karlmaks
Stories
5
Chapters
1,482
Words
2.3 M
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Reading
8 d, 2 h
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The artillery training grounds reeked of gunpowder, and the field was pockmarked with craters from cannon fire. Zhao Yuanliang stared at the distant cannons—barely visible at four hundred paces—then at the shattered clay figures littering the ground. His mind reeled at the sheer destructive power on display. He could now vividly imagine the Battle of Cangzhou, where these monstrous cannons had slaughtered dozens of charging cavalrymen with a single shot. "Yuanliang, you’ve seen the results for…-
898.1 K • Ongoing
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"An envoy from Prince Zhao?" Pang Yukun nodded. "Yes. He claims to be Prince Zhao’s eldest son, Zhao Yuanliang." "Him?" Xiao Ming pondered for a moment. He then turned to Yue Yun. "Continue learning about the galleon’s structure and operation from Zhang Liang. Accommodations will be arranged for you. Later, you’ll study navigation at Bowen Academy." "Your Highness, that won’t be necessary. We’re already experts," Yue Yun said confidently. "Don’t be so sure," Xiao Ming replied with a smirk.…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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The gathered villagers gradually dispersed as the people of Yutai Village were released from the prison one by one. Upon seeing Yue Yun, an elderly woman suddenly knelt before Yang Chengye and said, "Governor, selling smuggled salt has nothing to do with Yue Yun. It was me who forced him into it. The villagers are all old now—the young ones either joined the army or were killed at sea. Those of us left behind can’t farm anymore. We only sold salt to survive." "Mother, what are you doing? His Highness…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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Advanced chapter at Patreon.com/caleredhair "How is that possible? My brother hated the pirates more than anyone! How could he join them? You're lying!" Lüluo shouted, her voice trembling. Seeing her distress, Yue Yun softened his tone. He suddenly tore open his shirt, revealing a long scar stretching from his chest to his abdomen. "Your brother gave me this wound—with a Japanese sword. Would I lie to you about that?" "No…" Lüluo shook her head, tears streaming down her face. The old woman…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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Outside Dengzhou City, Yang Chengye stood gazing at the vast coastline, his brow furrowed. The endless sea and the salty ocean breeze were the challenges he had faced since becoming the Governor of Dengzhou. With the Salt Transport Office headquartered in Dengzhou, his responsibilities were even heavier. Not only did he have to verify and report monthly salt production figures to Qingzhou, but he also had to deal with the relentless salt smugglers infiltrating the region. Among the six prefectures,…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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Pang Yukun's anger made the atmosphere in the Dengzhou government office tense. Yang Chengye said, "I—I acted out of urgency, and I also have proof that these commoners were hiding salt smugglers." Hearing this, Xiao Ming replied, "The law cannot punish everyone. If we handle this recklessly, it may cause civil unrest, and by then..." Before he could finish, a constable suddenly ran in in a panic and shouted, "Governor! Bad news! A large crowd has gathered in front of Dengzhou Prison. They're trying…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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"Your Highness, the Great Yu Empire's tax revenue mainly comes from agriculture. By exempting the fiefdom from taxes for three years, we've essentially cut off the government's income." Seeing Xiao Ming frown at the accounts, Pang Yukun explained further. "As for commercial taxes, only Qingzhou has a significant number of merchants, and even then, they're mostly concentrated in industries like brewing and soap-making. The taxes collected amount to just tens of thousands of taels—a drop in the bucket…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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Only Xiao Ming and Zhan Xingchang remained in the Governor’s meeting hall. As Xiao Ming sketched the blueprint, he explained how to construct the new outer wall. First, the wall wouldn’t be solid. Since they were building it, they might as well design it as a fortress. So, rather than just a wall, it would function as a military stronghold. Overall, the wall would retain a traditional appearance, but the outer layer would be replaced with concrete. The interior would be hollow, except for the…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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A cup of strong tea sat beside him, its faint aroma filling the air. Setting aside military reforms for now, Xiao Ming continued, "The Huyantuo tribe has withdrawn from the grasslands, replaced by the Blood Wolf Tribe. I assume you're all aware of this?" "Our scouts on the plains have already brought back reports. Last time, we won by sheer luck. But now that Beishan has taken control of Youzhou, things have become much more complicated," Niu Ben said with a frown. Zhan Xingchang added, "Exactly. The…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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The Governor’s residence was bustling with noise as Xiao Ming returned. Many commoners and merchants stopped to watch, their faces lighting up with excitement upon learning that the Prince of Qi had come back to Qingzhou. Everything they had now was given to them by Xiao Ming, so naturally, they hoped he would stay in Qingzhou to continue providing them protection and convenience. "What joyous news?" Back in Chang’an, Fei Ji’s "four great threats" had weighed heavily on Xiao Ming. Aside from the…
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898.1 K • Ongoing
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