Duke Cheng Guo asked his nephew Zhu Qian to replace him, and went to Shuntian Mansion to check the incomplete treasure ship on the grounds that the Fifth Army Commander's Mansion was checking the armaments of Shuntian Mansion.
The Qianqing Palace is very lively these days.
Zhu Jianshen kept his promise and called the assassins represented by Wang Wen and Shang Ren to the Palace of Qianqing one by one.
No matter who comes, Xu Youzhen and Cao Jixiang will be present.
Zhu Jianshen proposed to let Cao Jixiang go to sea. Whenever anyone showed signs of dissatisfaction, Xu Youzhen would go up and complain.
Since Xu Youzhen won the battle with Yang Shan in the court and ended with a pear tree crushing a begonia, the officials who were not on good terms with Xu Youzhen gave him the nickname Xu Mad Dog, which means, Bite whoever you catch, and don't let go.
This nickname also scares a large number of Qingliu officials.
He was afraid that he would offend Xu Youzhen and end up with a discredited reputation.
Even the assistant ministers of the cabinet and the six ministers and ministers were very afraid of Xu Youzhen.
Zhu Jianshen and Xu Youzhen had a good cooperation.
Zhu Jianshen is soft, Xu Youzhen is hard.
Wang Wen and others fell one by one.
Because in their opinion, Yu Qian, Li Xian, and the two leaders had nothing to say, and they had no reason to stop them.
To deal with these people, Zhu Jianshen repeatedly used filial piety to block their objections. The little emperor followed Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Taizongwen and paid them the highest respect. What else can you say? Even Yu Qian lost. On top of this.
And when the imperial prelude is right, it is obvious that he wants to bully others. Except for himself, the entire palace is full of Zhu Jianshen's people.
Although it has not been made public in the court, everyone in the court knows that His Majesty wants Cao Jixiang to go to sea.
And Cao Jixiang stayed in Qianqing Palace for several days, and he was sure in his heart that he didn't run away.
If it is fast, we will go to sea this year; if it is slow, we will go to sea next year.
Anyway, the outcome is already decided.
Zhu Jianshen also summoned Jiang Yuan, Minister of Industry, to inquire about the Longjiang Treasure Ship Company.
Jiang Yuan and Wang Wen both came to prominence in the battle to defend Beijing, and they still had a lot of competition for the position of Minister of War.
However, he was defeated by Wang Wen and was promoted to minister of the Ministry of Industry.
Because Zhu Jianshen had already created momentum, Jiang Yuan also knew why His Majesty summoned him.
Before he came to Qianqing Palace, he had already investigated many shipping companies in Shuntian Prefecture, Fujian, and Shanghai County, and read all the official documents in advance.
"Jiang Shangshu, I want to know something about Longjiang Treasure Ship Company." Zhu Jianshen looked at Jiang Yuan and said slowly.
Among so many important officials, Jiang Yuan was the first official to support him without being threatened, so this made Zhu Jianshen take a liking to him.
He didn't know much about Jiang Yuan, he had only heard of the name. Because of his personality, he couldn't get along with Shang Ren, Wang Wen and others.
Commonly known as being unsociable.
"Your Majesty, the Longjiang Treasure Ship Division actually does not have the word "treasure ship". His name is Longjiang Ship Division. It was officially put into use in the 18th year of Hongwu to repair naval warships. The Ministry of Industry dispatched a fifth-grade doctor, Yuanwailang, chief supervisor, and assistant worker. There were more than 800 shipowners including commanders and other highly skilled shipwrights from all over the world. During the Yongle period, the company built Zheng He’s treasure ship for his voyages to the West, so most people think of the Longjiang Shipyard as the Longjiang Treasure Shipyard.”
After hearing Jiang Yuan's words, Xu Youzhen raised her brows. His Majesty asked you about the situation. Can you just tell me about the situation? Why are you struggling with those two words? This guy is stubborn. You should stay away from him in the future...
Zhu Jianshen nodded, not caring about Jiang Yuan correcting the mistakes in his words.
"Now if we want to build a treasure ship for a long voyage, how long will it take from scratch?"
"Your Majesty, there is no need to build it. There is an unfinished treasure ship in the shipyard."
"Is half a year enough for the treasure ship to enter the sea?" Zhu Jianshen was a little excited. It seemed that his grandfather still left good things for his good saint grandson.
Seeing His Majesty happy, Xu Youzhen felt happy in her heart, while Cao Jixiang sighed in his heart. It seemed that he had been very busy in the past six months.
But Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "No."
The smile on Zhu Jianshen's face instantly faded. Why was this guy gasping for air when he spoke? It turns out that all unsociability has a reason. There is no love without reason, and there is no hatred without reason...
