Only a few ministers knew about the expedition against the Japanese pirates, and they did not want to publicize it. This was the difference between Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Di. If it were Zhu Di, he would build a wave of military power no matter how big or small the battle was, but Zhu Gaochi did not have such a mentality.
On the contrary, I feel that if the military aircraft should not be leaked, the battle can be decided quickly and the victory can be won faster.
The leader's character determines how the company does things.
Zhu Zhanzhen arrived at the riverside the next day. At this time, there were two 1,600-ton sailing ships parked here. The current steam engines are more suitable for use on ships of this size.
The shapes of the two warships are slightly different. One has a stern paddle wheel and the other has a side paddle wheel. The side paddle wheel is installed on the side of the ship.
According to the test, the traveling ability of the side paddle wheel is better.
Zheng He took Zhu Zhanyi on board the warship. The ship had a wide deck, and the 1,600-ton ship looked very huge on the river. There were four tiger cannons on both sides. This is the latest artillery used by the Ming army.
This kind of lightweight artillery has a thin barrel and a short range, and the bracket position of the artillery is exquisitely carved into a tiger's claw. Zhu Zhanchang smiled helplessly, he just liked to work hard in this place where there was no actual firepower bonus.
The tiger claw-shaped stand looks good, but it doesn't add range, accuracy, or firepower.
There are some similarities between the Tiger Cannon and the mortar. In fact, it is more suitable for the Ming army's mountain and field battles, and is not very suitable for naval battles. Naval battles require a longer range, but before, the Ming army did not have artillery and firearms specifically needed for naval battles.
This time I must go to see the naval battle and customize weapons for the warship according to the actual situation.
"The side paddle-wheel warships can place half less tiger cannons on both sides than the stern paddle-wheel warships." Zhu Zhanyi discovered the difference between the two warships.
"Yes, Your Highness, a broadside paddle-wheel warship has a smaller number of cannons because the paddle wheel is on the side and occupies some space. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The broadside paddle-wheel can travel fast and has high stability."
The application of the two warships in actual combat has yet to be tested.
Seeing such strong ships and cannons, Zheng He was full of confidence.
"How many people will we send out this time?"
"The scale of 10 warships, including three steam warships, two stern paddle wheel warships, and one broadside paddle wheel warship, with a total of 550 people."
Zhu Zhanzhen chuckled, thinking that there must be 551 people in the final trip.
What I'm thinking about now is how to sneak onto the ship quietly without Chu'er, Xiaosheng and others being punished.
If he got on the ship and went on an expedition, Xiaosheng and Chu'er would definitely be punished. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, they would not be stripped of their skins when they came back. This would not work. This was not Zhu Zhanzhen's style of conduct.
…
Two days later, at dawn, Zhu Zhanchang left the palace, intending to go to Zheng He's wedding. However, as soon as he left the palace, Zhu Zhanchang changed into the clothes of a coal burner on Zheng He's ship.
Zhu Zhanzhen has grown taller recently, and with his face hidden, he is about the same height as some short coal-burners. Of course, at the same time, Xiaosheng and Chu'er also changed into coal-burner clothes.
"Your Highness, these clothes are so cold." Chu'er felt the cold and complained involuntarily.
Zhu Zhanzhen's idea of not leaving Xiaosheng and Chu'er to be punished was to take them on board the warship.
Logic genius.
"Your Highness, is this really not going to reveal your secret?"
"I observed it two days ago. The coal burners all boarded the ship in advance. When Zheng He counted the sergeants, we boarded the ship quietly."
"Is it true that it won't be discovered?" Xiaosheng was still skeptical.
Zhu Zhanchen said helplessly: "I have to give it a try."
"Your Highness, there is nothing interesting about fighting, and it's dangerous. Let's not go." Chu'er persuaded. She still didn't want Zhu Zhanchen to go, but she couldn't change Zhu Zhanxi's mind. He would definitely be punished if he stayed, so why not
Go with His Highness and give it a try. Your Highness will protect you in everything.
The three of them came to the riverside. It was late at dawn in winter. Zhu Zhanzhen had already found a route and blended into the coal dump nearby. The three of them were waiting for the workers to come in.
After the coal diggers arrived, they began to transport coal onto the warship. The three of them loaded the coal on the cart as if nothing had happened, and lowered their heads to push the coal cart onto the warship.
It has to be said that the coal cart is quite heavy, and wearing thin clothes, I was already shivering when the river wind blew.
A palace maid, a eunuch, and an emperor's grandson, all three of them were weak, so it took the combined efforts of the three of them to push the coal truck.
Coal workers passed by the three of them one after another, and they all looked at the three of them in surprise, wondering how these three people got in to work as coal workers. Could anyone come in through the back door to do this hard and dirty work?
The three people pushed hard, and suddenly a eunuch in military uniform appeared in front of them. Zhu Zhanzhen raised his head slightly, but he did not expect that Zheng He was standing in front of the three people.
He lowered his head in a hurry, secretly thinking that it was not good.
Zheng He shook his head bitterly and helplessly and sighed. With this disguise, it would be difficult for him to turn a blind eye and let Zhu Zhanchen get on the ship, but it was impossible to get on the Ming warship.
When the time comes for the expedition, the number of people will have to be counted, and the coal burners will also have to be counted.
Zheng He turned around and looked at the warships on the river. The river gently undulated with the wind, the mist rose from the river, and down the river was the vast sea.
You want to see it too, Your Highness.
This voice sounded in Zheng He's heart.
Since turning a blind eye is not enough.
Then simply close both eyes.
