Early Ming Dynasty: Turning Clouds and Rains into New Learning Saints

Chapter 166 If I ask you to use brute force, I will use brainpower
Zhu Di was a little stunned when he heard this. In his opinion, he should be an extremely powerful imperial navy, but his brother-in-law saw so many shortcomings!
Sometimes, he is really envious of his brother-in-law's eyes, what are they made of? When he sees something, he can see something special.As far as he has personally experienced, one by one, one by one, it has been much better.

After hearing Zhang Yifan finish speaking, Zhu Di quickly asked in a flattering manner: "Yifan, can you tell me what to do?"

After he finished speaking, he thought of something and quickly added: "No rush, I have plenty of time. Please speak slowly and in detail! Don't worry about those ships. I will ask them to repair the damaged ships later." for you."

Zhang Yifan smiled after hearing this. In fact, even if there was no such thing as a ship, he would still look for opportunities to continue to improve the level of the Ming Navy.

Therefore, he said to Zhu Di: "First of all, the cannons fired on the deck cannot be fired in rainy days, so it is best to fire them in the cabin..."

As long as artillery develops to a certain point, someone will naturally think of the concept of a ship's gun layer and start to adopt it.

However, it is only the late [-]th century, and the development of artillery is still very backward. Therefore, Zhang Yifan said it in advance, which gave Zhu Di a feeling of enlightenment.

After Zhang Yifan said this, he asked Zhu Wu who was accompanying him to get a quill pen and paper, and started drawing for Zhu Di: "I will draw another kind of artillery for you. Whether it is siege or naval battle, it will be very powerful." , you can let someone try it.”

What he wants to draw is the red barbarian cannon in history.

The prototype of this Hongyi cannon is a cannon invented in Europe in the 16th century.

Compared with the artillery of the middle and late Ming Dynasty, it has many advantages in design.For example, the gun barrel is long, the tube wall is thick, the caliber is large, and the overall shape gradually becomes thicker from the muzzle to the breech, which is consistent with the principle that the chamber pressure changes from high to low when gunpowder is burned.

In addition, there are cylindrical lugs on both sides of the center of gravity of the gun body. The gun can adjust the shooting angle based on this axis and change the range according to the amount of gunpowder. It is equipped with a front sight and a rear sight, and the ballistic trajectory is calculated according to the parabola, with high accuracy. .

And so on, because it has many advantages, it was imitated and improved on a large scale by the Ming Dynasty.But at this time, it was only during the founding period of the Ming Dynasty, and it was still in the primitive artillery stage where guns and guns were not distinguished. The comparative advantage of the Hongyi cannon was naturally greater.

Moreover, the artillery Zhang Yifan introduced to Zhu Di was the copper-iron composite red barbarian cannon imitated and improved by the Ming Dynasty in history. This kind of artillery was mentioned in "The Age of Gunpowder" written by Portuguese East Asian historian Tonio Andrade. "" was called "one of the best artillery in the world in the seventeenth century."

The products are almost three centuries apart, but the general principles are the same, and they are not too advanced.

Of course, it’s not that it’s bad to be ahead of the curve, but that Zhang Yifan has never actually made cannons. He just knows the principles and real objects.If it does not exceed the capabilities of this era, it can still be made by the craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty, which will save him worry and effort.

After Zhang Yifan drew the blueprint of the Hongyi cannon and introduced it, Zhu Di was overjoyed and immediately reached out to grab the blueprint, as if someone was trying to snatch it from him.

He saw him staring at the Hongyi cannon on the drawing. Zhang Yifan was suspicious of that look in his eyes. The way he looked at Xu Da's eldest daughter was not so tender.

Zhang Yifan didn't urge him, let him watch enough, and started eating the fruit by himself.

After a while, Zhu Di reluctantly looked away from the drawing, looked at Zhang Yifan and asked: "Yifan, this iron core copper body artillery is indeed somewhat different from today's artillery, but is it really that powerful? ?”

Zhang Yifan heard the question and said with a smile: "I saw the cannon you used on the ship that day. The bore was trumpet-shaped, the barrel was thin, and the ratio of barrel length to muzzle length was awkward. It should be facing forward. It has always been left over and no one has improved it, right? You can have someone build it according to my design and then compare it and try it out!"

The artillery in the early Ming Dynasty, or the artillery in the ninth year of Hongwu, was just the "bowl gun" of the Yuan Dynasty, which was similar to the "sudden gun" of the Song Dynasty.Compared with these artillery pieces, the Hongyi cannon is in the sky and on the ground.

