Starting from 1618 of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 140 Naval Reconstruction

Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

Dengzhou City, the office of the Prefectural Magistrate.

Lu Yan sat behind a table in the second hall, with a list in front of him.

This list is the roster of officers of the Dengzhou Navy.

"Master," Shen Qing said in a low voice, standing to the side, "I have investigated thoroughly. The salaries of the Dengzhou Navy are mainly being paid by these few people."

He pointed to several names on the list.

"Zhang Degui, a naval commander, had 800 men who were not actually paid, and embezzled about 5,000 taels of military pay every year."

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"Liu San, a 100-man naval commander, embezzled 300 men's salaries without working, and each year he embezzled about 2,000 taels of military pay."

"Wang Er, a 100-man naval commander, had 200 men who were not actually paid, and embezzled about 1,500 taels of military pay every year."

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"There are also several junior officers and senior officers, who together account for about 500 people receiving salaries without working, and embezzle about 3,000 taels of military pay each year."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan let out a cold laugh.

"Good heavens, a navy with 1,800 men on payroll. No wonder it has 3,000 men in name only, but only 700 or 800 in reality."

"6

"Yes," Shen Qing said. "These people have been receiving salaries without working for years and have already made a fortune."

"Make a fortune?" Lu Yan said. "They're profiting from the national crisis."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"Shen Qing, do these people have any connection with the Li family?"

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"Yes," Shen Qing said. "Zhang Degui is Li Shouzhen's cousin, and Liu San and Wang Er are both from the Li family. The Li family has been covering for them receiving salaries without working."

Lu Yan's lips curled up slightly.

"Okay, that makes things easier."

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"The boss means—"

'

"The Li family has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, and their cronies must also be dealt with," Lu Yan said. "Zhang Degui, Liu San, and Wang Er are all members of the Li family. It is perfectly justified to dismiss them from their posts and investigate them."

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"Understood."

"Furthermore," Lu Yan said, "I have the post of 'concurrently in charge of warship construction,' and it is my duty to reorganize the navy. Once these people are dealt with, the others will behave themselves."

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"Yes."

Three days later.

February 23.

Dengzhou City, Naval Camp.

Lu Yan, accompanied by Zhao Changying and fifty personal guards, arrived at the naval camp.

At the camp gate, Zhang Degui, a naval captain, led a group of officers to greet them.

"Lord Lu," Zhang Degui said with a beaming smile, "what brings you here? If you have any orders, you could have just sent someone to let me know. Why bother coming all the way here yourself?"

"Commander Zhang," Lu Yan looked at him, his face expressionless, "I've come today on official business."

"Official business?" Zhang Degui was taken aback. "What official business?"

"Arrest them."

Lu Yan waved his hand.

-

Zhao Changying led his personal guards forward and pinned Zhang Degui to the ground.

"You—what are you doing?" Zhang Degui exclaimed in shock. "I am a naval captain. What right do you have to arrest me?"

'

"On what grounds?" Lu Yan sneered. "On the grounds that you've embezzled the salaries of eight hundred men without working and tens of thousands of taels of military pay. On the grounds that you're a henchman of the Li family and have protected them for treason. Are these charges enough?"

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Zhang Degui's expression changed drastically.

"I—I didn't—"

'

"No?" Lu Yan took out a document from his sleeve. "This is your ledger for receiving a salary without working. It has your signature and fingerprint on it. Are you still trying to deny it?"

When Zhang Degui saw the account book, he trembled all over and couldn't speak.

"Take him away," Lu Yan said.

The guards took Zhang Degui away.

Lu Yan turned to the other officers.

"Liu San, Wang Er, come out."

The two officers were deathly pale, trembling all over, and dared not move.

"Not coming out?" Lu Yan sneered. "Then I will personally invite you out."

With a wave of his hand, his personal guards rushed forward and pinned Liu San and Wang Er to the ground.

"take away."

The three officers were taken away.

The remaining officers stood there, trembling, too afraid to speak.

Lu Yan looked at them, his voice icy.

