It’s already early November, and today’s winter is not particularly cold. The Liaohai Sea is still open to navigation, and there is not even thin ice on the shore. Occasionally, there are signs of ice, but they are quickly washed away by the turbulent waves and disappear.
No trace.
At You hour, night falls and the wind begins to rise.
Shao Shude was wearing a thick fur coat, sitting in the thatched pavilion, looking at the sea dotted with fishing lanterns.
The sea at night has a unique charm.
Turbid waves come like wind and rain and go like fine dust.
Quiet and noisy, gentle and violent, just like life.
He recalled the scene of wandering around the countryside of Dengzhou during the day.
Over the years, he has been to many places.
Sometimes it is the arrogance of the army before the founding of the People's Republic of China, and sometimes it is the stable world after the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Sometimes it is a place where people eat slurry from a pot, and the gentry and elders support it; sometimes it is full of desolation, and the people are afraid of snakes and scorpions.
More than twenty years have passed, and the latter have almost disappeared, while the former have become more and more common.
The people of Dengzhou are enthusiastic, and their lives have been improved as never before. All the resentment has been swept away long ago, replaced by infinite recognition of the new dynasty. After all, people are forgetful.
The old emperor, who had no sleep at night, felt happy.
It’s November, and the Winter Solstice Festival is coming.
At this time, in the white mountains and black waters, the soldiers who are undergoing winter training should be eating dried fish and imagining their future life, right?
At this time, in Dongnae, Silla, did the soldiers who had just landed ashore in Dongnai have any thoughts of going to their country and homesickness?
At this time, inside and outside Dahe, are the businessmen still chasing profits and placing more emphasis on profit than farewell?
Is the sound of machinery still ringing in this small town in the south of the Yangtze River at this time? Whose harvest is loaded in the awning boat?
In the north and south of the Qinling Mountains, where the peaks are obscured by thick clouds, are there any old men with missing front teeth looking at the stacked barns with smiles on their faces?
Under the setting sun in the desert, is there the young man riding the horse, driving the white sheep around, and occasionally peeking at the girl being milked?
At the foot of the magnificent Gaoligong Mountain, are the bonfires still as spectacular as usual?
Amidst the heavy waves, are the warriors fighting against the wind and waves shivering with cold, but with a burning desire to return to their hometown?
At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, are the night marching armies heavily fortified, pursuing immortal military exploits amidst flying sand and rocks?
The old emperor has been standing still for a long time.
The sea breeze blew his white hair, and he whispered endlessly, like the call of old brothers.
After November, Xiao Fu, the governor of Jiangxi Province, and Xu Hao, deputy envoy to the Privy Council of Beiya, died of illness one after another.
It is normal for old people to wither away.
Shao Shude couldn't sleep, so he walked to the seaside at night to relieve the loneliness in his heart.
The world has finally been changed, and everyone's efforts seem to be meaningful.
North and south of the Yangtze River, inside and outside the Yangtze River, snowy plateaus, deserts and jungles, everything is happening step by step. The national power is constantly increasing, and the influence is constantly spreading. Even the maritime affairs that he cares about most, after coming over to take a look,
Also quite satisfied.
The new dynasty's elegant administration was carried out unswervingly.
The morale of people's hearts is visibly stable.
The internal and external vassals all surrendered fearfully.
What regrets are there? It seems there are none.
It's time to set off.
Before leaving, he went to the shipyard for the last time.
****
The north wind roared, and the boats on the Liao Sea were like forests. A large number of ships left various northern ports, loaded with goods, heading for Hebei and Huaihai Road, and some even bypassed Dengzhou and headed for Huainan.
Shao Shude returned to Penglai Town Pier and personally boarded an anchored ship.
The bottom of the boat was wet and slippery.
This is normal, no wooden boat is leakproof, no matter what kind of filler you use to fill the gaps.
Shao Shude shook off the guard's support and walked slowly in the cabin.
It was filled with a strange smell, a salty smell, a rancid smell, etc. mixed together, which was very touching.
Several iron candlesticks were hung on the bulkhead, and the thick candles burned faintly, providing a faint light.
In the dim light, Shao Shude asked someone to open a tightly covered wooden barrel.
The fishy smell hit his face, and he reached out and picked up a fish.
The red fish body is shriveled and hard, but its weight is still considerable after being severely shrunk. When held in the hand, it sways slightly with the waves, which is quite attractive.
This kind of food has become a best-seller in Henan, Hebei, Huaihai, and Zhili Roads. In recent years, even Hedong and Huainan Roads have begun to sell it in large quantities, and the market has become increasingly broad.
This is Shao Shude's contribution.
During the Changchun Festival (his birthday), every household would buy this item. Later, it was extended to the Winter Solstice, Zhengdan, Lantern Festival, and Spring Festival. Over the past twenty years, it has almost become a tradition.
He once talked to the prince about the importance of cultivating food traditions, and the prince also recognized this concept. The Shao family dynasty must persevere in this tradition from generation to generation, so that the people of the world can get used to the festival food of turtle head, and let it penetrate into every part of the culture.
This corner makes people feel that it would be unauthentic to celebrate the Winter Solstice, Zhengdan, and Lantern Festival if they don’t eat it, and it would be a waste of time.
Demand creates the market, and the market promotes industry. Only by doing this can the fishing industry continue and never be discontinued.
Shao Shude put the fish head into the barrel, then walked to another row and pointed.
