Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 556 A Great Overseas Discovery! The Land Granted by Zhu Di!
What was even more unsettling was that everyone soon discovered that not only the guide's compass was malfunctioning, but the compasses carried by everyone else were also "malfunctioning".

After industrialization began, the prices of various industrial products were no longer as expensive as before.

The compass is an example of this.

To ensure absolute safety, the fleet was naturally equipped with more than one compass.

If only one compass is faulty, that could be attributed to a malfunction, but if all the compasses are malfunctioning, that's a bit alarming.

Being able to determine direction by the sun is basic common sense for going out to sea, and everyone who goes out to sea has this knowledge.

If the two don't match, there must be a problem.

"Young master, let's leave here as soon as possible." Someone was starting to have second thoughts.

“The overseas world is fraught with danger and unpredictability, and there are always many forbidden places.” Someone else chimed in, “Since the Ming Dynasty lifted the sea ban, all sorts of bizarre stories from overseas have emerged one after another.”

"Yes, it is said that there are strange and terrifying creatures overseas, as well as various natural danger zones. If you accidentally enter one, you are very likely to die on the spot."

"This place is so desolate, it's like a forbidden zone for life."

Everyone chimed in with their own words, all urging others to withdraw.

The nobleman's son also felt a strange fear. He nodded and was about to speak when he tripped over a protruding stone and fell heavily to the ground.

He took a hard fall and groaned in pain.

Upon seeing this, everyone rushed forward to help him up.

The nobleman's son braced himself on the ground with one hand and picked up the stone that had tripped him with the other. He was about to angrily throw it to vent his resentment when his movements suddenly froze.

His eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at the stone in his hand.

"Iron ore! Iron ore! This...this is iron ore, it's all iron ore!"

He screamed, his voice filled with unbelievable ecstasy.

"It's the iron ore that's causing the compass to malfunction!"

……

The iron ore brought back from Oceania, after precise testing by the Ming Academy of Sciences, was found to have an iron content as high as 65%.

What does this actually mean?

For example, even scrap iron that is already rusted only contains about 70% iron.

In other words, the iron ore from Oceania is almost as pure as pure iron, containing only trace amounts of impurities.

Even more surprisingly, some of the higher-quality ores can even reach 70% iron content.

Compared to the iron ore deposits in the Ming Dynasty's mainland, which contained only about 30% iron, the mineral deposits in Oceania were simply a gift from heaven, with unbelievably superior quality.

Such high-grade ore makes the smelting process exceptionally simple, greatly reducing production costs.

Even more excitingly, as the exploration work progressed, people discovered that the iron ore reserves there were astronomical, unimaginably abundant, and practically everywhere.

Moreover, most of them are high-quality rich mines with extremely high iron content.

As for poor ore with an iron content of 30%, it could be considered an iron mine in the Ming Dynasty, but in Oceania, it was just "dirt" that no one cared about and did not even deserve to be called an "iron mine".

That's right.

That land is just so outrageous!

At the same time, Ming Dynasty merchants were pleasantly surprised to find that, despite the vast ocean and long distances to Oceania, transporting iron ore from Oceania to steel mills along the Ming coast was more convenient, efficient, and cheaper than transporting it from the Ming inland areas, thanks to the enormous advantages of sea transport.

Following iron ore, high-quality coal mines were also discovered.

All of them are open-pit, high-quality coal mines, far superior in quality to those in the Ming Dynasty. Mining them is a hundred times easier than mining those underground mines within the Ming Dynasty, and most are located on the coast, making transportation much more convenient.

This series of discoveries ignited the burning passion of noble families and wealthy gentry to develop overseas resources.

Overnight, Oceania, a once desolate and neglected land, was transformed into a continent of wealth where countless "gold mountains" converge.

The Ming Dynasty is currently on the fast track of industrialization, and its demand for coal and iron ore is enormous.

The discovery of mineral deposits in Oceania undoubtedly provided the Ming Dynasty with an inexhaustible source of valuable raw materials for its industrialization, much like injecting a continuous stream of powerful energy into this giant ship that was moving at high speed.

Similar thrilling scenes are unfolding simultaneously in other corners of the world.

