"Report..."
Luo Yao Guo had just finished thanking and hadn't had a chance to accept congratulations from Yang Dong Wang, Xiao Xi Wang, and Feng Nan Wang when an official from the Eastern Palace rushed into the main hall.
Seeing the man, Yang Xiuqing immediately bowed to Hong Showen, then walked out briskly. Obviously, there was something important to be dealt with.
Hong Xiuanquan took a step forward, smiling as he helped Luo Yao Guo to his feet: "Brother, get up. I have had some wine and food prepared. Let's have a few cups together, brother. I also want to ask you about the affairs of heaven."
Although Hong Xiuanquan firmly believed that he was the second son of God, he couldn't remember much about heavenly affairs. Now that he had encountered someone who had taken on a physical form, it was a good opportunity to ask for more information.
The story goes that he had a heavenly wife in the sky like a fairy! Luo Yao Guo should have seen her, right?
Luo Yao Guo turned his eyes, thinking: Compared to the people in the mid-19th century, this future world must be considered a paradise? People here consider an electric bicycle as a miracle. Imagine what they would think if they saw something even more impressive, like an aircraft carrier, big airplanes, space stations, and self-driving cars – those would have to be regarded as the treasures of immortals. And the science fiction movie videos stored on my phone are even more impressive; they're almost on par with Star Wars!
He had just been thinking about how to deceive Hong Xiuquan when Yang Xiuqing ran in excitedly: "King Hong, King Hong, great joy! The Qing demon on the other side of the Xiangjiang River has run away!"
What? Hedong and Jiang Zhongyuan ran away? Luo Yao Guo thought in his heart: What's this supposed to be a cause for joy? They've run away, how can they be wiped out? Since the Golden Field Uprising of the Taiping Rebellion, although many victories have been won, most of them were only repelled battles. Only one decisive battle was fought near the Da Dung Valley near Yong'an.
That time, the Taiping Army sent off two thousand Qing soldiers and included four commanding generals!
Such battles should be fought more often, as long as they can fight a hundred or so times, then it should be the turn of Xianfeng Xian and his demons to go to hell.
Now, the morale of the Taiping Army is at its peak, and it's a good time to chase down He Chun, Jiang Zhongyuan... That He Chun isn't much use, but Jiang Zhongyuan is a tough character; he's the founder of the Hunan troops and even more formidable than Zeng Guofan. He also caused heavy losses to the Taiping Army in Nanchang later on. If he could be eliminated early, the first westward expedition of the Taiping Army might sweep through the entire province of Jiangxi.
Just as Luo Yao Guo was thinking this, Yang Xiuqing declared with a smile: "With the Qing demons running away, the battle at Suoxiyu was a great victory for our army... Our army can rest for ten to fifteen days in the area around Suoxiyu. Then we can clean up the wooden pillars in the river bed and advance north along both land and water along the Xiang River, heading north to Yongzhou and Hengzhou!"
"Brother Nation," Hong Xiuanquan asked Luo Yao Guo with a smile, "What do you think of the Qing's deployment?"
"Exactly! Of course it is suitable!" Luo Yao Guo wouldn't be so stupid as to publicly teach Yang Xiuqing how to fight. What kind of face does the East King Yang have? If he wants to give guidance on "God," he has to do it secretly and privately...
Therefore, Luo Yao Guo expressed his admiration once again: "Fourth Brother's military strategy is as brilliant as that of a god. I have often heard Brother God mention this in the heavens."
"Hahaha!"
Although he knew that Luo Yao Guo was telling a lie, Yang Xiuqing still laughed proudly and arrogantly.
Hong Xiuanquan, who only knew how to win without lifting a finger, naturally also thought that Yang Xiuqing was exceptionally skilled in battle. He laughed and said, "Then as you say, Qing brother... By the way, since our army has won a great victory at Suoxiyu and we have this celestial guest from above, why not have a grand feast today to celebrate properly!"
"Brother Nation, the five salted fish you brought down are just what we need. We can use them to make barbecue pork, and share it with everyone!"
"King Hong, five salted fish may not be enough!" Yang Xiuqing reminded, "Considering both the soldiers and their families, we have about 40,000 people in total!"
"Enough!" Hong Xiuanquan stroked his beard, "These five fish and two loaves are miracles from Brother Jesus. Five fish and two loaves of bread are enough to feed thousands upon thousands! Brother Nation, don't you think so?"
"Five fish and two loaves..." Luo Yao Guo thought, "Is there a story like this in the Bible?"
Luo Yao Guo loved to read and had also read a little bit of the Bible, but it was just flipping through. He truly didn't remember any such event.
But during the patrol, he did notice that Su Sanlang's saddle was hanging with five salted fish, and there seemed to be a female knight carrying two boxes of mooncakes. These salted fish and mooncakes appeared to be carried together as "sacred objects" during the patrol. Perhaps there really is such a story?
