After identifying the treasures captured by the Eastern Captains, Zhang Lianfang had not completed the sorting work and received instructions to go south to Nanjing. After arriving in Nanjing, he found that there was such a feast. From the real selection of the best, he selected three thousand rare antiques that could be called national treasures, packed and sent to Beijing, and filled in the National Museum. The remaining one and two hundred were selected and sent to the palace so that the emperor could use them on a daily basis or reward the ministers.

After screening two channels in this way, there were still seven or eight thousand rare treasures, and two thousand were selected and placed in Fengtian Hall for meritorious officials to choose. Only the remaining "flawed products" will be placed in Fengtian Gate, allowing these shareholders to auction. Even so, it will really open everyone's eyes.

Chen Tingyang has never seen the world, but he still feels unbelievable to see so many treasures. With Zhang Baosheng's recommendation, he took a five-foot-high mutton fat jade elephant, and could not find a single flaw in its entirety. The carvings were in a strong Western style. It was a tribute to the court of Hami Wei during the Jiajing period. It was unknown how it fell into the hands of the Marquis of Lingbi. It was definitely rare in the world.

There were not many people in the Fengtian Palace, and obviously there were not many meritorious officials who were qualified to enter. In fact, although the civil servant system of the East Palace was increasingly being used, military generals were more advantageous when it came to choose treasures. Most of the generals were also involved in the issue of eating meat and drinking soup.

Chen Tingyang claimed the treasure, so naturally an internal official wrapped it for him and sent it to the inn. He could sit down and have a cup of tea with Zhu Cixuan and talk about the issue of the sea boat. After Zhang Baosheng completed his mission, he was naturally happy to stay outside and watch cultural relics, and at the same time, he also saw how the local tyrants who spent money like money were gluttonous at this feast.

"What's wrong with our sea boat now?" Zhu Cixuan asked.

Chen Tingyang responded respectfully: "This project has been published to Jingshi University and the Technical College. The navy allocated another 3,000 taels of funds for the project, but no progress has been made. However, the chief instructor Shi Lang had an idea, but Weichen felt that it was a bit in line with His Royal Highness's original intention."

"Oh? Let's hear it." Zhu Cixuan had to look at this hero of the Kangxi platform differently.

"According to Shi Lang, the type of the Thai ship is indeed suitable for artillery attacks. It can be built into a gunboat. The ship of our dynasty has a large load and strong resistance to waves, which can be used as a supply ship. At that time, the navy will be dispatched and each performs its own duties. There is no need to create a ship that has both." Chen Tingyang said.

Zhu Cilang is indeed unwilling to give up the lucky ship shape just like this.

The development of ships in later generations was not the Taixi gunboat, but the Fu Ship. Although it was just a ship type problem, it actually affected the accumulation of the number of skilled workers and directly affected the construction quality and speed of a country's warship. Moreover, this problem is not far away. Even if Wang Zheng and others are slow at the speed, steam-powered ships should appear within a hundred years. At that time, the Fu Ship can have a huge advantage.

"What do you think of Wumei Gong?"

"I think what Shi Lang said is worthy." Chen Tingyang paused and said, "If my navy only stayed in the Nanyang for fifty years, even the lucky ship would be enough."

"Oh?" Zhu Ciyang was a little puzzled. He said that the lucky ship should be replaced by Chen Tingyang, but now he said that he is enough.

Chen Tingyang quickly explained: "Now the Taixi ships are not as good as my Chinese lucky ship in naval battles. The main reason is that I have more ships and fewer ships. No matter how many artillery there are, it is difficult to stop our fleet from approaching hand-to-hand combat. Whether it is crushing a large ship or sailors boarding the ship, our army naturally has an advantage. I specially asked someone to inquire in Guangzhou. Now the number of Taixi ships coming to our dynasty is getting smaller and smaller, and they have no way to form a large fleet for a while, so I think it is enough within fifty years."

Zhu Cilang has also obtained data on this. Spain prohibits gold and silver from flowing out of the country. Thai merchant ships have dropped from 49 ships per year during the Longqing period to one or two ships today. Trade has almost been cut off. Judging from this data, the rate of silver inflow in the Ming Dynasty in recent decades has slowed down a lot.

"Fifty years later, it's time to use a large iron ship built in a whole body." Chen Tingyang was excited: "As long as my navy can equip large iron ships, he is not afraid of Taixi guns, but still uses the shape of a lucky ship, and has a heavy gun on it, which can not only resist waves, but also close combat, and can also bombard heavy guns, but he is not afraid of Taixi gunboats at all."

"Your idea..." Zhu Cixuan was speechless: Does this look like it seems to be in two hundred years?

Giant ships and cannons sound really tempting, but can the technical ability of the Ming Dynasty be forged with qualified steel keels?

"It was Song Yingxing's design." Chen Tingyang explained.

Zhu Cilang breathed a sigh of relief: "Then ignore him for now, he is still thinking about building an air fortress."

"But I think that if the state's public funds are abundant, such an iron ship can be built." Chen Tingyang said.

