Jinghaihou Wu Zhen frowned.
Should the Ming Dynasty’s fleet appear in the depths of the sea and gallop across the South and West oceans?
Wu Zhen had never considered this issue.
In fact, not only Wu Zhen, but even Zhu Yuanzhang probably never thought about this issue.
In the eyes of countless people, the territory of the Ming Dynasty is just this piece of land, and its vastness is enough.
The sea?
The wind and waves were strong, and there was a danger of capsizing at any time. If it weren't for the fact that big ships couldn't go north of the Grand Canal, Lao Zhu would probably not bother to use the sea channel. In this regard, the sea channel of the Ming Dynasty basically went northward, serving the army's food and grass supply. Fleets with the south as their final destination are very rare. Besides, our own sea area is so vast that we can’t even take care of it. Who would have the time to wander around the South and West?
Looking at Wu Zhen's expression, Gu Zhengchen knew clearly that he had not considered the problem of the sea. He sighed: "Jinghaihou, you have ordered to conquer the pirates. Can the pirates be wiped out?"
Wu Zhen shook his head and looked solemn: "The pirates are scattered and the boats are very fast. Although I led the navy to pursue day and night and eliminated a group of pirates in Penghu and other sea areas, I know that it is still very early for the pirates to be completely eliminated. They’re not even breaking bones or muscles.”
Gu Zhengchen raised his hand and flicked the hem of his clothes, and said seriously: "The pirates will not disappear, never. Even if Marquis Jinghai led the navy to cruise the Ming Dynasty for ten or eight years, the pirates will still exist. Thirty years later , pirates will come back again. One hundred and fifty years later, there will be endless pirate invasions. Even four to five hundred years later, pirates will still mess up China! The enemy above the sea is not to deceive the enemy and close the sea. , forbid people from the Ming Dynasty to go to the sea, it can be solved by turning a blind eye."
Wu Zhen stared at Gu Zhengchen and knocked on the table: "How can you know the future?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head slightly: "Jinghaihou, this is not a matter of the future, but an inference based on past experience, human nature, and possible development of the situation. Just like the proliferation of pirates, threatening the people along the coast, the imperial court will inevitably use Jinghaihou or other princes to come. Clean up the pirates. If you return to Jinling this time, you will definitely be rewarded and punished."
"It's the same in the depths of the sea. As long as people in some islands, countries, and places can no longer survive, they will turn into pirates. Of course, there are also some countries that are robbers themselves, eager to obtain a lot of wealth through robbery... "
Wu Zhen thought for a moment, and it was indeed as Gu Zhengchen said.
Just like the Japanese pirates among the pirates, this group of people was no less tormented than Fang Guozhen's remnants. I also caught Japanese pirates and asked them why. They said that there was a war on the island and they had no choice but to go to sea and become pirates.
If you can't survive, you are a bandit. Wu Zhen agrees with this. In fact, the reason why pirates can grow stronger again after suffering losses is because groups of people who cannot survive make up for the losses.
Wu Zhen was worried, sighed deeply, and asked: "In your opinion, how to completely quell the pirates?"
Gu Zhengchen held out a finger and said solemnly: "Simple, build an invincible navy fleet and establish its authority in the sea with a lot of heads. What the pirates want is profit, goods and people, and they don't want to lose their lives. . Only when the Ming navy is so powerful that they feel deep fear when they look in the direction of the Ming Dynasty, the sea will naturally become calm."
"Invincible?"
Wu Zhen was filled with bitterness: "Where can there be an invincible navy, how can it be possible to strike fear into the bones of the enemy?"
Gu Zhengchen squinted at Wu Zhen and said slowly: "It is precisely because the Ming navy was not strong enough at this time that the enemy invaders repeatedly invaded. Whether it is discussing matters in Nanyang and the West, or maintaining peace along the coast, a strong force is needed. Navy. Let me ask you, if a pirate with 200 ships encounters a Ming navy ship, but is easily destroyed by that ship, if you are the surviving pirate, will you dare to attack the Ming Dynasty again? "
Wu Zhen's eyes widened: "One ship, two hundred ships? Are you kidding? Even the three-story building ship of Chen Youliang's period would not dare to exaggerate like this."
Gu Zhengchen stood up and walked towards Wu Zhen. He stopped at the table, leaned over and looked at Wu Zhen, and said seriously: "It may be a bit exaggerated, but if it is a ship, it can really be used as a mobile fortress on the sea. It can be easily moved , wiped out dozens of pirate ships, do you still think that the Ming Dynasty cannot control the sea, and do you still think that the pirates will not be afraid?"
Wu Zhen looked at the serious Gu Zhengchen and couldn't help but take a breath: "I have heard a lot about you. People in the Governor's Mansion said that you were the one who contributed the new body-building technique."
"it's me."
"People from the Metropolitan Government also said that you created alcohol, which can treat wounded soldiers."
"it's me."
"The Governor's Mansion..."
"The governor's mouth is too lax. Who said that? I want to write a letter of impeachment!"
"The Duke of Wei, Xu Da."
"Oh, Marquis Jinghai, where did you just say?"
"The tactical backpack is also your masterpiece?"
"it's me."
Wu Zhen's eyes fell on Gu Zhengchen's eyes and he said motionlessly: "Then tell me now, do you have a way to make a ship an unsinkable fortress on the sea, to defend the Ming Dynasty's waters, and to have no more sea troubles?"
"There's nothing we can do."
Gu Zhengchen answered directly.