The discovery of Guano Island brought with it a massive amount of natural fertilizer.

These nutrient-rich substances were transported back to the Ming Dynasty, injecting great vitality into the empire's agricultural production and greatly increasing grain output.

Meanwhile, the shipyards of the Ming Dynasty were expanding at an astonishing rate.

Thanks to high-quality timber from Southeast Asia and the emergence of modern steel mills, the supply of timber and steel needed for shipbuilding was completely resolved. The continuous launch of new ships further stimulated the development of overseas trade, bringing more overseas materials back to the Ming Dynasty, forming a positive cycle and promoting the industrial take-off of the Ming Dynasty.

The expeditions organized by various noble families and wealthy gentry finally ushered in the long-awaited period of "rewards".

The various rare mineral deposits and precious resources discovered overseas were like an inexhaustible treasure trove, continuously being transported back to the Ming Dynasty, generating extremely high profits for these investors.

This surging tide of wealth naturally propelled the Ming Dynasty's overseas development boom to an unprecedented new climax.

Since there are abundant mineral resources from overseas, it is only natural that the resources within the Ming Dynasty's borders need to be properly protected.

After all, the development of mineral resources will inevitably cause some degree of environmental damage.

With its large population, the Ming Dynasty naturally prioritized protecting the living space and environment of its people, ensuring that they could live and work in peace and contentment amidst the green hills and clear waters.

Those "barren lands" overseas are sparsely populated, so there are basically no such concerns, and they can be developed freely.

On the other hand, the development of local resources is also subject to various other constraints.

Taking coal mining as an example, although the Ming Dynasty itself was not lacking in coal, Shanxi and other places had abundant coal reserves.

However, from a transportation perspective, Shanxi is surrounded by mountains. Even though a large number of cement roads have been built, tunnels that cross the mountains are still under construction and have not yet been fully completed.

Therefore, transporting Shanxi's coal out of the country on a large scale will undoubtedly remain fraught with difficulties.

Furthermore, many coal mines in Shanxi are not open-pit mines, but require deep underground tunnels. This type of underground mining is extremely prone to collapses and other mining accidents, and every mining operation is likely to be accompanied by blood and tears, making it a veritable "blood-stained resource."

As for the environmental damage it causes, that goes without saying.

With the abundant and high-quality coal supply from Oceania, Shanxi's coal mines no longer need to be mined on a large scale.

At the very least, this can greatly reduce mining volume, with only a small amount of shallow surface coal being mined as a supplement, while the deep underground deposits can be sealed off first.

The same applies to other resources such as iron ore and copper ore.

Zhu Yunwen quickly issued an edict that all mining operations within the Ming Dynasty should be stopped as much as possible, so as to preserve these precious natural gifts for future generations.

All mineral resources needed for the factories should be sourced from overseas as much as possible.

Of course, there are also a few resources that cannot be entirely dependent on overseas supplies.

For example, limestone and clay are needed to make cement.

Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty did not lack these resources, and through a series of strict management measures, they could minimize their environmental damage.

Today, the entire empire is immersed in a frenzied pursuit of overseas wealth, with countless ships and people surging towards the unknown distance like a tide, all for the alluring "gold" and to fulfill their burning desire for wealth and dreams.

Thanks to abundant rich iron ore and the rapidly constructed smelters, the Ming Dynasty's steel production has grown at an unprecedented pace.

In addition, the large amount of timber imported from Southeast Asia ensured a sufficient supply of wood and steel needed for shipbuilding, enabling the construction of more ships and providing a means of transportation for overseas journeys.

Fleets of ships set sail and headed to all parts of the world.

With the pioneering efforts of the earlier fleets, the later fleets had access to richer hydrological, geographical, and meteorological data, more experienced crew members, and were able to travel to more distant places.

They soon became dissatisfied with Oceania, Southeast Asia, East Asia, India, and other places, and instead headed east to more distant new continents, west to Persia and Kunlun, and even south and north along the coast of Africa to another civilized land, namely Europe.

……

地中海

After a long sea voyage lasting several years, Zhu Di's fleet finally arrived at this place.

