Hong Xu, Gan Hui, and even Zheng Zhilong's brothers Zheng Zhihu and Zheng Zhibao were all in the navy, but their official positions were not high. Of course, they were still young and had room for growth.

The current Ming navy has hired Portuguese instructors, built Western-style warships, and added new artillery in recent years. Not only does it have a numerical advantage in the near seas, but it also has a certain combat capability in the far seas.

Although this scale is still far from the emperor's requirements, the separation of land and sea must still be implemented.

The emperor made the decision. Sun Chengzong didn't quite understand it, but he didn't object much either.

The emperor had a broader vision than anyone else and was more eager than anyone else to conquer the sea and build a strong navy.

Overseas, even in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, there are huge and immeasurable wealth.

In a world where the strong prey on the weak, whoever grabs it gets it. The Ming Dynasty dominated Asia, so how could it be limited to this land?

"Your Majesty, the southwest is increasing its troops again, and I'm afraid the finances are not relaxed." Sun Chengzong bowed and said, "Liaodong is pacified, and the She'an rebels are barely surviving. This is a time of peace and prosperity for the country, so it seems appropriate to delay strengthening military preparations."

The emperor shook his head and did not tell Teacher Sun that he wanted to "put an end to military power" and was preparing to take the initiative to attack the Toungoo Dynasty in the southwest.

"The combat capability of the northern border towns can be improved by transferring troops, and the defense line will be basically stable. But the southwest is very weak. It is better to transfer gold, flowers and silver to the southwest to prioritize national affairs." The emperor spoke slowly, but did not reveal the final plan.

The emperor had long realized that he would not need this year's gold and silver. The so-called tight finances could not stop his plan.

Besides, Mu Qiyuan’s death created such a good opportunity, how could we let it go?

As for the strength of Myanmar's Toungoo Dynasty, the emperor did not take it seriously.

Think about the Southern Ming Dynasty in history. King Jin Li Dingguo led a few thousand remaining soldiers to attack the city of Ava. It can be seen that the Toungoo Dynasty could not escape the cyclical law and was declining.

The only concern was the complex tropical and subtropical jungle environment and the terrifying malaria at that time.

In the southwest, recruiting soldiers and expanding the military helped the country adapt to the environment to the greatest extent possible. As for malaria, the emperor also had a way to deal with it.

Things like toilet water, mosquito coils, mosquito nets, tea, and even Qingsong, although they could not completely prevent and cure malaria, they minimized the threat of malaria to the Ming army.

The emperor didn't even want the gold and silver, and he wouldn't want them for several years. What else could Sun Chengzong say? He bowed his head and accepted the order, then took his leave.

"It's just an investment now, and the return in the future will be ten times, a hundred times, or even a million times." The emperor smiled to himself, as if to comfort himself, with helplessness in his smile.

The storage of materials to overcome major disasters, the investment in rebuilding Liaodong, the strengthening of the army and navy... the expenses are all necessary and quite important.

Many people might have thought that after the Liao Dynasty was pacified, the finances would be relaxed immediately, just as Sun Chengzong had described a peaceful and prosperous era. However, what the emperor wanted was a prosperous and dominant country.

Only by forging ahead amidst trials and tribulations could the Ming Empire prosper. Prolonged periods of peace, like a corrosive agent, often inflict subtle damage to the empire.

The Great Ming Empire was not the emperor's goal; a strong Ming was his ideal.

The emperor stood up, walked to the edge of the hall, and looked out through the frosted glass window. He seemed to see the vast landscape, and his eyes narrowed slightly.