The best idlers of the Tang Dynasty

Inside Chengqing Palace.

Du Rui pointed to the map laid out on the ground and said, "Your Majesty can send someone to take a boat from Quanzhou, pass through Penghu, Yizhou to Mayi, and then you can arrive here."

Du Rui pointed to the big island on the map and said: "According to the ancient records, I speculate that this big island should exist, so I guess it is called Australia. Now there are aborigines on the island, but I just speculate that this place is isolated from the world. The aborigines should be like the Chinese ancestors. They are still in ignorance, which means that this land is still unclaimed. The area should be almost the same as that of my Tang Dynasty. I once read something about it in an ancient book. According to the records of this big island, it is said that the gold, silver, copper and iron deposits on it are very rich, even if it is several times more than my Tang Dynasty."

Du Rui's last sentence was intended to guide everyone. Now that Datang has just experienced the Northern Expedition, it seems that he has the conditions to start a prosperous age, but this also makes people's vision a little more limited at this time. Thinking of the splendid country in the Central Plains, he instinctively rejected everything from the outside world, so he could only use lures to make the courtiers tempted first.The change of direction stimulates the expansion of the mind in people.It is true that later generations Australia is one of the important mining countries in the world, and the amount of gold and iron deposits ranks among the top in the world.

Du Rui looked at the reactions of the crowd, and then said: "The fleet can stay there for a few days, and check on it to see if there are any mistakes in the records in the book. However, it is recorded in the book that the people there are very barbaric and do not understand the language. It is best Bring a team of guards along with you, in case of accidents. Then pass through the archipelago here (New Zealand). Then reach the opposite side of the sea, as you can see, the land here (the American continent) is almost ten times that of our Tang Dynasty, the same as Australia There are also a small number of indigenous people living there, and there are also more mineral deposits, and it is also a no-man's land."

After saying this, the eyes of Emperor Taizong and the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty all glowed green. They couldn't even imagine that such a large territory was unclaimed.

"As for whether this place really exists, I also heard from the big food businessman. He said that he once met a businessman from the English country. The businessman's father and grandfather had been there, and there were some plants growing there, enough to solve the problem. The food problem in our dynasty has filled the warehouse, and the Tang Dynasty will no longer suffer from the famine."

Speaking of which, Du Rui took out the outline drawings of sweet potatoes, peanuts, potatoes, and corn that he had drawn in advance, and then said, "This is called sweet potato. It grows seedlings in spring and harvests in autumn. It is suitable for planting in dry land. It tastes sweet and is resistant to hunger. More than 1000 catties or even several thousand catties can be harvested on dry land. This is called potatoes, which can also be used as food and can also be used as vegetables. The growth period is shorter, and the yield is slightly lower than that of sweet potatoes. It is called corn, and its yield is lower. It is also a cold-resistant plant, and it is also suitable for planting in dry land. It is called peanut, also known as longevity fruit. Its yield is not much less than rice. It is nutritious, and eating more can make people more It won't be a problem to live for a year or two."

Du Rui said the latter sentence in order to impress everyone. As for whether it will make people live for another year or two, it is impossible to verify, but now these audiences are all wealthy people, but all such people are very familiar with the way of keeping in good health. I really care about it. After all, being able to live for another year or two means that you can enjoy more glory and wealth. Even Taizong is the same. How about long live?Hearing Du Rui's words, everyone couldn't help feeling leisurely yearning.

"The plants or grains mentioned by Caichen just now are all suitable for growing in dry land, and even hilly areas have a high income. It's just that the journey is tens of thousands of miles away, and sometimes there are no islands to park on the way. Especially In this vast sea, hurricanes often blow, and the waves are several feet high. It is indeed dangerous. But if you really complete this trip, verify the records in the book, and what the big food businessman said is true, not only the contemporary achievements, but also The benefits will last forever, and the harvest will also be rich. It is said that there are rich spices, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and pepper are everywhere, and the local aborigines use them as firewood."