In fact, Zhu Di also had some discernment. Even if Zhang Yifan didn't emphasize it very much, he felt the power of the Hongyi cannon. After listening to Zhang Yifan's words, he nodded excitedly and said: "Okay, the craftsmen at my side are not as good as those at the capital." , I will recruit a copy of this drawing as it is, and send it to Father Huang quickly."

"It's up to you. You can handle it as long as it's given to you. I only care about the ship!" Zhang Yifan said indifferently after hearing this.

After hearing this, Zhu Di carefully put away the drawings, and then said to Zhang Yifan with a smile on his face: "Is there anything else?"

When Zhang Yifan heard this, he smiled and said: "The ship must be bigger. It will have more artillery, and it will naturally be more invincible at sea. As for the speed, at least I think it should be faster."

When Zhu Di heard this, he was dissatisfied and said to him: "I also know this, just tell me directly, how to improve it?"

When Zhang Yifan heard this, he clapped his hands and said, "I don't know either!"

Zhu Di: "..."

In fact, Zhang Yifan knew about Xiyi's sailing battleships, and he was interested in studying them in later generations.However, he didn't intend to say it directly.

In fact, what Zhang Yifan wants more is to cultivate the Ming Dynasty's concept of valuing craftsmen, to give craftsmen a high enough status, and to develop a tradition of craftsmen developing their own professional things and constantly improving them.

The reason why he said directly before is that one is to increase his own value, and the second is to throw bricks and attract jade, so that people of this era know the importance of improving tools, that is, the importance of craftsmen.

At this time, Zhu Di came back to his senses and said with some dissatisfaction: "I thought you knew how to change it, so I was happy for nothing!"

After hearing this, Zhang Yifan said to him: "Fourth brother, what you said made me feel something. If I say it, I'm afraid you'll hit me!"

If he didn't say this, Zhu Di would be fine. Now when he heard that if he said it, Zhu Di might hit him. At this moment, Zhu Di became curious and promised: "You tell me, I will never do it! "

"really?"

"Absolutely true!"

After hearing this, Zhang Yifan still kept his distance and took a defensive posture and said: "What you just said made me feel like a beggar, and I just stretched out my hand to ask for..."

Before he finished speaking, he quickly stepped back to avoid Zhu Di's kick, and at the same time accused: "Then, if you agree not to do anything, you don't mean what you say!"

After hearing this, Zhu Di replied angrily: "Did I move my hand? Which hand did I use?"

Zhang Yifan: "..."

I used to feel that Zhu Di was very honest, but now he has learned to be cunning?

After sitting back down, Zhang Yifan stopped joking and said in a sincere tone: "Fourth brother, I think there are specialties in the industry, and people who are familiar with ships will definitely know how to do it better than people who are not familiar with ships. You can tell them our ideas and give them rewards. Maybe they will take the initiative to find ways to improve for the reward, don't you think?" "Well, this makes sense!" Zhu Di listened seriously. Nod in agreement.

Zhang Yifan saw it and took the opportunity to continue: "Actually, this idea can be used in any aspect. As long as you feel that any aspect is not enough, just offer a reward to the person who knows the best in that aspect, such as motivating them with money, status, etc., maybe they will be able to do it." effective!"

When Zhu Di heard this, he clapped his hands, pointed at Zhang Yifan, and said with a little excitement: "Yes, you are right, this method is good, I will remember it!"

Zhang Yifan was very happy after hearing this.It’s just Emperor Yongle in later generations who can listen to advice!

Zhu Di was happy for a while, and then asked Zhang Yifan: "Is there anything else?"

"What else?" Zhang Yifan didn't know what he meant after hearing this. He had already told him all the common modes, what more could he want?
Seeing him like this, Zhu Di quickly reminded him: "Didn't you say that you want my father to agree as much as possible to my leading the army to go out and destroy the Japanese country?"

"Oh!" When Zhang Yifan heard this, he remembered that he had indeed said it just now.

After thinking for a while and organizing his thoughts, he said to Zhu Di: "It's nothing more than solving Father's serious problem as soon as possible, and then the soldiers will have enough supplies. At that time, Father will naturally think about expanding the territory, so why not?" Are you asked to destroy the Japanese country?"

"Father's serious trouble?" Zhu Di listened, and after repeating it, he nodded and said, "That's right, the most important enemy right now is Qian Yuan! This enemy must be eliminated as soon as possible!"

Having said this, he looked at Zhang Yifan, his eyes moving as if he had thought of something.

Zhang Yifan looked at it and felt that the fourth child had evil intentions, but he didn't know what evil idea he had in mind.

