On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The hall erupted in an uproar! Like a deep pool suddenly boiling with the toss of a huge rock!

"Your Highness! Absolutely not!" Zhang Heng, the Minister of Finance, was the first to step forward, his voice filled with anxious worry. "Years of war have seen us conquer the Guifang in the north, pacify the Rouran in the west, quell the sea pirates in the east, and suppress the Miao rebellion in the south. Now, we're conquering the Qin Empire. Although the treasury is abundant, the cost is enormous! The people are exhausted! The soldiers long to return home! Starting another war now might not be enough and would undermine the foundation of the nation!"

"What Minister Zhang said is absolutely right!" Minister of Rites Zhou Zheng, with white hair and beard, stepped out tremblingly, holding a jade tablet in his hand. His voice was old but filled with unquestionable indignation.

"Weapons are dangerous instruments, and sages should only use them when necessary. We, the Great Qian, have received the mandate from Heaven and should conquer the people with benevolence and civilize the people with culture. How can we recklessly resort to war? Although Han is rebellious, we can send envoys to persuade them to submit to our power. If they refuse to change their ways, we can attack them again!"

"Master Zhou, you are wrong!" Zhao Wu, the Minister of War, said in a loud voice, striding out of the ranks. His gaunt face was covered with scars, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light.

"Han An of the Kingdom of Han has the nature of a jackal! He fears power but not virtue! Sending an envoy to make an announcement? That's like trying to get the skin of a tiger! In the past, our Great Qian sent envoys ten times, but Han An not only refused to accept them, but beheaded the envoys and burned the letters! He even allowed his troops to plunder our border towns! This unjust nation cannot be appeased without attacking! It cannot demonstrate the majesty of heaven! It cannot bring peace to the northern border without attacking!"

"Minister Zhao's words are too extreme!" Imperial Censor Wang Jian followed closely behind, his voice sharp.

"Han is located in the bitter cold of Liaodong, where the people are poor and the land is barren. What would be gained by conquering them? The military supplies and fodder would cost hundreds of millions! The casualties would be countless! The gains would not even outweigh the losses! It would be a waste of national and civilian resources on a useless scale! This is a truly despicable strategy!"

"Your Majesty Wang, what you say is absurd!" Minister of Works Li Chong immediately retorted in a loud voice, "Although Han is poor, Liaodong and Liaoxi are the gateway to the northeast. They control Bohai Sea and connect to Goryeo. It is a strategic point and is rich in iron ore and horses. If we seize it, the gateway to the northern border will be wide open, allowing us to control Goryeo to the east and deter the Jurchens to the north. If we lose it, it will be like a thorn in our throat, with no peace. This is a place that must be fought for! How can we judge its gain or loss based on its poverty?"

"Minister Li is right!" Lu Wenyuan, the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, stepped forward and spoke in a clear voice. "However, I believe the time to attack Han has not yet arrived. Qin has just annexed the country and its people are still uneasy. The tribes in the northern border still need to be appeased. Southern Chu is watching closely and waiting for an opportunity to strike. If the war against Han is delayed at this time, we will be attacked from all sides!"

"Minister Lu, you're worrying too much!" Zhao Wu sneered. "Han An of the Kingdom of Han is tyrannical and has lost the support of the people. Wherever our Daqian Heavenly Army goes, it will be crushed with ease. Why delay? As for Nanchu, Gu Beichen has just died and they are in internal strife. They are too busy to take care of themselves, so how dare they invade!"

"Minister Zhao, don't underestimate the enemy!" Zhang Heng said urgently. "Warfare is ever-changing. How can we claim victory? If Han holds the city to the death and clears the countryside, our army will penetrate deep into enemy territory, making supplies difficult and the soldiers miserable. The outcome is unpredictable!"

"Has Minister Zhang forgotten the power of the Burning Sky Thunder?" Zhao Wu's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his skinny fingers pressed on his sword. "In the past, the Rouran cavalry in the northern border were so rampant. A single burst of the Burning Sky Thunder reduced them to ashes. No matter how strong the cities of South Korea are, can they withstand the thunder?"

"Burning Sky Thunder," Zhang Heng's face turned pale, his voice trembling, "This thing is incredibly powerful, expensive, and difficult to manufacture. If it kills too many people, it might harm the harmony of nature."

"Tianhe?" Lin Zhen's cold voice suddenly sounded, like ice falling to the ground, instantly suppressing all the arguments in the hall.

