The four vassal kings were very worried about exposing issues about Luzon.
However, little did they know that this problem no longer existed.
"These little bastards are really becoming more and more bold. In the past, when they left the capital, their true nature was exposed. Now they have all gone to the Japanese country, and they are even more unscrupulous."
"There is also this guy named Fourth. We thought he was the one who listened to us the most, but it turns out that he is the one who hides the deepest. It is the Fourth who is causing trouble behind this Four Seas Chamber of Commerce."
In the Huagai Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the information in his hand and cursed.
Fortunately, he had always felt that apart from the eldest son, the fourth son was the most obedient, and now he finally showed his fox tail.
Hearing this, Zhu Ying did not respond to the old man's words, but instead said, "I didn't expect the matchlocks to spread so quickly. Even the Sulu Sultanate has so many muskets."
The kings of the four vassals thought that the court did not know about the fact that they sent troops to Luzon, and they went out of their way to block the sea area.
But they forgot a very important thing, which was Zhu Ying's Capital Military Academy.
Even Zhu Di, who had seen similar training at the grassland military base, could not have imagined that it would have such a big impact.
Students who graduated from the Ming Military Academy basically flowed into David's Institute.
After receiving professional training, even if Zhu Ying copied some of the methods from later generations, they are not comparable to today's era. After all, this is the difference of the times.
Therefore, after these students who graduate from the military academy enter the army, it is easy for them to excel in all aspects.
In the Japanese country, almost all the new generation of middle-level officers were more or less involved with the Ming Military Academy.
Even if you don't graduate directly, you have been trained by graduates.
Ideological education has always been something Zhu Ying particularly cared about. This trend started from the bottom of the army.
Standing at the height of the feudal lord, it is naturally difficult to feel it.
But it is undeniable that almost 70% of the middle-level officers currently sent to Luzon by the four vassal kings remain loyal to Zhu Ying.
Especially Zhu Fan here.
Zhu Hong relied on the Qunying Chamber of Commerce to gain a foothold in Japan early in the morning, and infiltration was Zhu Ying's specialty.
When Zhu Fan sent troops to Luzon as the first batch, Zhu Ying received news almost simultaneously, including the discovery of gold mines.
I have to admit that even if Zhu Ying knew there was a gold mine in Luzon, it would be difficult for Zhu Ying to make a move.
After all, the Ming Dynasty was a state of etiquette. How could they directly send troops to Luzon to rob it? Mining itself was also a problem. This required a large number of manpower. It was obviously not cost-effective to recruit people from the Ming Dynasty.
Moreover, this place is far away and not many people are willing to go there.
The plan of the four vassal kings was exactly what they wanted.
The capital accumulation in the early stage will eventually bleed. If the four vassal kings are allowed to kill this evil hand, it will not affect the reputation of Ming Dynasty. What a good thing.
Naturally, I let it go.
After all, the Ming Dynasty's current trade is extremely smooth. No matter how much money the four vassal kings have, it can only flow into the Ming Dynasty's market.
Looking at the entire Asian region, no market can compare with the Ming Dynasty. Even the prosperity of Nanyang sea trade today is because the Ming Dynasty opened the sea.
However, the prosperity of maritime trade has both advantages and disadvantages.
For example, a matchlock gun.
The matchlock itself has signs of spreading. This was discovered when Zhu Ying arrived in Champa last year.
Firearms such as firecrackers had already spread around the world with the development of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, or the Mongol Empire.
Even in the early Ming Dynasty, even if Zhu Yuanzhang paid attention to firearms, other countries were not much worse.
In the confrontation with Annan, Annan's firearms showed that they were not weaker than Ming Dynasty in many aspects.
If it were not for the presence of Zhu Ying, the Ming Dynasty's firearms might still be weak in the creation and improvement of firearms in Annan.
In history, when Zhu Di sent troops to attack Annan,
It is true that there is no advantage in firearms.
Even the Shenji Battalion that was developed later could only be regarded as a partial armed force, and how could it not be as prosperous as the current Daming Firearms.
In today's Ming Dynasty, branches of the Gunpowder Department have already established firearms factories in every province to vigorously produce firearms.
But this also made it easier to leak secrets, and the construction method of the matchlock gun was quickly learned by other countries.
Mainly, the matchlock gun itself has no design barriers.
