Xinshun 1730

Chapter 182 Always Ready
It was mid-October when Li Jiusi, Duke of E, arrived in Weihai.

After the welcoming ceremony, Duke E Li Jiusi and his entourage first watched a salvo of artillery from a sailing ship.

The rumbling gunfire and thick gunpowder smoke, accompanied by the towering masts of the two warships, made Li Jiusi intuitively see the threat of Western ships for the first time.

The scattered gravel and loud noises on the mountain frightened the two noble sons of the Jingying who had followed Li Jiusi to their feet.

Li Jiusi steadied his horse, stared at the two warships on the sea, and asked for a while, "Is this a big ship from Xiyi?"

Liu Yu shook his head.

"Mr. Hui, this small ship too."

Li Jiusi didn't ask any more questions, but just nodded silently.

Liugong Island is not far from the capital, bypassing Weihaiwei, it is the Bohai Sea.

If the Westerners had such a powerful fleet appearing in the Bohai Sea, although he didn't know about the interruption of water transportation that Liu Yu and Li Gan talked about, he could still think of another threat.

Not many people in the DPRK knew about the establishment of the navy, they just thought that the Jinghai Palace Official School was just a school.

Many people didn't care much about it after learning about the emperor's fact that Jinghai Palace's official school did not compete with the imperial examination for official places.

The household government did not contribute money, but the emperor paid internal money.As long as they don't compete for official positions, this matter is not a big deal, and there is no point in discussing it.

Li Jiusi didn't pay much attention to it at first, but looking at it now, his heart is still depressed, like a hammer hanging in his heart.

Dispelling the people around him, Li Jiusi called Liu Yu to a place alone.

"Shou Chang, His Majesty sent me here this time, and I have something else to tell you. Since you hired craftsmen from France, you need to hurry up on the shipbuilding. I heard that such a warship is extremely expensive?"

Before Li Jiusi came, the emperor told him about the situation in Weihai, and he knew that Liu Yu had spent 8 to [-] taels of silver on such a warship.

The large number really made him speechless.

However, Liu Yu said that this was not a Westerner's large ship, which inevitably made him worry.

Liu Yu didn't know how much the emperor had said to Li Jiusi, so he could only say at this moment: "It's a long story. A warship costs 8 to [-] taels of silver, and the Westerners must be asking too much. Businessmen can't talk about profit. Send it at a loss, and ask for half of the extra money."

"Now I have hired some craftsmen from France, and in a few days there will be some better craftsmen, which are officially recognized by the French. If it is self-made, it should not be too expensive. It's just that shipbuilding doesn't happen overnight. Even if you have money, it's useless."

"If the wood is not dried in the shade first, a ship will rot in seven or eight years at most. If it is dried in the shade, it may last for five to sixty years. Shipbuilding is expensive, and there is really no way to rush to build it now, so we can only wait for a few days. It’s just right, let the craftsmen practice their hands and learn, and now there are two more ships built, which are also the wood accumulated a few years ago.”

Hearing what Liu Yu said, Li Jiusi's expression was somewhat relaxed.

The emperor knew the price of buying two ships a long time ago, but he was a little frightened by the price.If it was someone else, he would definitely think that it was lost, but the emperor didn't send out the money from the treasury, and he only invested that little money himself, so the emperor still believed Liu Yu's offer.

After seeing the memorial made by Liu Yu, the emperor agreed to this terrible price.

The memorial did not clearly explain the self-made problem, so before coming here, the emperor talked to E Guogong about the navy and asked E Guogong to check it out.

Hearing that Liu Yu was already trying to build two boats by himself, Li Jiusi was relieved at last, and asked again: "How much wood has been accumulated? Although I don't know, I know roughly that this wood can be used without any random wood."

"Returning to the Duke, there is really no need to rush this matter. The navy is not a matter of one day and one night, and I ask the Duke to make it clear to His Majesty after returning. The British planted oak decades ago to build ships, and they will be used a hundred years later. If not These years have controlled America, and no trees have been harvested for tens of thousands of years. It is expected that it will not be easy for the British to build ships. Even if I can’t follow the example of the British who planted trees decades earlier, the navy will not happen overnight.”

Speaking of this, Liu Yu arched his hands in the direction of the capital and said, "Relying on your majesty's great blessings and great wisdom, the Northern Expedition Rakshasa took back the land of the former Nuer Gandusi. The forest is lush there, and there are some oak trees that cannot be surrounded by several people." , suitable for shipbuilding. Without Nuergan and Liaodong, it would not be easy to build large ships.”

"In the past few years, I have also been saving wood. Now these craftsmen have just learned from Western shipbuilders. These two warships will practice their hands first. As long as there is enough wood and enough craftsmen, there should be no problem in shipbuilding. It's just that the court needs to invest money. ..."

Li Jiusi didn't know what Liu Yu was doing in Japan, and thought it was just the emperor giving some internal money.

Thinking about the cost of tens of thousands of taels, I also understand that without the treasury support of the household government, it is indeed impossible to form a fleet that can defend the Bohai Sea and the capital.

At this time, there are some things that are inconvenient to say, so Li Jiusi said: "Let's talk about this matter. Now let's go to the island and take a look around. The place where you built the fleet is on the island?"

"No. There is a lack of water on the island. Moreover, some of the Western craftsmen hired this time mostly use water power sawing. Therefore, the shipbuilding site is not on the island. Is the Duke going to have a look?"

"No. Since you're not on the island, let's look at it later. Let's go to the island first."

"Yes."

With a promise, he quickly arranged a boat and took Li Jiusi to the island.

