Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 190: The Invincible Fleet of the Ming Dynasty, the Beginning of the Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets

The guild hall, Ning Rongrong’s boudoir.

The couch shook violently, and finally stopped with a low roar. Behind the curtains, two people hugged each other tightly, as if they wanted to merge into each other.

"I'll see you off tomorrow morning." Zhu Qizhen gently let go of Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong's eyes were slightly closed, and her beautiful face had a blush, which made her look even more charming and seductive, like a blooming flower, delicate and beautiful.

"Your Majesty, please take good care of this guild after I leave." She sighed softly, "They are all my friends who have followed me for many years."

Zhu Qizhen nodded: "I will let the Jinyiwei keep an eye on you. I have also selected dozens of good men from the Jinyiwei to go overseas with you to protect you. Don't worry, I don't mean to monitor you. You are my woman, of course I will protect you well."

In fact, it means surveillance.

Ning Rongrong certainly didn't dare to refuse, and nodded slightly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhu Qizhen held her beautiful face and said, "I have already told Zhang Lun that he will help you become the king of pirates. Just think about it, a female pirate king is pretty impressive."

Ning Rongrong hugged him with her arms and smiled: "I will try my best to realize your majesty's wish! When I return overseas this time, I will also explain the situation to the tribesmen. They are looking forward to coming back, especially the elderly, who want to return to their roots."

"When the time comes, I will issue an order!" Zhu Qizhen frowned, "But it is still a little difficult at the moment. If I pardon them, it will be like slapping Emperor Taizong in the face. I need greater merits to overshadow Emperor Taizong, and then no one will dare to speak."

Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement.

Zhu Qizhen hugged her tightly again and blinked: "Are you okay?"

Ning Rongrong pursed her lips shyly, closed her beautiful eyes, and her beautiful face was looking forward to this final joy. She was also confused in her heart, why she hadn't gotten pregnant for so long.

……

The next day, Datong Bridge Pier.

Zhu Qizhen stood on the dock, looking at the canal. The winter chill was still biting, but the air was already filled with the smell of the coming New Year. The ice on the river had quietly melted, and the water was sparkling.

Although there are not as many ships as in the heyday of the past, there are still many ships shuttling here, some slowly and some quickly, carrying all kinds of goods and hopes, heading for the capital or further away. The boatmen's horns, the sound of oars cutting through the water, and the occasional laughter all indicate that as the New Year's bell rings, the bustle and bustle here will be even greater than in the past.

"Your Majesty, take care." Ning Rongrong smiled.

She was wearing fox fur, and she looked elegant and refined. A trace of reluctance flashed in her beautiful eyes. Zhu Qizhen reached out and pulled her into his arms, saying gently: "Take good care of yourself. I will wait for you to become the king of Japan in the capital."

At this moment, Ning Rongrong felt that the emperor in front of her seemed to be moved by true love. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she leaned on his broad shoulders for a while.

"Let's go!" She took a deep breath and said to Roujia, "Everything in Beijing is subject to your Majesty. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Roujia nodded, "Take care, young lady."

Ning Rongrong turned around and strode towards the big ship. Behind her were dozens of Jinyiwei. Zhu Qizhen watched them get on the ship, then turned around and strode back to the palace.

Roujia looked at the emperor's back and a charming smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

The ship set sail. Ning Rongrong stood at the bow, looking at the capital city gradually going away. She felt very complicated.

Free? No!

……

Zhu Qizhen returned to the Qianqing Palace and summoned the Minister of Works Gao Gu.

Gao Gu reported the situation of the warships in detail. This time, the Longjiang Shipyard built a total of 500 warships, 200 patrol ships, and 200 grain transport ships.

Zhu Qizhen frowned, thinking that although the current navy could not be compared with the period when Emperor Taizong overthrew the Qing Dynasty, it was finally a new beginning, and the newly built warships were more advanced than the previous ones.

He had read the history of Ming Dynasty in his previous life, and after traveling through time, he also read the navy data during the reign of Emperor Taizong. He found that people in later generations had a misunderstanding that the navy of Ming Dynasty was backward. In fact, the navy of Ming Dynasty was very powerful and was completely in the leading position of that era.

In 1420, during the heyday of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty had 3800 ships, including 1350 patrol ships, 1350 warships, 400 large ships stationed at the Nanjing New River Estuary Base, and 400 grain transport ships, of which 250 were ocean-going treasure ships. In addition, there were also a large number of patrol ships and messenger ships for patrolling the rivers and protecting the oceans. These ships constituted the huge maritime force of the Ming Dynasty navy, and its scale was unparalleled in the world at that time.

