Daming heir

When Zhu Yunxi stated the demand for a thousand of this new horse-drawn cannon.

Zhu Gaochi's brows twitched involuntarily.

Even for a thousand artillery pieces, if each artillery piece weighs 500 kilograms, that would be a full 500,000 kilograms of steel.

A full five hundred tons of steel!

If calculated according to the length and weight units newly determined by the supervisor, it should be this number.

Zhu Gaochi did a quick calculation in his mind.

This does not take into account the material loss during the manufacturing process. If these are included, I am afraid that the amount will have to be estimated at 600 tons.

Moreover, although this new horse-drawn artillery can be pulled by only one pack horse, if it is used for long-distance transportation, I am afraid that two or even three pack horses will be needed to ensure that the transportation speed will not be reduced.

One thousand artillery pieces would require at least 3,000 pack horses.

And how many shells and gunpowder does an artillery need to be equipped with?

According to the military supplies plan of the Combat Staff Department under the Governor's Mansion, for all artillery battalions of the Ming Army, the base number of shells for each artillery during wartime was calculated as twelve.

And this base number only ensures the minimum vitality of the army in a battle.

Generally speaking, according to the requirements of the Metropolitan Government, it is best to ensure a supply of three base numbers of artillery shells.

Three base numbers are a full thirty-six shells, as well as the required gunpowder.

Adding these up, it weighs another two to three hundred kilograms.

Considering that this time the Ming Dynasty's use of troops in the Western Regions must go through countless battles, it is necessary to project the Ming Dynasty's presence to the west of Congling, and to cooperate with Sichuan Dao, Sichuan Dusi, Shaanxi Dao, and Shaanxi Dusi to attack the plateau. More shells and gunpowder were supplied.

This will be an astronomical military supply!

Zhang Ergong's face also showed a trace of difficulty.

After hesitating for a while, he said in a low voice: "Your Highness, the General Superintendent has now built nearly 600 of this new horse-drawn cannon in accordance with the preliminary requirements of the Ministry of Industry and the Metropolitan Governor's Office, but this batch Among the artillery, three hundred are to be transported to the southern expedition army..."

Zhu Yunxi said directly: "Let's take a look at the order requirements of the southern expedition army first. There is still a shortage of more than 400 artillery pieces. Can they be completed before the army marches westward?"

"It depends on when the imperial court will issue an order to send troops to the Western Regions."

Zhang Ergong also gave an answer very directly.

Zhu Yunxi thought for a moment.

It's almost July now, and in the Western Region, there will be snowfall at the end of August and early September, especially in Beiting.

It is definitely impossible for the Ming army to leave Yangguan and invade the Western Region this year.

But before that, the imperial court must dispatch troops and generals to hoard them on the border of Suzhou after Yangguan. It will also send some troops forward to station in Hamiwei and other places to make arrangements in advance.

Then, at the latest next year, which is the first year of Yongsheng, the Ming Dynasty will officially launch an offensive against the Western Regions.

"Before the twelfth lunar month of this year, these one thousand cannons will be loaded onto ships and shipped to Henan Prefecture."

Zhu Yunxi gave a time node.

Before the twelfth lunar month, one thousand artillery pieces were loaded onto the ship. They set out from Yingtian, took the canal and turned to the Yellow River, and arrived at Henan Prefecture.

Then they were unloaded in Henan Prefecture, transferred to the Western Railway, and transported to Shaanxi Road via the Western Railway. Finally, these thousand artillery pieces had to be dragged by horses to the territory of Suzhou Guard and Hami Guard.

In the long Hexi Corridor, even if the imperial court mobilizes more manpower and material resources, it will probably take three or four months to send these thousand artillery pieces to the Hami Guard's Western Expedition Front.

As for the Ming Dynasty's attack on the plateau.

Even the new artillery is difficult to put to use.

The terrain there is really too dangerous, so we might as well mobilize more mortars and send them there for use.

Zhang Ergong walked aside and asked someone to bring paper and pen, and he wrote and drew by himself.

Zhu Gaochi then said: "There are already many well-bred war horses in Daqing City. The imperial horse farm has also been built on the pasture north of Daqing City. At that time, we can order Daqing City to transfer these war horses to Shaanxi. Waiting inside the road, we will cooperate with the pack horses raised by the imperial court to transport the artillery to the Hami Guard front line."

Zhu Yunxi nodded, agreeing with this transfer method.

This reflects the original advantage of building Daqing City to win over and appease those grassland herdsmen.

Today's Daqing City not only transports a steady stream of beef and mutton to the capital, as well as cattle and sheep skins used for military supplies, but also raises many fine-bred war horses.

