Iron Dynasty Chapter 1024

“Hmph, Tibet’s scheme is quite cunning. The Empire hasn’t yet reckoned with their past grievances, but they’ve boldly marched right up to our gates.”

Fei Ji uttered this in fury.

With the old Great Yu Empire’s power fading away, the Tibetans—a highland group that had previously yielded to Great Yu—had long nurtured treacherous ambitions. Back in Xiao Wenxuan’s era, they launched repeated assaults on Songzhou lands and even posed an immediate peril to Chang’an’s defenses.

Yet, when measured against the barbarians’ might, Tibet remained far inferior. Though the Great Yu Empire couldn’t subdue those fierce nomads, it possessed ample strength back then to counter Tibet, leading to endless clashes between the rivals.

Having endured countless Tibetan incursions along the Great Yu Empire’s frontiers, Fei Ji harbored a profound loathing for them.

Pang Yukun gave a nod of agreement. He remarked, “Does Your Majesty recall the Bashu catastrophe? Had Tibet not permitted the barbarians passage, that horror would never have unfolded. To secure Bashu’s peace, the moment has come to subdue Tibet once and for all.”

Despite occasional clashes over personal gains in their routine affairs, Fei Ji and Pang Yukun stood firmly aligned on matters vital to the Empire’s welfare.

This unity pleased Xiao Ming greatly. He declared, “Very well, then. I shall dispatch commands to Luo Xin. Starting today, let him mobilize forces toward Songzhou and deliver a harsh rebuke to the Tibetans.”

“Your Majesty is unparalleled!” Fei Ji and Pang Yukun prostrated themselves and proclaimed.

Once the pair departed, Xiao Ming composed a urgent dispatch and instructed Qian Dafu to relay it to Qi Guangyi.

The core message mirrored their recent exchange, except for the added note on Gubat.

Seeing Gubat’s readiness to pledge loyalty to the Empire, Xiao Ming aimed to leverage him for better oversight of the steppes. Thus, the dispatch subtly proposed forming the Western Regions Protectorate, assigning Gubat a role therein and placing him under imperial authority henceforth.

Having resolved this issue, he summoned Qian Dafu and together they headed to the medical institute. Over the last ten years, medicine had surged ahead as the Empire’s swiftest advancing domain.

The explanation was straightforward: medical progress leaned heavily on hands-on trials, and the tech crystals brimmed with such practical insights. Hence, for over a decade, the medical institute had pored over texts, weaving gleaned wisdom into real-world applications alongside live patient scenarios.

“Your Majesty, these days I handle treatments at Qingzhou Medical University’s affiliated hospital. In my spare moments, I lecture at the institute. But with age catching up, I can’t keep pace with the youth’s quick learning anymore—it’s time for me to retire.”

Reaching the medical institute, Huang Tingzhi gestured toward the sleek structure across from it and explained.

Xiao Ming followed Huang Tingzhi’s pointing finger to a nearby cluster that looked like a residential enclave. This was the affiliated hospital Huang Tingzhi referenced, boasting the Empire’s pinnacle medical expertise.

Gazing upon the sturdy concrete edifices, Xiao Ming felt a sudden surge of nostalgia for the modern era, since these structures hardly differed from those of his original time. The boom in civil engineering within the institute was reshaping urban architecture across the Empire. Once-grand timbered classics were now relegated to scenic estates, while key city installations increasingly adopted contemporary concrete designs.

Still, Xiao Ming hadn’t pushed this shift deliberately. The rapid change stemmed from rising fire hazards in electrified Qingzhou City. Timber frames proved highly susceptible to electrical faults.

Naturally, this didn’t spell the end for traditional wooden elegance. Indeed, Qingzhou’s elite and affluent now favored urban steel-and-concrete dwellings, while crafting secluded villa retreats in rural spots. So they savored progress’s perks without forsaking antiquity’s refined charm.

Snapping out of his reverie, Xiao Ming stated, “Elder Huang, through countless tireless efforts these years, you’ve nurtured a legion of medical experts for the Empire. Your stellar pupils now span the land, vanquishing chronic ills and revitalizing the health of imperial subjects. Yet for such grand deeds, Elder Huang has sought no honors from me, leaving me with a twinge of guilt.”

Huang Tingzhi caressed his beard with a hearty chuckle. He replied, “Your Majesty, while some chase authority, others hoard riches, and a few pursue boundless wisdom alone—I fall into that last group. Since Your Majesty relocated me from Jinling City to this vibrant Qingzhou, it’s as though you’ve showered me with infinite boons. Here, I’ve discovered my prior ignorance was like a frog’s in a shallow pond, and medicine’s vast ocean defies a single lifetime’s mastery.”

“That’s exactly why I urge Elder Huang to take on many disciples and disseminate medical lore to aid the masses,” Xiao Ming responded, grinning.

Huang Tingzhi inclined his head faintly. Then, with a profound gaze at Xiao Ming, he added, “Only, I fear my days may not stretch long enough to aid Your Majesty in prolonging your own span.”

At these words, Xiao Ming’s face subtly shifted. He admitted, “Elder Huang has discerned the truth all along, then.”

“Hahaha…” Huang Tingzhi’s laughter boomed. “Truthfully, why must Your Majesty conceal it? No ruler in history has shunned the quest for immortality. Your Majesty’s rejection of quackery in favor of true medicine marks an unparalleled sagacity.”

Pausing briefly, he went on, “Moreover, Your Majesty’s vision has sparked medicine’s golden age in Qingzhou. Still in your prime, endless horizons await ahead.”

Xiao Ming let out a quiet sigh. Truth be told, his focus on medicine these years rivaled that on math, physics, and chemistry. In the modern world, medical strides had dramatically boosted lifespans, and he yearned for the same extension—after all, the tech crystals’ vast repository in his mind outstripped one life’s capacity.

If feasible, he aspired to manifest every tech crystal secret within his days, demanding genetics—a field eclipsing this age’s science. This went beyond the crystals’ lore; in his former pursuits, he’d brushed against it, where experts probed cellular longevity to defy human decay.

For human decline and demise mirrored the withering and death of cells.

“With Elder Huang’s blessings, I’m certain to witness that era. Still, I entreat Elder Huang to prioritize the lab on this endeavor,” Xiao Ming urged. Passivity clashed with his spirit. Thus, upon medicine’s solid gains in Qingzhou, he’d tasked Huang Tingzhi with launching a dedicated biology lab.

This hub assembled top minds, destined to probe ever deeper across generations—yet equipment shortages currently hobbled it most. Even genius faltered without tools, as the adage went.

His impatience changed nothing, for advancements intertwined across fields; no single pursuit could leapfrog the rest. Hence, he awaited incremental industrial strides to unlock it.

“Your Majesty, fear not—I’ll pour all my energy into it. After all, Your Majesty stands as the Empire’s supreme gem.” Huang Tingzhi’s resolve shone in his eyes.