Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 103 Ambition to Navigate the World, Signal Towers Built in the Harbor

There are so many coastal areas in the Ming Dynasty, and Xunzhou is remote and plagued by miasma. The fourth prince went there, wasn't his purpose to visit the surrounding foreign lands?

However, the success of a voyage also depends on his ability, since Zheng He spent a lot of money on each voyage.

If the accounts here aren't kept clear, it could lead to a complete loss of funds, causing disaster for the entire Xunzhou.

Moreover, the winds and waves at sea are beyond human control; it's all up to fate.

Zhu Gaochi pretended not to know anything, but he wasn't in a hurry either. He just wanted to see what his father's attitude was.

It's impossible for him not to worry about his son.

However, the relationship between the father and son in the imperial family is complex and their thoughts are intricate.

"Ah, the sea is wonderful. It's good to go out to sea."

Zhu Di was no longer bothered by his eldest son's feigned ignorance.

His mind was focused on the fourth son's maritime development.

Having seen so much, we know that the fourth brother is capable; it seems there's nothing he can't do if he sets his mind to it. So, he should be able to make it to the sea as well, right?
Zhu Di also wanted to develop the sea, expand the territory, and demonstrate his rule and the glory of the Ming Dynasty to the world.

These dreams are too far-fetched and too grand, so much so that every time HNA is considered, the boss scolds him for wasting money and causing trouble.

I never expected the fourth brother to understand me so well!

[Zhongzu had planned his maritime endeavors for many years. He once said, "A man's ambition lies in the four corners of the world; only by conquering the seas can one conquer the vast land."]

Therefore, Emperor Zhongzu did not want the throne, nor the position of his nephew. He wanted to guard the nation's borders, the maritime borders, for the sake of the emperor.

We must expand the territory of the Ming Dynasty. The lands at sea are also territory.

Tianmu's powerful words brought tears to Zhu Di's eyes.

They're being petty!

They're all petty people with malicious intentions!

The fourth prince's heart wasn't set on the throne, but on the world of the Ming Dynasty!

The voyage was not for momentary pleasure, but to enhance the prestige of the Ming Dynasty!
[We'll talk about the voyage later. Please don't mind me always saying "later," because there are just too many stories to tell about Xunzhou, truly too many to recount.]

Let's return to the harbor's mirage. This place is large enough to accommodate hundreds of fishing boats. When a storm comes, Xunzhou will open all the docks in the mirage to provide shelter for nearby fishing boats and merchant ships.

This is benevolent governance.

[The seascape also serves as a lookout point for maritime safety, as it houses the tallest building on Xunzhou Island: a watchtower.]

Zhu Di was not surprised by the sight of the beacon tower-like structure on the screen.

It's just built a bit taller!

Indeed, this watchtower could see far out to sea, and if any enemy attacked, it could be detected immediately.

As soon as the signal fire is lit, the entire city will know!
That fourth son of mine is quite capable. No wonder he's my son!
Besides providing a view of the sea, the observation tower also served as Xunzhou's earliest wireless signal tower.

Ok?
Zhu Di was happy just now, but now he sees Zhu Gaoshuo concocting some incomprehensible nonsense for him.

This beacon tower has absolutely nothing to do with the pagoda, right?

After the wireless signal tower was built on Xunzhou Island, news from Xunzhou Harbor could be received from the Prince Qi's Mansion.

Because the wireless tower is the tallest building in Xunzhou, the signal strength is good and the coverage distance is long.

In short, signals sent from Xunzhou Harbor can still be received on Dongwen Island!

Dongwen Island, Zhu Di remembered. It was a small island within Xunzhou, originally uninhabited, but people were exiled there a few years ago.

It would take that ship two days to reach the mainland of Xunzhou.

How could such a signal travel so far?

Could it be some kind of powerful signal fire? [Initially, the transmission and reception of wireless signals were used solely for political and military purposes. Primarily, it was used by the Chinese emperor to contact important government offices.]

For example, at Xunzhou Harbor, daily sea conditions were reported via radio. In the event of a sudden storm, or the presence of pirates or sea bandits, a signal had to be immediately sent to the relevant government office.

[A storm is a natural disaster. Xunzhou has a Natural Disaster Emergency Management Department, which, upon receiving radio signals, will arrange evacuation and shelter according to pre-established plans.]

This system is still in use today. It has saved many happy families.

One year, Xunzhou was hit by a sudden sea storm, with towering waves reaching hundreds of meters high.

Under the towering waves, the residents of Xunzhou took refuge in safe shelters. After the floodwaters receded, life returned to normal in an orderly manner.

Without early warning mechanisms, a massive wave would have swept away countless people, not to mention the collapsed buildings and property damage.

The responsibilities of the Department of Natural Disaster Emergency Management extend beyond ocean waves; they also include weather forecasting, seasonal announcements, and water volume estimation.

With these, farming activities in the fields will no longer be delayed.

If a drought year was predicted, Prince Qi would allocate subsidies and divert water from farmland to prevent crop failure.

If Zhu Gaochi hadn't been there, Zhu Di would definitely have jumped up again.

But he has to maintain a certain composure.

This fourth brother, this so-called Natural Disaster Emergency Management Department, is a good thing!
Although the Ming Dynasty also had similar institutions, they were practically useless.

It may still have some use for the imperial family, but for ordinary people, it is only good for making an annual calendar.

"Boss, how many natural disasters have occurred in our territory?"

Zhu Gaochi was alarmed by Zhu Di's problem.

"Natural disasters vary in severity and have not been uniformly calculated. Our Great Ming Dynasty has a vast territory..."

"Alright, alright, if you don't know, just say you don't know."

Zhu Di didn't want to listen to Zhu Gaochi's nonsense.

He knew in his heart that some disasters were concealed by local authorities, while others were reported again and again at each level of government.

The memorials to the emperor would inevitably take some time to arrive on their way.

By the time the memorial reached the capital, the situation regarding the disaster had changed.

In some places, locust plagues can devour all the crops in the fields in just two or three days.

However, after two or three days, the memorial still hadn't reached his desk.

Should we send more officials to control the locusts?
It's even later than mending the fence after the sheep are lost.

Every year we talk about controlling locusts, but locust plagues still come when they're meant to.

The people had no food, and the government had no tax revenue.

The imperial court will have a hard time.

It would be better if everyone did their job like the fourth brother, so that everyone could live a peaceful life.

"I didn't know this thing called a wireless signal would take several days to be delivered from Xunzhou to the capital."

Zhu Di's casual remark startled Zhu Gaochi.

Judging from the projection on the screen, the watchtower detected a storm at sea, which was already approaching Xunzhou.

It took only about an hour for the storm to sweep across Xunzhou.

This one-hour window is not only sufficient for communication, but also for the people to take refuge in a unified manner. If this power were used for military and political affairs, it would be extraordinary.

(End of this chapter)