The Ming Dynasty started with caution

In December, snowflakes as big as goose feathers fell in the capital, and it was slightly cold.

While passing through the official road outside Chang'an Gate, Yan Chengjin heard the sound of drums while sitting on the sedan chair.

"Where is the drumming coming from?"

With a smile on his face, He Neng said in a flattering manner: "Young Master, it's time to hear that the drum is ringing!"

Denwen Drum is a large drum installed by the imperial court in the city.

It is specially designed to provide early warning of major military and political affairs. It is placed outside the right gate of Chang'an. The six departments take turns to guard the event, and both people and officials can play drums.

Once the drum is beaten, something important or happy happens in the court.

Yan Chengjin heard the sound of Ta Ta Ta's horse hooves again. In the blink of an eye, the streets began to boil, as if an army was entering the city.

Hearing the scholar's greetings, my heart couldn't help but move.

Could it be...

At this time, an army of about fifty people slowly passed through the right gate of Chang'an. He Neng exclaimed: "Master, the master is back."

Scholars have always looked down upon vulgar military officers.

There weren't many people around, and it turned out that Dad was back.

Half an hour later, Yan Kesong returned to the mansion and saw a pair of children in the main hall of the new courtyard, babbling and singing folk songs:

Willow is alive, spinning tops, green willow, ringing bells in the sky, dying willow, kicking shuttlecock, willow sprouting...

The voice was unclear, but Yan Kesong had heard the nursery rhyme and could guess the words.

Yan Kesong looked at the pair of dolls in front of him, and not only the corners of his eyes shone, he knew that the Yan family had added a pair of children.

"Call Dad."

The two children did not respond. They raised their heads and stared blankly with their big eyes.

Yan Kesong knew that the child recognized his birth, so he looked at the boy and asked, "What is your name?"

"Fang Lai."

Is this a bullshit name? Yan Kesong suddenly felt that everything was dark in front of his eyes. He couldn't be Cheng Jinqi, right?

He looked at the girl again and asked, "What about you?"

"Qian... Qianlong." The girl's speech seemed not as sharp as the boy's.

Yan Kesong's chest rose and fell violently, but he gave it up after thinking about it. It was Cheng Jin who made the decision in the house, and that boy would never change his mind.

Thinking of Yan's family having a wife, he couldn't help but smile like an old father and handed over the candied haws he bought on the street.

"Dad...Dad said, don't eat."

The boy was protecting the girl, and his words could be vaguely heard.

Yan Kesong's heart trembled heavily. Sure enough, he had caught Cheng Jin's habit, and I came back late.

He suddenly looked distressed.

Yan Chengjin came to the main hall: "Did Dad meet with the Supreme Emperor?"

"The Supreme Emperor wants you to come into the palace."

After walking out of the mansion, He Neng handed over a letter: "Young Master, Master Song ordered this to be sent to you."

…

Dong Nuan Pavilion.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the memorial, then looked up at Hanlin who came to deliver the memorial: "Do you have the customs account of the Shibo Tisu Department?"

The Ming Dynasty traded with overseas vassal states such as the Anti-Luo Kingdom.

The main commodities traded are spices, sappan wood, incense, pepper, etc., as well as ivory, bear paws, silverware and leather goods.

Now that Mankara is occupied, all overseas merchant ships have returned.

The shipping departments of Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong sent back the memorial. After the Supreme Emperor read it, he sent it to Dongnuan Pavilion for Zhu Houzhao.

Hanlin replied: "The three shipping offices have not reported back. The Supreme Emperor summoned the cabinet and asked the new emperor to go to Fengtian Palace as soon as possible."

Yan Chengjin came to Fengtian Palace, and the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi said: "I heard that Yan Qing's family was casting iron-clad ships in Liangxiang?"

Jin Yiwei has always been well informed.

The Supreme Emperor already knew about it a month ago.

Now that I ask, I know that the armored ship has been made.

The princes have heard about it, but they have also inquired about Liangxiang's armored ships, which can resist the Hongyi generals, but there is no detailed information.

Yan Chengjin said: "Today we are transporting the goods from Liangxiang to the sea."

The merchants were afraid of encountering the Franji people, so the merchant ships had all returned to their voyages. Now the overseas market was vacant, and it was the time to make money.

