My father is Jiajing

Chapter 556 Treasure Ship
On the auspicious day of the beginning of autumn in the 44th year of the Jiajing reign, the Tianjin Port was filled with colorful flags and crowds of people.

Common people from Tianjin and the surrounding areas of the capital, who were able to do so, gathered here, whether they came by ox cart or horse carriage.

Zhu Zaigui stood on a colorful tent built on the dock, looking at the sea outside Tianjin from afar.

The sea breeze blowing from the east also lifted the corners of his clothes.

All the officials who were watching the ceremony were looking forward to it at this time.

No matter how they felt about the huge monster that would come to the sea in the future, their expressions and actions at this moment could not hide their excitement.

Obviously, this is an important moment for everyone to put aside their prejudices and political preferences.

Zhu Zaigui looked ahead, and where the sea and sky met, a black dot was quietly appearing and growing. It was a new treasure ship that Longjiang Shipyard had spent several years building with the help of countless Chinese and foreign shipbuilders!

Following Zhu Zaigui were his two sons - Zhu Yifan and Zhu Yijun.

Zhu Zaigui said to Zhu Yixuan and Zhu Yijun: "Do you know why we see the mast first instead of the hull of a ship approaching from a distance?"

Zhu Yixian thought about it for a while and did not answer Zhu Zaigui's question, and Zhu Yijun did the same.

At this time, Zhu Zaigui turned around and asked the ministers who were watching the ceremony, "Do you know?"

Xu Jie and others standing behind Zhu Zaigui also looked at each other, then bowed to Zhu Zaigui apologetically, "Your Highness is not talented and knowledgeable enough to answer your question."

Zhu Zaigui chuckled. In fact, this question was not difficult at all. Even if the smart people present did not have the broad vision of the people of the future, as long as they thought normally and were bolder, almost all of them could answer this question.

It’s a pity that sometimes some principles they have followed for a long time prevent them from thinking in this way.

So, even though some questions are simple, there is still no correct answer.

Zhu Zaigui said: "I read some foreign classics that the Taixi Yi people presented as tribute some time ago, and also heard some stories about how they traveled thousands of miles to the Ming Dynasty. Some of the Taixi Yi people believed that the earth was a sphere, so when people looked at something far away, they would first see the top, and then as the distance got closer, they would see the whole picture."

"Today, I saw the treasure ship coming from afar. It happened that I saw the mast first, and then I gradually saw the whole ship. So I wondered if the speculation of these Westerners was true?"

As soon as Zhu Zaigui said this, the officials standing closest to him began to whisper to each other, as if they were also discussing this issue seriously.

However, even if they are discussing it, few will actually stand up and agree with this point of view.

After all, for thousands of years, the education and ideas they received recognized the cosmological view and view of the universe and the earth that "the sky is round and the earth is square."

If we say that the earth is round, doesn't this mean we are also denying that their education and thoughts are flawed?

Therefore, none of these cautious officials would discuss this matter in such a public setting.

Of course, when they are in private, these people's thoughts are also very jumping, and their ability to contact and learn new things is unquestionable.

Therefore, even if these people would not discuss some "shocking" views in front of Zhu Zaigui, it does not mean that they would not do so in normal times.

After all, when looking at the history of the Ming Dynasty, many people in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, whether they were the high-ranking scholar-official class or ordinary people and gentry, were learning and studying the new knowledge brought by Europeans.

Therefore, it can be seen from this that the people of the Ming Dynasty were not as closed as imagined. Even the maritime ban policy during the Ming Dynasty did not completely cut off communication between the Ming Dynasty and the world.

Otherwise, how do we explain people like Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi?

Especially Xu Guangqi, he was one of the cabinet ministers in the late Ming Dynasty. How could a person who could hold such a high position be a complacent person?
What's more, Xu Guangqi also translated "The Element of Geometry" with Matteo Ricci.

Moreover, the mathematical terms he translated became standard terms in Chinese mathematics in the following hundreds of years.

From this we can see that people in the Ming Dynasty had a broad mind that was open to all possibilities.

It’s a pity that at this critical juncture in history, God played a huge joke on the Ming Dynasty and this ancient civilization that had been passed down for thousands of years.

Not only did it interrupt the contact and integration between this ancient civilization and European civilization, but it also set the original civilization process back hundreds of years.

This has to be said, it’s a matter of time and fate.

Now that Zhu Zaigui has come to this era, he naturally cannot sit idly by and watch such a historical regret happen again.

That’s why Tianjin Port is so bustling today!

"Your Majesty, the treasure ship is about to enter the port."

