Chapter 114 Three difficulties in shipping

Zhu Qizhen said: "Sit down flat."

Zhu Qizhen did not have the habit of letting people kneel or stand to talk.

Regardless of whether you are meeting with a minister or a minor minister, if it is just a nod to the official, then there will be no more words. Once you want to have a formal conversation, you must have someone sit down and talk.

This is a habit Zhu Qizhen brought from later generations. Without Zhu Qizhen knowing it, it won Zhu Qizhen a lot of reputation.

Because sitting and talking about Taoism has ceased to exist since the Song Dynasty.

When Zhu Qizhen saw Wang Ying's nervous breathing, as if he was running hundreds of meters at a stretch, he deliberately gave him some relief. Zhu Qizhen had seen many officials like this.

In later generations, going to the Forbidden City was just a tour, and you couldn't feel the momentum at all.

If you close your eyes and imagine, there is not a single tourist in the entire Forbidden City. There are soldiers lined up from the gate all the way to the innermost place, with three steps, one post, five steps and one sentry. Every soldier is staring at you, wearing armor

Extremely vivid. It seems that if you make one wrong move, you will be pulled down and beheaded.

And before you enter, you have also received instructions, knowing where you cannot enter and where you cannot see. Walk along the brick cracks on the ground. You must take the official steps. Do not hold your head high, look arrogant, or lower your eyebrows.

Make a rickety shape in your eyes.

Wherever your eyes fall, how many steps you need to take to certain places.

Perhaps the Forbidden City was not the most spectacular building in later generations, but it was first-class at that time. From your vision to your body and mind, especially when every word and deed of the people inside could determine your life or death.

That feeling of tension arises spontaneously.

Zhu Qizhen told a few old stories about Wang Jinghong's voyages to the West with Zheng He, and Wang Ying relaxed.

Zhu Qizhen selected several young eunuchs from his inner study to serve as his secretaries. Headed by Zhang Huan and Gu Zhong, they were all young, only in their twenties.

They are not Wang Zhen's adopted sons.

Even if Zhu Qizhen trusted Wang Zhen again, he would not surround himself with Wang Zhen's people.

They received the memorial sent by Wang Zhen. They also had to arrange the time for Zhu Qizhen, for example, who to meet and when. The next step was to prepare materials for Zhu Qizhen.

For example, today Zhu Qizhen summoned Wang Ying, Wang Ying, Wang Jinghong and even all the qualifications of the Wang family were put on Zhu Qizhen's table.

Zhu Qizhen was able to blurt it out naturally.

Come to think of it, Wang Ying didn't dare to look at such words on Zhu Qizhen's table.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Wang Qing came from the sea and experienced shipping. When Eunuch Wang was still alive, he followed Eunuch Sanbao to Nanyang several times. He is an expert among them. To tell the truth."

"Is this shipping feasible?"

Wang Ying had already made a plan in his mind and said: "Your Majesty has a question, but I dare not lie. I am willing to guarantee with my life that this shipping plan is feasible."

“But shipping has

Three difficulties."

Zhu Qizhen glanced at Yang Pu and said, "Oh, but it's those three difficulties?"

Wang Ying said: "The first is the difficulty of the ship."

"Nowadays, ocean-covering ships are mostly used for maritime transportation. These ships can carry five hundred shi of grain. If you want to transfer grain and grass, there will be hundreds of ships. If there are many ships and they are mixed, accidents will happen easily."

"Moreover, the boat is small and light, so it is afraid of wind and waves. The wind and waves in Chengshanjiao are not that big compared to those in the Southern Ocean, but when you look up and down, you are afraid of the road. It is not because the waves are big, but because the boat is small."

"When Sanbao Eunuch went to the Western Ocean, there were 2,500 grain ships, which could carry tens of thousands of grains. If all the ships were replaced by such large ships, only a dozen ships would be needed each time, which would be equivalent to the hundreds of ships today.

."

"Your Majesty wants to develop maritime transport, so please build a treasure ship first."

Zhu Qizhen was very excited when he heard this. He quickly calculated a mathematical problem. If a ship can carry 50,000 shi, the four million shi of grain transported on the canal a year is only one trip of 80 ships.

"The second is the difficulty of the waterway." Wang Ying continued.

"I am originally a member of the Jinyi Guard Qianhu. Because of the shipping matter, I was transferred to the commander of the Great River Guard. Specializing in shipping matters, I went out to sea from Huai'an via the Yellow River and went north along the coastline. There were all kinds of bright and dark rocks along the way. Because I haven't been able to travel this way for a long time,

It took me a long time to arrive in Tianjin."

