Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"If you are willing, I will not only recommend you to His Majesty, but also double your annual salary." Seeing Ma Tong's face full of surprise, Zhang Shikang added.

Before this, Zhang Shikang had actually already investigated Ma Tong's situation through the factory guards. He found out that his ancestors were fishermen along the Zhejiang coast and his family background was clean and innocent.

He has rich experience in naval warfare and is an honest and reliable person. There may be many such talents in the Zheng family's huge navy fleet, but it is precisely because of this that Ma Tong is difficult to be reused.

But this is exactly the talent Zhang Shikang needs!

"This..." The change was so fast that even Ma Tongren stuttered a little.

"Think it over carefully. I will only ask you this once." Zhang Shikang looked indifferent and said:

"I am planning to form a navy. As you know, I have already placed an order for warships with the Zheng family's shipyard.

But I haven’t decided on the candidate for the vice admiral of the navy yet, which is at least a fourth-rank position! "

You only get one chance, think about it.

Is it more promising to follow the Zheng family, or to follow the imperial court and Zhang Shikang?

I am very optimistic about you, don’t you?

Sure enough, after a brief thought, Ma Tong came up with an idea.

He immediately knelt down and said:

"I am willing to follow the commander."

There is actually nothing to consider. Although the Zheng family has a navy, it can only be regarded as a large sea merchant in the final analysis.

At present, merchants do not have a very high status in the Ming Dynasty. Being able to become an official by transferring from business is something that one would not even dare to dream of.

He is an official!

Moreover, the annual salary has doubled, which means you can gain both fame and fortune. What else is there to consider?

"Hey, please stand up quickly. The court has gained a new general. I am very happy!" Zhang Shikang helped Ma Tong up.

The twenty silk ships he and Zheng Zhibiao ordered will take fifteen months to build and are not expected to be delivered until the end of next year.

Moreover, thanks to Zhang Shikang's efforts, the Zheng family will also equip these 20 main warships with corresponding sailors, boatmen, gunners and other personnel.

Now we have Ma Tong, who is familiar with maritime affairs and naval warfare. It can be said that once delivered, combat effectiveness can be immediately formed.

The reason why Ma Tong was won over was that Zhang Shikang wanted to build a naval base, docks, coastal defense artillery batteries, etc. in Tianjin before the warships were delivered.

All of this needs to be prepared in advance.

With Ma Tong, who was very familiar with maritime affairs, Zhang Shikang no longer had to worry about this matter.

However, after Zhang Shikang was happy, he soon looked sadder than before.

Ma Tong quickly asked:

"Why does the commander look so sad?"

“Alas, although I have found a talented person, you also know that our court is currently short of talent.

Especially in maritime affairs, the imperial court is now unable to even build the main warships. Not to mention building them, there is not even a shipyard in the entire north.

I wanted to build a large shipyard in Tianjin, but I had no one to use. How could I not worry? Zhang Shikang took the opportunity to back off.

This has become his traditional skill.

Upon hearing this, Ma Tong frowned and began to think.

The change of identity from a maritime merchant to an official of the Ming Dynasty was certainly worthy of joy, but because of this, he was also eager to make achievements.

After all, the current Grand Marshal has only promised verbally, and it remains to be seen whether it can be implemented in the end. He must prove that his ability is worthy of Zhang Shikang's appreciation.

"I feel ashamed for your concern, Marshal.

I have been sailing on the sea for many years and often repair ships at Zheng's shipyard. I have become familiar with many shipbuilders at the Zheng's shipyard.

If the Marshal is interested, I can write to them to see if they are willing to serve the court." Ma Tong said very seriously.

This is really a good idea. Zhang Shikang was satisfied and said:

"If we can get them, it will be your credit. Just try your best. If you can fool... oh, if you can attract enough talents, I will give you another reward.

Tell them that anyone who has real ability can be given double their current salary.

If you know a craftsman at the cannon foundry, you can win him over as well.

I don’t understand technology, but I give you money and I respect technology.” Zhang Shikang promised solemnly.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty has always had a navy and a shipyard.

However, the Ming navy had not added a single warship since the end of the Wanli period, and was later defeated successively by Xu Xinsu and Zheng Zhilong.

Today, there are only a hundred or so dilapidated warships left in the port of Guangzhou.

After Xu Hongji's rebellion, this shabby navy was captured by the Southern Army. Although it was unable to come to the Yangtze River to fight, it was captured by the Donglin gentry who fled south, and now it has fallen into their hands.

As for shipyards, during the heyday of the Yongle period, the Ming Dynasty had two large shipyards.

One of them is the Longjiang Shipyard on the bank of the river outside Nanjing City, Yingtian Prefecture, which was once the largest shipyard in the Ming Dynasty.

For example, the huge treasure ships of Zheng He's fleet were all built by the Longjiang Shipyard. It is said that the largest treasure ship was more than 100 meters long and 30 to 40 meters wide.

Of course, in the shipbuilding industry at that time, the size of a ship was not measured in meters, but in units of materials required for construction. For example, the largest treasure ship required three thousand materials.

But since the eunuch Sanbao, successive Ming emperors gave up the huge shipbuilding enterprise due to the advice of court officials, who said that shipbuilding was wasteful and not worth the cost.

During the Zhengde period, Liu Daxia of the Ministry of War actually burned all the treasure ship drawings, navigation charts, etc.

Today, the Longjiang Baochuan Factory no longer exists. Zhang Shikang visited the old site of the Longjiang Shipyard some time ago, and only a pile of rotten old wood remained.

Apart from the Longjiang Treasure Shipyard, the only shipyard still in operation in the Ming Dynasty was the shipyard located in Guangzhou Port.

However, due to the financial difficulties of the imperial court and the lack of emphasis on scientific research and upgrading of shipbuilding technology, the shipyards not only lacked craftsmen, but could only build ships of 400 tons at most.

But even a warship of 400 tons is not enough now, because the imperial court has not built a warship for a long, long time.

The old-style canal boats were technologically mature, but due to the insufficient skills of the craftsmen, the high cost and poor quality of the boats, they were not as cost-effective as ordering them directly from the Zheng family or the Dutch.

But Zhang Shikang knew that it was better to have something himself than to have it from both his parents.

Whether it is warships or artillery, if we cannot achieve independent research and development, once a conflict of interest arises with the Zheng family or the Dutch, it will be an extremely embarrassing situation.

"I obey your command. I will write letters to the craftsmen I know later. They work only to earn money. As long as the Marshal can really offer higher treatment, I think they have no reason to refuse." Ma Tong thought for a while and said.

If he were a naval officer of the Ming Dynasty, he would certainly hope that the Ming Dynasty could have a large navy. The current emperor favors the Grand Marshal alone, so as long as he contributes enough, he will not be afraid of having no future.

“Well, I’ll leave this matter to you.

However, you have to remember to keep this matter strictly confidential and not let your family head know about it." Zhang Shikang warned seriously.