"This time when I left the capital, the first thing I wanted to do was to visit you, to see your achievements over the years, and to hear your thoughts. After all, many things cannot be mentioned or explained clearly in the memorial. You can tell me anything. After all, besides the relationship between monarch and subject, we also have a personal friendship."
Zhu Youxiao said this very politely and in a relaxed tone.
Of course, everyone knew that this was the emperor showing his magnanimity, his care for his subjects, and his approachability.
But if the ministers are not clear-headed and really regard the emperor as a friend, then it will be disastrous.
The Song brothers quickly expressed their gratitude and said, "It is a blessing for us to receive your Majesty's care and concern."
The Song brothers had been in the officialdom for several years, and over the years, they were considered veterans of the officialdom. Although they were not as good as Xu Guangqi and others, among the younger generation, no one in the court could surpass them.
After some reminiscing, the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.
Zhu Youxiao said, "Take me to see the ships you built. You know, when I was in the capital, I missed these ships all the time and waited for them to set sail all the time."
Who are we going to fight at sea?
Zhu Youxiao had already made up his mind and there was no other choice except the Dutch.
Now those Dutch still occupy Penghu and even the northern part of Taiwan.
The southern part of Taiwan has now been taken over by the Spanish, and there are no good people among these two groups.
After the Ming fleet was built, they would naturally attack them. Firstly, it would allow them to reclaim their territory, and secondly, it would be a good opportunity to train their troops.
It's meaningless to bully weaklings. Only by fighting with masters like them can you test your true level. If you can defeat them, the Ming Dynasty's navy will truly have the strength to go out and do what they want.
After hearing what Zhu Youxiao said, the two Song brothers looked at each other and said excitedly, "Okay, Your Majesty, please come this way."
The most uncomfortable thing about being an official is that you have worked hard day and night to produce good things and good deeds, but you cannot get the emperor's reward or the court's recognition. This is the most uncomfortable thing.
The Song brothers had worked diligently for several years. Although the emperor often commended them in his letters, it was not enough. If His Majesty could see their contributions, the rewards would surely be generous, and would also be beneficial to their future prospects.
So this is a very good opportunity, and the two Song brothers must naturally seize it.
After entering Qingdao, the group quickly went to the port.
It is very busy here at this time. Some warships have been built and docked in the port, some are being tested, and some are being manufactured in the dock next to it.
Originally, building a ship required a large piece of wood, and a long piece of wood had to be used as the main beam, which was very troublesome.
But now the new technology does not need this kind of thing at all, and the keel can be made by splicing. Even if there are any difficulties, the craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty can solve the problem.
For the construction of this shipyard, Zhu Youxiao originally mobilized a lot of craftsmen.
As they walked forward, Song Yingsheng introduced Zhu Youxiao.
Song Yingsheng said directly, "We have ordered three types of warships. The smallest one is a fast, flexible, and easy-to-maneuver boat. It will be equipped with twenty cannons and manned by two hundred soldiers."
"Medium-sized warships will be equipped with sixty guns and manned with two thousand soldiers. Large warships will be equipped with one hundred and ten guns and manned with five thousand soldiers.
"A fleet consists of two large warships, six medium warships, twelve small warships, and the rest are transport ships and supply ships. The entire fleet will be equipped with 30,000 soldiers."
"Judging from the current construction speed, the first fleet will be able to officially begin training by the end of the year."
"The warship is now more than half complete, and the rest has already been completed, with the keel being laid. All we need now is the imperial artillery. Once the artillery arrives, we can install it on the warship. At that time, our warship will be able to set sail."
After listening to Song Yingsheng's introduction, Zhu Youxiao nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then take me up to have a look."
After saying this, Zhu Youxiao turned around and walked forward.
In addition to artillery, the Ming Dynasty's warships were naturally equipped with other things, such as hand-cranked machine guns, which were used when preparing for landing operations or when two warships were close enough.
Zhu Youxiao thought it would be more useful on small warships. He wondered if this hand-cranked machine gun could be made larger, so he decided to ask after returning.
In addition, there are also rockets. This thing has been used more frequently in the military in the past two years and is deeply loved by the generals of the new army. They no longer look down on the original artillery and prefer to use rockets.
In fact, in this era, rockets do have some advantages.
When the British army attacked India, they suffered losses in the Indian city-states. They were bombed by rockets and almost lost their way.
The British army's artillery was no match for rockets. Later, they learned the technology and developed their own, more advanced rockets. However, as time went on, gunpowder became better and better, and artillery technology also made great progress.
Artillery had a longer range and greater power, so this type of rocket was gradually eliminated. Of course, it was not completely eliminated. Later, it was replaced by Katyusha and missiles.
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