At noon on the second day, a hurried figure appeared at the gate of the palace. It was Chen Xuan, the chief water transport officer who had entered the palace yesterday.
Chen Xuan was waiting anxiously at the door, pacing back and forth with excitement on his face.
"Commander Chen, don't worry, we have already sent someone to report it." The soldier guarding the gate saw Chen Xuan's anxious look and said something out of fear that something was urgent.
If they want to enter the palace, they must either be summoned or get permission.
After waiting for a while, Chen Xuan finally got permission and started running all the way without caring about anything else.
"Why is Mr. Chen so flustered today? It's not something big, right?"
"Although Mr. Chen is in a panic, he looks very good and is smiling. Maybe it's a happy event."
Chen Xuan met Zhu Di. Zhu Di looked at his happy face and asked, "Did you go to see the steamship early in the morning?"
After calming down his excitement, Chen Xuan replied in a clear voice: "Yes, Your Majesty, I went to see it this morning. After watching it, I hurried back quickly. The steamship is really a marvelous creation."
"My grandson boiled water to make this, haha." Zhu Di still thinks this thing is so incredible.
"Zheng He and I praised His Highness the Fifth Highness a lot in the morning, saying that His Highness can observe the truth in subtle details, and also said that His Highness wrote a book called "The Principle of the Movement of All Things" which is really a wonderful book."
Zhu Di took out a book, which was about the principles of the operation of all things, and asked the eunuch to hand it to Chen Xuan.
"Zheng He also handed the book to me. I read it and found that some of it could be understood and some that even I couldn't understand."
Chen Xuan took the book but did not open it: "I have read the book at Zheng He's place. It is a strange book, and His Highness the Fifth Prince actually printed the book into a book for all the craftsmen to learn from."
"His approach coincides with your idea. A few years ago, you wrote a letter to clarify three things, specialize in water transportation, reorganize the army, and revitalize schools. Among them, revitalize schools. You said that many teachers in Fuzhou and county schools are incompetent.
, should be assessed, and those who are incompetent should be dismissed; talented people should be selected to be replaced as students; military children should be allowed to enter school."
"I am horrified that your Majesty actually remembered the things I mentioned."
"Your opinions are very good, and I take them to heart. It's just that the school's affairs must be considered in the long term, and things must be done one by one. What Zhan Zong did is somewhat similar to what you thought. You also saw the steamship, but there are still
What are your concerns?"
"I have short-sightedness. The steamships I saw today are eye-opening. If steamships can be mass-produced, trade will surely flourish along our coast in the Ming Dynasty, and the disaster of Japanese pirates will be solved."
"Well, I'll go find the prince later and have a chat with Zhanji Zhanzhen."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."
"Go down."
After Chen Xuan left, Zhu Di took the book on The Principle of the Movement of All Things that the eunuch handed back to him, and gently tapped his palms with the book.
"Everyone has gone to school, who will go to farming? What will happen if we raise a lot of intellectual scholars with high ambitions and low abilities? What qualifications do stupid people have to enter school?" Zhu Di murmured to himself.
Chen Xuan went to the prince's side first, and Zhu Zhanji happened to be there too.
"Your Majesty Chen Xuan, please see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Grand Sun."
"Mr. Chen, no courtesy. I heard that you just came back yesterday. It was a long journey and a long journey. Thank you for your hard work."
After some pleasantries, Chen Xuan got down to business: "Today I went to see Zheng He and the steamships. His Majesty originally sent me a decree to reopen shipping. I didn't know what it meant, but now I understand."
"Sea transport has reopened, and river transport must also continue. The Grand Canal connects Peking and Yingtianfu. In the future, the capital will be moved after the construction of the Peking Palace is completed. Shipping between the two capitals is still a top priority."
Chen Xuan nodded: "The Huitong River will be fully open to navigation within this year and will not be exceeded."
The prince was still very satisfied with Chen Xuan's work: "Mr. Chen, your majesty means that the canal matter has been roughly implemented. You can instruct your men to do it. As for yourself, your majesty will leave it to you to formulate the shipping plan for the river."
Are you willing to pay attention to the transportation rules, taxes and other matters?"
Chen Xuan immediately replied: "I have little talent and little knowledge. Thanks to your majesty and the prince's promotion, I am willing to share your majesty's worries and the prince's worries."
"His Majesty intends to create a maritime escort force and integrate it with the water transport officers and soldiers to form the Ming Dynasty Navy. Mr. Chen, this job has to be left to you."
He is in charge of the newly built navy. This is a great opportunity for promotion. After seeing the steam engine, Chen Xuan is very confident about it. Chen Xuan will naturally not shirk it.
Chen Xuan was the first choice to be the head of the navy because of his prestige and experience in the water-based military, and also because of the emperor's trust.
It would be impossible for him to do this kind of position with heavy military support without someone he trusts.
Zhu Gaochi wanted to discuss some details with him, but Chen Xuan asked himself: "Your Highness, I heard that the steam engine was made by the Fifth Highness. Is it possible for me to meet the Fifth Highness first? I have some questions and want to ask the Fifth Highness."
Your Highness."
"Zhan Yi is still in class in the main hall, and this child." Zhu Gaochi said with a wry smile: "Even if he comes, he is still sleeping. We have discussed it first, and we will go there if we encounter some problems or want to listen to suggestions.
ask him."
Chen Xuan became even more curious about this Fifth Highness. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was a strange person.
"Zhan Zhan has a lively mind but a bit lazy temperament." Zhu Zhanji was helpless.
Zhu Gaochi glanced at Zhu Zhanji and thought that Lao Wu's character was actually quite good. At least he basically didn't have any conflicts with Zhu Zhanji. If the two had similar personalities, they would probably have to fight every day now, and no one would accept the other.
"According to Zheng He's estimation, the steam engine should be officially put into use within the year. There are still more than three months before the New Year. During this period, His Majesty must first rectify the current water transportation and formulate shipping taxes."
Chen Xuan was a little embarrassed. It was easy to talk to civilian ships and merchant ships, but the main reason was that he knew about the taxation and the smuggling of imperial ships and acquiesced to it.
He himself did not engage in public service for personal gain, but he also made it easier for court officials. He turned a blind eye to the private use of some imperial ships, as long as they were not transporting contraband.
The main reason is that the people who can use the imperial ship privately are not ordinary people.
He prioritizes the smooth flow of water transportation in everything. He turns a blind eye to these things, and those officials, clans, and clans who benefit will better cooperate with his other regulations on water transportation.
And now the entire water transport system is facing this huge reform. The benefits involved must be very huge, and the resistance will certainly not be small. It is just something the emperor has made up his mind to do, and the reforms brought about by the steam engine are bound to be unstoppable.
The general trend is ahead, and Chen Xuan knows that it is difficult but also knows that it cannot be violated.
A change is about to begin for the officialdom and the powerful clans in Jiangnan.
Chen Xuan was a little worried that the direction of development of things would become uncontrollable, and even more worried that the large-scale killings like during the Hongwu period would begin.
After an afternoon of detailed talks with the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, Chen Xuan finally welcomed Zhu Zhanchang who was called by Zhu Gaochi after class.
Zhu Zhanzhen also finally got the chance to meet Mr. Chen. He had wanted to meet him before, but he never waited until he came back.
Chen Xuan never expected that the first thing the handsome young man said when he entered the door was