Anti-Qing: Starting from the Reincarnation of the Ming Dynasty

Amidst the roaring sound, several new artillery pieces fired alternately.

The gunners were performing the operation skillfully, and there were technicians on the side who were counting the corresponding data.

Such as reloading speed, shooting hit rate and other data.

One after another artillery shells fell in the middle of the shooting range, explosions continued, and balls of fire exploded on the ground.

Amid the smoke and dust, a small wooden building used as a target was destroyed by shelling, and broken wood splinters were scattered everywhere.

If anyone had stayed inside, they would have been blown to pieces.

Of course, the focus of this experiment was not the lethality of the shells, but the rate of fire of the artillery.

Compared with the previous era of front-loaded artillery, the rate of fire of the Ming army's breech-loaded artillery is three to four times faster than before.

Take the 150 heavy artillery as an example.

Previously, under the operation of skilled gunners, the rate of fire of the 150-meter heavy artillery was about one round every three minutes.

However, the rate of fire of the new breech-loaded artillery has reached a rate of fire of almost one round per minute.

In other words, after the Ming army installs new artillery, it only needs to use one-third of the original number of artillery to achieve the firepower density of the original artillery.

This is a very friendly thing for military logistics.

There is also the application of special metals with the continuous advancement of metal smelting technology.

Now the Ming Dynasty's arsenal is trying to use thinner barrels to withstand higher chamber pressures.

This also further reduced the weight of the Ming army's artillery. Compared with the past, the weight of the artillery was at least several percent lighter.

In addition to these rear-loading artillery pieces, there was actually a front-loading artillery piece that was also sent for Zhu Jing'an to review.

This is a typical mortar with front-loading, single-shot, metal fixed ammunition, and can shoot curved trajectories.

It can play a considerable role in mountain warfare, trench warfare, fortress assault and other related types of battles.

The Ming Army's arsenal positioned him similarly to a traditional mortar!

Its structure is also very simple, a barrel with a firing pin at the bottom, a steel base and barrel bracket, and that's it.

The artillery shell is loaded from the muzzle and free-falls downward. Under the action of inertia and gravity, the primer at the rear of the projectile hits the firing pin at the bottom of the barrel, detonating the explosive charge and then firing.

There is no difference in use from later mortars.

The only difference from later mortars is that the mortar developed by the Ming Army Arsenal has a thicker barrel wall, with an average thickness of five millimeters.

The mortar barrel is not made of thin and light seamless steel tubes, but a traditional artillery barrel.

Of course, there is nothing we can do about it.

The metal is not strong enough to make a qualified seamless steel pipe. In order to prevent the artillery from exploding, the only way is to thicken the barrel.

Generally speaking, although the increase in the weight of artillery has greatly affected the use of artillery, in this era, it is still an epoch-making weapon.

Zhu Jing'an was still very satisfied with this.

After Zhu Jing'an completed his inspection, he finalized a series of orders and handed them over to the arsenal for production.

In addition, Zhu Jing'an also encouraged various arsenals to continue research and development and innovation to produce more new and more advanced weapons.

As long as they can produce it, the imperial court will not hesitate to place orders.

Zhu Jing'an has always been generous with rewards for innovations in ordnance and weapons.

After leaving the arsenal, Zhu Jing'an was preparing to return to the palace. On the way, while he was still sitting in the car, he saw only a team of fast horses coming to report.

The horse galloped near the imperial driver and was stopped by Zhu Jing'an's guards. After reporting for inspection, he was able to report in front of the imperial driver.

"Your Majesty, urgent report from Ryukyu!"

As he spoke, the fast horse messenger held up a telegram with both hands and presented it to the driver.

Zhu Jing'an stretched out his hand from the driver's window, took the telegram and started reading it.

But only halfway through, Zhu Jing'an's expression changed drastically.

Ryukyu urgent news:

[On April 7, the first year of Chongwen in the Ming Dynasty, Admiral Gan Changsheng of the Donghai Navy Fleet of the Ming Dynasty, Ryukyu King Shangwen was assassinated in the street. He died of serious injuries and Ryukyu was in chaos. 】

[According to the interrogation of the assassin, it was found that he came from the Satsuma Domain of Japan and came to Ryukyu to assassinate him on the orders of Shimazu Shigehao, the leader of the Satsuma Domain. 】

After Zhu Jing'an read the emergency report, he took a deep breath and looked very solemn.

Immediately, he spoke.

"Quickly, return to the palace quickly!"

"Then summon the chief minister of the cabinet and the chief governor of the Fifth Army Commandery to come to Yangxin Hall to discuss matters..."

After saying this, the driver set off immediately.

The expression on Zhu Jing'an's face was uncertain for a while.

Of course there is no need to panic.

It’s just Ryukyu, it’s just a trivial matter.

Back then, he led troops to fight on the grasslands. As a result, there was internal chaos in the Ming Dynasty, and millions of water workers rebelled, but he did not panic.

