Of course, for a ship as large as the Oriental Beauty, the risk of building it directly according to a ship model is still a bit high.

It is better to scale up the ship to half the scale first, and then make a smaller test ship. Then, it is safer to test it in the sea and expose all the problems before building a larger ship.

But it's just one more step in the middle, the principle is the same, and the proportional ship model is still the key.

"Then let's make the ship model quickly." After listening to Yang Fan's words, Master Zhao instructed.

"Well, well..." Yang Fan was confused: "Just watch and do it, I can't do it."

"Then how can you do it?" Zhao Hao looked at him and asked.

"We have to dismantle the ship, sir..." Yang Fan also looked at Zhao Hao tentatively and said, "Such a big ship, how can we see the structure inside clearly if we don't dismantle it."

"Then tear it down!" Zhao Hao thought he was going to put forward some conditions, but he waved his hand happily and said, "How can we do reverse engineering without dismantling it?"

"But that red-haired ghost captain said that this is the property of their Portuguese royal family and must be returned to them in the future." Ma Hu reminded in a low voice.

"It will take ages to reach an agreement." Zhao Hao sneered and said nonchalantly, "Let's dismantle it and study it first. It would be best if we can put it back together for them after we're done. If we can't, forget it."

He sighed and said, "The sea is rough, and typhoons and shipwrecks are common. At worst, I can just pay some money and that's it."

"Oh..." Everyone understood that the young master had no intention of returning the boat.

"Okay, then I'll try it!" Yang Fan rolled up his sleeves subconsciously, and it was obvious that he was already extremely hungry.

He had only one thought in his mind, and that was to make Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding return to being number one in the world!

"So, you agree to come to Jiangnan Factory?" Zhao Hao took the opportunity to extend an olive branch.

"Ah, this..." Yang Fan said awkwardly, "Let me think about it."

"Brother, what are you still thinking about? Longjiang Factory is doing well now, and anyone who is needed will be transferred." Yang Mi advised from the side: "In Longjiang Factory, we build ships for the group, and in Jiangnan Factory, we also build ships for the group. But if you want to build the best ships, you can only come here!"

"Yes, Lord Yang, my master has kept the position of factory director vacant for you for more than a year. This sincerity is enough to move heaven and earth, right?" Jin Xuezeng also chimed in.

"Yes, Director, we're just waiting for you to take charge of the situation." Ma Hu also said.

Everyone tried to persuade him, and he finally softened his tone and said, "But I still have an official position."

"That's easy. I'll make some arrangements and transfer you to Chongming to be the county magistrate and the director of the shipyard." Zhao Hao smiled faintly and said, "I know you are worried about the Longjiang Shipyard. How about this? You work hard here for ten years. When we build a big warship that is better than the Western ones, the production is standardized and there is a successor. Then I will send you back with drums and gongs, okay?"

"Okay, fine. I'll work for you for ten years." Young Master Zhao had said so much, and if Yang Fan didn't agree, he would really not be a good son.

"Haha, good." Zhao Hao laughed with satisfaction, pointed at the galleon with high spirits, and said to everyone: "Gentlemen, please, as long as you can build this, I want at least 100 of them!"

"Yes!" Everyone's blood boiled when they heard this. They all had a clear premonition that they would leave a strong mark in China's maritime history, and even in history!

"Time waits for no one! Research and development must be fast, don't be afraid of spending money." Zhao Hao said in a deep voice: "I'll give you a year, and by this time next year, I will officially start building the first ship!"

"Understood. I will start working on it today!" Yang Fan nodded heavily and said, "We will try to draw the maps of all the ships before the end of the year."

"Yes." Zhao Hao nodded. This was why he insisted that Yang Fan take the lead.

In this era, shipbuilding is a craft, and there are only a few people who master the top-notch craft, and you can't find it anywhere else.

It's not just shipbuilding. Almost all industries face the same problem. This traditional model of craftsmen mastering core technologies has seriously constrained the Jiangnan Group. Mr. Zhao spent a huge amount of money to build so many schools just to turn private skills into public knowledge, so that all-round progress can be made!

After a moment of distraction, he told Yang Fan: "Speaking of drawing, you should learn more from the Portuguese. The ruler and compass drawing techniques they master can make the drawings more accurate."

"Yes." Yang Fan quickly responded, "We will find ways to squeeze them dry, leaving not a drop!"

"That's what I mean." Master Zhao nodded with a smile.

~~

On the way back, Jin Xuezeng couldn't help but ask Zhao Hao: "Master, does Jiangnan Shipyard really want to build so many large ships?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Zhao Hao rode on the horse, his hands on the awning, looking into the distance.

"Can we still build that thousand-ton sea-going ship?" Jin Xuezeng asked.

"Of course we will continue to build it." Zhao Hao said calmly: "Think about it. We have missed 150 years of classes. How many years will it take to make up for it?"

He didn't tell anyone because it would shock everyone - according to his own estimation, in the future Jiangnan Group would need 3,000 to 5,000 1,000-ton ocean-going ships, that is, a carrying capacity of one million tons, to be considered a major player in the Age of Discovery.

