Chapter 380 Speeding Up

To Gao Yuan's surprise, Mughal becoming a vassal state directly brought an achievement reward. The reward was average: five hundred pairs of Simmental cattle.

The system also thoughtfully provided an introduction. This was a high-quality breed of beef cattle, used for both milk and meat, with strong adaptability and a low dystocia rate, making it suitable for self-breeding and the preferred choice for crossbreeding maternal stock.

Although Gao Yuan would have preferred high-quality draft cattle, he remembered that the best draft cattle seemed to be native breeds from the land of Huaguo; after all, they were a people who loved farming the most.

"Forget it, forget it. Just consider it a way to enrich everyone's dining table..."

He summoned Zao Zhi and handed these one hundred cows over to him, intending for him to arrange the crossbreeding and reproduction.

Hearing that such good cattle were only to be used for milk and meat, Zao Zhi's mood was complex. He felt that Gao Yuan had simply become arrogant and wanted to live a life of luxury.

Seeing the slightly disdainful look in his subordinate's eyes, Gao Yuan racked his brains and finally came up with a very reasonable explanation.

"Don't underestimate the role of milk. A glass of milk a day can make a child's body stronger, and once processed and dried into powder, this milk can replace breast milk..."

Upon hearing this, Zao Zhi's eyes immediately lit up. One must know that because of the surge in newborns in recent years, the price of wet nurses on the market had begun to skyrocket.

Many ordinary families couldn't afford wet nurses and could only use rice paste as a substitute, which also caused the infant mortality rate to remain high. If there was a milk powder as Gao Yuan described that could replace breast milk, it would be a great act of merit.

For the next hour or so, Gao Yuan transformed into a science communicator, relying on the useless trivia he had seen on short video platforms in his past life to introduce Pasteurization and the production of milk powder to Zao Zhi.

However, limited by low production capacity, the current milk powder could only be made by continuous boiling followed by air-drying or stir-frying into a dry powder. The shelf life was only two or three months, but it was still a massive improvement.

Zao Zhi left half-doubting; some specific work still required him to coordinate with the Industrial Research Institute to see how to implement it.

During dinner that evening, upon hearing about Gao Yuan's plan to popularize milk and milk powder, the women unanimously expressed their support. Princess Consort Huang Yueying even declared on the spot that she would fully commit to the research and development work.

Chu Yue even mentioned a use that Gao Yuan hadn't even thought of.

"Brother-in-law, have you ever thought that this milk powder could entirely serve as military rations? Especially during long-distance raids, it could satisfy hunger directly when mixed in a water flask."

Gao Yuan slapped his forehead.

"Right, right! I forgot if you hadn't mentioned it. It seems that when the Mongols were expanding aggressively, their Cavalry once used milk powder as military rations."

Yang Xin and Chu Yue knew what the Mongols were, but the other women were completely bewildered. Zhao Xiyao looked at Gao Yuan like a curious baby.

"Husband, what are the Mongols?"

Gao Yuan scratched his head, completely unsure of how to explain. In the end, Yang Xin came to his rescue.

"They are an ethnic group from Mobei, but it's said they were wiped out by the Turks and the Xianbei. I've heard that at their peak, they once fought all the way to the territory of the current Sassanid Persia."

The women all remarked on their own ignorance, but since someone had used this method before, everyone no longer had any doubts.

Zhao Xiyao declared on the spot that if the development was successful, the imperial court would set aside a portion of money every year as a subsidy for the common people to buy milk powder, so that more children could drink it.

Wu Xu also stated she would promote Gao Yuan's plan of 'a cup of milk a day to strengthen a generation.' Once the milk supply was stable, the court would pay to provide it for free to children in county schools everywhere.

In recent years, the Great Gan's finances had become increasingly prosperous. Especially the money Gao Yuan had poured into infrastructure at the beginning was now starting to show results. Zhao Xiyao and the others were quite generous when it came to spending money.

With the court's backing, those families who had already tasted success in raising White Feather Chickens and white pigs immediately moved upon hearing the news. Soon, the one hundred cattle were completely divided up.

Gao Yuan was, after all, a modern person and didn't realize how much of a temptation cattle that could be legally slaughtered were to ancient people. Setting aside the market prospects for milk, beef and leather were also highly sought-after goods.

Therefore, even though breeding would still take a long time, these families who had made a fortune in the livestock industry were still willing to pay huge deposits to lead these cattle away.

Having settled the matters in the Southwest and with the Northwest temporarily focused on stable development, Gao Yuan could finally turn his attention to the two countries currently in civil strife: Northern Yan and Northern Liang.

Under the secret prodding of the two talents Gao Yuan had sent out, two major factions had already formed within Northern Liang, fighting incessantly.

Officials attacked each other; they no longer cared about right or wrong, only factional positions. Many capable officials had left the stage in disappointment due to factional infighting.

Things were no better on the Northern Yan side. As Lu Heng gradually pacified the three countries on the Korean Peninsula,

his ambition expanded along with his growing strength. He finally couldn't hold back anymore, especially after hearing news that Lu Kuan was preparing to change the heir.

At this time, Lu Heng was no longer the destitute crown prince who had just been exiled to Liaodong City. He now had over two million people under his rule, more than fifty thousand elite troops, and over thirty thousand cannon-fodder mercenaries.

If Zhang Su and other generals who had always been loyal to him were included, the military force he could control had exceeded one hundred and twenty thousand men. This accounted for nearly forty percent of the entire Northern Yan military.

Meanwhile, Lu Kuan, due to Qin Hui's ingenious manipulation, was still unaware of everything happening with his son.

At this moment, he was preparing to change the heir under the instigation of a group of ministers led by Qin Hui.

He was completely unaware that the son he had almost forgotten had long since grown to a terrifying level.

After everyone finished reading the intelligence compiled by Xian Ying, Gao Yuan scanned the room.

"Where do you all think our army's northern expedition should prioritize?"

The first to speak was still Gao Yao.

"Your Highness, I believe that since the conflicts in both Northern Yan and Northern Liang have not yet erupted and their national strength has not yet been damaged, it is better to wait a little longer."

Yu Qian also supported Gao Yao's opinion this time.

"I concur. Since Your Highness has been laying the groundwork for so long, it's better to wait a bit more."

Yue Fei also nodded in agreement with the two.

"Your Highness, wait a little longer. When the two countries fall into internal chaos, we will then send out our troops. Perhaps we can settle the Central Plains in a single battle."

Although he knew the three of them made sense, Gao Yuan couldn't help but feel a surge of irritability.

Seeing that the twenty-fifth year of Great Gan was about to pass, he would soon be forty-one years old.

At this moment, Wu Xu, who had been sitting there quietly, suddenly spoke up.

"Since the conflict is only one catalyst away from exploding, why don't we give them a hand?"

Gao Yuan turned his gaze toward Wu Xu.

"Meiniang, what are your thoughts?"

Wu Xu's vermilion lips parted slightly as she voiced a series of methods she had just come up with.

The words coming from her mouth made several of the high-ranking officials unable to help but feel a chill down their spines.

They knew this Consort of the Prince of Tang was an extraordinary woman, famous for her iron fist and ruthless methods when governing local regions.

However, they never expected that this charming and lovely extraordinary woman could actually devise such a vicious strategy.

Seeing everyone looking at her with some shock and fear, Wu Xu gave a sweet smile.

"Let me handle these matters. My Husband should always remain that heroic general."

Although everyone present felt a chill, they all had to admit that this was currently the best way.

For the rest of the time, everyone applied their minds to help Wu Xu perfect her strategy.