Zhu Haoren is at Ningbo Fudinghai Shipyard, ready to go to sea.
He is not afraid of Zhu Si's edict to block him, and he will not accept the emperor's orders. As long as he has a chance to go to sea, he doesn't care what Zhu Si's order is?
Moreover, Zhu Hao believed that Emperor Jiajing was reluctant to let him go back.
Immortality has a fatal attraction for those who hold great power.
Even if they can't live forever, as long as they can extend their lives, many people pursue it throughout their lives, because for them... they really can't bear to die.
With so much glory and wealth to enjoy, who wants to go see King Yama just like that?
"Mr. Zhu, there has been no news from the capital recently. However, there has been an increase in discussions about you in Nanjing's official circles... This is a summary of the information sent from Nanjing, and I have compiled it."
After Lu Song arrived in Ningbo, he really became Zhu Hao's pawn, running very diligently in front of him and behind him.
There was nothing that could be done about it. Lu Song had no choice but to follow Zhu Hao all the way to the dark side.
"Those people in the Nanjing officialdom can talk about whatever they want. I just want to know about the situation overseas... Have Lu Bing and others sent back any news?"
Zhu Hao needed to get the exact information about the fleet that set out for the New World before he could decide whether to go to sea or not.
Crossing the Pacific Ocean directly is not easy. To go east, you need to make full use of the North Pacific Warm Current and the westerly wind belt. To return, you need to make use of the North Equatorial Warm Current and the Northeast Trade Wind Belt. Even if everything goes smoothly, it takes two months to go back and two months to go back. Time is very tight.
, this is based on the situation that everything goes smoothly.
Fortunately, the sailors selected by Zhu Hao are proficient in compasses, levels, logs, depth sounders and other tools. In addition, the ships have power devices such as steam turbines and propellers, which can sail against the wind. This makes
Zhu Hao was full of expectations for Lu Bing and other people who set out for the American continent for the first time, and extended the time limit to five or six months.
I left at the beginning of the year, and now it’s almost time to come back.
"No."
Lu Song was also very anxious. He desperately wanted to know what happened to his son. Across the vast sea, there was no news as soon as he left, and he didn't know whether he was dead or alive. What if he encountered a storm on the way and was buried in the sea?
"Then just wait. At the latest, we will go to sea in early July. If there is no news from Lu Bing and the others, we can only choose another path."
…
…
Recently, Zhu Hao has been paying attention to the progress of the overseas personnel recruited by Su Xigui.
Going to sea is out of reach for inland people, and they do not expect to go overseas to pan for gold. However, for many people who have no land or very little land along the coast, going to sea is actually a way of survival, and Su Xigui recruited people to use it.
The reason for arriving was to colonize overseas.
It probably means that the Ming Dynasty may open up the sea next, and some surrounding islands will be included in the Ming Dynasty territory. For example, Dongfan Island opposite Fujian will need talents from all aspects, with craftsmen first, followed by fishermen and farmers. From the beginning of the year,
Recruitment started and is now basically in place.
It is a little difficult for ordinary people to carry weapons and fight, but it is impossible to carry out overseas colonization without facing difficulties and obstacles. Invasion by indigenous people must be considered, so receiving systematic military training is essential.
For Zhu Hao, talent is the most important resource.
"One hundred thousand taels of silver... In the next two years, there will be no problem in maintaining the expenses of 20,000 people."
When Su Xigui met Zhu Hao, he was very satisfied. He was now ready to move overseas. In his opinion, as long as he brought his family and the people around him, he could enjoy glory and wealth no matter where he was.
Following Zhu Hao, there are always unexpected gains.
Zhu Hao asked: "Dongzhu Su, if you go to sea and it takes ten or eight years to return to Ming Dynasty, would you be willing?"
"this……"
Su Xigui's face was full of question marks.
Since you are leaving, why should you think about whether you can come back or not?
It would be best to live overseas for the rest of your life!
Zhu Haodao: "Chinese people always have a rural sentiment. I won't let the people who follow me live outside for the rest of their lives."
"What does the little master mean...?"
Su Xigui was surprised.
If you go to sea and do business well overseas, can you come back and serve as a minister of Emperor Jiajing with peace of mind?
You are sick!
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "My mother and sister will still stay in Daming."
"you……"
Su Xigui was stunned, Zhu Hao didn't take away all the family documents at once? Doesn't that mean that after Zhu Hao went to sea for a few years, he would come back and continue to serve as a minister to Emperor Jiajing?
Zhu Hao asked again: "If the court turns against us and wants to deal with us, what will you do? Will you just surrender and arrest us?"
What he said made Su Xigui tremble with fear. He finally couldn't help but ask: "Little Master, what is the purpose of our going out? You are a minister of the Ming Dynasty. After you go out, you can come back at any time. But for me, as soon as I go to sea,
Maybe forever, or living in Nanyang, or living in... the paradise you mentioned.
"With my wealth, even if it is not His Majesty, there are others who care about me. Without your protection, it will be difficult to protect my future. In the Ming Dynasty... money alone is far from enough."
When a businessman took Su Xigui's place, he knew very well that he could no longer integrate into the secular mainstream.
The most important thing for an official or businessman is a backer. Huang Zan is old and will not be an official for a few years. When Zhu Hao leaves, Su Xigui will be like a child with beautiful jade in his arms. Everyone in a high position will want to make a fortune from him?
