Zhu Youcong is indeed shameless. If he were any other normal time traveler, he would definitely try to correct it if he found that history has been tampered with. But this fat man likes to follow the trend of history at certain times, such as a time and space.
In order to smear the Ming Dynasty, those old and young people quoted their "Emperor Ama" words, Zhu Youcong was very willing to help them turn it into reality.
There were 100,000 eunuchs in the Ming Empire? This seems to be true, but it depends on when it was. At the peak of the empire, there were really such a number, but not all of them lived in the palace. Many of those locusts were eunuchs.
There are some soldiers, some mine supervisors, some... they are all scraping oil and water outside. And during the Chongzhen period, if there were still such a large special group of people, as poor as the country was in the previous years, there would really be people who would starve to death if food could not be spread everywhere.
Scenes.
But now that Zhu Youcong is here, the Ming Empire has become stronger. Since people have let Ming take the blame, the scolding must not be in vain! What is a hundred thousand? If you want to do it, make a big noise, so he will be punished immediately
There are more than 400,000 eunuchs, and they still have the purest Tatar blood. If the holy king knew it, he would definitely cheer for joy? Bullying the kind people of the Ming Dynasty? What kind of ability is that? Look at the current overseas legions.
shake?
The matter of one hundred thousand eunuchs has been solved, but there is another problem that is not easy to deal with. Nine thousand palace maids, four hundred thousand taels of palace makeup money? Now that the foolish king of Chongzhen has decided not to stop drafting women in the Ming Dynasty, where can he find so many for him?
A beautiful lady who loves to dress up is here? Even if the ones picked out by the Shadow Guards in previous years are returned to the palace, it won't be enough.
Fortunately, this damn fat man is still young and Chongzhen is not very old, he is in his early twenties, so we can take our time and one day we can collect nine thousand. As for the money, it is easy to handle! Everyone is
Who has the nerve to let them live and eat in the Ming Dynasty Palace for free? How come they have to pay for food?
Nine thousand servants who bear the title of princess and actually have the right to inherit the throne? If the guy who eats chaff and drinks water knows this, he will definitely not care about the slander, but will have to slap himself a few big mouths first.
As for the charming old man Shi Quan, he will definitely be exhausted to death! And I am honored to be the first person who wanted to catch up with the predecessors and was busy fooling beautiful women, and then died of infection after his words were worn out!
It's just that the goal of nine thousand palace maids is indeed a bit ambitious. So far, Zhu Youcong has only kidnapped forty-five from the hands of Western allies. Even if he adds those robbed from the Tatars' homes and those kidnapped on the Japanese island, that's still not enough.
It was less than one hundred. Therefore, he was destined to have a busy life in his life, having to plunder everywhere in order to create a huge group of concubines for the emperor.
Although Zhu Youcong had set a goal for himself, he did not dare to publicize it, at least he did not dare to let two people know. Of course, the first person to be wary of was Chongzhen. If the faint king accidentally found out, he would definitely be furious. Then he would resign as an excuse.
He blackmailed the traitors in the court to help him do a lot of damaging tricks. The final result was definitely that Zhu Youcong would either be beaten up by Prince Fu, or he would suffer the consequences and be trampled into a meat pie by the little fairy.
In fact, even Zhu Youcong doesn't know this second one, but if he is willing to reveal his thoughts to that guy with great supernatural powers, he can help him get even 90,000 princesses, not to mention 9,000.
Come. It just ensures quantity without taking into account the quality. The consequence is likely to make Chongzhen suffer from heterophobia.
Unlike the last time when princesses from their respective countries had to be escorted to the Ming Dynasty for trade negotiations, the group of envoys coming to congratulate from the West this time was much smaller. And few of them were willing to take a boat directly to the north like Ansel.
Most people get off the ship in Nanjing, do some shopping, and then slowly walk to the capital while admiring the scenery along the way.
With the last experience, Western businessmen have figured it out. The emperor of this empire seems to prefer developing the domestic economy and does not care much about foreign trade. No matter how many gifts you give him, there will be no discounts. But last time
The negotiated arms trade is still unfinished due to the insufficient number of warships, so there is no need to go find the damn General Zhenguo and Lord Xiong for the time being.
