Good morning Daming

Chapter 1011 The Ming Dynasty will dominate the world again
Longjiang.

Jiang Qingzhi, along with five ministers and a garrison eunuch Wang Yan, were inspecting the shipbuilding base.

There was a manager accompanying him, but he knew nothing about anything. Wang Yan was furious, thinking that this guy had disgraced him. He spit in the manager's face and asked who knew the situation.

Now there are only a dozen craftsmen left in the Longjiang Shipyard, most of them are old.

An old craftsman came out coughing and raised his hand, "I know something."

"Speak." Wang Yan said coldly.

The old craftsman glanced at Jiang Qingzhi, and felt that he was the most respected person among these nobles, so he smiled and said, "After the treasure ship was scrapped, our place became a place for repairing navy warships. Later, there were fewer and fewer jobs, and without jobs, there was less money and food. Most of those craftsmen were sent elsewhere, and some changed their careers to do other things..."

Lin Zhian asked curiously, "Then why don't you leave?"

The shipyard was almost in ruins, with only one ship on the slipway. The ship looked almost like an antique and no one knew how long it had been there.

In other words, these more than ten old craftsmen have not had work for a long time.

According to Jiang Qingzhi's understanding of the officialdom in the south, as long as there is corruption, manipulation, and opportunities to embezzle, those officials will divide up all the spoils layer by layer until there is nothing left.

Since there is no work at the Longjiang Shipyard, where does the money and food come from?
Even if there was any, after being skinned layer by layer, the money and food in the hands of these old craftsmen would probably not be enough to support their families.

He looked at the old craftsman with inquiring eyes.

The old craftsman's eyes showed a vicissitudes of life. "I want to leave, and those old friends want to leave too."

More than a dozen craftsmen sighed, and some even choked with sobs.

"But back then..." The old craftsman's eyes were filled with reminiscence, "During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the fleet returned to Longjiang for the last time. The eunuch who led the fleet said that there would be no chance to sail across the sea again. He summoned our ancestors and said that before he left, Eunuch Sanbao had been thinking about Longjiang. He was worried that the court would abolish the fleet.

Eunuch Sanbao said that crises come from the sea, and opportunities also come from the sea. The Ming Dynasty cannot stop going to sea. Once it stops, crises will inevitably come from the sea..."

Jiang Qingzhi's body shook.

No one knew the situation better than him.

After the fleet's expedition to Xuanwei was abolished, the Japanese pirates gradually became a major threat to the southeast of the Ming Dynasty.

The Portuguese also took the opportunity to come from the west and seized Malacca and other places.

Next came the Spanish…Western warships were constantly coming and going, treating the Eastern waters as their own backyard.

However, the Central Plains closed itself off from the outside world due to the maritime ban, playing the old trick of the prosperous times.

Until the country's doors were opened by powerful ships and cannons from the sea, and it became a semi-colony.

Isn’t all this exactly what Zheng He predicted?
When the Ming Dynasty stops moving towards the sea, the opportunities from the sea will turn into crises.

"...The eunuch said that before his death, Eunuch Sanbao left a will, saying that no matter what, Longjiang and Fujian must preserve the shipbuilding skills and pass them down from generation to generation, and they must not be cut off... This is... the fate of the country. My ancestors swore at that time that they would definitely defend Longjiang."

The old craftsman bowed his head and said, "Even if I starve to death, I will die on the slipway."

Jiang Qingzhi felt his nose suddenly sour for some unknown reason.

After Chengzu's death, Renzong ascended the throne and the first thing he did was to stop the voyages to the West. When he issued this decree, Zheng He and his invincible fleet were roaming the seas.

The fate of this fleet then changed with the changes in the political situation in the court.

Renzong died young and was succeeded by Emperor Xuande Zhu Zhanji, who was, after all, taught by Emperor Chengzu and resumed the voyages to the West.

