Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Chapter 259 The Steam Era of the Ming Dynasty

In order to quickly allow John V to return to Constantinople to consolidate his throne, Innocent VI made an urgent order.

Let both the Republic of Genoa and the Republic of Venice stop their hostile attitude towards John V.

All forces accept the unified command of Pope Innocent VI, and are about to launch a new crusade to the Mongols in the east.

The crusade assembled by Pope Inno VI was mainly composed of land and water.

The army part is composed of the Principality of Savoy, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Holy Roman Empire (that is, Germany).

Their total strength is about 5 people.

The navy consists of the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Venice and the Republic of Pisa, with a total of more than 200 ships of all sizes.

According to the scale of the usual crusades, this crusade is not the biggest, but it is definitely the one that dispatched the most elite troops.Only the Frankish Kingdom was busy fighting the Hundred Years' War with England, and had no time to take care of the Pope's Crusade plan.

However, the Kingdom of France also sent a guard composed of French knights to protect the personal safety of John V.

1360 AD, January.

Pope Innocent VI officially issued an order announcing the official start of this crusade plan against the Mongols.

The slogan they shouted was "destroy the hypocrites and defend Roman orthodoxy!"

Hypocrites refers to the Mongols, and Roman Orthodoxy refers to the current Roman Emperor John V.

After the news reached Constantinople, Alexios, Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, was a little flustered for a while.

Because according to the information he received, John Timur of the Great Yuan Dynasty on the northern shore of the Black Sea was preparing to expand his naval power and attack the city of Kaffa, and was not in a hurry to come to Constantinople to seize the throne.

And once the Crusaders from Catholic countries complete their assembly and arrive at the city of Constantinople in advance, then John Timur may never have the opportunity to rule East Rome again.

As the initiator of this plan to replace the emperor, Patriarch Alexios may also fall into a tragic situation. The best result is to spend the rest of his life in prison, and the worst result is to be excommunicated. , burned in public in the square of Constantinople as an apostate.

In order to prevent himself from falling into such a tragic end, Patriarch Alexios sent twelve urgent letters in a row, urging John Timur to leave for Constantinople as soon as possible to defend the orthodoxy of the Orthodox Church.

The capital of the Ming Dynasty, Ying Tianfu.

In a royal manor outside the city, there were bursts of rumbling noises, and groups of huge white steam gushed out amidst the roar.

Two shirtless men, each holding a shovel, shoveled coal vigorously, filling the buttocks of this roaring machine with coal.

The blazing charcoal fire urges the huge boiler to emit billowing steam. The steam pushes a long sleeve-shaped piston, and then drives the flywheel of the curved arm, which keeps reciprocating.

"Successful, successful!"

"The steam is moving!"

"Long live the Ming Dynasty, the steam engine has succeeded!"

……

All the people present cheered.

Don't look at these people wearing dirty clothes, but they are all senior professors and lecturers of the Ming Yingtian Academy.

The leader is none other than the famous Wanhu Tao Guangyi.

Because Tao Guangyi invented the hot air balloon one after another, he still made a new type of gunpowder formula, and more than ten other innovative inventions, so that he won the title of Earl of Daming as a scholar, and became the idol and leader of the new school of scholars in the world figure.

Wanhu Tao Guangyi didn't go home for three consecutive months recently, and he was all in this royal manor, which was used as an experimental site, to make this steam engine for Daming.

Although there are simple drawings and principle analysis provided by Zhu Han, it is still a very difficult task for scholars and craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty to make a steam engine with practical value.

After three months of unremitting efforts, Wanhu Tao Guangyi finally led these scholars and craftsmen to obtain a perfect improvement in the original plan that had failed several times.

Driven by the flames of coal, this steam engine spouting white mist has been running at high speed. on the water tower.

Obviously, this steam engine has really succeeded. As long as the coal is kept adding and the boiler is kept adding water, it will get continuous power.

Wanhu Tao Guangyi finally breathed a sigh of relief, and he said to Zhu Han next to him with a happy face: "Your Highness has succeeded, I really did it."