Therefore, most of the Western envoys chose to go north along the land route with the profiteers of the Ming Dynasty to win over their feelings and see if they could lower the price. After all, the transaction volume of this civilian product is much larger than that of arms.
The profits are not comparable. As for the congratulations, just make sure you don't go late. Anyway, it's just a mission to read two letters of credence and sing a few hymns.
Because there was a special person in the team who could not be discovered, Ansel and his party parted ways with the rest of the group in early August and headed to Tianjin by sea, planning to go ashore directly from there to the capital to start secret negotiations with the Ming Empire. But he regretted it now.
I have never seen a country that loves to show off so much in my life, and I didn’t expect that there are so many things that can hurt people in this world. And the big shot in the mission felt that his face had been lost, so he sent Ansel to Ansel in two days.
He was screwed into the cabin and cursed.
Since he wanted to intimidate, Zhu Youcong allowed Ansel's team to see a little bit of things that others could not see. In Lingshan, which has begun to be converted to civilian use, all members of the mission have not been allowed to disembark.
Mr. Zhou Fengxiang, who was accompanying him, had said that this place was a military facility. If it weren’t for the fact that they were the most loyal allies, they wouldn’t be able to avoid the storm and replenish supplies here. After the painful experience of being kidnapped last time, there was no way
No one dares to turn a deaf ear to Zhou Fengxiang's words, and judging from the guns and live ammunition on the shore, it will definitely not be as simple as giving up money after disappearing here.
But even on the ship, even if it was an old shipyard abandoned by Zhu Youcong, it was enough to shock Ansel and others. The cement pier built in accordance with the highest requirements was flat and wide, far from the dirty pier they were used to.
Comparably, the various warehouses under construction are square and devoid of any aesthetic appeal, but they look so orderly.
When they saw two navy fishing boats that had been ordered to return to Hong Kong for a performance, chopping the waves from far to near, and making a noise they had never heard before, they blasted the small mound of earth with a power that even a thirty-six-pound cannon could not achieve.
When it moved to the ground, everyone was eager to jump into the sea and touch the steel monster with their own hands.
Only then did Ansel believe what Shivella said. The Ming Dynasty introduced Western warships, not because they didn't bother to build them, but to save trouble. It's not that this empire doesn't have a navy, but that their navy is entering
During the transformation period, once they complete this goal and appear on the ocean, any enemy can only kneel down and ask for forgiveness.
"Master Zou, this port is the home port of the Imperial Navy you mentioned?" I still can't tell the difference between Zou and Zhou. And after the attack by the Lingshan Guards, Ansel didn't dare to ask any more stupid questions.
However, the Tianjin Port under construction forced him to raise new questions after feeling ashamed.
"Home port?" Zou Weilian chuckled and replied following Ansel's words: "This is just our temporary location, and its main purpose is still as a civilian port."
Civilian port? Ansel really wants to slap Zou Weilian a few times. Whose civilian port looks like a hedgehog? Even if this is the closest landing point to the capital of the Ming Dynasty, there is no need to build such a magnificent fort? Look at that
The gun barrels protruding from the sides are at least five times larger than those on fishing boats! Even people who don’t know much about military affairs can see that with these defensive measures in front of them, let alone launching an attack, any person in the world can
There is no way a fleet can retreat under such intensive artillery fire. Of course, the navy of the Ming Empire may be an exception. But with a fleet that can destroy such a fortress, you will still be afraid that someone will come to the door of the Ming Dynasty.
Nonsense?
"That's true." There are no urgent transportation tasks for the time being. The wooden ships built by the maritime merchants are still staying in Yingtian Mansion to fool those allies who are not worthy of being frightened, while the fishery administration ships that have been completed have gone to the Japanese island.
During the wind and wave resistance test, the huge Tianjin Port did seem a bit empty with only a few French mission ships and the two fishing boats that greeted guests and were on guard.