The guards immediately stepped forward and opened the lid of the barrel.
Inside are large pieces of tough meat, mainly venison.
Liaodong Road found some islands with lush vegetation along the coast of the Whale Sea, and captured various animals and put them on the islands. Later, because there were too few islands, some narrow isthmuses were selected, blocked with wooden fences, and animals were raised on the other side of the isthmus.
, mainly deer, are hunted regularly.
After years of practice, the results have been mixed.
The good thing is that animals reproduce rapidly and meat production increases greatly. The bad thing is that the density of animals per unit area of forest and grass is too high, and it is very easy to get sick and die in large numbers.
All in all, it’s hard to put it all in one word. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. At least it provides Hebei and Henan with a lot of cheap dried meat.
Shao Shude gently tapped the hard meat with his hand and said with a smile: "It doesn't look good, but it's not bad. It's cheaper."
After checking the cargo in the bottom hold, he went up to the deck and asked the accompanying Prime Minister Ma Wanpeng of the Shipbuilding Department of the Ministry of Industry: "What do you think of the new ship building plan I mentioned a few days ago?"
Generally speaking, for a ship capable of long voyages, in addition to carrying cargo, the bottom hold is also the residence of the sailors on the bottom.
The environment was of course very bad, it was wet, smelly, and there were even rats.
Above the bilge is the deck, where the sailors work and control the ship.
Above the deck, there are buildings, which can be divided into one, two or even three floors depending on the situation.
These buildings house the residences of the senior crew, officers, storage rooms, and kitchen light facilities are also located here.
This is a single-deck ship. It is relatively small and cramped overall, has a bad environment, can not carry many supplies, and is more likely to get sick.
Yes, the denser the space and the less ventilated it is, the more likely it is for infectious diseases to break out.
Infectious diseases tend to be violent, infecting many people at once, causing sailors to lose mobility and paralyzing ships.
Therefore, when sailing at sea, captains pay great attention to infectious diseases. Once a sailor is confirmed to be sick, even if he is still alive, there is only one end: being thrown into the sea.
There is no democracy in sailing, and the crew is probably the most hierarchical group. Even the most arrogant Pirates of the Caribbean in later generations, it doesn't matter how much noise or fighting they make before going to sea. Once they go to sea, there can only be one "god" on the ship. Then
That's the captain.
The captain speaks the truth, and his orders must be implemented even if you understand them. Sailors who have been sailing for a long time have serious psychological problems and must be restrained by strict and high-pressure discipline. Once the captain's authority is lost, there will be things like Lu Rong.
Incidents such as fishing occur.
Therefore, whoever the captain wants to throw into the sea will really die.
Shao Shude decided to improve the living environment of the crew, so he put forward a new requirement: build more double-deck ships, and if there is an opportunity in the future, develop and build three-deck ships.
It is true that the golden age of double-deck and three-deck ships was the age of battle line artillery battles.
When the traditional naval battle mode changed from gang jumping to battle line artillery battle, double-deck and three-deck warships came into being because they could accommodate more artillery.
The huge mountainous hull was loaded with hundreds of artillery pieces, large and small. When the gunnery commander gave the order, the artillery pieces densely arranged on the three decks opened fire one after another above the raging waves, and orange flames erupted from the cannons.
Flashes flashed through the window one after another, and whizzing projectiles flew towards enemy ships, destroying buildings, breaking masts, and penetrating the waterline...
Naval guns, both in caliber and barrel, are beyond the reach of land guns. A salvo of hundreds of artillery is a symbol of a country's supreme glory - to be honest, no army can gather hundreds of artillery pieces.
There are so many, not to mention that one battleship is equipped with so many powerful artillery. It is really a behemoth of war.
Shao Shude understood that his Great Xia Empire could not have such a dream for the time being.
However, double-deck ships are also very good for hauling cargo. They can accommodate more cargo and require more crew members. The cargo transportation efficiency and transportation costs can be further reduced, and the ability to withstand wind and waves is also geometrically improved.
No matter from any point of view, large ships are more cost-effective. The only thing you need to worry about is the construction technology and experience.
From the Tang Dynasty to the present, how many years has it been since such a large ship was built?
Large-scale engineering projects are not just about drawings. They also require a large number of experienced and skilled craftsmen, and they also test the overall management level. Not to mention, there are not even drawings now.
"Your Majesty, I discussed it with my colleagues and thought we could try to build it," Ma Wanpeng said.
"Is there any difficulty?" Shao Shude asked.
"Your Majesty." Ma Wanpeng also told the truth: "This is the first time. Omissions are inevitable."
Shao Shude nodded and said: "I will ask the Ministry of Industry to provide full assistance. If things go well, you will all be generously rewarded."
"This is what I wish for. I dare not ask for a reward." Ma Wanpeng said, "I will die without regrets if I can participate in such a grand event."
Shao Shude was a little moved.
This is a very pure technocrat.
Having been immersed in shipbuilding for decades, he has developed a deep affection for this business. His family is a little wealthy, they have enough to eat and drink, and their descendants have somewhere to go. Now he wants to pursue something different.
"Do it well, I'll wait." Shao Shude said.
"I obey." Ma Wanpeng looked at the saint's white hair and felt sad in his heart.
From the Lingzhou era to now, it has been forty years...
This time, even if I risk my life, I still have to let the saint see the ship being launched.
"My wish is fulfilled, let's go." Shao Shude patted Ma Wanpeng on the shoulder and left with a smile.