"But this sea channel is not the best."

"The best sea route is from Chongming Island to the east, into the Blackwater Ocean, all the way north to Chengshanjiao, and then through Shamen Island and Liujia Island into Tianjin."

"If the trade wind is just right, it only takes ten days to get from Chongming to Tianjin."

Zhu Qizhen was shocked and said: "Ten days. Is this true?"

Wang Ying said: "I will never dare to deceive the emperor. When the south wind blows, it will arrive in ten days. I dare to issue a military order. This was the case for transporting grain in the spring and autumn of the Yuan Dynasty."

The mathematical problem in Zhu Qizhen's mind was immediately slashed hard.

Not to mention the number of trips a year, just like the Yuan Dynasty, twice a year would not require 80 large ships, but only 40 large ships.

Zhu Qizhen's abacus crackled in his mind, and he continued to ask: "What other difficulties are there?"

Wang Ying said: "There are also Japanese pirates."

"The Japanese pirates are based overseas, and they have ups and downs. If they cannot exhaust the ocean, they cannot plow their way out and clear their holes. They can only entangle them repeatedly. However, the fastest route from Chongming to Tianjin requires entering the black water ocean. It is far away from the land. If something happens,

I’m afraid I won’t have time to react.”

Zhu Qizhen also knew where the Black Water Ocean was.

Black water is not black water, but the color of the sea surface is darker, which means it is beyond the continental shelf. There are ocean currents here, so Wang Yingcai said that it is smooth sailing.

Maybe the ancients didn't know what ocean currents were, but that didn't prevent them from using them.

In this way, many things can easily happen on the sea.

Millions of stones of grain,

For Japan, it is simply an astronomical amount of wealth.

Zhu Qizhen suddenly became tired of the Japanese pirates and asked casually: "Wang Qing, is there any way to eliminate the Japanese pirates?"

Wang Ying said: "Your Majesty, you can send a navy to inspect Japan and ask the Japanese king to control the people. During the Yongle period, the first stop for the Sanbao eunuchs when they went to sea was Japan. Since then, the Japanese pirates have become much more honest."

Zhu Qizhen was slightly surprised. He had heard about Zheng He's voyages to the West before, but he never expected that Zheng He's maiden voyage would be to Japan. However, Zhu Qizhen also had some understanding of the situation in Japan today.

Although Japan is far away from the Warring States Period, it does not mean that Japan is peaceful. It is also very chaotic. The Emperor of Japan is just a decoration.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Wang Qing's idea is good."

Yang Pu said: "Your Majesty, Wang Ying is a meritorious official. He has made great achievements in transporting grain to Beijing and beheaded dozens of people. He should be rewarded by the Ministry of War."

When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he knew that Yang Pu wanted to send Wang Ying away.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Okay, let the Ministry of War discuss the merits with the Governor's Office of the Fifth Army. By the way, which guard does Chongming Island belong to?"

Wang Ying said: "Chongming is affiliated with Zhenhaiwei."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Just transfer to Zhenhaiwei."

Wang Ying naturally understood that Zhu Qizhen placed him in the heart of the Zhenhai Guard. You must know that Liujiagang, where Zheng He went to sea, was in the Zhenhai Guard.

Wang Ying was extremely grateful, so naturally he didn’t mention it.

After Zhu Qizhen let Wang Ying go, he turned to Yang Pu and said, "Sir, what do you think Wang Ying said?"

Yang Pu said: "Congratulations to your majesty, you have gained a maritime talent. With Wang Ying, your majesty's maritime strategy is feasible. However, your majesty thinks that the imperial court has banned maritime transportation. Don't you see the benefits of maritime transportation?"

Zhu Qizhen frowned slightly. If you look at history, it seems that many people are stupid and don't do what is best. Now that Zhu Qizhen has gone deep into history, he understands everyone who can leave a name in history.

They may have their own shortcomings, but they are not stupid, except of course Emperor Hui of Jin.

Especially this kind of veteran minister is simply extremely cunning.

Zhu Qizhen vaguely remembered that in the early Ming Dynasty, sea transportation had been maintained, but in the 13th year of Yongle, sea transportation was stopped and replaced by water transportation.

And he does not mean Emperor Taizong, but an emperor who does not understand the disadvantages of it.

Zhu Qizhen said: "I would like to hear the details."

Yang Pu said: "According to Wang Ying's words, it is indeed feasible. But what Wang Ying said has always been trivial and insignificant. The real relationship between sea transportation and water transportation has never been at this point."

"Why does Your Majesty have to transport it by sea?"
Chapter completed!