Dressing as Ziwei makes the Qing Dynasty more powerful

"Yao Lin, you're late! Just now, that fireworks extravaganza and the incredible bicycle show were truly breathtaking, a once-in-a-lifetime experience! It would be a shame to miss it! But never mind, tell me, what's going on in that pirate country of Japan? Why haven't we heard any news of war yet?"

Qianlong gazed with a smile on his face at the young genius in front of him who was talented and capable, even far surpassing his sons. He couldn't help but feel secretly happy in his heart that such an outstanding person would eventually fall into their Aisin Gioro family.

Hearing the emperor's question, Fu Kang'an quickly averted his gaze, clasped his fists and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid the Japanese pirates no longer have the time to care about the people of our dynasty. I don't know what that tiny country has done to incur such wrath. Every two weeks, a vast influx of sea creatures surges in, turning everything they pass through into desolate ruins and devastating all living things."

"A while ago, even their famous Apple Mountain inexplicably erupted, causing widespread devastation. Worse still, their capital city exploded without warning, wiping out the entire royal family and all the important civil and military officials. The country has been plunged into a state of chaos and turmoil, with no leader. The situation is utterly turbulent and chaotic!"

The crowd, led by Emperor Qianlong, stood there dumbfounded, their mouths agape, their mouths agape, as if petrified. They simply couldn't imagine what heinous crime one had to commit to incur such a horrific divine punishment.

For a moment, everyone's eyes were cast on Ziwei at the same time, and they thought to themselves that this matter must be inextricably linked to her.

As for why no one suspected Fu Kang'an at all, the reason was simple: if he really had such ability, how could he have been trapped in the border area for so long?

The princess was truly extraordinary. She was able to design and manufacture such incredibly powerful guns and cannons on her own. The sheer force of her firepower was simply astonishing! Given her ability to create such formidable weapons, it wasn't surprising that she could blow the tiny capital of Japan to pieces.

At this moment, facing the suspicious gazes of the crowd, Ziwei blinked her beautiful big eyes innocently at Qianlong, but did not say a word in defense.

Just like that, overnight, the astonishing news that the princess had single-handedly annihilated the Japanese pirate nation spread like wildfire throughout the capital. At the same time, even the bicycle she had invented became a hot topic of conversation, with almost everyone longing to own one.

Due to the overwhelming demand for bicycles, the Ministry of Industry was suddenly overwhelmed with hundreds of orders. The craftsmen in charge of production felt unprecedented pressure. Even on New Year's Day, a day meant for family fun and relaxation, they dared not slack off. After a hurried celebration, they immediately returned to their posts and toiled away.

The canned fruits carefully developed and launched by the Imperial Household Department quickly became popular in the capital as soon as they came out, and became one of the most sought-after and beloved foods during the Spring Festival.

Hong Zhou, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear the entire day, happily following his son around, watching him busily counting the silver. He looked like a money-obsessed father!

Seeing this, Yi Yongbi couldn't help but feel disdainful. He clearly wanted to count the money, but he was worried about being tainted with the smell of money. He had never seen such a father.

During the Lunar New Year, even the emperor, aloof from the throne, would follow traditional customs, temporarily putting down his brush and stopping handling state affairs. Official court meetings would resume after the 15th or 16th day of the first lunar month.

Ziwei, seizing this opportunity, decided to take Qianlong out of the palace for a stroll. They were joined by Hongzhou, Yongzhang, Yongbi, and Yongji. Of course, Fu Kang'an's flying sword also carried several prominent and crucial ministers.

"Ziwei, where are we going this time? Are we going to Qiongzhou Island?" Qianlong asked curiously. Besides himself, no one else had ever been to this beautiful island.

He had secretly made up his mind that if he really went to Qiongzhou Island again, he would definitely act as a guide and introduce the charming scenery and unique customs there to everyone.

Ziwei shook her head gently and said slowly, "I want to take you to experience Britain, known as the empire on which the sun never sets. Leveraging a great transformation—the Industrial Revolution—this country is poised to rise and become one of the most powerful nations on the world stage. It vigorously pursues a policy of colonial expansion around the globe, reaping enormous economic benefits through the brutal exploitation and oppression of the peoples of its colonies."

Hearing this, Qianlong couldn't help but ask curiously: "Then what is the Industrial Revolution?"

Ziwei smiled faintly and patiently explained, "The so-called Industrial Revolution, simply put, is the large-scale replacement of traditional manual labor with advanced machinery and equipment. This transformation affected a wide range of sectors, from manufacturing and mining to transportation, all of which were profoundly impacted. Because machine production is more efficient than manual labor, it can greatly improve the productivity of society as a whole. With this significant increase in production efficiency, a country's economic growth rate will naturally soar like a rocket, thereby increasing its comprehensive national strength and ultimately realizing the dream of becoming a powerful nation."

Her purpose for this trip was to show the arrogant and conceited Emperor Qianlong the vastness of the world outside. Of course, she also had other plans for this trip.

She stood before the crowd and spoke solemnly, "Everyone, although our Qing Dynasty is a well-deserved superpower in this Eastern land, what you don't know is that the world is incredibly vast, and every country is constantly developing and progressing. As the saying goes, 'Those who lag behind will be beaten.' If we remain complacent and refuse to make progress, we will eventually be surpassed and even bullied by others."

"So, when you travel to other countries this time, I sincerely hope that you will be humble and earnest in understanding and learning from the strengths of other countries. Even if you don't know the local language when you first arrive, that's fine. I will serve as your translator and answer any questions you may have."