Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 379 The Qi Family Army is terrifying? Your Majesty should give them silver!
The conversation lasted for nearly an hour. Only when Yang Jishi came to urge him did Zhang Rong reluctantly get up and leave, grumbling all the while.

"Take good care of yourself, brother."

Qi Jiguang bowed and said goodbye.

"go Go!"

Zhang Rong was somewhat agitated and uneasy.

He was clearly very dissatisfied with his life at the clinic.

Seeing Qi Jiguang's departing figure, Zhang Rong couldn't help but feel some resentment.

"Being alone in this clinic again, the days are really hard to bear~"

Zhang Yuanhao stepped forward and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, offering a reminder.

"Father, please don't be impatient. This illness requires rest and recuperation. It's not too late to go out after you've recovered in a while."

The generals of the Five Military Commands, and the soldiers of the Beijing Garrison, are all worried about their father and long for his return.

Zhang Rong's eyes grew increasingly deep, and he sighed as he spoke.

"The matter of the military camp is indeed urgent."

"Father, what do you mean?" Zhang Yuanhao was quite puzzled.

Zhang Rong then waved to him and said.

"Hao'er, come in with me. It's just the two of us. I have some things to tell you."

Zhang Yuanhao glanced at Yang Jishi behind him, his face full of doubt. Why did his father suddenly want to talk to him alone?
Zhang Rong was an impatient person. After walking several steps, he realized that Zhang Yuanhao had not followed, and he couldn't help but say something with some annoyance.

"You little rascal, what's with the way you're taking your time? Are you waiting until I'm on my deathbed?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanhao seemed to suddenly realize something, and hurriedly bowed and cupped his hands, his body even trembling slightly.

"My child understands."

Since the beginning of the first month of the lunar calendar, quite a few things have happened in the imperial court.

At the end of last year, Altan Khan, the leader of the Tumed Mongols in the north, passed away. In February, the court issued an edict to hold a memorial service.

The death of Anda Khan was a crucial turning point. Since being granted the title of "King of Shunyi" in the fifth year of the Longqing reign, the Ming Dynasty and the Tumed tribe had enjoyed peace for nearly ten years.

During this period, the imperial court even established Guihua City and conducted border trade with the Tumed tribe.

In the sixth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Altan Khan converted to Tibetan Buddhism, and from then on, Buddhism began to spread widely among the Mongol tribes.

It can be said that Altan Khan repeatedly harassed the borders of the Ming Dynasty in the first half of his life, but in the second half of his life, he did indeed contribute to the peace between the Ming and the Mongols.

The news of Altan Khan's death caused considerable anxiety in the court.

After all, no one knows whether Anda Khan's successor will continue his previous policies.

After learning of Altan Khan's death, the court quickly confirmed that his eldest son, Qiqingha, would inherit the title of "Prince of Shunyi," and border trade between the Ming and the Mongols continued uninterrupted.

However, Altan Khan's death still had an impact. The northern Mongol tribes were no longer a monolithic entity, and there were also various Jurchen tribes in the northeast. Even though Li Chengliang was suppressing them, they were showing signs of rising again.

Looking south, the Burmese Pacification Commission appears to be subservient, but it has gradually broken away from the control of the imperial court and has even repeatedly harassed the Yunnan border.

For the Ming Dynasty, this was not a year of great crisis, but crises were lurking everywhere.

The task of developing a new army was entirely entrusted to Qi Jiguang.

It wasn't that Zhang Yunxiu lacked confidence; it was just that even if he possessed knowledge from later generations, trying to train troops in front of Qi Jiguang was like showing off one's skills in front of Guan Yu.

He adheres to the principle that professional matters should be left to professionals.

The Zhangjiawan area of ​​Tongzhou.

The Jin Dynasty used this place to train its navy, and during the Ming Dynasty, the imperial navy often conducted offensive and defensive exercises here.

The weather was fine today, and Qi Jiguang ordered his personal guards to block off this section of the river, leaving only a few dozen ships behind.

The ships were lined up in a row, their banners fluttering in the wind.

During this exercise, Qi Jiguang led three hundred veterans and piloted three warships, which appeared quite small compared to the ten Fujian ships.

After the battle formation was set up, Emperor Wanli, who was watching the drill from outside, couldn't help but scoff.

"What's the point of training like this? Ten Fujian ships attacking these three small boats is no less than ten adults beating up a child. It's just bullying."

General Qi may be renowned for his bravery, but for him to achieve victory is still a pipe dream.

Zhang Yunxiu, also holding a telescope, watched every movement on the river, shook his head, and said to Emperor Wanli.

"Your Majesty speaks too soon. There are countless examples of the few defeating the many on the battlefield. The Japanese pirates have repeatedly harassed our borders with only dozens or hundreds of men, yet they have managed to rout a thousand-strong army."

A large army may seem formidable, but without effective tactics and strategies, and if the soldiers lack morale and fighting spirit, even a numerical advantage of a hundred or a thousand times is futile.

The Wanli Emperor, however, seemed unconvinced.

