Taicang Prefecture, off the coast of Liujiagang.
The northwest wind finally blew the sails, and all preparations for sailing were ready.
Although steam ships do not need to wait for the monsoon, for an unprecedented global voyage, everyone hopes to set off with smooth winds and smooth water.
Follow nature, follow God's will, go smoothly.
This is a psychology and a way to save coal.
Shen Wei came over and said to Zheng He, who was observing the distant sea with a telescope, "It's time to start."
Zheng He nodded slightly: "Then let's get started."
Shen Wei ordered people to raise the flag.
The big treasure ship on the sea thirty feet south received the signal, and the captain Wan Qinglin shouted at the top of his lungs: "Launch!"
Fifty shirtless sergeants wearing only shorts jumped into the sea one after another, skillfully entering the water and treading water. Some sergeants directly dived into the seawater to hold their breath. They finally emerged after being suffocated.
Water-based training is essential for naval sergeants. There are countless waves and endless winds and waves on the sea. No matter how big a ship is, it is just like a grasshopper boat on the sea, swaying. If a big wind and wave hits, the ship will probably shake violently. , a sergeant who is unstable will fall into the sea.
The rule set by the Ming Dynasty Navy is that as long as the manpower on the upper deck and its backup manpower can hold on for at least half a quarter of an hour after falling into the water.
Half an hour is the line between life and death.
If you hold on for half a quarter of an hour, you may still have a chance to save him.
If people on the boat are still unable to reach out for rescue after half a quarter of an hour, it means that the situation has become too dangerous to rescue.
When you are in this situation, you can only seek happiness for yourself.
Wan Qinglin counted the time and looked nervously at the sergeant on the sea. When the time was up, he shouted: "Throw the driftwood!"
On the ship, each strong sergeant threw out the floating planks. Some planks were thrown more than ten steps away. The sergeants in the sea swam over, grabbed the planks, used the planks to return to the side of the ship, and climbed up the rope ladder to the treasure ship.
"Second group, get in the water!"
Wan Qinglin ordered again.
Fifty sergeants jumped into the water one after another. One of them lost his balance the moment he entered the water. He did not plunge into the sea water, but was half-expanded in the sea water. He fainted and sank into the sea.
Even if there is a medium-sized treasure ship under Wan Qinglin's feet, the distance from the side of the treasure ship to the sea is more than three feet high. Some timid soldiers will hesitate for a long time when they dive for the first time. If they are not kicked down by others, they will scream with gnashing teeth. Jumped down.
There is no way, if you can't overcome this difficulty, you are not qualified to sail.
Wan Qinglin did not notice this, but Mao Zhoutai, the scribe who had been observing and recording, noticed this keenly. Before he could shout, he took off his coat, turned over the side of the ship and jumped out.
Mao Zhoutai dived into the water and helped the unconscious sergeant up, and then he slowly opened his eyes.
Wan Qinglin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this.
Zheng He, who was observing from a distance, nodded repeatedly when he saw this scene and asked Shen Wei, "Who is that person?"
Shen Wei smiled and said, "Mao Zhoutai is an extraordinary scribe."
"Scribe?"
Zheng He frowned.
Shen Wei explained: "He is from the Academy of Navigation of the Imperial Academy."
Zheng He thought for a while and said, "Bring his files over."
Navy sergeants and people who sailed have corresponding files. Their origins, place of origin, experience, and family background are all clearly written down, and they are stored in the Navy Commander's Mansion in Jinling.
When Mao Zhoutai's file was delivered to Zheng He, it was already five days later. Looking through the file, Zheng He frowned.
Mao Zhoutai was from Xiangtan, Huguang. His father joined the navy in his early years and participated in the first great voyage to South America, but his father was lost in South America.
Before Zheng He's navy returned, Mao Zhoutai had entered the Imperial Academy to study at the Navigation Academy, determined to participate in the great voyage. Over the years, it has ranked among the top three in the navigation academy's assessment every year.
The Navy's assessment is that he has excellent water skills, keen insight, calmness, and courage.
After Zheng He looked at it carefully, he said to Shen Wei: "Take this person to my side and serve as deputy captain."
"ah?"
Shen Wei was a little surprised and said quickly: "This Mao Zhoutai has no experience as a captain. Besides, your deputy captain has been decided, and he is Li Yi."
Zheng He waved his hand and said firmly: "Let Li Yi be the captain. Although Mao Zhoutai does not have much experience, he has the talent to grow into a captain. Experience can be accumulated, but talent is rare. Let him Stay with me, I'm not young anymore. I'm afraid I won't have the chance to go to sea again after returning from this big voyage. There is always a need for more young captains in the Navy."
Shen Wei looked at Zheng He in surprise.
Is he looking for a successor for himself, or is he training a new generation of captains for Ming Dynasty?
Zheng He looked at the sea and fell into deep thought.
The Ming Dynasty Navy needs to accumulate more talents, younger talents.
As the first generation of voyagers, myself, Zhang Yu, Zhu Neng and others, Zhang Yu has gone, and the remaining myself and Zhu Neng will get older and older. After returning from this global voyage, my energy may not be able to adapt to the huge scale in the future. Nautical mission.
After he, Zhu Neng and other old people retire, Luo Guanying, Shen Wei, Wan Qinglin and other people will become the main force, carrying the flag of the great voyage and sailing the Ming Dynasty fleet into the deep blue.
