Whether it was Zheng Zhilong or Zheng Sen, they could not have considered that the Ming Dynasty would gradually become a regular navy, especially after the crown prince took over the country and showed strong performance.

It's just that Zheng Sen didn't expect that this day would come so quickly. Now that he is a Baron of the Ming Dynasty, between family and country, he will definitely choose to be loyal to the country.

He also did this in history. His father surrendered to the Jiannu, but he would rather die than surrender. In the end, he became the last person to persist in fighting against the Jiannu. This was the main reason why Zhu Cixiang dared to use Zheng Sen boldly.

After a moment of confusion, Zheng Sen stood up and prostrated again:

"Your Majesty, Baron Zhu Chenggong of the Ming Dynasty, I obey your order!"

Zhu Cihong saw the firm look in Zheng Sen's eyes and trusted him even more. He stood up and helped Zheng Sen up:

"Damu, there is no need to give big gifts on non-important formal occasions. I will send you another helper. The naval training base is tentatively located at Liugong Island, Shandong Province. Just tell me how much food you need. In addition, I will assign you a deputy. His name is Zhang Mingzhen, named Hou.

I hope you will cooperate closely to revive the glory of the Ming Dynasty Navy!"

Zheng Sen hurriedly bowed to receive the order:

"My lord, I obey the order!"

Zhu Cixiang smiled and nodded. In order to encourage Zhu Chenggong, Zhu Cixiang gave Zheng Sen a flying fish suit and a python robe, which moved Zheng Sen to tears...

Pulling Zheng Chenggong to sit down, Zhu Cixiang said to Hu Bao:

"Big companion, pass on Zhang Mingzhen!"

Before Zhang Mingzhen came, he was a guerrilla general in Taizhou, responsible for naval training along the coast of Zhejiang. Zhu Cixiang felt comfortable using him as Zheng Sen's deputy. Although the other generals were fierce, they knew nothing about the navy.

After half a stick of incense, Zhang Mingzhen came to Prince Xin's Mansion and saw the Crown Prince hurriedly came forward to pay his respects:

"Meet His Highness the Crown Prince!"

At this time, Zhang Mingzhen was still a small person, and he always felt a little frightened when meeting the crown prince. Zhu Cixiang had already said that he did not need to bow to the prince, but it was difficult for him to do so.

Zhu Cixiang smiled and helped Zhang Mingzhen up:

"Didn't you say that you don't need a big gift to meet me? Why can't you remember? I want to introduce you to a person. This is Zheng Sen, the eldest son of the Zheng family in Fujian. I gave him the surname and title of baron. Now his name is Zhu Chenggong. Do you know him?

one time!"

Hearing the Crown Prince's introduction, Zhang Mingzhen was shocked. Seeing that the boy in front of him was not very young, he was given a surname and a baron by the Crown Prince. This man's future was immeasurable.

After the shock, Zhang Mingzhen hurriedly stepped forward to salute:

"My dear Zhang Mingzhen, I have met Mr. Guo!"

Zheng Sen hurriedly raised his hands and said with a smile:

"You don't have to be polite, Hou Fu, just call me Da Mu!"

After the two got to know each other, Zhu Cihong told Zhang Mingzhen about the recruitment of naval forces and asked him to actively cooperate with Zheng Sen. Together, the two of them would create the glory of the Ming Dynasty Navy.

When he heard that he and Zheng Sen were asked to recruit naval soldiers to form the Ming Dynasty Navy, Zhang Mingzhen was so excited that tears filled his eyes, and he hurriedly bowed down and thanked him again!

As a guerrilla general in Taizhou, Zhang Mingzhen is most aware of the current situation of the Ming Dynasty Navy, which basically exists in name only and relies entirely on the Zheng family for support at sea.

A country's coastal defense cannot last long if it is completely handed over to a pirate. The Ming Dynasty should have built its own navy long ago. Zheng He's feats in his voyages to the West were so majestic.

"Okay, you go and do things. If you need anything, just ask!"

The two of them hurriedly bowed and saluted:

"Thank you, Your Highness, I will take my leave!"

Zheng Sen and Zhang Mingzhen quit the Chengyun Palace together.

Looking at the two people leaving, Zhu Cixiang showed a satisfied smile on his face.

He knew that the grain ship that Zheng Sen came this time would not be able to return to Fujian for the time being.

This fleet and the five warships escorting the fleet will become navy recruit training ships.