The Ming Dynasty navy's equipment was also very advanced, mainly based on the Fuzhou ship, which is a type of ship with a pointed bottom and a wide top, a pointed bow and a wide tail, and is mainly built of pine, fir, camphor, and nanmu from Fujian. The Fuzhou ship is as tall as a city, and cannot be driven by human power, relying entirely on wind, which has obvious advantages in naval battles. At the same time, with the extensive use of firearms, the navy's tactics have also undergone major changes. The Ming Dynasty navy also used a large number of firearms in its equipment, which improved its combat effectiveness.

In the nearly 300 years of history, the Ming Dynasty navy had never suffered a defeat, whether in civil war or foreign war. Its strong combat effectiveness can be verified from many naval battles.

Zheng He's voyages to the West: Zheng He's fleet was a mobile fleet of the Ming Dynasty navy, with more than 200 ships and more than 2.7 people. It visited more than 30 countries along the way, reaching as far as East Africa, the Red Sea and the Americas. This not only demonstrated the strength of the Ming Dynasty navy, but also greatly enhanced the international influence of the Ming Dynasty.

Fighting against Portugal: In the early 16th century, the Portuguese fleet attempted to invade China's coastal islands. The Ming Dynasty navy defeated the Portuguese fleet twice in the Battle of Tuen Mun and the Battle of Xicaowan in Xinhui, thus safeguarding the country's maritime security.

Battle of Noryang: At the end of the 16th century, Japan launched a war of aggression against Korea. The Ming Dynasty navy defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Noryang and wiped out all Japanese warships, making Japan dare not to interfere in the Korean Peninsula again for nearly a hundred years.

Fighting against the Netherlands: In the late Ming Dynasty, the Dutch fleet attempted to invade China's coast and Taiwan. The Ming Dynasty navy defeated the Dutch fleet in the Battle of Penghu and the Battle of Liaoluo Bay, and captured Taiwan under Dutch control in one fell swoop.

The Ming Dynasty navy was also at the forefront of technology and tactics. When fighting against the Portuguese fleet, the Ming Dynasty navy successfully copied the "Flangji" cannon by studying the design drawings of Portuguese artillery, thus improving its firepower. At the same time, the Ming Dynasty navy was also good at using fire attack tactics. In the Liaoluo Bay naval battle, it used a large number of unmanned fire ships to rush towards the Dutch Navy's warships and eventually won the victory.

"We still need to learn from the West where we should," Zhu Qizhen said, "we should learn from their strengths and make up for our weaknesses!"

"Your Majesty, the new fleet of warships has already headed south and will arrive at the southeast coast soon." Gao Gu reported, "General Zhang Lun and his men will be more confident now."

Zhu Qizhen's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "It's time to wipe out those Japanese pirates entrenched on the islands."

……

Taizhou Bay has endless blue waves and a vast sky. A streak of blood-red morning glow is reflected on the sparkling sea.

Zhang Lun, wearing silver armor and looking heroic, stood side by side with Shen Manqing, who was wearing the official uniform of the prefect. Both of them stared at the shocking scene in the distance with sharp eyes, and their hearts were filled with endless passion and pride.

On the sea, the warship formation of the Ming Navy is like a giant dragon, winding and spreading out with great momentum. Hundreds of warships stand tall, with tall hulls and wide decks, each equipped with sophisticated artillery and sharp arrows. Two hundred patrol ships shuttled back and forth, flexibly and maneuverably. They were like dragon scales, flashing cold light in the morning light, ready to respond to any emergency at any time. And the two hundred grain ships, like the supply line behind the giant dragon, followed steadily to ensure the logistics of the navy's long voyage. The flags on the warships fluttered in the wind, and the Ming totems embroidered on them sparkled in the sun.

Zhang Lun and Shen Manqing smiled at each other, their eyes full of anticipation.

"It's time to go out to sea and wipe out those Japanese pirates entrenched on the island." Zhang Lun said proudly.

"Let's plan carefully. This first battle must be fought beautifully." Shen Manqing spread his hands, "Give His Majesty in the capital a New Year's gift."

Zhang Lun looked at the approaching warships with a fiery gaze. "I'll leave those grain ships to you. Before the battle begins, I need to get the new troops used to the sea. Old Shen, you don't need to get involved in how to fight. Just ensure the supply of grain and grass."

Shen Manqing frowned slightly: "It is said that His Majesty is in a difficult situation, but he still approved the expenses of the Ministry of War first."

"It's difficult, who wouldn't have it difficult?" Zhang Lun smiled, "Your Majesty is the father of the people of the world, isn't it more difficult for him? However, I believe in Your Majesty, we just need to do our own thing well."

He waved his hand and strode towards the warship that had already docked.

……

Beijing.

After the morning court session, Zhu Qizhen summoned several trusted ministers including Xu Youzhen, Yang Guifang, Dong Yuchang, and Ke Qian to hold a small court meeting.