"Are all the soldiers in my Divine Machine Battalion Navy just good-for-nothings? These are the elite troops of the capital!"

He immediately took out five hundred taels of silver from his waist and slammed it on the table, saying...

"I bet five hundred taels of silver that the Divine Machine Battalion's navy will win this battle."

Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but feel helpless.

If the Shenji Battalion were truly effective, Emperor Chongzhen wouldn't have needed to hang himself from the crooked tree. In fact, by the Wanli era, the Shenji Battalion was already bloated and inefficient, like a huge balloon that looked intimidating but could be easily burst in actual combat.

Many civil and military officials in the court knew this, but Emperor Wanli, the fool, still thought that the Shenji Battalion was exceptionally powerful.

Zhang Yunxiu also bid 500 taels of silver.

"Since Your Majesty wishes to gamble, then I will gladly oblige."

He wasn't worried about the money, but he was afraid that if the "miser" Zhu Yijun lost five hundred taels of silver for nothing, he would be heartbroken.

"Helper, hold steady! Full speed ahead!"

In the blink of an eye, with Qi Jiguang's shouts from the river, the two sides had already drawn up their battle lines.

Today the weather is sunny and the wind direction is good, making it a perfect time for water-based exercises.

On the Shenji Camp side, they were naturally not to be outdone.

Li Rusong is currently the Right Deputy General of the Shenji Battalion and also in charge of the navy. Although he is still young, he is familiar with military affairs. He has been fighting alongside his father, Li Chengliang, since he was a child, and he is not afraid of naval battles at all.

"Swish the blue flags to the left and right! Support our left wing to flank! Right wing to intercept the rear!"

With his decisive and forceful command, the Fujian-style boats on the river set sail, using their massive size to press closer and closer to Qi Jiguang's three ships, determined to trap and kill them.

But Qi Jiguang was not intimidated at all, facing the onrushing warships.

he shouted.

"Stabilize the ship! Level the cannons! Fire!"

These three hundred men were all veterans of Qi Jiguang's army. With months of sea training, they were already exceptionally skilled in various tactics. In addition, their warships were much more agile than the Fujian ships, easily dodging the Shenji Battalion's cannon fire and quickly stabilizing their hulls. With a loud "bang," the breech-loading cannons on the ship suddenly opened fire, and the cannonballs cut through a perfect arc, landing accurately on the deck of the nearest Fujian ship.

"not good!"

Li Rusong shouted, but it was too late. The specially made shell did not penetrate the deck after it hit it, but exploded, and red powder immediately filled the entire deck.

In an instant, one of Li Rusong's Fujian ships was stained with a large area of ​​red.

Live ammunition cannot be used during the drills.

For this exercise, Nishiyama specially developed this kind of exercise shell, which will explode immediately upon contact with the ship's hull, and the red powder inside will directly mark the ship's hull.

Of course, with the current technology of the Ming Dynasty, it is still somewhat difficult to manufacture cannonballs that are just right and do not damage the hull.

However, this method has already minimized the losses from the exercise.

Seeing his own cannonballs falling into the water one after another, while Qi Jiguang's cannonballs were incredibly accurate, Li Rusong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

The exercise was agreed upon beforehand, and a designated area was marked on the ship. If a critical part of the ship was hit, the crew had to voluntarily withdraw from the battlefield.

After this ordeal, Li Rusong not only failed to fire upon the enemy, but also lost two Fujian ships. How could he possibly tolerate this?

He was an impatient man after all, and could not stand it any longer, so he gave the order.

"Point the red flag! All ships fire simultaneously! Make sure to sink at least one enemy warship first."

Li Rusong regretted it after giving the order.

This is just an exercise, and the opponent is Qi Jiguang. If my reckless volley hits Qi Jiguang or accidentally sinks a ship, how can I explain it to Emperor Wanli?

But just as he was about to rescind the order, the situation at sea nearly made his jaw drop.
Qi Jiguang's three ships suddenly turned full speed ahead and headed towards the nearby Fujian ship. The three ships moved like fish in water, maneuvering and turning on the river.

The accuracy of artillery fire is inherently limited, and with most of the cannons reduced during the exercise, even with eight ships firing simultaneously, not a single shot hit the target, and the best chance was merely a narrow miss.

During this time, they even nearly hit their own ship.

"These three hundred men are all elites!"

Li Rusong couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Having been on the battlefield for many years, he could naturally tell that the warships led by these three hundred men seemed to be moving on their own.

This level of skill and coordination is something that can never be compared to their daily practice on the river.

Not to mention the accuracy of naval artillery fire, the difference is simply worlds apart.

But he didn't dwell on it for long before he immediately noticed something was wrong through the telescope.

"Not good! Order the left-hand ship to turn around immediately, and all ships to cease fire!"

However, it was too late. Amidst the agile maneuvering of Qi Jiguang's three warships, the sailors on each of the Fujian ships were already bloodthirsty, firing recklessly in an attempt to gain any advantage.