"Why?"
"Because the shipyard has not built ships for decades, most of the shipwrights have been transferred back to their place of origin. There were originally more than 2,000 shipwrights, but now there are less than 200."
The Longjiang Treasure Ship Company once had a great time, but during the Zhengtong Period, the imperial court completely implemented the sea ban policy. Whether it was official or private, it really stopped going to the sea. The Longjiang Treasure Ship Company gradually became less important, and the boatmen Their lives are not guaranteed, and some have changed their household registration, switched to other professions, and some have returned directly to their hometowns.
After Zhu Jianshen heard this, he felt a little bitter in his heart. These boatmen were the wealth of the Ming Empire, and they could not be exchanged for any amount of money.
It was reduced to the point where there was no work to do. These were all losses to Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Jian sighed deeply and said, "How long will it take to get the boatmen back?"
"Half a year."
“How long does it take to complete the finishing touches.”
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know how to build ships..."
Xu Youzhen, Cao Jixiang, and Zhang Bao were stunned when they heard these conversations between Zhu Jianshen and Jiang Yuan.
How can you still say this when talking to His Majesty? Are you coaxing a child?
After Zhu Jianshen heard this, he did not get angry, but laughed out loud: "Jiang Shangshu, you are really funny."
"Your Majesty, I am not funny, I am very rigid."
Zhu Jianshen nodded: "Being old-fashioned and funny, Cao Jixiang will supervise this matter together with you. The quality of the ships must be guaranteed..."
"Your Majesty, this matter is difficult to handle." Jiang Yuan continued.
"Why?" This was already the third why Zhu Jianshen asked.
"Most of the boatmen were heartbroken by Longjiang Shipping Company, and they are afraid that if they go to find them now, they won't be willing to go back."
Zhu Jianshen narrowed his eyes: "Then what should we do?"
Jiang Yuan's face became serious, and he started the highlight of the day.
"Your Majesty, I believe that in order for the boatmen to return to the Longjiang Shipyard, we must ensure the boatmen's livelihood. To ensure the boatmen's livelihood, we need to keep the shipyard busy. If your Majesty can issue an order to allow the Ming Dynasty Navy to replace its warships, If a part of the warships are handed over to Longjiang Shipping Company, then I can guarantee that Longjiang Shipping Company will be operational within half a year."
After hearing Jiang Yuan's words, Zhu Jianshen instantly became interested.
This is to pull orders.
And Zhu Jian took a deep look at Jiang Yuan, this person is not simple...
There were many official shipbuilding places in the Ming Dynasty, but there were not many places where treasure ships could be built.
Longjiang shipping companies all have ports leading to Longjiang. When building the ship, all the water is removed and the lock gate is closed. After the ship is built, the lock is opened to let in water, and then the hull floats and enters the river along the current.
In addition, Shuntian Fuzhong has a canopy factory that makes sailing awnings. It also has seven workshops including a joinery workshop, a paint workshop, a twisting workshop, an iron workshop, a canopy workshop, a rope workshop, and a cable workshop, as well as a material shop.
Treasure ship.
The treasure-carrying ship is also called Zheng He's treasure ship.
It is the pinnacle masterpiece of Ming Dynasty shipbuilding technology and the largest sailing ship in the world. It is 44 feet long and 18 feet wide (150 meters long and 51 meters wide). It has a displacement of 2,500 tons, with hard sails and rotating oars as power. When the wind is favorable, the sails are used; when the wind is contrary, the sailor rows the boat, which has a deep draft and the ability to sail long distances.
Columbus's little toys pale in comparison to the Ming Dynasty's treasure ships.
The current period that Zhu Jianshen is living in is the downturn of the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding industry.
There were two peak periods of shipbuilding in the Ming Dynasty. One was the shipbuilding craze in the Yongle period, and the second was the large-scale shipbuilding in the Jiajing period to deal with Japanese pirates. However, the ships were not as grand and powerful as those in the Yongle period.
It can be said that it is on the decline, and the biggest reason is the downturn in shipbuilding from the Zhengtong period to the Zhengde period.
Xu Youzhen had long been unhappy with Jiang Yuan.
"Jiang Shangshu, are you bargaining?"
Jiang Yuan glanced at Xu Youzhen and said, "What the Censor of Xudu said is wrong. I am only giving advice to Your Majesty. Only in this way can we build large-scale long-distance ships." ŴŴŴ.BiQuGe.Biz
"But now His Majesty wants a treasure ship. Other medium-sized ships can be deployed from the navy, but he has not thought about how to save Longjiang Ship Company." Xu Youzhen said slowly.
Biquge
