Zhu Yunying laughed and said, "Otherwise, how can we escalate things like this?!"

Old Zhu stroked his short beard and said earnestly, "Ying'er, although you are the emperor now, you still need to be careful about these things. Don't let things get too out of hand, or it won't be a good thing if things get out of control."

"I know, I have never thought of abolishing Confucianism, nor can I abolish it at all." Zhu Yunying did not hide his thoughts and said, "Some Confucian ideas are still beneficial to us, and some ideas are indeed engraved in the bones of ordinary people. It's just that I want to suppress Confucianism. My new school is under construction."

Mentioning this made Old Zhu angry, and he said irritably, "Your new school has recruited so many craftsmen and blacksmiths in Beiping, so many people with strange skills are all there, and you're supporting them!"

This emboldened Zhu Yunying, who said, "Grandfather shouldn't say that. My craftsmen are still useful. Over the years, they have indeed accomplished a great deal."

After thinking about it carefully, Lao Zhu felt that it might really be true. However, like many old-fashioned feudalists, he still looked down on some craftsmen and did not realize the importance of some things.

After nearly fifteen years of development under Zhu Yunying, the Ming Dynasty's warships and ocean-going merchant ships, while not surpassing the overall scale of the Song Dynasty, still achieved superior performance in some large warships. This was due to advancements in science and technology, shipbuilding techniques, and Zhu Yunying's emphasis on ocean-going warships and merchant ships.

Soldiers and provisions were transported to Goryeo (Korea), and silver was brought back from Japan. Merchant ships were constantly dispatched to the Southeast Asia, bringing back jewels, spices, and other goods. The Ming Dynasty's ocean shipping routes were quite prosperous. And they would certainly become even more prosperous in the future. The destinations these merchant ships would undoubtedly become increasingly distant.

After all, there were quite a few Jinyiwei spies among these merchant ships, gathering intelligence on the surrounding foreign countries and constantly collecting information on shipping routes and waterways. The exploration of the ocean had only just begun.

Zhu Yunying had previously promoted cotton cultivation in the north, which provided the border troops with more supplies for keeping warm. This also naturally led to advancements in textile technology. The vigorous promotion of coal, while sometimes harmful, did provide warmth for many, making the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Zhu Yunying sometimes regretted not being able to manufacture guns and cannons, but he was even more aware that he was the monarch of this country. He didn't need to personally handle many things or engage in public relations; he only needed to formulate policies and consciously guide the Ming Dynasty to vigorously develop science and technology, and that was enough. His resource was the entire country.

It's not that China didn't have basic science in its history. It's just that compared to Europe, the transmission and systematization of basic science were somewhat lacking. An overemphasis on the humanities and Confucianism also contributed to the relatively slower development of some scientific and technological fields.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty, and indeed indeed Chinese history, has always been a leader in science and technology. It's just that many of its valuable innovations haven't been systematized or passed down through generations.

The study of things was one of the things Zhu Yunying valued. He needed more than just craftsmen; he also needed scholars of basic sciences and scientists willing to delve into them. The Four Books and Five Classics, poetry, painting, and so on were irrelevant. The elegance of scholars was fine, but he absolutely could not allow those who only knew the Four Books and Five Classics to occupy the court.

Zhu Yunying carefully explained his ideas to Old Zhu. He didn't expect to see a scientific explosion or an industrial revolution immediately. But planting the seeds now might bring surprises and unexpected rewards.

At least Joo Yoon-young felt that many things had started to change because of him, which he considered a good thing and a relatively successful achievement.

Zhu Yunying felt that acting too hastily was unrealistic, and he couldn't change some of the deeply ingrained beliefs of this nation that had been ingrained for thousands of years all at once. So, he decided to take it slow and gradual, like boiling a frog in warm water.

After all, he was the emperor, and he had enough resources and power at his disposal!