Shuhan

As night fell, the flickering candlelight in the inner hall of the Han Emperor's palace illuminated the solemn and nervous faces of everyone inside.

A detailed map was spread out on a huge desk. The word Shouchun shone brightly on the map, like a magnet, attracting everyone's attention.

Generals in armor and counselors in plain clothes stood around him. The atmosphere was oppressive and urgent, as if even the air had frozen.

Huo Yi, as the head of the Han State's military department, felt mixed emotions at this moment.

He was well aware of the importance of the Battle of Shouchun to the Han Dynasty's Northern Expedition.

He also understands the heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

Shouchun was an important defense line of the Wei State in the Huai River area. Its geographical location was dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Once Shouchun is captured, it will not only open a passage to the heartland of Wei for the Northern Expedition Army, but also deal a heavy blow to Wei.

However, faced with the current predicament, he couldn't help feeling a little anxious.

The work of subversion progressed slowly. Although the defense map was in hand, its value was greatly reduced due to the frequent changes of defense by the enemy.

If he fails to make a breakthrough within a short period of time, not only will the Northern Expedition be hindered, but His Majesty Liu Chan will also question the ability of him and the entire Jianjun Division.

There was an unquestionable light in Liu Chan's eyes.

The importance of the Northern Expedition to the restoration of the Han Dynasty is self-evident, and therefore high hopes are placed on the Jianjunsi.

However, the situation before him made him frown, and his inner dissatisfaction and anxiety were intertwined.

He wants to see tangible results to prove that the huge resources he invested were not wasted.

You know, the reason why the Intelligence Bureau was always so successful in intelligence was not because the Han State had invested a lot of money in it.

Although the title of a big man is useful, but if you don't pay them a cent, will they work for you?
In this era, you can't move forward without money.

"Has the Intelligence Department made any breakthrough in Shouchun?" Liu Chan asked again. His voice was low and powerful, as if every word was striking on Huo Yi's heart.

Huo Yi took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. He knew that he couldn't panic at this time.

"Your Majesty, we have obtained the defense map of Shouchun, and all the military deployments are included in it."

He slowly unfolded the defense map in his hand and showed it to everyone.

Liu Chan's eyes swept over the defense map, but his brows did not relax: "Sima Yi also knows that intelligence will be leaked, and he will change defenses at irregular intervals, sometimes ten days, sometimes five days. This defense map is useless."

There was a hint of disappointment and dissatisfaction in his tone.

He had already known about the defense map.

But Sima Yi was an even more cunning guy, so how could he not take precautions against previous mistakes?
Huo Yi's heart tightened, and he quickly explained: "Your Majesty is right. I have noticed this and am trying to deal with it. I have sent out several groups of spies to keep an eye on the rotation of Shouchun. Once there is new intelligence, report it immediately."

"As for the Wei generals and officials who instigated the rebellion." Liu Chan's voice rose a few notches.

“They are all placed in unimportant positions. What kind of achievement is this?”

His dissatisfaction was evident in his words.

The key positions were filled with Sima Yi's confidants, and the Espionage Department had no way of inciting them to rebel.

Huo Yi's forehead was covered with sweat. If he failed to complete his mission, he might lose the trust of His Majesty.

You must know that the power of the commander-in-chief of the secret army is terrifyingly great, and the person who can become the commander-in-chief must be a confidant of Your Majesty.

This is the most critical point.

Huo Yi has only been in this position for a short time and does not want to lose it.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I promise that within ten days, there will be results! I will go to Shouchun in person to supervise the battle and make sure to open a passage for the army before the Northern Expedition."

His tone was firm, and his eyes were gleaming with determination.

In order to complete the task, he really has to try his best this time.

When Liu Chan heard this, his gaze lingered on Huo Yi's face for a moment, as if he was measuring the truthfulness of his words.

He slowly stood up, walked to Huo Yi, stretched out his hand and patted his shoulder gently.

This action is both an encouragement to Huo Yi and a silent warning.

He knew Huo Yi's ability and loyalty, but he also understood that the current situation could not afford to fail.

This is definitely not a guarantee, it can only be justified by a trust.

This matter concerns the unification of the Han Dynasty and cannot be taken lightly.

The Han Dynasty today must not produce a Ma Su like the one in Jieting in history.

"One month. I will give you one month. I hope you will not disappoint me, and will not embarrass me in front of the ancestors of the Han Dynasty."

Liu Chan's words were heavy, and every word was like a hammer, hitting Huo Yi's heart.

