The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Xie Qian pinched Li Dongyang's philtrum, and Liu Jian patted his back fiercely. After a frantic rescue, Li Dongyang woke up.

He opened his eyes and saw Emperor Hongzhi.

"Why is this happening to Li Qing?"

Li Dongyang cried and choked: "My son is on the big ship in Liangxiang."

"Lord Li, Li Zhaoxian is in Hainan and has not returned." Miao Kui looked apologetic.

"That's good, Your Majesty! I lost my composure a little. It was because I was too sad that I lost my manners in front of the emperor. This is my last son." Li Dongyang choked again when he talked about his sadness.

The ministers in the court sighed, and Li Ge Lao was strategizing in the court and was calm and at ease.

Talking about family affairs, he is still a mortal after all.

Emperor Hongzhi walked back to the imperial steps, looked at Xiao Jing and Miao Kui, and said coldly: "Where are the Zhenhai Guard and Xunjiansi of Songjiang Prefecture!"

Jinshan in Songjiang Prefecture has Jinshan Guard to prevent the invasion of Japanese pirates.

"Your Majesty, the court and Liangxiang merchant caravans use large ships, and the Zhenhai Guard's grain ships can't catch up at all." Miao Kui cried.

Jinshan Guard has no large ships, all of them are grain ships.

Large ships are expensive, how can the court give large ships to the small Jinshan Guard.

Even grain ships are not many.

"Eunuch Miao is right, after the sails are raised, the large ships go into the sea with the wind, and it is difficult to catch up with the grain ships." Liu Jian looked solemn.

The grain ships sway on both sides when entering the sea, and it is extremely difficult to control the course, let alone chasing these large ships.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: "The most urgent task now is to find these ships back. If the Japanese pirates get these two ships, won't they be able to come and go freely?"

"I'm afraid it's very difficult. They are pirates at sea and civilians on land. It's hard to tell the difference between Japanese pirates and civilians." Liu Jian continued: "And the sea is vast. After these Japanese pirates enter the sea, there is no trace. If the court wants to search, it may have to send a large number of navy."

Songjiang Prefecture does not have a large-scale navy. The navy of the Ming Dynasty is concentrated in Guangzhou and Leizhou in Guangdong Prefecture.

Because the Japanese pirates have been harassing the southeast coast for many years, the court cannot repel them.

They can only send guards to prevent the Japanese pirates from filing a case.

Xie Qian nodded and said: "The Japanese have robbed tens of thousands of stones of grain. I'm afraid they won't need to dock for supplies within half a year. If you want to find them on the sea, you may not be able to find them even if you mobilize the Guangdong navy."

Speaking of Japanese pirates, they are more troublesome than the Tatars in the north.

The northern territory is guarded by fierce generals like Wang Yue.

Although the Tatars rushed into Guanzhong to plunder, Wang Yue often won battles against the Tatars, which gave the court and the people of the border town great confidence in spirit.

As long as Wang Yue was there, there was no need to fear the Tatars.

The Japanese pirates were different. The southeast coast had never won a real victory until now.

In other words, there were no generals like Wang Yue on the southeast coast who could give the court spiritual dependence.

Emperor Hongzhi showed a firm look in his eyes and gritted his teeth and said, "These seven large ships must be traced back!

Hainan is now fully reclaimed, and it will definitely be transported by sea in the future. If the Japanese pirates get these five ships, wouldn't it be like adding wings to a tiger!"

Yan Chengjin thought it made sense.

Giving the Japanese pirates a set of powerful equipment for free would only make them more rampant.

The big ship in Liangxiang was actually a horse ship on Zheng He's drawing.

The length of the ship was about 37 feet and the width was 15 feet. If calculated according to later generations, it was about 120 meters long and about 45 meters wide.

After the Ming Dynasty banned sea trade, few ships were built, especially large ships.

Building a ship requires government approval, and there are strict requirements for size and shape.

Pirates and Japanese pirates want large ships, but they can't buy them, so they can only rob them.

Qin Hong sighed: "I'm afraid it's not easy. Japanese pirates are erratic on the sea. Where can they find ships?"

Before he returned to the capital to serve as the Minister of War, he was the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and he was very familiar with Japanese pirates.

These Japanese pirates have strong combat capabilities, holding samurai steel knives, and there are sea merchants to help them find information. It's not as simple as it sounds.

The most difficult thing is to find the traces of these Japanese pirates.

There are many scattered islands in Guangdong, and Japanese pirates may be hiding anywhere.

With the 100,000 people of the Guangdong Navy, it is possible to search island by island.

