Chapter 325 The Treasure Ship Mingyuan, Ming Welcomes the Revolution

As the sun sets, the entire lake is sparkling.

Zhu Youtang is not too entangled in the current situation of people chasing gold too much. After all, he can have both gold and quietly promote technological development. Only children will make choices.

As for the financial problems faced, there is no need to cry mother.

After all, it is still a feudal society, and social productivity is here. It is impossible to solve the financial problems of the empire by simply implementing benevolent policies, and even the income is far inferior to tyranny, so the finances are destined to be not too abundant.

Zhu Youtang has been in power for three years, and he has already thought about many things. Now the only way to truly rise is to vigorously develop productivity.

It was at this time that Yu Ming, the deputy director of the Ministry of Works, came to ask for an audience.

Zhu Youtang had already started fishing with a rod, and found that he had just thought of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrived, and he also gently raised his hand to signal to bring people in.

Now the Ministry of Works is the most important department for him to promote the improvement of productivity, so he has always attached great importance to cultivating practical talents in the Ministry of Works, but he is not sure what good news this deputy director of the Ministry of Works will bring to him.

At present, the main means of production in China is land, and the direction of the means of production is naturally agricultural products, but 800 million mu of land is mainly planted with rice and wheat.

In view of the knowledge reserves of later generations, he knew that the traditional crops of rice and wheat in China had great limitations, which was also the real reason why the current population of China could not exceed 100 million.

It is amazing that the population of the later dynasties actually exceeded 400 million from 70 million, and the reason was the introduction of high-yield crops such as corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

That is why, combined with the actual situation of the means of production in the Ming Dynasty, he did not rashly pursue high-tech such as airplanes and trains, but decided to introduce corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes, thus leading China to an agricultural production revolution.

Once the Ming Dynasty has the ability to produce food for 400 million people, then China can focus more on scientific research, thus truly leading the world's technological trend.

It's just that the ideal is beautiful, but the reality is very skinny.

Although Spain and Portugal are already stirring on the sea and their footprints are slowly heading east, it is still 32 years before Magellan completes his first round-the-world trip.

If you want to spread corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes with the help of the western route, it will take a longer time to wait.

Not to mention that the actual time will be fifty or hundreds of years, even if it only takes 32 years, it is unacceptable to Zhu Youtang.

Zhu Youtang does not intend to let the Chinese nation wait for hundreds of years, nor does he want to hand this matter over to the next generation, so he decided to change the original history himself.

That's why he has been quietly promoting the development of the Chinese shipyard, and even entrusted the task of crossing the Pacific Ocean to the Ministry of Industry and Tianjin Shipyard, planning to complete the first agricultural revolution independently by China.

Just yesterday, after countless revisions, the shipbuilding plan has been officially finalized, which is a crucial step.

The sunset at this time looks infinitely good, and the whole West Garden is shrouded in golden sunshine.

Yu Ming, the deputy director of the Ministry of Industry, is lowering his head and walking slowly with the eunuch.

He was a young man with a bit of silliness, about thirty years old, with bloodshot eyes, a haggard face, and a sleep-deprived look.

When he was about to reach the fishing pavilion, he seemed to be too focused on walking, and he seemed to be top-heavy, and he almost tripped over the steps.

Liu Jin looked at this new official who stood out in the Youji Enke, but couldn't help shaking his head secretly.

Until now, he didn't understand what was so special about this young official with a bit of silliness, but he got the favor of His Majesty just by relying on a few drawings and models, and he was even ready to promote him to the position of Doctor of the Dushui Division.

"Yu Ming, the Deputy Director of the Dushui Division of the Ministry of Works, greets His Majesty!" Yu Ming came here and immediately greeted him in a long voice.

This...

Liu Jin suddenly came back to his senses, looked horrified and glared at Yu Ming, who didn't know the rules, and then turned his head worriedly to look at Zhu Youtang who was fishing.

Zhu Youtang saw that the buoy suddenly stopped moving, but he knew that the official in charge of the Ministry of Works had scared away his fish, and he couldn't help feeling unhappy.

But he was not prepared to get angry over such a small matter. There were too many ministers who fawned on him every day, and it was not a bad thing to have more independent ministers.

Moreover, although Yu Ming was not very sociable, he was indeed a person who could concentrate on his work, especially in shipbuilding.

Han Youying had been paying attention to Zhu Youtang's reaction. Seeing that the man was not angry, he also cooperated very well and sent him a cup of tea.