At present, almost 40% of the Ming Dynasty's army is equipped with matchlock guns. It only needs to be disassembled to understand the structure of the matchlock gun and reproduce it.
Granulation of gunpowder is no big secret either.
Under the temptation of heavy money, some craftsmen will eventually become Han women.
Ming Dynasty’s plate is so big that it is impossible to say that it covers everything.
But for the time being, in terms of quantity and quality, the Ming army naturally has the most equipment.
"Dasun has been going to the Scientific Research Department recently to come up with the steam armored ship, and now it's working."
Zhu Yuanzhang actually didn't have much interest in those small countries, even if gold mines had been discovered in Luzon.
At present, the Ming Dynasty's treasury is no longer short of money. After excluding all expenses, the internal funds can still bring in millions of dollars every month. Zhu Yuanzhang no longer has as much interest in money as he once did.
I am particularly curious about the steam ironclad ship described by Da Sun, which can sail without the help of wind.
Zhu Ying heard this and said helplessly: "It's stuck now. I don't know how long it will take to build it."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "What is the problem? We in Ming Dynasty now have so many talents, we can definitely solve it by pooling our wisdom."
Zhu Ying said helplessly: "It's not a human problem, it's a material problem. As for heat preservation, heat insulation, and sealing, even if it is cast with yellow gold, the effect is very poor. Even if it is made, the charcoal needed for navigation will be very poor." There are too many and it doesn’t mean much.”
Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a while and said: "If gold doesn't work, let's try something else. Our Ming Dynasty has a vast territory and rich resources, so how can we be troubled by this matter? Even if our Ming Dynasty doesn't have it, we can still look for it overseas."
"Didn't Li Jinglong go to the West? Send a fleet to catch up and let him find what Dasun needs."
Zhu Ying was slightly silent.
To solve the sealing problem, the most important thing is rubber. The role of rubber is irreplaceable. Currently, this thing is not available even in the West.
The natural rubber tree seems to be native to South America.
With such a long distance, it is almost impossible to find it.
Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have seen through Zhu Ying's thoughts and said: "Our Ming Dynasty now has two million soldiers. Except for a few countries in the world, who can fight against our Ming Dynasty? Some small countries, perhaps thousands or tens of thousands of people, can fight against us." Easily destroy the country."
"Grandson, there is no need to worry too much. It doesn't matter if it takes a long time. At the worst, we can just send more expeditionary troops out."
"As long as this thing exists, it will definitely be found."
Zhu Yuanzhang's words were deafening.
Yes.
Since I know the place, why can't I send someone to find it?
Is it just because it's too far away?
There is a huge Pacific Ocean between Daming and South America.
With the current navigation methods, if you want to cross the oceans to South America, the risk of death is not enough to describe it.
There are currently two possible methods.
One is to travel by land, from northeastern Asia to North America via the Bering Strait, and then all the way south to South America in search of rubber trees.
The second step is to dispatch an ocean-going fleet, proceed in the current direction of Li Jinglong, arrive in Europe, and then set off from the coast of Spain in Europe to imitate Columbus and cross the Atlantic to South America.
After all, the discovery of the American continent began here.
In terms of safety factor, it is actually the safest way to go to North America and then South America via the Bering Strait.
Because the current American continent has not formed a strong national concept and is still in a tribal civilization.
Even if only
Even an expeditionary force of ten thousand people can push through all the way.
The only drawback is that it takes a long time.
Taking the route of Columbus will take a little less time. After all, most of the time you take a boat, so the speed is naturally faster, but the risks at sea cannot be calculated.
Now that both paths are feasible, how to choose?
As the great grandson of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Ying said, I want both bear paws and fish.
Regardless of whether it is land or sea, with the current ability of the Ming Dynasty, it is naturally possible to travel.
At this time, a person suddenly appeared in Zhu Ying's mind.
Zhao Yuanhong.
This Zhao Xiucai, whom Zhu Ying once admired very much, was the military advisor sent to Annan to seek the country.
The last letter I received stated that he had become the Chancellor and Minister of Finance in Constantinople, Europe.
This is a huge help.
"Dasun seems to have a direction?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked when he saw Dasun thinking deeply.
Zhu Ying hesitated for a moment and then replied: "When I was in the Western Regions, I once heard of such a tree, called the weeping tree. When its bark is cut, milky white sap will flow out. This sap cannot be If eaten, it is highly poisonous.”
