The Rise of the European Emperor

Just when Ding Haishan was about to report to the Guangdong Chief Secretary, the two chief envoys on the left and right were also discussing something in the yamen of the Guangzhou Guangdong Chief Secretary.

What are they discussing? We're talking about the ships that Columbus brought...

When Columbus came to Daming this time, he brought a total of three ships - a 500-ton warship and two 250-class armed merchant ships. Two 250-class armed merchant ships, not too noticeable. There are not many ships of this size in Guangzhou Port. But that 500-ton warship is just pulling the wind...

Since Zheng He's fleet was abandoned, due to the implementation of the closed-door policy of Ming Dynasty, the large ships gradually disappeared, and the main force of the navy was only a few hundred ships. Those who can reach the thousand-material level definitely belong to the big ship.

As for a large ship with a thousand materials, take the Fuchuan as an example. If it is a civilian ship, the general displacement is about 250 tons, which is similar to the 250-level armed merchant ship. And if it is an official ship, it can reach a displacement of five or six hundred tons.

However, because of the closed-door policy, and in order to save expenses by the Chinese officials, the Ming court vigorously reduced the expenses of the navy. This also led to the fact that the main force of the Daming Navy was generally a 400-material ship. There are very few that can reach a thousand materials, and they are generally used as the flagship of the navy.

Therefore, it was very strange for the two chief envoys to see a "thousand-class" ship at the docking point of the Panbang ship at the Guangzhou Wharf. In particular, Liu Meng, the political envoy of the Right Bureau, was awarded a post in the military division for the first time after he was a jinshi. Later, he also served as a political participation in (Fujian). Therefore, Liu Meng had a little understanding of ships and military affairs, not a layman. You know, the Fuchuan is the main battleship of the Daming Navy. Liu Meng, who has been involved in politics in (Fujian) Jian, is no stranger to ships.

Therefore, Liu Meng said to Shen Rui, the political envoy of the left in Guangdong:

"Wen Jin Gong (Shen Rui character Wen Jin), Meng Wei never thought that Fan Gui actually owns such a large boat. Just now Meng passed by the pier and found that Fan Gui's boat was not only large, but also very beautiful. "

Shen Rui is a native of Renhe County, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Hangzhou, and is naturally no stranger to ships. Therefore, Shen Rui said in surprise:

"Is there such a thing? Fan ghosts can also build big ships?"

"However, according to Meng's visual estimation, the big ship of the Fan Gui is estimated to be as big as a thousand official figures. And the two ghost ships guarding this big ship are also estimated to be as big as a thousand civilian ships..." Liu Meng said with certainty.

"So, the old man wants to see it."

...

Just as the two chief envoys were chatting about Columbus' fleet,

The Guangzhou Ship Division brought Ding Haishan, and also brought the tribute letter from Marin, to the Chief Secretary's Yamen, and asked to see the two chief envoys.

Shen Rui and Liu Meng looked at each other after reading Ma Lin's credentials. Liu Meng said in surprise:

"Is there really such a country overseas?"

Where did Ding Haishan know, he could only answer:

"Xiaguan doesn't know either, but they came with the messenger from Mancijia. But the messenger from Mancijia said that he was not sure whether the North Sea Kingdom really existed. Moreover, according to the book, when the North Sea Kingdom arrived in Guangzhou, The 50,000-mile range is unbelievable!"

Shen Rui thought for a while and said:

"Send someone back to the Shibo Division to inquire about the merchants of other vassal states, and ask if any merchants from the vassal state have heard of this country."

"As ordered!" Ding Haishan hurriedly sent his deputy back to Shibo Division to inquire about the news. Then, he himself returned to the governor's yamen to wait for instructions.

When Ding Haishan came back, Liu Meng was discussing the tribute book with Shen Rui. I saw Liu Meng pointing at the last paragraph of the tribute book, and said disdainfully:

"This person is full of books and respectful, but when it comes to firearms, his tone is very big. The old man has a little understanding of military affairs. If he wants to fool people, he is in the wrong place."

Ding Haishan thought for a while, then interjected:

"Master Liu, anyway, those ghosts brought the artillery and fire cannons. Since you already understand, why don't you take a look and pierce the hides of those ghosts?"

Liu Meng was startled, but quickly laughed:

"Okay, this is a good idea! Well, this old man hasn't seen a cannonball for many years. Haishan, please go and ask the Guangzhou avant-garde commander Xu Yong to bring a group of soldiers to inspect the firearms of the gang of ghosts. Remember, let Lord Xu Yong brought a group of gunners and gunners here!"

After speaking, Liu Meng stood up and said:

"Mr. Wen Jin, do you want to go with Meng to have a look? If there is a chance, Meng would like to board the ship to have a look."

"Boarding?" Shen Rui's eyes suddenly lit up. He is not interested in firearms, but as a Jiangsu and Zhejiang native, he is still quite interested in big ships.

