Lao Zhu is a very complicated person. He can spend tens of millions of stones to build Zhongdu and then fail to finish it. But when it comes to the cost of hundreds of thousands of stones to build a ship, he will probably refuse.
Without clearly explaining the power and deterrence of sea fortresses and super warships, Lao Zhu probably would not invest a huge amount of wealth in shipbuilding, especially at this time when hundreds of industries are waiting to flourish and the country needs to recuperate.
The reason why Zhu Laosi was able to build a batch of large and mighty ships was, in the final analysis, the foundation of national strength laid by Lao Zhu.
But it is now the seventh year of Hongwu, and Ming Dynasty has not yet completed its twenty or thirty years of rest and recovery.
During Zhu Laosi's period, the problem of Japanese troops and pirates was no longer a big problem, and the court could also free up its hands to develop the navy, because Lan Yu eliminated the main force of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and the remaining Yuan court would let go In the process, they split into Oara and Tatar, that is, Mongolia and Eastern Mongolia. The actual threat to the Ming Dynasty has been reduced. Only the Ming Dynasty attacks them and they fight guerrillas.
Now, Lao Zhu and Zhu Laosi are facing different conditions. Lao Zhu's main energy, Ming's main combat power, and all war resources are tilted towards the northern border. Even Xu Da, Feng Sheng, Li Wenzhong and others are all It is in the north all year round.
The Yuan Dynasty was still very powerful, Wang Baobao was still alive, and Nahachu occupied most of Liaodong. Lao Zhu's attention to the ocean could only give way to the Yuan Dynasty.
This kind of abdication is right. The Yuan Dynasty is the main contradiction and the pirates are the secondary contradiction. Lao Zhu did not do anything wrong. It is just that Gu Zhengchen does not want Lao Zhu to completely ignore the secondary contradiction because of the main contradiction. This contradiction is not woolly and is one-size-fits-all. That's it. It requires investment of resources, money and food.
Gu Zhengchen didn't know if Lao Zhu still had the will and determination to build a big treasure ship and a super battleship belonging to the Ming Dynasty, making it a nightmare for all enemies.
Judging from the expressions on Mu Ying and Mao Xiang's faces, these two people were indeed convinced.
Gu Zhengchen stood up and said a firm word: "The Ming Dynasty needs a real maritime fortress and the strongest warship. No matter the cost, even if it means taking away all the salary from my title, I am willing to support the court to build such a warship!"
Mao Xiang was full of admiration: "The man from Quanzhou County is very righteous and a great man! After I go back, I also ask your Majesty that if you think it is too wasteful of money and food, I will also reduce my salary!"
Mu Ying rolled her eyes at Mao Xiang. What Gu Zhengchen was talking about was the salary of the title. He lost the salary of the title. He also had the salary of the director of the Ministry of Industry, the salary of the commander of the Jurong Guards, and the salary of the county magistrate of Jurong. You only have one salary. How can you keep up with him? He compares?
"We are clear about this account, and we will report it all to Your Majesty after we return."
Mu Ying is quite cautious.
Gu Zhengchen could only place his hope on two people, at most Zhu Dalang and Jinghai Marquis Wu Zhen. He turned to look at Mao Xiang and said, "Come as soon as you come. Why did you bring five hundred sergeants with you? If you don't know, you will give me back to the county." The government office was besieged again. I asked you, each of you leading troops, why do you like to besiege the county government office so much..."
Mao Xiang didn't care: "This makes you look domineering."
Domineering your sister.
Gu Zhengchen greeted Mao Xiang, if this continues, one day the court will really send angels to arrest him. I guess he thought it was you who was doing this for fun.
Mu Ying explained: "Some time ago, you sent a document to the Governor's Office, requesting that more money and food be allocated to the Jurong Guards for troop training. Your Majesty is very concerned about this matter and asked him to bring the Yulin Guards sergeants here. , just to test the results of your military training."