Huo Yi straightened his back, nodded solemnly, with a determined light flashing in his eyes.

"I will live up to your majesty's trust and complete the mission at all costs!"

Liu Chan nodded. He didn't blame Huo Yi too much in his heart. After all, the enemies were different.

Sima Yi's enemy is like a turtle, a mouse, and a poisonous snake.

Be as cautious as a tortoise, as careful as a mouse, and as cunning as a poisonous snake.

With such an enemy, it was indeed difficult for Huo Yi to make a breakthrough in Shouchun.

But people are forced to do things.

If you don’t push yourself, how can you know where your limits are?

Although the Wu Kingdom's military lectures had not yet ended, they had already ended in Liu Chan's heart.

After the large army was inspected, some were given military titles and stayed in Jianye, while others returned to their own bases and became auxiliary troops or garrison soldiers.

The only ones left were the hundreds of people who underwent the second round of military selection.

Now his mind is no longer on this military lecture, but on other things.

navy!

That’s right, Liu Chan wants to develop the Han navy!

Liu Chan sat on the dragon throne, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes flashing with thought.

He stroked the armrest gently and spoke slowly, his voice carrying a dignity that could not be ignored: "Pass on my order to immediately summon the Han Navy Commander Wen Pin and those experienced and highly respected old shipwrights to the palace."

Upon hearing this, the eunuch hurriedly bowed, retreated, and hurried forward to convey Liu Chan's order.

After a while, footsteps were heard outside the palace gate. Wen Pin, wearing armor, walked into the hall with steady steps and a solemn face. Behind him followed several old shipwrights with white hair and beards. Although they were old, they had sharp eyes, strong bodies, and no signs of decay.

"I am Wen Pin, the humble general, and I am here to pay my respects to Your Majesty." Wen Pin knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and spoke in a loud voice.

Wen Pin had been promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Navy for his contribution in defeating Wu. Although the rank of Admiral of the Navy seemed inferior to that of a garrison commander.

But with the Northern Expedition imminent, the Han Navy might play a key role, and he would be able to gain merit in the upcoming war.

Therefore, Wen Pin had no dissatisfaction in his heart.

"We are here to pay our respects to Your Majesty." Several old shipbuilders also saluted. Although their voices sounded a little old, they were full of respect.

How wise and brave the Great Han Emperor is, and how much he loves his people like his own children, is now known to everyone thanks to the spread of spies from the Secret Service.

In addition to some exaggerated dissemination, Liu Chan also gained a certain prestige in the old territory of the Wu Kingdom.

Liu Chan glanced at the crowd, nodded, and said, "Stand up. Commander, I heard that you are brave in battle. And you old shipwrights are the best in the field of shipbuilding. I summoned you here today to discuss important matters."

Wen Pin's expression froze when he heard this. He immediately stood up straight and said loudly, "I will do my best to live up to your majesty's high expectations."

The old shipbuilders also expressed their opinions, with a determined light in their eyes: "We are willing to use all our knowledge to build an indestructible warship for Your Majesty and the Han Dynasty."

Liu Chan nodded, and was satisfied with their attitude.

Liu Chan's eyes were deep, as if he could see through people's hearts. He spoke slowly, with a hint of imperceptible worry and expectation in his voice: "General Wen Pin, I have something to ask you. Has the original Wu navy been completely tamed and integrated into the sequence of my Han navy? Can they be controlled at will and truly become a powerful force of my Han army?"

When Wen Pin heard this, his expression froze. He was well aware of the importance of this question.

This is His Majesty's test of the results of his work.

He straightened his back, looked at Liu Chan firmly, and said in a loud and confident voice: "Your Majesty, rest assured. After being disbanded and reorganized, and undergoing rigorous training and running-in, the Wu navy has completely transformed. They are now part of the Han navy, not the Wu navy.

The number of warships of our Han navy has reached thousands, and the number of naval personnel is tens of thousands. Whether it is equipment, tactics or morale, they have reached unprecedented heights.

I can confidently say: The Han navy is now the most powerful navy in the world, and will definitely protect your majesty and the Han dynasty! When your majesty goes north to attack the Wei Kingdom, the Han navy will surely inflict heavy damage on the Wei army! "

After hearing this, the worry on Liu Chan's face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of relief and satisfaction.

Wen Pin is still capable.

He let him lead the Han navy, which was a correct move.

