The Villain's Counterattack

If Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi were merely surprised by the scene on Ryukyu, then everything on Luzon shocked them. Glass, cement, academies, neatly arranged buildings, spacious and smooth roads, stable four-wheeled carriages, they seemed to have come to a different world, with a huge port, majestic warships, unique buildings, and even people's clothing was completely different.

Short hair or bald head, this is the biggest difference they see. How can we take body hair given by our parents lightly? But almost none of the ordinary people here have long hair. The reason is, it's too hot!

As for the shorts and short jackets, which were worn by both men and women, they both had complaints.

Except for the older conservatives, all the soldiers here have buzz cuts or bald heads. This is the world of Mohist disciples. Various mechanisms and equipment are dazzling. A few wheels and a rope can allow an ordinary person to pull up a thousand-pound rock. The port looks normal, but there is a different world inside.

The biggest feeling that Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong have here is freedom. There are no restrictions on speech, and they will not be punished even if they criticize Yang Kang. However, their behavior cannot be extreme, otherwise the army will tell you that some rules must be followed, and order is maintained by force.

The writing system taught here was the same as that used in the Song Dynasty, but in mathematics, a writing method called Arabic numerals was used. Writing was no longer vertical but horizontal. Papermaking and printing were widely used here, and books became very cheap.

Hong Qigong even saw that the Miao people who had just migrated here also had books to read. Although he didn't know whether they could really understand them, they were forced to learn to read. At least they could recognize some simple words and write their own names. There was something called household registration here, and the management was directly at the village level. There was no clan family rules allowed here, only national laws, and all national laws were supreme.

"Although the tyrannical Qin's methods can ensure temporary prosperity, they cannot last long." Huang Yaoshi spent three days on a simple tour and came back to persuade Yang Kang.

"Laws are nothing more than human nature. These laws aren't harsh; many offer minor punishments but significant warnings. They promote kindness. Haven't you seen those tall signboards depicting good people, good deeds, and the achievements of others? This is the power of propaganda and guidance."

Yang Kang had been prepared for this. Although the Quanzhen Taoist priests were outsiders and would not ask for administrative and judicial powers, they were granted supervisory power by Yang Kang. They liked this power very much and stood up for the weak and maintained order. Although it was just a report, the local authorities dared not ignore it. If there was any omission, the local authorities would be the ones who would suffer.

Huang Yaoshi pointed to a one-foot-tall glass mirror and said, "This kind of fine thing can be found everywhere in Luzon. Why can't we find it in the Central Plains?"

"This is a powerful weapon from Luzon. Using it as a daily necessity is just a simple application. The most important thing is to create a clairvoyant for military use." Yang Kang explained briefly, "Everyone knows this thing is a good thing, just like cement. However, it cannot be handed over to the Song State, otherwise it will be handed over to the enemy. There are too many traitors in the Central Plains. We can only wait for the barbarians outside the Great Wall to wipe out those corrupt scholars. Once the traitors surface, we can launch a large-scale counterattack, wipe out all the harmful insects, and rebuild China with the help of the teachings of the Hundred Schools of Thought."

"And this place is the experimental field for the various schools of thought, and it is also the place where Han civilization is inherited. Everything here needs to be kept secret." Yang Kang's distrust of the Song State has penetrated deep into his bones. Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi could only shake their heads and sigh, but Yang Kang had never made a mistake, which made them doubt the Song State as well.

"I brought you here out of trust in you, and I hope you can live up to my trust and not expose this last piece of pure land belonging to the Han people to the enemy's sight. Guo Jing has already destroyed two opportunities to save and delay the Han people's crisis. If you destroy the Han people's last hope again, you will really be infamous for thousands of years." Yang Kang said very seriously. Huang Yaoshi was dispensable, but Hong Qigong was very conflicted. In the end, he could only listen to Yang Kang's words. After all, he had never missed a thing.

However, Hong Qigong still decided that if the time really came when Shenzhou was trampled by the Hu cavalry as Yang Kang said, he would actively promote immigration. But then he heard Yang Kang say that after the Mongols crossed the Yangtze River, Luzon and Ryukyu would completely close their seas, and he couldn't help but feel very anxious.

"Step-by-step, planned immigration is a good thing, but in times of war, countless rioters, mixed with ambitious people, spies, traitors, corrupt scholars, and bandits, pouring in. Do you think it's really a good thing?" Yang Kang shook his head. "Those people who do nothing but destroy are not needed in Luzon and Ryukyu. If the Song Dynasty is truly completely defeated, the Ryukyu navy will immediately dispatch troops, seize all the ships and shipbuilding personnel along the coast, and then defend the sea and annihilate the Mongol army at sea."

"But the royal family..."

"The kings of Luzon and Ryukyu are surnamed Yang. My son Yang Shoucheng is the true king. The royal family of Song is nothing more than a thief who robbed the Chai family of their country. My Yang family is the first king who truly expanded the territory overseas and founded the nation." Yang Kang's words were firm and decisive. He stared at Hong Qigong and said, "Shouldn't the royal family of Song live and die with the country? Shouldn't those ministers, generals, and nobles have fought to the death against the invasion at that time?"

"The people are innocent." This is all Hong Qigong could say at this time.

"That's why I'm working hard to relocate the people. We still have time. In my opinion, Inner Mongolia may not be able to invade in ten years. After that, won't Guo Jing still be guarding the border? But this border is in the heart of the Central Plains. It's really ridiculous." Yang Kang couldn't help but sneer. "Song State is not a small place, with a large population and many talented and righteous people. As long as everyone is united, we can still protect ourselves."

Is this possible? Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi both smiled bitterly and shook their heads. Weren't they familiar with the personalities of those corrupt scholars and parasites in the court?

"If Fu'er marries your son, does that mean we have to settle down here?" Huang Yaoshi was still not used to the climate in Luzon, mainly because it was too hot.

“As long as the Mongolian army doesn’t capture Shandong, Shoucheng will spend half of his time in Jiaodong and half here. If he settles down, there will probably be a palace in both places.” Yang Kang was not very sure. The current Shandong is completely different from the one in the original novel. He didn’t know whether the Mongolian army would attack Xiangyang as in the original novel when they invaded the Central Plains more than ten years later, or would they concentrate all their efforts on attacking Shandong. By that time, he would no longer be there. Would his son be able to hold on?

"Before that, I will vigorously develop the navy. Wherever the Mongolian cavalry can go, my navy will be able to reach it. No matter how far his cavalry can run, my warships can run farther than them. The cavalry conquers the continent, and the navy conquers the sea. It is not my character to fight hard against the enemy's strengths. The best strategy is to use the strong to attack the weak." Yang Kang was confident that he could defend the sea. The navy has never been the strong point of Mongolia. As long as he defeated the navies of India, Persia, Daqin, and Rome before Mongolia conquered the Song Dynasty, he could ensure his absolute advantage.

Time waits for no one! Yang Kang said, the only thing we can do is to seize the day.

Then Yang Kang pulled Huang Yaoshi and a group of doctors to start studying the flora and fauna on the Luzon Islands, which lasted for more than half a year.