Gu Zhengchen glanced at Mao Xiang and said with a smile: "The Governor's Office has never approved it. He thought that the money and food would not be given. Is it true that as long as the Jurong Guards sergeant wins the Yulin Guard Sergeant, the Governor's Office will agree to it?" Give Jurong Guards 500 shi of food and salary more than once a month?"
"Win, are you sure?"
Mao Xiang looked at Gu Zhengchen, as if he had heard a joke.
What he brought with him was the elite of the Yulin Left Guard. These people were elite soldiers who had fought in many battles, and they also shouldered the responsibility of guarding the palace. Their combat power was much stronger than that of ordinary personal guards, not to mention the Jurong Guard sergeants who were now reduced to local guards!
Gu Zhengchen shook his head slightly: "Although I am not sure, I think I have to fight for it. I heard that the Yulin Guards sergeant is well treated. He has three meals a day, a few mouthfuls of meat every one or two days, and monthly rations." None of them are less than five thousand shi. If you lose, give Jurong Guard 500 shi. It won’t be unfair, right?”
Mao Xiang laughed loudly, clapped his hands and said to Mu Ying: "Since the Quanzhou County man wants the Yulin Guards' food and salary, then I will agree. Let the Jurong Guards and the Yulin Guards have a fight, and the winner will be determined. Food and wages!”
Mu Ying waved her hands quickly: "No matter we win or lose, the Yulin Guard's food and salary cannot be short. Let's do this. If the Jurong Guard sergeant wins by luck, I will write to Your Majesty and request for five hundred shi of food and salary for the Jurong Guard to be used for training. use."
"good!"
Gu Zhengchen agreed with a smile.
Mao Xiang looked at Gu Zhengchen who was so confident and just shook his head slightly. He had no idea how powerful Yu Linwei was.
As an army commander, Mao Xiang could not stay at the county government office and needed to rest with the sergeants outside the Jurong Guard Camp. Gu Zhengchen did not let the Yulin Guards enter the guard camp at all, but he humanely provided camping and tenting services. .
In the summer, you don't need any clothes and quilts, just give some wormwood and get some mats to sleep on. Mao Xiang also knows the rules of Jurong Guard. Without the emperor's will and Gu Zhengchen's nod, no one can easily enter.
Gu Zhengchen was very depressed. His wife went to see Xiao He, so he could only lay on the floor and talk to Mu Ying to pass the long night.
Mu Ying knew the trends of the imperial court very well, and intentionally or unintentionally introduced the current situation to Gu Zhengchen: "After the imperial court halved the taxes of Suzhou Prefecture, His Majesty considered that Suzhou Prefecture has many things to do, and added Tongzhi and Tongpan..."
"Suzhou Prefecture, the refugees some time ago are really disturbing. I don't know what happened to Magistrate Wei."
Gu Zhengchen asked without leaving any trace.
Mu Ying sat beside the bed, blowing the wind with a cattail leaf fan: "Wei Guan is a capable minister. He has solved many people's problems with work-for-relief and appeased the people. The day before yesterday, the censor Zhang who went to Suzhou Prefecture for an unannounced visit Du returned to Jinling and said that the rumors that Wei Guan built a government office on the site of Zhang Shicheng's palace were false. Wei Guan had no intention of moving the government office, but wanted to build a four-season tripod on the site of Zhang Shicheng's palace to ensure good weather. purpose."
"Four Seasons Cauldron?"
Gu Zhengchen raised his brows slightly, becoming interested.
Mu Ying nodded slightly, stood up and walked towards Gu Zhengchen: "Zhang Du said that the production of Suzhou Prefecture was reduced due to floods, which caused the people to starve. The prefect of Wei established the Four Seasons Cauldron with the intention of harmonious spring, smooth summer, stable autumn and safe winter. As for some imperial officials The historians and officials said that Wei Guan wanted to be tainted with some royal or dragon spirit and intended to rebel, haha, it is simply nonsense."
Gu Zhengchen breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems that Zhan Tong still convinced Wei Guan, and Wei Guan was also a changer. He was obviously planning to establish a government office, but he directly changed it into some kind of Four Seasons Cauldron.
