Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 242 I'd rather have a thousand tigers and wolves than ten thousand sheep

Inside the Ningbo headquarters, the secret discussions were finalized, and the general outline was presented.

"Qin Qing." Zhu Youjian's gaze fell once more on the female general, whose hair and beard were already streaked with silver, but whose spirit remained vigorous. "The position of Commander-in-Chief of Military Affairs along the Southeast Coast is of utmost importance, concerning the cornerstone of the nation's southeastern land defense. I know of your loyalty and bravery, but before the troops can move, supplies must be secured. You will immediately take command of the garrisons in the coastal provinces, rectify military discipline, and audit troop numbers."

I have ordered the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to prioritize your needs. As for the 'Southeast Sea Marine Corps,' recruitment can continue unimpeded. I have only one requirement: quality over quantity. I would rather have a thousand tigers and wolves than ten thousand sheep!

Qin Liangyu spent her life on the military and valued military orders above all else.

Upon hearing this, he stepped forward resolutely, his armor clanging loudly: "Your Majesty's trust is heavier than Mount Tai! I will go forth and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's expectations! I will reorganize the land forces, train a new army, and sweep away all evil spirits on land for Your Majesty, so that the royal army may set sail!"

After saying that, she turned and left, swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Zhu Youjian nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Tian Ergeng, his eyes instantly shifting from gentle to icy cold. "Tian Ergeng."

"Your subject is here!" Upon hearing this, Tian Ergeng felt a chill run down his spine and bowed in response.

"How's the matter I asked you to handle?"

"Your Majesty, in Southern Zhili and the Jiangnan region, officials and gentry are deeply entrenched in collusion. After several days of investigation, I have apprehended a number of the most heinous ringleaders. However... their associates are numerous and their connections are far-reaching. If we were to pursue them all, I fear... it might destabilize the region."

Even Tian Ergeng was somewhat worried, as the scope of the matter was unprecedented!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian's lips curled into a cold smile:

"Shake? I think it's them who have shaken my empire! I gave them opportunities by setting up tax supervisors and clearing land. How did they repay me? They paid lip service to me, incited unrest, and even... hoped that I would compromise with them as the previous dynasty did!"

He paced back and forth a few steps, his voice growing increasingly cold and distant.

"I am utterly disappointed in them! They read the classics, yet act like beasts! They enjoy the court's salary, yet undermine the nation's foundation! They are full of knowledge, yet have not a shred of loyalty to the emperor or love for their country! I gave them dignity, but they refused it, so don't blame me for being ruthless."

Even… I had thought they still had some backbone, daring to emulate the former officials of the Jianwen Emperor during the Jingnan Rebellion, or the likes of An Lushan during the Tang Dynasty, to raise an army in rebellion and confront me squarely. Alas… they didn't even have the guts to rebel! A bunch of cowards, national rats, only capable of scheming behind the scenes!”

Upon hearing this, both Bi Ziyan and Tian Ergeng broke out in a cold sweat. The emperor's disgust and murderous intent towards the officials and gentry of Jiangnan were already evident in his words.

"But..." Zhu Youjian changed the subject, his eyes flashing even colder, "If they think that I will let them go just because they don't rebel, they are being far too naive! Since they have defied imperial orders, refused to pay taxes and grain all these years; since they have seized fertile land, forced women into slavery, and murdered people for money, they have probably committed every crime listed in the Great Ming Code, haven't they?"

Tian Ergeng hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the number of those whose crimes are irrefutable is countless!"

"Good!" Zhu Youjian slammed his hand on the table.
"A country has its laws, and a family has its rules! It is already a great favor that I have not implicated them for 'treason'! Then let's arrest them according to the law and handle the matter according to the law! Tian Ergeng, I order you to continue to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Beijing Garrison, together with the Xuanda Cavalry, to carry out a great purge in Southern Zhili and Jiangnan!"

Anyone found guilty, regardless of their official rank or family background, shall be arrested, their property confiscated, and handed over to the three judicial departments for joint trial! I want the whole world to see what the consequences are for resisting the law and competing with the state for profit! I want to bring a clear and bright sky to the land south of the Yangtze!

"Your subject... obeys the decree!" Tian Ergeng was deeply shaken.