However, how could these five fish be enough for thousands of people to eat? Hong Xiuquan, you are just making things up!
Luo Yao Guo was just thinking about how to refuse Hong Xiuanquan delicately.
Suddenly, Yang Xiuqing said without malice, "King Hong, since the five fish and two loaves brought by your eighth brother are a divine gift to you, they must also be miraculous!"
That's how it sounds so off-tasteful. Just as Luo Yao Guo was slightly stunned, Hong Xiuquan had already nodded decisively: "Right! Su Sanlang... Bring in the five fish and two loaves that the Lord has given me!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!" Su Sanlang outside replied, and then she came in with a female soldier, carrying five salted fish and two boxes of mooncakes. They walked in boldly and knelt down beside Luo Yao Guo, holding up the mooncake boxes and the vacuum-packed salted fish high.
Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan had already studied the five fish and two loaves, but the other princes, Hong Xuanjiao, Hu Yihang, and Qin Rigengao hadn't paid much attention to this "Jesus miracle" yesterday. Now they all crowded around to take a closer look.
After taking a closer look, everyone thought the miracle was indeed there!
Firstly, what caught everyone's attention was the "Five Fish." These five salted fish were tightly wrapped in a kind of unknown transparent film. Just by looking at it, one could tell that the film contained endless magical power!
"Eighth Brother, what is this thing wrapped around the salted fish outside?" Hong Xiuquan picked up a salted fish and asked with a smile while examining it.
"These should be polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride......" Luo Yao Guo had to answer honestly, "They are obtained by heating and pressurizing petroleum in a high-temperature furnace, and adding some catalytic materials for refining."
"Wow," Hong Xuanjiao, standing by, looked surprised, "This is just like the alchemical furnace of Laojun?"
"That furnace is much bigger than Laojun's alchemical furnace!" Luo Yao Guo introduced, "And there are countless iron drums as big as houses, inside which people can walk. These can be assembled into a set and take up an area as large as a common county! However, its uses are many. Not only can it refine various materials like polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, but also many other precious things."
The young Shi Daka admired, "Indeed, the heavenly things are something that ordinary people in the world can hardly imagine!"
"Of course, it's heaven!" Hong Xiuanquan was so proud, "After a hundred years, we will be able to see it with our own eyes!"
Luo Yao Guo nodded repeatedly: "Yes, what the Heavenly King and Second Prince said is correct. We will definitely be able to see it in a hundred years!"
It's 1852 now, and in a hundred years it will be 1952...... As long as Hong Xiuquan lives to that time, he will definitely be able to witness many "miracles" with his own eyes!
"Eighth Brother," Wei Changhui, who was in charge of logistics, picked up a salted fish to examine it as well at this moment, "How do we open this stuff? Do we need to recite a spell?"
Yang Xiuqing said with a sinister smile: "This is the divine power of Brother Jesus...... Only the eighth brother can do it! Eighth brother, you must know how to reveal the divine power of Brother Jesus from his five fish and two loaves. Also, King Hong said that these five fish are enough for tens of thousands of people to eat!"
Sure enough... The great deities have started arguing again!
Luo Yao Guo pondered: Before that, Hong Xiuanquan used a poem called "A Man Should Strive for Self-Improvement" to teach Xiao Chaogui. Now Yang Xiuqing and others are going to slightly flex their muscles with these five salted fish?
Hong Xiuquan nodded and smiled at this moment: "Surely!" He continued to ask Feng Yunshan, "Brother Feng, what do you think?"
Feng Yunshan, on the other hand, looked meaningfully at Luo Yao Guo and said, "The divine powers of the Lord are definitely present...... However, this place is too narrow to perform them. It's better to let the fifth brother and eighth brother go to the great kitchen. Go quickly, fifth brother and eighth brother!"
Ah, and what about Wei Changhui's?
Luo Yao Guo quickly took the cue from Feng Yunshan's words and laughed as he said to Wei Changhui, "Brother, it's indeed not easy to open and not convenient to do here. Why don't you and I go to the kitchen together?"
"Okay!" Wei Changhui nodded and smiled, looking particularly friendly and honest.
Luo Yao Guo of course knew the strength of Wei Changhui, the King of the North!
The more ruthless a person is, the more important it is to be close to them...
Moreover, Luo Yao Guo now has something to ask of Wei Changhui - he needs to ensure that the five salted fish are enough for all of them to have a bite!
He is not Brother Jesus, without that divine power, so he can only ask for help from Wei Changhui, who manages logistics.
And this King of the North, Wei Changhui, seems like a helpful "good person," because he is indeed a loyal and honest "good person"!
Thinking of this, Luo Yao Guo cupped his hands towards Hong Xiuquan and said, "King Hong, my little brother and I will go to the kitchen together to get these five salted fish."
Hong Xiuquan nodded and smiled, "Then go quickly and return quickly. I will wait here with King Qing, Brother Feng, Brother Da, Brother Gai and your sister-in-law as well as your sister six."