For the famous Wanhu Tao Guangyi in history, making a steam engine according to the drawings and principles given by Zhu Han is actually just a piece of cake.

Zhu Han never doubted whether Wanhu Tao Guangyi could do it, it was just a matter of how fast he could do it.

Looking at this big steel guy spewing out white steam now, Zhu Han was also very happy in his heart.

Zhu Han laughed loudly, and praised: "Brother Tao is indeed the most intelligent scholar in Daming, and he has actually researched this machine. You have really helped me a lot, and today I want to celebrate your achievements. feast!"

Tao Guangyi shook his head, and said: "Your Highness, you don't have to be polite, I just follow the method taught by Your Highness, step by step."

Tao Guangyi is indeed very humble.

He always felt that Zhu Han had already imparted enough knowledge about the steam engine, but he hadn't made a perfect sample for so long, which really failed Zhu Han's trust.

After spending countless financial and material resources this time, it was finally done. Tao Guangyi only felt relieved that he had completed a task, but he didn't feel that he had much credit for it.

Wanhu Tao Guangyi felt that anyone could do this matter, and he was really embarrassed to boast of his contribution in front of Zhu Han.

Wanhu Tao Guangyi's humble attitude made Zhu Han appreciate him even more, and he immediately announced that all those who participated in the steam engine experiment, regardless of their position, would be rewarded with 50 taels of silver, and the technical backbones among them would be additional promotion officers. Grade one.

Although the production cost of this steam engine is very high, it can be said that some are not suitable for ordinary production.

but.

Zhu Han believes that as long as he spends more time, he will be able to develop a cheaper and more durable steam engine. At that time, he can really lead Daming into the threshold of the industrial age.

So these top talents of Ming Dynasty, he will not let them be wronged at all.

50 taels of silver is almost the salary of these scholars and craftsmen for a year.

Everyone was very excited and grateful to Zhu Han.

Zhu Han then described the great future of the steam engine to Wanhu Tao Guangyi and other scholars and craftsmen, and said something about the practical application of the steam engine. Let these scholars and craftsmen continue to work hard and lead the whole world into an unprecedented steam engine. era.

Although this process may be a bit long, and it may not even be fully realized in three to fifty years, everyone is attracted by the prospect Zhu Han described.

All the scholars and craftsmen were invited to the front yard of the manor by Zhu Han, and they will receive the most solemn banquet.

Zhu Han left his most trusted Hu Yiba and other guards here to watch over the steam engine and not allow any idlers to come close to destroy or peep.

After Zhu Han left with Wanhu Tao Guangyi and other scholars and craftsmen, Hu Yiba and his guards looked at this strange big machine
"This steam engine is really amazing. It can spray such powerful steam."

"Is this steam engine really as magical as His Highness said? Can it take us over mountains, across seas, and even float iron boats on water?"

"Of course, what His Royal Highness said, when has it not been realized?"

For Zhu Han, the simplest and primitive steam engine made by Wanhu Tao Guangyi and others is just the beginning.

What he wants is that Daming's industry, commerce, agriculture and military can apply a large number of steam engines.

Because the replacement of manpower by the steam engine means that from now on, there will be no need to worry about the lack of productivity, and the people of Ming Dynasty will no longer have to worry about the problem of hunger.

Because having a steam engine is equivalent to having endless power, which can transport a steady stream of food from overseas colonies to the mainland of Ming Dynasty.

In history, the 300-year history of the Ming Dynasty can be said to be full of difficulties, because it happened to be in the climate era at the end of the Little Ice Age, and the agricultural production of the Ming Dynasty will be greatly threatened in the next two to three hundred years, especially the farmers in the northern region. We can live a good life for a hundred years. After 300 years, the level of agricultural production in the north will drop significantly due to natural disasters.

At that time, if there is not enough shipping capacity to transport the food from the overseas colonies to the mainland of Ming Dynasty, there will inevitably be a big mess that is difficult to deal with.

So Zhu Han sent people to develop steam engines, on the one hand to prepare for entering the industrial age, and on the other hand to avoid future turmoil in the north due to food shortages.

