Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"My lord, the main body of the treasure ship is now complete."

Old Yan, leaning on a cane, walked up the watchtower with Lu Zheng's help.

Pointing at the giant ship, his withered face was filled with excitement and pride.

"This ship not only retains the watertight compartment design of the Yongle Emperor's treasure ships, enabling it to withstand grounding without sinking, but also, as instructed by the master, has been reinforced with half-foot-thick ironwood armor on both sides of the hull at the bottom and middle layers."

"Even if it hits a reef, it will not be damaged in the slightest."

Pei Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze following the ship's side downwards.

On both sides of the sturdy hull, two rows of neat square gun firing ports were prominently displayed.

The ten Zhenhai Divine Red Copper Heavy Cannons, forged in the flames, have been steadily placed on the lower gun deck.

The dark muzzle gleamed with a cold, destructive light under the autumn sun.

In addition to these ten heavy cannons, the upper deck was also densely equipped with dozens of improved General Cannons and Thunder Cannons.

This created a terrifying network of firepower with no blind spots.

"it is good."

Pei Yuan uttered a single word with satisfaction.

Such heavily armed behemoths would be an absolute game-changer on the high seas today, akin to a dimensional reduction in power.

Whether it was the Japanese pirates in the East China Sea riding in small sampans or the indigenous people of Southeast Asia wielding cold weapons.

Faced with this treasure ship, there is only one path: to be utterly destroyed.

"Thank you for your hard work, Master Craftsman."

Pei Yuan turned around and, for the first time ever, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Old Yan.

Old Yan was flattered and quickly returned the greeting.

"Your Excellency is too kind to this humble subject. Without Your Excellency's swift and decisive actions in requisitioning such superior timber and a million taels of silver for shipbuilding, even if this humble subject had a hundred lives, I could not have built such a magnificent ship."

"The completion of this ship is entirely due to your efforts, sir."

"When can we go into the water?" Pei Yuan asked.

Old Yan calculated with his fingers and reported back, "Your Excellency, the hull has been coated with waterproof tung oil three times and is just waiting to dry completely. The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day, perfect for launching and testing the waters."

"Where does Your Excellency intend to hold the trial voyage?"

The test voyage site?

Pei Yuan walked to the railing, facing the cool autumn breeze, his gaze sweeping across the wide river and all the way to the estuary in the east.

"The water in this river is too shallow and the waves are too small to test the quality of this giant ship."

A bloodthirsty smile slowly crept onto Pei Yuan's lips.

"Now that we've built the cannons, it's only natural that we'll see some blood."

"I have heard that although the one-eyed dragon is dead, there are still several groups of Japanese pirates who are oblivious to their own mortality entrenched on some hidden islands along the coast of the East China Sea."

"In recent days, taking advantage of the autumn harvest, they have repeatedly come ashore to plunder the people, and the coastal garrisons have all avoided fighting and have not come out."

Pei Yuan turned his head and looked at Lu Zheng beside him, his tone icy.

"Lu Zheng, issue the order. The day after tomorrow, the treasure ship will be launched and sail downstream into the East China Sea. I will personally visit those islands."

"Let the blood of those Japanese pirates be used to consecrate the flag of this treasure ship that guards the seas!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng felt a surge of heroic spirit soar to the heavens, and he clasped his hands in a fist and shouted loudly.

"Your subordinate obeys!"

After decades of silence, the waves of the Ming Dynasty were finally about to be unleashed by the blade of this treacherous minister.

Three days later.

The weather was perfect, with not a cloud in the sky.

The Longjiang Shipyard was bustling with people.

A large number of ordinary people and officials from Jinling City came upon hearing the news.

Crowded along the riverbank, people eager to witness the grand launch of the Ming Dynasty's first treasure ship.

Zhao Guangting, the Minister of Revenue in Nanjing, and a group of other officials stood on a distant earthen slope.

Looking at the enormous treasure ship, his expression was complex.

They hated Pei Yuan to the core, yet they couldn't help but marvel at his ruthlessness and efficiency.

In just over half a year, without using a single penny of Nanjing's national treasury, he managed to create such a behemoth out of thin air through robbery and extortion.

Such skill is indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Then a deep and long horn sounded.

The sluice gates of the dry dock were slowly raised.

The surging river water, like a wild horse that has broken free, rushed back into the dock.

The enormous treasure ship, weighing a thousand liters, emitted a dull creaking sound as the wood was being squeezed together by the buoyancy of the river.

Then, the massive ship actually slowly rose from its base.

Like a giant dragon emerging from the water, it floated steadily on the surface.

"It's been launched! The treasure ship has been launched!"

A deafening cheer erupted from the shore.