You must know that the Central Plains has not been able to raise fine war horses on a large scale since ancient times. The closest ones are the Hetao area and the Qinghai Lake area.

Today, Daqing City is located in the outer Hetao area of ​​the Hetao area, and together with the inner Hetao area that has always been in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, it provides the Ming army with a large number of high-quality war horses every year.

On the other hand, the Qinghai Lake area is not yet in the hands of the Ming army.

there.

After a series of calculations, Zhang Ergong finally slapped his palm heavily on the paper covered with words.

He turned around and said in a deep voice: "If we can improve the steel plant at Taipingfu Mine within three months, we can add an artillery production line for the imperial court. In this way, I can guarantee that I will have enough money before the twelfth lunar month." A new horse-drawn cannon was delivered to the army."

There are more questions and demands that Zhang Ergong has not mentioned.

For example, there is a requirement to add no less than 3,000 workers, and there is also a need to expand the mining and smelting capacity of the copper mine in Taiping Mansion.

He just calculated whether the imperial court could collect the remaining four hundred artillery pieces before the twelfth lunar month if these conditions were met.

As for these conditions, as long as you say you can complete the task, then the court will naturally meet the remaining requirements.

Zhu Yunxi smiled and nodded: "Then I'll do as you say. If you need anything specific, just mention it to the cabinet and say it's what you want."

Factories involved in the steel industry in the capital will be relocated sooner or later.

We can't let Ying Tiancheng, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, live in the sky. In the future, the sky will always be gray, and we will never see blue sky and white clouds again.

It is imperative to relocate heavily polluting industries.

Industry and pollution are inevitable things. There is no reason to beat them all to death and stop doing these things.

However, Yingtian City was the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and people could not be eliminated due to emotion or reason.

On the contrary, if it is going to be the Fire Monitor R&D Factory and the Longjiang Shipyard R&D Room, such existence needs to be preserved and further expanded to stay within the scope of Yingtian City.

At this time, Zhu Shangbing had already touched the heavy artillery weighing three thousand kilograms, and walked over quietly.

"It would be great if there was a railway that could go directly from Yingtian City to the Western Region. Even more artillery can be sent there."

He just muttered casually.

Zhu Yunxi nodded in agreement and said: "The cabinet has made a ten-year plan to improve the roads connecting the capital and peripheral areas."

Yingtian City is located in the east of the Central Plains. In the plan, there are three railways and cement roads connecting the north, south and west.

At least there must be these three major arteries, passing through all important places.

Zhu Shangbing was quite surprised and silently winked at Zhu Gaochi.

There is a lot of meaning, I mean exactly what I said.

Zhu Gaochi remained silent.

The Cabinet has a ten-year plan and the same tax office has many plans.

It's just that Zhu Shangbing, a fool, has been working as a military guard in the army, so he doesn't know.

Here, it was decided that the general would be prepared for the Western Expedition, and Zhu Yunxi turned around and took the two of them away. As for the firecrackers needed in the army.

The Governor's Office will naturally finalize the details with the Ministry of Works and the general supervisor.

The Ming army's replacement of firearms in larger quantities is no longer a controversial issue, but an inevitable thing to do.

When Zhu Yunxi left the experimental factory where the supervisor was in the outer city of Yingtian, he returned to the inner city from Chaoyang Gate.

I discovered the difference in the city.

There are already many people waiting here at various ministries and offices in the Dongcheng area.

Obviously, someone had paid attention to his whereabouts before.

Among them were Xia Yuanji, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, Bai Yuxiu, a doctor in the Qing Li Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and officials from other departments and yamen.

But the one at the front was Sun Qingshu, who was in charge of the newspaper office under the east wall of the imperial city.

Because he was getting older, he no longer had the idea of ​​becoming an official or a politician, so he had been working in the newspaper and newspaper bureau, spreading his spiritual knowledge.

However, mental studies have also improved in the past two years.

Under the theory, many practical things have been added.

In general, there has been a fundamental change from the mental thinking that was originally supposed to appear.

If we talk about it in terms of mental learning, it is a bit biased.

Today, it should be called new learning.

Starting from the perspective of the world and the people, everything that is useful, advanced, unprecedented, and existing is worthy of analysis, improvement, and utilization.

Sun Qingshu was not an official in the court, but because of the existence of the Bureau of Books and Newspapers, he had a good status and status in the court and among the people.

He stood on the roadside, looking at Zhu Yunxi who was returning to the city, and stepped forward with a smile on his face.

"I congratulate Your Highness on being awarded the title of Prince of the East Palace today."

After him, there were congratulations from Xia Yuanji, Bai Yuxiu and others.

