The Big Food Country currently has no navy, and only the guard has some small patrol boats, the largest of which is only a hundred tons.
The Big Food Country currently does not have the ability to independently maintain and use "big ships" with thousands of tons, let alone large battleships with tens of thousands of tons or even tens of thousands of tons, so there must be a learning process.
Thousand-ton destroyers, 3,000-ton small cruisers, 6,000-ton light cruisers, 10,000-ton cruisers, small battleships and aircraft carriers, main battleships and aircraft carriers.
This series of stairs, if there is no teacher's step-by-step instruction, it will take at least twenty years for the food country to learn on its own.
Maybe it won’t be done in thirty years…
But the Dashi Kingdom is a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Jingyuan is still a prince. It is impossible for him to fumble around in the Dashi Kingdom by himself. He will definitely find a way to get help from the Ming Navy.
But even if the Ming Navy directly leads the country, it is estimated that it will take ten years to train enough sailors and officers to be able to drive main battleships and aircraft carriers to the battlefield.
Zhu Jingyuan felt that the fastest solution was for the retired veterans of the Ming Dynasty's local navy to move directly to the big food country to sail the ship, and directly train the new naval recruits of the big food country on the ship.
If we buy all the battleships at once and train the entire fleet at once, it will probably take five or six years to complete.
This first requires oneself to be willing to spend money, and then requires the full cooperation of the Ming Navy.
The problem of money is actually not that big. The key is that the difficulty of coordinating power is too high.
Zhu Jingyuan thought about it for a long time, and finally gave up this extreme plan and decided on a twelve-year study plan.
Within three years, master the technology of maintaining and operating destroyers of more than 1,000 tons.
At the same time, the construction of the naval base was completed, with more than four 1,800-ton escort destroyers.
Within five years, master the technology of maintaining and using combat destroyers of more than 3,000 tons, and have more than four combat destroyers.
Within seven years, master the technology of maintaining and using cruisers of more than 6,000 tons, and own more than four light cruisers.
Within nine years, master the technology of maintaining and using cruisers of more than 10,000 tons, and own two cruisers of 16,000 tons.
Within twelve years, master the technology of maintaining and using battleships and aircraft carriers, and complete the establishment of a basic combat fleet:
It has one battleship, one aircraft carrier, four 10,000-ton cruisers, and eight 6,000-ton light cruisers.
Maintain more than eight 3,000-ton combat destroyers and more than sixteen escort destroyers.
Then use one ship with two crews to train soldiers, striving to double the size of the fleet within fifteen years.
Zhu Jingyuan wrote down this general development direction.
The next morning, Zhu Jingyuan handed over his plan to Guan Tianpei:
“According to this timetable, we will buy ships and at the same time recruit immigrants directly from the mainland with the goal of becoming naval soldiers and officers.
"In addition, we will recruit craftsmen and workers for the construction of the naval base, and build maintenance facilities in Liusha City and Meng County respectively."
Guan Tianpei originally came from the navy and was actually very familiar with battleships.
But I was a little surprised by Zhu Jingyuan’s plan:
"Your Highness... You didn't mention the meeting yesterday. Are you going to buy a yacht? Why did it become a warship?"
Zhu Jingyuan said of course:
"What's wrong with warships? Are warships not more exciting than yachts? Do you like warships or yachts?"
Guan Tianpei couldn't help laughing immediately:
"Of course it's a warship."
Zhu Jingyuan also smiled:
"That's okay. I thought buying a yacht was a waste, so I bought a warship instead. Warships can also be used as yachts.
"Warship construction also takes time. The larger the warship, the longer the construction period. We must prepare the ship in advance.
“So the order for destroyers will be placed soon, the order for cruisers will be placed within two years, and the order for battleships and aircraft carriers will be placed within five years.
"You will be directly responsible for the entire project. Once the entire fleet is established, your military rank should be at least to Rear Admiral.
"As for the teacher, I will contact my father alone and ask him to arrange for a group of veterans to come and help."
Guan Tianpei understood that this was to build a fleet from scratch.
You can learn more in this process than serving in the existing fleet.
Considering Zhu Jingyuan's special status, following him to complete this task from scratch can be said to have a bright future.
Guan Tianpei said a little excitedly:
"My subordinate understands, I will make arrangements immediately!"
Guan Tianpei went to Liu Zhixin and asked Liu Zhixin to coordinate the military depot of Dashi State to purchase the destroyer Zhu Jingyuan wanted.