"But after solidification, it will become extremely closed and can recover after being impacted."
"If this kind of tree can be found, then the problem of steam ironclads can be solved."
After a slight pause, Zhu Ying added: "I heard it from a wandering old man. I don't know if it is true. He said that the tree grew in a very hot place. It feels more like a legend."
Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment and asked, "Has he ever said where he saw this tree?"
Zhu Ying nodded: "It is said that there is a brand new continent in the far east. Walking straight from the northeast of the Ming Dynasty, passing through the four seasons of cold snow, and crossing several islands, you will find the vast continent."
"Further south, there are forests with tall trees and dangerous rivers. It is still in the era of ancient tribes, and there are savage jungles, and there are even indigenous people who eat humans."
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly when he heard this, as if he was recalling something.
After a while, he hesitated and said, "Perhaps, the place mentioned by the old man that Da Sun met does exist."
Zhu Ying was stunned for a moment, unable to react.
Of course the old man is fake, but the American continent is real, but why did the old man say so.
Zhu Yuanzhang explained: "We like to read, and we read both official and unofficial history."
Zhu Ying nodded slightly. He knew this. Even when he was busy, Zhu Yuanzhang would take a certain amount of time to study every day.
Let’s just say that in the Huagai Hall now, the walls are covered with books.
Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang had read most of these books, and even those he had not read would probably read them in the future.
The so-called "live and learn" sounds simple, but Zhu Yuanzhang really did it.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "In folk history, there are records about Qin Shihuang's search for overseas elixirs."
"The most famous among them is naturally Xu Fu."
"How could someone like Qin Shihuang put all his hopes on Xu Fu? In addition to Xu Fu, there were naturally more people sent out to seek immortality and seek immortality."
"The Qin Dynasty died in the fifteenth year, but at the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, there was a record that said that dozens of people returned, they were old Qin people. They said that they went to the extremely far east and returned after decades. .”
"They said they went to the place where Dongshan Sutra is located and saw armadillos that only existed in ancient books, as well as many strange beasts."
"This matter is only recorded in unofficial histories, and no one believes it. The person who wrote the book only wrote a few words."
"But today, when Grand Sun Yan comes, we feel that it is not groundless."
In fact, regarding the American continent, many views of later generations believe that the earliest discoveries were not made by Columbus or Magellan, but by the Central Plains, or even in the pre-Qin period.
For example, the records of Shan Hai Jing Dong Shan Jing, such as hieroglyphics and so on.
certainly
, from a geographical point of view, this possibility is not impossible.
It is impossible to cross the Pacific Ocean, but crossing the Bering Strait is not a big problem. Even an ordinary ship can cross it in two or three days.
Zhu Ying did not expect that the old man was so knowledgeable that he would visit the American continent under the pretense of casually. There were indeed some scattered records, and they were even read by Zhu Yuanzhang.
"It has existed since ancient times, and it is feasible in the Ming Dynasty. I want to send an expeditionary army to this place to find the weeping tree."
The atmosphere was here, so Zhu Ying naturally spoke.
Zhu Yuanzhang naturally did not object, and reminded him again: "As the saying goes, under a heavy reward, there must be a brave man. Since this tree is so important, I, the Ming Dynasty, can also issue a reward to find this tree."
Zhu Ying nodded, this is indeed a solution.
Even if it is a blind cat catching a mouse, it may still be possible.
Rubber makes a huge difference.
If there are really rubber trees, then Ming's current industrial system will undergo a qualitative improvement.
Not just on steam engines.
For example, vehicle tires, fusilier operation and other aspects will show great progress.
This is enough to make the current Ming Dynasty industry rapidly rise, far beyond the world.
The next day.
Zhu Ying immediately issued a notice and spread it throughout the world.
There is a reward of 10 million taels of treasure, or 10 million taels of silver, to find the Weeping Tree.
If there are any living ones, they will be donated to the Ming Dynasty, and they will be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households in the Ming Dynasty and a palace in the capital.
As soon as the notice came out, the whole city was shocked.
Because this time the reward is not only within the scope of the Ming Dynasty, but also throughout the world.
In other words, no matter who you are, any ethnic group, or any country, you can get this reward.
The specific description of the rubber tree is also stated in detail in the notice.
Ten million taels of silver, plus ten thousand marquises of the Ming Dynasty, such a reward is enough to drive everyone crazy.
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