Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 372 Talas Arsenal (Thanks to book friend Zhao Yunxi/2021…8458 monthly tickets!)
The next day, at the celebration banquet held in the Wude Hall in the front yard of the Imperial Palace, Yang Ye, whose face had turned red from drinking, said:

"Your Majesty, many of our men from the Fourth and Eighth Corps died in Bekara City. I beg Your Majesty to send us to Central Asia again to kill all the Star Sect and avenge our men!"

Chai Zongxun said:

"I know how you feel, Mr. Yang, and I also feel sorry for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives.

The Fourth and Eighth Corps have been on the expedition to West Asia for a long time, so let them complete their organization in Bian Jing and rest for a while.

I have sent Minister Kou to form an alliance with the Roman Empire to fight against the Star Religion countries. With the support of the Roman Empire's 700,000 troops, the ten Dragon Army regiments currently fighting in Central Asia will surely conquer West Asia and wipe out the Star Religion countries! "

When Yang Ye heard this, he burst into tears.

Chai Zongxun sighed, knowing that the 4th and 8th Corps suffered heavy losses in defending Bekara City. More than 113,000 soldiers were killed, more than 20 thousand-householders were killed, and even five ten-thousand-householders were killed. This was the greatest loss since the formation of the Longxiang Army.

Chai Zongxun raised his glass and said:

"These soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country are the backbone of our Great Zhou! It is because of their selfless sacrifice that millions of people were saved from the slaughter of the Star Sect!

The people of our Great Zhou will remember them for generations! This cup is for the martyrs!"

Everyone present responded loudly and raised their glasses to drink together.

That night, many soldiers from the Fourth and Eighth Corps and the banquet were filled with grief as they recalled their comrades who had died in the Battle of Bekara, and so they got drunk.

In the following days, the main focus of the Great Zhou court was to ensure the logistics of the ten military corps in Central Asia. Food, weapons, and ammunition were transported in an endless stream from various provinces in the interior.

On December 2, the 28th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun discussed this matter with his ministers at the morning court.

The Deputy Minister and Minister of Personnel Li Hang came out and said:

“Your Majesty, the transportation of food, weapons, and ammunition from the inland provinces to Basharagun and other places in Central Asia is too long and costs too much.

As for food and fodder, the output of Central Asia is not enough to supply ten Dragon Army regiments. However, if weapons, ammunition and other supplies can be built in Central Asia, it will greatly save the national treasury. "

It would still take more than three months to travel from Bian Jing and other inland areas to Basharagun in Central Asia, even though the Great Zhou Straight Road had been built about halfway.

Chai Zongxun pondered for a moment and said:
"My dear ministers, in the first twenty years of my reign, the focus of my administration was to unify the country and conquer the Liao Kingdom.

Now that the world is at peace, the focus of our Great Zhou's offensive has shifted to Central and West Asia. The war with the Star Religion countries will be a long-term national policy.

In order to reduce the expenditure of the national treasury, I intend to build a new branch of the Royal Arsenal in Basharagun or Talas in Central Asia to produce and supply weapons and ammunition to the Longxiang Army that will conquer the Xingxing Sect. "

All the ministers agreed with Emperor Chai Zongxun's proposal and immediately discussed the issue of site selection.

The Prime Minister and Minister of War Zhang Qixian came out and said:
"Your Majesty, Basharagun and Talas are both major cities in Central Asia, and the Royal Arsenal is a national treasure that cannot be lost.

In my opinion, Talas is located further east, so it has more strategic buffer space to deal with the countries of the Star Sect."

After a discussion between the emperor and his ministers, Chai Zongxun decided to build a branch of the Royal Arsenal in Talas. After the Ministry of Industry had made all the preparations, he went to Talas after the new year to speed up the construction.

On December 12, the 28th year of Kaixi, Kou Zhun and his entourage, who were on a diplomatic mission to the Roman Empire, returned to Bianjing.

Chai Zongxun summoned Kou Zhun to the Yangxin Palace at 3 pm. After the greeting, Kou Zhun detailed his experience of the mission to the Roman Empire and praised Hu Lian, one of the "three pacification envoys" of the Longxiang Guard stationed in Central Asia.

Kou Zhun said:
“Your Majesty, Rome is also a great country in the world, with a population of 20 million, and its urban architecture is also quite exquisite, but its people are not as wealthy as ours.

The Roman Emperor Basil II was also a wise and capable monarch. He attached great importance to the alliance with our Great Zhou. This time, his sister Princess Anna came to Bianjing to serve His Majesty as a tribute."

Chai Zongxun nodded slightly, knowing that in his previous life, in order to cope with the pressure from domestic military nobles and foreign Star Religion, Basil II married his younger sister Anna to Vladimir I of Kiev in 988 in exchange for military support.

This marriage contributed to the conversion of the Grand Duchy of Kievan Rus to Eastern Orthodoxy and led to the later Russia's acceptance of the religious and cultural traditions of the Eastern Roman Empire.

It also became the reason why Russia in later generations claimed to be the orthodox successor of the Roman Empire.

Since the Russians were regarded as barbarians by the Eastern Romans, Princess Anna initially refused steadfastly and resisted to the death, but in the end, she had to submit for the sake of national interests.

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:

"Lord Kou has traveled thousands of miles to the Roman Empire and successfully concluded an alliance between the two countries. This is a great achievement for the country and a great feat for Chinese diplomacy!
Hu Zhenfushi is smart and capable, and he lives up to my expectations! The "three Zhenfushi" of Longxiong Guard are all talented people who can handle things on their own!

I will reward you well!"

Chai Zongxun paused and said:

"Princess Anna has come a long way. Please summon her to the palace to see you!"

A moment later, Princess Anna of Rome, who had been waiting in a side hall, entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, escorted by eunuchs and palace maids.

In recent years in Constantinople, Princess Anna has heard a lot about the Great Zhou Empire and its Emperor Chai Zongxun, and is very interested in this legendary "rich and powerful country in the East."

More than two months ago, after entering the Hexi Corridor of the Great Zhou, Princess Anna saw that the road was densely populated and there were many merchants and travelers. The people were all well-dressed, gentle and polite, and she couldn't help but have a better impression of the Great Zhou.

In the prefectures they passed through, local officials were extremely respectful to the princess and her entourage and provided them with ample offerings.

During the more than seven months on the road, Kou Zhun and other officials from the Ministry of Rites had taught her to speak everyday Chinese and the etiquette of the Great Zhou Dynasty. At this moment, she performed the great ceremony to pay her respects to Chai Zongxun, her voice as sweet as an oriole, saying:
"I am here to see your Majesty! Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"

Chai Zongxun glanced over and saw that Princess Anna had an extraordinary face and was quite tall, probably about the same size as Concubine Shu, Yelu Hegudian; her skin was as white as milk, her facial features were delicate, and her eyelashes were very long, making her look very pitiful.

Chai Zongxun was very pleased and said:
"My dear minister, please stand up! I am very pleased to see the princess so beautiful. This shows that His Royal Highness Basil is sincere in his friendship with our two countries!
Princess, you have come a long way, please take a seat."

The chief eunuch Tang Qi observed the situation and immediately walked down the jade steps to personally arrange a seat for Princess Anna.

Kou Zhun immediately bowed to Chai Zongxun and took his leave.

Chai Zongxun looked at Anna and said with a smile:

"Princess, how do you feel about our Great Zhou?"

Anna smiled and said:
"Your Majesty's Great Zhou is a place of abundance and prosperity, with a well-ordered society. Bianjing in particular is more prosperous than Rome and other cities in Central Asia. This is the best I have ever seen in my life!"

(End of this chapter)