Zheng He scolded sternly: "What's going on with you three? Didn't I ask you to go to the side to observe the status of the paddle wheel? Why are you still dragging your feet here?"
Then he stretched out his foot and kicked Xiaosheng: "Go, go quickly, don't waste time here, come here, you can transport this car of coal."
"What are you looking at? Why don't you get on the boat quickly."
Amid Zheng He's urging, Zhu Zhanzhen and the others quickly ran onto the warship.
The three of them lay on the side window and looked at Zheng He who was arranging his army outside. Chu'er said curiously: "Your Highness, didn't Master Zheng He notice us?"
Xiaosheng answered on behalf of Zhu Zhanzhen: "Of course I didn't find it."
"You shouldn't have noticed it if you were so close."
Xiaosheng said speechlessly: "We discovered it. Let's pretend that Mr. Zheng He didn't find it. We boarded the ship quietly."
"Oh~" Chu'er finally understood what Xiaosheng meant.
When the rising sun turned red on the river, Zheng He stood on the bow of the ship, whistles sounded, and the coal burners kept adding coal to the furnace, and the warship began to move slowly.
"It's moving, it's moving, Your Highness." Chu Er shouted excitedly.
After the big ship sailed through the thin mist on the river for six hours, Zhu Zhanchen came out of the cabin and found Zheng He on the deck. It was already dark.
"Your Highness, why are you here?!" When Zheng He saw Zhu Zhanchen suddenly appeared, his face was full of astonishment, as were the people around him.
"How can this be done? Quickly turn around the army and send His Highness the Fifth Prince back."
"No, Master Zheng He, the ship has already sailed for six hours. Turning back at this time will waste time and effort, and it will also delay the fighter plane."
"Lord Zheng He, you should think twice."
Zheng He had a "tangled" expression on his face, flicked his sleeves and sighed: "Hey, it's all Zheng He's fault. He didn't check carefully. His Highness the Fifth Prince didn't even know about it on the ship. I'll apologize to His Majesty the Crown Prince after I get back.
"
After all this, everyone could see that Zheng He had no choice but to take Zhu Zhanyi to the expedition.
Zhu Zhanzhen snickered secretly, but he didn't expect that Zheng He's acting skills were also good.
"Quickly, go and prepare a room for His Highness Five. How can His Highness wear such clothes? What should I do if His Highness catches a cold?" Zheng He immediately gave orders.
Zhang San was also on the ship. As the chief engineer, he naturally had to see the actual effect of the warship. When he saw the smile on Zhu Zhanyi's face, he liked the feeling of staying with Zhu Zhanyi. It was both whimsical and wonderful.
I want to be approachable and approachable.
"Send someone to take a boat back later to report to His Highness the Crown Prince."
"Sir Zheng He, it's hard to dock at night, or early in the morning." Zhang San made a suggestion from the perspective of a technical engineer.
"Okay, we can only do it tomorrow morning."
…
In the palace, the prince's head almost exploded when he looked at the note left by Zhu Zhanzhen on the table. His second son was still making noises beside him.
"Father, I'm going to see how the warship is doing in actual combat. Please don't blame the maids and eunuchs in the courtyard. They don't know anything about it."
This was a note left by Zhu Zhanyi. It was already night when I found it. I searched the yard and couldn't find any trace of Zhu Zhanyi.
Zhu Gaochi was not in a hurry, but it was Zhu Zhanchen who was the most anxious: "Father, Zhan Yun is really messing around. Now send people to chase him back. Zheng He is the same. No news has been sent back after so long. What does he do for food?"
If a man as big as Zhan Yi could sneak into the ship, I can suspect that Zhan Yi was even instigated by Zheng He to board the ship."
Yao Guangxiao, who was standing next to him, recited a Buddhist chant: "Your Highness, the Second Highness, please do not accuse Zheng He unfairly. Zheng He has always been a measured person. There is no way he would incite His Highness the Fifth Prince to board the ship. Please do not accuse a good person unfairly."
Zhu Zhanchen was so angry that he kept talking to Zhu Zhanchen no matter what. Seeing Zhu Gaochi's appearance, he also planned to leave the matter as it was and let Zhu Zhanchen go.
The imbalance in his heart made him even more distorted: "Father, the eunuchs and maids in Zhan's courtyard were unable to admonish Zhan in time, so they were all sent to prison and severely punished, and they were beheaded based on their crimes."
"Zhanju!" Zhu Gaochi's face darkened: "This is the first time you have asked someone to be imprisoned or beheaded since you started assisting the country."
As a benevolent prince, he had never ordered beheadings many times in his life. However, Zhu Zhanquan had mentioned it many times in the past few days because of the banditry in Jiangxi. He mentioned it again this time, which violated the bottom line of the prince's heart.
Zhu Zhanjuan noticed Zhu Gaochi's anger and temporarily stopped his activities, his face full of indignation.
Yao Guangxiao came out to smooth things over: "What the Second Highness said is true. These eunuchs and maids have not fulfilled their duty of admonition. However, except for the personal maids and eunuchs, no one else knows about the temper of the Fifth Highness. His Highness the Crown Prince asked some people to go to the temple."
Eat fast and pray to Buddha while kneeling."
Zhu Zhanquan was dissatisfied with such an obvious deviation.
"Let's do it this way. Send someone to contact Zheng He first to ensure Zhan Yi's safety."
Yao Guangxiao offered to help because Zhu Zhanyi told him before leaving that he would find a way to get on the warship. He said he wanted to see if the Ming Dynasty's warship could go to the west and whether it could carry the Ming Dynasty's national destiny.