"There is only one topic for this meeting, which is to get money." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands. "The Ministry of War fights wars, and the River Management Office manages the river. They take up the lion's share of the money. They have to be spent. If we approve their money, the court will not be able to operate."

He rubbed his face, indeed a little worried. For such a large court, the treasury must have money. If a disaster happened, it would be the end of the world.

Fortunately, there was a good harvest last year and there was enough food in the government granaries.

"The court is short of money, so there are only two ways to deal with it. Either they target the people or they target the merchants." Xu Youzhen smiled bitterly. "The people have only started to show their style after the new policy, so we must not disturb them. That leaves the merchants."

Yang Guifang nodded in agreement: "How about this, Your Majesty, don't you want to open the sea? Can you also make those smugglers pay taxes as in the new policy, and then we won't arrest them, but they still have to pay taxes. Those smugglers have made a lot of money in recent years."

Dong Yuchang shook his head quickly: "We have to pay money just after opening the sea. Isn't this going to scare away the merchants?"

"If they are sensible, they should take the initiative to hand it over," said Ke Qian.

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

The ministers were right. There were only two ways to make money. Which one should we choose? Increasing taxes on the people would not work. But collecting money from merchants just after the sea was opened would not be appropriate either.

At this time, the chief eunuch Cao Jixiang came in hurriedly, holding a memorial in his hand: "Your Majesty, a secret report from Jiangnan."

"It should be Ning Rongrong's memorial." Zhu Qizhen had no intention of hiding anything. "Before she left Beijing, I gave her the power to make secret reports."

He took the letter and opened it directly. After glancing over it, he was overjoyed: "Hahaha, good, that's great. Mr. Ning is really sensible and sent three million taels."

It turned out that after Ning Rongrong arrived in Jiangnan, she discussed with the Huizhou merchants, Shanxi merchants, Fujian merchants, and Jiangsu merchants who had followed her for several years and voluntarily handed over three million taels of silver to the court.

Zhu Qizhen promised her that he would not pursue their past. Ning Rongrong was a smart woman. She saw that the court was short of money and used the money to buy peace.

"Although Miss Ning is a woman, she is not as thoughtful as men," said Xu Youzhen.

"Isn't it? Otherwise, how could you choose me?" Yang Guifang said, "Your Majesty, you are really amazing. I really admire you."

Zhu Qizhen breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand: "With this money, we have solved our urgent needs. After the sea is opened, the tax revenue from the Maritime Customs will also increase. Take your time, and keep a close eye on the Maritime Customs. After the sea is opened, there will be more Western merchants, and it would be best if we can keep some talents. The Imperial College is in need of teachers in the arts department."

The king and his ministers began to discuss the matter. Now that they had money, they felt confident.

……

dusk.

Zhu Qizhen came to Kunning Palace, took off his thick coat as he walked, and said, "It's still warm here. It's freezing outside."

Shuangxi took his coat and hung it aside. The Queen Mother was wearing a light and elegant long dress, holding a book and reading it. She looked elegant and dignified, and her dark eyebrows slightly frowned: "Your Qianqing Palace also has floor heating, isn't it warmer than mine?"

"I told them to stop." Zhu Qizhen walked over and sat down in front of her.

The Queen Mother raised her head, her beautiful face full of confusion: "Why did you stop? Aren't you cold?"

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "Save money. Money is needed everywhere. Should I set an example? Set an example? I have told the ministers to prepare to tighten their belts."

"Is it so serious?" The Queen Mother's beautiful and demure eyes showed a hint of worry. "Then I should also reduce the expenses in my palace."

Zhu Qizhen immediately shook his head: "I can reduce anyone's salary, but not yours."

The Queen Mother put down the book and moved closer to him. Her cold and charming face, beautiful features, and faint fragrance filled her nose. She said seriously: "I'm serious. I started from the harem. I'll save as much as I can."

Zhu Qizhen chuckled, stretched out his hand and scratched her delicate nose, and said, "No need, I did it for the ministers to see. I have already kept the money for the inner court. Besides, Ning Rongrong sent three million taels from Jiangnan, so I don't have to worry about money for at least the first half of the year."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at him and said, "You should have said it earlier. Haha, Ning Rongrong is amazing."

"She is a woman, but she has become the president of the Chamber of Commerce. The big shopkeepers of the Huizhou, Shanxi, Fujian, and Jiangsu merchants are all shrewd people, but they all listen to her." Zhu Qizhen shrugged, "Of course she is powerful!"

The Queen Mother curled her lips, as if she was smiling: "Isn't it controlled by you? So, you are still the best. When it comes to meanness, shamelessness, and insidiousness, no one can compare to you."

"Hey, why are you making personal attacks?" Zhu Qizhen pretended to be angry.

When the Empress Dowager saw him approaching, she stepped back. After returning to the palace, she seemed to want to keep a distance from Zhu Qizhen.

(End of this chapter)