Prince Cai and his party took the Shenyang-Guangzhou Railway to go south to Guangzhou.
Wu Zhengxi saw that whenever the train stopped, his father would use the telegraph machine at the train station to send telegrams to his subordinates or friends to arrange various matters.
Seeing his father's busy figure, he said dissatisfiedly: "Dad, Your Majesty is too harsh on our family.
When the other princes were preparing to found a country, His Majesty gave them time to train their troops.
These princes have a capable elite army in their hands. After going overseas, they can rely on this elite army to quickly establish a foothold in the local area.
However, His Majesty the Emperor urged us to act quickly. This was indeed inappropriate and suggested that my father sell his official position, which led to the scandal of selling his official position and conferring title, which affected the preparations of Prince Cai's palace.
But by doing this, His Majesty the Emperor is obviously forcing us to die. This is so heartbreaking to me."
King Cai Wu Jie immediately reprimanded: "You traitor, shut up!"
He observed that the doors around him were closed and the train would make huge noises while it was moving.
There were only two of them in the train car, talking about things here because of the combined effect of the closed car and the noise.
It is safer to talk in the train car, and the content of the conversation will not be spread.
King Cai Wu Jie now regrets it extremely. He has been away fighting for a long time in recent years, and his wife doted on his children too much.
His eldest son behaved so lawlessly that he even dared to question the will of Emperor Su He.
Fortunately, their family went overseas to found a country, otherwise it would be difficult for Wu Zhengxi to gain a foothold in the Dahua Empire.
King Cai Wu Jie saw his eldest son's stubborn look. He briefly explained what was going on in King Cai's palace now and taught his eldest son.
"Have we been affected by such a big turmoil in Prince Cai's house?
Judging from the current situation, it is basically not affected.
Instead of arranging various affairs in the palace, I can still achieve the goal by arranging telegraphs on the train.
The only difference is that we need to wait a little longer in Guangzhou.
After we leave the capital, the storm of selling official positions and conferring titles will surely gradually dissipate.
If this matter is settled, the court will not pursue our issue.
We have made so much money by selling our official positions, so we must learn to stop when enough is enough, and not be greedy and make things get out of hand.
When Eunuch Zhou comes to our palace, I know that if I don't leave, His Majesty the Emperor will be dissatisfied.
Regarding the fact that His Majesty the Emperor did not give us time to train our troops, I really do not blame His Majesty the Emperor, but that our travel time was very tight and we did not have time to train our troops here in the empire.
The Imperial Navy accepted the invitation of Fujian and went to the Suez Canal. This opportunity is too important for us and we must seize it."
Wu Zhengxi was scolded by his father, and he immediately knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.
Dad obtained the power to establish a country overseas. During this time, he was indeed wandering and a bit dissolute.
Before they left the empire, he questioned Emperor Su He, which would probably lead to the complete destruction of Prince Cai's palace.
When Wu Zhengxi thought of this, his body kept trembling, and his face turned pale with fear.
When he saw that his father did not continue to get angry, he knew that the matter was still under his control.
Hearing his father's reply to the question he just raised, he asked in confusion: "Dad, why do you pay attention to the empire's navy.
You have led the army in combat all your life, why do you praise the navy so much now?"
King Cai Wu Jie saw the strong desire for knowledge in his son Wu Zhengxi's eyes, and this son was not completely abandoned.
He explained simply: "The Imperial Navy is extremely powerful. With their protection, we don't need to hire a guard team.
In this way, all funds can be invested in cargo ships to transport more goods overseas.
We can also use the position of the Imperial Navy to grab a place as a foothold in the coastal areas of the Arabian Peninsula.
With the assistance of naval guns, even a ragtag group of people armed with wooden spears can drive away the local indigenous troops.
We recruit some retired soldiers at a high price, let them lead the army, and use the time when the ships are traveling to train an army that can fight with favorable winds. I think there is no problem.
The Imperial Navy is heading to Fujian, and we can also take the opportunity to establish contact with our neighbor Fujian.
Until the common enemy is resolved, there will not be much conflict among the major vassal states.
We just take advantage of this short period of peace to absorb nutrients from other vassal states and develop our own strength."
After Wu Zhengxi listened to his father's words, he realized that his father had already made comprehensive arrangements for Cai Guo's situation.
He could not imagine these things at all and realized that he was not capable.
His proud attitude disappeared and he studied under Wu Jie.
The train stopped at Guangzhou Railway Station, and Wu Jie and his party got off.
Because of long train rides, many people are uncomfortable standing on the ground and need to support each other to walk.
Wu Jie directly rented a house near the port and made arrangements for materials and personnel here.
