The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 187 The Two Marquises Discuss Maritime Affairs

Zhu Gang was taken aback.

"Methods for training troops?"

"Could it be the method you use to train those special forces? Are you really willing to tell me such a secret?"

Zhu Gang felt a surge of joy.

The army trained by Xu Zengshou was indeed exceptionally powerful.

If I could train such an army, it would be extraordinary.

Thinking of this place, he couldn't help but feel envious.

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled.

"Of course, but the army trained by Xu Zengshou consists of elite troops selected from the Five Military Commands. They have been training for a long time, and their combat effectiveness cannot be formed overnight!"

"What I taught you was a quick method, so you won't become a super army that surpasses that force, but you'll still be an unparalleled elite!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Zhu Gang of Jin nodded frantically. As long as he possessed even half of that ability, he would consider it worthwhile.

Zhu Xiong Ying pulled out a stack of slips of paper from beside her.

"Train the army according to my training methods. We must let the envoys of these countries know the true strength of our Great Ming!"

After Prince Zhu Gang of Jin left in high spirits, Zhu Xiong Ying also returned to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

At this moment, a pair of brothers rode swiftly into Yingtian City. The two stood outside the Qin Zheng Hall waiting. These two were none other than the brothers Wu Zhen, the Marquis of Jinghai, and Wu Liang, the Marquis of Jiangyin.

The two whispered to each other.

"Brother, what could be the reason that His Highness the Crown Prince is in such a hurry to summon us here?"

Marquis Wu Liang of Jiangyin shook his head.

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? But since it's His Highness the Crown Prince who's looking for us, it must be something important. Let's just wait!"

Both of them were very puzzled. Since the country had been at peace, Japanese pirates had frequently raided the southeastern region. One of them was stationed in Songjiang Prefecture, and the other in Fuzhou Prefecture.

It is unclear why the Crown Prince summoned them.

Just then, a hearty laugh came from behind them.

"Uncle Wu, it's been a long time. I wonder if you still recognize me?"

The two turned around and saw that the person who had come was Zhu Xiong Ying.

"We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince. Your Highness is too kind. How could we brothers possibly forget His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"You two don't need to be so polite. It's cold outside, so please come with me to the Hall of Diligent Governance!"

When the two entered, Zhu Xiong Ying immediately ordered someone to serve tea and offer them seats. The two were somewhat flattered by Zhu Xiong Ying's actions.

This made them not only not relax, but even more tense.

They wouldn't visit the temple without a reason, but Zhu Xiong Ying's current state frightened them.

Zhu Xiong Ying didn't mind their appearance and went straight to the point.

Do you know why I've summoned you two?

The two shook their heads after hearing this.

"The threat of Japanese pirates in the southeastern region is extremely serious these days. What do you two think?"

Upon hearing this, the two men broke out in a cold sweat. They were in charge of dealing with the Japanese pirates; was Zhu Xiong Ying here to interrogate them? The two men immediately knelt on the ground.

"Please forgive us, Your Highness. It's not that we neglected our duties. Although those Japanese pirates aren't very strong, they can appear anywhere along the coastline at any time!" "We can only passively defend on the shore. Once we receive the news, they just run away like eels, making them extremely difficult to catch!"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded in comfort, and the two said.

"Please rest assured, my lords, I have no intention of seeking justice. But have you considered capturing them at sea?"

Upon hearing this, the two couldn't help but give a wry smile.

Marquis Jinghai, Wu Zhen, sighed.

"Your Highness, since the Battle of Poyang Lake, we have very few warships left. All our money has been used for the Northern Expedition, and our navy is extremely small. We don't have many warships available now. The situation at sea is much more complicated than on a river or lake, so the imperial court has ordered us not to pursue them without authorization!"

"Therefore, we can only set up defenses along the coast. As for attacking, we probably don't have enough manpower!"

This outcome was exactly what Zhu Xiong Ying had anticipated.

"How many troops do the two marquises still have at their disposal? And if you were to attack Japan, how many troops do you think you should use?"

The two were stunned for a moment.

It should be understood that Japan is a country that His Majesty has designated as non-conquerable, so there would be little benefit in conquering them.

"Currently, Songjiang Prefecture has 7,000 naval troops, and Fuzhou Prefecture has 6,000 naval troops, which are capable of fighting on the Yangtze River. As for fighting at sea, they will probably need to be trained separately!"

"However, we currently have less than a hundred warships at our disposal, and they are all small and medium-sized warships. Most of them survived the Battle of Poyang Lake, and there are not many others!"

"However, Japan is a country that is not to be conquered. There would be little benefit in conquering it. Does Your Majesty know this?"

The two asked tentatively.

Zhu Xiong Ying waved his hand.

"These are none of your concern. I only need to know how long it would take you two, if you were given enough money to build warships and train a navy, to train a navy capable of taking down Japan!"

After listening, the two felt a little uneasy and began to make plans in their minds. After a while, they spoke.

"If we can gather all the coastal naval forces together for training, and with the construction of warships taking less than three years, we brothers will surely be able to train a powerful navy!"

Zhu Xiong Ying shook his head.

"Three years is too long, I'll only give you a year and a half!"

Both of them were distressed after hearing this.

The navy is not so easy to train.

People say it takes ten years to build an army and a hundred years to build a navy.

Training an elite army in such a short time is no easy task.

Zhu Xiong Ying said, seeing the two looking troubled.

"Don't worry, I will make arrangements with the generals along the coast regarding the personnel issue. Anyone you fancy can be taken back!"

"As for the materials for building warships, I will have the Ministry of Revenue send you all the usable materials available in the surrounding area as soon as possible!"

"You must build the warships as quickly as possible. If you can conquer Japan, I will actually bestow upon you two the title of Duke!"

The two were pleasantly surprised to hear this.

"I'll obey!"

At this point, Zhu Xiong Ying approached Yang Siyi, the Minister of Revenue, and shared his thoughts.

At first, Yang Siyi, the Minister of Revenue, did not pay much attention. It was just about building a navy. The Japanese envoy was so hateful, so it was understandable that they did not care. However, after seeing the amount of money, even this white-haired old man became a little unsettled.

(End of this chapter)