Thinking of this, Chongzhen felt a little inexplicably anxious.
Because everything is ready for the Ming Dynasty now. All it needs is the east wind, and this east wind is the steam engine.
As long as the problem of the steam engine is solved, the production capacity of the Ming Dynasty Arsenal can be quickly increased, from the current annual output of more than 20,000 flintlock muskets to an annual output of 100,000 or even 500,000 muskets.
At that time, 270,000 recruited troops and more than 600,000 town troops can be armed in a short time.
At that time, it will be easy to crush Jiannu, hypocrites, Zhang Xianzhong, Wu Dading and other traitors, and then we can concentrate our efforts on expanding our territory.
Chongzhen really didn't want to wait any longer.
At that time, Chongzhen sent people to find Ma Mingluan again.
The emperor summoned him, and Ma Mingluan came quickly on horseback.
After the ceremony, Chongzhen asked with concern: "Ma Qing, I heard that you were assassinated on the street yesterday?"
"Back to the Holy Emperor, it's nothing serious, just a few petty thieves." Ma Mingluohun said nonchalantly, "I asked my servants to be captured and escorted to Yingtian Mansion for interrogation."
Ma Mingluan offended many people.
So it's not surprising that he was assassinated.
Ma Mingluan was even mentally prepared to die for his country.
"Hey, this is no small matter." Chongzhen said, "You are the backbone of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so nothing can happen to you. I asked Zhang Huangyan to conduct a thorough investigation, and I will definitely give you an explanation."
"And you also need to recruit a few more servants."
After a pause, he added, "Maybe we can ask the Beijing camp to send troops."
If it were Zhu Yuanzhang, he would definitely take the opportunity to place a few spies around Ma Mingluan, nominally for protection, but actually monitoring Ma Mingluan's every move.
Ma Mingluan also had such doubts after hearing this.
I wonder in my heart, could it be that the Holy One no longer trusts him, so he wants to take the opportunity to plant spies around him?
Just as he was thinking about it, Chongzhen shook his head and said: "Forget it, it's not safe to send troops to the Beijing camp. Otherwise, we will select a group of innocent children from your wife's hometown to serve as your personal followers. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will
If you give salaries and other subjects, you should also follow this rule. Do you think this is okay?"
Ma Mingluan's hometown is in Baocheng County, Shaanxi Province, so he can only recruit his followers from his wife's hometown.
Hearing what Chongzhen said, Ma Mingluan couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, thinking that he had mistakenly thought of the Holy Spirit.
At that moment, Ma Mingluan said: "I dare not say goodbye to the gift given by my elders. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Ministry of Internal Affairs for this grace."
"Okay, let's get down to business." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "I've called you here for one thing this time. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is taking the lead to raise funds to establish a steam engine factory to specialize in the production of steam engines."
Although the improvement work on Zhengqi No. 1 has not yet begun, Chongzhen no longer wants to wait any longer.
"Steam engine factory?" Ma Mingluan said happily after hearing this, "Your Majesty, did the test run of Zhengqi No. 1 succeed?"
"Not really." Chongzhen shook his head in embarrassment and added, "But the problem is not big, just a small problem. After improvement, it can be put into production, so it is time to establish a steam engine factory."
"Your Majesty, how much share should the Ministry of Internal Affairs hold in the steam engine factory?"
Ma Mingluan never questioned the work orders issued by Chongzhen.
From the day he became the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ma Mingluan has always implemented Chongzhen's work orders to the letter, and this is what Chongzhen values most about Ma Mingluan. His execution ability is really super strong.
Chongzhen pondered for a moment and then said: "Ma Qing, the situation is a little different this time."
"This time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will not invest directly, but will invest in technology, accounting for 30% of the shares."
"However, no matter how much private shareholders hold shares in the steam engine factory, even if the largest private shareholder only accounts for 10%, the Ministry of Internal Affairs only holds shares and does not participate in the actual operation, let alone interfere in personnel appointments and removals."
Ma Mingluan asked again: "Your Majesty, are there any restrictions on merchants who can participate in the business and be in charge?"
"There are no restrictions on shareholding. Even merchants sent to Nanjing by slaves or puppets can still invest in shares." Chongzhen waved his hand and continued, "However, the merchant in charge still has to choose a reliable one.
It is best if you have been engaged in lathe manufacturing before and have experience in lathe manufacturing.”
In the era of handicraft workshops, there were actually lathes.
Lathes such as hand-operated lathes, pedal lathes and hydraulic lathes are not uncommon. However, such lathes do not have much cost advantage compared to manual lathes, so they have not been widely promoted.
Ma Mingluan immediately said: "There are several companies in Suzhou that specialize in the production of looms and spinning wheels. The scale seems to be quite large. I will make a special trip to Suzhou tomorrow to invite these companies to participate in the stock market. The rest are merchants in the Ming Dynasty.
Newspapers continuously advertise investment opportunities, inviting businessmen from all over the world to invest in the company."
"Add a slogan." Chongzhen said thoughtfully.
"This is an investment that can change the entire world. If you participate in it, you can dominate the world!"
This is not a false statement. The Ming Dynasty Steam Engine Factory can definitely change or even dominate the world.
Ma Mingluan asked a few more questions about starting a steam engine factory, and then hurriedly left after receiving the order.
As soon as Ma Mingluan left, he came in and reported: "Long live Lord, it's getting late. Should we stay at the Qingliang Mountain Palace tonight or go back to Qianqing Palace?"
