Chaohu Lake is located in the southeast of Yingtian, a small half of it is in Changzhou, most of it belongs to Suzhou, and is connected to the Yangtze River via the Ruxu River.
The Ministry of War also has a shipyard in Chaohu, located in Xushuguan, which mainly builds river ships with less than 100 materials. Every year, hundreds of various types of river patrol boats, wind speed boats, etc. are built here to supplement the Jianghuai Water Pass and even the three major water camps.
Before Zhao Ran and Lu Xixing arrived, they already had some understanding of the situation here. After the on-site investigation, their understanding became clearer.
It is true that only small boats can be built here, and they are basically flat-bottomed boats with a draft of only two to three feet. It is unrealistic for this place to be able to afford the construction of a sea-going ship worth 500 materials or even more than 300 materials. At most, there are only 200 materials, and the slipway needs to be renovated.
In addition to the lack of experience and ability of the shipwrights and workers, the slipway here is not suitable for building large ships and needs to be vigorously modified. In addition, the draft of the built seagoing ships with more than 300 materials is six feet to one foot. With such a deep draft, some waterways of the Ruxu River cannot be passed and require comprehensive dredging.
Judging from the current situation, it is too late.
After discussing with the war department officials and chief craftsman of the shipyard, Zhao Ran ordered thirty patrol ships with two hundred materials and sixty sentinel ships with one hundred materials. Zhao Ran brought the drawings and instructions of the patrol ship and handed them directly to the chief craftsman. The shipyard had the drawings of the sentinel ship itself.
The total order price is 120,000 taels, which is equivalent to the total orders received by Hushuguan Shipyard in the past eight years. Fortunately, there are many slipways here and there are many craftsmen and workers. The construction can be completed in three batches and the ship is expected to be delivered by the end of June.
Zhao Ran took the order and the advance payment of 60,000 taels and took Lu Xixing back to Longjiang Shipyard. On the way, he said to Lu Prepare, we should have placed an order for shipbuilding long ago, but it was delayed for half a year. This half year is too important. If this half year had not been delayed, Li Dayin would have obtained a large number of warships by now, and it would not be so difficult."
Lu Xixing said: "Zhiran has done a good enough job. He started preparing in February and March last year. Who would have thought that Ling'ao Island would dare to confront our Taoist sect? Zhiran must be calm and survive the early stage. With Ming's strength, There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll lose.¡±
Returning to the Longjiang Shipyard, all eight slipways have started construction, and four 500-material warships and four 200-material patrol ships are being built simultaneously. Lu Xixing directly issued an order in the name of Chaotian Palace, requiring the Xinjiangkou Branch Factory managed by the Ministry of War to immediately expand the slipway.
The officials and chief craftsman of the Vehicle and Driving Department of the Ministry of War quickly came up with an expansion plan and prepared to add four slipways within two months. This is already the maximum capacity. The slipway is not complicated and has little technical content. The real difficulty lies in the craftsmen and boatmen. Expanding the four slipways requires at least forty experienced craftsmen and two hundred more boatmen. Xinjiangkou Branch There are not that many people in the factory.
Thanks to the evil labor service system, under the pressure of Lu Xixing, the Ministry of War issued a document to the southern Zhili and Zhejiang coastal prefectures, forcibly recruiting local experienced shipwrights and shipwrights to serve in Yingtian, and they arrived within a month.
The two returned to the civilian shipyard, where sixteen slipways were busy building various civilian ships. Lu Xixing also ordered in the name of Leixiao Pavilion to requisition the slipway of this shipyard. The ships currently built on the slipway will be requisitioned for each slipway after completion. All orders for civilian ships will be postponed and converted to warships.
Zhao Ran calculated the production speed. By the end of June, the inspection fleet will have the latest twenty-six 500-material warships, 40 200-material patrol ships, and 60 100-material fast sentry ships.
As long as Li Dayin can hold on until the end of June, the situation will begin to tilt towards Ming Dynasty.
Zhao Ran prayed silently: "Lao Li, you must hold on."
When he returned to Jiming Temple, Zhao Ran received a report from Pei Zhongning: "Brother, someone from the East China Sea is coming and wants to see you."
