RPAGF Chapter 77: Allocate 20,000 to build cannons with all our might!
Chapter 77: Allocate 20,000 to build cannons with all our might!
A series of notification sounds kept ringing in Zhu Houzhao's mind.
Zhu Houzhao was stunned. Before he could fully process the massive amount of information, he saw the blueprints in his hand undergoing subtle changes.
The blueprints for Zheng He's treasure ships, which were originally wooden sailing ships for ocean voyages, have now been transformed into blueprints for steel steamships.
The difference between the two is enormous; the latter offers more than ten times the performance improvement of the former.
Meanwhile, the blueprints for building firearms and cannons during the Yongle era were transformed into blueprints for more advanced flintlock muskets and breech-loading cannons.
If these advanced firearms were to appear in the world today, they would be a game-changer, both domestically and internationally.
What Zhu Houzhao valued most were the technological innovations of the steam engine and the steel smelting technology.
Imagine a steel steamship appearing on the sea in an era when wooden sailboats still roam the world.
Wherever it goes, it will be invincible and make all nations submit!
Unable to contain his excitement, Zhu Houzhao immediately ordered, "Liu Jin, quickly summon Li Sui! Summon Li Sui!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Liu Jin accepted the order and quickly brought Li Sui, who was overseeing the renovation of the Qianqing Palace, to Zhu Houzhao.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject pays his respects..."
Upon seeing Zhu Houzhao, Li Sui was about to bow when Zhu Houzhao interrupted him.
He grabbed Li Sui, led him to the wooden box, and stuffed the documents inside into Li Sui's arms.
"Take a look, see if your Ministry of Works can manufacture these things."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Li Sui picked up the blueprints and began to look at them, but he was filled with doubt.
He didn't understand why Zhu Houzhao had summoned him so hastily and made him look at these drawings.
However, as Li Sui delved deeper into the blueprints in his hand, a tremendous wave of emotions surged within him.
The more Li Sui looked, the more shocked and horrified he became.
Based on his years of experience and insight in the Ministry of Works, he believed that each of these technologies would exponentially enhance the national strength of the Ming Dynasty.
It's incredible that all these technologies have come into His Majesty's possession at the same time.
Li Sui was deeply shocked. Many of the technologies on the blueprints in his hand were like a revelation to him.
He was admiring the blueprints in his hand and was looking at them repeatedly when he was suddenly interrupted by Zhu Houzhao.
"So? Can your Ministry of Industry manufacture these things?"
Li Sui beamed with delight: "Your Majesty, the technology on this is truly excellent!"
"This cannon, this firearm, this steam engine, this steel ship—each and every one of them can elevate the Ming Dynasty's national strength to a new level!"
"but……"
After the initial excitement, Li Sui's face showed a look of disappointment, regret, and resentment.
"Your Majesty, apart from the flintlock musket, the other technologies seem very difficult to implement."
"For example, this steel steamship, the existing materials, whether pig iron or crude steel, are just too heavy. If you put iron on a wooden boat, the boat will most likely sink."
"And this breech-loading cannon, although its power is enormous, the existing pig iron and crude steel cannot withstand such a high frequency of firing. It won't be long before it explodes!"
The problems pointed out by Li Sui are that, with existing materials, pig iron and crude steel cannot meet the requirements of steel steamships and breech-loading cannons in terms of quality, hardness, or high-temperature resistance.
After listening, Zhu Houzhao pointed out the technology of smelting iron and steel to Li Sui.
"Look, with this material and technology, won't these problems be easily solved?"
Li Sui looked at this, the smelting technology that he had previously overlooked.
When he understood the technology and the new materials it brought, he was immediately amazed and overjoyed.
In fact, steelmaking technology has existed for a long time. In the past, there was the hundred-refinement steel method, and now there is the crucible steel method.
However, the problem is that the crucible steel production method is very inefficient, and the quality is also very low because impurities are not completely removed, which is far from meeting the requirements of breech-rifled cannons and steel steamships.
However, the current steelmaking technology is an acidic bottom-blown converter steelmaking method.
This steelmaking method not only improves steelmaking efficiency and reduces costs, but most importantly, the finished steel produced has very few impurities and is of sufficient quality to meet the requirements of these two new technologies.
Li Sui's hands trembled with excitement as he nodded repeatedly, "That's right, Your Majesty! The steel produced by this steelmaking method is perfectly usable!"
"With this technology, the Ministry of Industry can completely replicate all of these technologies!"
"very good."
Upon hearing Li Sui's words, Zhu Houzhao nodded in satisfaction and ordered, "In that case, the Ministry of Works shall, while repairing the palace, devote all its efforts to researching these new technologies!"
"Use brand-new technology to build me ships, guns, and cannons. I will arm the entire Ming army to the teeth!"
"By the end of this year, I must have at least ten steel steamships, ten thousand muskets, and one thousand rifled cannons, understand?!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Li Sui quickly agreed, but then looked troubled: "However, Your Majesty, the amount of silver needed to build these things is astronomical, and the Ministry of Revenue..."
Li Sui didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning behind it was self-evident.
Since Zhou Jing became the Minister of Revenue, he has been even more protective of the Ming Dynasty's treasury than of his own personal wealth.
Without Zhu Houzhao's order, the Ministry of Revenue would not spend a single penny beyond normal expenses.
Before Zhu Houzhao ascended the throne, silver was the biggest headache for Emperors Xuanzong, Yingzong, Xianzong, and Xiaozong.
But now, Zhu Houzhao has more than 50 million taels of silver in the imperial treasury alone, so this amount of silver is nothing to him.
"No need to trouble the Ministry of Revenue. I will personally allocate 20 million taels of silver from my own private treasury to the Ministry of Works!"
"I will spare no expense to manufacture these muskets and cannons. Make as many as you can, without stopping for a moment!"
With money in the imperial treasury, Zhu Houzhao spoke with authority. With a wave of his hand, he directly allocated 20 million taels of silver to the Ministry of Revenue for the research and development of firearms and cannons.
Upon hearing the enormous sum of twenty million taels of silver, Li Sui's eyes widened, and he stared blankly at Zhu Houzhao.
After he came to his senses, he trembled with excitement, and tears welled up in his eyes instantly.
He knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly to Zhu Houzhao, saying, "Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise!"
"Your humble servant Li Sui guarantees with his life that he will absolutely not betray Your Majesty's trust and will certainly present Your Majesty with ten steel steamships, ten thousand muskets, and one thousand rifled cannons by the end of the year!"
"If I fail to do so, please execute me!"