "What man doesn't yearn for riding a horse on land and sailing a ship on the sea? So a good ship is like a fine horse, and naturally, one would cherish it greatly."
Fang Jun turned his horse around and casually said, "Then I'll give you one."
"Uh... ah?"
Li Yun was a beat slow to react, then overjoyed, pointing at the majestic "Royal Princess Jinyang": "Is this your ship?"
"Ah!"
Fang Jun sneered: "If you can persuade Prince Jinyang to give you this ship, I don't care."
"This……"
Li Yun was dejected.
Jin Yang, that girl, may seem as innocent and harmless as a white lotus flower, but she's definitely not someone to mess with. If she finds out that I'm eyeing her ship, even if we're thousands of miles apart, I'm afraid I won't have a good time...
He quickly pulled on the reins to catch up with Fang Jun and asked, "Which ship should we send it to?"
Fang Jun didn't take it seriously: "Apart from the 'Princess Jinyang,' any other ship will do. However, I must warn Your Majesty that the sea is treacherous and there is never a time of peace. Even the largest ship is in danger of capsizing. You should avoid sailing back and forth, and you are absolutely not allowed to take my little sister with you."
He treated Li Yun very strictly, constantly warning the boy not to mistreat his younger sister or let her suffer any injustice. However, Li Yun was, after all, of royal lineage and the heir to the crown prince, and naturally possessed pride. Unconditional suppression might trigger his rebellious tendencies, so while suppressing him, he also tried to offer him some benefits to soothe his mood.
Even if you give someone a beating, you should also give them a sweet treat.
A combination of firmness and flexibility, using both soft and hard approaches.
Li Yun was not very shrewd and wore his emotions on his sleeve. Upon hearing that Fang Jun was willing to give him a warship worth tens of thousands of strings of cash, he immediately beamed with joy, and the dissatisfaction he had just felt from being reprimanded in public vanished: "That's settled then. Not only will you give me the warship, but you'll also give me all the equipment on board, including sails, rigging, bows and arrows, and guns! And the soldiers have to stay too, otherwise, brother-in-law can't expect me to sail out to sea by myself, can he?"
Fang Jun warned, "Such a warship is invincible against small countries and can be used to demonstrate national power, but it cannot be used to start a war. If someone is foolish enough to provoke the new Chiang Kai-shek regime, just inform the navy and someone will stand up for you, instead of you personally leading the ship through arrows and stones and charging into battle. That is the act of a fool!"
"I know, I know." Li Yun nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, agreeing very readily: "Brother-in-law, don't worry. I'm not like that blockhead Li Yin who likes to fight. The most important thing is to honestly manage the prosperity of this new Chiang Kai-shek Kingdom and enjoy a peaceful life with my old friends."
The two rode side by side. Fang Jun looked around at the construction sites and bustling activity near the dock and advised, "The navy will later station an army here in Huajing. Although the naval commanders will certainly be responsive to Your Majesty's requests because of me, Your Majesty should be approachable and interact with them more often. You should know how to treat people with respect and courtesy, rather than being aloof and arrogant. Occasionally rewarding them and hosting banquets to build good relationships can be a great help when needed."
The navy has its own regulations. The garrison in various vassal states not only has the responsibility of maintaining order, but also the duty of surveillance. When encountering important matters, the garrison has no right to make decisions on the spot, and usually has to consult with generals of the rank of deputy general or above. The naval commanders closest to Huajing are stationed in Da Nang, and it takes more than ten days for a fast ship to travel there and back.
However, although the garrison cannot make decisions on the spot, there are priorities when faced with urgent military situations. Even if troops are dispatched without authorization, there are various excuses. Therefore, the key is whether the garrison commander is willing to take responsibility for violating military discipline.
Li Yun put away his playful expression and nodded solemnly: "I have remembered it and will definitely follow my brother-in-law's teachings."
Fang Jun, holding the reins, chuckled and said, "What kind of teaching is this? It's just some principles of conduct and life. Since you're my brother-in-law, I'll say a few more words. I hope you don't find me long-winded."
Li Yun shook his head and said, "Although I am unruly, I am not stupid. How could I not tell who is good to me and who is bad to me? Grand Commandant, you have made great achievements and are a hero of our time. As long as it is your teaching, I will listen to it and keep it in mind, and I will never make a mistake."
Fang Jun said happily, "It's alright if you don't blame me for always spoiling my little sister."
As they spoke, the royal palace came into view in the distance.
Li Yun, riding on horseback, said with a smile, "You have to pamper your own women... I learned this from the Grand Commandant. Including Sister Gaoyang, none of the Grand Commandant's wives and concubines are easy to deal with. They are all clever and ruthless outside, but they are loving and harmonious in the mansion. It is precisely because my brother-in-law pampers them all and treats them equally."
Upon dismounting at the palace gates, Fang Jun patted Li Yun on the shoulder, not regarding him as the king, but merely as his brother-in-law: "Although I dote on my younger sister, I won't show her favoritism without principle. If she's truly being unreasonable and making trouble, you'll have to intervene when necessary... but you can't lay a hand on her, and you certainly can't do the same thing as favoring a concubine over your wife. Otherwise, I'll personally sail over and drag you back to the Tang Dynasty, make you kneel in Zhaoling, and let Emperor Taizong punish you!"
Li Yun shuddered in fright, his face turning pale: "This...it can't be that bad, can it?"
"hehe!"
Fang Jun sneered: "You can try!"
Having said that, he threw off the reins and strode into the palace.
Li Yun clicked his tongue, realizing that the idea of "managing it if necessary" was a lie. Whether it was "unreasonable" or "troublemaking" was up to you to decide.
……
Inside a side hall of the palace, the accompanying physician and midwife had already given Fang Xiaomei a full-body examination. When Fang Jun and Li Yun entered, they were tidying up some utensils.
Wu Meiniang sat beside Fang Xiaomei, who had changed her clothes.
Fang Jun asked, "How is the situation?"
The physician stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Grand Commandant, rest assured, the Queen is in good health and full of energy. She is just a little anxious because she is far from home and misses her family. I have already prescribed a calming decoction for her to take regularly. There should be no problem."
Fang Jun nodded and glanced at his younger sister.
Although she appears very strong, she is ultimately just a young girl who grew up pampered by her parents and brothers and has never experienced hardship. Now, having just gotten married, she is going to sea to take up her post, thousands of miles away from home, so it is only natural that she feels some unease and anxiety.
"Thank you very much. I would like to ask you all to stay here a little longer. After my sister has given birth and is fully recovered, you can return to the Tang Dynasty with me. Please understand if this is too much trouble. I will be very grateful for your understanding."
"Grand Commandant, there's no need for that. It's our duty as physicians, and it's only right and proper."
"Moreover, the Grand Commandant and we have a deep connection. Just based on the set of methods for treating injuries and illnesses that you created, ninety-nine percent of the physicians admire and respect you."
Fang Jun smiled and returned the greeting: "Back then, I only gained some understanding under the guidance of Master Sun. I'm just making a fool of myself."
Mentioning Sun Simiao, the "King of Medicine," the physicians became even more respectful and admiring.
After the physician and midwife were taken away by the maids to be settled, the family sat down together, and Fang Jun asked in a low voice, "Has that gold mine been mined yet? What is the yield?"