Many veteran craftsmen who had participated in shipbuilding knelt on the riverbank, overcome with emotion, and wept uncontrollably.

On the deck of the treasure ship.

Pei Yuan wore a bright red python robe, which fluttered in the river wind.

He stood atop the towering ship's deck, looking down at the vast Yangtze River below, a hint of arrogance flashing in his eyes.

"Raise the sails!"

With a rough command.

Nine massive masts, with their stiff sails woven from heavy canvas and bamboo strips, slowly rose above the river surface as winches pulled them up.

The autumn river breeze instantly filled the sails.

The magnificent treasure ship let out a deep, resonant groan, cleaving through the murky river water.

Amid the watchful eyes of tens of thousands on the shore, it sailed slowly towards the East China Sea with an unstoppable momentum, following the mighty Yangtze River.

"This land is as beautiful as a painting. Only by being on this giant ship can one truly experience the joy of riding the wind and waves and controlling the four seas."

Pei Yuan leaned against the railing, letting the river wind tousle his black hair.

This immortal being, in these hundred years, has sat in the temple, fiddling with an abacus, and also lived in seclusion in Jiangnan, idly listening to the rain.

But only now, standing atop this war behemoth that he himself had forced into existence.

He then felt an unprecedented sense of wildness.

"My lord, the wind direction is just right. If we don't stop sailing tonight, we can reach the estuary outside Songjiang Prefecture by noon tomorrow."

Lu Zheng reported from the side.

"Alright. Tell the soldiers below to sharpen their swords and load the cannons."

"Tomorrow, once at sea, if you encounter any ships flying the flags of Japanese pirates, there is no need to issue warnings or question them."

"Just blast this official to pieces with heavy artillery!"

The treasure ship sailed down the river day and night.

The next day at noon.

The turbid river water gradually became clear, eventually turning into an endless expanse of deep blue.

A sea breeze carrying a strong, salty smell swept over me.

The Ming Dynasty's treasure ships, with their thousand-ton weights, finally sailed out of the Yangtze River estuary and entered the East China Sea, a sea filled with unknowns and carnage.

Ahead, the outline of an island could be faintly seen.

That was Snake Mountain Island, the stronghold of the Japanese pirates that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already identified.

"Report!"

A lookout standing on the tallest mast shouted loudly.

"Sir! A large number of ships have been spotted in the waters ahead near Snake Mountain Island! Judging from their design, they are all the kind of ships commonly used by Japanese pirates, including the Guanshan and Haicang ships. There are about thirty of them, and they are sailing towards us in formation!"

Pei Yuan walked to the very front of the ship's deck, took out a monocular telescope that had been presented as tribute from the West, and brought it close to his eyes to observe.

Sure enough, several miles away on the sea, there were more than thirty Japanese pirate warships, like a pack of wolves.

They were baring their fangs and claws as they surrounded the treasure ship.

Although those Japanese pirate ships were not large, they were agile and numerous.

They clearly mistook this lone Ming treasure ship for a plump merchant vessel.

They attempted to use wolf pack tactics to board the ship like ants and engage in boarding action.

"Hmph. A bunch of ignorant sea rats, actually treating my treasure ship like fat sheep."

Pei Yuan put down the telescope, a cruel sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

He turned around, drew the imperial sword bestowed upon him by the emperor from his waist, and pointed the blade at the approaching fleet of Japanese pirates.

"Order the gun deck! All Sea-Suppressing Gods, load solid shot! Open the gun ports!"

"Yes, sir!"

The command was passed down through the ranks.

On the heavy decks on both sides of the treasure ship, square wooden doors were suddenly pushed open.

The dark muzzle of the cannon revealed its menacing fangs in the sea breeze.

The Japanese pirate fleet was getting closer and closer.

Three hundred steps, two hundred steps, one hundred and fifty steps...

Those Japanese pirates standing at the bow of the ship, brandishing their samurai swords.

They could even see the towering ship towers of the Ming Dynasty's treasure ship, and their faces revealed greedy, bloodthirsty, maniacal laughter.

In their view, the Ming Dynasty's ships, though huge, were incredibly cumbersome.

Once they got close, they could take whatever they wanted from the ship full of wealth.

"fire!"

Pei Yuan raised the Emperor's Sword high, then suddenly swung it down.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of synchronized, earth-shattering explosions resounded across the waves of the East China Sea.

The hull of the thousand-ton treasure ship tilted slightly to one side due to the recoil from the five heavy cannons firing simultaneously from one side.

Five enormous fireballs, accompanied by thick white smoke, spewed out from both sides of the ship.

Amidst the terrified gazes of the Japanese pirates, five iron bullets, each weighing tens of kilograms, whistled through the air with a piercing sound.

With overwhelming force, it crashed into their dense formation of ships.