Zhu Youtang put down the fishing rod in his hand, but he was not in a hurry to serve tea. Instead, he asked directly: "Yu Ming, I remember that the plan for your Du Shuisi Mingyuan treasure ship has been finalized. What is your intention to see you this time?"

The Ming Dynasty wanted to go to the American continent to find high-yield agricultural seeds, so it naturally needed an ocean-going ship.

However, the Ming Dynasty had been banning the sea for nearly a hundred years. After the blueprints of Zheng He's treasure ship were handed over to Liu Daxia for management, the information of Zheng He's treasure ship had been seriously lost.

As a result, the Ming Dynasty lost the most important shipbuilding technology information and experience, so now the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding technology has regressed.

Of course, although the information of Zheng He's treasure ship is complete, the ship is too heavy and the speed of sailing is too slow, which is simply not enough to meet the requirements of crossing the Pacific Ocean.

In view of this, Zhu Youtang overturned the plan to imitate Zheng He's treasure ship, and decided to learn from the carrack sailing ship of almost the same era to build the Mingyuan treasure ship that can cross the Pacific Ocean.

Although building a carrack sailing ship now is like crossing the river by feeling the stones, with China's shipbuilding foundation and creativity, it is not an insurmountable difficulty to build a few carrack sailing ships to cross the Pacific Ocean.

"Your Majesty, I think there are several technical difficulties in the manufacture of the Mingyuan treasure ship, and the cost of shipbuilding is too high, so please take a step back and adopt my latest shipbuilding plan!" Yu Ming presented the drawings and made a very solemn request.

Han Youying knelt down in front of Zhu Youtang in a proper manner, observing this man with a straight face, but this time she couldn't help but glance at this silly young man strangely.

Zhu Youtang frowned immediately, and he didn't like people who dragged their feet after things were finalized.

Although there are indeed some technical difficulties in imitating caravels, in the process of shipbuilding, as long as everyone slowly finds ways to overcome them.

Now, the shipbuilding plan has just been finalized by their Du Shuisi, but this Du Shuisi official has actually put forward a second plan.

Liu Jin saw Zhu Youtang was silent, and immediately knew that Zhu Youtang was angry, but seeing that Zhu Youtang never expressed his opinion, he bit the bullet and handed over the drawings.

"Your Majesty, the tea is cold!"

Han Youying actually hoped that Zhu Youtang could be a wise monarch who listened to both sides, but was worried that Zhu Youtang would drink tea without looking at the drawings, so he bit the bullet and took back the tea.

Zhu Youtang was originally wavering in his heart, and at this moment he reached out to take the drawings presented by Yu Ming, but after seeing the design on it, his face suddenly became gloomy.

The so-called great way is simple, the history of shipbuilding in the world is that the number of masts has become less and less, until it disappears in later generations.

Zheng He's treasure ship adopted a nine-masted sailing ship design, but the fact has long proved that the more masts, the better, and the three-masted one is more scientific.

Now Yu Ming did not learn from the three-masted sailing ship he advocated, but still adopted the six-masted design that was behind the times. Even if the design was smaller and cheaper, it was undoubtedly a regression in concept.

Huh?

Liu Jin was good at observing words and expressions, and immediately lowered his head silently, hoping that Yu Ming was just asking for good luck.

Zhu Youtang found that Yu Ming was not a shipbuilding genius at all, so he threw the drawings in his hand directly to the ground: "Yu Ming, do you really think this ship can compare with the Mingyuan treasure ship?"

"Your Majesty, although the sailing ship designed by me is not as good as the Mingyuan treasure ship, the cost is only one-tenth of the Mingyuan treasure ship!" Yu Ming knew that there were indeed some shortcomings, but he emphasized seriously.

Zhu Youtang's eyes flashed with disappointment, but he still suppressed his anger and asked: "Have you seen the sea?"

"I have been afraid of water since I was a child, so I have never been to the sea!" Yu Ming did not expect to encounter this question, and answered awkwardly.

Zhu Youtang realized that the problem might not be with Ming, turned his head and looked at the lake in front of him and said: "The lake is calm, but there are also times when waves rise. The Yellow River floods and can flood Kaifeng City. If a ship enters the sea, it is like a dead leaf falling into the lake, and life and death are unpredictable. The Ming Dynasty now needs money everywhere, the Yellow River needs to be managed, Jianzhou needs to be prosperous, and the army needs to be strengthened. The finances are already stretched! It's just that the Ming Dynasty can save money, but once some money is saved, then thousands of people who go to sea may hide in the belly of fish! This matter is not just a matter of thousands of lives. Once the precious seeds cannot be successfully retrieved, when can China prosper?"

