Yu Qian was a little puzzled, "Can't the existing navy be good?"
Ming Navy?
Zhu Jianji was silent, and then sighed: "Yu Shaobao, you and I know the current situation of the Ming Navy..."
Thanks to Yongle, during the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Navy had almost no defeats.
The predecessor of the Ming Dynasty Navy was the Chaohu Navy, one of the two main forces of Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. It reached its peak in the 18th year of Yongle, with 3,800 ships, including 1,350 patrol ships, 1,350 warships, and 400 more at the Xinjiangkou base in Yingtian.
It has 400 large ships and 400 grain-carrying tanks, 250 of which are ocean-going treasure ships. In addition, it also has a large number of security and law enforcement ships and messenger ships that protect the oceans and patrol the rivers.
During the Zhengtong years, the Ming Navy declined.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the maritime threat of Japanese pirates, the high profits of overseas trade, the emphasis on southeastern coastal defense caused by population migration to the southeast, and the elimination of Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen's remaining overseas forces prompted Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang to vigorously develop the navy.
During the reign of Emperor Taizong Zhu Di, the Japanese pirates suffered heavy losses under the attack of the Ming Dynasty Navy. In addition, with the rise of Sino-Japanese exploration and trade, the Japanese pirates had legal trade channels and no longer invaded the coast.
Zheng He's fleet wiped out all the refugees at sea. Especially after Chen Zuyi was eliminated, the Nanyang Chinese trade network that had been formed since the Southern Song Dynasty was shattered and could no longer pose a threat to the mainland.
Furthermore, the biggest threat to the Ming Dynasty was the nomadic cavalry in Mobei. Preventing Mobei was the strategic center of the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, most Ming officials did not understand the importance of the navy. After the opening of the Grand Canal, navy soldiers were transferred to the canal to transport food.
, more than 70% of the coastal navy soldiers were sent to farm, 30% to shipbuilding, and even transferred to the capital to build palaces.
Even the Emperor of Heaven is embezzling navy pay.
In 1425, Taizong died and Renzong ascended the throne, so the naval funds were used as rewards. In 1436, Empress Dowager Zhang used the funds for building warships to build Xuanzong's imperial mausoleum.
There is another reason. China regards itself as a sovereign state, treats other countries as barbarians, and is unwilling to understand the world outside the tributary circle. After Zheng He's voyages to the West, Ming officials generally believed that Zheng He had reached the entire world.
There was no force on the sea that could compete with the Ming Dynasty, so it became unnecessary to maintain a navy.
Especially after the reign of Renxuan, as the military strength of the Ming Dynasty declined and the credit of Baochao was lost, the court could not make profits by forcibly lowering prices and paying Baochao. In 1433, the Ming Dynasty could use half a guan of Baochao to buy spices with a current price of 50-50 guan.
, you can buy one tael of gold with 50 guan banknotes, and the official exchange rate is 400 guan.
But in the fourth year of Jingtai (1453), when the market price of spices was 5-8 cents of silver, the court had to pay 7 cents of cash.
Tribute trade is no longer profitable.
Under this situation, the imperial court recalled the ocean-going fleet, stopped building large ships, abandoned island bases, and the coastal defense line was retracted from the far sea and even the outer ocean back to the coast.
The fleet and naval personnel dropped off a cliff.
Zhejiang's navy originally had 700 warships, but by the 17th year of Jingtai, it had less than 300. Nanjing's Xinjiangkou fleet originally had 400 warships, of which 180 are now available. The naval base in Dengzhouwei once had 100 warships.
, there are now only 18 ships left.
Coastal health stations, such as Guangzhou Qiwei, have a shortage of about 40%, Fujian Zhenhaiwei has a shortage of about 30%, Fujian Fenghuomen Shuizhai has a shortage of up to 50%, and Tongshan Shuizhai has a shortage of 45%!
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
The once invincible Ming Dynasty Navy has lost its former glory.