Originally, this journey should not have taken so long, but after crossing the Western Ocean where India is located and arriving in Persia, Zhu Di discussed with his wife Xu Miaoyun and son Zhu Gaochi, and at one point had the idea of ​​settling in Persia.

Although Zhu Yunwen's imperial edict was to exile him to Europe, in reality, this place was already far from the Ming Dynasty, and its connection with the court had been severed for a long time.

The Ming Dynasty court could no longer interfere with where they went. Landing there, ceasing long voyages, and settling down in peace seemed perfectly acceptable.

In addition, the crew members were exhausted after a long voyage at sea and were tired of continuing the voyage. Zhu Di was worried that forcibly ordering them to go ashore might incite a mutiny, so he agreed to let them go ashore and find a place to live by the sea.

Because they possessed muskets and their ships were equipped with cannons, the countries in the area treated them with great "courtesy," providing them with large quantities of food and fresh water.

Although the natural environment here is relatively harsh compared to that of the Ming Dynasty, they live a fairly good life thanks to the supplies provided by the local government.

As his fame grew, his life got better and better.

Later, Zheng He's fleet arrived and unexpectedly encountered them.

Upon learning that the Ming Dynasty was accelerating its overseas expansion, Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi's deepest ambitions were rekindled.

If Zheng He was able to lead his fleet around the world, there's no reason they couldn't reach Europe.

Moreover, Persia and Europe are not far apart and are connected by land. There have long been many stories about Europe circulating here, which are fascinating to people.

Of course, they couldn't choose to travel by land; they still had to take the sea route.

Although land routes seem shorter, they cannot carry large amounts of supplies, which is a fatal weakness for a large army.

After Zheng He left, Zhu Di resolutely decided to set off again.

On the one hand, after careful analysis and judgment, they believed that Europe was more prosperous and wealthy, and therefore more suitable for living.

Not only was commerce and trade active there, but the culture was also more attractive, making it undoubtedly a better place to settle than Persia.

On the other hand, Zhu Di and his entourage were, after all, punished and demoted.

If they remain in Persia instead of heading to Europe as ordered, their whereabouts will inevitably be discovered by the court sooner or later as the Ming fleet sails out to sea more frequently. This would undoubtedly be adding insult to injury, with unimaginable consequences.

In recent years, Zhu Di's army of several hundred men has engaged in several "friendly" battles with the armies of several countries near Persia.

Having personally experienced the formidable power of the Ming army's firearms and cannons, these "peace-loving" countries and tribes all showed an extremely friendly attitude towards the Ming forces.

When they learned that Zhu Di and his entourage were about to leave, these tribes and countries saw them off with great fanfare, even filling ships of all sizes with precious supplies as parting gifts.

With these ample supplies, Zhu Di and his son Zhu Gaochi set sail once again.

They sailed south along the coastline of "Kunlun Continent" (Africa), first rounding the southernmost cape of the continent, and then turned north.

Along the way, they encountered countless tribes and countries of the "Kunlun slaves" (African natives), and made "friendly visits" to many of them.

Years later, they finally arrived at the Mediterranean Sea, between Kunlun and Europe, a sea that carries ancient civilizations and prosperous trade.

"Europe looks quite prosperous."

Zhu Gaochi stood on the high point at the bow of the ship, holding a telescope, gazing at the magnificent castles and well-arranged houses that were faintly visible on the distant mainland.

Over the past few years, he has endured countless hardships at sea, exposed to wind and sun, and the living conditions were incomparable to those in the Ming Dynasty.

His once obese body has now successfully slimmed down, no longer as bloated and fat as before, but instead has become more muscular, darker, and healthier.

It must be said that the thick layer of fat on his body played an unexpected role during the arduous voyage, helping him resist the onslaught of disease on several occasions.

If he had been very thin, he probably would have died during the long journey.

"They probably won't let outsiders like us live on the shore," Xu Miaoyun said with some concern.

"Hahaha!" Zhu Gaochi laughed loudly, "This is the land granted to us by the Ming Dynasty. They are all our subjects. How dare they prevent us from landing?"

……

(End of this chapter)