"I am wrong, please punish me, Your Majesty!" Yu Ming realized that the emperor in front of him thought more carefully, and he took the initiative to admit his mistake.

Zhu Youtang did not intend to ask for punishment, and gently raised his hand to signal to leave.

He knew that Yu Ming was deeply influenced by Confucianism, and always believed that the monarch should rule without making trouble, but he did not know that development was the hard truth.

If he did not take the initiative now, it would take at least a decade for those high-yield seeds to be delivered, and with them came the giant ships and heavy artillery of the Western powers.

Now the Ming Dynasty can only lead the world better by completing agricultural reforms and actively solving food problems. Although a certain great country in later generations is recognized as a leader in technology, it has always firmly controlled food production.

The next morning, the sun was shining.

The Yangxin Palace is located in the picturesque West Garden. Since the epidemic, it has become lively again. Not only did the two cabinet elders return to work here, but also the six ministers came to see them from time to time.

In theory, building a ship to go to the New World to retrieve high-yield seeds is beneficial to the country and the people, but just after Yu Ming raised an objection, he ushered in another heavyweight.

"Your Majesty, absolutely...don't do that!" Li Si, the Minister of Revenue, was a native Cantonese, but he was so anxious that he almost used his dialect.

Zhu Youtang was handling the daily affairs of the two capitals and thirteen provinces. Since the advent of cement to reduce the cost of building cities, various prefectures have submitted petitions to request the establishment of new counties.

In fact, the imperial power does not go to the countryside. This is related to the power of local clans and the fact that the scope of jurisdiction of a county is too large.

Like the southern Jiangxi area that caused trouble before, since the court established Chongyi County, the government has been able to better manage the southern Jiangxi area, and it is no longer always out of reach.

There are many similar situations to southern Jiangxi. For example, the world-famous Songjiang Prefecture has only two counties, and the areas under the jurisdiction of the southwestern prefectures are far more than the prefectures in Jiangnan.

Facing Guangdong's request to add Sanshui County, this confluence of the West River, North River, and Sui River can indeed be used to establish a county and prosper, and he immediately made a big move.

Zhu Youtang was originally in a good mood today. Facing the Minister of Revenue who came to complain, he comforted him: "Li Qing, the Ministry of Revenue can always come up with this little money if it squeezes a little!"

"Your Majesty, you have said this more than once! Now the money and silver that have to be allocated to the Ministry of Works have exceeded 10 million taels. Even if I can turn stone into gold, I can't fill this hole!" Although Li Si knew that Zhu Youtang wanted to do big things, he could not satisfy the emperor, so he had to shed a few tears.

This was not the first time that Zhu Youtang had argued with the old Minister of Revenue about silver, so he put down the memorial in his hand: "Li Qing, I know it's difficult for you, but this matter is related to the grain of our Ming Dynasty. Once the precious seeds can be successfully retrieved, not only will I be famous in history, but you, the Minister of Revenue, will also be indispensable!"

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue is really out of money!" Li Si was immediately moved, but still complained bitterly.

Zhu Youtang glanced at Li Si and said in a prepared tone: "Aren't you always collecting money for gold mining? Anyway, there is still some time, so you can allocate it to the Ministry of Works!"

"Your Majesty, the money is not collected at all now. Once the money is allocated to the Ministry of Works for shipbuilding, we really have no money to mine gold!" Li Si's eyes widened and he immediately explained the situation.

Zhu Youtang found himself facing a choice question again, and couldn't help but ask bitterly: "Li Qing, do you think ten gold mountains are more important, or doubling grain production is more important?"

"I think gold,...I am stupid!" Li Si was about to express his position, but after all, he had been in the officialdom for decades, so he changed his words.

Zhu Youtang knew that he was the helmsman, so he gently bowed and said: "Go! I have made up my mind!"

In this matter, he was obviously not so democratic, and he didn't even discuss it at the highest meeting.

But he knew that the road was tortuous, but the future was bright.

Now it is important to mine gold, but it is equally important to feed the people below. If we can successfully find high-yield seeds, we will have enough food reserves, so we can devote ourselves to scientific research and development.

Whether it is an airplane or a train, if we can't even fill our stomachs, it's all bullshit.

"Yes, sir!" Li Si was originally determined to oppose this risky move, but he felt the emperor's ambition and changed his attitude.

But he still didn't understand why the emperor was not obsessed with the gold mine he had just found with great difficulty, but was more obsessed with going to the other side of the ocean to find unknown treasures.