"You also know that shipping by sea is much more convenient than traveling by land, and the capital's large population requires a large amount of materials, so my emperor allowed such a place to be built." Pointing to the forts next to him, Zou Weilian explained.
: "This thing only looks powerful, but is actually of little use. The Ming Empire is no longer what it used to be. Tianjin Harbor is located in the hinterland and is not a strategic location. The purpose of building this fort is mainly to defend against pirates and combat smuggling. Let the people
It’s just a matter of knowing to abide by the law while having peace of mind.”
"I..." Such a powerful defense system is just to deal with pirates? Ansel really wanted to tell Zou Weilian loudly that if there are still pirates in the world who dare to come here to cause trouble, then please tell them not to wander around.
He is willing to pay high wages to hire and give those pirates a legitimate status. As long as they have a ship, they can at least get a count to play with. He will also promise that the treasures robbed in the future will belong to the pirates and the land will belong to France.
Of course, some members of the mission were muttering to themselves. They always felt that Zou Weilian was ordered to deceive them and took them to the most strongly defended military port in the Ming Empire to undermine their self-confidence and prevent the Western fleet from harassing the Ming Dynasty's waters. But when the entire mission waited
After the members got off the ship and boarded the Tianjin Pier, they believed that this place was really for civilian use.
Different from the treatment they received at Lingshan Guard, this time Zou Weilian allowed them to enter those large square houses. The ones under construction were not worth seeing, although the Ming Empire regained Dongfan Island and gave Reyoz and his colonial army to
It took a beating, but the method of producing cement was spread to the West, and new construction methods were being adopted.
It is very spacious and tall. If it were placed in the West, it would definitely be used as a sacred church. But the neatly stacked merchandise reminds everyone that this is indeed a civilian warehouse. And the people who are constantly flowing in different clothes are obviously not soldiers.
It's disguised. After all, there is no country in the world where the army is so bad. Men and women are mixed, old and young. The most important thing is that some of the goods inside can still be sold, but you must first go to the capital to negotiate a good price before you can get the receipt.
Just shipping.
"Dear Zou, can I take a look inside?" A man dressed as a priest in the mission was attracted by the closed warehouse. Maybe there was something unknown hidden in it.
"Of course, you are our most distinguished guest!" Different from his attitude towards Ansel, Zou Weilian now fully embodies the demeanor of a humble gentleman. Zhou Fengxiang even imitated the etiquette of Westerners.
The act of inviting.
If there were other Western envoys here at this time, they would definitely exclaim loudly and become wary, and begin to doubt the true strength of the Ming Empire. The greatest, most strategic, and most ruthless politician in French history has made the entire Western world
Cardinal Richelieu, who had a headache but had to be treated as a guest of honor, actually appeared at the Tianjin port.
In the West, which is also full of political marriages, the underappreciated Princess Amandine is not worthy of Louis XIII sending his prime minister, but the pamphlet that Mao Wenlong asked Ansel to bring back can make Richelieu willing to risk
Coming to the East carries huge risks. Authorized envoys can come to the East to negotiate arms trade and even discuss the division of colonies. However, this mysterious empire also has a large number of great strategists who can travel thousands of miles away.
Accurately judge the situation on the western battlefield and think of the hidden dangers that Richelieu ignored. Then we cannot take them lightly.
Unlike others, Richelieu did not regard Reyoz's description as absurd talk. After secretly meeting the Portuguese envoy who went to discuss alliance, he saw the handwritten letter written by Schweira to the sixth president.
A copy of John IV, Duke of Laganza's Oriental Visions.
Contrary to the judgment of Schweira and others, Richelieu did not think that the Ming Empire was really that kind. With the most advanced technology, the most powerful army, and the best talents of this era, if the Eastern Empire did not move
It will be despised by the whole world. A powerful and extremely aggressive lion who knows how to hide himself. Once it reveals its bloodthirsty nature, the whole world will tremble. This is what Richelieu said to the Ming Empire.
evaluation of.