The emperor wanted to blackmail even Huang Zan, so he would not show mercy when it came to Su Xigui. Is there any psychological burden in putting him in the blame?
Being rich and not showing off is the way of life for businessmen in this era.
And he, Su Xigui, has lived too high-profile in the past few years.
As banks opened in every state in the Ming Dynasty, everyone knew that he had money, and everyone was coveting it.
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "If one day I become the emperor, what do you think?"
"ah!?"
This time Su Xigui was completely shocked.
At this moment, he finally understood the reason why Zhu Hao worked so hard to manage such a plan. From the beginning of the relationship, Zhu Hao had no intention of being a minister. In other words, Zhu Hao knew that being a minister could not accomplish many things, and only being an emperor could solve them.
All trouble.
At that time, no matter how many difficulties there are, they will no longer be difficulties.
"Young master, to put it bluntly, you don't seem to have military power in your hands, right? Even if you do, I'm afraid it will be... very difficult." Su Xigui reminded seriously.
Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Hey, why are you seriously discussing such a disrespectful matter with me?"
Su Xigui replied with a wry smile: "Isn't this the topic you brought up first, little master? I'm just reminding you! If you really have this strength, I can actually... give you full support, that is..."
"Dongzhu Su, if I want to be the emperor, I don't have to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The overseas emperors are actually pretty good too."
Zhu Hao took the initiative to change the topic.
Su Xigui shook his head with a wry smile. He knew what Zhu Hao meant. He was definitely not going overseas to become a local emperor. He could become a local emperor at any time. Zhu Hao's current strength was indeed incapable of competing with the Ming Dynasty, but he could sail a few ships there.
In Nanyang, if you occupy a few islands and become a local emperor, isn't it just a matter of minutes?
"One is not enough for ten, so one is for a hundred. I need at least two to thirty thousand soldiers and horses."
Zhu Hao reminded Su Xigui intentionally or unintentionally.
Su Xigui gritted his teeth and said, "Then I will recruit again."
"No, Dongzhu Su, you misunderstood. I'm not asking you to expand recruitment... Ah, no, recruitment must continue. It is best to use all kinds of craftsmen. The more the better, but I am not using them to fight, but to develop technology and improve productivity.
.”
Zhu Hao said with a smile.
Su Xigui looked troubled: "Mr. Zhu, there is almost no place for me, Mr. Su, to stand in this Ming Dynasty. What do you have to say that you are still reluctant to explain to me? Others don't believe it, but for me... you can completely express your heart.
We have known each other for so many years, who doesn’t know who? You never take advantage of me in vain, so I can trust you with my life."
Zhu Hao smiled and nodded.
If he hadn't seen the shining points in Su Xigui, he wouldn't have mentioned some things at all.
Now he doesn't have any "rebellion" trump card, and revealing it to people he doesn't trust is tantamount to seeking death.
Zhu Hao said: "Let's put it this way, manpower is not a problem, because there are many Fan people overseas, basically descendants of our Chinese Yin Shang, we can divide and conquer them... In general, it is to put different Fan people into different camps,
Then use their disharmony to conquer each other, thus training up an army capable of hundreds of battles, and then unite them for my use."
"Can those overseas people really fight one against a hundred?"
Su Xigui thinks that the people of the Ming Dynasty are more reliable. If the other party can fight one by one, it is good. Do you still want to fight one against a hundred?
I wonder where you get your confidence?
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "This requires improvement of weapons... Most of the firecrackers equipped by the Ming army have a range of less than fifty steps. At about a hundred steps, their lethality is not as good as that of bows and arrows, and their continuity is also poor. But if
The firearm I made can shoot more than two hundred steps in an instant, and can even do it continuously..."
"Is this...really okay?"
Su Xigui couldn't help but swallowed.
Su Xigui knew the effectiveness of firecrackers in actual combat. After all, in the late Zhengde years, he had been doing business in the northwest with Huang Zan, who raised military resources for Emperor Zhengde. What kind of firearms had he not seen?
Zhu Hao said: "The artillery I built can blast open the city gates and blow up the city walls at the same time. Then the city will be undefended. Give me five thousand soldiers and horses, and I can use them as a hundred thousand soldiers, and they can be used on the plains."
Walk sideways, no need to avoid anything."
"Cavalry, what if the cavalry attacks?"
Su Xigui immediately thought of a question.
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "Let's put it this way, if I use another weapon and set it up, even if tens of thousands of cavalry charge us at the same time, they will never be allowed to enter within fifty steps of our camp."
"Is this...this...impossible?"
Su Xigui had seen cavalry fighting, so of course he felt that Zhu Hao was bragging.
The weapons Zhu Hao was talking about were, of course, weapons such as Gatling heavy machine guns. Do you want to rely on the armor of the cavalry to block machine gun bullets? Then all kinds of firearms will be thrown there, and as many as they come will die.
This is also the reason why Zhu Hao has not helped the court significantly improve weapons and equipment in the past few years. Firstly, it is not necessary. The existing military system does not need the firearms he improved. Secondly, conditions do not allow it and the environment he is in
, he was not allowed to leave the Hanlin Academy too much.
The most important thing is that he must use good steel on the blade.
Why build the most powerful killer weapon before an emergency?
He never hesitated when it was time to experiment, and he never stopped inventing things. In fact, he had already reserved many technologies, but he would only use them when the time was right.
If he didn't have some capital, he really wouldn't dare say he wanted to control the Ming Dynasty.