The Ministry of Internal Affairs built a large number of houses at the northern foot of Qingliang Mountain to accommodate the technicians, craftsmen, logistics security personnel and family members of the Gewu Division, and left the largest house for Chongzhen to serve as his palace.
I have lived here since I returned to Nanjing from Liaodong.
"Why go back to the Qing Palace?" Chongzhen said angrily, "Just live here."
Gao Qiqian said yes, and then asked in a low voice: "Long live the Lord, do you want to call Concubine Ran to come to the palace to attend your bed?"
When it comes to serving people, eunuchs have to be the most professional. Before today, all Chongzhen's thoughts were devoted to the processing and manufacturing of steam engines, and he really had no interest in matters between men and women.
However, Zhengqi No. 1 failed in the test today. When Chongzhen was depressed, he would inevitably have the idea of seeking vent.
Therefore, Gao Qiqian's proposal played into Chongzhen's heart, and he immediately said: "Okay, then call Concubine Ran over."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Okay, I will summon Concubine Ran to come to the palace." He stood up and walked away, but he thought happily in his heart, this time
Concubine Ran really owed him a favor.
If Concubine Ran is pregnant with a dragon tonight, the favor will be huge.
Watching Gao Qiqian leave, Chongzhen couldn't help but think of Li Xiangjun.
The little lady Li Xiangjun must not be having an easy life now, right?
In the past, the rebels in Sichuan did not take Li Xiangjun to heart and did not take precautions, so they were caught off guard by her. Yuan Tao even lost his life. However, now that the rebels in Sichuan have experienced her power, they should
I won’t take it lightly anymore, so next we have to see Li Xiangjun’s true ability.
Is it the appearance of a famous general or a fluke?
I believe it won’t take long for the results to come out.
…
In Xuzhou Prefecture, Li Xiangjun traveled to the palace.
Li Xiangjun was reading a book of war under the gauze lamp, when footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.
When I looked back, I saw Chen Ermei, the captain of the personal soldiers, walking in in a hurry.
"Empress, something happened." Chen Ermei said urgently, "The soldiers mutinied."
"Are there any mutiny by the local soldiers?" Li Xiangjun asked with a frown, "Which province's local soldiers are there?"
The native soldiers gathered under Li Xiangjun's tent include those from Zunyi Prefecture, Gulin Prefecture, Zhenxiong Prefecture, Wusa Prefecture and Wumeng Prefecture, totaling more than 30,000 people.
Chen Ermei said: "The local soldiers in the five prefectures have mutinied."
"Nonsense." Li Xiangjun scolded, "If all the local soldiers in the five prefectures mutinied, they would have attacked Yibin City long ago. How could it be as quiet as it is now? Have you figured it out?"
"This," Chen Ermei said hurriedly, "I only heard about it."
"I heard?" A layer of frost suddenly appeared on Li Xiangjun's pretty face, "You can be punished for spreading rumors and disrupting the morale of the army by making false claims about a mutiny among the soldiers without any careful examination."
Chen Ermei was immediately embarrassed and didn't dare to say anything anymore.
At this time, Ge Nenniang also hurriedly came in and reported: "Mother, the soldiers from Wumeng Prefecture suddenly gathered at night, but the soldiers from Zunyi Zhenxiong and other four prefectures reacted quickly and surrounded them. General Ma Shen
, Yang Shen asked the general to ask the empress for instructions on how to deal with them? Should they be suppressed? "
"No, we have to find out the reason first."
Li Xiangjun stood up and walked out without wearing any armor.
"Empress, armor." Chen Ermei reminded hurriedly.
"It's an emergency, there's no time to put on the armor." Li Xiangjun kept walking and soon left the camp.
Chen Ermei hurriedly summoned the personal barracks, and Ge Nenniang also set up the female barracks and followed Li Xiangjun out of the city.
The local soldiers from Wumeng and other prefectures were stationed outside Yibin City, but the lights in the military camp were brightly lit, and countless local soldiers wearing turbans and straw sandals were confronting each other with Miao knives.
Surrounded in the middle were thousands of native soldiers from Wumeng Mansion.
On the periphery were more than 20,000 local soldiers from the Zunyi prefectures.
The soldiers in Wumeng Mansion were excited and shouting, and the situation might get out of control at any time.
As soon as Li Xiangjun arrived, several of his generals came forward to greet him. General Ma Wanchun even suggested: "My dear, the soldiers in Wumeng Mansion are crazy, let's do it!"
"What exactly happened?"
Li Xiangjun asked: "Why did it become like this?"
"The devil knows what happened." Ma Wanchun shook his head and said, "I guess I heard some rumors."
"Rumors?" Li Xiangjun frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "What kind of rumors are they specifically?"
Ma Wanchun said with a dark face: "Your Majesty, you are not in Yibin City these days, so you don't know. About three days ago, a rumor came out from nowhere, saying that the imperial court was going to give the Ming Dynasty's 600,000 soldiers to separate their wives.
That's why they transferred all the 30,000 widows of the Shili Xuanwei Division to Huguang. However, the 30,000 widows of the Shili Xuanwei Division were far from enough, so the imperial court also targeted the wives and daughters of the local soldiers in Wumeng Prefecture, waiting for them all to fight.
If they died on the battlefield, the imperial court would forcibly move their wives and daughters to Huguang and distribute them to the soldiers in Huguang Zhentai, and then the local soldiers in Wumeng Prefecture would stop working."
