Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 246: Old Zhu longs for electricity, Zhu Di supervises the horse [Please subscribe]

"Your Majesty, with the advancement of science and technology and industry, people are being asked to make more refined use of time. As a result, the original, crude twelve-hour timekeeping system will become increasingly inadequate."

"In addition, adopting a refined timekeeping system can encourage people to cherish time and use it more efficiently."

"Later, all countries adopted the 24-hour timekeeping system, which uses hours, minutes, and seconds because it is more scientific, effective, and reasonable."

Lao Zhu is a "boss" who likes to squeeze the time of his "employees". When he heard that refined time management can urge people to work more efficiently, he agreed with this idea in his heart.

So he said, "Since that's the case, when you go back, write a memorial and submit it to the cabinet."

"Yes," Liu Kuan replied, then added, "Your Majesty, to promote the twenty-hour workday, I request that two water-powered mechanical clock towers be built in the inner city of the capital."

There is a bell and drum tower in the capital, which houses a bell and a drum, which are used to help people tell time.

In order to distinguish it from the mechanical clock tower, Liu Kuan simply called it the clock tower.

The two bell towers didn't cost much money, and the Ming Dynasty court had money now, so Zhu Yuanzhang agreed directly.

"You can also write this into the memorial. After the cabinet approves it, it will be handed over to the Ministry of Works for processing."

Liu Kuan bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Liu Kuan was about to leave when Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "I heard you asked Xiong Ying and the others to form a generator research and development experimental group. Could it be that our Ming Dynasty will soon be able to control and use electricity like later generations?"

Liu Kuan said, "Your Majesty, if we want to use electricity on a large scale like in later generations, we must build many power stations, such as thermal power stations, hydropower stations, wind power stations, solar power stations, and nuclear power stations."

"In addition, it is necessary to have a lot of technology, such as making and laying cables, regulating voltage, etc., and to reach a certain level in all of them."

"Forgive me for being blunt, but with the current level of technology and industry in the Ming Dynasty, achieving large-scale electricity consumption like in later generations may not be possible for even a hundred years."

"However, if we only want to provide electricity to the Imperial City and government offices, achieving small-scale electricity consumption, it should be possible within a few years."

Zhu Yuanzhang was a little disappointed after hearing Liu Kuan's first words, but he became more excited after hearing the latter part.

After Liu Kuan finished speaking, he asked, "If the imperial city and the government offices were connected to electricity, what electrical appliances would be used?"

The fact that he could say the word "electrical appliance" shows that Lao Zhu knows a lot about later events.

Liu pondered for a moment and said, "It's not difficult to develop electric lights and electric fans. Electric lights can provide light, and electric fans can provide ventilation."

"Besides that, perhaps we could also try to develop a telegraph or even a telephone. If we develop these and install them in every provincial capital, Your Majesty would be able to keep abreast of military and political affairs in every province, and convey your orders promptly."

"It can be said that with the telegraph and telephone, as well as railways and steamships, the court's administrative efficiency will be significantly improved, and its control over the local areas will be greatly strengthened."

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang had already learned about the benefits of telegraphs and telephones through the class notes of the main hall.

But listening to Liu Kuan's words, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. He immediately said, "Liu Kuan, the railway construction and operation are already on track. The Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, Locomotive Manufacturing Bureau and other subordinate offices of the Science and Technology Department are also beginning to play their roles."

"How about you leave the rest of the work to your subordinates and set up a project team yourself to get electricity to the Ming Dynasty on a small scale as soon as possible?"

Liu Kuan hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, even small-scale electricity use cannot be accomplished overnight, and there are still many things in railway transportation that require your guidance or supervision."

"In addition, to achieve small-scale electricity consumption, we must have a group of talents with certain scientific knowledge, and the Ming Dynasty needs to accumulate some technology."

"I dare to ask Your Majesty to wait two or three years before allowing me to handle this matter."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned at first, then sighed, "Let's wait two or three years, and it will take you several more years to complete this task. I'm afraid I won't live to see the day when the Ming Dynasty has electric lights and telegraphs."

Liu Kuan was very surprised. He didn't expect that Zhu Yuanzhang would act so pitiful to him. This was too inconsistent with his image as a domineering emperor.

After coming to his senses, he quickly said, "Your Majesty, may you live a hundred years and see the advent of electric lights and telegraphs."

Zhu Yuanzhang felt that he might live a few years longer than in history, but he did not expect to live to be a hundred years old, or even to be eighty years old.

But he also liked to hear auspicious words, so he smiled and said, "Well, we won't make it difficult for you. You can wait another two or three years for the electricity."

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A fleet consisting of several Ming warships arrived at Tsushima Island and stopped at Shimizu Port in the east.

Soon, Zhu Di disembarked with a guard of a thousand men.

Because most of the time in the past one or two years had been spent at sea and on the island, the types of troops accompanying Zhu Di's guards had changed.

There are still cavalry, but only about one hundred of them are left, mainly serving as land messengers and guards.

Among the remaining nine hundred people, three hundred were proficient in water and reached the standard of Beiyang Navy's water ghosts.

The final six hundred men were skilled in water warfare, naval warfare, and land warfare, with some even skilled in horseback archery. They could be considered the Ming Dynasty's version of the Marine Corps, and an extremely elite one at that. After landing, Zhu Di and his guards stationed at the Nanmawei Fortress, not far from Qingshui Harbor.

He came here on the emperor's orders, so on the third day, the captains of the Southern Horse Guard and the Northern Horse Guard, as well as the person in charge of the Guangming Guard on Tsushima Island, all came to pay him a visit as ordered.

