novelSusiti Chapter 60 Wei Zhongxian is also a gossip
Chapter 60 Wei Zhongxian is also a gossip
Chapter 61 Wei Zhongxian was also a gossip.
Chapter 060 That night, in the best private room of Plum Garden in Tianjin Weicheng, glasses clinked and toasts were exchanged.
Gan Yanshou was extremely hospitable, not only accompanying Chen Ying himself but also inviting several commanders and garrison commanders from Tianjin. After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Chen Ying thought the main event was about to begin.
Sure enough, the main event began, but it wasn't the discussion of interests he had imagined. Instead, a large group of beautiful women entered, and Fu Yingxing felt as if he were back on his own turf. He embraced them on both sides, touching them all over, thoroughly enjoying himself.
No wonder everyone wants to be an official; the benefits of being an official are beyond the imagination of most people.
Seeing that Gan Yanshou had no intention of discussing business, Chen Ying made an excuse that he was too drunk and left directly. It wasn't that Chen Ying wasn't a womanizer, but the problem was that he was afraid.
If he were to contract a disease, given the medical conditions in the Ming Dynasty, he would be doomed.
After leaving, Chen Ying did not rest. There were still preparations to be made for the matters on Dalu Island. Chen Ying had his own ideas about shipbuilding. The Fujian ships of the Ming Dynasty adopted a "V"-shaped pointed bottom, had a keel, a deep draft, and good stability, making them particularly suitable for sailing in the deep sea and in the open sea with large waves.
Typically equipped with multiple rigid sails, rigid sails are highly efficient, flexible in operation, and can take advantage of winds from all directions. The sails also have a "hinged" mechanism that can be raised and lowered, allowing for quick adjustment of the wind-receiving area and strong storm resistance.
Large Fujian-style ships, such as those in Qi Jiguang's navy, had towering superstructures that resembled floating castles. This gave them a huge advantage in boarding maneuvers, allowing soldiers to attack enemy ships from a superior position with arrows, firearms, and projectiles.
During the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, Fujian-style ships served as the core platform for the modernization of the navy with firearms. They could be equipped with a large number of breech-loading cannons, mortise-and-tenon cannons, and rockets (such as the "Fire Dragon Emerging from the Water"). The bows were often equipped with sturdy rams for use in ramming.
In the war against Japanese pirates by Qi Jiguang and the Imjin War (Battle of Noryang), the Ming navy, mainly composed of Fujian ships, achieved an overwhelming victory against the Japanese navy.
Its tall hull, powerful firepower, and ramming capabilities completely countered the Japanese army's tactics, which relied mainly on boarding and jumping tactics using Atakebune and Sekibune as their main vessels.
Zheng He's treasure ships were the world's top ocean-going vessels at the time (reportedly over 140 meters in length), and their technology and scale far surpassed the later Fujian ships.
However, treasure ships were specially built for long-distance diplomatic and trade missions, not professional warships, and their construction techniques were almost lost in the later period. Therefore, in the field of professional warships, the Fujian ships of the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty were the best of their time.
To be fair, it's not very suitable as a warship.
Since the 16th century, European warships have developed sophisticated broadside gun technology and linear tactics. The warship itself is a floating gun platform, aiming to destroy enemy ships with concentrated fire from a distance.
Although Fujian ships were also equipped with cannons, their core tactical concept was still a hybrid of ramming, fire attacks, and boarding maneuvers. The cannons were mostly arranged at the bow, stern, and superstructure, and the number, caliber, and firing efficiency of the broadside cannons were generally inferior to those of contemporary European galleons or specialized warships.
Fujian ships were designed to be large and multifunctional (for troop transport and close combat), while European warships became increasingly specialized over time, including battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. The Ming Dynasty navy had three major enemies: the Dutch East India Company, the Spanish East India Company, and the British East India Company.
Chen Ying wanted to establish a base on Dalu Island, but his real purpose was to develop maritime trade. Of course, he did not take advantage of Wei Zhongxian to lift the maritime ban now. To lead the lifting of the maritime ban now would be like overturning the table, which was completely unacceptable. Chen Ying had always been very clear that the problems of the Ming Dynasty could not be changed by a few policies.
The corruption in the Ming Dynasty was top-down, a systemic corruption, primarily affecting the gentry class. Killing a few corrupt officials was ineffective because the Ming Dynasty's system had already determined its nature.
Like Qi Tongwei in "In the Name of the People," he was a privileged son who rose from humble beginnings. His university tuition was paid for by the entire village pooling their money. So, if his relatives asked him for favors, could he refuse? Doing so would be illegal, while refusing would be heartless and unfilial.
In the Ming Dynasty, which governed the country based on filial piety, those who were not filial had no future and would be condemned by everyone. Therefore, there were almost no honest officials in the Ming Dynasty. Those who claimed to be honest officials were only so because they were wealthy. They did not accept bribes, but that was only for small amounts; they had bigger ambitions.
Therefore, Chen Ying never thought that he could reform the Ming Dynasty by influencing Tianqi or Wei Zhongxian. It was just a great pity that the Ming Dynasty no longer had the conditions for reform.
Chen Ying built his own school and cultivated his own loyal followers. When his heavy industry faction became powerful in the future, he could push the history of the Ming Dynasty in a completely different direction.
Through a survey of the more than 20,000 people on Dalu Island, it was found that there were a total of 422 shipbuilders and craftsmen who had worked in the shipbuilding industry. Although the Fujian ships of the Ming Dynasty were the most powerful and successful naval warships in the region, they were perfectly adapted to the local sea conditions.
They achieved brilliant results in combat against Japanese pirates and in response to military needs.
From the perspective of the history of global naval technology evolution, Fujian ships represent a remarkable but different technological path, diverging from the emerging European gunboats of the same period.