However, the civil officials in the court had been extremely dissatisfied with the move to the West since the time of Emperor Chengzu.

In their view, going overseas to show off one's power is a superfluous thing. Why should one go to such great lengths to show off one's power?

Just send a few messengers.

During the reign of Emperor Chengzu, the imperial power suppressed the power of his ministers, so voyages to the West were still going on.

During the reign of Emperor Xuande, the relationship between the emperor and his ministers was balanced and the situation was barely maintained.

During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the power of ministers suppressed the power of the emperor for the first time. Emperor Yingzong ordered the construction of more than a hundred sea vessels in preparation for recreating the great feat of the Ming navy to show its power overseas.

But suddenly someone in the southeast raised the flag of rebellion, which quickly spread to Zhejiang, Fujian and other places.

What the hell!

That place is the only way for the fleet to go out to sea. How can they go out to sea like this?

As a result, the expedition to the West was shelved. After some encouragement from his ministers, Emperor Yingzong issued an edict to completely abolish the expedition.

It was later discovered that the so-called rebellion was the result of collusion between local officials and local tyrants.

The purpose was to prevent the fleet from going out to sea.

What is the motivation for opposition?
At that time, the civil servants had many reasons to oppose going to sea, but the core reason was just one: it was extremely wasteful!

This reason is actually not a valid reason. Historically, voyages to the West were not simply for showing off one's power. The fleets would carry a lot of goods and trade with many small countries along the way.

Those small countries were so poor that gold and silver were useless to them. They had no resistance to the Ming Dynasty goods, and wherever the fleet went, they made a lot of money.

Therefore, to say that the treasure ships sailing to the West were extremely costly is selective blindness.

It all comes down to one sentence: This is not good for us at all!

I'm sorry, but I oppose everything that's not beneficial.

During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, local officials and powerful people colluded to prevent the fleet from going out to sea, and their motives were even more speechless.

——For smuggling!
After the treasure ships stopped sailing to the West, foreign trade was interrupted. Those small countries were eagerly waiting, looking towards the East with their useless gold and silver.

Where there is demand, there is a market, and smuggling became the mainstream tool for Ming Dynasty's overseas trade.

Officials and powerful people join hands in smuggling, and they make countless money every year. Whoever dares to obstruct... even if it is the emperor, we will make him look bad.

As a result, Yingzong's confident plan became a laughing stock.

The sea vessel that was built at great expense has become scrapped... Is this considered a waste?

But those civil officials still chose to be blind. Jiang Qingzhi came over, and Wang Yan stepped back uncomfortably... In Nanjing, Wang Gonggong was not rampant, but even when facing Nanjing's top brother Xu Chengzong, he could still stand up to him and even make Xu Chengzong bow his head.

At this moment he unconsciously gave way, feeling somewhat humiliated.

Li Xin followed behind him and whispered, "Eunuch Wang, look at Zhang Tong."

Wang Yan raised his eyes and saw Zhang Tong in front of him naturally turn sideways, as if to welcome Jiang Qingzhi.

The expression was natural, and it was obvious that this was not the first time he had done this.

In other words, in the palace, Zhang Tong treated Jiang Qingzhi the same way.

Tsk!
It seems that I was... a little too arrogant in the past!
Wang Yan thought of his own attitude when Jiang Qingzhi first came south to Nanjing, which was reserved yet arrogant.

No wonder after returning from Songjiang Prefecture, this gentleman did not come to me to find out the situation, but instead gathered the five ministers to discuss the matter.

Jiang Qingzhi is Daoye's cousin, and Wang Yan is Daoye's man. Logically, they should be in the same group and not family members.

However, Jiang Qingzhi's attitude towards Wang Yan was neither close nor distant, even a little alienated.

We got the big one!
Wang Yan took a few steps forward and said with a smile: "Chang Wei Bo, we will get to the bottom of this matter later and find out who is mistreating these people who are loyal to His Majesty."