Perhaps out of considerations of checks and balances, Zhu Yuanzhang divided the Yingzhou Guard on Yingzhou Island (formerly Jeju Island) into Yingzhou West Guard and Yingzhou East Guard this spring; at the same time, the Tsushima Guard, which had been established not long ago, was also changed to Nanma Guard and Beima Guard.

Currently, the Southern Horse Guard has three thousand-household units under its jurisdiction, and the Northern Horse Guard has five thousand-household units under its jurisdiction. If the regular troops in each thousand-household unit are fully staffed, then eight thousand Ming troops can be called upon at any time!

Because the garrisons were established not long ago, they are not fully staffed at present. In fact, only about 5,000 Ming troops can be recruited at present.

But even if there were only 5,000 Ming troops, it was still a considerable force, enough to make the Southern Dynasty of Japan east of the strait tremble with fear, and make the Northern Dynasty of Japan also wary.

Nanmawei, official hall.

Zhu Di sat high in the main seat, with the two commanders of the Southern and Northern Horse Guards and the four deputy commanders sitting on his left and right. As for the deputy commanders, the governors, and the thousand households, they could only sit on the left and right.

Zhu Di looked around at everyone and said, "This time, I have come to Tsushima, not only to shoulder a special imperial order, but also to supervise the farming work of the garrisons on Yingzhou and Tsushima."

"Commander Ji, please first tell me about the military farming in Nanmawei."

Ji Boda, the commander of the Southern Horse Guard, stood up and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Highness, Prince of Yan, since its establishment last year, the Southern Horse Guard has reclaimed over 30,000 mu of farmland across Tsushima's southern island."

"In addition, 24 coastal fishing stations have been established, which can harvest hundreds of thousands of catties of fish each month..."

The Ming Dynasty's military farming policy on Tsushima Island was relatively flexible, allowing the guards to fish along the coast in addition to farming.

Except for a small portion consumed by the regular troops and military surplus of the garrison, most of the catch would be made into salted fish and dried fish, which would be purchased by the office of the Ministry of Revenue and Commerce on the island and sold to Ming Dynasty, Goryeo and Japan.

However, the Ming court only allowed officers and soldiers in the garrisons to fish. Activities such as making salt and doing business were not allowed. If allowed, not only would the military attributes of the garrisons be reduced, but they might also evolve into independent forces overseas.

Of course, after many years, when the Ming Dynasty has mastered telegraph technology and maritime shipping has become more developed, it may grant more financial rights to overseas islands like Tsushima.

In terms of agricultural technology of the era, Tsushima Island was not very suitable for farming. This was evident from the fact that the Tsushima clan had only a few thousand soldiers and civilians.

Therefore, the amount of farmland reclaimed by the two garrisons over the past year or so was not very large. However, if there were no disasters this year, it would be more than enough to supply the military rations of the two garrisons.

If a major disaster occurred, the two garrisons would probably have to rely on food shipped from the Ming Dynasty, Goryeo, or Japan.

After listening to the reports of the generals of the two garrisons on farming and fishing, Zhu Di asked them to disperse, leaving only the person in charge of the Guangming Guard stationed on Tsushima Island, a thousand-householder.

The captain's name was Lou Kui, whom Zhu Di had known since last year. Without exchanging pleasantries, he asked directly, "Captain Lou, could you please tell me about the situation in the Northern and Southern Dynasties of Japan over the past few months?"

"Yes," Lou Kui replied, and began to explain, "Although the Southern Dynasty of Japan purchased several batches of weapons and firearms (fire muskets and bowl-mouthed muskets that had been replaced by the Ming army) from the Ming Dynasty, because the rulers and ministers of the Later Guishan Dynasty were mostly unmotivated and indulged in pleasure, the Southern Dynasty still adopted a defensive stance towards the Northern Dynasty."

"Currently, the Southern Dynasty, in addition to occupying the two major islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, can only hold a few cities west of Hiroshima on the main island of Honshu."

Lou Kui couldn't help shaking his head as he spoke, obviously looking down on the emperor and ministers of the Southern Dynasty.

In fact, the current situation of Japan's Northern and Southern Dynasties is quite different from that in history due to the interference of the Ming Dynasty.

Historically, after the Northern Dynasty occupied Kyoto, the rulers and ministers of the Southern Dynasty basically admitted defeat and began to seek peace with the Northern Dynasty, hoping to establish a situation like the Southern Song Dynasty in China and survive for more than a hundred years.

Unfortunately, the Northern Dynasty was eager to make progress and had a "wise ruler" like Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, so the Southern Dynasty only survived for about ten years before being forced to surrender by the Northern Dynasty.

However, under the instigation of Ming Dynasty spies, the Southern Dynasty has become a little tougher than in history. Although it still wants to seek peace, it is "using fighting to promote peace."

Although the Southern Dynasty now occupies less territory than in history, its military strength and morale are stronger than in history.

On the other hand, due to the interference of Ming Dynasty spies, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was slower than in history in integrating the internal forces of the Northern Dynasty.

Sure enough, Lou Kui talked about this matter next.

"In the Northern Court, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has been focusing on dealing with the shugo daimyo, mainly the Toki and Yamana clans, who have not yet sincerely submitted to him."

"This year, the Ashikaga shogunate sent assassins to assassinate the Toki clan's old patriarch, Toki Yoriyasu, but they were thwarted by our Light Guards and failed. This also further alienated the Toki clan and the Ashikaga shogunate."

Speaking of this, Lou Kui was quite proud.

Because Guangmingwei did play a key role in this matter and made great contributions to the completion of the court's layout in Japan.

Zhu Di nodded and then asked directly, "Given the current situation in the Northern Dynasty, how long do you think it will take for Ashikaga Yoshimitsu to unify the north and south of Japan?"

　First update

　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)