Zhu Jingyan wouldn't care even if Ryukyu, a tiny country, was in chaos now, let alone rebelling.

It’s nothing more than sending troops to suppress it!

With hundreds of thousands of elite Ming troops under his control, the last thing Zhu Jing'an feared was rebellion.

Because he is so sure that no one can shake things up!
What really made him feel unhappy was that he realized that he was actually being plotted against!

Ryukyu is within reach, and Ming Dynasty has just led the King of Ryukyu to regain the entire territory of Ryukyu.

However, the King of Ryukyu died just like that.

You know, it was the Japanese who did it, and the Satsuma clan was retaliating against the Ryukyu King for annexing the Ming Dynasty.

For those who don’t know, they thought it was the Ming Dynasty who was demolishing bridges across rivers, unloading mills and killing donkeys?

Daming was really fucking unfair this time!
After something like this happened, I still don’t know how I will be arranged by others in the future? !

Thinking of this, Zhu Jing'an felt unhappy.

This feeling of being wronged made him feel like a fire was brewing in his heart.

Once this ball of flames bursts out, someone must pay the price.

……

Soon, Zhu Jing'an returned to the palace and went straight to the Yangxin Hall.

He didn't wait long. The chief minister of the cabinet and the chief governor of the Fifth Army Commander's Office also arrived.

After Wang Shun resigned, the position of chief minister of the cabinet was handed over by Zhu Jing'an to Zhang Jin, his confidant who was his personal secretary.

The Grand Governor of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion was originally held by Zhu Jing'an.

But after he ascended the throne, the position of the governor became vacant and was handed over by Zhu Jing'an to his uncle Liu Mingyou.

This person has sufficient qualifications and good merit. In addition, he is Zhu Jing'an's uncle, so he is naturally a close confidant. Now that Zhu Jing'an has ascended the throne, it is natural to promote him.

As for nepotism?
Haha, what's the point of nepotism?
An opportunity to promote a subordinate is placed in front of you. One is a close confidant of yours, and the other is just an ordinary subordinate. Who do you need to promote?

Power comes from below, not from above.

As an emperor, he would not be able to sit firmly without the support of the people below him.

Just like Li Shimin who came to power after the Xuanwumen Incident, wouldn't he promote the old ministers of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji instead of promoting his old ministers and confidants in the Tiance Admiral's Mansion?
Of course it's impossible. During the entire Zhenguan Dynasty, the only member of Li Jiancheng's old department who emerged was Wei Zheng.

Moreover, Wei Zheng still did things that offended people.

Most of the remaining important ministers were former members of General Li Shimin's Tiance Mansion.

If Li Shimin doesn't do this, no matter how amazing and talented he is, the throne will definitely not be secure.

It is impossible for those in power not to seek nepotism.

But if a mortal has some power, there will be no nepotism.

After Zhu Jing'an ascended the throne, he would definitely consolidate his power by promoting cronies.

After Zhang Jin and Liu Mingyou arrived, Zhu Jing'an didn't show off and spoke directly.

"I just received an urgent report from Ryukyu from Admiral Gan Changsheng of the Donghai Navy Fleet."

"King of Ryukyu, Nao On, was assassinated!"

As soon as Zhu Jing'an finished speaking, the expressions on the faces of Zhang Jin and Liu Mingyou changed obviously.

Zhu Jing'an continued.

"According to the interrogation of the assassins, it was found that they were instructed to assassinate Nao On this time by Shigehao Shimazu, the leader of the Satsuma Domain in Japan."

"After Shang On's death, the situation in Ryukyu is now in chaos. Please tell me, two ministers, how should Ming deal with Ryukyu affairs next?"

After Zhu Jing'an finished speaking, Zhang Jin stood up and said.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask, does Ryukyu King Shang On have any heirs?"

When Zhu Jing'an heard this, he shook his head and said.

"Shang Wen has only been on the throne for a short period of time. He doesn't have many heirs, and they all died in infancy. Now it seems that there is only one female child alive, but she is only a little over three years old."

"I'm afraid it would be inappropriate to let a girl over three years old succeed the throne."

Zhang Jin's eyes lit up when he heard this, as if he had thought of a good idea, and he spoke.

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask Your Majesty to arrange a marriage for the Princess of the Ryukyu King."

"Choose a son from the clan to marry into the Ryukyu Royal Palace and marry the Ryukyu Princess. After giving birth to an heir in the future, the heir will inherit the throne of the Ryukyu King and the Ryukyu Ancestral Temple."

Hearing this, Zhu Jing'an touched his chin and started thinking.

From the current point of view, Zhang Jin's idea is actually not bad.

In this way, it can not only appease the turbulent people in Ryukyu, but also ensure that the rich water does not flow to outsiders.

It can be said that it kills two birds with one stone!
Besides, it is a great honor for Ryukyu that the Ming Dynasty is willing to allow the clan's son to marry into the Ryukyu Palace.