He slowly stood up, his dark figure standing tall as a pine tree, his deep eyes sweeping over the ministers with an invisible, suffocating pressure.

"What is the harmony of heaven?" Lin Zhen's voice was low, but every word was like a hammer, striking everyone's heart. "Han An brutally slaughtered our border residents, plundered our merchants, and colluded with foreign enemies. This is against the will of heaven. To attack him is to act in the name of heaven. How can this harm the harmony of heaven?"

His gaze was sharp as a knife, staring directly at Zhang Heng, Zhou Zheng, Wang Jian and the others. "Minister Zhang, you're talking about wasting the national treasury? I'm asking you, how much has the northern border trade route been lost due to the severance of Han? How much has the border town been lost due to looting? How much has the compensation been paid to soldiers killed and wounded on the border? And how much will be lost if Han colludes with Southern Chu and the north to provoke another war?"

Zhang Heng was speechless, cold sweat oozing from his forehead.

"Lord Zhou, you said benevolence wins people over." Lin Zhen turned to Zhou Zheng. "Is preaching benevolence to a wolf kind or foolish? Duke Xiang of Song's defeat at the Hongshui River is a lesson for us!"

Zhou Zheng's face flushed, his lips moved, but he was speechless.

"Isn't what we gained worth the loss?" Lin Zhen's eyes were sharp as swords. "I'm telling you that Liaodong and Liaoxi are the northeastern barrier of Daqian. If we hold them, the northern border will be forever secure. If we lose them, the gates will be wide open and there will be no peace. This is the foundation of eternity, how can it be calculated with mere money and grain?"

Wang Jian looked ashen and lowered his head dejectedly.

"Minister Lu, you said the time has not come yet?" Lin Zhen finally looked at Lu Wenyuan. "I believe the time is right now. The newly annexed Qin State needs a great victory to shock people. The tribes in the northern border are waiting and need a thundering strike to scare them. Southern Chu is already preoccupied with internal strife. This is a godsend opportunity. If not now, when will it be?"

His voice suddenly rose, with a resolute and decisive tone: "South Korea must be conquered. This is national policy. Criticism can be stopped!"

A deathly silence fell within the hall. All the ministers were hushed, no one daring to speak. Lin Zhen's piercing gaze was like a physical blade, and wherever it passed, everyone ducked their heads.

The terrifying power of the "Burning Sky Thunder" was like a sword hanging overhead, shocking everyone's mind.

"Your Majesty," Lin Zhen turned, faced the throne, and bowed, "I request your permission to attack Han!"

Murong Yan sat upright on the Nine Dragon Golden Chair, her calm gaze sweeping across the silent ministers of His Highness, and finally landing on Lin Zhen.

Her beautiful face was calm, except for the depths of her eyes, which shone with a firm and trusting light.

"Approved." Murong Yan's voice was clear and full of unquestionable majesty. "What King Lin Zhen of Zhenbei said is exactly what I want. The rebellious Han State has repeatedly violated the majesty of heaven and colluded with foreign enemies. Their crimes must not be punished! Destroying them is the will of heaven and the will of the people!"

She swept her gaze over the courtiers. "Orders are issued. The Ministry of War is to immediately mobilize 200,000 elite troops from the northern border. The Ministry of Revenue is to allocate food, fodder, military equipment, and silver to ensure full support. The Ministry of Works' Thunder Division and the Institute of Gewu are to work tirelessly to manufacture thunderbolts. The Post and Transmission Department is to ensure the smooth flow of military intelligence. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice are to strictly investigate and ensure the stability of the rear. Anyone found negligent in obstructing military operations will be severely punished!"

"I will obey your orders!"

The ministers of military, household, engineering, civil service, and justice, as well as Chu Xiling, the chief officer of the Thunder Burning Department, all responded in unison with resounding voices.

"Also," Murong Yan turned her gaze to Lin Zhen, "my husband is the commander-in-chief of the campaign against Han and is in charge of the overall situation. I grant you the power to make decisions on the spot and report to me later! You must win the first battle and bring glory to our country!"

"I obey your command!" Lin Zhen bowed, his voice steady and powerful.

"Dismiss the court!" Murong Yan stood up and waved her sleeves.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The ministers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the palace.

A few days later, in Wuqing, an important city in the capital.