Then after Luo Guanying and others, who will become the commander-in-chief of the Ming Navy, and who has the ability to lead the Ming Navy to conquer the sea? Mao Zhoutai, who is more than ten years younger than Luo Guanying and others, has naval blood flowing in his body, and can become the third batch of naval generals!
Zheng He must think long term.
The emperor has to consider three generations and a hundred years of sea strategy, and he needs to consider the training of the third batch of naval generals to ensure that the naval generals have enough ability to deal with various situations in the next forty years!
This was the first time for Mao Zhoutai to look at Zheng He so closely, and he couldn't hide his excitement.
Zheng He looked at the young man in front of him, looked into those bright eyes, and nodded slightly: "From today on, you will be the deputy captain of the Zheng He, assisting me in completing this global voyage."
"Vice Captain?"
Mao Zhoutai was surprised, and then declined: "With my current ability and qualifications, I am not enough to be the deputy captain."
Zheng He said resolutely: "You will know if you have tried your abilities. As for your qualifications, I will make up for it for you, and that's the deal."
Seeing what Zheng He said, Mao Zhoutai adjusted his mentality and solemnly agreed: "I will definitely live up to my expectations!"
Zheng He pointed to the sea and asked: "I heard that all the eunuchs in the Imperial College have their own ambitions. Is your ambition this sea?"
Mao Zhoutai nodded heavily: "My ambition is to bring peace to the sea and conquer all directions. I hope that one day, I can lead a fleet to become the guardian of national peace and security, and eliminate enemies who hate the Ming Dynasty one after another!"
"It takes a lot of effort to get to this point."
Zheng He's tone was very serious.
Mao Zhoutai said seriously: "Like my father, I am willing to give my life for the Ming Dynasty!"
Zheng He was very satisfied.
Influenced by Zheng He, Shen Wei, Wan Qinglin, Zhu Neng, Wang Jinghong and others also realized that this voyage would cultivate a new batch of talents, so everyone began to select the elite seedlings of the Navigation Academy and the Navy.
Regardless of whether they are entrusted with important tasks or not, without exception, they are all sergeants on the deck!
If you want to become a captain, you can't just stay in the helm. You must learn everything on the deck, observe and master how to deploy manpower, and how to deal with emergencies.
The emergence of this move means that the Ming Dynasty Navy has become more mature. It is no longer simply the use and cooperation of sergeants and tactical drills, but focuses on the future and trains generals in a step-by-step manner.
This is the ideological inertia formed from top to bottom, and it is also Zheng He's great contribution to the Navy.
Three days later, Zheng He returned to Jinling with a group of sergeants.
Zhu Di's preparations for the voyage were over, and what was left was to take inventory and look for vacancies, trying to bring back some people in the main professions, especially various craftsmen.
For safety reasons, Zhu Di is recruiting various craftsmen.
People used "redundant" preparations. At least two people of the same type of craftsmen were scattered on two boats.
Zhu Gaojiu finally used rogue means to take away several places from Zhu Gaosui and took away some beauties.
Zhu Zhanji had no intention of looking at beauties. He spent all day with Tang Saier taking inventory of goods, arranging personnel, checking supplies, boarding and disembarking ships, running from the inside of Jinling City to the outside of the city, and back again from the outside of the city. In just a few months , making Zhu Zhanji much stronger.
Tang Sai'er stood on the shore, looking at the ships not far away, and said to Zhu Zhanji: "We are about to set sail, and the emperor should be on the way here."
Zhu Zhanji put his hands on the pavilion and looked north: "According to the days, the emperor will arrive in Jinling the day after tomorrow at the latest. Unfortunately, when the emperor comes, the prince will have to stay in Beijing to supervise the country."
Tang Saier also missed Zhu Wenkui and Han Xiayu a little. Recalling every detail in the East Palace and the Imperial Palace, he always felt a little sad and sighed: "If you don't go to the Yan Kingdom in North America, you will definitely become the prince's right-hand man in the future. This Ming Dynasty also has a place for you."
Zhu Zhanji smiled calmly: "Rather than assisting the prince, I can't make up my own mind on many things. I would rather have a place where I can make the decision. To be honest, if the Ming Dynasty did not have a long voyage, I might rather be a magistrate or magistrate. Stay in the court. Although the court is good, I always feel that my hands are tied."
Tang Saier understood what Zhu Zhanji was thinking. He wanted to do something on his own.
Zhu Zhanji thought of something and said slowly: "There are so many geniuses in the Ming Dynasty. The prince will find another minister who is more capable than me."
Tang Saier smiled: "Are you talking about Yu Qian?"
Zhu Zhanji nodded solemnly: "Yu Qian has lofty ambitions and is by no means an ordinary person. As long as he does not fall in the middle and keeps his true heart, he will definitely become the first minister of the Ming Dynasty one day. Whether he is the emperor or the prince, he will be reused without fail. We need to worry about his loyalty and integrity.”
Tang Saier rolled his eyes at Zhu Zhanji and said, "That sounds a bit old-fashioned."
"Oh, this is what father said..."
"That's very well said."
Seeing Zhu Gaochi not far away, Tang Saier quickly added.
Qiu Fu came over and said to Zhu Zhanji and Tang Sai'er: "The emperor has arrived in Yangzhou and will arrive at Longjiang Pier early tomorrow morning. The prince said, don't forget what you have been entrusted to you."
"My family has influenza A and high fever. I will change it for the time being. Please forgive me."
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