My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 347 Ryukyu is targeted
Is Mr. Li addicted to taking exams?

After reading the letter, Zhu Yuanzhang was also smacking his teeth, but this was also what he should do next.

This not only involves the economic development of the Jiangnan area, but is also closely related to one's own control over Jiangnan. Once successful, the successful experience can be turned into a model and promoted in the Ming Dynasty.

Let’s take the test. Isn’t the governance of the country a test for us, Old Zhu?
While he was thinking, he ordered the eunuch to call Li Min.

During this period, Li Min was rarely in the Ministry of Industry, but spent most of his time at the University of Technology. This made Zhu Yuanzhang curious. Could it be that the title of the first president of the Ming Dynasty was so intimidating?
Li Min arrived at the palace in a hurry, looking very anxious, as if he was doing something important.

When Zhu Yuanzhang told him about the idea of ​​social division of labor and setting industrial standards, Li Min was a little hesitant and worried.

He had the idea of ​​setting industrial standards a long time ago, and he also wanted to fully promote the standardization brought by assembly line production.

However, if there is a large-scale division of labor in society, if the factories managed and operated by the Ministry of Industry purchase spare parts from the private sector, will there be a situation where inferior products are passed off as good ones?

Zhu Yuanzhang's answer was simple and clear, fully reflecting his simple values. Anyone who dared to pass off inferior products as good ones would be beheaded.

Li Min thought about it and felt that it made sense. It's not that chopping off heads was a good idea, but from the perspective of today's industrial development, large-scale social division of labor is the future development trend and is inevitable.

In fact, it is easy to understand if you think about it. The factories under the Ministry of Industry do not need to manufacture everything. That would be too time-consuming and labor-intensive. Aren’t many means of production, such as hammers and hooks, purchased from the public?

He gladly accepted the order and was about to leave when Zhu Yuanzhang stopped him and asked him what he was busy with recently.

Li Min smiled mysteriously, said that he would give His Majesty a big surprise when the time comes, and left in a hurry.

Zhu Yuanzhang was full of questions as he watched Li Min leave. Then he burst out laughing. When did Li Min develop Li's bad habit of speaking halfway?

Without thinking too much, he began to think about the industrial layout and division of labor in Jiangnan.

……

As the days passed, the railway from Yingtian Prefecture to Songjiang Prefecture was almost completed, and with the efforts of the Ordnance Bureau, the new artillery was finally successfully trial-produced.

In order to test the new cannon, the Ministry of War specially opened up a large open space based on the original training ground.

On the day of the artillery test, all the civil and military officials in the court were present. When they saw the cannon make a huge roar and blow a target made of several layers of steel plates into pieces, they were all stunned.

After being shocked, all the nobles and generals let out exclamations, with expressions of ecstasy on their faces. With such powerful artillery, there would be no worries about whether there would be a city that could not be taken!

Zhu Yuanzhang was even more grinning from ear to ear, and he immediately made a decision that all personnel involved in the research and trial production would be heavily rewarded!
The success of the new artillery rapidly advanced the construction of the Dingyuan-class battleship. Everyone was eager to see this ironclad battleship sailing on the sea.

……

In the Strait of Malacca, several ships of different sizes were sailing on the sea. On the largest of them, there were several huge flags hanging. One of them had the word "Shuai" written on it, and another had a huge "Chen" written on it!

These ships formed a huge fleet, which was majestic and domineering. Passing ships, whether merchant ships or fishing boats, would obediently offer tributes when they encountered this fleet, only begging the fleet to spare their lives.

They all knew that the only person who was qualified to act arrogantly in the Strait of Malacca was the only king of Malacca - Chen Zuyi!

Chen Zuyi was not only powerful but also ruthless. Before his rise, there were many pirates in the Malacca area, especially Temasek, which was simply a pirate den.

But Chen Zuyi wiped out all the pirate gangs in Malacca, and took those who surrendered as his dogs. He killed all the families of those who refused to surrender, and occupied Temasek, using it as a fulcrum to take Malacca into his pocket. No one knows how many ships Chen Zuyi plundered, how many passing merchants he killed, and no one knows how much wealth he has.

All we know is that even the royal families of Johor, Cambodia, Champa and other countries were afraid of this pirate king and had to pay tribute to him every year.

Inside the cabin of the fleet's flagship, several ferocious-looking men were sitting around a table. Some of them were from Srivijaya, some were from Johor, and some were from Siam.

Sitting above them was a Ming Dynasty man dressed as a scholar.

The man was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. He wore a square scarf on his head and a Confucian robe. He had a quiet face and seemed extremely out of place with the people around him.

However, those fierce men seemed a little restrained in front of this scholar, and they didn't even dare to look up and look at him.

Because they knew that they should not be deceived by the appearance of this scholar. Under his elegant attire, he had a heart that was more cunning and vicious than anyone else!
He is the only king of this sea area, Chen Zuyi!

"Marshal, do you think the Ming Dynasty is afraid? Why hasn't it sent out a fleet in such a long time?"

The Siamese man sitting at the table spoke in his half-familiar Ming Dynasty Mandarin.

"Songpa, you must not underestimate the Ming Dynasty. Who was it that rashly attacked the Ming Dynasty's fleet last time? As a result, it alerted the enemy and ended up losing more than it gained!"

The person who spoke was another Ming Dynasty person besides Chen Zuyi, named Liang Daoren. His ancestral home was Qiongzhou, but he fled to Srivijaya earlier than Chen Zuyi.

He was originally an honest businessman, but he was robbed by foreign pirates. In a rage, he simply joined Chen Zuyi's army, became his military advisor, and started a pirate business.

"Stop talking nonsense. We are pirates, not soldiers. We have been following them all the way. If we don't take action, are we going to just sit there and watch the Ming fleet pass through the strait?"

Songpa frowned and spoke harshly to Liang Daoren through gritted teeth.

Liang Daoren didn't want to argue with this Siamese man, so he turned his attention to Chen Zuyi.

"Marshal, the Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang can also be called a great leader. We must not underestimate him!"

Chen Zuyi showed a hint of sneer on his face, but said: "A great leader, that is only in the Central Plains. In this vast ocean, what is he, Zhu Yuanzhang!
The Ming Dynasty is in the light and we are in the dark. The entire sea area is under my control. Our influence stretches from Ryukyu to India!

We have hundreds of speedboats of various types, tens of thousands of soldiers under our command, and all pirate groups of varying sizes are under our control.

Humph, what is the Ming navy compared to us? They are just a bunch of useless trash!"

When Songpa and the others heard this, they immediately shouted, "The Marshal is right. So what should we do? Continue to plunder the coast of Ming Dynasty?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Songpa felt Chen Zuyi's cold gaze, shuddered, and immediately shut up.

"The Ming navy is no match for them, but it is also unwise to fight the Ming army on land!"

As he spoke, a cold light flashed in Chen Zuyi's eyes. "It's unwise to rob the Ming Dynasty directly from the land. However, I heard that the business between Ryukyu and the Ming Dynasty is very prosperous. It would be a pity not to eat such a big piece of fat meat in front of us!"

(End of this chapter)