Zhao Ran asked: "Who is it?"
"Two of them, one is named Gu and the other is named Chen. They are said to be from Ling'ao Island."
Zhao Ran pondered for a moment and then said: "I'll see you first, I'm very busy here."
To be precise, only one of the visitors was from Ling'ao Island, named Chen Miuzhu, and the other one, Guchong, was not from Ling'ao Island, but was the leader of the Baisha Gang, a famous casual cultivator sect in South Zhili. .
The Baisha Gang mainly makes a living on the water, and their territory is also on the island, which is Baisha Island a hundred miles northeast of Chongming Island. The distance between Baisha Island and the mainland is relatively subtle, which also creates a subtle relationship between the Baisha Gang, Taoism and the government.
On the surface, you are under management, but if you really want to manage it, it¡¯s not that easy.
The fact that Gu Chong, as the leader of a gang, accompanied Chen Miazhu to Jiming Temple also illustrates this point. He smiled and said to Pei Zhongning: "Manager Pei, I am also entrusted by others to introduce you on your behalf. This is Ling'ao Island"Chief Chen, Tao Mianzhu, Chief Chen was entrusted by the owner of Wutong Island to meet with the abbot on important matters. I am just a middleman. If you have any questions, you two can talk while I stay outside. "
Pei Zhongning nodded. Gu Chong's meaning was very clear. He was actually a guarantor, guarantoring Zhao Ran. Chen Miuzhu did represent Ling'ao Island, not just someone who came to deceive under the guise of someone else.
After Gu rushed out, Pei Zhongning asked Chen Miuzhu, "What do you want?"
Chen Miuzhu smiled and sat casually on the chair opposite Pei Zhongning. A white snake about a foot long crawled out of his sleeve pocket, wrapped it around his wrist, raised his tongue and spit out the core fiercely at Pei Zhongning. , then turned to Chen Miuzhu: "Mianzhu, is this Manager Pei?"
Chen Miuzhu nodded: "Fellow Taoist Yu Jingzi has invited me. Opposite is Manager Pei of Jiming Temple."
Yu Jingzi hissed: "They say Manager Pei is as beautiful as a flower, but that's just that, just ordinary."
Chen Miuzhu smiled: "My fellow Taoist ancestors have been to Bai Yujing, so of course ordinary people cannot be discerned by you."
Yu Jingzi said: "That's the truth. It's boring to come here for nothing. Let's wait until we meet Abbot Zhao. I'll take a nap."
¡°Did you deliberately invite a spirit demon to show off to you? Pei Zhongning sneered in his heart and asked without wasting much time: "What's going on? Tell me quickly, Abbot Zhao is very busy, and I am also very busy."
Chen Miazhu shook his head and said: "Manager Pei, are you very busy at the moment? No wonder, our Donghai army is about to come to the door. Abbot Zhao is probably in a hurry, right? Hehe."
Yu Jingzi also chuckled and tilted his head to look at Pei Zhongning.
Pei Zhongning didn't say a word, just looked at Chen Miuzhu. After the two laughed for a while, they felt bored. Chen Miuzhu said: "Let me tell you clearly, I am entrusted by the owner of Wutong Island of Ling'ao Island and hundreds of island owners. I am here to ask Abbot Zhao a word."
"What are you talking about?"
"Sea trade license, withdraw or not?"
Pei Zhongning nodded: "Are you coming to Jimingguan to discuss sea trade licenses?"
Chen Miuzhu said: "Then Manager Pei thinks that I, Mr. Chen, are here to have tea with you? Haha it's not impossible"
If it were anyone else, Pei Zhongning would directly teach him a lesson, but after receiving Zhao Ran's instructions, he knew that the overall situation was the top priority, so he endured his anger and said: "Since we are talking about business, please rest today. Lao Gu¡ª¡ª"
Gu Kexue entered the room in response: "Manager Pei?"
Pei Zhongning said: "Prepare a room for them and entertain them well. Don't neglect them."
Chen Miuzhu was stunned: "What does this mean?"
Pei Zhongning calmly explained to him: "Since we are talking about official business, of course we must follow the procedures."
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