Therefore, the two political envoys on the left and right in charge of Guangdong's fiscal and taxation authority rushed to the Guangzhou Shipping Department with a cadre of soldiers from the Chief Secretary's Yamen...

And Xu Yong, the Guangzhou avant-garde commander who received the letter from Liu Meng, did not dare to neglect, and quickly mobilized 500 sergeants, plus a group of gunners and gunners, and hurried to the Shibo Division.

Although Xu Yonggui was the guard commander of the third rank, Shen Rui and Liu Meng had two higher rank, and they belonged to the third rank. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty was "to control the martial arts with literature", and the status of civil officials was higher. Not to mention that he is one level higher than Xu Yong, even if he is only a fourth-rank prefect of Guangzhou Prefecture, he would dare to act as an uncle in front of Xu Yong, a third-rank guard commander.

What's more, the chief envoy controls the wealth of a province, and even the rations of the guards are allocated by the chief secretary's yamen. Therefore, Xu Yong never dared to provoke the two big bosses of the Chief Secretary. Otherwise, you will be deducted from your wages, and you will not be able to deal with it. What? To complain? Are you a military attache dare to tell a civil servant? Don't want to mess up? This is Daming...

Therefore, in the face of the call of the two "Gods of Wealth", Xu Yong immediately took people to cheer...

When Xu Yong arrived at the Shibo Division with his team, Liu Meng was reprimanding Kong Tai, the messenger of Marin. Columbus stayed in the inn and did not come out because he could not speak Chinese. And Kong Tai, as a deputy envoy, also understands Chinese, and naturally comes out to fight the thunder...

"You wait for a small country, and dare to claim that firearms are better than Daming?"

In the face of Liu Meng's questioning, Kong Tai was in no hurry. Because, this situation, Marin had expected. So, after paying a Han salute to Liu Meng, he said calmly:

"My lord, our grand duke once said that Kong Sheng once said, 'Three people, there must be my teacher'. Although Daming is extremely powerful, he is not ahead of the world in everything. For example, firearms, the grand duke learned that Daming is currently The range of the artillery is only 120 steps (180 meters), while the Fran cannon of our Beihai Kingdom has a range of more than 100 feet, that is, more than 200 steps..."

"In addition, the Grand Duke once said that the three-eyed fire gun used by Daming has great power within 30 steps, and it is difficult to hurt people when it is 50 steps away. And my Beihai Kingdom's excellent fire gun..."

"Wait... How did you know about the performance of my big fire gun?" Liu Meng, who had been a military officer, stared at Kong Tai with a serious face.

"This..." Kong Tai recalled Marin's advice and said:

"Our Grand Duke said it was because he once worshipped a Taoist priest named Xiaoyaozi. The Taoist priest Xiaoyaozi was from Daming, so he was naturally familiar with the firearms of Daming. And my North Sea country's firearms also have Taoist priest Xiaoyaozi. Help improve. That's why it's so sharp..."

After listening to Kong Tai's nonsense, Liu Meng breathed a sigh of relief - is this right? When did the barbarians invent firearms that surpassed Ming? It turns out that the people of Daming helped to improve it...

Marin can also be regarded as having a clear view of the virtues of these civil servants in the Ming Dynasty, so he made up such an excuse. Moreover, it is very in line with the taste of Da Ming civil servants.

"Is it really sharper than the Daming firearm, you have to try it to find out!" At this time, Shen Rui, the political envoy of Guangdong Zuo Bu, said.

Just in time, Xu Yong came with the gunners and gunners of the Guangzhou avant-garde, and Liu Meng said:

"Alright, let Xu Yong's people try it and they'll know..."

So, a group of people followed them to the ship to carry firearms...

The two political envoys Shen Rui and Liu Meng also took the opportunity to board the ship to visit...

"Tsk tsk, Duke Wen Jin, this ghost ship is really good. The hull is tall and majestic. Besides, there are so many artillery pieces."

Kong Tai stayed by the side, and after listening to Liu Meng's words, he said:

"The adults don't know, the journey from Beihai Kingdom to Daming is 50,000 miles, and there are many pirates on the way. If we didn't have these artillery and cannons, we might have been killed by those ferocious pirates before we reached Daming."

"So that's the case... There are so many barbarians overseas..." Shen Rui and Liu Meng said so loudly.

On the side, Kong Tai, listening to the words of the two, rolled his eyes in depression—you are the barbarians, and your whole family is barbarians...

However, thinking of Marin's instructions, he didn't have a seizure. Of course, if he dared to attack here, he would definitely not be able to please him.

After the two envoys discussed their opinions on the ship, they followed the brigade to the shore and went to the shooting range of a thousand households in the nearby Guangzhou avant-garde to test the power of the guns of the Beihai country...