He nodded gently and said, "Good, very good! Zhongye, you really did not disappoint me. With such a powerful navy, I don't have to worry about the unrest in the world! You have made an invaluable contribution. If you really make contributions during the Northern Expedition against Wei, I will definitely reward you handsomely."

Liu Chan's gaze shifted away from Wen Pin and fell on several old boat builders in the hall.

His eyes revealed a deep thought, as if he wanted to dig out endless wisdom from these people.

Liu Chan spoke slowly, his voice gentle and respectful: "Several veteran shipbuilders, I have something to ask you. Do you have any unique insights or experiences on the materials and shapes used in building warships, and how to make them more advantageous for naval battles?"

Upon hearing this, the old shipwrights all showed respectful expressions.

One of the old men, whose hair and beard were all white, took a trembling step forward. He cleared his throat. Although his voice sounded a little old, it revealed an indescribable firmness: "Your Majesty, regarding the materials used for warships, I have found through years of experience that specific woods, such as nanmu and camphor wood, are particularly suitable for building warships because of their tough texture and corrosion resistance.

As for ship types, we have designed a variety of ship types based on the needs of naval warfare, including light boats suitable for rapid raids, as well as heavy battleships that are as stable as a mountain and can accommodate a large number of soldiers. "

Another old shipbuilder then added: "As for how to facilitate naval warfare, in addition to focusing on the sturdiness and speed of the warships, we also paid special attention to the stability and flexibility of the warships.

For example, shields were added to both sides of the ship to protect it from enemy arrows; at the same time, the shape of the hull also needed to be specially designed so that the warship could maintain a stable sailing state in wind and waves.

These are all veterans!

Liu Chan asked again: "Can the Han navy sail into the sea and set sail?"

As soon as this question was asked, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became solemn.

Several old shipwrights looked at each other and shook their heads, their expressions revealing helplessness and regret.

One of the old shipwrights frowned, took a step forward, and spoke in a heavy voice: "Your Majesty, the Han navy cannot enter the sea at present. The sea is turbulent and the wind and waves are unpredictable, which is much more dangerous than the inland river.

Although our warships are brave in inland rivers, they may not be able to withstand the violent storms of the sea."

In this era, sailing on the sea is dangerous.

To say that it was a life-and-death experience is definitely an understatement.

"If you want to sail on the sea, you need to build a ship."

Sea ship?

Liu Chan was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "What is the difference between a river ship and a sea ship?"

One of the old shipwrights said immediately:
“Seagoing ships are majestic and built for the vast ocean.

The ship is long and has a deep draft, so it can withstand strong winds and huge waves in the vast ocean.

The structure is mostly made of solid wood, such as camphor and fir, supplemented by iron nails and tung oil to strengthen the hull and resist erosion by sea water.

Sailing depends on wind power, with sails hoisted, or with the help of human paddling to meet unexpected needs.

The design of the sea vessel has a stable center of gravity, making it easy to maintain balance in wind and waves and avoid capsizing.

It is also equipped with navigation tools such as compass and star map.

River boats, on the other hand, are light and compact, and are designed specifically for inland rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

The ship has a shorter hull and a shallower draft to adapt to the frequent changes in water levels and the twists and turns of the river.

The structure is mainly made of ordinary wood, which is relatively cheap and easy to manufacture and maintain.

Navigation mainly relies on human paddling or using water currents to navigate rivers.

The design of river boats focuses on carrying capacity and flexibility, so they often have flat or pointed bottoms so that they can travel freely in narrow rivers.

After hearing this, Liu Chan understood.

In other words, river boats nowadays cannot go out to sea?
We still need to build ships?
When Wen Pin heard that Liu Chan was going to go to sea, he suddenly thought of something!
"Your Majesty, are you going to..."

Liu Chan nodded, but did not say anything.

Wen Pin's face was already showing an expression of ecstasy.

If it is really as your majesty wants, then
As the admiral of the Han navy, he will play a decisive role.

This is a heavenly skill!
"I want to build sea vessels and establish the Han navy!"

The stars and the sea are Liu Chan's goal to conquer.

The establishment of the Han Navy is not only used to conquer the Wei State, but also to conquer Southeast Asia!

Even further afield.

The Thirteen States of the Han Dynasty were part of China’s territory, but they were not the territory of the Imperial Han Dynasty in Liu Chan’s mind.

He has a big heart and an even bigger ambition!

"Build a seagoing ship that can sail 20,000 people. Can it be completed before the autumn harvest?"

Liu Chan turned his gaze to the old shipwrights. (End of this chapter)