"This is not as simple as you see." Zhu Cixuan is not good at technology. But at least he knows a few key nodes: "First, is the steel capable of being used. If it is too hard and easy to break, the hull will deform again if it is too tough. Secondly, how big a dock is needed to forge a keel? Can it be done now? Again, is the hull riveted firmly? Finally, the hull is heavy, even if it is built, what power is used to drive it?"

"Your Highness, a college of the Engineering College of our Naval University proposed the idea of ​​steam as the driving force. It is said to be similar to a steam pump, but it is just a little more complicated." Chen Tingyang whispered.

Zhu Cixuan regrets that he is not from a science and engineering department and has only a rough outline for the development of technology. However, in terms of road choice, he has unparalleled objectivity, and at least knows the advantages and disadvantages of various technical routes. Fortunately, as the crown prince, he does not need to invent small pieces such as pressure gauges himself, and he can solve the problem by issuing tasks and then spending money.

"You can talk about this with the prince. If you all have this intention, you might as well set up a research team to work hard together." Zhu Cixuan said.

Chen Tingyang never forgot that advanced tools can bring huge returns. So he and Wang Zheng became more and more frequent, and he could feel the power called "technology". Now his hometown in Chongming also used the farming invented by Wang Zheng, and at the same time, some nephews thought of using water to replace manpower.

If the strong and powerful steam power can be used, the number of people will be less needed to cultivate the land in the future.

——The liberated manpower can reclaim more land...

Chen Tingyang fantasized about the world of Datong where everyone had perfect, and laughed happily.

Zhu Ciyang ended his brief meeting with Chen Tingyang, and was also aroused by the real iron armored ship that only young people had. The so-called iron ship is only made by Japanese people. It is made of iron sheets, which covers a layer of armor outside the wooden ship. The actual effect is very limited. It can only take advantage of the ship when the ship collided. If it is bombarded by artillery, it will still be penetrated.

If the hull can be cast with real steel, it will be indescribable to the current solid bullet. In this way, even if the heavy artillery is not equipped, it will hit the opponent as long as it is fired.

The key lies in power, steel and forging capabilities.

The highest manifestation of the Ming Dynasty's forging ability is the Qianjun anchor. The forging process is to first forge into claws and then forge and connect to the anchor.

A large anchor of about 1,000 kilogram requires a wooden shed. Many people tighten the iron chains of the anchors on the wooden frame, lift the anchor body and rotate it, and repeatedly heat the hammer forging. At the same time, "Chen Jiubi Soil" is used as the "combination medicine" for forging joints to reduce the melting point of the iron oxide sheet and ensure the quality of the forging joints.

Is the difficulty of forging keels and anchors different? Is it a cross-generational gap, or can it be completed by spending money to expand the scale?

Is the supply of steel sufficient? Now Xu Jiafu is in charge of the steel plant and can indeed complete the task, but the progress of the research and development of new steel types has always been unoptimistic. Whether there is suitable steel also needs to be supported by experimental data.

Finally, there is the power source. How many years will it take, more than ten years, or hundreds of years to invent the steam engine?

Zhu Cixuan listed these questions one by one on paper, and finally gritted his teeth and did the only thing he could do: smash the silver.

The total value of the assets contributed by Nanjing Xunqi is more than 30 million taels, and 5 million taels are taken to provide relief to famines and increase the scale and speed of importing food from Vietnam. The remaining 25 million taels are allocated as reserve for the Imperial Bank's Nanjing exchange point.

"The last five million taels will allow departments to increase their budgets, projects, or projects." Zhu Cixuan said: "Wholesale as appropriate."

Lu Suyao finally felt proud, her pupils were covered with white silver ingots. She believed that the official letter sent by Sherenke would not be disliked this time.

All departments that received this official letter were all excited and fell into deep pain. They learned that the total amount of 5 million taels was very clear that their budget was enough to be approved, but after getting the money, it meant that they had to hand over the corresponding progress report. Isn’t this a disguised increase in work burden?

However, Zhu Cilang finally knew that if he wanted to let the horse run away, he had to eat grass for the horse. He had already allocated a sum of money from the last number of harvests as the year-end bonus for the 19th year of Chongzhen.

Although it was three months late, the amount was not small. The proportion of officials in the entire Eastern Palace system who received the year-end bonus was 100%. Those who had outstanding achievements among the former officials also received the bonus. The total bonus amount was as high as 130,000 taels, which was the most generous reward since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

"What's the use of giving me three thousand taels?"

Song Yingxing got his bonus note and told him that there were 3,000 taels of silver in the account of the Bank of the Ming Empire. This was because Song Yingxing successfully solved the hot air balloon project, so the prize amount was ranked among the top three in the entire Jingshi University. However, Song Yingxing was not happy. He wanted not 3,000 taels, but 300,000 taels.

"Instead of spending money to build a steam engine, it's better to let me make the thing in my dream." Song Yingxing said: "It's definitely much more useful than a steam rotor!"

Wang Zheng was really helpless by Song Yingxing, so he had to say, "You report it and talk."

Song Yingxing had the approval of the sacrificial wine, and immediately prepared materials to report, which also stimulated Zhu Cixuan's further southern tour.
Chapter completed!