"Your uncle!"
Wu Zhen stood up as he slapped the case. Damn, he was so excited for nothing.
Gu Zhengchen glanced at Wu Zhen aggrievedly. If Ya's title hadn't been much higher than his own, he would have scolded him back: "There is no fortress that cannot sink on the sea, but I can guarantee that as long as the sergeants do not neglect their precautions, If we don’t make a fatal mistake, at least the ship won’t be lost in the hands of any enemy.”
"Any enemies?"
Wu Zhen raised his hand, grabbed the hem of Gu Zhengchen's clothes, and pulled him over: "Gu Zhengchen, do you know that there are no arrogant people in Wu's camp? There are no jokes in the army!"
Gu Zhengchen patted Wu Zhen's hand, which was as hard as steel. Seeing that it would not let go, he simply said: "First of all, this is the Jurong County government, not your army. Secondly, I am just talking about a possibility. It is possible to provide enough money, food, manpower, and material resources.”
Wu Zhen pushed Gu Zhengchen away and shouted angrily: "No matter what the possibility is, I want accurate information! Don't forget, I am asking you on behalf of His Majesty, do you want me to tell Your Majesty that this is just a conjecture and possible?"
Gu Zhengchen took two steps back, patted his messed up clothes, and looked at Wu Zhen dissatisfied: "As long as you can convince your majesty, let him realize that the fundamental way to solve the crisis in the sea is not to give in, not to blockade, but to use the navy. The road to strength, as long as you can convince His Majesty to invest enough money and food to build a sea warship, I can give you a blueprint - a blueprint for an unsinkable sea fortress."
Wu Zhen stretched out his hand: "Give it to me now!"
"No!"
Gu Zhengchen said frankly.
Wu Zhen was unwilling to give in: "Tell me, what do you want in exchange before you give it to me?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head slightly: "Jinghaihou, it's not that I refuse to give it to you now, but because I can't give it back to you now. You have won His Majesty's trust, and you should know why His Majesty is so nervous about whether something will happen to me."
Wu Zhen said nothing.
Indeed, this problem troubled Wu Zhen for many days, until Zhu Yuanzhang told him that Gu Zhengchen was related to the important code of firearms innovation and should not be touched lightly.
Gu Zhengchen smiled calmly: "When I finish what I'm doing, your work can be put on the agenda."
"What can I do?"
Wu Zhen knew that the fact that Gu Zhengchen promised him instead of giving it to him immediately meant that there must be something hidden in it.
Gu Zhengchen lowered his hand and said: "Marquis Jinghai, to be disrespectful, your majesty now regards Yuan Ting as a close enemy and will not have much patience with the endless pirates. He has blocked the sea, banned all ships, and abolished all shipping departments." , it is not unforeseeable to cut off all non-governmental exchanges with overseas countries. But as a result, the lives of coastal people will be more difficult, and pirates will become more rampant."
"I only hope that for the sake of the people along the coast, the future of the navy, and the destiny of the dynasty, you can convince His Majesty to build a powerful navy to solve all the problems on the sea, instead of just shutting them down!"
Wu Zhen looked deeply at Gu Zhengchen, his worry was not without reason.
In the fourth year of Hongwu's reign, he was ordered to gather the remnants of Fang Guozhen's troops from Wen, Tai and Qingyuan, with a total of more than 110,000 people, and they all rushed into the guardhouse. At that time, His Majesty also issued a decree not to allow private sailing along the coast. In less than three years, I heard that among the 110,000 people, no less than 30,000 escaped, and many of them went to sea to become pirates and became enemies of the imperial court.
It now appears that the original policy of the imperial court lacked consideration.
The emperor was impatient with problems. If the pirates continued to attack in waves, and if the pirates colluded with the people along the coast, the emperor would probably completely block the sea and strictly enforce the sea ban.
Wu Zhen nodded heavily: "I promise you!"
This is a soldier's promise!
Gu Zhengchen held up his hands and bowed deeply: "Jinghaihou, when a new type of warship appears in the future, you will definitely be proud of it."
Wu Zhen laughed: "I'll wait for that day, Gu Zhengchen, don't make me wait too long."
Gu Zhengchen sent Wu Zhen away.
Through Mu Ying, he threw the treasure into the sea and used the treasure to weaken the big players to attract Zhu Yuanzhang's attention and let him know that the sea could not give up.
But this is not enough, far from it.
Gu Zhengchen had been looking for an opportunity, but he didn't expect that Lao Zhu actually sent Jinghaihou Wu Zhen.
Now, Wu Zhen will influence Lao Zhu.
Maybe if this is the case, Lao Zhu won't close all shipping companies during this year's Double Ninth Festival, right?
Just when Wu Zhen led his people to leave Jurong, Yuan Liang and Sun Ke robbed the merchants and sneaked into Jinling City with the merchants' goods and customs clearance documents.
Yuan Liang asked someone to inquire about Fang Guozhen's mansion. Hearing that Fang Guozhen was ill, he pretended to be a doctor and sent Sun Ke to help him outside, and entered Fang's mansion alone.
When Yuan Liang saw Fang Guozhen lying on the bed, he could hardly believe that this was the same commander who once "raced galloping horses and fought vertically and horizontally"!
Fang Guozhen looked at Yuan Liang in a daze, then closed his eyes.
Yuan Liang picked up Fang Guozhen's wrist, pretended to feel his pulse, leaned down, and whispered to Fang Guozhen: "Big boss, the wind is blowing..."
