Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

"I want to divide my troops!"

Inside the city lord's mansion, the Imperial Guards who accompanied the army served as interrogators. The captured general, Dayeus, even recounted in detail his affair with a nun from the Papacy.

With more intelligence support, our retired emperor, who was also the Grand Marshal and Vanguard General of the Zhenguan Western Expedition, had an even bolder idea.

Li Shimin stroked his beard and chuckled. His broad-shouldered body, angular face, and piercing eyes left none of the vanguard generals who had followed him with a hint of doubt.

Li Shimin then pointed to three cities on the sand table in the Byzantine province of Syria.

It presents a triangular encirclement that encompasses a large part of the Syrian province.

Palmyra, Deir ez-Zor.

Including Dura Europus (later Laca), which they occupied at this time.

At this moment, his main generals included Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, Ashina She'er, Ge Lunqin, and the Sasanian Persian crown prince, Onasuo, who served as a vassal army.

He commanded 10,000 Tang soldiers, all of whom were elite cavalry.

Li Shimin was not speaking without reason. He confidently said, "The Byzantine emperor is clearly also preparing for a major battle with us. Didn't the garrison commander also say that the grain stored in the city was a recent shipment? The grain in other cities is about the same."

"This solved the problem of food supply for our army."

"We are equipped with cannons and explosives, which can easily break through cities that would have taken a huge amount of resources to conquer with cold weapons. Therefore, in this battle, we can attack first and then defend!"

"The troops were divided into three groups, with the nearest Sassanid Persians sending garrisons to assist in the defense."

Everyone: "Hiss..."

Cheng Yaojin's eyes widened, and he gasped in shock as he stared at the sand table with a look of horror.

“Your Majesty…General, Deir ez-Zor is relatively easier to deal with, but Palmyra is much deeper. Even if we manage to capture it, it will take a long time for the Sassanid Persians to send troops.”

Li Shimin smiled leisurely: "Are we short of time?"

Cheng Yaojin was taken aback, but then instantly understood and burst into laughter.

"Brilliant! As expected of the commander-in-chief! The fighting strength of the men of our Great Tang is clearly superior to that of the Byzantines. Even if the battle drags on, we don't need to worry about supplies. On the contrary, that damned emperor should probably think carefully about how to continue this war!"

Li Shimin smiled faintly; in fact, he had an even bigger plan.

After he occupied three cities and formed a pincer movement, he immediately spread the news that he, as the retired emperor, had personally led a large army, reaching the ears of Byzantium and even the Arabs.

That's when things will get really lively.

However, it's pointless to talk about these things now; in fact, it might cause concern among people.

He glanced around, his gaze fixed intently on the young and old generals under his command, his expression bearing the unique air of a Grand General of the Heavenly Strategy.

"Gentlemen, what we want is to occupy this land for a long time. Therefore, this battle is not only about defeating the enemy, but also about subduing and intimidating them!"

"Otherwise, if some audacious individuals remain in these places and attack our fiefdoms and families when we send our troops westward to conquer more distant lands... this is something I, the commander, would not want to see, and I believe you all feel the same way, wouldn't you?"

This is blatant empty promises!

However, almost everyone present bought into this, and why were they scrambling to come out?

Isn't it all about making a name for yourself and establishing a great career?

"Rest assured, Commander, we will ensure that the Byzantine enemy army never returns!"

......

A battle report was sent back by a golden eagle from the Byzantine province of Syria.

However, Li Chengqian scoffed at his father's ostentatious behavior.

He now has a clearer goal.

The Chemical Research Institute under the Tenkō Division has recently made many research achievements.

"Brother, I've already given you the methods for making the new bullets and gunpowder. You could have just had a factory set up to produce them. Why are you coming to me again?"

King Li Tai of Wei had dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he had stayed up all night.

Facing his own emperor brother, who had suddenly appeared in his Heavenly Crafts Bureau, his face was filled with undisguised resentment and vigilance.

“Your Majesty, I have my own research to do recently. If you have any other ideas, then we will have to find someone else.”

He was worried that Li Chengqian would interfere with his research again. Just recently, a researcher from the Tiangong Division suddenly discovered that the steam produced when water boils can also be ignited.

The news that water could be ignited immediately alarmed Li Tai.

When he saw the researcher's experiment, and saw that the water vapor, after evaporating, was reheated inside the copper tube, it was actually ignited, even setting the paper ablaze.

He immediately made a bold guess.

There is a flammable gas in water vapor!

I've been busy making the equipment needed for the experiment these past two days, and I don't want to be disturbed by my elder brother at this time.

However, Li Chengqian was not there to disturb him this time, but to observe his experimental preparations.

After Li Chengqian explained the purpose of his trip, Li Tai was skeptical.

However, he was clearly relieved and led Li Chengqian to a device filled with copper pipes and dials. Li Chengqian also saw a huge water tank.

At this moment, someone is pointing towards it, such as prepared distilled water.

Li Chengqian actually knew what the "water vapor" that was being ignited was. It was hydrogen gas, but it was a small amount of hydrogen gas produced when water vapor reacted with the copper pipe at high temperature, turning the copper pipe into copper oxide.

However, this is insufficient for producing hydrogen.

But it was enough to allow Datang to take a very important step in the research of gaseous elements in the chemical industry.

As for the future production of hydrogen through water electrolysis, Li Chengqian believes it's just around the corner...

He didn't act like an outsider at all, wielding his power while smilingly watching the precious staff members prepare for the experiment.

The smile on his face made Li Tai's occasional glances at him gradually become a little strange.

"Ahem, Your Majesty, if you have something to say, just say it. What's on your mind this time?" He felt that his elder brother was too embarrassed to speak up, so he was using this method to get him to take on the research.

Li Chengqian waved his hand.

Her smile grew even brighter, and she patted him on the shoulder, full of encouragement.

He also uttered a hopeful wish that made Li Tai's expression freeze.

"Qingque, my brother wants a ship that can fly in the sky. Whether that can be made possible depends on you..."

From extracting hydrogen to studying its properties, to his "sudden inspiration" to have Li Tai electrolyze water to produce hydrogen, and finally to the emergence of his Tianwu Emperor bomber airship.

Is it far away?

Li Tai, however, had a blank expression. His desire to fly was limited to thinking about whether he could create a pair of wings or a large hot air balloon.

My own elder brother... He not only wants to fly himself, but also wants the ship to fly in the sky?

"Brother, are you sure you mean you want the ship to fly in the sky, not the bed?"