After the two men left to carry out their orders, only Bi Ziyan and Zheng Zhilong remained in the camp.

Zhu Youjian's face returned to calm, as if his thunderous rage had never occurred.

He turned to Wang Chengen and calmly ordered, "Bring the meal, some simple wine and dishes."

Then, he turned to Bi Ziyan and Zheng Zhilong, and said with a gentle smile, "Minister Bi, Minister Zheng, please sit. I have ordered a meal to be prepared. Let's eat and talk today. Let's talk about the foundation of our Great Ming Navy—shipbuilding!"

A few simple dishes were served, and the emperor and his ministers sat facing each other.

Bi Ziyan sat upright and solemnly, while Zheng Zhilong's heart was in turmoil.

"Zheng Zhilong," Zhu Youjian casually asked, picking up a bite of food, "you have traversed the seas for many years and have extensive knowledge. Tell me, in today's world, which ship is the most prestigious at sea? And which is stronger, artillery or weaponry?"

Zheng Zhilong dared not be negligent, and quickly put down his chopsticks, replying respectfully:
"Your Majesty, I have been at sea for many years and have seen many kinds of ships. Our Ming Dynasty's Fujian ships are tall as buildings, with a deep draft, good for long-distance sailing, and have the advantage of watertight compartments, making them extremely sturdy. However, they are not good against headwinds and are somewhat slow to turn."

The ships of the Dutch and Portuguese were mostly galleons. These ships were long and narrow, with a deep draft and a low bow, which facilitated firing cannons. Their sails were also well-made, making them far superior to the ships of the Ming Dynasty in their ability to sail against the wind. In terms of firepower, Western cannons were of superior quality, with greater range and power. The English and Dutch were particularly adept at this.

After a moment's thought, he added:

"As far as I know, England has recently built a new ship called the 'Sea Monarch,' which is said to be enormous, with over a hundred cannons, making it an unparalleled maritime behemoth in the world. The red-haired barbarians mostly use large galleon-like armed merchant ships, which can carry cargo and fight, with dozens of cannons, making them formidable maritime forces as well. My fleet has also largely imitated such ships and modified them to adapt to the winds and waves of the Far East."

“Good.” Zhu Youjian listened very attentively, nodding from time to time. “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. I know all that you have said.”

He wiped his mouth, his eyes gleaming with absolute confidence and boundless ambition.

"But I must tell you today that neither the Fujian ships nor the galleons are, in my eyes, perfect vessels. What I want to build is a ship of my own Ming Dynasty! A ship unlike any other, a ship that will dominate the four seas!"

Bi Ziyan and Zheng Zhilong both held their breath, waiting for the next part to be told.

Zhu Youjian did not rush to reveal everything, but instead turned his gaze to Zheng Zhilong and asked with a hint of testing, "Minister Zheng, if you were to build an invincible warship for my Great Ming, how would you begin? Let's start with the foundation of the ship—the keel and the ship's shape."

Zheng Zhilong's spirits lifted; this was the emperor testing his true abilities. He pondered for a moment before cautiously replying, "Your Majesty, in terms of sturdiness and seaworthiness, we should take the galleons of the West as our model. Their hulls are deep, with massive wooden keels running through the bow and stern, like a human spine. This construction provides excellent wave-breaking performance, making them as stable as a rock even in the face of fierce winds and towering waves. They are far superior to the flat-bottomed sandboats commonly seen in our dynasty."

"Excellent!" Zhu Youjian nodded approvingly, guiding him further, "This is the bone. However, the shipbuilding techniques of our Great Ming Dynasty also have their unique wonders, which can be considered the flesh. Do you know what that is?"

Zheng Zhilong replied almost without hesitation: "It's a watertight compartment! This is a treasure of Chinese shipbuilding, unheard of by the Western barbarians. Inside the hull, it is divided into several independent compartments by sturdy wood, with no communication between them. Even if the hull is breached in one or two places by enemy cannons, and seawater rushes in, it will only be confined to one or two compartments, preventing the ship from sinking. This method can greatly preserve combat power and is the fundamental way to survive in naval battles!"