The premise is that the Ministry of Households gives enough military pay and the Ministry of Works builds more than a dozen large ships.

Otherwise, with the few large ships of the Guangdong Maritime Customs that travel to Hainan, they can't transport many troops and it's not easy to fight.

What's more, the Japanese pirates now have seven large ships, and they can sail farther.

"If we know where the Japanese pirates are hiding, it will be much easier." Ma Wensheng stroked his beard and sighed.

Yan Chengjin thought carefully and stepped forward.

"The large ships need supplies. Although there are food, they also need to replenish water. Moreover, the Japanese pirates can't stay on the sea and will definitely dock.

I think we can go to the small islands around Songjiang Prefecture to search. People can hide, but seven large ships can't hide."

Qin Hong rolled his eyes at him and laughed: "Mobilizing troops will consume food and grass. What if there is no food?"

"If there is no food, you can go to the island country to see."

Yan Chengjin guessed that the ship was still in Songjiang Prefecture.

The Japanese pirates are mainly composed of real Japanese and junior Japanese.

The real Japanese are the samurai ronin of the island country. At this time, the island country is in the Warring States Period, and the daimyo was killed.

The samurai under these daimyo became ronin and went to sea to make a living.

From the Japanese, they are some sea merchants and bandits of the Ming Dynasty.

They colluded with the Japanese and engaged in the business of robbing merchant ships.

Emperor Hongzhi was determined to recover the seven ships and asked solemnly: "Is there anyone who can take charge of the Southeast Navy?"

Qin Hong lowered his head in shame, and Ma Wensheng looked at the tip of his shoes.

Liu Jian twirled his beard and pretended to be calm, while Li Dongyang touched his head and said that he had fainted just now and had not recovered yet.

Among the navy in the southeast, there is really no one who can take command.

Yan Chengjin looked at Miao Kui with a cautious look on his face: "Wang Shouren didn't come back with you?"

Miao Kui was obviously a little angry: "After Mr. Wang landed in Guangzhou, there was no news. He said that he would go all the way north to give lectures. Sooner or later, he would return to Beijing and ask my slave to report to His Majesty."

Lecture?

Emperor Hongzhi frowned slightly, "Japanese pirates are in front of us. What does Wang Shouren teach? I ordered you to be a lecturer at the Sutra Banquet. Isn't it delicious?"

Yan Chengjin shook his head. Wang Shouren was familiar with Qi's army's mandarin duck formation and knew the art of war. What a great opportunity to make a contribution.

There are no useful ministers in the court, and even if there are, they are not as good at using troops as Wang Shouren.

"How about letting the British father go?" Liu Jian asked.

Yan Chengjin felt that this idea was worse than the old meal from the previous night.

Although the British public is familiar with the art of war, he does not know how to command a naval force. It is like using a shoe brush to brush your teeth and using shower gel to wash your hair.

If soldiers can be amphibious, they should be called Marine Corps.

Emperor Hongzhi shook his head: "The British Lord is not familiar with water warfare, I'm afraid he will suffer a disadvantage."

"I think it is better to send people to Guangdong to find Wang Shouren and order him to find these seven ships." Yan Chengjin said.

At this time, the Donghua Gate of the Forbidden City.

A man wearing Franji clothes stood by the door, it was Liu Jin.

Most of the people who come in and out of this gate are officials from the palace, and the common people dare not go near this place.

Liu Jin looked at the tall city wall with a smile.

Every day at Chen time, the carriages that go out to buy ingredients from the palace will return to the palace from here.

Sure enough, the little eunuch drove several carriages and came here.

"How dare you stop the palace's carriage!" the young eunuch shouted.

Liu Jin calmly said: "Master, please help me bring a message to His Royal Highness."

He took out one hundred taels of silver from his pocket, and the little eunuch stared at it intently.

"What words?"

"Just say that Nicholas Liu Jin is back."

East Palace,

Zhu Houzhao was in high spirits and was taking time to draw cartoons about the heroes of the Three Kingdoms competing for hegemony.

The little eunuch walked in quietly. If he disturbed the prince at this time, he would definitely be beaten, but who asked him to accept other people's money.

"Your Highness, where are you painting?"

Zhu Houzhao asked happily: "How did the painting go?"

"The painting is so good!" The little eunuch hesitated again: "Your Highness, Nicholas Liu Jin is back."

What brushing?

Zhu Houzhao rolled his eyes at him: "I have heard of wire drawing, but not wire drawing."

The little eunuch was extremely aggrieved: "Your Highness, this is Nicholas Liu Jin..."

Liu Jin?

Zhu Houzhao was happy and put down his pen: "What did I ask him to bring to the Western Regions?"