The Minister of Works Li Chunfang and the Vice Minister of War Zhang Juzheng came forward to report, their tone unable to conceal their excitement.

The fact that this matter has become as successful as it is now is largely due to the efforts of both of them.

Zhu Zaigui nodded slightly, his eyes never leaving the sea level. He watched the approaching treasure ship from afar, feeling delighted and extremely excited.

As a time traveler and one of the rulers of this era, Zhu Zaigui knows the significance of this treasure ship better than anyone else!

A few years ago, he took advantage of the opportunity of Hu Zongxian's victory over the Japanese pirates in the southeast and the recruitment of Wang Zhi and others to establish the Oriental Navy.

Then they searched for the blueprints of the treasure ship from that time, as well as the Western shipwrights who had come across the ocean. After several years of hard work, they finally saw the flowers blooming, and it was time to accept the results.

As the treasure ship approached, the sea breeze seemed to be injected with strength and became stronger and stronger.

The sea breeze blows on your face with the unique scent of the sea.

Zhu Yizhen and Zhu Yijun also looked at the treasure ship in the distance with excitement, and they both exclaimed.

And this huge treasure ship sailing from the sea was also a rare life experience for the two men.

"It's so big!"

Zhu Yizhen and Zhu Yijun looked at the treasure ship coming from afar with excitement.

Zhu Zaigui smiled as he watched the giant ship, as big as a mountain, breaking through the waves.

Although this ship is not as spectacular as the 10,000-ton ships and aircraft carriers of later generations, it is still one of the leading super ships in the Ming Dynasty and in the world today!

It would be unreasonable for anyone in this era not to exclaim when seeing a huge ship like this up close. After all, this ship is really huge!
The hull is completely black and covered with ferocious and sturdy iron armor. The masts are towering into the clouds, like pillars reaching into the sky!
At this moment, the sails began to drop, and small tugboats departing from Tianjin Port also began to set out, preparing to safely pull this giant treasure ship back to the port terminal of Tianjin Port for Zhu Zaigui and others to review and visit.

"What a huge ship!"

Behind Zhu Zaigui came the exclamations of the ministers.

Zhu Zaigui listened to their exclamations and couldn't help but smile slightly.

From the treasure ship data sent in advance by the Longjiang Shipyard, Zhu Zaigui knew that the treasure ship was fifty-three zhang long and nineteen zhang wide!
It is several times larger than the treasure ship that Zheng He used to sail to the West.

The hull not only adopts a new keel structure, but also reserves space for the steam engine compartment and numerous ship gun muzzles!

Therefore, this treasure ship is not only stronger, but also can withstand stronger winds and waves. It can also play a huge military deterrent role!
Zhu Zaigui watched the treasure ship slowly approach the shore, and the shadow cast by the huge ship covered the entire dock.

Zhu Zaigui and the officials standing with him looked up and saw that the side of the ship was filled with naval officers and soldiers who came with the treasure ship, as well as the designers and craftsmen who built the treasure ship. They were all in high spirits.

After the treasure ship stopped steadily at the edge of the dock, the boatman on the ship immediately threw down the ropes that secured the hull and secured the treasure ship to the edge of the dock.

Then Qi Jiguang, who was standing at the bow, knelt on one knee in military uniform and said, "General Qi Jiguang pays respect to His Majesty the Regent!"

Zhu Zaigui looked at Qi Jiguang with a smile on his face.

Speaking of which, this was also the first time he met Qi Jiguang in person.

In the past, although Qi Jiguang had written many memorials and sent them to the capital, they were just words after all and could not reflect Qi Jiguang's true spiritual outlook.

Now, looking at Qi Jiguang, dressed in military uniform and full of energy, kneeling on one knee in front of him, it was hard for Zhu Zaigui not to feel emotional.

"No gift!"

Zhu Zaigui raised his hand slightly and asked Qi Jiguang and other treasure ship officers, soldiers and shipwrights to stand up.

Then Zhu Zaigui said to the officials around him: "Lord Xu, Mr. Li, and all the nobles, would you like to come with me on board to inspect the treasure ship?"

When Xu Jie, Li Chunfang and other officials heard Zhu Zaigui's words, they all bowed and said, "We obey your command."

Zhu Zaigui then took Xu Jie, Li Chunfang and others to the deck of the treasure ship through the wooden ladder that had been set up in advance.

When Zhu Zaigui and others appeared on the deck of the treasure ship, Qi Jiguang also excitedly came to greet them.

"Your Majesty, this is the new treasure ship that I built under your order. Please inspect it!"

Zhu Zaigui looked at Qi Jiguang, who was excited, and then at the other naval officers, soldiers and shipbuilders standing on the deck.