"Well said! Only with both flesh and blood can one be a great vessel!" Zhu Youjian's eyes gleamed with admiration. "This is exactly the kind of ship I want! With the keel of the West as its foundation and the compartments of my Great Ming Dynasty as its body! I have already named this ship—'Weijing'!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly rising: "Since it is called 'Weijing,' it should have an aura that can swallow the heavens! Minister Zheng, what do you think is the scale of such a giant ship to be considered a champion?" Zheng Zhilong quickly calculated in his mind that the largest ship under his command had a carrying capacity of only 30,000 to 40,000 tons, which was already a behemoth on the ocean.

He tried to discern the emperor's intentions and tentatively replied, "Your Majesty has the world in your heart. This divine vessel... its carrying capacity may exceed ten thousand liang?"

"Your vision is too limited." Zhu Youjian shook his head slightly, his tone calm yet earth-shattering. "If we calculate the displacement of my 'Weijing' warship according to Western methods, it should be between 60,000 and 70,000 liao!"

These words were like a thunderclap in a dry land!

Bi Ziyan, who had been silent all along, could no longer maintain his composure. As the Minister of Revenue, his mind was filled with accounts of money and grain. Upon hearing this, his face changed, and he exclaimed, "Your Majesty! A giant ship with a capacity of 70,000 liang! The amount of fine wood, copper and iron, money and grain, and craftsmen and labor it consumed... is truly... truly incalculable!"

Zheng Zhilong was shocked and felt a chill run down his spine to his head!

70,000 materials!
What kind of concept is this?

The most magnificent Spanish or Dutch galleons he had ever seen in his life, those behemoths that were invincible at sea, were only about the size of that number, and most of them were even smaller!
Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said calmly, "Minister Bi, do not worry. I will take care of the money. I have confiscated the property of so many traitors. Wouldn't it be a waste if their hard-earned money were not used to strengthen the country? After Tian Ergeng cleanses Jiangnan again, the national treasury will be much fuller."

He reassured the Minister of Revenue, then turned his gaze back to Zheng Zhilong, his tone becoming sharp: "Now that the hull is set, let's discuss its claws and teeth—the cannons! Minister Zheng, if you want to transform this 70,000-ton hull into a true sea monster, how many cannons would you mount on it?"

Zheng Zhilong's throat went dry. He felt as if he were participating in a crazy yet grand idea. He said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I dare to suggest that, regardless of cost, we should open two layers of gun ports on both sides of the ship and equip them with cannons... more than sixty cannons would be enough to make us invincible!"

"Still not enough!" Zhu Youjian's voice grew increasingly impassioned, filled with unquestionable authority. "My 'Weijing' class should have three gun decks! This is the hallmark of a 'battleship'! The entire ship should be equipped with new bronze or cast iron long-barreled cannons produced by the Royal Arsenal, totaling between eighty and one hundred!"

He stretched out his finger, as if drawing in the air:
"The lowest deck, near the waterline, has the largest gun ports. It should be equipped with the most powerful 32-pound or 24-pound heavy guns. Its mission is only one thing—a salvo is enough to severely damage the enemy ship's waterline hull, causing it to take on a lot of water and lose its combat capability!"

The middle decks will be equipped with 18-pound or 12-pound cannons for attacking enemy decks and clearing personnel. As for the uppermost open decks, they will be equipped with 6-pound or 8-pound light cannons, supplemented by my newly invented 'honeycomb' shotguns. In close combat, a single shot will obliterate dozens of paces, leaving enemy sailors nowhere to hide!

Zhu Youjian continued to delve deeper, every detail crystal clear: "Having strong armor and powerful cannons is not enough; we also need the ability to move with the wind and lightning. What do you think should be done with sailing equipment?"

Zheng Zhilong was now completely guided by the emperor's thinking, and he answered without hesitation: "We should adopt the full sail configuration of the West! All three mainmasts should be equipped with square sails, supplemented by barred sails. In this way, we can maneuver freely regardless of whether it is with or against the wind, and move forward or backward with certainty, so as to bring out the full power of this sea monster!"

"Indeed!" Zhu Youjian clapped his hands. "As for the bow and stern, they also need to be reformed. The bows of our Fujian ships are towering, which looks imposing, but they obstruct the firing range of the lower-level cannons; the sterncastles are too high, which makes them easy to spot, but they are also easy to break in the wind, and they are too large a target."