Although the Ming Dynasty navy abandoned its martial arts, it is still invincible in offshore waters and can even attack the Indo-China Peninsula.
But to fight Japan, Australia and other places, as well as deal with the Western powers that will rise more than a hundred years later, and even seize the American continent, you need to have the ability to fight across oceans.
This is something that the Ming Dynasty Navy can no longer do.
Therefore, it is imperative to establish a navy and revitalize the navy.
Doesn’t Steel Battleship sound good?
Only those who have firearms that transcend the ages and are equipped with steel battleships that transcend the ages are called the Armada.
Ten years of air force and one hundred years of navy.
Under his own rule, the Ming Dynasty will eventually move from land to sea, and being at the forefront of the times is responsible for the future.
To plan ahead, establish a navy first and give it enough time to develop.
So Zhu Jianji said to Qian again: "If the Ming Dynasty wants to become strong, it must rely mainly on overseas trade. The navy has been troubled and accumulated over the years and has a lot of problems. If you want to use this kind of navy to protect the Ming Dynasty's overseas trade, you can barely do it. If there is a war,
, or if we need to fight across oceans, the navy will be unable to cope with it, so rectifying the navy is a top priority and is the guarantee for the Ming Dynasty to stand on top of the world."
Yu Qian said slowly: "Where does the money come from?"
No money!
No matter how ambitious and ambitious His Royal Highness the Crown Prince may be, no money means no money.
Before the reform of the tax law, it was impossible to build the Ming Dynasty navy to the level of the Yongle era. Once the tax law was reformed, let alone forming a navy to rectify the navy, the prince's East Palace young army might not have military spending.
Who wouldn't object to the civil and military forces in the house?
Zhu Jianji smiled and said: "I know I have no money. Isn't this asking the Ministry of Revenue to reform the currency system? The urgent task at the moment is to rectify the navy, eliminate Shen Rong, streamline military officers, repair warships, and establish a scientific research institute by the Ministry of Industry.
Develop the latest warships, and when Ming Dynasty has money, it can complete the iteration of warships, and then Ming warships can travel across the oceans and make money everywhere."
The steel battleship was not included in the planning book.
The steam engine has no character.
Without the steam engine, everything would be a mirror image.
Therefore, the scientific research institutes of the Ministry of Industry are the core foundation of reform and the starting point of the dream of the Ming Dynasty.
When the ministers heard that these were just measures, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhu Jianji took a deep breath and said, "Everyone, the world is very big. It is far more than the foreign countries that the Three Treasure Eunuchs saw in the voyage. There is a broader world beyond the ocean. If Ming wants to stand on top of the world, it needs all of you to work together with Gu Gu.
Together, the journey of our sons and daughters of China has never been a domestic power struggle, but a starry sea. In the lonely heart, Ming Dynasty is fully qualified to enter a new era."
Bai Gui, Shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel, said: "But the current problem is more difficult. I think it is more appropriate to start the reform of the navy after pacifying the hidden dangers in the north."
My son-in-law is still young and energetic, and somewhat ambitious.
If the threat from Mobei is not resolved, there will be no development for the Ming Dynasty.
The other seven ministers and ministers, including Yu Qian, all nodded, "I second the proposal!"
Zhu Jianji was helpless.
Reforming the Ming Dynasty was not something that could be done with just an imperial edict from the imperial power. It required the concerted efforts of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and the gentry of the world. Now, although the Qi Qing and the Ministers have agreed to the reform of the currency system by the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Industry has established a scientific research institute.
Even the establishment of a navy by the Ministry of War can be implemented, because these measures will not affect the overall situation of the Ming Dynasty.
But in the later stage, once the massive construction of steel warships and the laying of transportation lines and power lines are promoted, there will be obstacles.
And their concerns are justified.
Without solving the hidden dangers in Mobei, it will be difficult for the Ming Dynasty to move from land to sea with peace of mind.