Although Zhu Yunxi has not yet gone through the canonization ceremony, the decree has been confirmed, and the emperor cannot change it.

And if everything goes as it is now, after the Yongsheng Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunxi will be the emperor.

I can't tolerate these people not coming to congratulate me.

Zhu Yunxi got off his horse and returned the gift with his hands.

He glanced at the officials present, some of whom had supported Hongwu's new policy in the past, and some who had opposed Hongwu's new policy in the past.

But with Zhu Biao ascending the throne and himself being canonized as the crown prince, everything has become a thing of the past.

Who can still know now that the Ming Dynasty will continue the New Deal to the end.

No one wants to be tough and stubborn in fighting the New Deal anymore.

Those who are really stubborn will have their heads chopped off or return to their hometown long ago.

Those in the DPRK, no matter whether they sincerely agree with the New Deal or not, can no longer say anything openly.

Nowadays, we need to pay more attention to officialdom and prevent officials at the central and local levels from developing more means to take bribes and prey on the people.

After a brief conversation with a group of officials, Zhu Yunxi finally sent away these officials who hoped to gain popularity in front of him.

Xia Yuanji, Bai Yuxiu, and Sun Qingshu were the only three people left at the scene.

Sun Qingshu was still the first to speak.

"Your Highness, today's newspaper and newspaper bureau is rushing to print this issue. It will focus on the Hongwu New Deal and the benefits of various new policies to our country, and will try to spark public discussion about the next steps of our country. In what direction will the government and national policies develop?"

Zhu Yunxi nodded: "Jin Yiwei is still communicating with you."

Sun Qingshu nodded.

The news Zhu Yunxi mentioned about the connection between Jin Yiwei and the Bureau of Books and Newspapers was that the Bureau of Books and Newspapers used Jin Yiwei's advantage of being a secret whistle in the local area to grasp the trends of the world's people and push the direction of public opinion in line with the situation.

Seeing Sun Qingshu nodding, Zhu Yunxi said: "Recently, there have been more articles about the conquest and governance of the Western Regions by the former Han and Tang Dynasties. Let's talk about the value of the Western Regions to our dynasty. Let's see how many voices there are among the people. I hope it can Go to the Western Regions to gain experience and work hard."

Why did the Han Dynasty withdraw from the Western Regions, and why did the Tang Dynasty abandon the Western Regions after persisting for countless years?

It is simply out of reach, and the population base of the Han people is too small.

When the Ming Dynasty regains the Western Regions in the future and continues to extend the power belonging to the Ming Dynasty to the west, people will inevitably move to the Western Regions.

But before that, we still need to lay the foundation among the people and pave the way for the prospects of the Western Regions.

Turning the roof of the world into a rockery in the back garden of the Ming Dynasty is a goal that Zhu Yunxi can currently think of and can achieve in his lifetime.

After completing this goal, Ming Dynasty can only move forward by waiting for the next major development of science and technology.

Sun Qingshu nodded heavily. The newspaper and newspaper bureau had done this kind of thing many times. Now it was just promoting the Western Regions, so it was not too difficult.

Then Zhu Yunxi looked at Xia Yuanji with a smile on his face.

Xia Yuanji, on the other hand, showed a crying face.

"The Ministry of Revenue will never hold back the imperial court! As soon as the required grain and grass materials are needed, the Ministry of Revenue will definitely allocate them to various places according to the plan!"

Xia Yuanji made a promise loud and clear.

Zhu Yunxi nodded and said no more.

At present, in the Ming Dynasty, the household department still does the most and most tiring things.

Every day there is a huge amount of money and food income and expenses that need to be calculated.

But if it's just calculation, it's just a waste of time and pen and ink.

More importantly, the Ministry of Revenue also needed to coordinate the money, grain, and taxes for the entire Ming Dynasty, and needed to balance every expenditure.

Then he talked about the demand for 1,000 artillery pieces that Zhu Yunxi had just decided on as the supervisor.

For this item alone, the Ministry of Revenue must provide at least 50,000 taels of silver, not counting cannonballs and gunpowder.

This price is already considered very low.

In the later Wanli Dynasty, a fake 190-kilogram cannon cost twelve taels of silver.

For the Western Expedition plan alone, the Ministry of Revenue had to prepare a budget of no less than 300,000 taels of silver for firearms alone.

Zhu Yunxi reached out and patted Xia Yuanji on the shoulder.

"The errands of the Ministry of Revenue are heavy responsibilities, and heavy responsibilities must be handled with great authority."

"Don't be anxious about your appointment to the cabinet. It will be done soon."

………………

Monthly Pass Recommendation Ticket (End of Chapter)