Liugong Island is located in Weihai Bay, Shandong Province, and straddles the throat of the Bohai Sea with Lushun on the Liaodong Peninsula.

Starting from the Ming Dynasty, troops were stationed on the island to prevent Japanese pirates from invading, and Liugong Island began to serve as an important coastal defense area.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Beiyang Navy garrisoned troops on Liugong Island, built docks, built forts, set up a telegraph office, set up a naval school, and established the naval admiral's office on the island.

During the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War, the entire Beiyang Navy was wiped out, and Liugong Island became a place of national mourning.

After the war, Weihaiwei, including Liugong Island, was occupied by Japan.

In 1898, the British forcibly leased Weihaiwei, and Liugong Island became a summer resort for the British navy.

Although Weihaiwei was taken back in 1930, Liugong Island was still leased by the British for another 10 years.

In 1938, Japan occupied Liugong Island again until its defeat in 1945.

It was once the base of the Beiyang Navy of the Qing Dynasty and the main battlefield of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1898. It also suffered the humiliation of British colonial rule.

The Sino-Japanese War of 1898-1894 brought deep harm to the Chinese people and made every Chinese remember this shame.

It is for the above reasons that Zhu Cixiang established the Ming Dynasty Navy here.

He wants to use the navy established here to destroy little Japan and let Britain sink forever...

Seeing the crown prince deep in thought, Hu Bao immediately flattered him:

"My young master is wise and mighty, and the Ming Navy will surely rise!"

Zhu Cixiang smiled slightly, reached out and patted Hu Baobao and said:

"Stop flattering, please inform Cheng Guoxiang, Minister of Household Affairs, Meng Zhaoxiang, Minister of Industry, Shuntian Governor Yang Tinglin and Chen Zilong, Inspector Shi Bangzhao and other officials to come to discuss the matter!"

"According to the order!"

The sweet potatoes, potatoes and corn that Zhu Cixi has been waiting for are finally here. The victims of the Ming Dynasty will not go hungry this year...

In ancient China, where agricultural civilization was dominant, population was the country's most important resource.

Every dynasty in our country has tried every means to increase the population.

In history, our country has experienced many prosperous times and its population has also experienced many peaks.

But before the Ming and Qing Dynasties, my country's population was always below 100 million.

Even the Yuan Dynasty, which had the most vast territory, had a population of only 89 million.

However, in the middle and early Qing Dynasty, China's population showed explosive growth, with the total population increasing nearly forty times.

During the Qianlong period, my country's population exceeded 200 million, and by the Daoguang period, the national population increased to 430 million.

Even though the population dropped sharply later due to the Taiping Rebellion, our country still has a population of more than 300 million.

So why did my country experience a population explosion during the Qing Dynasty? That was the role of sweet potatoes, potatoes and corn.

In fact, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes and other crops were introduced to China, but they were not popularized because southerners did not like to eat them.

These exotic crops not only have large yields, but are also highly adaptable and do not require high land requirements.

It can be planted in barren mountainous hills and slopes and does not compete with wheat and rice.

This greatly increased the amount of food rations for residents and played an important role in my country's population growth.

The yield of sweet potatoes is extremely high, and there is a folk saying that sweet potatoes are a staple food for half a year.

Once popularized, it quickly benefited countless poor people. Whether it was that year or the subsequent great famine, many people relied on sweet potatoes to survive.

In this way, not only a large amount of wasteland is effectively developed, but also food production is greatly increased.

At the same time, these high-yield crops can not only be eaten by humans, but can also be used as livestock feed.

With the availability of large amounts of meat and poultry eggs, the fat and protein content have increased, which has improved people's physical fitness.

To a certain extent, it also promoted the growth of population.

It can be said that the increase in food production laid the foundation for population growth.

Before the ministers arrived, Zhu Cihong exchanged twenty sweet potatoes, twenty potatoes, and twenty young corns from the system, and then started working with a few young eunuchs and palace maids.

When these three crops were first introduced, the yields were not high because they did not know how to grow them. In addition, they did not know how to cook them and they did not find them delicious. Otherwise, they would have been popularized.

Today, Zhu Cixiang wants these ministers to taste something they have never eaten before. He does not believe that anyone will not like eating roasted sweet potatoes and tender corn... I like the Ming Dynasty, and the heyday began with the prince supervising the country. Please collect it: (https://www.myxls.net
Chapter completed!