"Gentlemen, I am not here today to make things difficult for you. Zhang Degui, Liu San, and Wang Er are embezzling military pay and are henchmen of the Li family; they deserve their punishment. But as for the others, as long as they have not committed any major offenses, I will let bygones be bygones."

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The officers looked relieved upon hearing this.

"However," Lu Yan changed the subject, "from now on, the navy will be reorganized. Ghost employees will be investigated, the old and weak will be eliminated, and new recruits will be recruited. Anyone who dares to accept ghost employees or embezzle military funds again will suffer the same fate as Zhang Degui."

"Yes, yes, yes!" The officers nodded hurriedly. "We will certainly do our best and dare not have any disloyalty!"

'

"Okay." Lu Yan nodded. "Wang Tiezhu."

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"Your subordinate is here." Wang Tiezhu stepped forward.

"From today onwards, you will temporarily assume the position of commander and be in charge of the reorganization of the navy," Lu Yan said. "Clean up the ranks of those without actual personnel, eliminate the old and weak, and recruit new soldiers. Complete this within three months."

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"Your humble servant obeys!"

'

A month later.

March 20th.

Dengzhou City, Naval Camp.

The reorganization of the navy has already shown initial results.

The ghost employees were eliminated, the old and weak were laid off, and new recruits were recruited.

The navy, which originally numbered seven or eight hundred, now has only three hundred men left.

But these three hundred men were all strong and capable soldiers.

"Master," Wang Tiezhu reported to Lu Yan, "the naval reorganization is complete. We now have 300 sailors and eight warships."

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"Eight ships?" Lu Yan asked. "Weren't there twelve usable ships originally?"

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"Returning to the master," Wang Tiezhu said, "Of the original twelve usable ships, four are too dilapidated to be repaired and can only be dismantled for timber. The remaining eight have all been repaired and are ready to go to sea for combat."

"Okay." Lu Yan nodded. "What about the warship's cannons?"

'

"The cannons have also been repaired," Wang Tiezhu said. "The eight warships were equipped with a total of twelve cannons."

"Twelve gates?" Lu Yan frowned. "That's too few."

"Return to the master," Wang Tiezhu said. "The navy doesn't have many cannons to begin with, and these are the only ones that can be repaired."

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Lu Yan pondered for a moment.

"I will find a way to get some cannons," he said. "You train the sailors first, and then install the cannons when they arrive."

"This humble general obeys."

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That afternoon.

The magistrate's office, the study.

Lu Yan sat behind the desk, with Zhao Changying and Shen Qing standing in front of him.

"The naval reorganization is complete," Lu Yan said, "but three hundred men and eight ships are still too few."

"What does the master mean?" Zhao Changying asked.

"I intend to establish my own armed merchant fleet," Lu Yan said, "under the guise of 'escort,' but in reality, it will be my private fleet."

"A private fleet?" A glint flashed in Shen Qing's eyes. "The boss is wise."

"We captured twenty-three of the Li family's ships," Lu Yan said. "Five of them are large merchant ships that can be converted into armed merchant vessels."

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"Modification?"

"Yes," Lu Yan said. "We'll mount cannons on the ships and open firing ports so that flintlock musketeers can fire from inside. That way, these merchant ships will have combat capability."

"Master," Zhao Changying said, "won't the imperial court investigate this matter?"

'

"What are you investigating?" Lu Yan said. "These ships are merchant ships, not warships. I only loaded some self-defense weapons onto the merchant ships. What's the problem?"

'

Upon hearing this, Zhao Changying suddenly understood.

"The master is brilliant."

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"Furthermore," Lu Yan said, "the manpower for the armed merchant fleet will be drawn from the navy and personal guards. They need to be capable and able to fight."

"Understood."

"Within three months," Lu Yan said, "I want to see five armed merchant ships, each equipped with two breech-loading cannons and twenty flintlock muskets."

"yes.

"6

Lu Yan looked at the distant sky, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"The reorganization of the navy is only the first step," he said. "There is much more to be done."

T

He turned and walked deeper into the dock.

"Let's go check on the situation on Changshan Island."