Mu Ying smoothly brought over the teapot on the table and two teacups, sat down in front of Gu Zhengchen and continued: "Because of this incident, His Majesty became angry and wrote a document to order Cai, the commander of the Suzhou Guards. Ben gave me a severe reprimand, and even Chen Ning, who fanned the flames and was eccentric, was pointed at and scolded by His Majesty for a long time."
Gu Zhengchen shook his head bitterly and just scolded and cursed. Lao Zhu was too tolerant of these two people.
Mu Ying poured some tea and asked, "Have you met Zhan Tong?"
"I've seen it."
Gu Zhengchen nodded, picked up the teacup and paid homage to Muying.
Mu Ying smiled and said: "Zhan Tong has been resurrected."
"ah?"
Gu Zhengchen was a little stunned.
Mu Ying drank the herbal tea in one gulp: "There are still many etiquettes in the court that have not been finalized, because Zhan Tong is another person who knows the ancient etiquette. Your Majesty was willing to let him go, but seeing that he still had the energy to wander around, He was recruited back again, and he is still a Hanlin scholar. Now he should have received the appointment document..."
The corners of Gu Zhengchen's mouth were a little unnatural.
When people get old, let them go home to take care of themselves. You can’t drag them back to work just because you have energy after a trip to Suzhou...
It's over, it's impossible for Zhan Tong not to die in office.
This guy changed Wei Guan's fate, changed Gao Qi's fate, and changed the fate of the people of Suzhou Prefecture, but he did not change his own fate. He had to burn the last bit of light for the Ming Dynasty.
There is no way, there are too few such talents in Lao Zhu's hands. In addition, rebuilding the etiquette system is too brainy. There are too many things to sacrifice, and the rules need to be determined. So what, Lao Zhan, you can work hard for a while longer. …
Gu Zhengchen sympathized with Zhan Tong. He was just like a cow, an exhausted cow that was still working hard. This also proved from another perspective that Zhan Tong was irreplaceable and that this person was indeed talented.
Mu Ying talked about civil servants, military generals, and the sea to the Western Regions, trying to present an overall picture to Gu Zhengchen and let him know the current situation of the Ming Dynasty.
Gu Zhengchen also understood Mu Ying's intentions and listened carefully.
The two talked for a long time until very late at night.
Before dawn, the two of them had already gotten up.
Mu Ying watched Gu Zhengchen dance the sword and couldn't help but shake her head and smile bitterly: "You have been practicing this sword technique for almost a year, why don't you think of changing to another sword technique?"
Gu Zhengchen sheathed his sword and said calmly: "Sword skills are not about too much, but about finesse."
Mu Ying was speechless, you weirdo. According to Zhang Pei and others, you are even proficient in throwing swords. The technique of throwing swords is much better than the technique of practicing swords. For people like you, using a sword is an insult. You might as well switch to dart training...
Dian Mao, there is no need to deal with the paperwork, just pile it up if you are not in a hurry.
Gu Zhengchen and Mu Ying got on their horses and headed straight for Jurong Guard.
Mu Ying couldn't help but be surprised when she saw that Gu Zhengchen could rise and fall with the bumps of his horse.
Gu Zhengchen smiled at the surprised Mu Ying and said, "How about it? Do I have the potential to become a general on horseback?"
Mu Ying smiled heartily: "If you really want to become a general on horseback, Your Majesty will be even more pleased."
"Forget it, I went to the mouth of the Yangtze River. When I came back, Xiwan beat me for half my life. Now that I'm going to become a general on horseback, isn't she worried about having trouble sleeping and eating?"
Gu Zhengchen refused.
Mu Ying also knew the path Gu Zhengchen wanted to take, so she was not embarrassed. She just asked: "Are you sure that the sergeants of the Jurong Guard can defeat the sergeants of the Yulin Guard?"
Gu Zhengchen smiled faintly, urged his horse to gallop, and left a sentence that was swept into the wind: "You won't know until you fight."