You know, the Ming Dynasty has just been restored a few years ago, and there are actually not many clan members.

And they are all very close to the emperor Zhu Jing'an.

Either they are Lao Zhu's new sons in recent years, who are Zhu Jing'an's younger brothers, or they are the children of his adult brothers, who are Zhu Jing'an's nephews.

The third generation and fifth servers haven’t even been released yet!
If the Ming Dynasty allowed these clan members to marry into the Prince of Ryukyu, no one in Ryukyu would dare to say anything.

As for why not choose a prince to marry?
How should I put it, Zhu Jing'an only has one son and one daughter now.

The daughter will definitely not be able to get married.

And the emperor's eldest son is the candidate for the crown prince. In two years' time, when the emperor's eldest son has grown up and is no longer afraid of dying, Zhu Jing'an will issue an imperial edict and canonize him as the crown prince.

As a prince, how could he possibly get married?
As for the two pregnant concubines, it's still some time before they give birth, and it's not certain whether they will give birth to a son or a daughter.

Not to mention those who marry into the family or not!

As for whether the clan members would disagree?
Haha, as a royal family member of the Ming Dynasty and a relative of the emperor, since he enjoys the preferential treatment of being a royal family member.

Then the corresponding responsibilities must also be shouldered!
Whether you agree or not is up to them!

When the emperor's decree comes down, they have to agree even if they don't agree.

However, Zhu Jing'an did not finalize the matter rashly, he just spoke.

"The first assistant's idea is good, but I can't make an arbitrary decision on this matter. I'll discuss it with the Supreme Emperor later before making a decision."

Although Zhu Jing'an is the emperor, in terms of seniority, Lao Zhu is the patriarch of the large family named Zhu and the talker of the clan.

If Zhu Jing'an wants to send a younger brother or nephew to his wife, Lao Zhu must nod.

Immediately, Zhu Jing'an looked at Liu Mingyou again, as if asking for his opinion.

When Liu Mingyou heard this, he was silent for a while and then spoke.

"Your Majesty, Japan sent people to assassinate the King of Ryukyu who was canonized by Ming Dynasty. This is a great provocation to the national prestige of Ming Dynasty and the dignity of Ming Dynasty."

"That's why the general suggested that we send out troops to conquer the Japanese!"

"I, a prince of the Ming Dynasty, cannot die in vain. Japan must be made to pay the price for their atrocities and pay with blood."

When Zhu Jing'an heard this, he nodded slightly.

"In this case, the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies must make corresponding plans and prepare for a large army to conquer Japan."

The King of Ryukyu, Shang On, was a prince who had just been enthroned by the Ming Dynasty, and he was also a prince who took the initiative to donate soil. Even if it was because of the idea of ​​​​selling horse bones for a thousand gold, Shang On could not die in vain.

Zhu Jing'an's order was issued, and Liu Mingyou immediately responded with cupped fists.

After saying this, Zhu Jing'an looked at Zhang Jin again and gave instructions.

"Zhang Jin, the cabinet should ask the Propaganda Department to do corresponding publicity work and control the public opinion about the assassination of Ryukyu King Shang On."

"I also ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare for Shang Wen's death and give him a generous burial."

"..."

……

After discussing the matter with Zhang Jin and Liu Mingyou, Zhu Jing'an led the people and left the Yangxin Hall.

He went non-stop to the Old Summer Palace on the outskirts of the capital to see Lao Zhu, preparing to discuss with Lao Zhu the matter of choosing a family member to marry into the Ryukyu Palace.

Soon, Zhu Jing'an met the Supreme Emperor Lao Zhu in the Changchun Fairy Pavilion in the Old Summer Palace.

When Zhu Jianzhuo saw his son coming to visit him, he took the initiative to go out to greet him without asking for help.

"Today is not the day to pay my respects. Why did the emperor think of coming to me?"

After Zhu Jiazhuo abdicated, he always lived in the Old Summer Palace, while Zhu Jing'an lived in the imperial palace.

Since the Old Summer Palace is located on the outskirts of the capital and is far away from the imperial palace, it is unrealistic for Zhu Jing'an to wish him greetings every day.

Otherwise, the journey back and forth would be too much.

Therefore, he simply came to the Old Summer Palace every three or five days. After saying hello, he would play chess and talk with Lao Zhu. While fulfilling his filial piety, he could also be lazy.

This has become a habit.

That's why Zhu Jianzhuo felt strange that his son came to the Old Summer Palace on a day when he shouldn't be paying his respects.

When Zhu Jing'an heard this, he just spoke.

"My son came here today to discuss something important with his father."

Hearing this, Zhu Jiazhuo nodded and said.

"Come in and take a seat first. The emperor can speak if he has anything to say."

"Now that you are the emperor, naturally everything will be at your discretion, no matter what is discussed or not discussed." (End of Chapter)