Daming: At the start of the showdown, Lao Zhu was stunned

Chapter 433 Zhu Yan Returns
Firearms and shipbuilding are two technologies that complement each other.If the Ming Dynasty wanted to compete at sea, powerful artillery was essential.Zhu Di and Mu Ying are extremely enthusiastic about increasing investment in the development of firearms, and Zhu Su is also very eager for Daming to quickly build ships and start a great voyage.

The three hit it off immediately, and after Lao Zhu had received Feng Sheng and other generals, they begged to see Lao Zhu outside the Jinshen Hall together, so as to advise him and ask for more investment in building ships and refining firearms.

"I understand what you mean." After listening to the advice of the three nephews, Lao Zhu rubbed his eyebrows with a rare tiredness. "We can see the benefits of firearms from the battle reports from the north and the south."

"Our Daming has also successfully captured Yunnan, and we can indeed start to build a fleet to go overseas."

"But these two things cost a lot of money. The north and the south have just finished fighting, let us think about it..."

Zhu Su was taken aback when he heard that, old Zhu has always acted vigorously and resolutely, how had he ever seen him in such a miserable state?With a twist of my mind, I guessed some possibilities, and asked tentatively: "You say so, could it be..."

"Is our Daming's treasury really exhausted?"

"It's not possible to be so poor." Old Zhu waved his hand. "It's just that I really need some time to recuperate."

"Hey, we also want to send people on a long voyage as soon as possible, to go to the American continent first, and get back the god seed you mentioned, so that our Ming Dynasty will not have to worry about famine earlier." All the people present were insiders. , Lao Zhu also spoke bluntly.

Perhaps because he felt that he shouldn't be so affectionate in front of his sons, he cheered up after a while: "You don't have to worry about this matter!"

"We have already discussed a solution, but we still need to think about it for some time. Both firearms and ships are the foundation of our Ming Dynasty in the future, and we must not abandon them lightly. We will get money earlier and invest in these two in."

"...Yes." Zhu Su could only salute.But there is a trace of worry in his heart. Doesn't Lao Zhu want to organize some Jiuzu Xiaoxiaole to collect money from corruption to supply the country's technological development?
Although the money of corrupt officials will not be wiped off... But the money obtained in this way cannot last for too long.

The supply of technology should be sustainable and customized.

"Being the emperor is really hard work." Zhu Su sighed when he walked out of the palace with Mu Ying and Zhu Di. "You have to worry about everything in politics and military affairs, and you have to be careful that you are surrounded by tigers and wolves."

"Finally won the battle, and the treasury ran out of money... Alas, everything is not easy."

"My Ming Dynasty has not been established for a long time, and the people are still suffering. They should have recuperated. These are important matters that are related to a century, and they can only be put aside for a while." Mu Ying also said.But thinking of the power of muskets and artillery, he couldn't help but sigh regretfully.

What Da Ming took over from Bei Yuan was a mess waiting to be rebuilt. In his lifetime, he could wait until Da Ming became extremely powerful, and lead the invincible fleet to the overseas that the fifth younger brother said, and make a big splash in all directions. that day?

"Father said that he already has a solution, and he can only wait for a while." Zhu Di said.He was even more anxious than Zhu Su Muying, and he wished that tomorrow there would be millions of new firecrackers and cannons in Ming Dynasty, which would directly destroy Beiyuan and march westward.

Muying had her own mansion, and Zhu Su and Zhu Di were also assigned to their own palace when they opened the mansion for their merits.After leaving the palace, the three brothers made an appointment to talk again in the near future, and then parted ways.When Fang returned to Prince Wu's mansion, he saw the old servant Xiangdeng coming up quickly: "Your Highness, the Third Highness has just been here."

"Third brother?" Zhu Su was startled, and then he was overjoyed: "Third brother is back too? Where is he?"

"Your Highness the Third Highness is full of travel and dust, it seems that Fang came to look for your Highness as soon as he returned to Beijing." Xiang Deng said. "However, seeing that Your Highness is not in the mansion, Third Highness should leave immediately and hurried to Huangzhuang outside the city."

The third elder brother Zhu Wei had invited him out of Beijing before, and returned to Fengyang, the central capital, to inspect in the name of the old Zhu.As for what he really wanted to do, even Lao Zhu didn't know.He is in the city, and he also has his palace.Now that he came here for a while, he ran to Huangzhuang in a hurry without even returning home, could something have happened?
Zhu Su didn't dare to be negligent, so he hurriedly got some horses, and while the sky was still bright, he galloped to Huangzhuang at the foot of Bifeng Mountain.

After asking the farmer by the side of the road for a while, I found out that as soon as the third brother came back, he went to the test site for steelmaking in the back mountain.Zhu Su also rushed there directly, and when he arrived, he saw a familiar figure directing a group of craftsmen.Zhu Su couldn't bear the joy in his heart, and called out: "Third brother!"

"Huh?" Hearing this, Zhu Bian turned around and saw that his royal robes were already dirty, his hair was matted in strands, and there were still a few traces of carbon dust on his face. Seeing Zhu Su, Zhu Bian's face was extremely happy, Quickly walked a few steps and greeted him: "Old Wu! Long time no see, I was wondering where to find you!"

"The third brother is the one, the second brother and the fourth brother went to Suzhou to find me, why don't you come together." Zhu Su looked at the elder brother up and down, and brushed the dust off his clothes.

Among the many brothers, apart from Zhu Biao, this third brother is the most stable.If it is said that the second brother and the fourth brother used to be the same as himself in the big main hall, this third brother is the one who wiped their brothers' buttocks.I have copied many of the homework assigned by my master in the past.

In terms of intimacy, they are no less than Zhu Xi and Zhu Di.

"Hahaha, it's enough for you to have your second brother and fourth brother guarding you. I have more important things to do in Beijing." As he said this, he took out a broken brick from behind as if conjuring: "Look, old man, what is this?"

"This is..." Zhu Su picked up the piece of broken brick, looked left and right, but couldn't see any way.Seeing that this well-informed younger brother didn't know anything about it, Zhu Yan showed complacency and said with a smile: "This is a refractory brick! It was your brother and I who visited many places, and finally found a good thing!"

"Refractory bricks?" Zhu Su was taken aback for a moment, and only then did he realize that the blast furnaces used for the many experimental steelmaking in front of him had been dismantled by the craftsmen ordered by Zhu Yan.

"Could it be..."

"Not bad." Zhu Yan looked excited and excited. "Since you left, I have been investigating the reasons why these blast furnaces cannot produce high-quality steel according to the notes you left behind."

"Finally, it was found that the problem lies in the furnace temperature!"

"Furnace temperature?" Zhu Su's pupils trembled, and only then did he remember that the molten iron smelted in the blast furnace here seems to have a different color from what he saw in popular science in his previous life.

It's just because in the past he paid more attention to things like cement and glass that could pay off in a short period of time, and he didn't pay much attention to the relatively long-term technological investment in steelmaking. The craftsmen do their own research.

Therefore, no further investigation was conducted.

Of course, it might also be because the place where the steelmaking blast furnace is located is dirty and hot, and I am used to being lazy, so deep down I don't want to come here to explore more.Unexpectedly, this third brother actually replaced him, looking for the reason for the failure of steelmaking.

Seeing the dirt all over Zhu Yan's body, Zhu Su pursed his lips, and beat the third brother's arm with his fist.

(End of this chapter)