However, Qi Jiguang's fleet was too agile. It even turned around in front of the left-hand ship of the Fujian fleet, dodging the original cannon fire and directly flanking from behind.

"Bang bang bang!"

A dozen loud explosions followed, and the Fujian ship on the left, which was blocking their way, was riddled with holes by its own side.

At this point, there was almost no suspense left on the battlefield.

Qi Jiguang's three warships were exceptionally agile, giving the Shenji Battalion almost no chance. In the final three-on-three confrontation, Qi Jiguang even abandoned the advantage of long-range artillery fire and directly approached the enemy.

Three hundred soldiers from Qi Jiguang's army approached the flagship of the Shenji Camp navy using grappling hooks and captured Li Rusong alive on the flagship.

After two hours, this grand water exercise finally came to an end.

On the riverbank, Qi Jiguang and Li Rusong arrived in a small boat to pay their respects to the Wanli Emperor.

Li Rusong was covered in rouge, looking as if he had been through a bloody battle. His face was filled with grief, indignation, and regret. As soon as he saw the emperor, he hurriedly knelt down and said...

"Your subject Li Rusong pays his respects to Your Majesty! In this battle, Junior Protector Qi was brave and skillful in battle, and I am completely convinced of my defeat."

Emperor Wanli was still reeling from the defeat. He couldn't believe that with ten warships against three, and two thousand men against three hundred, how could the battle have turned out like this when he clearly had the advantage?
"You... Li Zimou, you idiot! You're far inferior to your father! I trusted you so much! Is this how you repay me? Give me back my money!"

If Zhang Yunxiu hadn't stopped him, Emperor Wanli probably would have gone up and punched him.

Li Rusong was terrified. He thought it was just a normal drill, and the emperor shouldn't be so angry.

He quickly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.

"Your Majesty, I am of limited talent and learning, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

"A fool has ruined me! A fool has ruined me!"

The thought of those five hundred taels of silver made Emperor Wanli's heart bleed; he clutched his chest as if he were about to faint.

The Wanli Emperor was furious that his proud Shenji Battalion had been so thoroughly humiliated, with five hundred taels of silver going down the drain.

Li Rusong looked extremely uneasy, unaware that the Wanli Emperor cared so much about the outcome of this battle.

Qi Jiguang glanced at Zhang Yunxiu beside him and was speechless. Why was this brat secretly pleased with himself? Was winning the emperor's silver really such a satisfying thing?
Ignorance is bliss; Zhang Yunxiu's actions will surely cause trouble.

Qi Jiguang quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Please don't blame Your Majesty. The Shenji Battalion has been corrupt for a long time, and it's not solely Li's fault. Besides, Li has only been in charge of the Shenji Battalion for half a year since last year. It's already quite remarkable that he has managed to train the navy to this extent."

He was telling the truth; the fighting power displayed by the Shenji Battalion had far exceeded Qi Jiguang's expectations.

Those Fujian-style ships looked impressive, each one tall and imposing, but only those in the know understood that these ships were probably older than anyone present.

There was even one that had been passed down from his ancestors since the Yongle era, and had been repeatedly repaired and patched up over time.

These old-fashioned ships, even with the same cannons, had no advantage over Qi Jiguang's three improved ships.

Not to mention the combat experience and skills of the three hundred men under Qi Jiguang's command.

Li Rusong, standing to the side, bowed and said with emotion, "Your Majesty, it is not that I am trying to shirk responsibility, but the elite of the Qi Family Army far exceeded our expectations, and Qi Shaobao's tactics were also breathtaking. The failure in this battle is my fault, but the enemy's strength and bravery also played a part."

Emperor Wanli glanced at the other party, then at Qi Jiguang, and his anger subsided.

After all, it wasn't foreigners who lost, but our own people. Besides, Qi Jiguang was experienced in naval warfare, so there's nothing to criticize about Li Rusong.

The Wanli Emperor nodded slightly and said, "Rise."

Li Rusong felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly got up to express his gratitude.

After Li Rusong hurriedly withdrew, the Wanli Emperor shook his head and said with emotion, "In the past, Shiyuan, you suggested to me that Qi Shaobao go overseas. I thought it was a joke or a way to make some money. Today, I have never expected to see such a sight. If the navy of my Great Ming can be so brave, why should we worry about Japanese pirates causing trouble or Portuguese people bullying us overseas?"

Zhang Yunxiu was speechless. He had jokingly suggested that Qi Jiguang become the "Pirate King," but the Wanli Emperor had actually taken it seriously.
He cupped his hands in greeting and said.

"Your Majesty, maintaining a navy is no easy task. Not only do ships cost money, but firearms also cost money. If you want a high-quality navy, you absolutely need money, provisions, and military pay."

Today's drill, besides showing the emperor the broad prospects for naval development, is more importantly a way to get money from the emperor.

We can't expect Xishan to pay for everything, can we?
The imperial court allocates some of the funds and provisions for this naval force, and naturally, the imperial treasury also needs to allocate some.

The smile on Emperor Wanli's face froze instantly.

(End of this chapter)