Once on the island, I saw a group of soldiers waiting in two rows.

Li Jiusi also practiced in the Beijing camp, and he couldn't tell much just by looking at the spirit and height of this group of soldiers.

There are many tall and strong men in the Beijing camp, and they have the energy to go to that station. As for whether they can fight or not, that's another matter.

There were bursts of gunshots and rumbling cannons in the distance. Liu Yu explained: "If the Duke wants to review, he can do it at any time. Now they are training, and they can't escape the cold and heat. As long as the Duke orders, I will gather the team."

"Oh? Anytime?" Hearing Liu Yu's words, Li Jiusi immediately became interested. He knew what it meant to be ready at any time with a military order.

Dashun has a few capable troops, but if it is said that tens of thousands of people can be quickly assembled and formed as long as they are ordered, it is possible that the entire Dashun can produce [-] to [-] elites.

He could see that Liu Yu's soldiers had different guns from those in the Beijing camp, and he knew a little about Liu Yu's pamphlet about new guns and new tactics, but he felt that an army was not necessarily about one or two weapons, but about orders and prohibitions.

Since Liu Yu spoke so confidently, he became interested and said, "If that's the case, then gather with the open space ahead."

"As ordered."

Liu Yu took the order, and Li Jiusi thought that Liu Yu needed to raise his account, but he didn't expect that Liu Yu just called a few staff officers around him and said, "After an hour, all the departments will gather here. To make it possible to board the ship at any time, all departments Distribute ammunition and receive a ten-day supply of fried noodles."

After finishing speaking, he took out his pocket watch and looked at it: "It is ten seven in the morning."

Several staff officers also lowered their heads to meet their watches, and then dispersed, and a sharp bell sounded from a distance after a while.

"Aren't you going to raise your account as usual?"

"No need. Duke, there is a small mountain on this island, you can look down on it. You might as well climb up and wait."

"Hmm. You said that when all the ministries are assembled, it is possible to board a ship and attack?"

"Exactly."

Li Jiusi nodded, secretly amazed in his heart.

An hour's time is not amazing.The amazing thing is that Liu Yu said that he can board the ship and attack at any time, and he must also have all the ammunition and rations to last for ten days.

If this is the case, even if the rest is unbearable, it shows that this is already a strong army.

only……

"Didn't Shouchang know that I'm coming, and prepared to leave in advance?"

"Soldiers, it is a major national event. Naturally, we must be prepared at any time. The staff officers have already formulated various plans in order to be ready to fight at any time. The fried noodles can be kept for a long time, and they are cleaned every three months. It’s only for ten days. According to what the Duke said, it’s actually not bad, I did prepare in advance, but I didn’t know that the Duke was coming, but I prepared in advance since the time of the military training.”

Li Jiusi hummed, looked up at the small mountain to the north and said, "You can see the formation change when you go up the mountain, but you can't see how the soldiers are preparing. Don't go up the mountain for now, follow me to the camp to see."

"it is good."

Liu Yu led in front, and several people came to the barracks on horseback.

With just a glance, Li Jiusi felt something unusual.

There are naturally many people, each busy, but busy but not chaotic.

After hearing the assembly bell, the soldiers who had been practicing quickly assembled into teams under the orders of various officers.

Like a precise machine, after counting, they did not swarm to their respective barracks, but lined up and returned to the barracks in an orderly manner.

Li Jiusi also took out a pocket watch and checked the time, but within 10 minutes, queues were already lined up outside the barracks.

These soldiers were different from the soldiers in the Beijing camp. They all carried a square package on their backs.

After queuing up, the counting was performed again, and each company quickly assembled at the position where the whole day was practiced, and gathered into a battalion.

The battalion mobilized a company, formed into four columns and walked towards the distance, and the rest of the team stood there not silently.

Li Jiusi found that there were a few half-grown children in each battalion, beating the waist drum or playing the flute, and played the melodious and jerky music. The soldiers in the line followed the rhythm of the waist drum and flute, singing the song of the vanguard. , or other weird songs.

"What's in the backpacks of these soldiers?"

Pointing to the back of the standing soldier, he asked.

"A quilt, a pair of shoes, and everything for washing."

"Where did the companies drawn from each battalion go?"

"Go get the gunpowder pack."

"Lead me to take a look."

Following behind Liu Yu, we arrived at a barracks behind, and the companies that came to collect the gunpowder packs were all lined up outside.

Someone shouted the names of each company at the front door, and the people in the company lined up, each received seven or eight large gunpowder packages, and quickly returned to the position of the battalion after finishing the team.

Li Jiusi went to the front, and did not hinder these people from receiving gunpowder and lead bullets. Instead, he went inside and opened a package casually.

Looking at the rolls of lead bullets inside, I took out one and twisted it, and found that it was a roll of paper.A lead pellet is wrapped in front of the scroll, which contains a certain amount of gunpowder.

There are about sixty pieces in a cloth bag, enough for a big battle.Li Jiusi knew the beauty of this thing at a glance. There was no need for the soldiers to measure it by themselves. Each pack of gunpowder was rationed.

"Gunpowder should not be kept for a long time, it will be damp."

Liu Yu said with a smile: "Duke is worrying too much. Sixty rounds of lead bullets are only three to five days of training. Although the cost is high, it is worth it. The gunpowder consumed every day is also a large sum of money, and I will never pay for it in vain. , just relying on the salary issued by the imperial court is not enough."

Li Jiusi smiled and said, "It's still rich to keep the routine. If it's someone else, the gunpowder training can be saved as much as possible. More than ten thousand people, ten lead bullets a day, this is not a small amount."

(End of this chapter)