Zhu Zaigui could not help but praise: "Thank you for your hard work! I would like to thank you for your efforts and dedication over the years!"

After hearing Zhu Zaigui's words, Qi Jiguang and others immediately bowed back and said, "We are all doing this for the Ming Dynasty, so it's not hard work!"

Zhu Zaigui chuckled, "It is because of you that I want to thank you for your hard work. This is what you deserve. If it weren't for you resisting Japanese pirates off the coast of Ming Dynasty and protecting the peace and happiness of the people along the coast of Ming Dynasty, how could the court be so prosperous today?"

"So, my thanks are not just a humble word, but a sincere thank you for your hard work and dedication! It is because of you that we have the peaceful Ming Dynasty today!"

Zhu Zaigui's words excited Qi Jiguang and a group of naval officers and soldiers.

We are all soldiers. Although we serve in the army just to make a living, it would be very exciting if we could get recognition from the court for our efforts.

Zhu Zaigui looked at Qi Jiguang again and said, "Take me for a walk and introduce this treasure ship to me!"

Qi Jiguang immediately bowed and replied, "I obey your command."

Then Qi Jiguang began to introduce to Zhu Zaigui the special features of this treasure ship.

"Your Highness, please take a look. This treasure ship is a combination of the original Zheng He treasure ship style and the new Western ship style. The two styles are combined to create a new ship. The hull uses double-layer wood boards with tung oil putty in the middle, which is both waterproof and anti-moth. The mast is made of high-quality fir wood and has been specially treated to withstand deep-sea hurricanes."

Zhu Zaigui walked and looked while listening to Qi Jiguang's introduction.

Zhu Zaigui felt the solid touch under his feet.

This treasure ship not only has a majestic appearance, but also has an exquisite internal structure.

It also opened Zhu Zaigui's eyes!

Qi Jiguang continued to introduce: "The cabin is divided into five floors. The bottom floor is the cargo hold, which can carry 100,000 dan of grain; the second floor is the sailor cabin, which can accommodate 500 sailors; the third floor is the weapons cabin, which stores the latest artillery and muskets; the fourth floor is the officer cabin, where the commander lives; the top floor is the command cabin, which is equipped with a nautical chart and a compass."

After visiting the interior, Zhu Zaigui returned to the deck.

The sea breeze whistled, blowing his clothes. He stood at the bow, overlooking the entire Tianjin Port. On the dock, officials stood in awe, and the people gathered around, all looking up at the huge ship.

"Qi Qing, how much does this ship cost?"

Zhu Zaigui asked a question even though he knew the answer.

Qi Jiguang hesitated for a moment, looked at Zhu Zaigui, and then looked at the officials following Zhu Zaigui.

Finally, he bowed and replied, "Your Highness, the total cost is 800,000 taels of silver. Of this, 500,000 taels were used to build the ship, 200,000 taels were used for military equipment, and the remaining 100,000 taels were used for sailor training and supply reserves."

Zhu Zaigui hummed, "Not bad. I am very satisfied. His Majesty also values ​​this treasure ship. He specially ordered me to come to Tianjin Port to inspect this ship in order to convey to you the court's emphasis on coastal defense."

----

Asking for a monthly ticket. . .

Treasure Ship Trivia.

The Zheng He Treasure Ship was used by the commanders, mission members and foreign envoys of Zheng He's fleet. At the same time, it was used to transport treasures, including gifts and items given by the Ming Dynasty emperor to Western countries, tributes and treasures from Western countries to the Ming Dynasty emperor, and items obtained by Zheng He's fleet through overseas trade exchanges. For this reason, it was called a "treasure ship", which means "a ship that transports treasures".

According to the "Ming History·Biography of Zheng He" and "Ocean of the Sea" (written by Ma Huan), Zheng He's treasure ships totaled 148, the largest of which was 60 meters long and meters wide, the largest wooden sailing ship in the world at that time. The ship had four floors, nine masts on board and could hang twelve sails. The anchor weighed several thousand kilograms, and it took two to three hundred people to set sail. Zheng He's treasure ship was a large sea ship with a large scale. The scale of Zheng He's treasure ship is clearly recorded in "Ming History·Biography of Zheng He": "Building large ships, repairing and ." In "Guoqie" compiled by people in the Ming Dynasty, it is said that "there were treasure ships, the largest of which was meters long and meters wide." In "Xiyang Ji" written by Luo Maodeng in the late Ming Dynasty, the scale of various ship types in Zheng He's fleet was recorded in detail, among which the treasure ship was " meters long and meters wide."

(End of this chapter)