In fact, this number is not exaggerated, because within a hundred years after the Qing Dynasty lifted the ban on sea trade, the number of sand ships along the Jiangnan coast increased to 5,000, with a total tonnage of 750,000 tons. During the same period, there were 7,000 British registered sea vessels with a total tonnage of 1.5 million tons...

How could Jiangnan Group be satisfied with just doing offshore trade? Young Master Zhao was aiming for the seven seas, and his five thousand ships were just enough.

Others find it incredible, but they can only say that they cannot imagine how grand the Age of Exploration was...

~~

"Then the Jiangnan Shipyard must be expanded." Jin Xuezeng looked in the direction Zhao Hao was looking and said, "I have to leave room for them."

"Yes, in the future, Jiangnan Shipyard will occupy at least tens of thousands of acres and employ tens of thousands of people." Zhao Hao said slowly: "Add to that the supporting upstream industries, and it will be no problem to support hundreds of thousands of households."

"Wow..." Jin Xuezeng's mouth was almost watering. He had worked so hard to attract people to return to Chongming County, but there were only 40,000 households and more than 100,000 people. With this great gift from his master, the population of Chongming County would increase several times, even exceeding the grand occasion during the Yuan Dynasty!

"Master, you are so kind to your disciple. I, I really don't know how to repay you..." The golden monkey was so happy that he was incoherent.

"Don't be too happy yet." But Zhao Hao changed the subject and said, "There is one more thing. You should be mentally prepared in advance."

"What's the matter? Master, please tell me." Jin Xueceng was stunned.

"Placing Chongming as the anchorage port for grain transportation is just a temporary measure. It is not conducive to the overall development of Jiangnan." Zhao Hao glanced at him and said, "When there is a more suitable port, the group will consider moving to another place."

"Uh..." Jin Xuezeng's heart sank. It was true that fortune and misfortune were interdependent. He begged, "Master, please be kind. Chongming's current prosperity depends entirely on shipping!"

"Shipbuilding is still more suitable for Chongming. Combined with the farm economy, it is enough to drive the economic take-off of the entire county." Zhao Hao was unmoved and said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew. You must obey the overall situation."

"Alas." Since the master said so, Jin Xueceng had no choice but to agree reluctantly.

But he was not panicking. He had already thought about it. The entire Jiangnan region lacked a large seaport with convenient transportation. The nearest one was Ningbo, which was outside the Jiangnan integrated area planned by his master.

If setting up the port in Chongming is not conducive to the development of Jiangnan, then setting it up in Ningbo would be even more inappropriate.

Therefore, in his opinion, the master's idea of ​​moving to Hong Kong could not be implemented in a short period of time.

He pretended to be pitiful just to take the opportunity to put forward conditions. "So, Master, what about running the farm next year?"

"I agree." Zhao Hao nodded.

"What about the agricultural technician?"

"I'll go coordinate."

"Can we invite Shi Jizhi to take the lead..." Jin Xuezeng pressed forward again.

"I think you are taking advantage of me!" Zhao Hao glared at him unhappily.

"Master, I really am not. It's mainly because this is my first time and I am nervous. How can I explain to my superiors and subordinates if I mess up hundreds of thousands of acres of land..." Jin Xuezeng said shamelessly, "Master, you don't want your disciple to suffer a big setback at the beginning of his career."

"I don't trust you." Zhao Hao sneered and said, "Okay, I'll ask him for you. Don't make any more conditions!"

"Oh, yes, yes." Jin Xuezeng agreed timidly, but he was very happy. Now Chongming has three measures in place, not only will it be able to get rid of the bottom of the prefecture in no time, but it will also be possible to catch up with Changzhou Wu County.

"Do your best." Young Master Zhao looked at his beloved disciple meaningfully. "You have been the county magistrate for two years. You should learn to remain calm in the face of praise or criticism."

"Yes, Master." At that time, Jin Xuezeng didn't know what Master meant by this. If he knew, he would definitely have a bad year...

~~

The next morning, Master Zhao and his party left Chongming Island and arrived at Wusongkou at noon.

Due to the intrusion of silt from the Yangtze River estuary, many sandbags have accumulated on the surface of the Wusong River. The largest one is called Gaoqiao Island, which occupies half of the river mouth. There are even more than a hundred families living on it, which shows how serious the siltation of the Wusong River is.

The shallowness of the river made navigation difficult. Only the flat-bottomed sand boats could enter and exit without any problems, while the pointed-bottomed Fuzhou boats would run aground.

Elder Niu personally took the helm and carefully steered the 400-ton sand boat that Master Zhao was riding through the Wusongkou. If it ran aground by accident, it would have to wait until high tide to get out.

After passing Wusongkou, the river in front of us is still wide, about a hundred feet wide. At first glance, the water surface is as smooth and vast as a lake.

But if you look closely, you can see reeds growing everywhere on the water surface, with countless sandbags in between, which clearly shows that the water is also seriously silted up.

These silts were brought by the Wusong River. Because the Wusongkou was blocked by silts from the Yangtze River, the flow of the Wusong River slowed down, and the silts accumulated here. As a result, the river channel became shallower and shallower, and the flow became slower and slower. It is no wonder that once the Taihu Lake overflowed, floods frequently occurred along the Wusong River.

ps. There is one more...