He declined visits from officials at all levels in Guangdong and did everything in a low-key manner.
…………………………
In the Guangzhou Military Port, the Third Ironclad Squadron of the Second Fleet is docked.
Fleet Admiral Li Pinglang looked at these armored ships and felt a sense of pride from the bottom of his heart.
The fleet in front of him is the strongest navy in the world.
It consists of three cruisers, twelve destroyers and several auxiliary boats.
Cruisers and destroyers are all ironclad ships with steel hulls and decks, powered by steam engines and propellers.
The first time Li Pinglang saw the ironclad ship, he knew that the ironclad ship must be the main force in future naval battles.
It's just that the current ironclads can only build cruiser-sized ships, and cannot yet build battleships.
But with the strength of an armored cruiser, there is no problem at all in defeating two or three sailing battleships.
This is a sailing battleship that also uses the naval guns of the Dahua Empire. If it were a sailing battleship from a European country, it would be no problem to defeat ten of them.
The emergence of ironclad ships also brought about huge changes in the navy of the Great China Empire.
The navy has been keeping a low profile in recent years and has only participated in a few small-scale wars, but its changes are no weaker than those of the army.
Ironclad ships are faster and can cruise at sea for a long time, which directly leads to changes in the scope of the naval fleet.
The large sea area from Vladivostok to Ryukyu is under the responsibility of the Navy's First Fleet.
The First Fleet of the Navy is also the most powerful fleet in the Great China Empire, also known as the North Pacific Fleet.
The areas around the South China Sea, including Guangdong and Guangxi, Vietnam, Luzon, Nanyang, and Australia, are all under the responsibility of the Navy's Second Fleet.
The Navy's Second Fleet manages an extremely vast sea area and is also known as the South Pacific Fleet.
The Third Fleet of the Navy is the weakest fleet. Its military ports are all in Burma and the overseas governor-general offices of East India. He subsidizes himself and calls it the Indian Ocean Fleet.
The Imperial Navy of the Great China only retains three major fleets, which are equivalent to the army's theater and only indicate the activity area of the naval fleet.
The specific tasks of the navy are completed by each squadron.
The main task of the Third Squadron of their Second Fleet was to patrol the waters surrounding the South China Sea.
The Third Squadron of the Second Fleet has all been upgraded to third-generation ironclads.
As direct descendants of the current Governor-General Feng Sanqiu, they have won the task that His Majesty the Emperor is extremely concerned about this time.
Li Pinglang looked at the three brand-new armored cruisers Changbaishan, Qilianshan, and Wuyishan.
The sail warships of the Great China Navy are generally named after ancient civil servants and generals.
To avoid confusion, ironclad ships are generally named after mountains and rivers.
Shi Lang, the captain of the Qilianshan, walked up to Li Pinglang and said dissatisfiedly: "Admiral, we are clearly showing force this time.
How did he become an escort for King Cai Wu Jie and become a bodyguard in disguise?"
Shi Lang has loved the feeling of driving a ship on the sea since he was a child.
He defeated all competitors in the Second Fleet and became the captain of the ironclad.
He did not want to be a bodyguard and obey the orders of powerful people.
The captain of the Wuyishan, Lu Yuanwang, also stepped forward and interjected: "Admiral, during this period, newspapers have reported a lot on the deeds of King Cai Wu Jie.
This prince is not an easy person to get along with.
We received your Majesty's order to escort the prince, and it is not an easy job to do well."
Captain Zheng Sen of the Changbaishan said nonchalantly: "I don't think we need to pay too much attention to King Cai Wu Jie and his party.
His Majesty's attitude can be inferred from the contents of the telegram.
This mission can be treated as an ordinary escort mission.
Our core business is still to strengthen the Suez Canal.
Whether the next task can be accomplished depends on whether our ships can pass through the Suez Canal.
After all, an ironclad ship is heavier than a wooden ship, and its draft is deeper, so it may not be able to pass through the Suez Canal."
Li Pinglang saw his captains arguing, and they all looked at him.
He then said: "As soldiers, we must fulfill His Majesty the Emperor's will without compromise.
Escorting King Cai Wu Jie and his party is just the simplest task.
If you can't do simple tasks well, how can you complete complex tasks?
I know some people are resistant to Cai Wang Wu Jie.
We have to work hard to get the title, but Wu Jie, the king of Cai, sold his official position and title for a little money.
This resulted in the value of the titles we obtained being greatly reduced.
But you must not bring your usual emotions to work."
Li Pinglang ordered the army to prepare for departure. He also asked Zheng Sen, the captain of the Changbai Mountain, to receive King Cai Wu Jie and his party.
…………………………
Wu Zhengxi saw a large number of immigrants and supplies being transported to the port by rail, and they boarded the cargo ship they purchased.
