Rebirth of the Ming Dynasty: Sixth Generation of Glory, I don't want it

Ming Dynasty, the 12th year of Yongle, May.

Xishan Bieyuan.

"Hurricanes and heavy rains hit Guangzhou and other prefectures in Guangdong, causing floods and drownings, more than 360 people, more than 1,200 houses, and more than 25,300 tons of grain in warehouses. When the news of the disaster reached the capital, my grandfather ordered the Ministry of Revenue to send officials to provide disaster relief and comfort the people."

Zhu Zhanji held up a copy of the Beijing News and read aloud to Zhang Xin.

At the end of April, after Zhu Zhanji went to mediate the conflict in the Western Regions, he rushed back to China on horseback at the request of Zhu Gaochi.

Because Zhu Gaochi was planning to take Zhang Xin out, he was very busy to finish the work he had previously handled.

Zhu Zhanji was entrusted with the important task of reading newspapers to Zhang Xin every day to entertain her.

"Also allocate funds from the inner treasury for disaster relief. Sai'er, from now on, whenever there is a disaster in any prefecture, the inner treasury will allocate a separate sum of money for disaster relief. The proposals for disaster relief are ready-made and are managed by the Shang Gong Zhou of the Commerce Bureau. Ask Shang Gong Zhou to give you a number for how much to give. Shang Gong Zhou is also in charge of the entire inner treasury's expenditures. All expenditures in previous years are recorded in the books. No matter where you need to spend money in the future, you can check the previous records."

Zhang Xin half leaned on the chaise longue and took the opportunity to arrange Tang Sai'er's future work.

"Yes, mother. Do you give it to us every time? If the court gives it to us, should we give it back?"

Tang Sai'er had questions.

If disaster relief also requires royal funding, then what is the purpose of the court?

"The court's support is different from the royal family's. The people's hearts cannot be entirely on the court without the royal family. The people below often know about the local officials but know nothing about the royal family. Whenever they do something bad, they will complain that the emperor does not do good things. In times like disaster relief, the court provides timely assistance, and the royal family is icing on the cake. If they do not do a good job of providing timely assistance, the royal family will become timely charcoal. Only in this way can the people have us, the royal family, in their hearts. Moreover, the money in the inner treasury is always taken from the people and returned to the people."

Zhang Xin patiently explained the matter more thoroughly.

Moreover, it’s not that she looks down on the imperial court, but that the imperial court often procrastinates in doing things.

Even though we have been warned repeatedly, the pace is still slow and we are cutting corners.

Perhaps in the capital, all the civil and military officials under the emperor's nose are considered to be conscientious and hardworking.

But when it comes down to the local levels, those who do nothing are considered honest officials.

The majority of people harbor filth and pretend to obey but actually disobey.

In the end, all the blame for these messes will be put on the royal family.

So she saved up the silver reserves in the treasure notes a few years ago and started spending money. The image of the royal family must be vividly established in the hearts of the people.

"I understand, mother."

Tang Sai'er understood it immediately and signaled Zhu Zhanji, who was also nodding, to continue reading.

"Adan has come to pay tribute. The tribute includes a large piece of cat's eye stone weighing about two coins, various kinds of yagu and other rare treasures, large pearls, several coral trees two feet high, five cabinets of coral branches, golden amber, rose dew, unicorn, lion, flowered deer, leopard, camel chicken, and white dove."

"Qilin? Lion? Flowery deer?"

Tang Sai'er had just picked up a tribute of peach from the botanical garden and was peeling it. When she heard something she didn't understand, she asked.

"The Qilin is a herbivorous animal that looks like a sika deer, but twice as big, with a particularly long neck and no antlers. I guess our people gave it this name for good luck. The lion is larger than a leopard, has yellow hair, and the male lion has a mane on its head. It is said to be the king of the deep forest over there, and its roar is so loud that it can scare cats and dogs half to death. The spotted deer looks exactly like a horse, except that its fur is black and white."

Zhu Zhanji had already taken a look around and answered very carefully.

"Has Zheng He arrived there? So quickly?"

Zhang Xin roughly calculated the time in his mind.

Zheng He set out in the middle of the first lunar month, so he has already passed Adam by now?

Plus the time when Adam came to Gong.

It doesn't match!

"Hehehe, mother doesn't know everything! The Shenjiying has made a lot of fun with that water-lifting steam engine. They made a thing called a steam boiler and installed it on the seagoing ships. Even if there is no favorable wind, it can sail a thousand miles a day, as long as there is coal."

Zhu Zhanji danced with joy when he mentioned this.

"Ah, and this matter, why didn't your father mention it to me?"

Zhang Xin really doesn’t know.

"Dad, you may have forgotten it for a moment. It's not a big deal. It turns out that this has existed since ancient times. I only found out about it after I went to the Shenji Camp."

Zhu Zhanji explained for Zhu Gaochi.

"If mom doesn't know, then I guess mom's fleet hasn't been deployed yet, right?"

Tang Sai'er asked the key point.

"Not yet. You have to try it out first to see if it works before you use it."

Zhu Zhanji was completely understood by his wife.

Zhang Xin’s fleet is different from the royal fleet, but whatever the royal family has, Zhang Xin, the Crown Princess, will also have.

Dad didn’t tell Mom. Whether he forgot or did it on purpose, he really deserves a beating.

But as a son, he had to help Zhu Gaochi make amends.

"I don't care. I'll leave this matter to you and Sai'er. I want my fleet too."

Zhang Xin reacted in an instant.

Zhu Gaochi kept it from her.

"Yes, mother, your son will definitely install all of them on your boat!"

Zhu Zhanji made a very sensible statement.

"No hurry, tell me the whole story of this steamer first."

Zhang Xin wanted to hear how the two were connected.

"Okay, I'll tell mom about it. It's a bit long."

"Mom, open your mouth."

"Your mother, I have plenty of time. Mmm, so sweet."

"Feed me a peach too!"

"Here, here, here. Let's start talking."

Zhu Zhanji, who was satisfied with a small piece of peach, began to speak at length in great interest.

Last year, the fire-fighting steam and water pressure hose showed its power when the imperial city caught fire.

Fires that have been impossible to extinguish since ancient times are now under control with the help of steam and water hoses.

The hall that caught fire did not burn out completely, nor did it spread to the other two halls.

The people in Shenjiying felt that there was great potential in developing water-steam engines.

They also called in the person who made the steam pump at the mine.

This person has already started working as a vice minister in the Ministry of Revenue, and his surname is Shang.

Minister Shang did this based on a book that was once in his family's collection - Huainanzi Wanbi Shu - after countless experiments.

This book was written by Liu An, King of Huainan in the Western Han Dynasty.

Mainly talks about various changes in this world, including man-made and natural changes.

The book records the phenomenon of "thunder in a copper jar" - take boiling water and put it in a jar, seal it tightly, and put it in a well, then it will make thunder and can be heard for dozens of miles.

To put it simply, put boiling water into a jar, seal the mouth of the jar with something hard, and put it into the well. Then a thunderous sound will be heard, and this sound can even be heard dozens of miles away.

Add a sealed container to boiling water and you can create thunder!

People in the Tang and Song dynasties also invented bellows and water pumps.