Just when he was about to test it, he heard Zhu Di ask first: "These years we have to fight and recuperate. The soldiers are fine, but it is still difficult to have enough food. However, my father has long issued a decree to encourage land reclamation. If we want to It will take many years until the food is sufficient!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yifan smiled slightly and said, "Fourth brother, I heard that the food in Qiongzhou is cropped three times a year, so I was thinking that the place further south than Qiongzhou should also crop three times a year, right? If we let the people over there concentrate on farming, and then use the food there to support the north, will the food problem be easily solved?"

"That's right!" Upon hearing this, Zhu Di suddenly realized, clapped his hands again and said, "Your head is spinning so fast! Why didn't I think of that!"

After hearing this, Zhang Yifan pointed at his head and said, "Because I have a brain!"

"Haha! You really have some brains..." After hearing this, Zhu Di said with a smile. Then, his face changed, and he reached out and was about to hit Zhang Yifan, "Are you scolding me again?"

After hearing this, Zhang Yifan smiled and hid, and at the same time said: "Fourth brother, you are thinking too much, how could I scold you?"

After hearing this, Zhu Di pointed at him and asked: "You said you have a brain, so you thought of it. I didn't think of it. Doesn't it mean you have no brain?"

"Fourth brother, you said this yourself, what does it have to do with me?" Zhang Yifan listened, showing a smile that you said rightly, but he was defending.

If I ask you to use brute force, I will use brainpower!

After Zhu Di heard this, he was so angry that he wanted to chase him. As a result, Zhu Jingjing appeared again and immediately asked: "Fourth brother, what are you doing?"

Seeing his eldest sister, Zhu Di said angrily: "Don't worry about your man, he has learned to bully others!"

"Can he bully you?" Zhu Jingjing couldn't help but asked in surprise after hearing this.

When Zhu Di heard this, he nodded and looked at his big sister, meaning, yes, it's time to take care of it, right?
But who knows, Zhu Jingjing smiled and said: "That's okay!"

Then, without waiting for Zhu Di to have an attack, he disappeared on his own initiative.

Judging from this posture, she thought Zhu Di was bullying her husband and came over temporarily.

Zhu Di: "..."

After some fuss, the two sat down again. Zhang Yifan said to Zhu Di seriously: "I plan to mobilize a group of ships and obedient pirates, and send them to Nanyang to explore the way first, and then report back later. Father, tell me about the benefits of Nanyang."

After hearing this, Zhu Di also became serious and said to Zhang Yifan: "Since it involves such a big thing, then I will send you some people and watch those people go to Nanyang. On the surface, it still belongs to me, and it is up to you. Let’s give them jobs.”

"That's the best!" Zhang Yifan nodded and immediately agreed.

His original plan was actually to imitate Elizabeth, who would come later in life, and issue plunder licenses to those pirates, and send them to Nanyang to get a feel for the situation first.

However, there is one thing: I am afraid that these pirates sent out, regardless of the wives, children, old and young, who are detained here, will go to Southeast Asia to become kings and hegemons and never come back.

At least he had seen such examples in later generations.During the Ming Dynasty, some pirates could no longer survive, so they went to Southeast Asia to found their country.It's just a pity that the navy of the Ming Dynasty chased it and combined with the Spanish to destroy it.

Now, Zhu Di can send his men to supervise, and if he goes to Nanyang, there won't be so many things.

In this way, Zhang Yifan obtained more than 2 people from Zhu Di, including [-] to [-] young people. They were all free labor, which would be of great help to Xiangshan County's next major water conservancy projects.

And we also got those pirate ships, which can not only run the waterway from Guangzhou to Xiangshan County, but can also be sent to Southeast Asia to make a fortune, and can also be used for fishing. No matter how much money is spent, it is impossible to do it in a short time Things that can be achieved can be achieved so easily.

As for Zhu Di, he also gained a lot. The drawing of the Hongyi cannon alone was worth his trip to Xiangshan County.Not to mention, there are other rewards too.

In the following time, Zhu Di took the initiative to assist Xiangshan County in accepting the more than 2 pirates and their families, and spent a lot of time.I have been busy until the Chinese New Year is about half a month away, and I finally have a result.

Most of the people have been incorporated into Xiangshan County's lowly registrations. After five years, those who are obedient can be converted to civilian status, and those who have performed meritorious services can be converted to civilian status in advance, and all of them will be resettled on Qi'ao Island.

While he was busy finishing the work, the imperial court's reply arrived.

(End of this chapter)