There is no eternal friendship between countries, only eternal interests. No one may say it now, but everyone knows it in their hearts. Richelieu could not prevent the rise of the Ming Empire. But he knew how to take advantage of the situation to strengthen himself. He did not want to be
Devouring this powerful Eastern Empire, we must not just maintain a dispensable economic and trade relationship. Even superficial military cooperation cannot satisfy us. We must form the strongest alliance with them and strive for excellence in all matters.
To cooperate and carve up the whole world was the real purpose of Richelieu's visit to the Ming Dynasty.
"Flintlock?" He casually opened an oil paper bag, and Richelieu confirmed that his idea was correct. These things were not the kind of gifts Ansel brought home, but were used to equip the army for large-scale battles.
's spear.
"Are they all here?" After getting a positive answer, Richelieu wanted to twist that smart-aleck Sir Roy over. Who told him that the Ming Empire could only produce 50,000 new rifles a year?
There are more than ten times the amount in this warehouse. It's not that they can't get enough supplies, but they don't want to sell them at all.
"Yes, dear Prime Minister. We store this kind of firearms here and in the two nearby warehouses, and we will provide help to our allies at any time according to the orders of the General." It was a very understatement. Zou Weilian certainly knew about the Ming Dynasty.
How much of this kind of junk is stored now? "But in order to show our attitude towards different allies, the firearms in this warehouse are now only provided to you and Shivella."
"Only provided to us?" After careful observation, Ansel didn't find anything special about this batch of firearms. At least they looked exactly the same as those he had already obtained.
"Dear Zou, can I see the other two warehouses?" Richelieu is not as easy to fool as Ansel. In that detailed negotiation record, he already knew that the things produced by this empire must not be based on mere
Make a difference in appearance.
"This..." There is a slight difference in appearance. But Richelieu doesn't think that the slightly lengthened barrel is a benefit provided by Ming Dynasty.
"Prime Minister, the difference is..." He casually opened a box, and in front of everyone's surprised eyes, Zou Weilian started loading ammunition according to the process he had demonstrated for Western allies. He smiled and said to Ansel: "Mr. Ansel, you
Which one do you want to use?”
"This one!" His own life was important, and Ansel couldn't care less about the contemptuous look of his prime minister. The one he took out from the French warehouse was filled with double gunpowder and used different warheads.
He didn't dare to try it easily.
"Bang! Bang..." Several gunshots rang out. Although Zou Weilian hadn't used these antiques for a long time, he still fired multiple times in order to show his innocence.
"This is the gap. In order to make up for the lack of production of Zhuge Liannu, the general specially transferred a batch from our army's active equipment." Handing the newly fired guns to Ansel, Zou Weilian said with a smile: "If
If you have any questions, you can choose from the warehouse just now. If there are any problems within three times the amount of medicine, everything in there will be given to you for free!"
"Three times? Dear Zou, are you saying that these new firearms can be loaded with three times the gunpowder?" Richelieu could no longer remain calm. Anyone with a little common sense would know what a larger gunpowder means.
"If you switch to your own gunpowder, there should be room for improvement." Zou Weilian knew very well where these firearms came from. The steel used when manufacturing the first batch of new weapons for the Ming army was far inferior to what it is now.
Although it has not reached the end of its service life, it is still being replaced one after another, and the Zhenguo general is the most stingy. He will give up the opportunity to recycle waste? No, after some transformation...
"In addition, there is another difference between these two batches of weapons! If you don't mind, Prime Minister, you can take a look at the target on the opposite side." Zou Weilian pointed into the distance. To be honest, he himself didn't want to see this batch of weapons that was made by the research institute.
The effect after bullet shooting.
Seeing the two pieces of pork hanging behind the wooden board, many members of the mission exclaimed, and the soldier who mixed in kept shouting: "Oh my God! My God, this is the devil."
weapons!"
The purpose of using Mini bombs is to increase the range, but now that the charge has been increased, this problem has been solved. Under Zhu Youcong's reminder, the institute is trying to make the war in the West more lively, so that the war between allies can
It caused greater casualties, so I made some small changes. Anyway, the warheads are made of soft materials, so why not save some materials? Hollow out the middle, and add four easy-to-break grooves, which can hit
Who knows who feels the pain! (To be continued...)