When everyone heard the words, they couldn't help but have infinite yearning in their hearts. Of course, some people yearn for it, and naturally some people complain about it.

"If your Majesty wants to send people on a long-distance journey in the future, you should remember that the voyage is far away, and the crew is prone to get sick. You must bring more oranges and let the crew eat a few every day. I also consulted ancient books and referred to the design of ships in the past dynasties. , and designed a new sailboat, you can refer to it when the time comes.”

As he said that, Du Rui took out a few more sketches, which he drew with reference to the modern Western advanced sailing ships in his memory.In terms of sailing, it is similar to the Ming Dynasty treasure ship with the most developed Chinese shipping industry in later generations.Just add the center and top sails of the stern mast, there are 2 or 3 rows of reefing rigging on the foremast topsail and main topsail, and there are [-] or [-] rows of reefing rigging on the foremast topsail and foretop mainsail and the main mast. There are one or two rows of reefs on the mainsail.The topsail is more square-headed, that is, widened, and has a greater height than the mainsail.The bowsprit juts out from the bowslash and terminates at the outer edge of the lower leading spar of the new foremost jib.He also drew a set of winch cylinders, and in bad weather the tiller was controlled by blocks leading to the winch cylinders, which could be turned by the steering wheel on the afterdeck.

All the ministers gathered around one after another, but although they had marched and fought, they were only on land, so they couldn't understand the magical effect of such a design, but this did not prevent them from being surprised at all, they all looked at Du Rui in a daze, It's not that he doubts whether Du Rui's design is really useful, but he's wondering if this young man is really Wen Kuixing from heaven, otherwise how could he know so much.

After Du Rui and the others digested what he said for a while, they continued: "My lord! The sea is boundless, and this trip is even more difficult and dangerous. It is compared with the Buddhist scriptures of Master Sanzang described in "Journey to the West" compiled by my minister. , and don’t give up too much, I beg your majesty, if you are not fully prepared, it is absolutely impossible!"

Taizong nodded when he heard the words, and said: "This matter is of great importance, and it needs to be done slowly! But if it is really successful, the people who do it will probably be famous forever!"

Du Rui couldn't help laughing inwardly when he heard the words. In the original history, Magellan who completed his round-the-world travel, and Columbus who discovered the American continent, aren't they really famous through the ages?

Du Rui fully opened the map that was originally folded in half, and said: "According to what the big food merchant said, I compiled a map of this world."

He pointed to the map and said: "This is Europe. Those small countries are extremely envious of the silk, tea, and porcelain of our Tang Dynasty. They are even willing to exchange gold of equal weight. In fact, this kind of trade has already been carried out at the end of the Han Dynasty." precedent."

This sentence caused a sensation again, what danger, fuck off, how much is a boat of porcelain worth?Even if a hundred ships of porcelain come back, one ship will be developed.

Du Rui saw the frenzied expressions in the eyes of the ministers, and remembered a famous quote from Marx that with double profits, those capitalists would risk everything at all costs.And that's what he needs.He drew another route on the map, starting from Quanzhou, going to Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia, the west coast of South America to the southern tip of South America, Argentina, Brazil, France, then to the west coast of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope and then to Somalia.Of course, it is impossible for Du Rui to ask them to dig the Panama Canal and Suez Canal. Although this is a piece of cake compared to the Grand Canal project dug by Emperor Yangdi, it is far away in a foreign country, so how much manpower and material resources are there?

"Your Majesty, do you remember that I said earlier that this world is a big sphere."

Emperor Taizong nodded when he heard the words. This was the first time he heard about civil and military affairs in the Manchu Dynasty. He couldn't help exclaiming, how could the earth be a sphere?

Du Rui didn't explain, and said: "Facts speak louder than words. If this route can be completed, it will prove that my guess is correct. If it cannot be completed, it will prove that what I said to the Holy One is wrong."

As soon as Du Rui's words fell, Quan Wanji couldn't help jumping out, and shouted loudly: "Nonsense! Bewitching words! I ask the Holy Lord to punish Du Rui for lying and deceiving the king!"