At the celebration banquet for Wanhu Tao Guangyi and other scholars and craftsmen, Zhu Han said that he will continue to increase investment in the development of steam engines. All scholars present who can improve the efficiency of steam engines will get at least 3 A reward of ten thousand taels of silver.

Anyone who can develop other specific uses of the steam engine will also receive rewards of the same value.

Moreover, 3 taels of silver is only a guarantee. If their contribution is large enough, there is no upper limit to the reward.

All the scholars and craftsmen present were flushed with excitement. Although everyone is obsessed with technology, they are not gods and bodhisattvas who do not know the fireworks in the world. What kind of life the whole family and future generations can live now depends on their hands It's my own business.

Under the influence of Zhu Han in Daming, the whole society is full of vigor and vitality, no matter who it is, anyone can find a way out for themselves.

Even the most down-and-out bankrupts and vagrants can get a free ticket to Nanyang or Dongshengzhou, because these places are seriously short of manpower, as long as they are alive, they can get it for free when they arrive there. Land, houses, and even women, of course, don't think about Ming women, they are all local aboriginal women.

The Ming Dynasty has achieved the unification of the world, and the whole people are actively developing their national strength and digesting those developed territories and colonies.

On the European side, because of religious conflicts, a new crusade initiated by the Pope has just begun.

The Crusade launched by Pope Innocent VI gained the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Duchy of Savoy, the Republic of Venice, the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Pisa, the Kingdom of France, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Knights Templar and the Hospital The support of more than a dozen large and small forces including the Knights.

The Kingdom of Poland, which had always been a loyal patriarch of the Pope, suffered a great loss in national power due to the defeat of the Mongols. Moreover, various factions in the Kingdom of Poland were fighting openly and covertly for the throne, and there was no extra power to respond to the Pope’s request. One call.

Moreover, the Poles were close to the Mongolian Yuan territory, so they were very afraid of being attacked by the Mongols again, and they did not dare to have any intention of sending troops.

The crusade organized by the Pope of Rome reached as many as 10 people.

The military expenditure required by such a large-scale army is naturally an astronomical figure. These kingdoms that respond to the Pope are not rich in finances themselves.Coupled with the fact that the Black Death ravaged countries not long ago, and even the food and grass for the expedition could not be gathered in a short period of time, the only person who could solve the war expenses of the army under such circumstances was the Pope of Rome.

However, the Pope and his cardinals actually did not have much financial resources to sustain this war.

Because the top and bottom of the Holy See are actually corrupt, and corruption has become something that everyone in the Holy See has participated in. More than half of the religious taxes collected from all over Europe have fallen into the pockets of bishops and priests, big and small. .

Although there is no money, the war must still be carried out. After all, this is an important matter related to the future of the Holy See.

To solve this problem, Pope Innocent VI ordered another issuance of indulgences.

Yes, it is the kind of indulgence in the legend.

Once encountering a financial crisis, selling indulgences has almost become a tried-and-true means of raising money for the Holy See.

According to Catholic regulations, bishops in various places have the power to absolve general sins, that is, they can issue general indulgences.

On the other hand, the Pope of Rome represents the incarnation of God in the world, possesses the supreme power, and can absolve all mortal sins, such as homicide, rape, poisoning, robbery and theft, etc., all of which are nothing to worry about!As long as you have money to buy indulgences, sins can be forgiven.

If the crime is so great that one indulgence is not enough, then two!
Two is not enough, you can continue to buy more!

Anyway, there is no limit to the number of purchases of the Holy See's indulgences.

This kind of atonement is not a simple spiritual atonement, but a real atonement.

As long as they pay a sum of money and buy indulgences issued by the church, then the lords and kings of their various places have no power to punish criminals.

For a regime, it was originally the power of the monarchs and lords to punish criminals, and the Holy See’s issuance of indulgences to exonerate sins was equivalent to encroaching on the law enforcement power of these monarchs and lords.

When the indulgences were first issued, lords and monarchs everywhere were very resistant to the issuance of indulgences by the Holy See in their territories.

(End of this chapter)