Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 408

After leaving the palace, Lai Shangrong rushed to the firearms factory to explain the task of speeding up the construction of new artillery.

When I got home, I found that the two apprentices were still waiting in the study outside.

While holding the two people's comments in their hands and watching them, they gave targeted guidance.

When the criticism was over, Lai Shangrong burned Qin Zhong's letter, stood up and said, "Okay, I'll have lunch with my teacher, you can go back!"

Jia Jun suddenly asked: "Master! I wonder if master has agreed to the idea of ​​forming a navy written in my brother's letter?"

Qin Zhongxin talked about the idea of ​​forming a navy, and Jia Jun was already out of temper and keen on martial arts, so he was fascinated by it.

"Your senior brother and my master have the same idea. The imperial court's policy towards Korea and Japan also requires a reliable escort team to ensure the safety of our maritime borders in Daxia.

Originally, the imperial court's navy had been idle for many years, and the construction of ships and naval battle drills did not happen overnight. The division planned to wait until the development of ironclad ships was completed before making arrangements in this regard.

Now, with the manpower sent back by your senior brother, we can make some arrangements in advance. "

Having been his apprentice for several years, Lai Shangrong has a thorough understanding of their characters.

Otherwise, Qin Zhong's letters would not be handed over to them with confidence.

Jia Jun bowed and said in salute: "Disciple wants to follow Brother Liu to go out for training and see the vast world that Senior Brother Qin said. I hope Master will agree!"

"This..." Lai Shangrong hesitated.

It is impossible to say that he is not moved.

Jia Zhu, as his apprentice, is obviously more reliable in terms of loyalty than the orphans who have only been recruited for more than a year.

As his disciple, taking charge of some affairs also convinced them even more.

The most important thing is that he has studied with him for several years. Although he is not as talented in scientific examinations as Qin Zhong and Jia Lan, he has an out-of-the-box personality and is more likely to accept new things, and he also prefers martial arts.

Seeing that the master seemed to be hesitating, Jia Jun hurriedly said: "Master! My disciple is not like Senior Brother and Brother Lan. Even if I can pass the examination to be a scholar, I'm afraid I won't have a chance in Spring and Autumn.

The master often said that only by mastering the ocean can we control the overall situation in the future, and the disciple also wants to share the worries of the master. "

"You should know that the sea is not as good as land. Even if there is no war, once there is a storm, it may..."

"My disciple knows, but if it is afraid of wind and rain, how can the young eagle fly?"

Lai Shangrong hesitated for a while, then sighed: "That's all! Go back and ask your mother! After all, she only has your son. If she agrees, she will agree to you as a teacher."

After a pause, he continued: "However, since the matter is serious, it is better not to tell her the specific details, just say that it is a maritime fleet formed for the division!"

Although he didn't intend to take care of the task of transporting women and children, but with the shipyard in his hands, he would definitely form a fleet or two to deceive others.

Although he trusted his apprentice, the less he knew about this kind of thing, the better.

"Thank you, master!" Jia Jun jumped three feet high and said excitedly.

"Let's go! Let's go to dinner with our master!"

……

After dinner, the two apprentices were sent away, and Liu Xianglian also arrived.

Lai Shangrong took Liu Xianglian to the outer study room and unfolded the map of South and North Changshan Island on the table.

This map was drawn on site when pig iron and other supplies were being stored.

The two islands guard the mouth of the Bohai Sea, and he originally planned to build them into maritime fortifications.

"It will take some time for the firearms to be in place. Don't idle your fleet now. Buy some food, construction materials and coal to transport there. I will arrange for my father to dock with you later. First, transport a few ships of cement to the island. The docks and roads have been built.”

Lai Shangrong pointed on the map and said: "Here... a dock will be built. This is a firearms factory... warehouse..."

Liu Xianglian originally only wanted to be a wild pirate, but seeing Lai Shangrong making such a big fight, she couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

"Sir...how much money does this cost? Is the movement too loud?"

"You don't have to worry about the money. It won't be solved overnight. First, build the dock roads and other infrastructure and make it a temporary port.

Later, you will hand over the shipbuilders you recruited to your father. I plan to buy the Longjiang Shipyard in Jinling. "

Time was tight, and there was no time to inspect the site. Most of the treasure ships that Zheng He sailed to the West came from the Longjiang Shipyard.

He had already reported to the emperor in the morning to allow private capital to build a shipyard. As long as the price was right, the emperor would definitely try his best to facilitate it.

Of course, it would cost a lot of money, and he couldn't afford it alone.

Fortunately, when his son was full of wine, King Zhongshun, Tian Guojiu and others mistakenly thought that Lai Da left the capital for some good business and came to seek cooperation.

Now, I just use this as an excuse to make up for the original loopholes; secondly, I also make up for the shortfall in my own funds.

However, he would not make a wedding dress for others for nothing. Daxia lacks the technology to build sea ships, so his technology stocks must be guaranteed.

In addition, he also plans to allocate some stocks to the Rong Mansion, Shi Family and Xue Family.

Taking advantage of the fact that there is still money among Rongfu officials, we can fill some funding gaps and have this income in the future.

On the one hand, the right to share dividends is in his own hands, which makes it easier to control Rongfu; on the other hand, he doesn't have to spend extra money to support it.

Since Xue Baochai has become his wife, it is appropriate to help him.

As for the Shi family, he also planned to talk to the two brothers Shi Nai and Shi Ding to give them some hints, and then propose that they add the glass shares in Shi Xiangyun's dowry to five and let them divide it.

Taking a two-pronged approach, it would be much easier to take Shi Xiangyun as my concubine.

Although the method is not very glorious, the victory is that everyone gets what they need, and it goes straight without so many twists and turns.

As for whether Shi Xiangyun is willing to be a concubine, he believes that as long as she passes the door, he will eventually be able to convince her and make her convinced and determined.

He has always been accustomed to tearing apart something and crushing it into pieces to take advantage of it.

Now, not only can he build ships and earn money, but he can also make up for the loopholes he had left at the beginning. He can also gain influence in the Rong Mansion and even plot against Shi Xiangyun.

It can be said that this thing was used to the extreme.

Thinking of this, Lai Shangrong couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly, showing a half-smile.

When Liu Xianglian saw him like this, she just thought that he had entrusted him with such a heavy responsibility and was waiting for her to show her loyalty. She hurriedly said: "I can gain the trust of the adults, but I can't repay my humble position with all my heart and mind!"

"Yes!" Lai Shangrong nodded slightly and said: "These new firearms must not be leaked out, especially not into the hands of the Westerners. As a last resort, let them sink into the sea forever!"

The sea is not as good as land. Even if the war is unfavorable and there is a risk of being captured, as long as the ship is damaged, the firearms on the ship will naturally sink into the sea.

Even if the enemy attacks the ship, it is impossible to move such heavy artillery without tools.

On the way Liu Xianglian followed Qin Zhong to Xiyi, she often heard about Lai Shangrong's transformation of firearms. Knowing that the matter was serious, she hurriedly assured her: "Don't worry, my lord! The boat is there!"

"There are also some shipbuilders left on the island. Navigation at sea will inevitably require maintenance. With the addition of artillery, it will be difficult to go to ports like Jinmen."

(End of this chapter)