Liu Jian and others were slightly startled when they heard this.

Merchant ships loaded with goods were returning to the shipping department from overseas one after another. The people in Franji were unjust, and no one dared to go to sea.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi said: "I want to see the armored ship."

The ministers also wanted to see this armored ship.

Liangxiang, wharf.

The soldiers set up the planks and pushed the two armored boats into the river. As soon as they hit the water, there were waves in the river.

The draft of an ironclad ship is higher than that of an ordinary ship, so the bottom of the ship is thicker than that of an ordinary large ship.

When the gentry saw the new ships in Liangxiang, they flocked to Yaxing in Liangxiang and asked about the price of the armored ships.

"Is this an ironclad ship?"

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi looked over and saw that the hull of the ship was covered with steel, with rivets exposed on the steel and pierced into the hull with a hammer.

The princes were not much shocked.

When he heard the word "ironclad ship", he already guessed what the ship looked like, "Can this ship withstand the Hongyi General?"

Wang Hao asked people to bring the artillery of Franji.

The Fran machine's cannon fired three shots in succession, and with a boom, the hull shook violently, leaving only slight marks on the hull and not breaking into pieces.

Standing far away, you can't even see the traces.

Song Jingdao: "The iron armor covering the hull is three inches thick and is made of fine steel. It is difficult to leave traces on the armor if the distance is more than twenty steps."

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin: "Why not send this ship to Hainan?"

The princes' eyes shone brightly and they nodded slightly.

Yan Chengjin said: "Only three-masted ships can be used on the Liangxiang River. If ships with six masts or more are used, all merchant ships will need to give way, and I'm afraid they will have to be sent to the Qingjiang Shipyard."

Although the steelmaking process has been improved, the amount of steel used to make an ironclad ship is still staggering.

It would be impossible for the imperial court to engage in prostitution for free.

The retired emperor Hongzhi agreed with him and said to Wang Ao of the Ministry of Works: "Send the blueprints to Qingjiang Shipyard, and go out to sea within three months to recapture Mangara."

"I obey your order."

Lu Wan looked at Yan Chengjin in front of him and hesitated.

After receiving Zhu Chenhao's property in Nanzhili, Zhu Chenhao did not ask for much, and only asked him to report Yan Chengjin's movements, so he agreed.

He did not want to be an enemy of Yan Chengjin.

But the letter had already been spread. At this moment, he just wanted to find an opportunity to confess to Yan Chengjin, and he felt embarrassed.

The blueprints of the ironclad ship were sent by Xie Pi to Qingjiang Shipyard in Huai'an, Jiangsu for supervision.

The retired emperor Hongzhi ordered the generals of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Susong to lead the army to the south.

After the officials left the hall, Yan Chengjin remained in the hall: "I have something to report, and I ask the retired emperor to allow others to leave."

Xiao Jing looked a little ugly. There was no one else here except him and the retired emperor.

The retired emperor Hongzhi looked at Xiao Jing and waved his hand to let him go out.

Yan Chengjin handed over a memorial: "A total of 17 firearms were lost in many coastal areas and nine borders, not counting overseas areas. Perhaps it was lost in the war.

It is also possible that the craftsmen were bribed by unscrupulous merchants and leaked the drawings. It is impossible to find out."

Even if it is impossible to find out, we still have to find out, just to give the retired emperor an explanation.

After reading the memorial, the retired emperor Hongzhi did not blame him. This matter could not be traced.

But he did not stay to talk about this matter.

Yan Chengjin took out another letter: "But this time it was found that Lu Wan leaked the drawings of the ironclad ship."

The retired emperor Hongzhi looked at it carefully for a few times and gradually showed anger.

"Today, I am here to plead with Lu Wan."

The retired emperor Hongzhi had a cold look in his eyes, and wanted to kill: "Why does the Yan family always plead with these corrupt officials?"

"I have read Lu Wan's family records, and I know he is very talented and can do many things that ordinary people cannot do. But he accepted money and property and went astray."

In Nanzhili, Prince Ning carefully selected people, and only those who passed the interview and internship would be accepted.

If he had no talent, Prince Ning would not have taken a fancy to him.

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