The five ministers glared at Wang Yan.

Nima!

When we were without money or food, we always gave you, Wang Yan, a share of the profits.

At first, you, Eunuch Wang, were all smiles when you received the benefits, but now you have turned against me.

The little sweet girl suddenly became Mrs. Niu!
Do you still have any shame?
Wang Yan snorted coldly, "There are countless loyal and righteous people in this world who have been disheartened by the people below. Let's see! This new policy comes at the right time. We should clean up those people."

Jiang Qingzhi walked up to the old craftsman and asked, "So, how much have you inherited?"

The old craftsman rubbed his eyes and said, "I and others know about the construction, but..." He was a little confused, "I have never done it before."

It has been over a hundred years since the fleet stopped sailing. Without practice for over a hundred years, those shipbuilding skills are bound to become rusty.

Lin Zhian said: "Long Wei Bo, I am afraid that the inheritance will change."

It's possible.

The old craftsman smiled bitterly, "After all, it's just word of mouth, and I can't guarantee that it's not distorted."

As the skills were passed down orally, they gradually became distorted and eventually lost their inheritance.

"No problem!"

Jiang Qingzhi patted the old craftsman on the shoulder and said, "What I want is your enthusiasm. As for the shipbuilding skills, I have them here."

More than a dozen craftsmen lowered their heads, with disapproval in their eyes.

Every profession has its specialties. Although we recognize that you, Chief Wei Bo, are a famous general of the Ming Dynasty, this is shipbuilding, not military operations on the battlefield.

When it comes to this, we are the experts.

The craftsmen still have this confidence.

"Or, let's wait until the craftsmen from Zhejiang and Fujian arrive!" someone suggested.

Although you are a leader of the Mohist school, but this thing... The Mohist school is best at defending cities, and their mechanical skills are awesome, but this is not shipbuilding.

Mohism is on land, and this is on the sea.

"Let's get familiar with each other first." Jiang Qingzhi turned around, "Stone!"

"Here I am." Sun Chonglou came over carrying a wooden box, put it down and opened it.

Inside were rolls of blueprints.

"Take a look." Jiang Qingzhi pointed at the blueprint. "If you don't understand, ask."

The old craftsman hesitated for a moment, bent down, picked up a book, opened it and saw that it was a blueprint.

The first page is the ship.

A big ship!
The hull is quite different from the treasure ship and warship drawings passed down in the old craftsmen's homes.

"This……"

The old craftsman stretched out his hand and scratched on the blueprint, deducing in his mind the various consequences that would arise from such a change to the hull.

When he saw a change in the bottom of the ship, the shipbuilding problem that had been bothering him for a long time... was solved.

"This... is absolutely wonderful!"

More than a dozen craftsmen couldn't hold back their tempers, but were intimidated by the hierarchy, so they rubbed their hands and stamped their feet in the back. Someone couldn't help but ask, "Old Wang, how is it?"

Lin Zhian smiled and said, "When Long Wei Bo takes action, it is naturally extraordinary."

Shameless thing... Zhang Quan cursed in his heart, thinking that you, Lin Zhian, have been talking about Long Wei Bo since yesterday, and you keep talking about Long Wei Bo when you shut up. You wish you could become Jiang Qingzhi's disciple and be his running dog.

Jiang Qingzhi turned his gaze to look over, and Zhang Quan subconsciously smiled apologetically, bending his waist slightly.

"Wonderful!"

At this time, the craftsmen gathered around, and the old craftsman picked up another roll of drawings, which were the drawings of warships. Just one look at it, and the shipbuilding craftsman with extensive family background trembled all over.

"This is... If we build a fleet according to these atlases, the Portuguese will be nothing!" The old craftsman couldn't help but feel excited, "The Ming Dynasty will dominate the sea again!"

Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "Is it possible to build it?"

The old craftsman was ecstatic and bowed.

"I am willing to serve you, my Lord!"

(End of this chapter)