Liu Zhixin subconsciously thought that this was the escort fleet Zhu Jingyuan had formed for his yacht.
Therefore, Liu Zhixin did not think too much and directly arranged for the relevant departments to place the order.
Zhu Jingyuan first sent a telegram to his father, asking for support and help from the navy.
Then he went to the harem and informed the people he was going to take with him so that they could be ready to leave within five days.
Zhu Jingyuan didn't mention the matter of summer vacation. There was no need to specifically mention this purpose, as long as he didn't come back when he got there.
If you say it specifically, and then let Liu Muyun, who is an extrovert, publicize it, it may have a slightly negative impact.
After all, I can bring my family with me, but I can't bring all the citizens with me. Ordinary people have to stay here and suffer.
Including the two royal concubines Liu Muyun and Yu Muxue, as well as Chunxiang and other maids, they were a little surprised by Zhu Jingyuan's urgency.
Zhu Jingyuan's request to bring everyone with him, including his two sons, made him even more confused.
However, they did not raise any questions, but made guesses in their hearts as a matter of course.
I want to go to Mozhou for inspection, but I don’t want to be separated from my wife and children...
This kind of speculation made them not express any opinions. They all nodded in agreement one after another and immediately ordered people to prepare.
Five days later, the 15,000-ton passenger ship Daishan Island arrived at Liusha City.
The Governor's Office of the Right Army of the Ming Dynasty also arranged a fleet to escort Zhu Jingyuan to Mozhou for inspection.
Zhu Jingyuan took his wife, children and maids on board the ship.
Liu Zhixin brought officials from Dashi Kingdom to see him off.
Before boarding the ship, Liu Zhixin couldn't help but ask Zhu Jingyuan:
"Your Majesty, have you chosen our yacht? Why don't you place an order with the destroyer?"
Zhu Jingyuan had already given up on the yacht, and was suddenly stunned:
"Yacht? What kind of yacht..."
But as soon as the words came to my lips, I came to my senses:
"I haven't planned it yet. What I want is special and not a ready-made product. You don't have to worry about it."
Zhu Jingyuan said as he waved goodbye and boarded the passenger ship under the escort of the guards.
As the passenger ship left the pier, Zhu Jingyuan and the other passengers felt cooler under the sea breeze.
However, the actual temperature is still relatively high, and Liu Muyun is still willing to walk around occasionally, but Yu Muxue has been paralyzed for a long time.
In order to give Mengxian County enough time to prepare for the reception, the speed of the passenger ship Zhu Jingyuan was traveling on was reduced to ten knots.
It took half a month of slow running on the sea to reach Meng County, the capital of the Mozhou region of the great food country.
The fleet left the Persian Gulf and headed south along the coastline of the Dashi Peninsula and the Dongmozhou Peninsula.
When the boat approached the eastern coastline of Mozhou, Zhu Jingyuan felt that the temperature at sea became more comfortable.
By the time we reach the equator, the highest temperature during the day is already less than 30 degrees.
Even the lazy Yu Muxue is willing to go out for a walk.
On May 2, the second year of Ankang, the fleet arrived at its destination and docked at Mengxian County Pier.
The guards on the ship disembarked first to set up defenses. Zhu Jingyuan and his family disembarked and joined Lin Zexu who was waiting here.
Then we took a car together to the residence prepared for Zhu Jingyuan's family, a Thai-Chinese castle in the eastern part of Meng County.
During the process of opening up the new sea route, the Portuguese occupied Mengxian County as their stronghold in the eastern part of Mozhou.
The Portuguese built this castle in 1593 and named it Fort Jesus.
Later, the castle and the city were occupied by the Omanis for a long time, and eventually they fell into the hands of the Ming Dynasty together with the city.
Ming officials headed by Lin Zexu now call it Xiyi Fort, and it was originally intended to be used as a military camp.
When they received the news that Zhu Jingyuan was coming to inspect, they found that there was no suitable place for Zhu Jingyuan to live in Meng County.
There are many various houses and manors in Meng County, but it is difficult to guarantee their safety.
This castle has walls and a moat, and is a completely independent building.
The interior and surrounding environment are completely controllable, and it is very close to the existing county government office. It seems that the four places are very suitable.
So Lin Zexu arranged for people to clean it up, rearrange it, and use it as Zhu Jingyuan's temporary residence.