Wu Zhengxi became more happy every time a batch of supplies arrived.
King Cai Wu Jie walked to the pier and issued an order to his men: "Everyone is ready to board the ship. The imperial navy fleet is ready. We are going to set off with the navy fleet."
All the supplies have been loaded onto the ship, and most of the immigrants have been repaired on the ship. Only a few people are still on the dock.
After receiving the order from King Cai Wu Jie, they immediately boarded the ship and prepared to set off.
King Cai Wu Jie saw his eldest son Wu Zhengxi preparing to board the ship.
He called his eldest son Wu Zhengxi to his side and ordered: "I will take you to see the most powerful armored fleet of the Imperial Navy.
Once you broaden your horizons, you will no longer sit in a well and look at the sky."
A large number of cargo ships are leaving the port one after another, which also takes a long time.
King Cai Wu Jie entrusted the dispatching of cargo ships to his confidants.
He took his eldest son Wu Zhengxi to the military port not far from the civilian port.
Wu Zhengxi had only heard the word ironclad in some circles, but he had never seen a real ironclad.
They came to the port side of the military port and saw that the warships in the military port were emitting a lot of black smoke.
This sign of steam engine boiler startup is already a very common sign in Dahua.
Wu Zhengxi did not look at the black smoke, he focused on the huge warship that produced the darkness.
The overall coating of the warship is silver-white, and it looks like it is made up of pieces of steel plates.
There are rivets everywhere on the hull, giving it an industrial aesthetic.
Wu Zhengxi opened his mouth wide and said in disbelief: "These ships are actually made of iron. I thought that the steel keel was already the pinnacle of the shipbuilding industry.
I really can't imagine how a boat made of iron can float on the water.
Ironclad ship, it turns out that the name is so simple and unpretentious, the ship is really made of iron."
After Wu Zhengxi finished speaking, he turned his attention to his father and prepared to listen to the answer given by his father.
King Cai Wu Jie lamented the incredibleness of science. When he saw Wu Zhengxi's eyes, he immediately patted Wu Zhengxi on the head.
"Your father, I just know that the boats made of iron by workers can float on the water.
How on earth can it float on the water? How can your father and I know?"
They stood on the shore and stared at the ironclad ship.
Li Pinglang and Zheng Sen walked over.
Li Pinglang bowed his hands and saluted: "Greetings to King Cai, I am Li Pinglang, the admiral of the Third Squadron of the Second Fleet. By the order of His Majesty the Emperor, I will escort you to overseas to found the country.
King Cai just needs to keep your cargo ships in formation."
King Cai Wu Jie did not pretend to be a prince. If he really encountered problems on the road, he would still need to rely on this admiral to solve them.
He politely replied: "I'm sorry, Admiral Li, for wasting time on our matters.
Cargo ships are definitely not as fast as warships, so please be patient, Admiral Li."
Zheng Sen watched from the side. He felt that King Cai Wu Jie was okay and not as arrogant as the legend said.
Admiral Li Pinglang invited King Cai Wu Jie and others to board the armored cruiser Changbai Mountain.
King Cai and Wu Jie did not delay. The journey was very difficult and living on a warship was the safest option.
After he boarded the ship, he chatted with Admiral Li Pinglang about the Imperial Navy assisting them in seizing strategic places along the coast of Arabia.
Admiral Li Pinglang declined Cai Wang Wu Jie's request. He only agreed to assist Cai Wang Wu Jie in seizing strategic locations near the route.
When King Cai Wu Jie received this answer, he had no choice but to accept it.
You can't rely on anyone, the only one you can rely on is yourself.
Zheng Sen took Wu Zhengxi to continue to visit the iron-clad cruiser Changbaishan.
Wu Zhengxi looked at the huge armored cruiser connected with rivets.
He couldn't believe that the empire's industrial level had reached this level.
This kind of all-steel warship can be manufactured by workers.
This was completely ingenious. He couldn't even imagine how this kind of armored ship was made.
The Changbaishan's whistle sounded, the boiler had finished preheating, and the steam engine began to run at high speed, driving the propeller to push the warship forward.
Imperial Navy warships, because of their faster speed, took the lead.
The cargo ships purchased by King Cai Wu Jie were arranged in several rows behind the warships.
Many of the people on the cargo ship had seen an ironclad ship for the first time.
The expressions of these people were similar to Wu Zhengxi's, with a look of disbelief.
They then develop a sense of pride and security.
This kind of ironclad ship is very powerful at first glance and can only be built by powerful countries.
With the protection of these ironclad ships, no pirates dare to attack their fleet, and these people feel very safe. (End of Chapter)