When East and West clashed directly, such as when Zheng Chenggong fought against the Dutch East India Company to recover Taiwan, this difference became apparent. Although Zheng Chenggong's navy was large and brave, it was technically outdated when faced with the broadside salvo fire of Dutch warships.
Chen should intervene in shipbuilding technically. The most popular European warships in the world today are actually carracks, the ocean-going giants led by Portugal and Spain. These ships have towering superstructures (suitable for boarding combat) and mixed cannons, but their layout is not yet mature. They were pioneers in starting the Age of Exploration, but they were not professional warships.
The mid-period saw the development of galleons, the early capital ships of Britain. These ships featured lower superstructures, longer hulls, and improved seakeeping. Most importantly, they saw the development of sophisticated broadside gun decks. This marked the beginning of a revolutionary shift in warship design, moving from floating castles to floating gun emplacements.
Chen Ying had no plans to build galleons, mainly because he lacked the technology. The biggest problem with Fujian-style ships was their design; generally, the length-to-width ratio was 3.5 to 1 or 4 to 1.
If a ship is 35 meters long, then its width is between 8.75 meters. As a result, the speed of the Fujian ship cannot be fast, even when it is downwind, it can only reach a speed of five to six knots.
Based on his knowledge as a military enthusiast, Chen Ying used the Ming Dynasty's standard Fujian ship as a template, increasing the length-to-width ratio from the original four to one to six to one.
In this way, the Fujian ship became longer and faster. At the same time, cannons and armor were added to both sides of the Fujian ship. Now that Chen Ying had mastered artillery technology, he was fully capable of building a warship with a faster speed, thicker cannons and armor, and greater cannon power.
The warship he designed was intended to be based on a standard displacement of 3,000 tons, which means a full-load displacement of about 1000 to 1100 tons and a cargo capacity of about 650 to 700 tons. In terms of scale, it was comparable to the No. 2 Fujian ship. As for whether it was suitable for sailing, that would require experimentation.
Originally, Chen Ying planned to explore Dalu Island, but now that he has returned to Tianjin, he is prepared to take the blueprints to Emperor Tianqi. Such a good carpenter should not be left unused; it would be a waste of resources.
Chen spent three days finding shipbuilding craftsmen to understand the internal structure of the Fujian ship and finally completed the blueprint design. Gan Yanshou was honest and kept his promise.
He hired seven 2,000-ton seagoing ships in Tianjin to transport 30,000 shi of grain and cloth to Dalu Island. As the seven ships set sail, he said to Chen Ying, "Commander Chen, you may not know this, but our Tianjin Garrison guards the vital sea route. Southern grain transported to the north and northern goods transported to the south all pass through here. But in recent years, the canal transport has been plagued by numerous problems. The granaries are overflowing with stale grain, and the garrison's troop strength is depleted—alas, it's tough."
Chen Ying understood the underlying meaning: this person wanted something in return.
Of course, they've already done so much, so it's only right that they ask for some benefits. You can't expect the horse to run without feeding it.
Chen Ying smiled and said, "Commander Gan, rest assured. When we return to the capital, I will report your merits to Eunuch Wei. You will certainly receive your share of the benefits. In the future, we will need your assistance in our dealings with Dalu Island and Tianjin."
"happy!"
Gan Yanshou laughed and said, "Just because of what Commander Chen said, from now on, all ships from Dalu Island will be exempt from berth fees at the Tianjin docks. The garrison will cover all laborers and carts needed!"
Fu Yingxing laughed and said, "Boying, now that we have grain and people, you should be relieved, right? When are we going back to the capital?"
"Let's go back today!"
Chen Ying pondered for a moment: "Commander Gan is so kind, I cannot fail to express my gratitude. Once I return to the capital, four four-wheeled carriages will be able to transport the goods to Tianjin within ten days."
Gan Yanshou's eyes lit up: "Really?"
Now, thanks to Chen Ying's scarcity marketing strategy, four-wheeled carriages have gradually become a symbol of status. In the entire capital, Chen Ying has only sold a little over fifty carriages. In fact, if he were to increase production capacity, he could produce five or six hundred carriages a month. It is precisely because of this false impression of supply falling short of demand that four-wheeled carriages have become increasingly expensive.
The cheapest ones were being sold for over 1,500 taels of silver. Especially in Nanjing, there were four-wheeled carriages with girls, one girl and one maid, traveling around Nanjing together. You couldn't even get a turn without spending 50 taels of silver.
Giving him four vehicles was a favor Gan Yanshou had done to cultivate relationships and also a demonstration of his power.
"Then I will be in Tianjin, awaiting your good news!"
Three days later, in Chengqingfang, the capital, at Wei Zhongxian's outer residence.
"Greetings, Father-in-law!"
Wei Zhongxian said lazily, "Boying is back? This trip must have been tiring."
"I dare not complain about the hardships in order to share the burden of the factory."
Chen Ying bowed and said, "This is a small token of Marshal Mao's appreciation."
Without even looking at the gift list, Wei Zhongxian asked directly, "Mao Wenlong—has he given in?"
"They gave in."
Chen Ying laughed and said, "Father-in-law, you don't know this, but Mao Wenlong has raised a thankless wretch. His adopted son, Mao Chenglu, is the military officer of the Dongjiang Army. He had affairs with Mao Wenlong's concubines, Tian, Zhang, and Han."
Wei Zhongxian, with a gossipy look on his face, asked, "What happened? Tell me in detail!"
"Damn, you're a eunuch, and you like this kind of thing?"
Chen Ying cleared his throat and began to explain: "Father-in-law, this Mao Wenlong appears exceptionally heroic, but in reality—"