This place is the largest military production base in Daqian, directly under the jurisdiction of the Fenlei Division and the Gewu Academy. It is heavily guarded, like a huge steel fortress.

A biting cold wind blew up the snow on the ground. A massive "Iron Dragon" locomotive, spewing billowing white smoke and dragging a long train carriage, roared into the dedicated platform for the Wuqing Industrial Zone.

Lin Zhen was dressed in a dark suit with a matching sable fur coat on the outside. Accompanied by Chu Xiling and a group of officials from the Fenlei Division and Gewu Academy, he slowly walked down the platform.

The air was filled with a strong mixture of coal smoke, rust, engine oil and sulfur, with a sense of roughness and power unique to industry.

As far as the eye can see, there are endless huge factory buildings, towering chimneys spewing black smoke, and crisscrossing railway tracks like the veins of the earth. Steam locomotives loaded with ore, coal, and steel shuttle through them, making a deafening roar.

"Husband, come with me." Chu Xiling's cold voice rang out in the cold wind.

She was still wearing indigo work clothes and a plain thin cloak. Her cold face showed fatigue after a long journey, but her eyes were as sharp as before.

The group crossed the broad factory avenue and came to a huge factory building marked "No. 1, Type A".

The heavy iron door slowly opened, and a wave of hot air mixed with deafening sounds of metal collision, steam hissing, and machinery roaring rushed towards us!

The lights in the factory are bright, as bright as day.

In the huge space, dozens of furnaces were blazing with flames. The hot molten iron was boiling in the huge crucible like boiling magma, reflecting the sweaty, bronzed faces of the workers.

The huge steam forging hammer, like a giant's arm, was pushed by steam and smashed down with tremendous force!

Every fall was accompanied by a deafening roar and flying sparks, forging the red-hot steel billet into components of various shapes.

Precision boring machines, milling machines, and lathes make sharp cutting sounds, and sharp tools carve precise lines on the hard steel.

The air was filled with heat, oil, sweat, and a thrilling sense of power and creativity.

"This is the Iron Dragon locomotive assembly workshop." Chu Xiling led the way, her voice penetrating the roar of the machines. "The new Iron Dragon III model has a 30% increase in load capacity and a 50% increase in speed, making it suitable for the harsh mountainous terrain of Liaodong."

Lin Zhen's eyes swept over the huge locomotive frame that was being assembled.

The fine steel wheels, heavy chassis, sturdy connecting rods and huge boilers all demonstrate the power of steel and the might of industry.

The workers are like precision parts, busy at their respective posts, their movements skillful and focused.

"This is the Burning Sky Thunder loading workshop." Chu Xiling pointed to another area with stricter security.

On the huge conveyor belt, dark, heavy cylindrical projectiles with a cold metallic luster moved slowly.

The workers, wearing special protective clothing, carefully filled the bomb body with black powder.

"The new Fentian III model has doubled its power and its delayed fuse is more accurate and can penetrate the ground and destroy cities." Chu Xiling's voice was filled with a barely perceptible hint of pride.

Lin Zhen nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the black projectiles emitting a deadly aura. This was the basis for his bold statement of "ploughing the courtyard and sweeping the acupoints."

"How is the output?" Lin Zhen asked.

An official from the Burning Thunder Division bowed and said, "The monthly production of the Iron Dragon III is ten. The monthly production of the Burning Sky III is five thousand. If we operate at full capacity, we can double that."

"Good." Lin Zhen said, "Make sure to prepare enough military supplies before the spring."

"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.

After leaving the filling workshop, Chu Xiling led Lin Zhen to a high observation tower next to the factory.

Looking out from the railing, you can have a panoramic view of the entire Wuqing Industrial Zone.

The huge factory building was like a dormant steel behemoth, spewing out smoke.

The crisscrossing rails stretch like the veins of the earth, reaching into the distance. The roar of steam locomotives, the clatter of forging hammers, and the whirring of machinery interweave into a soul-stirring industrial symphony, as strong and powerful as the earth's heartbeat.

The cold wind blew Lin Zhen's mink coat. His deep gaze swept across the boiling land, his eyes flashing with cold sharpness and the belief that he would win.

"Iron and blood forge the sword." He whispered to himself, his voice dissipating in the cold wind. "When spring comes, Henan will be the burial place of South Korea!"

Chu Xiling stood quietly aside, her cold eyes reflecting the magnificent scene of the steel forest, as well as Lin Zhen's figure as steady and resolute as a mountain.