"I decree that the bow of the 'Weijing' should be designed in a low, beak-like shape, similar to that of the West, to facilitate firing its cannons! The stern should retain a portion of the superstructure for command by officers, but its center of gravity must be lowered to make it more robust and practical. The superstructure should include living quarters for officers, a war council chamber, and all necessary facilities!"

During their exchange of questions and answers, the outline of an unprecedented sea monster, combining the best shipbuilding techniques of the East and the West, was clearly sketched out in the minds of Zheng Zhilong and Bi Ziyan.

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he picked up his teacup and took a small sip. The entire headquarters was now completely silent.

Bi Ziyan was dumbfounded. Although he did not know anything about shipbuilding, he could clearly feel from the question and answer between the emperor and Zheng Zhilong how much thought had been put into every detail.

The warship named "Weijing" seemed to have come alive, with overwhelming force, about to break through the voyage and sail into the endless ocean.

As for Zheng Zhilong, this seasoned maritime tycoon, his shock at this moment was beyond words.

The emperor's words were like crashing waves, washing away his lifelong shipbuilding knowledge and creating a vision in his mind of an invincible divine ship that he had dreamed of countless times but dared not hope to have!

The shipbuilding essence that the Western barbarians had kept hidden and kept secret—the sturdy keel, the three-tiered fire deck, and the full sails that could ride the winds and thunder of the four seas that the Portuguese boasted about… These top-notch techniques, which he could only guess at from a few words in the past and could never fully understand, were now casually picked up by His Majesty and integrated into one.

Could this really have been conceived by a young emperor who had long lived in the deep palace? How did he know all of this?

Just as Zheng Zhilong was overwhelmed with emotion and unable to control himself, Zhu Youjian smiled slightly and said to Wang Chengen, who was waiting outside the door, "Chengen, bring up the things I asked you to prepare."

"Here."

Wang Chengen responded and left. A moment later, several eunuchs carefully carried in an object covered with a yellow cloth and gently placed it in the center of the hall.

"Open it."

The yellow cloth was lifted, and a huge, exquisitely crafted, and lifelike ship model appeared before Zheng Zhilong's eyes!

The ship model was about ten feet long and was carved entirely from precious wood, with every detail on the hull clearly visible.

The sleek and powerful hull, the solid and upright keel lines, the three rows of gun ports that jut out neatly from both sides of the hull like fangs, the miniature sails hanging from the towering three mainmasts, and the sterncastle that retains both command height and an incredibly sturdy and robust appearance...

This...this is the "Weijing"-class battleship that the Emperor just described!
It's not a concept, not a sketch, but a reality where all the designs are complete, and even the model has been built!
A thunderclap seemed to explode in Zheng Zhilong's mind; his legs went weak, and he almost lost his balance. He stared intently at the model ship, feeling a chill run through his entire body!

He originally thought that His Majesty's opening of customs and building of the navy were still in the early stages of his grand plan, and that with his experience of navigating the oceans for half his life, Zheng Zhilong would be the only choice to plan this invincible fleet for His Majesty and take command of the army.

But now he realizes just how wrong he was!
The emperor wasn't asking him for advice at all; he was giving him orders!
The emperor's understanding of shipbuilding and his knowledge of Western warship technology may even be... far superior to Zheng Zhilong's!
A terrifying thought grew wildly in his mind: how much intelligence had the emperor gathered from those Portuguese and foreign barbarians through those missionaries or the ever-present Embroidered Uniform Guard these days?

To build this ship and for today's conversation, the young emperor secretly ordered the shipbuilders of the Ming Dynasty to make countless preparations, simulations, and trials!

Zheng Zhilong gazed at the perfect ship model before him, exuding an aura of death and conquest, and recalled the emperor's words from earlier: "I will expand our territory," and "Wherever my fleet goes, it will be the sea of ​​the Great Ming..."

He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Zheng Zhilong realized once again with such clarity that what the emperor had said—to dominate the seas and the world—might not be just a pipe dream!
In fact, that magnificent future is not as far away as we imagine!

(End of this chapter)